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Animal-Vegetable-Mineral-Abstract: The Pants Memorial Game
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The chairperson selects an object/idea/whatever and announces whether it's animal, vegetable, mineral, and/or abstract. The others have to ask questions to figure out what it is. Whomever guesses the object correctly is given the chair for the next round; repeat ad nauseam.
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Is it a carol?
Is it connected with religion?
[ZK] Well - mainly because it makes a difference to the sort of questions I would ask :-)
[Breadmaster] No. [Chalky] Yes, technically. Generally, probably not. *wonders what kind of questions you'd be asking otherwise* :)
Is it a Christmas tale or story?
Is it connected with the giving of presents?
[Chalky] *Echoes ZK's thoughts* Explain! Explain!
[Inkspot]No.
[Kim]Hmmm...that depends...possibly. I'll say: for me, personally, no.
Is it festivities?
[Software] No. It generally involves them but is not festivities themselves. The usual questions seem to be missing from this round; they might help.
Is it fictional?
[Raak] No.
Is it an emotion?
[ZK, Kim] ahem ... like Ann Elk - I have a theory. However, it would be unfair to hijack this game in order to expound it. I'll mention it in Banter one day, I'm sure :-)
Is it an expression or saying?
Is is a measure of time?
[Chalks] I'll look forward to that. P.S. I think it's Anne, not Ann.
Seasons Greetings?
Is it Christmas?
Is it a 'sin'?
[Chalky] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Kim] In a way.
[Software] No. [Raak] (excited murmurs from audience)OOOoooh....no.
[Chalky] It depends what you do with it :)
Is it the season of goodwill?
ZK] Not a bloke? That means we males are outnumbered.
[BtD] No.
Was everyone assuming up to this point that I was? Ah well.
It might help to follow Kim's lead. Or Raak's.
Boxing Day?
[Raak].........no.
Is it the Twelve Days of Christmas?
Is it a film?
[Kim] No. [Inkspot] Not to the best of my knowledge. I daresay it has featured in many.
Christmas Eve?
New Year?
is it an event like the Queens Christmas Address to the Commonwalth?
[Chalky, Inkspot] No.
[Kim] Yes!
*whooping, cheering, goes generally wild for Kim*
Gosh!
Thank you one and all and especially to ZK for a festive and entertaining go. Right: this one is.....*flattened trumped makes ham-fisted attempt at fanfare*....ABSTRACT!
New Years Day?
Can we discard the seasonal theme now?
Is it a fictional character?
Is it an action? (oblig.)
I had assumed that ZK was male, on the basis of my theory that the more strange the nickname, the more likely the person is to be male. But I really want to hear Chalky's theory now.
Is it a measure of time?
I want to hear Chalky's theory too! My name is filched from "Insurance - the White Man's Burden", if anyone ever wondered...
Is there only one?
isn't my nickname strange?
Is it alive?
Is it related to ISIHAC?
Sorry I'm late!
Sorry, everyone, but I had no chance to get to a computer today. Right, let's see..
[Raak] No.
[Software] Y..y..y..y..y...just about.
[Inkspot] No.
[Breadmaster] No.
[ZK] No. That's my favourite opener!
[snorgle] Strictly, yes. And Yes.
[Lib] No.
[Tuj] Not in any conventional sense.
Would all adults recognise this concept?
[snorgle] Yes, a bit. It's not a hard and fast rule. But your name is less silly than, say, "DrQu+xum", "I Say! Porter!" or indeed my own. What is the origin of "Snorgle"? Or do I not want to know?
[Breadmaster] Almost certainly not all adults. P.S. Wan't to know why I call myself Kim?
Is it connected with the arts?
OK, why do u call yourself kim?
Is it a scientific concept?
I too would be interested to hear the origins of 'snorgle'
Would all of us recognise this concept?
This is all getting very intriguing, isn't it?
Would all children recognise it?
Snorgling is a noise my dog makes - it sounds like a snore and a gargle - usually when he wants some food or attention. It's quiet but effective at getting your attention, although it can be quite annoying! (I also saw the name in a comic book letters page once, and fancied it...)
Is it connected with religion?
View Halloo!
[Chalky] No.
[Fridge] Sorry, you have to post a question or a guess as well.
[LotUS] No. I'd be interested to hear the origins of a lot of these names. Perhaps we could turn it into a game.
[Breadmaster] No.
[snorgle] No.
[Raak] Yes. *The Snark is sighted in the distance. Raak rallies the hounds with a clarion call on his bugle and sets off in hot pursuit.*
Is it connceted to Judaism?
Picky, picky
It is connected to Judaism.
Chanukkah ?
So why Kim? The origin or Lib is rather underwheling, but i still and quite fond of it!
Ok, that makes no sense. I meant to say.... The origin of Lib is rather underwhemling, but I'm still quite ford of it. (I've got a cold and my head isn't working!)
Innocence?
Passover?
Is it a particular event?
[Lib] No.
[snorgle] No.
[LotUS] No.
[Raak] Nnnnnnnn...no.
Is it a ceremony particular to this faith?
[Inkspot] No.
The Exodus?
Is it a place?
Is it unique to Judaisim?
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[LotUS] I cannot answer that definitively, without researching other faiths, which I am not in a position to do. I *think* that it is uniquely associated with Judaism.
Is it a name for a collection of things?
Is it a Bat Mitzvah?
the girl's version..
Yom kipur?
Circumcision?
[Inkspot] No.
[snorgle] No.
[Software] No.
[Raak] No.
Is it conected to language or speech?
Is it an action?
A historical event?
[Inkspot] Yes. *One of the hounds has picked up the scent of The Snark. "If he turns down that way, shouts Inkspot, we can run him to ground!"*
[Raak] No.
[Tuj] In the sense that it was something that supposedly happened a long time ago and got written about, yes.
Was it written about in the Old Testament of the Bible?
Is there an interesting reason why you call yourself Kim? Also, if we had a game about the origins of all our screen names, how long would it last? *schizophrenic voice chips in* I suppose it would depend on what you made the rules...
the 10 commandments?
Snark at bay
[ZK] Yes!
Well, I had this idea that it could be played within the general boundaries of Animal-Vegetable-Mineral-Abstract. People ask yes/no questions and from the answers given slowly uncover the truth.
[snorgle] No.
Was it written in Genesis?
Ooh, good plan!
Was it written in Exodus?
Was it written in Leviticus?
Was it written in Numbers?
Is it something Man built or tried to build?
No idea what I'm babbling on about, but my name is not very well disguised, I keep posting the latest Celebrity MC tables on an of and on weekly ad hoc basis, so players would have to diliberatley not get it right;)
Was it written in Deuteronomy?
*leaves it for now*
The plagues of Egypt?
[ZK] No, no, no, no and no.
[Inkspot] No.
[Raak] No.
I'm tempted to post a clue, but Inkspot is perilously close to a breakthrough with his last two postings and ZK may get there by a process of elimination. I'll provide a clue, if asked.
If it's not in the Pentateuch, that cuts out most of the OT events I can think of...
The walls of Jericho falling down?
Is it in any of the prophets?
By which I mean, of course, Isaiah onwards, and including Lamentations and Jonah because they're nice and short.
The Snark is running out of breath
[Raak] No.
[Breadmaster] Yes.
Are they from the second section of the Tanakh (one of the books of Neviim)?
The 10 commandmants?
The
[Inkspot] No. Go back to your question before last.
[Software] No. I think we've already eliminated the Torah.
One more go, then I think we'll put up a clue.
The tower of babel(fish)?
Something made by the big man upstairs ?
Is it a prophecy?
Belshazzar's Feast?
Jonah preaching to Nineveh?
Crikey, I haven't guessed one yet, and if I don't get this one at least I will have to retire ashamed.
Clue time
[Software] No. Isn't that what Inkspot was *babbling* on about before?
[Inkspot] Yyyy...yes. In the sense that it is something that He caused to happen. Now, go back again to your question about language and your question about the Tanakh and put them together. If you don't get this one, I will be disappointed.
[Ibid] Not as such.
[Raak] Not as such.
[Breadmaster] No.
*But the Snark is utterly trapped between several of the hounds and cannot move one way or another. Surely one of them will now deliver the fatal blow...*
Is it the valley of dry bones?
I'm clutching at straws here, at least until I get home and can start listing every event from the start of Isaiah onwards...
[Breadmaster] No.
"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"?
Hagiographa?
Have I backed up too far and overshot the mark
Bang!!
[Raak] Yes! The exact words I was looking for were "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin", although I would, at this point, have accepted "The Writing on the Wall". I was sure that Inkspot would succeed. It is from the Ketuvim, the third section of the Tanakh, it had everything to do with language, it was not a prophesy as such, although it did tell the king what would happen to his kingdom and it was not Balshazzars feast, as such, although it did occur at the same time. Many contestants came within a gnats, but Raak hits the spot once again. Congratulations, Raak! The chair is yours, but with an honourable mention to Inkspot for incisive questioning.
A fiery hand writes: ANIMAL and VEGETABLE.
Meat and two veg?
A sparse dinner, at Christmas.
Is the animal living?
[Zk] No to both.
Is the vegetable, a vegetable.
drat and double drat
Does it have anything to do with Christmas?
[Inkspot] Partly.
[Kim] No.
Is it a single thing?
Goddammit! That was going to be my next question. I had forgotten that the book of Daniel is traditionally considered one of the prophets, although today it is always classified as an apocalyptic work. Arrrgh!
Is it edible?
[Bm] Yes. Commiserations on the last one -- sounds like you knew too much!
[Lib] (amusement in the audience) Yes. Definitely.
Is it a combination of animal and vegetable ingredients known by a specific name (eg "Duck á L'orange")?
[Kim] Yes!
Is it a work of art?
Is it toad-in-the-hole?
Is is a dish usually associated with a particular country?
Is the 'animal' part poultry?
Is a sauce involved?
[Bm] No.
[ZK] No.
[Kim] Yes!
[Inkspot] No.
[rab] No.
Paella?
Is it a dish usually associated with France?
Is it a dish usually associated with Italy?
Is it a dish usually associated with China?
Is it a dish usually associated with the USA?
Is it a dish usually associated with Britain?
I'm liking this new annoying habit of mine :)
*Farkle*
Biding my time and letting ZK do all the hard work.....
:)
[Inkspot] No.
[ZK] No, no, no, no, and er um sort of but no not actually.
[Kim] *fring*
Is is a dish associated with one particular country in Great Britain?
[Kim] Yes.
Is it Scotland?
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties?
(seeing as Kim simul'ed the same question as I)
Is it Haggis?
[rab] Thief! That was to be my next question!
Actually I just dismissed 'haggis' on account of not being veggy, but then I remembered the oats. And here we learn the importance, finally, of checking our oats.
[Kim] Yes.
[rab] You have, alas, overshot the mark.
[Kim] It is indeed HAGGIS.
The audience carries the triumphant Kim on their shoulders round the room, to the accompaniment of massed pipers.
Impressively swift, but is that really a single thing?
[Bm] Well, pick up a haggis. Do you have a single thing in your hand? Or is it two things, the skin and the contents? Or is it a trinity of skin, animal edibles, and vegetable edibles? If three, is it simultaneously one? Does the process of combining the ingredients to make a haggis subsume their three natures into a single nature, or do they retain three separate natures which in the cooking process become like, but still separate? Will you be hunted through every glen in Scotland for confusing homoousion with homoiousion?
A wacky idea....
How about the next one...whose turn is it?
As the last winner, Kim has first refusal on the chair.
[Raak] Ha! Very good. You and your sneaky iota. When I said "single thing" I meant a particular, unique individual, but I should probably have phrased it better. I shall retire to a monastery in the Thebaid and secretly write self-vindicating books to be discovered 1500 years in the future.
Errr....right....
OK. This next one is.....MINERAL and VEGETABLE
Whisky?
Is it liquid?
Is it something manufactured from mineral and vegetable materials?
*doi* actually that kind of goes without saying, but you know what I mean... as opposed to "a rock and a couple of carrots" :)
Is it edible?
Is is something that is normally worn?
Petrified wood?
And....they're off!!
[raak] No.
[ZK] No.
[ZK] Yes.
[ZK] Err...yes. It could have been a snowman (which would fit the "carrot and a couple of rock" idea (but isn't).
[Breadmaster] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Toby] No.
[All] P.S. I will have limited playing time today. My wife is on call (she's a midwife) and so I shall have to keep our telephone line free (we only have one, which does double duty as land line and internet line) from 9 O'clock this evening. I'll try to get back to this game at least once between then and now.
Is the vegetable part wood?
Is the mineral a metal?
Is it normally found in the home?
Triple whammy!
[Raak] Yes!
[Inkspot] Yes!
[plump] Yes!
Is it a particular piece of furniture?
A door?
[Inkspot] Not furniture in the conventional sense.
[Raak] No.
A house built of wood, with metal fixings?
Is it made for a particular use?
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] Yes.
Is it possible to pick it up with one hand?
A door knob?
[Raak] No.
[plump] No.
A window?
Does the wood form more of the structure than the metal?
Is it most likely to be used in one particular room more than any other?
Is it a fixture?
Is it just as likely to be found NOT in the home?
[Toby] ooh, i like that....
[Good news] No.
[Good news] Hmmm....difficult. Let me say that the thing could not exist without both, but the wood holds the whole thing together.
[Inkspot] Yyyyyyyes.....most likely to be used in certain rooms rather than others...
[Raak] No.
[Toby] Yes!
[ZK] I see you've been lurking....(!)
Is it a container of any sort?
Is it made to be sat on?
Is it a desk? (of office style)
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] *Clue* Not on.
[Lib] No.
I have been looking at plump's first question, which, I think, is capable of more than one interpretation. Comments, supplementary questions invited.
Is it a support for something?
Is it powered by electricity?
A coffin?
A child's swing?
An Analytical Engine executed in Victorian walnut and brass?
Is it meant to be sat under?
[ZK] Ta.
Prepositions, prepositions.....
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] *Clue* Mine isn't, but there are some varieties you can get that are.
[Software] No.
[Dazed5] No.
[Raak] Nice, but no. (*Thinks*) "Hmmmm, walnut and brass......"
[Toby] No. Try again.
Fine. Sat between beyond above for to - oh, there's one. Sat in?
Is every home likely to have one?
Sat at - is it a piano?
A early Victorian jacuzzi, with hand bellows attachments?
I only use it to tinkle on.....
[Toby] Oh, bad luck. None of the above. And not every home is likely to have one, although I think that every home should.
[ZK] Bingo! *sings*"Sitting at my pi-a-no the other day...".
[Inkspot] I would love to visit your home one day....
Congratulations, and the antique birthing stool with bronze attachments goes to Zoological Keeper with compliments. Lurking clearly works.....
*lurk lurk lurk*
Hurrah! [Kim] Gratefully received and sitting next to my medieval teak espressomatic. Right, I shall endeavour to offer another one for all to get their metaphorical teeth into. And it shall be ABSTRACT. How do you get colour tags?
[ZK] <font color=red>Like this</font> for standard colours, <font color="#80FF28">or like this</font> to roll your own.
Can it be seen?
Is it a fictional character?
Messing around with colours!
Is it an activity?
Colour me baaaaaaaaaad!
A good start to the day
Righto.
[Inkspot] mmmmmmmmm...for now, I'll go with no.
[snorgle] Not mainly but has featured as such in at least one book I know of.
[Kim] No.
Is it anything to do with time?
[Raak] *ripples of applause in the back row of the audience] Yes.
Is it a date or event on the calender?
Is it the shortness in duration of an eclair?
[Inkspot] Yes and no.
[Raak :)] Same answer.
The winter solstice?
Tea-time?
Does it occur once every four years and will it, in fact, occur next year?
Is it a unit of measurement?
[Inkspot, Raak] It includes both.
[Kim]Um, no.
[Breadmaster]No.
Is it the title of a book?
Is it connected with religion?
Does it have a duration?
much checking needed
*trolling back from amazon* [Inkspot] I've found it included in a few, but it is not the title of a book in itself. [Inkspot once more] Not to the best of my knowledge. [Raak] Possibly.
Does it occur on a regular schedule?
Is it one of the seasons?
Is it an anthropomorphisation?
Like Jack Frost.
*waiting for Breadmaster to pounce*
[Raak] Er, not as such....no.
[Dazed5] Technically, no.
[Breadmaster] Umm, I think so.
But it's not Jack Frost. :)
crimbo
I can't promise to be back before the end of today; I need to clean my room, wrap presents, help around the house and attend midnight mass and this may involve arranging with my friend for her to come stay with us for crimble so Merry Christmas all if I don't see you again soon, and I hope some brilliant period of enlightenment visits you and tells you the answer - I suspect Breadmaster's onto a winner anyway, if someone else doesn't filch it first. christmas blessings all! xx
*breathes*
(going for the obvious:) Santa Claus?
popping back long enough to be a spoilsport
[Raak] Sorry, but no.
The Wings of Time?
Or should that be 'the Sands'?
and again
[Toby] Exceedingly sorry, but no.
Chronos- a personification of time?
Merry Christmass all!!
[snorgle] Oh, so excruciatingly sorry!!! But, specifically, no. If no-one else gets it before the 27th I may have to concede.
Old Father Time?
And with the dawn of Boxing Day, we usher in a new age of guessing as Kim rides home with the victory and an extra glass of egg-nog. It was indeed Father Time. :)
I would have got away with it if it weren't for these pesky kids!
Oh damn yer eyes, why do I always unwittingly nearly get it and then not return to the computer for 48 hours? Curses!!
Ho Ho Ho!
They say revenge is a dish best served cold. This much it does not have in common with turkey.
OK, folks, this one's ABSTRACT
Is it FICTIONAL?
You'll be eating increasingly tough revenge sandwiches for months, if I have my way!
[Breadmaster] In the broadest sense, yes. (...and of course there's always a nice warming cup of revenge soup on day three.)
Would it be comprehensible to the average 10-year-old?
I'll get this. By hook or by crook.
Is it related to the present festive seeason?
Is it a philosophical conceit?
Kim - are you planning to appear soon?
Sorry I'm late!
[Breadmaster] I would say the average 10 year-old would not know about this.
[Raak] In the broadest sense, yes.
[Toby] Please clarify, or give an example.
[Chalky] Yes. Sorry, I was out of commission yesterday.
Is it closely related to ISIHAC, in anything less than the broadest sense?
Ah. A meta-abstraction, really, such as: "Das Ding an sich", existential Angst, Jeffersonian democracy...
Is it, in your opinion, a positive thing?
[Toby] Das Ding an sich was of course Kant's attempt to write a Christmas carol - not sure why it never caught on.
[Raak] No.
[Toby] Ahhh, I see. No.
[Breadmaster] In my opinion it can only either be both positive and negative, or neither.
Is it Occam's Razor?
Which is of course related to the current festive season in that the introduction of the assumption of the existence of Father Christmas is a necessary premise; and is also of course pure fiction.
[Breadmaster] I thought it did - Ding, an sich, Dingalingaling - which was subsequently corrupted by the uncomprehending rabble.
[Toby] No.
[All] *Clue* It may help to think along the lines of Raak's first question, omitting the word "festive".
The 28th of December?
Is it a calender event ? eg winter solstice?
Toby] I liked Chuck Berry's version!
Is it weather-related?
[Inkspot] I think you're the only person who did!
A white 28th of December?
[Inkspot] *Sporadic applause from the audience.* Strong calendar association, but not a solstice, nor an equinox.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Raak] No.
Is it a Bank Holiday?
The Eve of the New Year?
Your birthday?
Back to work!
[Chalky] No.
[Toby] *More applause*. No. It is not a calendar event as such, but something that has an association with that particular calendar event.
[Inkspot] No, but thank you for thinking of me.
A resolution?
[Breadmaster] No.
A Burns Supper?
[Raak] No.
Sylvester? Hogmanay? A kiss at midnight?
Or would that last one be 'animal'?
[Toby] None of the above.
[All] I'm getting concerned that if we get too far into this month, my choice will cease to be aposite. There is one very popular question arising out of "abstract" that has not yet been asked.
Is it an action?
And if so, is it first-footing?
[Breadmaster] No, not an action.
Is it a human concept?
Is it getting to second base on first date?
Obviously very important during the winter and broadly fictional though more mythical to some.
First footing?
Hogwatch?
Is it an anthropomorphisation?
[Chalks] No.
[Raak] No.
[Toby] Yes! *Applause*
Jack Frost?
So I guess that's a yes to mine too!
The old guy with the '2003' banner stumbling out on his cane while the little '2004'-bannered baby crawls in?
Is there a name for that?
[snorgle] No. But yes to your previous. Apologies for missing it.
[Toby] No, and I have no idea what that is called, but you are getting closer.
[Inkspot] Apologies for missing your earlier post. Nice, but no.
Janus?
Is it a tall dark man carrying coal?
Or some such thing.
Hallelujia!
[Raak] Yes! The answer is the god JANUS. The kissing stool to Raak with compliments.
[Dazed5] Sorry, we have gas.
A blind guess, after having been sure snorgle must have had it with Jack Frost.

