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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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The Shadow Cabinet?
At least that's what they look like to me.
Is it man-made?
DrQu+xum - No (although I smiled at the suggestion)
Darren - Yes
Is it edible?
Is it a single individual or a class of things?
Is the mineral part salt?
Darren - Yes Breadmaster - Not a yes or no answer question - but I think it is fair to say that I am thinking of a single individual item which is part of a class of things
Raak - Yes
Is it a salted peanut?
Hehehe, or a ready-salted crisp?
Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps?
A chip?
Salted cod?
We have a winner!
Raak - if only!
Ibid - No
Tuj - Cod - a vegetable?
Darren - Not crisp but YES, it was a salted peanut. Audience goes wild for Darren!!
Looks like you've regained the chair - back to you...
Thinks: Is getting it in 9 some kind of record? I shall have to be more obscure next time...
Standing in line
Looks like it's me again, and this one is ABSTRACT and/or ANIMAL, depending on your approach.
Thanks Bob the Dog!
Is it a mythical or symbolic animal?
Raak - in a way, it is, yes.
Is it a God?
Does it have religious significance?
Inkspot - no. Kim - no.
Has it starred in an animated film?
Was it invented by a particular person?
Is it a black dog?
*storming into this game with a completely wild guess*
Is 'it' a fictional character?
Fine tuning Raak's earlier and meaning from a film/novel or their ilk as opposed to from "real" legend/myth or theirs.
Is it associated with a particular nation?
Is it a fictional/mythical human?
Is it capable of metamorphosis?
Chalky - no. Raak - YES. CdM - no. Dujon - YES. Rosie - well, yes, I suppose it is. Bob the dog - YES. LotUS - no.
Some useful inroads there.
Is it a male fictional character?
A detective?
Harry Potter?
It usually is.
Is it from an 'ancient' story ?
By 'ancient' I mean Roman/Greek/Egyptian
Bob - yes. Raak - no. rab - no. Inkspot - no.
Arthur Dent?
Do we know him by his full name [more than one word]?
... although I have a sneaky feeling that Boolbar is correct
James Bond?
I also have a sneaky feeling, but it has nothing to do with Boolbar.
[Bob] Mine was more of a 'hunch' - and yours . . .?
Does the person appear in a SF/Fantasy?
Chalky] A sort of premonition - I feel that I'm going to sneak someone elses chocolate pudding...
Boolbar - no. Chalky - yes (if you do indeed know him). Bob - no. Inkspot - no.
Male?
Did the person first appear in written fiction? (Screenplays don't count.)
Comic character?
Raak - (1) we've already had that, (2) no. Chalky - yes.
Is the character animated? (In the disney/pixar sense)
American?
Does this character appear in more than one film?
Dennis the Menace?
I could ask a more general question, but I'm not sure how to phrase it, so I'll keep stabbing (as the bishop said to the hockey team).
Was the character's first appearance on television?
A computer game character?
Bob - no (and we've almost had that before too). Chalky - no. Boolbar - no. rab - no. Raak - as it happens, no I don't think it was. Chalky - no.
Was his first appearance in the theatre?
Raak - no.
Before we go further down this route, I should say I'm not sure where this character first appeared, but I believe it was on radio.
Is it a child?
Does this character appear in a British film?
Was his first appearance less than 20 years ago?
Does this character appear in a publication containing largely, or only, comic strips?
Does this character wear spectacles?
snorgle - no. Bob - no. Chalky - yes. rab - no. Boolbar - no.
Is this character 'voiced' by an actor/comedian?
... meaning - is this a comic creation?
Alan Partridge?
Does this character speak in the English language?
Does this character 'live' in England?
Samantha?
Probably down in the archives this very moment.
Inkspot - Is Samantha a man? I may find out later - am off to Winchester to see Humph, Barry, Graeme, Tim et al.
Is the character still on the radio?
Forget my last guess
Must remember to pay attention, male has already been established by Btd
Chalky - (1) yes (2) no. Bob - yes. Boolbar - yes. Inkspot - (1) no, (2) no.
A Hollywood movie?
Chalky] If you see Samantha - you will be the first! But I am very jealous of your trip to Winchester! I saw ISIHAC at the RSC here in Stratford with Willy R - and my sides still ache just thinking about it.
Are you sure his appearance was less than twenty years ago?
:-)
Is this character still on TV?
Not including repeats.
Bob - no. CdM - 99.9% sure, yes. Boolbar - well, he's supposed to be making a new appearance, but then again you can never tell these days. But I'll say YES in this case.
[Darren] Now that should ring a bell - but it doesn't.
The Doctor?
I guess he's not human, but I'll throw him in anyway..
Ken?
Manager and next-door neighbour to John Shuttleworth?
In that case, is it John Shuttleworth?
David Brent?
Winchester...
Chalky] Winchester as in Hampshire, England? I live not more than 20 miles from there! Have I missed it?
As we speak...
Zounds! They really don't publicise these things, do they?
Or am I just not alert?
Anything to do with Monty Python or related personae?
Better take a proper stance...
Alf Garnet
Silly Moo
snorgle - no. Boolbar - no. Bob - no. Tuj - no. plump - no. Raak - YESSSS!!!!
Raak is CORRECT!!!! Raak is the next chairhostpersonman.

