mc5 - AVMA Take 2

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AVMA Take 2

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Yes, it's another round of that classic guessing game - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Abstract [or any combination thereof]. This effort - '03/'04 should address any queries, but then again, may just serve to confuse and baffle which some might say is the point of the game. Patience, integrity and a decent search engine may be useful ....

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Is it a building?

Sealand?

Is the abstract component related to government/politics?

[Raak] building? Yes
[cfm] government related or political? Yes
[Tuj] Principality of Sealand? YES. Have a semi-autonomous baton.

Well, shiver me timbers!

So! Let's have a nice bit of

ABSTRACT

Related to the current season?

Funny how that's become a default question this month

Raak] Festive? NO

A title? (Such as of a book, song, movie?)

irach] A title? Do you know what, the word(s) on the card do form the title of one of those things, so YES, though as far as my setting is concerned that's coincidental.

Seeing as you cannot pose the quetion, Tuj, does the answer begin with a 'P'?

Sorry. My ring finger had a brief holiday. 'question' not 'quetion'.

An emotion?

An imaginary character?

A well known phrase or saying?

Dujon] I could hardly resist ;) YES!
Rosie] An emotion? NO
Raak] Imaginary character? *audience gives a brief burst of laughter, applause* NO. There are elements of truth in what you ask, like with irach's happy happenstance, but it's certainly not imaginary.
GL] Phrase or saying? NO

Is it the name of a role?

An activity?

Raak] Name of a role? NO
Rosie] Activity? NO

Does this have anything to do with Ovid and sculpture?

Is the coincidental link a title of a movie?

MC to all MCers

Dujon] Ovid and sculpture? Not that I know of
irach] A film title? YES

A human construct?

CdM] Human construct? NO

A film made in the last twenty years?

Will be asking the Internet all about this film

Rosie] Was the film the answer on the card coincidentally shares its name with made after 1992? YES

Is the answer to do with the 'arts'?

Could animals be aware of this abstract quality?

Penelope?

Did the film the answer on the card coincidentally shares its name with star that guy, name's on the tip of my tongue, you know, was in the movie with whatshername, you know, who got the oscar nomination for that movie about the guy and the other guy, played by that really tall bloke, and the girl who had the problem with whaddyacallit?

Good questions all!

Dujon] Arts? NO
Rosie] Animal awareness? NO, I doubt it. Though I could imagine some bored scientist making a case about bees or something, like they do.
Chalky] pen? NO =)
CdM] ...? This was particularly hard to research, but I'm pretty sure the answer is NO

Related to biology?

Can it be measured?

cfm] Biological? NO
Rosie] Measured? YES (though that may not quite be the right word) *some appreciative audience noise*

Something to do with the weather?

We're stalling. Time for a summary?

Rosie] Your favourite subject? NO

To do with magic?

A purely physical effect?

Favourite subject? Well one of them. :-)

Keep fishing

irach] Magical? NO
Physical? NO

Do do with something monetary?

Related to mathematics?

irach] Monetary? NO
jim] Mathematical? YES! *standing ovation*

Pi?

Eureka!

INJ] Pi? YES *audience fire party poppers*

Here, have this cylindrical baton, and I won't even ask you to calculate its volume.

Lurker? Me?

OK, this one is MINERAL

Metal?

Manufactured?

Unique?

[Raak] Metallic? - NO
[GL] Manufactured? YES (in the broadest sense)
[Tuj] Unique? - YES is probably the most helpful answer *some muttering in the audience*

Assuming a unique instance

Was it made in the last 20 years?

Concrete (in the concrete sense)?

[Merlyn] Naughty nineties? - NO
[Raak] Concretion? - NO

A reservoir?

Could it be seen from space?

[Rosie] The big reservoy? - NO
[Tuj] Spatial visibility? - Well, space is a big place - did you have any particular bit of it in mind? How big a pair of binoculars have you got with you?
Anyway, the sensible and useful answer is NO

Is the mineral water?

Is the mineral water what?

[Rosie] Perrier? - NO

Is the 'manufacture' of this mineral natural, in the sense, say, of granite or pumice?