The next object is ANIMAL, with ABSTRACT connections.

A brontosaurus?
HE-HE-HEM. I have a theory...
[Toby] No.
Is it an actual animal, known to exist or to have existed in the past?
That's an "A-N" not "A-N-N-E" animal.
[Kim] An actual entity classed as ANIMAL, yes.
Is it a person?
I'll up my number of guesses once I'm back at work tomorrow;)
Is it extinct?
[Inkspot] Yes.
[Tuj] Not applicable, given that it's a person.
Is the person living?
[Bm] No.
Is it Mark Rothko, or another abstract artist?
Is it Mark Rothko, or another abstract artist?
[momus] Neither Mark Rothko, not any other abstract artist.
s/not/nor/
Is it a real person who has been 'fictionalised'?
"fictionalised" is almost the word I mean, someone who lived but their life has been 'embroidered' like Robin Hood or King Arthur, but not mythical.
Is it a scientist?
[Inkspot] No.
[Toby] Ah. Um. There is room for multiple opinions and flame-wars on that topic.
Was he Italian?
Nostradamus?
Von Danniken? (sp?)
that was a triple simulpost
Urrgh
He's still alive. I think ... please ignore. (More elbow jogging, Chalky! Sorry.)
Sigmund Freud?
And is he, in fact, a he?
Paracelsus?
Leonard of Quirm?
[Inkspot] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Dujon] No. (And he isn't still alive, according to a previous answer.)
[Toby] No, yes.
[Bm] No.
[Kim] No.
Was he' alive' before 1800 BC
... perhaps we should nail the time of this slightly abstracted chappie.
L. Ron Hubbard
I've no idea if he's dead yet, but there ya go.
Has he given name to theory/principle/law?
Has he given name to theory/principle/law?
oops!
half ten...phew...time for a cuppa tea
[Chalky] Yes.
[Thrax] No.
[Inkspot] No.
Was he alive before 1000AD?
The late and, IMHO, not enormously great L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986. His spirit is probably floating around near us as we speak.
Was he an astronomer?
back refreshed and ready for more of the same till lunchtime
[Bm] Yes.
[Inkspot] No.
Was he recognised as a philosopher?
[Dazed5] Yes!
Plato?
Aristotle?
[Inkspot] No.
[Chalky] Bullseye!
My toast lands on the floor jam side down aswell!

[Irkspot] Er, right
And cats always land on their feet. So if you strap a piece of toast and jam to the back of a cat....
Goddammit! I'm curious why it would be considered controversial to call Aristotle a scientist. He did, after all, pretty much invent biology.
Freakout
He didn't invent my biology. I'm fairly certain that two sexually-inclined Yorkshirepersons were responsible for my spawning. I believe they were doing their service to the nation, in an attempt to prevent us from being outnumbered by the Germans, as is the time-honoured custom in this fair land of ours.
[Bm] A scientist by the standards of the time, maybe.
getting a word in edgeways ...
Ooh - that was lucky. It's ages since I had a turn in the chair. I'm office based for the next few days, so will try to keep it simple:
M I N E R A L with 'vegetable' connections . . .
Yukon gold potatoes?
And I see the boys are at it again ;-) Maybe we need a Jesting Pilate game for the what is art/what value philosophy/science to whom/why a duck? discussions?
Is it art?
[Toby] Great idea - in the unlikely event of my starting a band, our first album will now be called Jesting Pilate.
Is it "The Potato Eaters?"
I forget which artist painted it. I like the sound of a band though. I always wanted to be in a band when I were a lad. Unfortunately I have no musical talent whatsoever. (Cries) I can't read write or play music to save me life, though I'd be at home on the mic, butchering Pink Floyd tracks and pretending I was doing them justice.
Toby - No
Breadmaster - No, not really
Thrax - No
Is it something I could go and see today?
[Thrax] When I was a student I had a burning ambition to start a band called Asymmetrically Repulsive and release an album entitled Messianic Duck. Like you, I was hampered by an actively negative musical ability, being semi-tone deaf. One day, though...
Is it made of stone?
I was a drummer in a rock band for a while. We were originally going to call ourselves Thundering Imbeciles but settled, in the end, on Barok. Well, it was 25 years ago...
Is it unique?
Is it made from metal?
Is it an article of cutlery?
apologies for delay
Breadmaster - Yes
Kim - No
Dazed - No
Inkspot - Metal, yes, and other stuff
Raak - No
[I may not be able to get back here before 6pm. Keep piling on the guesses - it's quite straightforward].
Is it a kitchen device like a breadmaker or kettle?
Is it a kitchen non-device like a baking tray or a pan?
Would it commonly be considered a household item?
Is it larger than a microwave oven?
Inkspot - No
Raak - No
B'master - Yes [and could be found in a kitchen]
Software - No
Is it a tool, in the conventional sense, that is?
Is it for gardening?
Is it a Garlic Crusher?
Software - No
Raak - No [although I suppose it could be found in a garden]
momus - if I'm not mistaken, a garlic crusher is a kitchen device [but of course, you may use one for entirely different purposes :-)
Is it for woodworking?
Raak - No
Would it be connected to a particular household area?
Is it powered by either batteries or mains electricity?
Tuj - Not really
Inkspot - YES!
Is it an electric pencil-sharpener?
Raak - No :-)
whilst this sounds cheap I can assure you that some are rather pricey..is it a lazy cucumber styled dildo?
Is the vegetable connection wood?
B'master - Yes, on most occasions [from what I can ascertain]
A paper shredder
Is it usually always switched on?
eg a radio could be but is not usually
Is it used for entertainment?
Would most homes in this country probably have one?
sorrysorrysorry
Eek - I thought I'd replied to the first 3 questions above at about 3pm... I'm so sorry, I must have left it on preview. To repeat:
Raak - No
Inkspot - Not always ... and a *'hearty cheer* for a superb example. SO close!
Dazed - YES!
Breadmasterly person - Not yet ;-)
A digital radio?
Grow-lights for growing pot?
A five-speed walking stick?
Digital wallpaper?
An intelligent door?
He may be Dazed [& Confused] but he's SPOT ON!
Well done Dazed - DAB it is - and very much on my mind as the grateful recipient of such a wondrous beast this Christmas [Pure Evoke 1]. I think Bob's got the same toy :-)
Inkspot - commiserations ...
... and apologies to all for being so busy just at the wrong time - which rather lost the momentum of the game.
What were the wooden vegetable connections?
Garden path's come to mind, Chalks.
Amazement
Here we go...next one is Abstract with Animal connections.
Is it a fictional character from a book?
Is it an action?
Standard secondary opener number 3.
Is it an animal of legend?
Is it evolution?
Is it a feeling/emotion?
Inkspot, no.
Breadmaster, no.
Kim,no.
Raak,no.
Bigsmith,no.
Is it a metaphorical or similitudinous concept?
E.g. wily as a fox, the owl of wisdom, etc.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAZED :-)
Backtracking ...
[Raak] Digital radios - most of the popular new models [including mine] are in a nice wooden casing. I dare say there are some that are NOT, which is why I qualified my reply to B'master. It was there for all to read.
[Software] Erm ... don't understand your comment. Surely you're not implying I led you up the garden path? And why the apostrophe?
Can it be seen?
Thanks Chalky...although I am only a day older than I was yesterday...:)
Raak, no.
Inkspot, not in the form that I am thinking.
Can it be experienced directly by any of the sense?
Ibid, yes it certainly can.
Can it be heard?
Is it something experienced by only an individual?
[Chalks] it is a grocer's apostrophe (see Eats, Shoots and Leaves).
Inkspot, yes.
Softers, it is experienced by everyone
Is it a fart?
The sound of a cheetah breathing noisily through its nose while tucking into the antelope it ha just run down?
Bigsmith, no.
Raak, good guess but no.
Is it connected with the weather?
It's raining here again, well more like indecisive drizzle really.
Inkspot, nothing to do with weather.
Can it also be seen, touched, tasted and smelled?
... collectively or severally
Is the animal connection human?
Chalky, none of those, it can only be heard (in this form).
Raak, yes.
Is it a song?
Kim - YES
Does the Animal connection form part of the title/subject?
Is it a pop song?
Or possibly from an opera?
Chalky, no. The animal connection is purely because it is written and performed by humans.
Toby, no and no
Does it date from before the last century?
What I mean is, there are 'original' recordings by the Beatles but not 'original' recordings of say Handel.
Is there an 'original ' recording?
Tuj, yes it does.
Inkspot, I do not think there is an original recording of this.
Is it from before the 19th century?
Raak, no. I believe it was written late 19th century.
Does it have a patriotic flavour?
Chalks, no.
Is it a hymn?
Inkspot, no.
Is it a song everybody knows?
Like Happy Birthday or Auld Lang Syne.
Is it written in, or usually sung in English?
"The Last Rose of Summer"?
Toby YES...it is the song..Happy Birthday to You..and with that..over to you
Ah, gosh. Gee. I'm overwhelmed.

OK, here we go. Common-or-garden ABSTRACT, she says.
Is it fictional?
Is Toby a woman too? Goodness, I'm getting confused now.
Would this be a purely human trait?
Me too, BM. I'm fairly sure that I was the one who treated nights as a lady in the MCiOS chat room - mind you, no-one bothered to disillusion me.
Is it capable of being experienced through one or more of the senses?
[Breadmaster] No. And yes. No confusion intended ;-)
[Dujon] No.
[Kim] No.
Is it a depiction of a person?
No.
Is it something mathematical?
[Raak] Yes.
Is it some kind of law?
[Breadmaster] Not so much. No one ever talks about 'the law of this-particular-thing' in the way they would refer to 'the law of gravity.' But it is a reflection of a truth.
Is it pi?
Is it zero?
Is it logic?
Is it a theorem?
Is it a saying or experssion? ie stitch in time saves nine
Yes, Bigsmith, it is indeed &pi!
And with that, over to you.
Oh Bugger
I'm not really going to be around enough to take the chair here (those ex-Pants-o-Philes may remember I was in the chair when Pants MC went belly-up, and I was annoying every one then with my slow responses). May I suggest Inkspot takes up the challenge as he/she was so close with Chalky's radio.
A Welshman in exile
Bigsmith, thank you, I am honoured indeed by your invitation, and I'm sure that despite the rumours, the demise of Pants MC wasn't totally your fault. ;)

mmmmm by 'ere I'd say Mineral .

Is the mineral metalic?
Sotware; No
Is it a specific item made of this mineral?
Is it plastic?
Kim] Yes
Raak]No
Is it an item made of stone or rock?
Earthenware?
Kim]Yes
Raak]No
Is it a geographical feature?
Is it a gnomon?
Worth a throw;)
Breadmaster] *a slight murmur from the audience* No
Tuj]No, an interesting guess, I'll tell you why later.Stonehenge came from quarries near here
Does this thing stay in one place?
Is it man-made?
Is there more than one of these things?
Breadnaster]Yes, definitely.
Toby]Yes
sorry simulpost there
plump]Yes and No
Stonehenge?
Would this be a monument?
Is it a building?
Toby]No
Dujon]Yes
Breadmaster}No
Is it Cleopatra's Needle?
Come to that, is it in Britain?
Breadmaster]1.No 2.Yes
Is it the Cenotaph?
In England?
Bigsmith] No
Software] No, and I'll be sending a raiding party for your sheep later.
Is it in South Wales?
snorgle]*excited clapping* yes
Is it a prehistoric monument?
Cardiff Docks?
Swansea Docks?
Milford Haven Docks?
Raak]YES *almost there*
Bigsmith]No
Bigsmith]No
Bigsmith]No, my bedroom widow used to look out over Milford docks, towards the BP and Texaco refineries.
Crick Barrow?
There's quite a few prehistoric monuments in South Wales.
[Inkspot] Why, did she enjoy the view?
To the hills!
Raak]No. There is a hidden clue in my reply to Tuj which may help with the location.
Raak]...curses foiled again!
Harolds Stones?
If you're wondering why - look here.
snorgle]No, not a stone circle, try further west.
clue: This early Neolithic ancient monument was built for a purpose which we kmow for certain, and is one of the best examples of its kind in the U.K.
Was it built as a tomb?
Was it built to make astronomical observations?
Given the earlier mention of gnomons...
Is it on the Gower Peninsula?
Raak]Yes; Burial tomb or cromlech
Raak] No; Stonehenge being the tenuous link, the stones came from the Preseli hills 200 miles away *hint*? extra points will be awarded for guessing how they got them there, and we all know what points mean.
Bigsmith]No; further west
Pembrokshire blue stone?
stoking up the Aga
Software]Yes; It is in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire and made from blue stone
Pentre Ifan?
Just google-guessing...
Cooking with gas
Raak] Yeeeeeeessssssssss, on the button, well done Raak, an excellent guess.

that was educational to me as to what not to chose or almost risk killing the game