AUDIENCE GOES WILD!

Woohoo for Raaaaaak
Well done Raak - s'about time you had a crack at being in the chair.
[Darren] Was David Brent really on the radio at first?? If he was, I certainly missed a trick - that's why I didn't offer him as a guess.
[Tuj] Re ISIHAC I'll transfer to the Banter Game with my reply.
[Chalky] Well, I don't think he had that name. I was going by my recollections of the documentary on the Office series 1 DVD, where they mentioned Ricky Gervais was working as a DJ and had a character called "Seedy Boss" or something, which Stephen Merchant made a short film about which became the precursor of episode 1. Of course, I might have got that all screwy in my head.
(that's a radio DJ I mean)
Showing Ignorance
Who on Earth is David Brent? I suppose I could google, but couldn't be bothered. ... :-(
Personalities
I suppose that I should post this elsewhere but, whilst we await the ghost of Raak to appear: Being resident of territory outside the U.K. things can, and do, become difficult at times. Take Celebdaq; I try hard (sniggers) but honestly do not know 90% of the names which appear on the various lists! Sigh! Still, maybe it is not such a disadvantage? Whilst any refugee from MWP will now proceed to howl me down, I partake in a 'football' league which concentrates on the EPL. After the first month, guess who led the pack! All right, sorry; I shall now sink back into anonymity ... ;-)
Even more ignorance
Dujon] I am a UK resident and I don't know who David Brent is either...
This is MINERAL and ABSTRACT.
For those not yet on the same page, David Brent is the principal character of the award-winning sitcom "The Office", and is played by Ricky Gervais. I've only seen one or two episodes, but it is truly excellent. I didn't know it began as a radio show though.
Is it fictional/mytical/...?
As far as you know, does it exist soley on the planet Earth?
Unlike one Btd ;o)
rab: er...bit of a judgement call, that one. Bob the dog: yes.
Is it unique being only one of its kind?
Has it been touched by human hand?
Trying to establish in what sense it's 'abstract'...
Inkspot: yes. rab: no -- if it could be touched, it wouldn't be abstract, surely?
Is it the Holy Grail?
Just jumping in on the off-chance.
and if not... is it a metal object?
covering two bases...
Does it exist in printed form?
LotUS: no; yes, mostly, I think. Btd: while it has been written about, the thing itself is not something printed.
The Pearly Gates?
Has it religious connections?
Wild stab and a question. Back to the grind stone!
An aethiometer?
I think Inkspot is on to something here...
Is it a weapon?
Inkspot: no, and no. Btd: no. LotUS: YES!
Excalibur?
Is it the dagger the lady McBethh saw?
Just thinking of a weapon that could not be touched, and has been written about.
The Sword in the Stone
As I think it's a different sword than Excalibur.
The Sword of Damocles?
If not, is it *a* sword?
snorgle: no. Inkspot: no. snorgle: no. Ibid: no, and no.
[Raak] I think we're misunderstanding each other - if it's not mythical, then surely it exists and has been touched by human hand... but anyway, the two things I was thinking (Holy Grail and Excalibur) have both been suggested so I'll pass, and these are both wrong anyway....
Thor's hammer - Mjollnir?
Is it a bladed weapon?
Was it written about in a play (first)?
Is it associated with a particular culture?
rab]I think the misunderstanding may go back a bit as something fictional does not necessarily have to be mythical, other than that I'm still stabbing in the dark.
Does it involve ballistics?
LotUS: no, and no. rab: no. Inkspot: yes. DrQ: YES.
[Inkspot] Yes, it's definitely not mythical; fictional is very close although not quite bang on.
Is it the Ancient Mariner's crossbow that shot the Albatross?
Is it a firearm?
Is it featured in poetry?
Did it make it's literary debut in the last 100 years?
Is it C S Forester's eponymous gun?
Is it from a song?
Who killed cock robin?
I said the lion and quite tasty he was too!
Boolbar: no. LotUS: no. Btd: no. rab: yes. Wol: no. Inkspot: no.
I'll give you a hint: literature is the wrong path to go down.
Correction
My answer to LotUS should be "that could be a part of it".
Does it feature in a computer game? Doom's BFG perhaps?
Is it a vehicle (whereof a ballistic weapon is a part)?
Would it need a human to use this weapon?
or is it some sort of automatic weapon?
rab: It probably has done; not BFG. Wol: that would be a part of it. Boolbar: yes
Wol gets a ripple of pre-ejaculatory excitement from the audience.
Is it featured in a movie?
Is it a weapon that could exist in the future (but doesn't at the moment)?
Is it Iraq's WMD?
... perplexed by the 'not exactly fictional' bit.
Btd: It will be. :-) Boolbar: yes. Wol: YESYESYESYES!!!
Not fictional, in the sense of a work of literature; fictional, in the sense of (I am assuming) not actually existing.