[Dujon] Naturally manufactured? - I think I see what you mean and the answer is NO. I probably should have said 'In a broad sense' for manufactured, just as a clue that you shouldn't interpret it too narrowly. This is the product of a human process.

Is the mineral a by-product of another process?

Is it in a specific fixed location?

[Dujon] Mineral a by-product? - NO
[CdM] In one place? - YES *a few appreciative murmurs in the audience*

Located in Europe?

[cfm] European? - NO

On Earth?

Has this thing necessitated the shifting of large quantities of rock, soil etc?

Begins with P?

[Chalky] Terrestrial? - YES
[Rosie] Moving rock/soil - YES *some applause*
[Tuj] THE QUESTION? - NO

Fracking?

[Raak] Fracking? - Frack NO!

If it's not fricking fracking - is it in aNY WAYconnected to fuel extraction

Cold

[Chalky] Drilling/mining/etc? - NO

Is it linked to death?

[GL] Morbid? - To some extent but not exclusively or even chiefly *whispered discussions in the audience*

Connected with transport?

[Rosie] Transport-related? - NO

Is this an individual object?

[Raak] Individual object? - NO (this explains the hesitation over Unique). Strictly speaking it's a group, but the words on the card card refer to the whole group.

Current hours of business

I will respond as quickly as I can between 8am & 6pm UK time, but I'm not carrying my laptop the 2 mile walk to my hotel.

Is this collection to be found in China?

The Pyramids?

[Dujon] Sinitic? - NO (but it so easily could have been since I was in Xi'an in October)
[Rosie] Pyramids? - NO, but *some applause*

Does it end with P?

[CdM] Pending? - NO

Stonehenge?

[Raak] Stonehenge? - NO (it was still in Europe last time I looked)

Does it contain a P?

[GL] Pinternal? - NO

Should the fact that you were in Xi'an in October (or at all) influence our search?

[Rosie] China etc? No, not in any obvious way and if at all, then probably only after the fact. Certainly thinking along lines suggested by China and terracotta armies isn't likely to help. My comment was only because I thought that was what Dujon was thinking of.

The statues of Easter Island?

In the Americas?

[Raak] That looks a good guess.

You were correct in your thoughts, ImNotJohn.

*Awaits response to Raak's query before losing any more podumes*

In the Middle East?

[Raak] Moai? - NO
[Tuj] American? - NO
[Dujon] There you are, you could have had a go
[irach] Mediaorientalist? - NO (but tying this down geographically is a good approach)

Australasian?

Manufactured/constructed/whatever within the last 100 years?

[Tuj] Built upside-down? - NO
[CdM] - Less than 100 years old? - NO

In Africa?

A bit warmer

[Chalky] Africa? - YES *applause*

Taller than a double-decker bus?

Resisting guessing "the twin peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro"

[Tuj] The routemaster measurement? - In one sense, YES, in another, NO *audience nods knowingly*

Is it in a single country?

[Tuj] In 1 country? - YES

BTW - with an arm up my back I'd plump for 'taller than a bus' but you'll understand why I answered as I did when you get the answer, or very shortly before.

Do people live in it?

The Kimberley Mine (aka The Big Hole)?

(Although I now see you answered the earlier fuel-extraction question with a general negative comment about mining, so I suspect my guess is not right.)

[Tuj] Inhabited? - NO
[CdM] Big 'ole? - NO
*audience applauds both questions*
Re mining/drilling - if it had been a diamond mine, even if open-cast, I wouldn't have replied as I did, but you have got the right idea as to the bus answer, so don't read too much into it - and don't forget Rosie's early question.

Is this conglomeration situated in Ethiopia?

Celle-ci n'est pas une question

So, if I am inferring correctly from the answers, we are looking for something underground or below ground level, but not linked to mining, not inhabited, created by humans more than a century ago and not containing water. Man-made caves? Tunnels? Tombs?

[Dujon] Abyssinian? - YES! *loud and prolonged applause*
Why didn't you just have a guess at it?
[CdM] Fairly accurate, but Dujon has leap-frogged you.