The next item is MINERAL.
Are we moving away from stone?
....and towards metal?
Plastic, anyone?
Is it a gnomon?
Maybe some day this'll be a standard opening question for Mineral.
Is it heterogeneous?
i.e., metal and plastic?
Is it a(n) household item?
[Software] Yes.
[Kim] Yes, almost entirely.
[Breadmaster] Not to any significant degree.
[Tuj] No.
[Toby] Somewhat, but primarily metal.
[Dujon] No.
Is it manufactured?
[Dujon] Yes.
Does it use either battery or electrical mains power?
refreshed by sleep and with my morning cup of tea at the ready
[Inkspot] Ah...yes, it does actually. (This is a Misleading Answer.)
Is it a battery?
[Software] No.
Am I likely to possess one?
Is it made for a specific purpose?
Despite not being a(n) household item (per Dujon), is it nonetheless most likely to be found in the home?
[Bm] It's unlikely, but not impossible.
[Inkspot] Yes.
[Kim] No. It will never be found in the home.
Does it use solar panels to collect energy to move around?
[Inkspot] No.
A particle accelerator?
Just a wild guess that popped into my head.. :-)
[snorgle] No.
Will it never be found in the home because it's too big to fit?
Or maybe because it has to be outside?
Does it need to be switched on to perform its function?
Toby stole my question :)!
Would it be used by a mechanic in a garage?
[Toby] Yes.
[Toby] It usually is.
[Tuj] Yes.
[Inkspot] No.
A searchlight?
All right, it's a wild guess. Well, a bit big for the home - usually uses its own generator (with batteries) - and so on.
[Dujon] No.
Do we want a hint yet?
Does it make something else?
Is it some sort of vehicle?
This seems unlikely, as Raak said Breadmaster was unlikely to have one, but I suppose it could be atank or something.
Would it be likely to be too expensive for the average household?
[Tuj] Actually I'm highly unlikely to own any kind of vehicle!
[Inkspot] No.
[Tuj] YES!
[Bm] Probably. Depends how wealthy the average household is.
Does it have wheels?
[Chalky] Some do.
That's assuming you mean, does it travel on wheels.
One of the Mars rovers?
[Toby] Good one, but no.
Could it legally go on the roads?
[Bm] Yes.
Is it a military vehicle?
Would the alternative to wheels be tracks?
[Inkspot] No.
[Dujon] Yes.
I'm not sure what you call them, but a 'bobcat' - i.e. a machine - often with a loader/digger in the front and often a hoe or similar on the back.
Bulldozer?
[plump] Close...
[Dujon] Yes! The word I had in mind was "backhoe", but you have the article.
Cheering audience lifts Dujon onto their shoulders and carries him around the room.
I've never heard either of those words. Do you mean a JCB?
[Bm] Well, JCB isn't the only firm that makes them, but yes.
*Takes embarrassed bow.*
I really had no intention of selecting the correct answer. I've done this before (when the Pants site was alive) - because I'm in a significantly different time zone to most participants it makes it awkward for everyone if I take the chair.
Accordingly I invite someone else to volunteer for the position ... perhaps, as Tuj got us on the right track (sorry) and Chalky the wheels/track, one of them might care to break the champagne and launch the next subject? Please!
Thanks Duj. Nice thought, but I don't feel I made a significant contribution. Perhaps Tuj would like a crack at the next one? If not - perhaps someone else is burning for a turn?
Noted
Fine, Chalky. I am unsure as to when Tuj normally posts but perhaps we could all wait until, say, 11;00 GMT on Monday (It's around 01:50 as I type) to allow time for a response. After that time I suggest the 'first in, best dressed' option be invoked.
Filling in space
[Breadmaster/Raak] On the 'bobcat' term: Yes, 'backhoe' is also used here. I suspect that 'bobcat' (well, I'm 90% sure) is a trade name - something like 'Biro' for a ballpoint pen, although the latter term does seem now to be fading somewhat.
Marking time
Well, neither Tuj nor anyone else has posted. I haven't had a go in the driving seat yet, because I'm not very good at guessing, but unless anyone objects I could have a go, if that's OK with Dujon et al...?
Yes
[BM] I was thinking that if Tuj wasn't available - you might take the chair - I say go for it :-)
Excellent. OK. This one is ABSTRACT, but it arguably has both mineral and animal overtones.
Is it connected with religion?
Raak - not notably.
Is it a fictional, mythical or legendary being of some kind?
Is it connected with science?
Kim - Nope.
Toby - Again, not notably.
Is it connected to a famous saying or cliche?
Ibid - It is not.
Is it made of words?
Raak - It is not.
Very negative so far, isn't it?
Does it involve fish in any way?
Sorry about my absence - this has happened before. Really I'm far too sporadic for this, the fastest paced game on MC5, so I've carefully avoided the chair so far.
Can it be seen or heard?
Tuj - Once more, not notably. But never mind about being absent, I'm enjoying this bit of negativity...
Inkspot - Tricky one - I would say yes, it can - both directly and, very much, indirectly.
Is it an emotion?
The Giant Rat of Sumatra?
Would this be dream like?
Only attempting to narrow the field.
Just a thank you!
Tuj, sorry you missed out - although it seems you are not too disappointed with that.
Breadmaster, I thank you for taking up the reins.
Is it something negative, like silence or emptiness?
Is it an event?
Chalky - No.
Toby - No. Not fictional, remember.
Dujon - No.
Raak - No.
Inkspot - No.
I thought this would be fairly easy, but no-one's made the breakthrough yet.
Is it a piece of music?
Is it a period of time?
Inkspot - No.
Raak - No.
Is it the sound of silence?
Is it a reflection?
Software - No.
Inkspot - No.
I'll give you a clue. It did not exist before the twentieth century.
Is it the artistic merit of a dead cow in formaldehyde?
RECAPPING
IT IS NOT:
notably connected with religion
fictional, mythical or legendary
connected with science
connected to a famous saying or cliche
made of words
notably involved with fish
an emotion
The Giant Rat of Sumatra
dream-like
something negative like silence or emptiness
an event
a piece of music
a period of time
the sound of silence
a reflection.

IT IS:
something that can be seen or heard, both directly, and very much, indirectly.
CLUE: It did not exist before the twentieth century.

Could this be seen/heard anywhere on this earth?
Is it television?
Raak - Yyyyyyyyy - no.
Chalky - If it is possible to see or hear this thing directly, then there are places on this earth where one can do so, although not many. In theory, one could see or hear it indirectly anywhere.
Kim - No. But getting a little closer...
Is it related to mass communication?
Whalesong?
Request for clarification: What category does something like a soundwave fall in? It's not technically abstract - it can be measured, heard, and felt. Does it retain the property of its creator, as its quality and existence depend on it - i.e. the bark of a dog is animal and the whirring of gears mineral? Or does "abstract" really just mean none-of-the-above?
Wireless?
Tuj - It is indeed.
Raak - No.
Toby - Gosh, I don't know. Fortunately it's not a problem that affects this round, because that's not it.
Software - No.
It might help if I told you that this a particular individual thing.
Can it be seen AND heard?
The 'or' is confusing me.
the World Wide Web?
Is it the Internet?
Cyberspace?
Toby - Yes.
Kim - No.
Toby - No.
Is it the tile of a programme?
Inkspot - Nope.
Is it a language?
Chalky - It is not.
News broadcasting?
A broadcasting corporations channel?
The War On Terror?
Chalky - No.
Inkspot - Not quite, but very close!
Raak - No (not mythical, remember...?)
Is it the view through the Jennicam?
Raak - Alas, no.
The BBC?
Rounds of applause
Chalky - YES! It is indeed the BBC.
Looks like it's the turn of the Chalky one!
"Ooh, ta Sir!" *curtsies*
Have only just remembered to look in here ... was rather busy playing Thwack the Penguin [see MCiOS Hyperlynx].
As there have been a string of Abstracts lately - I'll choose A N I M A L . . .
Is it human?
Nice one, Chalks, picking the Bah Beh Seh!
aw shucks
Kim - it is indeed human :-)
Is it a politician?
Are they living?
Tony Blair, Anne Widecombe? hope not.
Is it a living person?
Are they well known in the UK?
Clearly I have gone blind.
Is it male?
Obvious, but useful ...
[Brendan] You might as well have asked "Is it female? (ornamental, but useless)" ;-)
... some answers
Toby - No
Inkspot - No
Software - No
snorgle [2nd question] er .. tricky to reply to - I guess one asked 100 people in the UK [random] if they'de heard of this person, 50% might reply in the affirmative - but I'm assuming that the players of this game would all be aware of her.
Brendan - No
JLE - *thwack*

*BONUS ANNOUNCEMENT* .. and well done all, because you have succeeded in narrowing this down to a single being without asking the question directly

Was she born before 1900?
Was she famous in field of entertainment?
Mrs. Trellis?
Inkspot - No
snorgle - ah, that depends on how you define 'entertainment'. A cautious 'yes' but don't be misled by that.
Raak - No :-)
Was she British?
Is she an occasional ISIHAC pannelist?
Was she famous in a sports-related way?
Mae West?
That covers sport and entertainment, possibly.. ;-)
Mary Whitehouse?
Inkspot - er ... yes [although not born on UK shores, she was certainly perceived as British]
Kim - Not as far as I know
Breadmaster - No
snorgle - No :-)
Software - No :-)
Was she famous for writing-related activities?
Breadmaster - Oh yes indeedy! *cheers from studio audience*
Is she best known as a columnist?
Kim - No
A novelist?
Agatha Christie?
Iris Murdoch?
Breadmaster - YES!
Well done - is this a first? :-)
*cheers, applause, goes generally and then specifically wild for Breadmaster*
Crikey
Huzzah! Yes, it is indeed a first. At last. I feel I can take my place among you as an equal.
OK then, I think this is slightly harder than the last one, which probably means it will be guessed in two goes. MINERAL
Metallic?
Stone?
Software - No.
Kim - No.
Plastic?
Glass?
Raak - No.
Inkspot - No.
Magma or lava?
is it in liquid form?
Is it from the element table?
Brendan - No. That would sort of be stone, I think.
snorgle - No. At least, it would be misleading to say otherwise.
Inkspot - No.
Is it gaseous?
(which would be "mineral" by the eccentric definition thereof that AMV uses) [Bm] Thought you might say that, but I wanted to check. [Chalky] I'm curious why you thought we'd narrowed Iris Murdoch down to a "single being" so early on ...
Brendan - No.
Is it a man-made material?
Is it a geographical feature?
[Brendan] Groups of people [or even whole races] qualify as 'Animal' [we've had them in the past] so the gender question has always been tricky to reply to without giving the game away. In Iris's case, the questions were asked in such a way that I had to respond in the singular.
(per Inkspot) Does it have a known chemical composition?
The empty plinth in Trafalgar Square?
Is it fictional?
[Chalky] Ooooooooooh. I thought you meant that the answers to our questions uniquely identified her as being her, if you see what I mean ...
Inkspot - No.
Chalky - No.
Kim - Yes, pretty much.
Raak - Ooh, where do you get these ideas? No.
Brendan - No.
On reflection
My answer to Chalky's last might be a bit controversial or debatable. I will stand by it, though.
Is it made largely of solid water?
Is it located in one particular part of the world?
Raak - A breakthrough! Yes.
Inkspot - It is not fixed to one spot, if that is what you mean.
Obviously ice is involved?
[Brendan] I see what you mean, yes :-)
Chalky - Very involved indeed.
Jakobshavn Glacier?
Inkspot - No.
Going for simplicity, an iceberg?
My bloody Mrs?
Software - Yes. But be more specific...
Bigsmith - Ha, probably not.
The North Polar ice cap?
The iceberg that sank the Titanic?
And put all the crew in a panic?
Oh, sorry, wrong game.
What a waste! Such a shame!
Does it live in the northern Atlan[t]ic?
I foresee a new twist to the rules
Does it like sex games that are tantric?
Sorry for brief absence
[Raak] Yes! It is indeed The iceberg that sank the Titanic, for lack of charms talismanic. Well done all round.
The next is both MINERAL and VEGETABLE.
Is it edible?
Splendid - a different category mix :-)
Is it man-made?
Is it found in the home?
Is the vegetable, wood?
Does the vegetable grow on the mineral?
[Toby] Nice idea. Let's keep the limerick lines within the "apropos" postings.
The answer to Chalky is yes.
Bm also makes a good guess.
Dazed5 is quite right
Inkspot's not -- what a fright!
And Kim's wrong, I have to confess.
Is't a recipe that I could make?
Breadmaster a black mark must take.
Would one eat it by choice?
Is it a sauce?
With something warm and moist
Like a recipe for devilled snake?
The audience slightly amused
Toby's wrong, but the laughter's a clue
Inkspot's further away
In ev-e-ry way
Kim's a country mile out of our view.
Is it medicinal?
More laughter from the audience.
It can be.
Is it made to be eaten?
[Inkspot] No.
Does it contain alcohol?
Is it a drink?
...and there was me ready to suggest a slice of burnt toast
[Kim] Yes.
[Inkspot] Yes.
Bushmills Whiskey?
Well, it covers most bases including medicinal;)
Is the vegetable constituent grapes?
[Kim] No. [Inkspot] Well, I had any type of whisk(e)y in mind, but I reckon you're close enough. Inkspot wins!
...and a small nip for everyone, seeing as it's a bit parkey out there today.

Let's kick this one off then, ANIMAL

Is this human?
Well done Inky. Cheers for the wee nip. I understand that we are about to be subjected to extreme parkyness this week. *wondering how that word originated*
Is it alive?
Maybe parky is from parka jackets? Googling for it, I haven't had any luck with the etymology other than the fact it seems to have been around since before WWII.
Chalky] Yes
snorgle]Yes
Some in the office are claiming that its probably too cold to snow. In this part of Wiltshire I've only been able to build two snowmen in the last 14 years, so my wife is looking forward to a couple of inches.
Is it Michael "Parky" Parkinson?
Too cold to snow?! Never could understand that one. It's bloody cold at the South Pole but it still snows there!
Is it male?
Bigsmith]Definitely too cold to snow, No
Breadmaster]Yes
If this keeps up we may have snowdrifts by tea time.
Is he a sporty type person?
Snowdrifts, really. I was amused watching the weather the other day to see big red patches on the map as the weather person talked urgently of the chances of each part of the country having snow. All this for what would be perhaps a centimetre of the stuff. If this were America no-one would get worked up over anything less than six feet. When I grow up I shall move to Canada, just you wait.
Is he well known in the UK?
re:couple of inches - fnarr fnarr!

I lived in Canada and it snowed however damn cold it was! Besides, it's not that cold, you wimps.

Breadmaster]Yes
snorgle]Yes
But was it proper snow? I suppose your going to say in Canada you you had several inches every night! Not like the stuff that we get roundabout here that turns to slush by lunchtime!
Has he been involved in any scandals?
Still too warm for snow here; should get some tomorrow, though (they say). Better not affect my getting to other half's graduation.
Is he a footballer?
With any luck, tomorrow or Wednesday, I shall have the perfect excuse to stay away from work - the wrong type of snow.
Is he still playing whatever sport he's famous for professionally?
I only wish I had several inches every night. *Ho-hum* Snow finds it difficult to go slushy in Ottawa, at least, until about, oooh, end of March?
I'll probably be on strike on Thursday and Friday. And definitely not on any picket lines. Far too cold for that! (all the standing around, see..)
Does his sport involve ball play?
[Inks] Are you in North Wilts? The forecast says we're unlikely to get any here in mid south
Is he famous primarily for playing sport (as opposed to managing, punditing, etc)?
Brendan]No
Kim] No
snorgle]No
Chalky] Yes
Breadmaster]Yes, like many has been pundit briefly and even was a team captain on a well known sprots quiz between, 1979 - 1982. But he will be best remembered as a player.
A two day strike, a perfect way to catch up on Trisha.
Yes' I'm in North Wilts, and don't mention Swindon, folks here are very touchy about that metropolis.
Is he a cricketer?
I don't know why I'm asking, the only sports people I have ever heard of are those I am forced to subtitle at work, so I won't know any retired ones. Especially cricketers.
Bill Beaumont?
Hurricane Higgins?
Emlyn Hughes?
Gareth Edwards?
Breadmaster]No
Chalky]No
Raak]No
Kim]1 No
Kim]2 YES
The crowd at the Arms Park stand and cheer and burst into song.