Wol has the chair.

WMD
But they do exist! I distinctly recall selling them to Sadd... er.. I mean... ACT PATRIOTIC! *runs*
Oooh, this is exciting. ABSTRACT.
Does it have a religious aspect?
Is it in a film?
Is it an emotion?
Does it exist *solely* on Earth?
Can it be measured by science?
Raak] Lovely!
Ibid - no; Boolbar - quite possibly, but only incidentally; LotUS - no; DrQ - no; Btd - no.
A force of nature?
actually ...
DrQ - in fairness, yes. And Chalky - no.
Is it something that we can see?
Is it an idea?
... yes, I was wonderin' about your answer to the 'solely on earth' question
Is it fictional?
Chalky - no. (re 'solely on earth' - 'no' is accurate, in one way, but just not fair). Raak - er, yes.
Has it been written about?
Chalky - quite possibly, but only incidentally.
Is it used to scare small children?
Does it have a basis in a religion?
Do many people believe it exists?
Do many people believe it doesn't exist?
Do many people have no opinion either way?
Boolbar - no; Btd - no; Raak/Darren - its existence is not in doubt.
Is it singular?
Is it something we can see?
Repeating Boolbar's one that appears to have been missed unless my eyes are playing up again...
Ibid - it's collectively a single thing; and no (sorry, Boolbar!).
Is it a religion itself?
(though I suppose it could scare small children)
MF - no.
Is it something associated with living things?
Could it exist without the presence of Man?
I'm stuck already!
Is it an organisation?
Is it connected with the arts?
Darren - no, not really (I think I'm not entirely sure what you mean, actually). Inkspot - well, it's (er) fictional (see Raak above), so it needs/ed a creator. Other than that, I suppose it could. Raak - no. Chalky - YES! (Is this the breakthrough we need?) Night night all ...
Music?
Is it a particular artwork?
I think I've got it!
Is it the second violin's part in the third movement of Mendelssohn's 4th symphony?
Is this a particular painting?
Darn it; sorry, Darren - I still have not replaced my spectacles (the ones which are well past their 'use by date'. The brain is still being analysed by the experts.
Is it an opera?
Is it rock music? (abstract & mineral, hehehe)
Is it a collection of some kiind
kind, rather
Morning folks. Chalky - yes (so, Dujon - no); Darren/MF - it's collectively a single thing; CdM - do you really think I'd do that? Raak - no; Darren - no.
So is that a yes?
...like the Four Seasons or something?
MF - yes; like that, or something.
Is it European?
Has its existence been known about for more than 100 years?
Is its composer still alive?
Raak - yes; Inkspot - yes; Bm - no.
Was it composed in the eighteenth century?
German?
Vocal music?
Elgar's Enigma variations?
The Planet Suite - Gustav Holst?
Boolbar - yes! rab - yes! Raak - no. Ibid/Chalky - no (Chalky - 1910 or thereabouts, I think!) Nearly there, surely.
Beethoven?
Was it composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
I always get confused between German and Austrian composers.
Chalky - no. Boolbar - no.
Schubert?
Boolbar - Me too. I have a feeling that Schubert was Austrian. *wnaders off for a google*
Wagner?
Noe he was definitely deutsch.
Brahms? as in Lullaby
may as well eliminate the obvious
Handel? as in Water Musik
am I the only one guessing now?
Franz Joseph Haydn?
Canons by J. S. Bach?
Brandenberg Concerto No 3?
Something by Bach?
Something by one of the Strausses?
[Chalky] Wasn't Brahms Hungarian?
[DrQ] Definitely German - born in Hamburg. You may be thinking of the 'Brahms & Liszt' euphemism? Now Franz Liszt was Hungarian. Also, the Strausses were quite Viennese - Austrian.
Wonder where Wol's got to - leaving us all-a-dangling ....
Sorry, sorry - life impinged for loonger than it should have done this afternoon. Where are we? Chalky/Chalky/Chalkiy/Boolbar/Inkspot/rab/DrQ - no. Raak - yes! (and I'll be kind - there were some 2 or 3 dozen Bach composers spread over 7 generations; it's JS you'll be meaning, I suppose).
Is it a sonata?
Bach's Toccata & Fugue in something minor?
Well-tempered clavier? Concerto?
as above - in 'D' minor?
Re-phrasing - Toccata & Fugue in D Minor?
sorry - simulposted with the rabster and missed the alert
Is this music to be played by a single performer?
The St John Passion ?
Bach's complete works?
Raak - a bit wide!; Btd - no; Chalky/Boolbar - no; rab - YES!!!! and no ...
Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues it is. Well done, folks - and over to rab.
Bows
Crikee, I wasn't expecting that.