The Sof Omar Caves?

[Raak] Sof Omar caves? - NO, but they look fascinating - however they're too natural.

Royal Tombs of Aksum?

Isn't that in Earthsea?

[CdM] Axum tombs - NO (my reading is that they are megalithic, which I would take as being above ground)
Come on, someone must get it soon!

The pyramids of Meroe?

I didn't think there were so many possibilities

[Raak] Pyramids of Meroe? - NO
Basically below ground level, remember

Lalibela churches?

That has to be it! :-)

At Last!

YES
It is the rock-cut (or monolithic) churches of Lalibela, where I hope to be in about a week's time.
Here's a mountain and a chisel - carve your own baton.

(INJ) Could you and CdM conduct your nerdy little game in private and give the rest of us a chance? It seems pointless and time-wasting to ask questions when one has no chance whatever of guessing the answer, and this is not for the first time, either.

[INJ] Exceedingly cool.
[Rosie] Really? I had no idea you felt that way. In future you should make sure we all know if you are unhappy about how the game is played.
MINERAL

~~In Ethiopia?~~ Unique?

Man made?

Unique? Yes.
Man-made? No.

(CdM) Fuck off, Cunt de Melbourne. What a pair of irritating nerdish selfish twats you and your brother are.

Terrestial?

[Rosie] Behave! :)
[Tuj] Behave! ;)
[INJ] Because I have no desire to 'win'. ;)

Terrestrial? No.
[Rosie] Your recurring temper tantrums really are getting a little tiresome. Perhaps it's time for you to take your ball and go home again for a couple of weeks. I don't think you've done that yet this month.

Oops

Sorry. YES to Terrestrial

Is the mineral water?

Water? No.

A geological feature?

Geological feature? Yes.

A mountain?

Well, whilst I feel a little guilty in banging in consecutive questions no one else has bothered for a day or so.

A mountain? Yes. *applause* [Dujon] Better be careful. You might end up winning. :-)

In Africa?

Yes it does! Er. Oops. I mean
Under African skies? No.

Surely it's more obscure than...Kilimanjaro?

Begins with P?

In Europe?

Ooops :-)

Under African skies? Still no.
Begins with P? Yes. (That was what I meant with my last answer.)
In Europe? No.

Pinatubo?

Does this edifice have an attraction for motor sport?

Pinatubo? No.
Motor sport? No.

Popocatepetl?

Popocatepetl? No. (I can't help feeling that there are a lot of non-European, non-African mountains beginning with P.)

In the Americas?

[CdM] Ahh, I wondered what that answer meant!

Puncak Jaya?

Pike's Peak?

In the Americas? Yes
More random mountains beginning with P? No.

In the US?

In the US? Yes.

This mountain does have a claim to fame, by the way, so it is certainly possible to approach the questioning by routes other than the purely geographic.

Mount Palomar, with its additional claim to fame in astronomy circles?

Famous for a specific event?

Palomar Mountain? Yes! *hands irach hollowed baton with lenses in each end*

Dizzied with my success I see stars....!!!! The next one is ABSTRACT WITH A STRONG ANIMAL CONNECTION

Is the animal connection human?

Is it a single-word answer?

[CdM] The animal connection is not human.
[Tuj] The answer is multiple-worded.

A symbolic animal?

Begins with P?

a well-known phrase or metaphor?

A phrase containing the name of an animal (e.g. lion's share, dog's breakfast etc)?

Is it a fictional part of a real animal? (eg hen's teeth, horse feathers etc)

[Raak] The animal in qustion is not exactly symbolic or iconic, except in one limited way.
[Tuj] Does not begin with "P".
[cfm] YES, a well-known phrase.
[jim] Yes, the phrase contains the name of the animal.
[GLogin] No, not a fictional part of a real animal.

Is the answer a title (e.g., of a book, play, film, TV show, work of art by Tracey Emin...)?

Is the animal a mammal?

Is it the Bee's Knees? (with or without an arrow through them)

[CdM] Not the title of anything, as far as I am aware.
[cfm] The animal in question is not a mammal.
[GLogin] Not the bee's (or any other arthropod's) knees.