Who?
Raak] Very, very thin ice ;P
[Raak] You may well ask. Rugby player, I think. Which just goes to show that it's not always a question of who you know.....
[All] Righty-ho, then, eyes down for a full house. This next one's........ABSTRACT/VEGETABLE.
The grapes of wrath?
A tree falling in an emptyt forest?
Is the vegetable bit wood?
Is it the title of a book?
This one's going to be over quickly, methinks.
[Raak] No.
[ZK] 1. No. 2. Yes.
[Inkspot] Yes.
A tree grows in Brooklyn?
The Grapes of Wrath?
The Camomile Lawn?
Wind in the Willows?
The Tree Musketeers?
Under Milk Wood?
Twiggy's autobiography?
The Wood Beyond the World?
[Raak] I've never heard of Gareth Edwards either. See? I was right!
The Ringing, Singing Tree?
Eats Shoots & Leaves?
Pinocchio
Plankenstein
[snorgle] No.
[Bigsmith] No x 6.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Raak] No.
[Chalky] Lol, no. Have you read it? I put it down after the first chapter. She is clearly just trying to take all of the fun for folk like us out of pointing out the grammatical and syntactical errors of others. Publish, crap and make lots of money.
[Inkspot] Nice, but no. I think that would have to have been Abstract/Animal/Vegetable.
[Bigsmith] No.
Like I said at the start, its not just a question of who you know....
Is the author still alive?
The Faraway Tree?
The Name of the Rose?
The Man Who Wood Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism?
The Readers' Digest Book of Carpentry?
Would the wood part be the book itself or is does the wood part form part of the title?
well... someone had to ask.
[Kim] Eats Shoots and Laughs All The Way To The Bank ... noooo - have not and shall not read it [see Advice Game MCiOS about 2 weeks ago]
[Inkspot] Apparently, yes.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Bigsmith] I used it to put up the shelf on which it now sits, but No.
[Chalky] Yes.
[All] When I thought of this, I was not aware of the existence of a book of the same name. Like I said, it's not just a question of who you know.
Is it a list book of people?
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!
[Kim] Sorry to be picky, but you have answered yes to an "either /or" question from Chalky, at what I feel may be a crucial turn of the game! So for clarification I'll re-ask the first part of the question and deduce accordingly: would the wood part be the book itself?
Errrr......
[Inkspot] No.
[Bigsmith] I always thought that one of the key rules of this game was that you have to ask questions that have a yes or no answer. It has already been established that the answer is the title of a book. Would the wood be part of the book itself? If you mean "is the book made of wood?", the answer is I expect so, as most books are. If you mean "is it a book about wood" then the answer is I don't know, as I have never read it.
Is it more commonly a phrase or saying, that just happens to be the title of a book?
Is it a work of fiction?
Is it a book of spot facts?
....or even sport facts?
[Toby] Yes. Pursue this line.
[Chalky] The book that happens to bear the phrase as its title is not a work of fiction. According to my research, it is a series of lectures by the co-authors.
[Inksport] No, no.
Was the book first published before 1980?
Would the authors be well-known celebrities?
This is wide open - well-known phrases/sayings are invariably used for book titles, particularly non-fiction and biographies.
[Inkspot] I don't think so, but I can't tell from Amazon when the book was first published. I think it was in the early 1990's.
[Chalky] They may be well known in their field, but are not celebrities in the general sense.
Are they scientists?
[Raak] Yes, I think so.
Was the subject of the book the worlds environment?
Was the subject matter to do with the joy, or otherwise, of sex?
The green, green grass of home?
[Inkspot] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Raak] No.
Is it an anthropomorphisation?
It doesn't sound like it's a book we'll ever have heard of, certainly not all of us.
Is it about DIY in space?
If its not who you know, but what you know, all I know so far is its a factual book about lectures by people that may be scientists, and the title is a commonly used phrase. Perhaps Raak is holding back 'cause I haven't the foggiest; time to bow out.
Is the book by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart?
I haven't the foggiest either.
Newton's Apple?
[Toby] No.
[Inkspot] No. Please persist.
[Raak] No and no.
[All] I've been trying to think of a clue that won't give the game away, but it's hard. Inkspot is closest so far. Think of something that is abstract and vegetable and has something to do with what you know.
is it one of those interminably dull books about parenting?
The tree of knowledge in the garden of Eden?
Actually, there are 3 books at Amazon, first listed is The Tree of Knowledge: Biological Roots of Human Understanding, which seems to match the one so far described - essays by scientists that no one's ever heard of. (I'll leave it to you if that's the book, the scientists, or both.)
Would this book (apart from the phrase/saying which constitutes its title) be known to the man-in-the-street? That is, as opposed to those interested in the particular field involved.
The Observer Book of Trees?
Do I remember Kim saying something about this one going quickly?
Whew!
[Chalky] No. What's that got to do with Abstract and Vegeta....oh, I see.
[Toby] YES! The answer I was looking for was the Tree of Knowledge. Congratulations (and the Chair) to Toby after a rather tortuous struggle.
[Dujon] Probably not. It's certainly of no interest to me.
[Bigsmith] I did, didn't I? That's called "tempting fate".
back patting
That was a good 'un, Kim, and well deduced, Tobes. We [in UK] will wait until you wake - time difference GMT -8 on the Pacific coast??
Thanks Chalky, and also Kim. Oddly enough, it looks like something I'll be interested in reading. And yes, that's the time difference, so you've got my attention from more or less 4pm through 2 in the morning. Let's try ANIMAL .
Is it human?
This game's equivalent of e4.
[Kim] Yup.
Alive now?
1. ... e4.
Male (oblig.)?
[Raak] No. [Dazed5] No.
A monarch?
[Raak] No.
English?
[plump] No.
Actress?
Brevity round, then?
Did it die after 1960?
[Brendan] No.
[Inkspot] No.
Is she American?
[Inkspot] Also not.
Was she born in Europe?
G'evening Toby, just a couple more before cocoa and bed.
[Inkspot] Yes,she was.
Was she born after 1800?
Drink is ready, last one then, see you roundabout tea time tommorrow
[Inkspot] Nope. Sleep well.
Does this mean I have to pay attention to my work now?
Famous for discovering something?
[Toby} No.
[Tuj] Nope. phew.
Hypatia of Alexandria?
French?
[Raak]No.
[Chalky] Also no.
Was she around prior to AD years?
[Dujon] No.
Was this lady known for her literary endeavours?
[Duj] Possibly somewhat during her lifetime. Not particularly so today.
Would this person perhaps be the wife of a monarch?
Well, it appears that there are no others with questions at this time.
[Duj] Ooo, tricky. There is a sense in which the answer is yes, but for most intents and purposes, no. Good question.
Did she live between 500AD and 1500AD?
Was she a religious figure?
Would her maiden name have been Tascher?
Should I be right I shall leave it for the coup de grâs to be delivered by someone else. If I am wrong I shall retire anyway.
Not tonight......
[Dujon] Guess we'll have to wait until later to get the answer to that one...
Was she a Kings mistress?
Come now Dujon you can't slip away from the chair that easily.
[Bm] Yes.
[Raak] Yes!
[Dujon] No.
[Inkspot] No.
Hot potato!
Was she an Emperor's wife?
Hildegard of Bingen?
[Raak] Indeed, yes! Woo-hoo. We have a winner!
As for the "married to a monarch" - nuns are, I believe, considered to be married to God, who is considered to be the King of Heaven...

Is the time difference a huge problem? I've had the fun of chairing now, and am happy to yield in future if it works better that way. (But I'm still going to guess.)
understands all in a blinding flash of inspiration, but then has a migraine and has to lie down.....
The next object is MINERAL
Is it man made?
Re: previous. In retrospect that was somewhat presumptious of me - I was feeling confident. :-( ... *chuckles at self* ... Hildegard and Josephine, as people, couldn't be much further apart!
Is it stone?
Is it metal?
Ah yes, Hildegard of Bingen - interesting fact: she wrote the first known description of the female orgasm. Only thing I know about her, except that she suffered from migraines and invented an imaginary language.
[Dujon] No.
[Toby] No.
[Breadmaster] Um...no.
Is it solid?
[Brendan] No.
Is it a liquid?
[Inkspot] No, at least, not as customarily understood.
Is it a plasma?
[Brendan] Yes.
Would it still be in a plasma state when its temperature is 20deg C?
What I mean is blood plasma would still be but volcanic plasma would have changed state to solid at 20degC.
[Inkspot] No. But I do not think that word means what you think it means.
lightning?
Out of depth stab in the dark.
ball lightning?
The Aurora Borealis?
Is it more than 20% Helium?
(erm, by mass)
[plump] No.
[snorgle] No.
[Toby] No.
[Brendan] Yes!
I expect to see the answer by tomorrow morning...
Just after the Big Bang?
Raak]yes you are right, an electrically neutral, highly ionized gas composed of ions, electrons, and neutral particles was not the first thing sprung to mind. If only the word plasma had only one definition. Next time it will be a translucent to opaque chalcedony and I'll still off in the long grass and in the wrong garden...again ;)
the Sun?
Or a new thin-panel television screen...
[Inkspot] No.
[Toby] YES!
Gosh, that would make it me again.

Stumbling in from a night of debauchery where I never actually *spoke* to John Adams.... I kept wanting to say to the people who wouldn't leave me alone in the loo, "Yes, I'm going to a party with the conductor/composer..." And so I did. And there was lots of lovely red wine... Right. But of consequence: ABSTRACT
Can it be perceived by one or more of the senses?
[Kim] Yes.
Is it an event on the calender?
[Inkspot] no.
Can it be percieved by the sense of smell?
Is it a wave of some kind?
Is it an action?
Can it be seen?
[Inkspot] No.
[Brendan] Technically I suppose it is, but I'm not sure that's very helpful.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Raak] The thing itself, no. The creation of the thing, yes.
Software?
Is it a sound?
[Software] No. [Brendan] Sure.
Can it be felt?
not touch, but you can feel the sun and wind.
[Inkspot] Again, I'm not sure how helpful this is, but yes, some parts more than others may generate a kinaesthetic response.
Music?
[Dujon] Yes!
Is it a drum beat?
[Inkspot]Some of it.
Is this a particular piece of music?
[Dujon] Yes!
The 1812 Overture?
Wild guess and retiring.
[Dujon] It is not.
Was it written before 1950?
The national Anthem
That'll be "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau"
Is it pop music?
The Hen who laid Ralph Nader? (my welsh isn't that good) ;-)
Ravel's Bolero?
Was it written by (an) American(s)?
Would it generally be considered "classical" as opposed to "pop" or "folk"?
Interesting fact: there is no official British national anthem. "God save the Queen" has never been made such, either by royal proclamation or parliamentary vote.
[Brendan] Yes.
[Inkspot] No.
[snorgle] No.
[Raak] No.
[Kim] No.
[Breadmaster] Yes.
Was the composer Italian?
[Inkspot] Nope.
German?
Russian?
Was it written before 1850?
Was it written for full orchestra?
[Chalky] Yes!
[Kim] So no.
[Kim] Yes.
[Inkspot] Yes.
Something by Beethoven?
[Chalky] Yes!
1812 Overture?
Scratch that, it's by Tschaikovsky.
Wellington's Victory
His fifth symphony?
The fourth movement of his ninth symphony?
(aka Ode to Joy) (aaka the EU anthem [where's JLE when you want to raise his blood pressure? ;) ])
[Raak] Scratched.
[Inkspot] No.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Brendan] Well, I'm tempted to say "No" and make you all discover that I intended the whole thing; but I think that's close enough. Chair to you, sir!
Ooh, wow, my first time! Thank you for being so flexible, Toby. Let's have an ANIMAL/ABSTRACT.
Mythical?
Is it a person?
An expression?
An anthropomorphism?
[Raak] No, not "mythical" exactly ...
[Inkspot] Yes.
[Software] No.
[Kim] No.
Are they fictional?
Is it a charater from a play?
If not "mythical", then "legendary"?
[Breadmaster] Certainly not! I'm shocked you could even suggest such a thing.
[Inkspot] No.
[Kim] Again, no, by a strict definition of "legendary" as coming from a legend. But possibly "legendary" in a looser sense amongst people here.
Are they someone like Robin Hood, legend loosely based on 'fact'?
[Inkspot] No, I would have said "Yes" if it was Robin Hood.
Is there a connection with ISIHaC?
Man?
[Chalky] Yes.
[Kim] Yes.
Mrs Trellis?
Pretty legendary, I'd say. And certainly NOT fictional!
Mr Trellis
(just noticed the sex)
[snorgle] Nope!
An occasional panel member like Jeremy Hardy?
[Inkspot] No. (Don't forget the abstract/quasi-legendary side of things; snorgle's on the right lines, but not quite there.)
Sven!
[Breadmaster] Correct! I was going to have Samantha but I decided she was a little too easy ... Your turn.
applauding widly whilst fixing Brendan's forgetfulness ...
Yay!
Well, who else could it have been?
Well, just for a change, let's go for something MINERAL.
Is it man-made?
Well timed, B'meister - must be that new yeast you started using a couple of weeks back, you're certainly proving that you can rise to the challenge by using your loaf and turning out some tasty guesses ..

.. now where's that butter?

[Chalky] - No. You're playing a good roll in this game, though, despite your crusty exterior.
Is it made of stone?
[Inkspot] On the whole, I think.
Is it a geological feature?
[Kim] No.
Is there only one of this thing?
[Toby] There is.
Is it an English landmark?
[Tuj] Nope.
Is it above ground?
Is it a building?
Is it the Grand Canyon?
Making a pointlessly specific guess, just for fun.
[Inkspot] That's a hard one to answer. In one way yes, in another way no.
[Raak] Nope. Not manmade, remember.
[Brendan] Nope. Alas.
Is it found on earth?
[Toby] It is not.
The moons of Jupiter?
For pity sake, child.
Is it somewhere on Mars?
Halley's Comet?
Does it orbit something other than the Sun?
[Inkspot] Mostly ice, isn't it, Halley's Comet?
Is it a planetary body?
[Toby] None of them.
[Raak] It is not.
[Inkspot] No.
[Brendan] Yes.
[Kim] Technically, no.
Surely it can only be a matter of time now!
Does it orbit something that orbits the Sun?
Is it further than 8 Astronomical Units from the Sun?
(8 AU being between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn)
Is it The Moon (ie, ours)?
[Raak] It does.
[Brendan] It is.
[Kim] It is not.
Charon?
Pluto being 39.4 AU from the sun and Saturn orbiting at 9.5AU
[Inkspot] Nope.
The rings of Saturn?
One of the moons of Saturn?
I'm busy with these ones, Mudder!
[Brendan] Yes indeed.
Sorry, I forgot - [Raak] Nope.
Pass
I think Brendan's done all the hard work on this one....
Titan?
just one out of 31
Iapetus?
[Inkspot] I think you're right, actually, given Breadmaster's enthusiasm for the Huygens probe. But I like Iapetus for being the real location of the monolith in 2001.
[Kim] Sorry if I've been monopolising it a bit. I think Toby deserves a lot of credit for the initial realisation that it was extra-terrestrial.
[Inkspot] Yes indeed!
Inkspot snatches the answer from Brendan, who foolishly plumped for an obscure moon about which I know nothing, except for a vague recollection that it is piebald, being dark in front and light behind, or possibly the other way around, from its passage through the dust that orbits Saturn.
Thank you, Breadmaster, very close at the end there.

ABSTRACT / ANIMAL

Is it a human concept?
Is it something fictional?
Software] No, I think I understand what your asking.
Breadmaster]No...
Is it an anthropomorphism?
I have this strange sense of deja vu...
Kim] No
Can it be detected with one or more of the senses?
Deja vu, what? [Inkspot] Very close indeed; you simulposted me!
Brendan]Yes, so that's one thing (probably the only thing) I've got right today
Is it mythical?
I have this strange sense of deja vu...
Kim] Yes
Is it a mythical human?
Or possibly legendary?
I have this strange se-...no, stop it.
The Medusa?
Breadmaster]No
Kim]No
Toby]No
Is it an animal of myth (or fable)?
Kim]Yes, this particular animal is mythological, not fable though others may appear in fables
is it a particular one (eg Smaug) as opposed to a kind (eg dragons)?
Breadmaster]Yes it is one particular dragon.
The Welsh Dragon ?
Kalessin?
snorgle] YES, an inspired guess
Kim]so sorry no.

snorgle once the crowd have put you down again and the cheering has subsided,the chair is yours

Abstract
Yay! And not really inspired, considering where I live and one is gazing at me as I type. But who is the Dragon Kalessin? Google throws up a bunch of rock websites - and some Ursula LeGuin excerpt I'd never heard of. Do tell, Kim.
Can it be seen?
Not in and of itself, no.
Is it fictional?
Erm, sort of.
Do people pretend that it's real?
Is it mythical?
Ursula le Guin's "Earthsea" quartet is why I read the first Harry Potter book and then never went back.
Is it a human concept?
A badly phrased question; feel free to give a badly ophrased answer!
Would it be a religious icon?
Would you experience it in a dessert?
Raak - I'd say yes.
Kim - Not really.
Tuj - Yes. Or Eys, if you want it badly phrased.
Dujon - Nope.
Inkspot - Are you on drugs? That means no.
Is it an anthropomorphisation?
Did Inkspot perhpas mean desert? Although I've experienced some rather heavenly moments inspired by my dessert...
So a troll from Mount Blancmange can be discounted then?
Is it from folk lore?
getting colder!
Toby - no.
Inkspot - no and no.
Is it a scientific concept?
Is it connected with ethics?
Transubstantiation?
Brendan - Assuming you mean like a law or theory, then no.
Breadmaster - No.
Raak - no.
Does it have anything to do with ways of measuring or measures of time?
So to paraphrase (for my own benefit, since I'm having more trouble following this one for some reason), what we do know is that it's sort of fictional, people pretend it's real, and it's a human concept. It is not mythical, folkloric, a religious icon, a scientific or ethical concept, nor visible in and of itself. Nor is it experienced in a dessert.