Ok mine is mostly VEGETABLE and ABSTRACT.

I'm leaving the office now, so unless I log on at home tonight, don't expect any answers until tomorrow.

Is it a painting?
- continuing the theme
Look you Bach
Wol]Which of rab's two questions were correct, at the moment I can't see the connection to the "Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues". How wide of the mark was Raak?
Bach-fach
I think it was rab's "Well-tempered clavier" post that hit the spot. Raak was absolutely on the money if you discount everything Bach ever wrote apart from the 48 preludes and fugues.
Is is something disgusting by Damien Hurst?
Is it artistic?
[Inkspot] Bach's complete works cover around 150 CDs; the Well-Tempered Clavier (the name given to the two books of preludes and fugues - 2 of each in each major and minor key, totalling 48) covers four.
Some sort of sci-fi monster?
polite pianos
Kim/Wol]thank you for the clarification. I had not heard of the Well-Tempered Clavier before, and I won't embarass myself any further by describing the scene in a smithy that jumped to mind when I saw it.
MF: no. Kim: no. Raak: no. Tuj: no.
[Raak] Depends what you mean by artistic of course, but to answer anything but no would lead you up the garden path.
Something to do with food?
Oh, is it the garden path you threatened to lead us up?
Sticking my oar in
I remember well the Jacques Loussier version of Bachs' Well-Tempered Clavier. It was an ear-opener. To this puzzle, I ask the question...is it a triffid?
Catching a crab?
Prawns are my thing - still, just following D5
Ignore that! - too many vinos.
The Enormous Turnip?
Back to the matter at hand!
The Giant Peach?
Just getting a couple of childrens favourites off my chest.
Is it Treebeard?
No to all, except Darren's first (something to do with food).
Is it a recipe?
I'm sure I've asked this before, but we're not taking "fictional" to be a subset of "abstract", are we? Because they mean quite different things. A fictional individual is no more abstract than a real one, it's just fictional. Now, the idea of a thing, fictional or real, may be abstract. But anyone who proposes "The idea of X" as a subject should be expelled and shot, naturally.
BM: No
I was taking 'Abstract' to mean something which exists in people's mind/consciousness and is either impossible or unlikely to exist in a physically tangible form. *disappears up arse*.
By your definition Raak's WMD were not abstract.
Does it feature in a film?
Is it the taste of something?
Does it appear in a book?
Boolbar, Raak, Ibid: no
Is the vegetable part something that can exist (in a non-abstract way)?
ie. The Apple that tempted Eve is V/A but an apple can be V/Non-A.
Boolbar: Yes
Is it a singular item?
Is it in a song?
[rab] But that's not what "sbstract" means, is it? Abstractness and reality are different things, I'd have thought. WMD aren't abstract, whether they exist or not. The boiling point of water is the kind of thing that's abstract. Of course we can make it a convention in this game that "abstract" covers fictional entities too, but I just wanted to check whether that is the case or not *remains firmly up arse, whence he has never emerged yet*
Is there fruit involved in this?
The Aubergine of Doubt?
Is it a tree of some sort?
Is it food for thought?
Is it a mixture of vegetable ingredients?
Genetically Modified Foods?
As far as I can make out - the Vegetable part [the main part] is real and tangible - the Abstract part, I'm assuming, is something intangible that in some way can affect the vegetable part. Although, having said that I do not wish to take issue with whatever is up anyone else's arse.
Inkspot: yes; Breadmaster: no; Ibid: no; Raak: no; Boolbar: no; Bob the dog (i) no (ii) yes; Chalky: no
[Breadmaster] When we find out what it is we can argue the toss as to how abstract it is. As far as I'm concerned there's at least one compelling reason why it should be described as abstract, possibly two.

[Chalky] Pretty much yes.