Is the animal a reptile?

Is the animal a fish?

Is the fish a reptile?

Does it fly?

Is it a metaphor?

[cfm] Yes, the animal is a reptile.
[Tuj] A reptile, therefore not a fish.
[CdM] ibid.The fish is no reptile.
[Raak] Does not fly.
[Chalky] Not a metaphor.

Leaping lizards?

Is the animal a kind of snake?

[cfm] Not leaping lizards.
[CdM] Not a snake (in the grass or otherwise).

(I had stated that this phrase was not the title of anything, as far as i was aware. Googling it now shows that it also happens to be the title of an obscure something, but the words on the card are much more well known to the public when used as the phrase itself).

Crocodile tears?

[Software] Not crocodile tears; yet the audience is now all agog.

See you later, alligator?

YES, it is the phrase "See you later, alligator". In lieu of a conventional baton, a long stick, to keep the 'gator at bay while saying fond goodbyes to it, is duly handed over to cfm.

Er...thank you. What? Hey! Oh dear...down boy!
This one is VEGETABLE AND MINERAL WITH A STRONG ABSTRACT CONNECTION.

Salt and pepper?

Chalk and cheese?

Vegan cheese, obviously.

Edible?

[irach] Bill Haley and 'See You Later, Alligator' is obscure? Shame on you, sir, shame. ;)

Darn it, I forgot, cfm. Short term memory?

[irach] Well seasoned: NO
[raak] Cuisine du pica: NO
[CdM] Cuisine at all: NO
[Dujon] Was there a question in there somewhere? :-)

Begins with P?

Is the vegetable wood?

Is the mineral metal?

Unique?

[Tuj] NO, not this time.
[G] YES, there is wood involved.
[CdM] NO, not unique.
And my apologies, players: as I reviewed the composition of the word on the card in my mind's eye, I realized there is sometimes a minor ANIMAL component as well.

[Jim] YES, there is metal involved.

Is the wood component processed?

Is the Animal component more minor than the Vegetable and Mineral-iness, which in themselves aren't as major as the obviously strong Abstractiness of this thingy?

Alternatively - is this game quite difficult to play 'from the chair'?
Just say yes.

[Chalky} LOL! er....YES!

[CdM] YES. The wood is subject to human/mechanical intervention.

Is the wood in the form of paper?

[CdM] NO. There is no paper involved.

*back to basics* Is this the name of a place?

[Chalky] NO. Not a place.

Are there other significant vegetable and mineral components other than wood and metal?

Is this a well-known phrase or saying?

Is the animal component leather?

[CdM] Complicated question. How do you define signifcant? Here is what I think will be a helpful answer. Plastic/resin elements may be involved. Plastics/resins may have both vegetable and mineral components.
[Chalky] NO. Not a well-known phrase or saying.
[irach] NO. The animal component is not leather.

Would the wooden element likely be found indoors?

[irach] You might encounter the word on the card indoors or outdoors. The wooden element is integrated with the other elements.

Do you think a typical morniverser would own one of these?

[CdM] MAYBE Not knowing any morniversers, I can not say what is typical.

Fine, whatever... :-) Do YOU own one?

[CdM] That's a pretty personal question. Can someone consult the rules? Is that allowed?

[CdM] Well, alright. Since no one appears to be troubled by the nature of your inquiry... :-)
YES. I own one.

Is the wooden element a piece of furniture?

[irach] NO. Not a piece of furniture.

Are you male or female?

If it's not a personal question: Are you a virgin?

OK - I'll re-phrase that. Given your reply to CdM - is this more likely to be owned by a male?

... and there's no need to be rude. Trolling isn't tolerated here.

Is it portable?

[Chalky] I believe "Fakename"'s question is inadmissible anyway, since it doesn't refer to the item we're trying to guess.

[Chalky] YES, is my best guess, men own more of these. But I have no statistics and Google isn't helping.
The personal question comment was a joke, you know. :-)
[jim] YES. It is portable.
[Fakename] Fake off.