That lets out the Easter Bunny, whis is a folkloric religious icon frequently experienced as a dessert...
CAn it be percieved be any of the senses?
Marriage?
Toby - No, and you're on target with your precis.
Inkspot - well, taking into consideration what Toby said - erm, not really, but yes.
Raak - No, you wierdo.:)
Is it an expression or saying?
Toby] at least one of us knows what we're doing, and its not me.
Money?
Gravity?
[Inkspot] That makes none of us.
Is it in some way related to economics?
Generalising from Raak's inspiration.
Is it a universal human concept?
The law?
Something associated with the weater?
s/weater/weather
Lunchtime?
this is dragging on a bit, innit?
Inkspot - not really an expression or saying.
Raak - not money.
Toby - not gravity really obscure reverse referential cough
Brendan - not related to economics.
Raak - not the law.
Inkspot - not weather-related.
Raak - not time-related, remember?
An emotion, like love?
Or a convention we all accept to make life a little simpler?
Like the international date line.
An inquiry into the state of someone's health, uttered merely as a ritual move in the game of smalltalk, and without any intention that it be taken literally?
Is it a speech act of any sort?
Toby - not an emotion, like love, and not a convention we accept to make life simpler.
Raak - Dear God, no! Stop taking those drugs now! And it's not a speech act! You're all going completely the wrong direction - (go the other way!)
Witchcraft?
Some kind of art?
Yes, but what is the other way from everything?
Magnetism?
A form of alternative medicine?
A rainbow made from moonlight?
I just like the idea and wondered what clour it would be....wanders off to have a cup tea
Is it a direction?
Is it related to the arts or entertainment?
Do people want it?
Raak - no....(!)
Toby - no. (Nothing? Upwise?)
Inkspot - not magnetism, or a form of alternative medecine, or a rainbow made from moonlight. Look here for info about it
Brendan - no.
Snodgrass - No, not really.
Guest Login - a catamaenic person, perhaps?
A Clue! So, it is something a woman might want at that time of the month? Valium? A blood transfusion? A divorce? A heavy machine gun? Two heavy machine guns? All those are rather concrete, except the divorce.
A vow of silence?
immaculate conception on the astral plane?
Something I might want upwise at that time month? Hmm.
This one seems to have been hanging around for AGES. I guess that's what happens when we overdose on Abstract. I'll remain detached until it's done.
[Chalky] I decided that a while ago. I'm stumped with this one. It's so Abstract it's not actually conceivable (Berkeley is vindicated!).
Not that direct a clue, Raak. So none of those. Think of characters who particularly fulfill that definition. And something about them.
Toby - nope.
Chalky, Breadmaster - COWARDS!
What clue?
Points upwise.
Hothead Paisan, Lesbian terrorist?
Or Tank Girl, Charlie's Angels, Shelob, Death, Desire, Delirium, or...running out of catamenics and catamaenads.
I need a bigger dictionary!
*riffling through* catamaenic?
Weightlessness?
I really didn't think it was that hard! Think HORROR!
If I said "UFO" would I be headed in the right direction?
Cthulhu?
Black Magic?
what is catamaenic? Google could find no matches, and I don't count made up words like upwise clues either, and I have found some of the answers cofusing, but thats just me reading reading things far too literally. Perhaps if I take a nother print of the game thing may look clearer
Something cosmetic, like a Boob job for instance
PMT?
[Inkspot] I couldn't find catamaenic anywhere, even the OED, but catamenic means menstrual. Catamaenic could be a formation from catamaenad, the Maenads being the Furies, and cata- being a prefix of rather vague meaning.
Count Dracula?
Can it be seen? Not in and of itself, no
Is it fictional? Erm, sort of
Do people pretend that it's real? I'd say yes
Is it mythical? Not really
Is it a human concept? Yes.
Would it be a religious icon? Nope
Would you experience it in a dessert? Are you on drugs? That means no
Is it an anthropomorphisation? No
Is it from folk lore? No
Is it a scientific concept? Assuming you mean like a law or theory, then no
Is it connected with ethics? No
Transubstantiation? No
Does it have anything to do with ways of measuring or measures of time? No
CAn it be percieved be any of the senses? erm, not really, but yes
Marriage? No, you wierdo
Is it an expression or saying? not really an expression or saying
Money? not money
Gravity? not gravity really obscure reverse referential cough
Is it in some way related to economics? not related to economics
Is it a universal human concept? This question not answered
The law? not the law.
Something associated with the weater? not weather-related
Lunchtime? not time-related
An emotion, like love? not an emotion, like love
Or a convention we all accept to make life a little simpler? and not a convention we accept to make life simpler
An inquiry into the state of someone's health, uttered merely as a ritual move in the game of smalltalk, and without any intention that it be taken literally? Dear God, no! Stop taking those drugs now! And it's not a speech act! You're all going completely the wrong direction - (go the other way!)
Is it a speech act of any sort?
Witchcraft? no....(!)
Some kind of art? no. (Nothing? Upwise?)
Magnetism? Inkspot - not magnetism
A form of alternative medicine? not a form of alternative medecine
Is it a direction? No
Is it related to the arts or entertainment? No, not really
Do people want it? a catamaenic person, perhaps?
A Clue! So, it is something a woman might want at that time of the month? Valium? A blood transfusion? A divorce? A heavy machine gun? Two heavy machine guns? All those are rather concrete, except the divorce.
Not that direct a clue, Raak. So none of those. Think of characters who particularly fulfill that definition. And something about them.
A vow of silence?
immaculate conception on the astral plane?
What clue?
Points upwise.
Hothead Paisan, Lesbian terrorist?
Or Tank Girl, Charlie's Angels, Shelob, Death, Desire, Delirium, or...running out of catamenics and catamaenads.
Weightlessness?
Think HORROR!really didn't think it was that hard!
I am just stabbing at straws now for a character that is sort of non-anthropomorphisation fictional human concept, that people pretend is real, that can and cannot be percieved by any of the senses with Catamaenic HORROR
Is it the frustration we are all experiencing?
Is it a character from a book?
After seven days I still have no real idea, perhaps there is a important question about this Abstract that still needs to be played.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Inkspot] Thanks for that, although I think maybe the question is 'What's the point?'

C'mon snorglekins - we're practically dead from attrition here. Give us some help before we just declare another topic altogether.
maenads...
[Raak] It contributes absolutely nothing to the game, but then nor does the game seem to at this current moment, so may I point out that the Erinyes or the Eumenides are the Furies, and the Maenads are the crazed female followers of Dionysus (famous for going berserk during bacchanals and ripping things apart). Just so you know.
oxford pocket dictionary
cata- prefix 1 down. 2 wrongly. [Greek]
oh yeah...I'm guessing this is just the greek word, the preposition meaning "down" (and, I suppose, wrongly :p). Although quite what plonking this with maenic means (that'll be the english english spelling) I have no idea.
The light of a master mason, which is darkness visible?
Just guessing now, perhaps you can tell.
[ZK] Thanks for the correction. "-maen-" may be a hypercorrection of "-men-", as even the complete OED doesn't list it.
men
[Raak] Are you in america?
Vampires?
Wow, this is impressive...
The difference between 5 cubed and 125 in very strong gravitational fields?
[ZK] No, the UK.
No to everyone, except Inkspot - well, it's no to you too, really, but yes, think of a character in a book, how many damn horror writers do you know!?! And also think of the Maenads - just come on, you damn eejits!
The upending of a vat of menstrual blood at a senior prom caused not by psychokinesis but as a side-effect in the outpouring stream of casaulity generated by the gentle flapping of the wing of that moth I should have crushed instead of setting free when I was seven?
Well, see, that's helpful now, since we know it is and isn't a character in a book.
Is this a nom de plume?
You know I'll give it to Toby - since he mentioned PSYCHOKINESIS! Yes, that was the answer - it just popped into my head after last week's episode of Dark Place.
Know you now the answer, wasn't it obvious? :-P
oo-er. After that I'm inclined to say, "Vegetable. (And it's a turnip.)"

However.
MINERAL
A fossilised turnip?
A metal container (for turnips)?
A modern art installation in which a rusty nail represents the turnip in all of us?
No, no, & no. Not at all related to a turnip.
Is it made of stone?
snorgle] Oh yeah, I remember now .
Yes, predominantly.
Is it a monument of some sort?
Of some sort quite possibly, but not as I think you or I would commonly understand it.
Is it on the American continent?
Is it a unique thing?
I.e. like Cleopatra's Needle, and unlike obelisks in general.
[Inkspot] No.
[Raak] Yes.
Is it man made?
Is it a swede?
[Dujon] No.
[snorgle] Yes, in the alternate universe of tragical mirth, brief tedium, hot ice, and wondrous strange snow. In this one, swedes, nor yet Swedes, are not mineral ;-)
Is it in Britain?
No, it isn't.
Is it on land? [as opposed to underwater or floating in the cosmos]
Is it in Asia?
Table Mountain?
Is it smaller than Nelson's column?
Is it bigger than a pony?
[Chalky] Yes.
[Breadmaster] No.
[Software] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[snorgle] Yes.
Is it more than 1000 years old?
Yes, fundamentally.
Is it Ayer's Rock?
No, but it's closer to all of you (including Dujon) than it is to me.
Is it in Europe?
Nor there.
Is it in an Arabic country?
Does it have religious site?
[Raak] Also not.
[Inkspot] Well, I suppose it may, but a desultory web search turns up nothing in particular, and it's not what we associate with this in general.
Is it in Africa?
Does it lie between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn?
double straddle due to time zone invoked ;)
Yes and yes.
Is it a mountain at all?
Does its name begin with the letter "K"?
Is Dujon trying to steal my idea?
Sorry, it's late and I've been eating Frosties.
Not at all, Ma'am - Just narrowing it down... :-) No, I will not gazump you - I don't wish to win. So, if there is a yes/yes it's all yours - if you are fast enough and still awake!
yes/yes
so its not..
the giant rock carrot of Heysham?
Kilimanjaro - leaping in as an opportunist - ?
Indeed, Software has seized upon the correct opportunity and identified Mount Kilimanjaro.
*clapclapclap*
curse!
Oh- err, somebody say something? What? It's my turn. Oh bu**er! Now I have to do some work.
Right, this time its MINERAL and ANIMAL with ABSTRACT connections. Sounds complicated, hun?
Should be a line somewhere...
Thats better. Now start again...
Right, this time its MINERAL and ANIMAL with ABSTRACT connections. Sounds complicated, hun?
Is it a man made?
Congrats Software, a standard opening to begin with.
Is the mineral metal?
Is it an anthropomorphisation?
I can't help it, I just like the word!
Is it the Grim Reaper?
Sorry, I'm in a strange mood today
Is it Rocking Horse Droppings?
Is it some sort of chalk figure carved in a hillside?
Like one of those horses, or the Cerne Abbas giant?
Goddamit! That was my feminine side expressing itself, yeah, that's it ...
Thanks, all:
Ink: yes
Raak: Undoubtedly.
Kim: Some might say.
GL: ditto.
Snod: No.
Brendan: Don't be ridiculous. (That's my feminine side).
Is the Animal part made to be eaten?
Are those who would say it was the Grim Reaper just being rude?
(I sold my feminine side to a porn site, years ago)
Is it a homicidal cyborg or some other kind of killing machine?
Just so I know.
Is its function to produce sound?
Playing to your strengths, eh ZK?
A knight in shining armour?
Is it a fictional character?
Is it the Borg?
One of the terminators?
Or a presidential candidate?
Sorry, I only work days :-)
Inkspot: No.
GL Yes.
ZK: That's a matter of opinion.
Tuj: Not mainly.
Raak: Absolutely not.
Kim: No.
BM: Err..
Snorgle: No.
all: No.
Is it the army? or assosiated with the army?
Is the animal a horse?
No and No.
Kevin Warwick?
Microsoft?
Is it a company?
Seven of Nine?
Ah, great insight!
Brendan: Who?
GL: Yes.
Raak: Are you not confident? Your first answer was spot on!

WELL DONE RAAK! Over to you!

The next item is MINERAL.
Is it a single item?
1. e4
Does it have a specific function? (ie man-made non-decorative item)
Is it made from metal?
[Kim] No.
[GL] Yes.
[Inkspot] At least partly.
Is it found in the home?
[Software] A not entirely accurate, rather out of date, very biased answer to your question can be found here.
Is it man made?
-Brendan. I see, I think...
Did it exist before 1801?
[Brendan] It can be.
[Software] Yes (see GL's Q)
[Bm] No.
Is its function to produce sound, images or a combination of the two?
Does it use electricity ?
Is it a bridge of some kind?
Is it portable?
This is to replace my previous question, having seen Brendan's. *administers sharp rap to own wrist*
Is it made also from glass?
[Kim] Yes!
[Inkspot] Yes!
[Bm] No.
[Bm] Yes!
[Toby] No.
Is it a communication device?
Is it a laptop computer?
[Inkspot] No.
[GL] No.
A CD Walkman?
A camera?
A TV?
[B] No. [S] No. [GL] No. But one of those three is closest.
A DVD player?
A radio
A walkman (non-CD variety)?
A camcorder?
A portable DVD player?
CCTV?
[Inkspot] No. [GL] No. [Brendan] No. [all] No. [Kim] No. [snorgle] No.
One of those six is precisely as close as one of the previous three.
A mini-disc player?
Is a video component a necessary part of this thing?
[Inkspot] No.
[Toby] No.
Is it a media player?
Is it a pair of headphones?
MP3 player?
[Inkspot] Yes!
[GL] No.
[Kim] YES!
So who can get the bullseye?
An MP3 walkman?
If so, I guess Kim already hit the bullseye
[GL] Isn't that the same as an MP3 player?
The answer is a particular one.
When you say a particular one are we looking for make and model?
Not all MP3 players are portable
[GL] The brand name will do. It's quite well known.
[GL] Oh, and it is portable.
A Sony mP3 player?
(poach what?) :)
[ZK] No.
The brand name, btw, is not the manufacturer's name.
An iPod?
[Toby] *dingdingdingdingding* YES.
TRUMPET FANFARE:*doop-diddy-doop-diddy-doop-di-dee-doo!*
ABSTRACT
Is it the fearful symmetry of a tiger burning bright in the darkness of the night?
Ok, and I might win the lottery as well. :-)
Is it an action?
That'll learn me to have a days leave, and after go for a days shopping in Bath with Mrs Inkblot;stressed!!!!
[Raak] I do so want to say yes - I even thought on my way home tonight, "Raak's just going to flat-out guess this." But sadly no. Strangely, however, the general idea is pretty much spot-on.
[Inkspot] No.
Does this have anything to do with Katmandu?
[Dujon] No, nothing whatsoever.
So is it in some way taken from a poem?
Is it related to mispelling the names of animals?
[Brendan] Not a poem.
[Tuj] No ;-)
Is it a phobia?
[Inkspot] no.
Keeping with the mountain theme - is it associated with Kilamanjaro?
It's all right, I just get fixated from time to time.
[Dujon] Nope.
Is it a bear with a headache?
Is it a human concept?
OK, now all the standard guesses have gone, let's try something off the wall.
Is it connected with religion?
[Inkspot] Mmmmmm - no.
[Tuj] Definitely.
[Kim] No.
Is it fictional?
Is it a saying or expression?
[Raak] The source is, yes.
[Inkspot] Yes.
Is the source later than 1900?
[Raak] No.
Is it from a play?
[Inkspot] Yes.
Is it taken from a Shakespearean play?
[Chalky] Yes indeed. That narrows it down a bit then ;-)
Is it the fact that a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet?
Does it involve Weaponry, a dagger before me for example?
Does it end well?
Does it involve Music being the food of love?
Or the winter of our discontent?
Our fate, that is written not in our stars, but in ourselves?
The Quality of Mercy?
Is the play it's taken from a tragedy?
Is it the Title of the play?
The Taming of the Shrew?
Is it from one of the histories?
Is Toby ever going to answer these questions?
Is it all the world being a stage, one man in his time playing many parts, etc.?
Isn't Toby in some other time zone? Hence the asynchronicity. (Is that a word?)
[A Non - c'mon out the closet!] FYI Toby is in Seattle USA and is hopefully enjoying a nice sleep at the moment. [GMT minus 8 hours]
Toby lives in one of the colonies and will be with us after a morning revelie and bed inspection.
I only asked. I wasn't exactly serious. [Chalky] what do you mean out of the closet? besides I've been using A Non as an avitar since Camdon Lock in '97
Much ado about nothing?
The Comedy of Errors ?
[A Non] No worries. You only asked - we only replied :-)
Is it Alls Well That Ends Well
The unkindest cut of all?
Are we such stuff as dreams are made on?
Poor Toby, he's going to have his work cut out for him....[Snodgrass] I've already asked that....
Well .... Toby will certainly have her work cut out if she's hoping to fit in a sex-change before she returns *ba-boom-tish* [sorry K - cheap shot, I know]
Toby will have its work cut out dealing with peoples comments
Is it This Too Too Solid Flesh?
Oh I dunno, Gusset, it's rather pleasant having a little natter while we're waiting. I'm sure Toby won't object.
Is it a Midsummer Night's Dream?
True, but if I can't spell my name correctly I'm in trouble
All's Well That Ends Well ?
GL]That one is definetely fictional, and a favourite.
Does it concern the quality of mercy?
I think "Guset Login" is a great name!
Hmmm. Lots and lots and lots of no's, plus one yes: Guest Login got it what was apparently hours ago with the "winter of our discontent." But it looks like you've been having fun in my absence ;-)
OK, That was unexpected. Umm... Animal
Human?
Just for the sake of originality ...
[Brenda]n yes
Man?
[Kim] Yes
Damn this clearly isn't as hard as I thought
Was that the answer or do we still need to narrow it down? :)
A gentleman on business from Porlock who, by interrupting Coleridge during the composition of Kubla Khan, caused the latter part of said poem to be irretrievably lost?
Though, if we believe Douglas Adams, this may well have been a Good Thing.
Alive?
[ZK] pmsl
Is he alive now? (Or at least, when you last looked, as you never know, not in this day and age)
Have I just asked that?
Goddammit! I was too busy wondering what "pmsl" means to register the question.
[ZK] No, you still need to narrow it down a lot [Brendan] What? I don't think so, but I don't understand the question [Chalky] At one time [Breadmaster] No [Chalky] Not quite
[ZK] No, you still need to narrow it down a lot
[Brendan] What? I don't think so, but I don't understand the question
[Chalky] At one time
[Breadmaster] No
[Chalky] Not quite

darn it

Was he born after 1800?
[GL] If I was right, you'd have known, so not to worry. The short version is that Coleridge woke up from a drugged-up dream with Kubla Khan complete in his head (or so he claimed), and proceeded to write it down. But then he was interrupted by this guy who came visiting from Porlock on business, and when he sat back down to it he'd forgotten the rest, hence the poem is incomplete.
A sportsman?
An artistic or literary person?
Alan Rickman?
Take that Polonius!
Did he die in the last 50 years?
Alan Rickman isn't dead!
[Brendan] Yes [Inkspot] No [Raak] Not that I'm aware of [Tuj] He's still alive isn't he? [snorgle] No
Did he die in the 20th century?
[Chalky] No
Jack the Ripper?
[Inkspot] No
A political figure (including royalty or the Pope)?
[Raak] No
Is he British?
Brunel?
[Inkspot] Yes
[Raak] Yes
What an anti-climax!