Is is a recipie?
Kim: neither a recipie nor a recipe, no.
*blushes*
Have we ascertained whether it's edible? Erm . . .Is it?
Chalky: yes!
Is it "having your cake and eating it"?
Is it a saying?
As flat as a pancake; would that count as 'Animal and Abstract'?
Boolbar: no; Inkspot: yes
What animal is a pancake made from? I would argue a saying is abstract: it's neither animal, mineral or vegetable.
Actually it's not quite a saying, but close enough to have answered 'yes' to that question.
Is it a traffic jam?
Is it savoury?
Bob: no to both
Is the vegetable part a root vegetable?
Is it being in a pickle?
Inkspot: see below; Boolbar: no.
[Inkspot] We've already ascertained that it's a compound of more than one vegetable (which I'm taking in a more general sense to mean 'plant'); at least one of the components looks like it might be a root vegetable, but my knowledge of horticulture is not that extensive, nor is google being much help. Sorry.
Is it the best thing since sliced bread?
Is it sweet?
MF: no; BtD: YES!
Does it involve chocolate?
Is it green tomato chutney?
Is it confectionery of some sort?
Lib: whatever gave you that idea?? Boolbar: yes rendering Raak's question redundant.
Is it the cake I can't have and eat?
I know it isn't, but I just had to ask
Is it deep fried corgettes coated in chocolate batter with a side serving of spinach?
[rab] No reason.
Is it the box of chocolates which life isn't like, whatever the film version of Forrest Gump would try to make you believe
I mean, I don't know what US chocolates are like, but UK boxes of chocolates come with a helpful description of what shape is what flavour, and they don't tend to change much from year to year...
Lib: it's more abstract than that! Ibid: less tenous, I think...
Actually, thinking about it, Raak's question is somehow more specific than Boolbars, at the same time as being more general, so I shall honour it with a 'yes'.
Well, I don't know anymore chocolate related sayings (apart from 'give me chocolate or give me death' that one woman I used to know used to declare loudly)
Is it hot chocolate?
Is it a quote?
For example "There are four basic food groups, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles."
Darren: no; BtD: no...
...at least not in the sense you mean it (i.e. something that is attributable to someone).
Is it a slogan / advertising copy?
Is it "A Mars a day, helps you work, rest and play"?
Going out on a limb here.
Is it White Chocolate Day?
...being a day invented by chocolate manufacturers in Japan, on which people are supposed to give white chocolate to their loved ones.
(Following on from LotUS) or "Everyone's a Fruit and Nut Case"?
I fink LotUS may have it... Simil-thinked.
No - completely on the wrong track
I'll allow a few more guesses before dropping a hint I think - don't want to spoil anyone's fun.
Death by Chocolate?
... that well-known pudding which I've never eaten
.... or an Easter Egg?
... which I have
*** Recapping service ***
It's made of chocolate; it's some kind of saying, but not an advertising slogan.
Chocolate Soldier?
I take it that was a 'No' then ... twice
About as much use as a chocolate teapot?
If I click on 'Preview' rather than 'Submit' once more I think I'll scream.
as useless as a chocolate teapot or firguard?
Chalky, Tuj: so near but... Inkspot: YES!
I realised the "made of chocolate" might have been a clue too far!

I hope we all agree that this counts as abstract... So Inkspot, congratulations. I hand you the chair.

(It was fireguard, by the way)
Good one - I think Tuj deserves an honorary mention too!
Teapot concretions
It is fortunate that it was not a chocolate teapot, as that would be concrete.
Standing on the soldiers of giants
That was close, I must admit to being completly at a loss for much of the game which is down to a good choice by rab (definitely abstract). And thanks to Chalky, and the 'chocolate soldier'.

Lets see if we can wrap this one up before the weekend MINERAL.

Is it man-made?
Is it found on this planet?
Is it a composition of more than one mineral?
[Bob, Inkspot] I'm glad you liked it!
Is it solid?
Raak; yes Boolbar;yes rab;it can be Bob the Dog;yes
rab]to qualify - it is by and large associated with one, but other compositions are made.
Is it used in a game?
Is it metallic?
Is it usually found in DIY stores?
Is it a specific item?
(i.e. would it be like "a jumper" or "my jumper"?)
Raak;no / Bob the Dog;no / Boolbar;in small quantities and limited selection / Martha Farquar;yes
Is it a device, rather than a consumable?
Is it a firework?
Is it a shopping trolley?
Rosie;no/ Bob the Dog;no / Boolar; no
Is it edible?
Bob the dog;no
Does it have anything to do with plumbing?
Is it a three-eighths Gribley?
Is it made of a ceramic material?
Is it smaller than, say ... a toaster?
Boolbar;no / Raak;no Raak;(pottery/earthenware)no / Chalky; yes
Raak]try rephrasing your second question!!!
Is it one of those things for sharpening tools on?
Does it have any moving parts?
Is it pliable?
Is it made from plastic?
If I dropped one three feet onto a concrete floor, would it break?
Boolbar;no / rab;no / Software;no / Chalky;no / Raak;no(not usually)
Is it made of wood?
Sorry, ignore that, forgot it was Mineral.
Is it made of glass?
Is there a type of High Street shop I would be more likely to find this in than a DIY store?
Raak;no and no
Raak]you were close so going down the right garden path, but it looks like you've just popped next door to check on the lady of the house. I hope you enjoyed the tea and cucumber sandwiches :o)
Is it a container?
Tea and cucumber don't go well together in sandwiches, I find.
Is it any type of adhesive?
Is it made of brick?
Tuj;no / Raak;no / Bob the Dog;no
Btd]you were almost there
man-made/solid/usually made of one particular mineral/a specific item.
Is it concrete?
Glad your are up late Inkspot!
no
Concrete is usually 3 material, sand;cement;lime, and not a specific item smaller than a toaster
I'm quite tired because I've been to the pub so I'm not going to ask another question 'til tomorrow - nighty night all.
Is it a breeze block?
not sure if it counts as being smaller than a toaster though
Is it a brick? (or ventilation type thereof)
If that makes any sense.
Sorry for jumping in like this.
Is it a half-brick?
Ah-ha! If not - oh-ho!
Lotus ;no Lotus;....YES / Tuj;no, sorry but it was 'a brick'
Congratulations Lotus the chair is yours.

Both Raak and Bob the dog came close . With a brick being made of clay, the same material as ceramics and Bob even mentioning made of brick.

My, this chair is staring to get comfortable...
Ah, thank you very much Inkspot. [all] Sincere apologies for that, just jumping in all uncouth-like. I'd love to be able to set one right now, but mind is blank at moment. Will set one when I get back home tonight. Sorry for the delay.
Half-brick gambit
Worth a try. LotUS's go always looked right, so it was just a last gasp thing to try and whisk it out from under the nose.
And for your guessing pleasure...
...we have ANIMAL, VEGETABLE & MINERAL (at least arguably; ABSTRACT could probably be applied as well but I wouldn't want to be silly about this. ;) )
Is this something made by humans?
Is it a building?
Darren - Yes; Chalky - No.
[Chalky] At least not in the conventional sense of 'a building'.
McDonalds Happy Meal?
Although, Arguably niether animal or vegetable, the mineral part would be the box.
Is it related to art?
Does it perform a practical function?
Is it associated with a particular part of the world?
Did it exist prior to 1900?
Is there only ONE of this?
Is it edible?
Is it a household item?
Is it a lead-weighted wooden cosh with a leather grip?
Is it something we would like to own?
Does this include packaging?
Does it emit noise?
LotUS helloo... ?
Would I be allowed to take it on a aeroplane?
Sorry for the long delay - didn't get a chance to check in at lunchtime
Here we go: Huxley - No; Raak - No; Bob the Dog - Not really; Inkspot - Yes; Boolbar - Yes; Chalky - Yes; rab - No (but then some of its constituent parts are); Martha - No; Raak - No; Ibid - You'd probably be fairly pleased if you did own it; Ibid - No (simple answer); Kayl - I'd say it can be quite a noisy thing; Bob - Hello *waves*; Ibid - No.
Phew.
Hmmm, let's try again, shall we -
Huxley - No;
Raak - No;
Bob the Dog - Not really;
Inkspot - Yes;
Boolbar - Yes;
Chalky - Yes;
rab - No(but then some of its constituent parts are);
Martha - No;
Raak - No;
Ibid - You'd probably be fairly pleased if you did own it;
Ibid - No(simple answer);
Kayl - I'd say it can be quite a noisy thing;
Bob - Hello *waves*;
Ibid - No.
Is it one of the seven wonders of the world?
Is it an island?
Does it have moving parts?
rab - No; Raak - No; Ibid - Yes
Is it in Europe?
Don't see how it could have existed pre-1900 and still have edible parts...
Tuj - No
[Tuj] But that's going on the strict interpretation of your phrasing. The fairest answer is 'It was'.
Is it large, compared to a telephone box?
Is it a coach and horses?
Is it the Last Supper?
Is it a collection of items given a single name?
Something akin to the Elgin Marbles
Is it owned by a country or an individual?
Is it safe?
rab - Definitely; Raak - No and No; Inkspot - In a way it is; Inkspot - Not really; Martha - Umm
[Martha] There's no easy way to answer that with a 'yes' or 'no' without being completely misleadng. I would have to answer, in fairness, though, "Probably not by today's general standards".
Is it a geographical feature?
Is it assocoiated with sport?
Is it a geographical region?
Raak - Probably not in the sense you're thinking but it could be said to be; Inkspot - No; rab - Yes (but same disclaimer as for Raak)
Does it exist still today?
Is it used to produce something useful?
Is it New York?
Is it das heilige röische Reich der deutsche Nation?
Um, römishce.
Oh bollocks you know what I mean.
Anything to to with transport?
Anything from a bridge, a car, a plane, trains or Aladins first magic carpet
Is it London Bridge?
Is it The Head of Steam?
rab - No; Boolbar - No; Raak - No; rab - No; Inkspot - No; Chalky - No; Raak - No
Rab is the closest so far. Inkspot was but he seems to have strayed off the course...
Is it an ocean?
Was it destroyed by a natural disater?
Is it in England?
Is it the Industrial Revolution?
To recap: Made by humans.
Not a building.
Not a McDonald's Happy Meal.
Not related to art.
Doesn't really perform a practical function.
Associated with a particular part of the world.
Existed prior to 1900.
Only one.
Some of its constituent parts are edible.
Not a household item.
Not a lead-weighted cosh with a leather grip.
Something we would probably be fairly pleased to own.
Doesn't include packaging (simple answer).
Can be quite noisy.
Wouldn't be allowed to take it on an aeroplane.
Not one of the seven wonders of the world.
Not an island.
Has moving parts.
Not in Europe.
Large (compared to a telephone box).
Not a coach and horses.
Not the Last Supper.
In a way a collection of items given a single name.
Not really owned by a country or an individual.
Probably not safe by today's general standards.
Could be said to be a geographical feature.
Not associated with sport.
Could be said to be a geographical region.
No longer in existence.
Not used to produce something useful.
Not New York.
Not rab's bollocks.
Nothing to do with transport.
Not London Bridge.
Not The Head of Steam.
Is it some sort of realm? The Roman Empire?
[Kayl] Apparantly it was in Europe.
Is it anything to do with summat up in space?
As 'rab's bollocks' [see Kayl summary] was the closest so far - can we have a translation?
oops - can't be space age - existed before 1900 - doh!
Is it a city, town, or other habitation?
USSR?
[rab]ah, true, my mistake
Bob - No; Inkspot - No; Boolbar - No; Kayl - No; rab - Yes followed by No; Chalky - No but retraction noted; Raak - No, Chalky - No
Is it specifically an empire? If so, is it the British Empire?
Was it more than 1000 years ago?
The Civilised World?
Is it larger than St. Paul's Cathedral?
Was it larger than Derbyshire?
Pre-1974 counties, etc.
Did it cover all or part of what is now considered the British Isles (ie UK + Ireland and various bits that no-one else wants)?
Rutland?