Ok, the next is MINERAL, with ANIMAL and VEGETABLE connections.

A stainless steel kitchen knife?
A little bit knee trembling foreplay then straight down business.
Is it made of metal?
Sorry it was an anti-climax, I hadn't expected to be setting one so soon
[Inkspot] No.
[GL] You wouldn't really think of it as something metal, but metal is involved.
If not metal would it be thought of as being made of plastic?
Would I (or anyone else living in the country) find it on a farm?
Did it exist before 1800?
[Inkspot] Not really, although plastic is undoubtedly also present.
[GL] It would be a very unusual farm that had one of these.
[Brendan] No.
Do the animal and vegetable live on the mineral?
Is it man made?
Is it electrically powered?
Is it meant to be moved around?
[Gusset Login] I suspect Raak meant it was an anticlimax to hit upon the answer so rapidly and unexpectedly, rather than that the answer itself was anticlimactic.
Is the animal connection, human?
[BM] I understand what Raak meant and if I had honestly thought I'd win, I would have thought of something harder to guess.
[Kim] Tricky one...let's say that the animal is alive and the vegetable isn't.
[GL] Yes.
[Inkspot] Yes.
[Bm] No.
[GL] Yes.
[Bm, GL] Indeed, no criticism intended.
[Kim] ...and the mineral is pretty much all around them.
Is it a building of some sort?
Is it smaller than a telephone kiosk?
[GL] Yes, hence...
[Inkspot] No.
Is it a Florist?
OK silly question, but worth a shot
M o r n i n g t o n C r e s c e n t ?
[Chalky] what's the vegtable connetion to MC?
[GL] No, but you're thinking on the right lines.
[Chalky] No.
A greengrocer's?
[Bm] No, not quite that close to the right line.
Is the vegetable wood?
Is it a particular retailer? eg Tesco
[Bm] There might well be some, but that's not the main vegetable component.
[Inkspot] No.
Is the vegatable clothes?
s/vegatable/vegetable!
[Dujon] No.
A bakers?
Is it a well-known place [a one-off]?
[Inkspot] No.
[Chalky] Not a one-off. The sort of thing it is is well-known.
Would it be found on the High Street?
Newsagent?
Is the building a shop?
[Chalky] Yes.
[Inkspot] No.
[Brendan] Yes.
Health food shop?
A fast-food joint?
A cafe/restaurant?
An off-license?
[Inkspot] I once went into a health food shop and asked if they had any of a certain thing which the mystery object sells, and it was as if I'd asked for Watney's Red Barrel in a real ale pub.
[Software] No.
[GL] YES! But that's not the whole story.
[Chalky] No.
Is it a retailer of a particular type of hot beverage?
A coffee shop?
A garden centre?
They have cafés...
A vegetarian restaurant?
(Since otherwise there'd be a dead animal component as well as the live one?)
Starbucks?
[Inkspot] Yes.
[GL] YES! But that's still not the whole story. (And "coffee" was indeed the substance that the health food shop looked askance at a request for.)
[ZK] No.
[Brendan] No.
[Kim] It depends on the branch.
A bookshop with a coffee shop inside it?
(the dead vegetables are books?)
A Coffee shop that sells books?
(the dead vegetables are coffee)
[Brendan] No.
[GL] No.
Is it is branch of Starbucks in a particular location?
The vegetables are the ones serving behind the counter.
Is it a take away coffee shop?
The words clutching and straws spring to mind
A coffeshop with a WiFi hotspot?
Is it a cyber cafe?
A Starbucks that is Book-Crossing friendly?
For info, click here. This has been a public service announcement. Thank you.
[Kim] No.
[GL] I'm sure they'll do takeaway if you ask, but most people sit down.
[snorgle] No.
[Software] You are within a gnat's semiote, but...
[all] *DINGDINGDINGDINGDING* A cybercafe is what it is.
OK give me a second...
This one is a MINERAL
Metal?
Rock?
[Raak] Asking for coffee in a health food shop! I'm surprised they didn't throw you out on your ear, or some similarly painful body part.
Is it man made?
Just goes to show, I'd have done the same in seeking out fair trade typish coffee, but seeing as I'm a tea drinker I wouldn't anyway.
the demon drink....well...one of many
They sell barleycup and stuff in health-food shops...shouldn't have been a problem...
Oh yeah, a suggestion
Is it smaller than a phone box?
[Tuj] No
[BM] yes, but it's more than that
[Inkspot] no
[ZK] usually
Is the mineral an element?
Is it solid?
[ZK] it is made from at least one element.
[Inkspot] Yes
Would I find it in my house?
An erratic rocks, left miles from its origin point by a glacier?
[GL] I haven't been to your house. [Brendan] No
Would it be found in the UK?
[Software] Yes
Is it likely to be found in a residential building?
Is it something would be useful to a human being?
[GL] In some, but not as many as you used to
[Chalky] Human beings have been known to find uses for it
Is it decorative?
Coal?
[Chalky] I've often found it to be, but I'm odd
[Bigsmith] Actually, YES. Well done sir/madam/miss!
We'll go with A N I M A L this time.
Human?
Well done!
[Brendan] No (and thanks!)
Mammal?
Is it extinct?
Would it be found in the UK?
Save me thinking
Is it bigger than a loaf of bread?
[all] Yes [Inkers] No [Softers] No (though many others of similar ilk would be) [Gusset Loggers] Yes
Marsupial?
[Kim] Nay
Is it aquatic?
[Inkspot] No (though swimming has been known).
Is it a pig?
Is it kept as a pet?
[GL] No
[Raak] Yes
On an unrelated subject
[Raak] Top work on the Oblig. Limericks page!
Is it a dog?
[Gusset Thing] Yes - BUT - need to be more specific.
Is it a specific dog?
Getting warmer...
[GL] It certainly is.
Right, I'm off down the pub now. Will be sober and on-line by about 10.00am tomorrow, so let's see if anyone can get it by then.
Is it Cliffard The Big Red Dog?
I sincerely hope not
A dingo?
Dogmatix
Is it a breed of dog? Or a particular dog, like Lassie?
I don't believe it
Snorgle hits the back of the net - L A S S I E it is!
goes wild
But seriously, does anyone know what timezone he/she/it is in?
in the Principality
snorgle lives in Gods own country and is probably busy at the moment sledging Caerphilly Hill and building snowmen.
I thought Gods own country was Australia
Animal
I'm in Wales - just busy today! And I'll tell you now, it's not a caracal lynx, friend or otherwise.
Is it human?
Gusset - yes.
Are they alive today?
Is it a he?
I was reliably informed that New Zealand is God's own country, but the report may have been sexed up.
Are they from God's Own Country?
Not sure where that is either. For the sake of someone I've upset recently, let's call it Wales.
Inkspot - Not alive today. BM - Yep. Tuj - no.
Was he born before 1801?
Did he die a violent death?
Royalty?
BM- no. ZK - no. Raak - no.
A Wright brother?
Was he a musician?
Raak - no. Inkspot - yes.
Elgar?
American?
Elvis?
Jim Morrison?
Raak - no. BM - no. Tuj - no. Inkspot - no.
Classical?
Toby - yes. (in the usually accepted sense - I don't know enough about music to break it down any further!)
Zemlinsky?
Raak - nope.
German?
Raak - yep.
Did he die after 1940?
Inkspot - no.
Brahms?
Was he a pianist?
Bach?
Toby - no. Inkspot - Probably, but that isn't what he was famous for. Gusset login - no.
Does his last name begin with 'B'?
Was he born before 1900?
Gusset - no. all - yes.
Is he famous for being a composer?
Inkspot - yes!
Richard Wagner?
Inkspot - no.
Are you sure he's German?
Felix Mendelssohn
Gustav Mahler?
I would just like to say that my son Gustav (1860-1911), was born in Kalischt in what was then Austria, but is now part of the Czech Republic.
Mozart?
Handel?
all - well, I double-checked on several websites and they all agree, so yes.
Inkspot - no.
Gusset - no.
Chalky - no and no.
Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm?
Schumann?
Gluck?
Raak - cut down on the speed.(that means no)
Chalky - no and no.
[Clue]He isn't well-known, at least I hadn't heard of him before last week, when I went to a performance of his most famous work.
Would that have been a symphonic work with no voices?
I.e., not an opera or an oratorio.
Was he born before 1850?
Toby - no. Gusset - no.
Sigmund Romberg?
Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf?
Johann Joseph Fux?
[Everyone] While we are waiting to find out which dead German composer snorgle is, I invite you all to take this short test. Which dead German composer are you?.
Hans Pfitzner?
or maybe.... Max von Schillings?
or perhaps ... Engelbert Humperdinck?
or even --- the OTHER Wagner, Siegfried I think ?
[Chalky] Engelbert Humperdinck was English
[all] No he wasn't ... and I thought snorgle was in the chair? :-)
[Chalky] snorgle is in the chair but that doesn't stop me point out that Englebert Humperdinck wasn't German, and then discovering that there's more than one Englebert Humperdinck. And one of them was German. My humble appology is in the post.
[all] teehee!
In any case, the English one was actually Gerry Dorsey when he used to sing cover versions on Saturday Club hosted by Brian Matthew on the BBC Light Programme in the '60's.
Chalky - yes! Engelbert Humperdinck (the original one) it is! I saw Hansel & Gretel last week, and was surprised by the name - until I looked into it a bit more.
***Goes wild for Chalky***
Splendid!
Now .... let me think ...
Is it Animal, Vegetable, Mineral or Abstract?      Sorry, Chalky!    ;-)
[Dujon] Yes. ;)
... ah yes
Time for an ...
A B S T R A C T
Is it a fictional character/being?
Might as well get this sorted up front this time.
Hello Duj :-) No, sorry. T'ain't one of them there things.
Is it particular to humans?
That's it for tonight. Unless I change my mind.
Is it the unbearable lightness of Being?
Is it a human concept?
Standard opening
[Duj] Yes
[Raak] Curiously enough, that is one of my favourite phrases and have longed to slip it into one of these games. Much as I'd love to say 'yes', in this instance, alas No
[Software] I suppose it must be [see Duj reply]
Is it descriptive of an action?
Is it an emotion?
Is it a religion?
My appologies again
Is it a phrase or expression?
Is it easier than the last one?
[Snodgrass] Sort of, yes
[Gusset] No
[all] No ... hey forget it - I, too, am less than perfect :-)
[Inkspot] In a manner of speaking, yes it is
[Gusset] Indubitably
Getting your leg over?
Hung like a horse?
Is it related to sex?
A leap of faith?
Would it make someone happy? :-)
Is it said/used in everyday conversation?
Does it contain numbers.
?
*rushing back from a meeting...*
[Inkspot] Er ... no
[Bigsmith] Nope
[all] one might think so in view of the previous two questions - and as a matter of fact it *could* be :-)
[Raak] No - but you're moving in the right direction -ish
[Software] NO! good question
[Gusset] Yes
[Kim] It *might* contain numbers but don't let that mislead you
Is it conected with the church?
[all] Not specifically
Can it be percieved by any of the senses?
is it a sinlge word?
single word, even
Curse you dyslexia! You win again!
A curse?
Swearing?
A magic spell?
[Inkspot] It can be perceived by all of the senses
[all] Yes - with the addition of a definite or indefinite article
[Software] Not really
[Gusset] Noo-o-o - but swearing might be applicable afterwards :-)
[Raak] No
Pain?
[Gusset] No
Life?
The universe?
A nightmare?
[Gusset] No
[Raak] nah
... although true pessimists might say that both were this [that was a BIG CLUE].

on spotting a Raak simulpost ... not a nightmare.

It?
Everything?
Would it make someone unhappy?
[Inkspot] No to both
[Raak] The opposite to that question was asked a while back :-) Your answer is YES, it might make someone unhappy, but not necessarily deeply unhappy.
Suffering?
Disappointment?
Pointless?
Being dumped?
[Chalky] Just checking.
[Gusset, Software] One might suffer and be disappointed as a result but the answer is more the 'action' rather than the consequence.
[all] erm .. no
[Raak] No, but being dumped may fall into this category - a more generic word is needed.
Losing?
Is it something most people have probably experienced?
[all] No - but close
[Breadmaster] Absolutely.
Failure?
Rejection?
Missing last orders?
The blues?
Antidisestablishmentarianism?
[all] not quite
[Software] No
[B'smith] No & No
[Gusset] No

CLUE: 'all' did this in the last game :-)

Mistake?
Fuck up?
WELL DONE!! [Software] gets to the post first.
[all] f*cks up :-) sorry
Well I never!!
**Tries to hide behind hands with embarrassment.** Now let me see...thinks :-)

I know! Mineral with Animal connections.

The statue of Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh?
A dog lead?
Is it made of metal?
Is it larger than a ballcock?
Is it smaller than a phonebox?
That was quick!
snorgs: No.
all: No
GL: Yes, partly.
BS: Perhaps.
Simpost
all: Yes
Is it decorative?
Does it *look* like an animal?
Would I use it *on* an animal
Is the Animal connection human?
Is the animal connected to it a domesticated one?
A horseshoe?
Is it made for a specific purpose?
Is it a mobile phone?
LG: No.
all: No.
Kim: Yes.
Tuj: No, see Kim.
Brendan: No.
Inks: Yes.
all: No.
Is the non-metal component plastic?
(psst, Software, you missed Breadmaster's "Does it look like an animal?")
Does one wear it?
Is it electrical?
Does it connect physically to a human?
Humans are domesticated (usually)
Is there only one of it?
Bren: Yes.
Raak: No.
LG: Sometimes.
all: No -my ex-wife wasn't!
BM: No.
Do most people have one?
I did say usually
Would most people want one?
Is it used for entertainment?
all: Hard to say, I have one.
BM see above.
GL: No
GL: Don't go there ;-)
Do you keep yours at home?
Go where?
GL: Yes
Do you use it every day?
Is it some form of communications device?
Sorry to interrupt AVMA for a moment, but since [Software]'s definitely reading this: gigni de nihilo ... over on MCiOS is a reverse game. The idea is that if you read the game backwards, it'll all make sense. This means that new moves have to be consistent with what's already been said "in the future". So, for example, fairly early in the game you'll find Blob saying "[Néa] To answer you question - not recently I'm afraid, the last time was on the East London Line between Shadwell & Wapping." and then later on Néa asking "Incidentally, did anybody here ever pull the emergency brake while drunk?", setting up Blob's answer. As far as I can tell, you've been playing it forwards all along -- hence all the comments about you developing precognition and so on, which are an attempt to make your comments make sense in the context of the reverse flow.
BM: Clue, perhaps - Most days.
Brendan: :-*
Is it a personal organiser?
A toothbrush?
Following Brendan's Comments above
Software re: The Reverse Crescent Game in MCiOS. Yup - because you seemed to 'pick' on me nearly every time you posted something, you completely f*cked up my gameplan. I left loads of messages for you - so did Darren - and others dropped hints. Eventually I gave up and dropped out of the game :-(
Is it a spinning around clothes drying thing?
...back to the game
Is it a toilet brush?
ZK: No
Toby: No.

Chalks: My humblest appologies :-o , I was completely off the scent on that one :-/ , sorry to spoil your fun, I'll stick to the things I know best in future.

Chalks: No & No.

A cuddly toy?
[S'ware] apology accepted :-)
Is it related to sex?
Ok, everything could be related to sex, but some things are more closely related than others.
Is it a pharisee?
Chalks: No, this is not the generation game :O).
Raak: Unlikely - but, hey, whatever turns you on ;-)
Chalks: No, it is Mineral with Animal connections, remember.
A penguin [bar]?
doggy widdle?
sorry - just remembered it's mineral with animal connections
Is it something one enjoys using?
Chalks ;-))
Raak: Not particularly, unless one had such a fettish.
Is it a hoover?
Bren: No.
A toothbrush?
A K-Tel nose hair trimmer?
A razor?
Also based on the assumption that disposables are made of metal and plastic to shave the human animal and they often come in the "electrical" variety - and blokes tend to use them daily or almost as often, with girls slightly less often needing a boyfriend at this time of night declared
Could you lift it with one hand?
[ZK] Awww... maybe you should use that K-Tel nose hair trimmer a little more frequently... ;-)
Have you died?
[Breadmaster] They don't make industrial strength ones, you see :)
Back from a relaxing weekend without a PC in my face.
Raak: No.
ZK: No & No.
BM: Yes (in most cases).
ZK: No.
Is it computerised?
Why is this such a boring one?
Can we have a clue?
Chalks: Because nobody has asked the right questions.
all: Yes, I'm getting bored too. You probably have several of these about the office/college/school.
Is it a telephone?
A stapler?
First thing on my desk that I saw ...
I know what's bugging me about this one - the 'animal' connection .... what does 'connection' actually mean? Is there a bit of animal in it? or is used by an animal [in this case human]? If it's the latter, isn't it rather superfluous and misleading to add the animal bit?
GL: No.
Bren: No, but you are now on the right tack.
Chalks: In this case the human connection is that this object would be unable to perform any function without human assistance.
Hole punch?
Ring binder?
Is it human-powered?
all - has it! Cheers and whoops from audience!