rab - Yes! but No; Inkspot - No; Kayl - Yes; Raak - Yes; Ibid - Yes; rab - No; Chalky - No
The British Empire?
Oops, didn't read the previous answers properly.
The Roman Empire?
The Holy Roman Empire?
Is it the Ottoman Empire ?
Or a test match Cricket Empire?
Was it southern european?
Did its influence extend beyond Euope?
Raak - No (to all three); Inkspot - Yes and Yes... but; BtD - YES!!!
And the fireworks fly for Bob the Dog!!! A tewnty-one scimitar salute to be given in Constantinople in your honour sir! And I cede the chair to you...
Oooh how nice!
Thank you LotUS - especially the 'tewnty-one scimitar salute'. Hmm now I'll have to think about this for a while...
Ok - that didn't take long. This one is Abstract/Animal.
Is it found in a children's story?
Is it a "nightmare"?
Has it appeared in a film?
Good one Lotus, any appearance of knowing what I was doing was purely coincidence;)
Is it Zaphod Beeblebrox?
Is it a unicorn?
Would it be possible to buy one?
Is it green
As in bug-eyed alien.
Is it mythological?
Is it connected to music?
Did it exist pre-1500?
Boolbar - yes.
Software - no.
Inkspot - 1)yes 2)no.
Raak - no.
Lib - the simple answer is yes.
Ibid - no.
LotUS - no.
Chalky - no.
Kayl - no.
The Cat In The Hat?
Has it appeared in a Disney film?
Is it a bear?
Does it share a name with an underground station?
Would I come across it in a Harry Potter novel?
Some sort of fantasy? (eg LOTR etc)
Does it feature in...
Is it (in theory) smaller than normal human size?
Boolbar - no.
Ibid - 1) no 2) no 3) no.
Boolbar - no.
rab - 1) yes, but not in the sense you are thinking. 2) It does not feature in LOTR.
Riff - arguable, but most people would say yes to this.
Was the film made before the year 2000?
Was it one of the main characters of the film?
Is it extra-terrestrial? (And if so, is it ET?)
Is it a computer generated creature?
Inkspot - 1) I think so. 2) yes.
rab - no. Chalky - no.
Was it a live-action film?
...a blind alley
Riff - There have been a few films, at least one has been live action, but this abstract/animal doodah is not usually associated with movies.
Was the story written by a British author?
Timmy?
The Famous Five; Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy, the terrifying dog ever, I lose count of the number of hardened criminals who yelled "...and keep that dog away from me!"
Snowy (Tintin's dog)?
Is it a mammal?
Inkspot - 1) no. 2) no
Raak - No. But warm.
Boolbar - "Yes".
Is it more human [as opposed to an animal]?
unless I've missed something - have we established that this is an animal?
Tintin?
Snow White? Toto?
I can't help but think of that pr0nographic Tintin comic strip now..
er... Lassie?
Asterix? or Obelix?
?
Old Yeller?
[Chalky] Well, it's arguably smaller than normal human size...
Chalky - yes.
Raak - no.
snorgle - 1) no 2) no.. (What this about Tintin!?) Riff - no.
Tina - Sorry - don't know Old Yeller.
Riff - That is because it is a diminutive human. Have I missed anyone?
Oh yes, Wol - 2)no. 1) - YES!!!
We have a winner! Well done all concerned! Again, Inkspot asked a lot of the right questions, Raak got searingly close with the Snowy guess. Asterx the Gaul it was, Wol, you have the chair!
Oooh - I think that was my first contribution to that game, so apologies and thanks to all of you who did the hard work. Standing on the shoulders of giants, etc.
OK - let's make this one swift - ANIMAL/MINERAL
It is sentient?
A pair of hobnailed leather boots?
Is it a robot/cyborg?
Is it edible?
Is it bigger than a microwave oven?
Kim - no; Raak - so close! ;-); Boolbar - no; Btd - no; Soft - no.
Steel-capped boots? Some kind of footwear?
[rab] sorry - don't be misled (I wasn't trying to misle, anyway). Raak wasn't that close.
Any form of clothing?
I'll take that as a no to both then.
[rab] Yes - it's a no-no.
It's not those leather-lined steel manacles again, is it?
[Wol] What about rab's last question (clothing)?
Is the animal content (mostly) leather?
A leather belt with studs?
Does is have a zip?
[Bob - that was a simulpost in case it looked as though I was leaping on your idea!]
Sorry - not with it this morning. No, it's not clothing (except in an extremely tangential sense which I won't tease you with). Raak - no; Btd - yes; Chalky - no (but close, oddly); Ink - no.
A bridle?
...or some sort of horsey harness stuff?
Is the mineral content metal?
Does it have fastenings?
Is it worn by an animal?
Could you buy it in M&S?
Just off to buy my prawn sandwiches.
Bondage gear?
Stirrups?
may as well keep guessing
Dog Collar?
As worn by a dog, not a vicar. (Although in some cases I'm sure it may well be . . .)
Let's cut to the quick - Boolbar: YES! I'm dead impressed by the speed of homing in on that (only 3 substantive contributions from me). So it's over to:
  • Boolbar -
    • Yikes!
    OK so let's go for . . . . . ANIMAL
    Kate Bush?
    [BtD] No. I thought that might be too predictable. :o)
    2 legs?
    Well done Boolbar (bit of a geezer) :-). I'm determined to get the answer one day soon. It keeps happening just as I'm on the verge of nailing it - but get called away for something trivial, like earning a living.
    Is it native to one particular continent?
    whereas migratory birds are incontinent.
    [Chalky] No. But keep guessing. This might be your lucky day.
    [Inkspot] It originated from one continent.
    Extant?
    Mankind?
    Would that continent be Australia?
    Furry?
    A hamster?
    Insect?
    Even a bee can cross continents
    [rab] Technically, no. Physically yes.
    [Raak] No.
    [Kayl] No.
    [Chalky] No.
    [BtD] No.
    [Inkspot] No.
    Is it a single instance of a deceased thing?
    [rab] Yes.
    By heck! It can be difficult deciding what the answers should be sometimes. But nice to see how people can go along the wrong tangent.
    A fossil?
    [Chalky] No.

    I'm off home now. I might be able to check in later, otherwise it will be 09:00 GMT tomorrow before I'm back.

    Actually - fossils would be mineral. Is it an animal product?
    The Iceman?
    I don't think so, since that would have two legs... so...
    Is it on show at a museum (or similar institution) somewhere?
    Was it a mammal?
    Was it a horse? If so, was it 'Seabiscuit'
    Since there is a film about that one out...
    Did it die within the last 50 years?
    Is it the proverbial dead do-do?
    [Chalky] I wouldn't call it an animal product no.
    [rab] (a) No. (b) A copy might be but I don't know to be sure.
    [Ibid] (a) Yes. (b) No.
    [Inkspot] It did cease to 'exist' in the last 50 years but I guess it is also still alive. (Is this a clue?)
    [Tuj] No.
    Is the species particular/associated to one continent?
    As in kangeroos - Australia
    Penguin - Antartica
    I know its a blind alley, but I'm a bit lost at the moment.
    Is it a named animal?
    ie;Shep the dog / Shergar
    Is it a dead human?
    In which case that narrows it down to mere 7,098,764,098,76410 :o)
    Elvis?
    Dead but still alive?
    Jake the Peg?
    Is it part of an animal?
    Is it smallpox?
    A good nights sleep, a disease that was eradicated but still alive in labs, are there any others?
    Hmmm, perhaps I better fill in a few gaps.
    [Inkspot 1] 'It' is associated with one country - but didn't always stay there. 'It' might be there now, or spread around more than one country - I don't know 'its' exact whereabouts at this moment.
    [Inkspot 2] 'It' has a name and I'd be surprised if anyone here had not heard of 'it'.
    [BtD 1] No.
    [BtD 2] No.
    [Raak] No. But at least someone is starting to think around the "not 2 legs" bit.
    [Chalky] No.
    [Inkspot 3] No.

    I think it is the existence thing that may cause confusion (it confuses me). 'It' no longer exists in a similar way to the last MC pilg not existing any more.

    Is it a team or group of people?
    Is it Monty Python?
    (by which I mean the Monty Python crew, not the nonexistent person of Monty Python him/her/itself)
    [Raak 1] YES! [Raak 2] No.
    A political connection?
    Ok, it's Monty Python.
    Have I won?
    arrow_circle_down
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