Over to you all!

At f*r*i*g last!
This one is an ANIMAL, and hopefully will be easier to guess
Human animal?
Come on now, it wasn't that difficult!
[Software] Yes - It took a long time to work out, that makes it difficult
Alive?
IMO
[S'ware] The 'Animal' part was superfluous and misleading. Many examples of this type of equipment have been posted as the 'object' in the past - simply as Mineral. You replied to my earlier question [and I quote] "Because nobody has asked the right questions." I completely disagree.
[Kim] No
Brutus? (of "et tu" fame)
'cos it's always fun to start with a completely random guess.
A certain individual animal?
Chinese?
Well, it's a one in five chance!?
Did they die before 1900?
Male?
[Brenda] No - but it was worth a shot
[Raak] Yes - an individual dead human (see above)
[Tuj] No
[Ink] Yes
[Snodster] No - I'm fairly certain she wasn't
Were they born before 1500?
[Inkspot] No
Religious figure?
Was he a scientist?
[Brendan] No
[Inkspot] No, and as said before not a 'he'
Joan of Arc?
[Software] No, Joan of Arc was born before 1500
Mary Shelley?
Just testing ;)
[Inkspot] No
Was she born before 1800?
[Inkspot] Yes
Is she an author?
Elizabeth I?
Was she a religious figure?
[Inkspot] She isn't. She wasn't famous for being an author.
[Raak] No, but you're think on the right lines.
[Kim] See the answer I gave when Brendan asked that.
[Raak] I meant thinking not think obviously
Mary, Queen of Scots?
[snorgle] No
Was she European, other than British?
[Inkspot] No
Was she a royal of some description?
just trying to clarify what "along the right lines" means (couldn't be Queen V herself, of course, since she died in 1901 ...)
Was she associated with royalty, without being royalty herself?
Lady Jane Grey
[Brendan] Yes (It also couldn't be Queen V because she wasn't born before 1800)
[Raak] At one time
[Inkspot] No.
If not an author, a diarist Elizabeth Pepys?
Nell Gwynne?
[Inkspot] No.
[Kim] No.
One of Henry VIII's wives?
Queen Anne?
[all] For some reason I read the wrong answer, and thought you'd said "No" to born pre-1800 ... Doh!
Mary wife of William III (of Orange)?
[Raak] Yes
[Braendan] You are so very close - We can all make mistakes
[Inkspot] No
Anne Boleyn?
[Brendan] Yup.

Audience - Cheers and Adulation for Brendan
OK, let's have a MINERAL/VEGETABLE (with ABSTRACT overtones). If it becomes obvious that this classification is confusing people, I'll give some pointers ...
Is it made of wood?
And metal?
A painting?
Is the vegetable, paper?
[all] in part, but probably not a large part (NB: I am considering "made of wood" to mean dead wood in some way arranged by humans; ie in my definition a tree is not "made of wood" -- which I admit is eccentric)
[Software] probably in places, but it's not a major component
[Raak] No, but keep plugging at why it has abstract overtones
[Inkspot] No.
Half a dead cow in formaldehyde?
Is the vegtable part a tree?
Oops, ignore my last, dead cow isn't mineral or vegetable.
Half a dead tree in formaldehyde?
Is it unique?
[Raak] No, in either case. [all] Not "a" tree. [Inkspot] Yes.
Hyde Park?
Does the vegetable part involve more than one tree?
Is it a geographical landmark?
Is it a work of art?
[all] No.
[GL] Yes!
[Inkspot] No.
[Raak] The "it" you are looking for isn't, but a work of art (in the broadest sense) is involved.
Is it a forest?
Is it a real place mentioned in literature like Sherwood Forest?
[Tuj] Yes, but not just that.
[Inkspot] You're getting very close, but the answer to that particular question is No.
Is it the Hundred Acer Wood?
Is it Mirkwood?
Fangorn Forest?
The Forest Moon of Endor?
stop looking at me like that!
[Gusset] No.
[snorgle]No.
[Breadmaster] Nope.
[all] Nope!
All good guesses, but remember it isn't just a forest.
Is it from LOTR?
Under Milk Wood?
Not Forest Gump either then
Can it move around?
Burnham Wood?
[Gusset] No.
['spot] No.
[Breadmaster] No.
[all] No.
When I say it's not just a forest, I mean there's other stuff too, not that it's a special sort or specific example of a forest. The trees are definitely a major component of the mystery item, but perhaps not the one people immediately think of.
The Eden Project?
The Angel of the North?
Is it fictional?
[Bm] No.
[Raak] No.
Because ... [Tuj] Yes!
Babylon 5?
Is it from a film like the 'Valley Forge' in Silent Running?
The forest referred to in the phrase "Can't see the forest for the trees"?
Is the fictional setting concerned a movie?
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[snorgle] No, it is from a specific work.
[ZK] No, not a movie.
Is it a city?
The Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter which is based on the Forest of Dean?
[all] No, but it is within/near one.
[Inkspot] No.
The Hanging Gardens Of Babylon?
Central Park?
Is it from a book?
[snorgle] I've made mistakes with these things before, but are you sure Central Park contains a forest? and is fictional?
Is it an old oak tree with a yellow ribbon tied around it?
[GL] I don't think the Hanging Gardens were fictional either, although not much is known about them.
[BM] There's no proof that it ever existed apart from a book written by someone who never went within a hundred miles of the area it was rumoured to be. But I take your point
Was the book written after 1900?
Nottingham Forest?
I know Sherwood was mentioned earlier but Notts Forest are a fictional entity, ie they are alledged to be footballers - but nice people all the same who always invite me to their end of season party in January each year.
[Gusset] No.
[snorgle] Alas, too real.
[all]Erm. The work in question is commonly found in books but it is not a book per se. Does that make sense?
[Breadmaster] No.
[Inkspot] No (bearing in mind the above caveats about the phrase "the book").
[Snodgrass] LOL. No.
PS [Snodgrass] Are you also alleging that all the players are vegetables? ;)
Was the book written before 1980?
bearing in mind the above caveats about the phrase "the book"
I meant 1880!
Is it from a poem?
Is it from a play?
Utopia?
[GL] Yes, before 1880.
[Inkspot] Indeed it is. Therefore ...
[Raak] No.
[all] No.
Herot?
Xanadu?
I mean, of course, the location of Kubla Khan's pleasure dome, and not the improbably awful film starring Olivia Newton John and Gene Kelly. On roller skates. In pink. With the Electric Light Orchestra.
[Gusset] No.
[Breadmaster] DING! DING! DING! Yes! It was indeed those twice five miles of fertile ground, with walls and towers girdled round, forests ancient as the hills, gardens bright with sinuous rills, etc. etc. Congratulations. The floor is yours.
Huzzah!
Give me a few moments to thing of something sufficiently fiendish.
ABSTRACT
OK, let's see how this plays out.
Is it an emotion?
[ZK] Nope.
Is it a human concept?
[ZK] No - although some may be involved.
Can it be detected with any of the senses?
[Brendan] An interesting question. I would say technically no, but your senses might well alert you to its presence.
Is it a natural event or happening?
Is it a naturally occurring phenomenon?
Dooo-dooo do-doodoo...
The monster under the bed?
[Inkspot] No.
[Tuj] No.
[Raak] No, that's very much ANIMAL.
I should warn you all that I'm not at work today and tomorrow and my internet access is currently a little erratic, so many apologies if there are gaps between my answers... I shall do my best though!
Is it existence?
straight in with a random guess
Is it a phrase or expression?
Does it have to do with the passage of time?
Is it connected with the supernatural
(Brendan: All footballers get covered in mud, Vegetables grow in the soil (ok not all so sue me!), therefore all footballers............. eat vegetables and you are what you eat. And Forest are neither Super nor Natural before you ask - C'mon you R's)
Is it electricity?
[Snodgrass] Your mastery of syllogism is unmatched!
[all] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Kim] No.
[Snodgrass] Aha! Yes.
[Brendan] No.
A ghost?
Banquo's Ghost?
An Orb?
To those of you without Living TV you have been spared the antics of Derek Acorah and Yvette Fielding chasing ghosts and flying balls of light around the country and having theatrical panic attacks as they go. What a rich cultural medium digital TV can be!
A poltergeist?
[Raak] No.
[GL] No.
[Snodgrass] No, and I thank you for that terrifying vignette. Yvette Fielding?!
[all] No.
Possession of some sort [by the devil or his disciples]?
[Chalky] No.
Is it related to some sort of concept of the afterlife?
A magic spell?
ah...Raak may have pre-empted my next line of questioning ... is it Black Magic?
I don't have a suggestion
[Snodgrass] I happen to like that programme!
backtracking in realisation
Not that believe it all, you understand!
Voodoo ?
[ZK] Sorry, no offence intended. I quite enjoy it too, in small measure, but the histrionics do rather detract from what might, otherwise, be a serious attempt to uncover something we understand little about. Did you watch the celebrity version last weekend?
[Brendan] Yes.
[Raak] Nope.
[Chalky] Not that either.
[Snodgrass] Nope. How do you have a celebrity ghost-chasing programme? Were they hunting Elvis, James Dean, Buddy Holly etc?
Is it re-incarnation ?
[Breadmaster] The celebs were doing the hunting - or more accurately staying 2 nights in a spooky castle and having the willies put up them so to speak (but thats one for a different channel I expect). You know, I'm a Celebrity - Get 8 shades of wos'name out of me!
I despair of modernity...
[Snodgrass] Nope.
[Snodgrass] Sadly not, as I only have Sky when I'm living at home.
Transubstantiation?
is it Hell?
Valhala?
The Holy Spirit?
Is the afterlife in question the Christian one?
Nirvana?
Purgatory?
Would a river be pertinent?
[Raak] No.
[all] No.
[GL] No.
[Brendan] No.
[Kim] No.
[Raak] No.
[Dujon] It wouldn't.
Don't get too hung up on the afterlife thing - it's only related to it.
Is it a Philosophy?
[GL] It might be, depending on how you define "philosophy".
Is it a fear?
[Inkspot] No.
Is it a religion?
[all] A breakthrough! Yes.
Catholicism?
blimey - I thought we'd eliminated the 'religion' thing ages ago - perhaps I just imagined it!
[Chalky] No. No, I was surprised no-one tried that earlier, but they didn't...
Buddism?
Islam?
I meant buddhism, obviously
A religion is a philosophy, unless your a fanatic.
[GL] No. There's more to religion than philosophy, though - it is a sociological phenomenon which may include a philosophy, but also other things such as liturgy. I think.
[all] Nope.
theophobia?
[Inkspot] No, but I'd love to know more about the Theophobic Church...
Does it profess to be some variety of the Christian religion?
[Raak] It does not.
Scientology?
[BM]The basis of all religion is a philosophy, which is also the most important part of the religion. It's easy to quote (for example) the Bible but very few of those that do make any effort to love their fellow man.
[GL] Of course, it depends on what you mean by "philosophy". But if you mean ethics, I still say that's only one element of religion, and not necessarily the most important part: for example, Jesus taught ethics, but he seems to have been more interested in eschatology. One should always be very wary of saying things like "the essence of all religions is X" because religions are rather complex things that vary greatly.
Oh yes. No.
Is it monotheistic?
[Raak] Largely, but it's a matter of some debate.
Is it Hindu?
[BM] Philosophy generally means an outlook or set of beliefs that underpin your thinking. An ethical philosophy is only one example of this cynical philosophies have more appeal but are less used by religions. But all religions are in essence telling people how they should think (not what they should think, just how).
Eschatology is part of the philosophy of most religions
[GL] It is not.
I take your point, although I think you're defining "philosophy" a little loosely.
Was it founded in the last 200 years?
[Brendan] Nope.
Sikhism?
Philosophy
noun: any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation (Example: "Self-indulgence was his only philosophy")
noun: the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics
noun: a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
[GL] Still so.
By which I meant, of course, still no.
Is it a brand of islam?
Judaism?
[all] No.
[GL] No.
Is it extant?
It it a associated with the far east?
Is it Zen?
[Raak] It is.
[Inkspot] Not the far east, no.
[GL] It is not.
Just confirm it's from the middle east? but not connected with Islam?
[GL] Two questions shock! Yes, it is from the Middle East, and there may be connections with Islam, but if so I think they're likely to be pretty indirect.
It can only be a matter of time now.
Was it founded by a swordsman called Zoro his adventures later being made into numerous films?
[Inksopt] No, but it should have been, hence...
Is it Sufism? -Apologies for joining in so abruptly
[Phahad] Feel free to join in, but no - it's not Islam, remember.
Is it popular outside the middle east?
[Gusset] If this religion is defined a little broadly, I believe that today it does have more adherents outside the Middle East than it has within it.
Taoism?
[all] No.
You know, I really think Inkspot will get it...
Zoroastrianism?
(I may have spelt that wrong)
Zoroism?
simulpost....and Brendam beat me to it *laughs*
I meant BrendaN of course *laughs again*
[Brendan] YES! And I believe you spelt it entirely correctly.
Having recently had a go, I'm entirely happy to cede in favour of either Inkspot, who clearly had it and was just messing around, or Chalks, who I simulposted. That said, I do have a particularly silly idea for a round ... I'll leave it a few hours and if neither of those two starts one I will.
Pah! I'd have won it if it hadn't been for those pesky kids!
applause and cheers
A good win and well set by the Breadmaster.
Silly idea
OK, then, my silly idea: bifurcated AMVA. I've got two separate "objects" in mind which can be referred to by the same word(s). Hence, for each question I'll give two answers, one for the first object and one for the second, eg "Is it made of wood?" "Yes/No" Hope that makes sense.
So, the objects are ANIMAL/ANIMAL.
Is it a quagga?
Leaf?   OK, just a mad guess.   :-(
However, is that the idea, Brendan?
Is either human?
An interesting conceit!
A mammal?
Bigger than a Coconut?
[Raak] No/no.
[Dujon] No/no.
[Bm] Yes/Yes.
[Inkspot] Yes/Yes (see above).
[Snodgrass] Yes/Yes. (Unless it's a giant mutant coconut you have in mind)
Are they particular humans (as opposed to a type, job, class etc)?
Interesting - looks like we have two people with the same name, or perhaps similar titles?
Is the name for either an occupation?
[Breadmaster] Yes/Yes
[snorgle]No/No
Are they male?
Are they still alive?
Englebert Humperdinck?
Are they British?
[Breadmaster] Yes/Yes.
[Raak] Yes/No.
[Bigsmith] No. (Good guess though!)
[Inkspot] Yes/No.
Male?
[Brendan] Thanks, I thought it an apt guess after his/their appearance in an earlier game!
Jerry Hall?
One's an American model, the other an Irish guy I used to work with.
Obviously not as neither are British, and both are still alive - sorry, somehow transposed the answers in my tiny mind...
Are they nobility?
[Bigsmith] Er, yes and the male I already answered to Breadmaster's last Q.
[Breadmaster] Ooh, excellent question! No/Yes
Winston Churchill?
Is the Dead one the Noble one?
[Brendan] I can assure you that my coconuts are not mutant or deformed in any way!
(Bod No2) Is he an American?
Are they actors?
Assuming that Brendan always refers to them in the same order, it looks like one is alive, British, and not noble, while the other is dead, not British, and noble. I think.
[Raak] No.
[Snodgrass] Yes. (FWIW, I'm maintaining consistency -- ie there is a distinct Left-Hand-Side object and a distinct Right-Hand-Side object.)
[Inkspot] No/No.
[Breadmaster] No/No. Your summary is spot on.
Is he a singer?
Are they remembered as a duo, ie. were they 'connected' before one of them died?
Are we talking 'leaders of nations' here?
[Brendan] Quite how someone can be Noble without being British is quite difficult to comprehend - Xenophobia Rules OK!
Supp to above:. Leader in a Sporting field?
Political?
Writer?
Royalty?
[GL] Yes, but not just that/No (see below though)
[Chalky] No.
[Snodgrass] Not remotely/Not quite
[Snodgrass] No/No
[Snodgrass] No/No
[Breadmaser] It would be misleading to say Yes, but Yes, in a manner of speaking/No
[Raak] No/Yes
Observation/Hint: There seems to be an implicit assumption in some of these questions that the sum total of people involved is two. This is not the case.
Are either of the subjects a single person (ie a solo subject not just unmarried)
Did they die before 1900?
Obviously this only applies to the dead one
[Snodgrass] No/Yes
[Gusset] No/No
Were either of the named Rasputin?
Did they die before 1950?
[Gusset] No/No
[Breadmaster] No/Yes
Is the currently alive one a pop group?
[Raak] Yup.
Has the pop group been around for more than twenty years?
...otherwise I'll never have heard of it.
Do they have a song in the current UK Top 40?
Austrian Archduke?
[Raak] No.
[GL] Not at this precise moment in time, but they have relatively recently.
[Inkspot] No/Yes! (You've got it, haven't you?)
Franz Ferdinand?
[Gusset] Correct. It was indeed Franz Ferdinand (current flavour of the millisecond with the NME) on the LHS, who are named after Franz Ferdinand (Austrian Archduke and famous casue of WWI) on the RHS. Congratulations, and over to you!
I didn't know it was a pop group
Anyway, hmm... ANIMAL (with ABSTRACT connections)
Fictional?
[BM] Yes.
Of human form?
[Chalky] I assume you mean is it human? No
Is it a person?
[BM] That depends how you define person. I know someone who considers there pet cat to be a person.
I mean "their pet cat"
Is it an animal that talks?
Pesky line-managers!
[Inkspot] It talks after a fashion, but the term animal may be misleading.
Does it communicate telepathically?
[Brendan] No.
Is it known from appearing in a particular story?
[Inkspot] Yes, but it also appeared in the sequel(s)
Aslan?
[Bren] No
Is it a kind of animal that really exists?
[BM] No.
Is the author still alive?
Is it a dragon?
[Inky] Author may be the wrong word, but... Yes
[Bren] No
Is the work of fiction a film?
[Brendan] Yes.
Is it a character from Star Wars?
[Inkspot] Yes.
is it a cartoon character?
drat - simulpost. I've just wasted a question
Is it Jar Jar Binks?
In which case, may God have mercy on your soul for reminding us of that execrescence!
Chewbacca?
that ChewBacca thingy?
another bleedin' simulpost...sorry Inks!
[Chalky] no
[BM] Thankfully not
[Inkspot] Yes
[Chalky] Rwwwar!
Well Done Inkspot
Thank you Gusset Login for a great AMV for a Friday Afternoon.

eyes down looking ... MINERAL

Is it man-made?
I have released any of my AMVs to the public, or do you mean AVMA? 8)
A household implement?
Some day I'll get Broadband, then I can devote more attention to quicker-fire games like this... But it's so nice just to read the pages that happen in between and how an idea is pursued and grasped betwixt-times!
Gusset Login] No ....must remember, less haste more speed ;)
Tuj]No
Is it a geographical feature?
Raak]Yes
Is it in the UK?
[Raak] nice one!
Chalky] Yes
England?
Somerset?
Not thinking of anything in particular
Scotland?
Chalky]No
Tuj]No
Breadmaster]No
...and hence it is in...
The Channel Islands?
Raak]No ;)
The Giants Causeway?
Just a stab in the dark. Well its sunny now but you know what I mean!
Snodgrass]No ...sunny? not here its high winds and showers.
Snowdon?
Raak] YES .... Mount Snowdon it is ... and in just ten guesses!

Huge round of applause

The next object is MINERAL, with ABSTRACT connections.
"There is no spoon?"
I think that last one would've been less than 10 if it wasn't for me, but hey, let's make a mess while we can!
[Tuj] No, there is no spoon.
Does it contain metal?
[Bm] No.
Is it larger than a coconut?
No I don't know why that is my yardstick either!
Is it fictional?
[Snodgrass] Yes.
[Bm] The abstract connection is its appearance in fiction, but it also exists in reality.
Man-made?
[Brendan] No.
Does it contain rock or stone?
[Bm] No.
Metal?
[Snodgrass] No.
Is it a solid state object?
[Inkspot] No.
Is it on the Earth?
Is it a liquid?
[Brendan] Yes, and no doubt on some other planets as well, but there's no-one around to see it.
[Inkspot] Partly.
Does it contain water?
[Bm] Yes.
Does it contain ice?
Does it contain more than trace amounts of anything other than water?
[Gusset L] It could, but the typical one doesn't.
[Brendan] Yes.
Does it have a use?
Is mud involved?
Is it an atmospheric phenomenon?
[Chalky] No.
[Gusset Login] No, although it might be a side-effect.
[Bm] YES! A breakthrough!
Is it rain?
cloud?
[Kim] Rain is a major part of it.
[snorgle] Cloud, too.
A hurricane?
Is the fictional connection one specific work?
[snorgle] No.
[Brendan] It includes one specific work.
A tornado?
Twister?
A thunderbolt?
Is the significant part of it that isn't water, made of dead vegitation?
Since both clouds and rain are made of water
Is it the tornado that took Dorothy Gale to Oz?
[GL] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Software] No.
[all] No.
[Bm] No.
Can you confirm this summary?
It's an atmospheric phenomenon
Contains more than a trace of something that isn't water
Contains nothing man-made
Does not contain any metal, rock, stone or wood
Is used in fiction
Is found on earth, but may exist elsewhere
[GL] Spot on.
The Northern Lights?
A Rainbow?
[Chalky] No.
[GL] No.
Is it the title of a play?
[Inkspot] Not that I know of.
Is it likely to be dangerous?
An interesting conundrum from Raak here... Good stuff!
[Bm] Can easily be.
Does it occur all over the world?
[Inkspot] I believe it can happen in most places. More in some than in others.
Is the specific fictional work a film?
Is it a thunderstorm?
Is it a snowstorm?
A whirlpool? El Niño?
well, the sea contains more than trace elements of something other than water...
[Brendan] No.
[Chalky] applause from audience That could be part of it.
[Darren] silence from audience That could be part of it as well, but it's probably not what you would first think of.
[ZK] No.
Is it a monsoon?
Is it a name for an extreme weather condition?
[Brendan] No.
[Inkspot] Not a name, and not all that extreme.

A hint about the fictional connection: there are actually two fictional connections: one a specific work which mentions it, and the other a body of fictional work in which it recurs from time to time.

The Jet Stream?
Acid rain?
[S] No.
[GL] No.
Thinking some more about the "more than trace amounts of something that isn't water," is this something Fortean like a shower of fish?
Is it about seeing clearly now that the rain has gone?
Weather [aka Climate]??
Singing in the Rain?
[Darren] No.
[GL] Quite the reverse.
[S] No.
[all] No.
The Calm before the storm?
Does it contain anything else apart from water and air?
(assuming that air is at least part of the non-water content)
The eye of the storm?
[GL] No.
[Brendan] No. Air is indeed the non-water part.
[Bm] No.

Ok, so it's established that storm is a significant part of it.

The Perfect Storm
[Snodgrass] No.
St Elmo's Fire?
Not really to do with air and water so much as electricity, but frankly, my flum is utterly moxed at this point.
[Brendan] No.
Trust me, you'll all know exactly what it is, and recognise its fictional appearances, when the answer is revealed.
The / A Tempest?
I don't know about flummoxed I haven't got a Clooney hence the frantic straw clutching with a perfect storm.
The specific fictional work was it written before 1940?
see if this will clear the fog a little.
Is a property of the general class of fictional works that they're set at sea?
[Snodgrass] No.
[Inkspot] Yes.
[Brendan] No.
April Showers?
Bermuda Triangle?
The fictional work referred to previously - is this a song?
[GL] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Darren] No.

Time for a hint?

Does the answer appear in the title of the work?
Raak]How about a one or two more questions on the source of the work, followed by a hint.
Is the fictional work pre-1850?
Is the fictional work by a man?
Fog?
[Inkspot] No.
[Brendan] Yes.
[Darren] Yes.
[snorgle] No.
The answers to Brendan and Daniel refer to the specific fictional work, not the body of fictional work, for which the answers would be No and Yes.
Daniel?!
Is the fictional work/body of work pre-1500?
I must admit I'm running out of questions here. Fiendish problem-setting from Raak and a good puzzle.
Is the fictional work European in origin?
[Darren[ Oops, sorry.
[Bm] No/No.
[Darren] Yes (but the fictional body of work isn't).

Hint: The fictional work is a novel, and the fictional body of work is a cartoon strip.

(novel)Was it written after 1900?(cartoon) did it appear in a comic?
Is it a dark and stormy night?
(in which case, I'm assuming the cartoon strip is Peanuts ...)
[Inkspot] No/No.
[Brendan] YES, it is a dark and stormy night!
Excellent puzzle, Raak!
OK, let's have an ANIMAL.
Is it a shaggy dog?
Continuing the dark and stormy night theme and the 'wouldnt send a dog out on a night like this' idea
[Snodgrass] Sadly not.
Is it human?
Is it a specific individual?
[GL] No.
[Raak] No.
Is it a fish out of water?
Is is mammalian?
[GL] No.
[Kim] No.
Is it a reptile?
Is it extinct?
Is it a bird?
Is it indiginous to a particular continent?
Raak] A wonderful candidate for Limited Short Stories sometime. The opening chapter of Paul Clifford by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
Is it an insect?
[GL] No.
[all] Yes!
[Raak] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Kim] No.
Is it a fish?
In the water this time
Is it a Tasmanian Wolf?
Did it live between 225 and 65 million years ago?
Is it a single celled organism?
[GL] No.
[all] Nope.
[Inkspot] Nuh uh.
[R.J.F.] It is not.
Is it a virus? (since they don't really have cells)
Did it become extinct during recorded history?
A Sabre Toothed Tiger
Is/was it fictional?
Did it live between the present and 65 million years ago?
[Darren] No.
[Raak] No.
[Snodgrass] No.
[GL] No, entirely real. I'm not even aware of any famous appearances in fiction.
[Inkspot] Good question: no.
Did it live underwater?
Summarising...
Animal, but not a bird, fish, reptile, insect, mammal, single-celled organism, or virus. Not indigenous to any particular continent. Went extinct more than 225 million years ago.
Was it a vertebrate?
[GL] Yes.
[Raak] An accurate summary, and no.
Was it amphibian?
A trilobite?
[Inkspot] No.
[Raak] Correct!
Gosh, er, let's see....

ABSTRACT, with VEGETABLE connections

Is it fictional?
Standard opening.
[Bm] No.
Is it something which can be an attribute of a human?
Is it a song title?
[Darren] No.
[Dujon] No.
Is it connected with environmental issues?
[Raak, Brendan] well played on both the 'setting' and 'guessing' - wish I had the opportunity to participate more this week :-(
Is it a human concept?
Standard opening number two.
Is the vegetable connection something to do with food?
Is it a well known phrase or saying?
Is the vegetable a fruit?
I shoudl revise the description to say it can be either ABSTRACT with VEGETABLE connections or VEGETABLE with ABSTRACT connections. And the VEGETABLE might include ANIMAL as well, depending.

[Chalky] No.
[Bm] Yes (this applies to the possible ANIMAL part as well).
[Darren] Yes.
[GL] No.
[Inkspot] No.

Is it a turnip for the books?
Is the vegetable connection, a vegetable?
Is it an amusingly-shaped vegetable/fruit?
[RJF] No.
[Inkspot] No.
[Chalky] No.
Is it a name of something a man made to be eaten?
eg a birthday cake.
Is the vegetable a forest?
[Inkspot] Yes.
[GL] No.
An easter egg?
[Inkspot] No.
A simnel cake?
Very seasonal.
[Software] No. And the mystery object isn't seasonal.
Is it associated with a particular country?
Does it involve chocolate?
Is it a chocolate orange?
Is it a type of pie?
[Inkspot] Not very strongly.
[all] No.
[GL] No.
[Darren] No.
Is it associated with a particular part of the day?
[Inkspot] No.
Is it a drink?
Is it boiled?
Blame the last question on the cup of tea, it wanted a mention.
[Inkspot] No, hence also, no.
The Gingerbread Man?
[GL] No.
Does it involve eggs?
[GL] All the recipes I found through Google do (which was a surprise to me, but I know little of how they are made).
Is it nomally eaten hot?
Rakk]A hen lays them! :p
Is normally frozen?
[Inkspot] So do ducks and most lizards
[Inkspot] No.
[GL] No.
Does it involve flour?
Is it a confectionary?
GL]and there was me being deliberatley obtuse over a form of words that tickled my funny bone ... simple pleasures for a Friday morning (hens don't lay recipes.)
Is it a cake?
[Inky] Duck and lizards do lay recipes. If you feed them right
[Brendan] Yes.
[Inkspot] Not really, although one might classify it as such.
[GL] It's closer to cake than confectionery.
Bread of some sort?
Is it a combination of different foods?
[GL] It is about as closely related to bread as it is to cake.
[Kim] No.
Does it contain cream?
[Inkspot] It can. At least, the concrete version can, the abstract one can't.
Does it involve pastry?
Is it a pancake?
Ambrosia?
Pardon my second guess here, but is it Pancake Day?
[GL] No.
[Darren] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Darren] No.

I'm going to be away all of tomorrow and some of Sunday, so let's see this one solved today.

Is it a type of cookie/biscuit?
[GL] No. Of the things mentioned, it's most like cake, a little less like bread or pancakes, somewhat less like a cookie/biscuit or pastry, and least like confectionery. It has this in common with pancakes, though, that you can combine it with pretty much anything else. And don't forget the abstract part, which is nothing to do with any festival or work of fiction.
Does the 'Abstract' element have a mythological/religious connection?
This is tricky because it seems we're guessing on two fronts.
Ah - simulpost. It seems you read my mind, Raak.
Is this something like tofu?
[Chalky] The abstract element is part of, or an aspect of, the concrete thing.
[Darren] No. This is something that is not only edible, but one would want to eat.
Well - I was thinking along the lines of Manna from Heaven or something like?
[Chalky] No, you can buy these everywhere, or make them yourself. Nothing supernatural involved.
Gingerbread men?
That doesn't satisfy the "you can combine it with anything" though.
[Darren] No.
Marmite Soldiers?
[Chalky] No.
does it contain fruit?
scones?
(though I'm not aware of any great abstraction attached to them)
Just got back this Sunday afternoon.
[metherer] It can.
[Brendan] No.
Another hint? The abstract version of this is the absence of the concrete version.
Fortune Cookies?
[Chalky] No.
Is the abstraction Douglas Adams-related?
Marzipan?
[Brendan] No. Nothing to do with any person or book.
[Chalky] No.
Does the concrete version contain a place name?
[Dazed5] No. The name of both versions refers to nothing but what the thing is.

I just checked that I didn't miss someone getting the right answer. I can't believe this is taking so long. I notice that I said it could be combined with anything, but I'm not sure that's true; it can certainly be combined with anything sweet.

A quiche or flan base?
A trifle?
A Gateaux?
[Inkspot,Darren,GL] No.
A bit of Crumpet?
[Inkspot] No. As far as I know, this thing does not appear in any figurative expression.
Muffin?
The words "Straws" and "Clutching" spring to mind
[GL] No.
I'll be away on a business trip from Wednesday afternoon to the end of the week. If no-one's got it before then, I'll just have to declare victory and reveal the answer.
Doughnut?
Wild screaming, clapping, cheering, and orgies in the aisles. Civilisation has risen once more, and soon, there will be lemon-scented paper tissues, and their flight can depart after a brief delay of 10,000 years.
[GL] Nearly there. What abstract thing is associated with a doughnut?
The doughnut hole?
[GL] !!!YES!!! Doughnut holes, referring both to the hole in the ring, and little blobs of doughnut fashioned as if cut out from the hole in the ring.
And you wonder why it took so long for people to guess?

Nevermind. The next item is ANIMAL.

Is it a mammal?
A long time to guess but it was a good conundrum.
Human?
[Inkspot] Yes
[Software] Yes
alive?
[sadie] No
Was english their main language?
[sadie] Yes
Male?
Sir Peter Ustinov?
Did he write a great many letters from America?
He's dead as well? Damn.
[Ink] Yes
[sade] No
[Raak] It's certainly not what he's famous for.
So... he might have written a number of letters from America?
[sadie] Was that a question? or a comment?
Did he die within this century?
Taking the view, for the sake of disambiguating, that the century started with 2000. It was merely a comment. With a question mark.
[sadie] No
Did he visit America?
Was he, in fact, American?
[sadie] He spent sometime in America
[BM] Yes
Was he born before America became independent?
Was he best known as an author?
[Bren] Yes.
[Inkspot] No
Abraham Lincoln?
[Software] See my answer to Brendan's question (independent - 1776. Lincoln born - 1809)
In other words, No.
Benjamin Franklin?
[Bren] No
Was he a publisher?
Was he of strictly European descent?
[Ink] I can find no reference to him having ever been a publisher
[sadie] As far as I can tell.
George Washington
It can't be that easy unless GL is feeling sorry after the last saga!
[Snodgrass] No
Caucasian appearance?
Was he ever president?
Are we talking present day USA? as oposed to the Americas in general?
Was he born before 1700?
[Snodgrass] Yes
[sadie] Yes
[Snodgrass] We're talking North America
[Inkspot] No
Thomas Jefferson
[sadie] No
James Maddison?
There's only so many it can be.
[sadie] I thought it would take a little longer than that for anyone to get it.
YES
It was Maddison 4th President of the USA and the first to be forced out of the White House during his first term. (The British burnt it down)

Very well, over to you sadie

Yay! Okay, now i've got a VEGETABLE for you.
Is it a turnip shaped like a thingie?
[Gusset] No.
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