Is it functional?

(and that's not a personal question)

[CdM] YES, it is functional as opposed to decorative.

An object often carried in a wallet or purse?

Bigger than a toaster?

[Tuj] Between bills and baby pictures? NO.
[CdM] YES. Even a DeLonghi 6-slice.

Is it powered?

A microwave ready meal?

[CdM] YES. Some of these are powered. But some are not.
[Software] NO. See above, it is bigger than a 6-slice toaster.

Is it connected with agriculture or gardening?

Is it propelled on the ground?

A barbeque?

[jim] Seedy reputation? NO. No agricultural connection.
[irach] Moving right along...? NO. Neither the ground nor propulsion are relevant.

[Software] Toss it on the grill... NO. Fire hazard indoors, too. :-)

Would it typically be described as a tool?

[CdM] NO. It would not be described as a tool.

Is it used for recreational purposes?

Is it stationary whilst in use?

[irach] YES. Sometimes. But not in the sports sense of word recreational and it may also be used, in a professional context.
[Gusset Login] YES. Sometimes. But it's never completely immobile.

Does it contain electronic components?

[CdM] NO. Not necessarily. But electronic components may be added to increase its functionality.

A rabbit hutch with optional built-in clock radio and microwave?

[CdM] NO. I think that would constitute a major animal component.

[cfm] I didn't say anything about it containing a rabbit.

Is the wooden bit a handle?

[irach] NO. The object has no handle.

Any musical connection?

[INJ] YES. There is a musical connection.

Is the musical connection a guitar?

Is it a musical instrument?

[INJ] The audience probably should have made a bigger fuss over your last question...but they were really sleepy that night. :-)
[irach] YES. Bingo. *hands irach a rosewood baton with mother-of-pearl inlay*

(Strumming the newly acquired baton while contemplating the next puzzle should be, still wondering what the 'abstract" element in a guitar is)...ah, here goes, the next one is ABSTRACT

A human construct?

[irach] Not presuming to speak for cfm, but s/he specified an abstract connection, which I take to be music/songs.

[irach] What he said. [CdM] What you said.

[cfm] Yes, a human construct.

Connected to geography?

Connected to the arts?

Bigger than a virtual toaster?

Anarcho-syndicalism?

Mark my words, one day it's going to be right.

[Tuj] Tangentially, yes, related to a "geographical" location.
[Raak] Not connected to the arts.
[Software] In the abstract world, if bigger is better, it is better known than any virtual toaster.
{INJ} Drat, not this time around.

Topical?

[irach] I like the toaster answer very much.

Related to a specific belief system?

An organisation?

[INJ] Not related to a belief system.
[Raak] Not an organisation.

Topical?

Does that include the flying toasters that were once ubiquitous on Windows PCs?

[GLogin] Not particularly topical. It would not come up in normal everyday conversations, except perhaps in very select limited circles.
[CdM] Perhaps not, in retrospect.

To do with science?

[Raak] No scientific connection, but perhaps a tangential link to scientific method.

A phrase or saying?

[Software] Not a phrase in the true sense of the word, or a saying.

A sensation?

Related to sport?

[cfm] Not a sensation.
[Tuj] Not sport-related.

A state of mind or emotion?

[cfm] Not a state of mind or emotion.

An activity?

[cfm] Not an activity, but rather a hub of "activity".

A location?

[cfm] Yes, a location.

A unique location or a common location?

Related to economic activity?

[cfm] A unique location.
[CdM] Not related to econmoic activity.

A location in Europe?

[cfm] A location in Europe - "Yes", and no.

Does this location move?

[Raak] The location does not move, it is fixed, but remember, it is in essence ABSTRACT.

Is it defined by its position in relation to other things?

Such as 'the pole of inaccessibility' or 'the centre of the UK'

[ImNotJohn] It is a much more specifically pinpoint-able locale than a place defined by its relationships to other things; yet it is abstract in that it is in fact not a "real" locale. Therefore my earlier answer "Yes" and no about it being located in Europe.

Does it appear in a work of fiction?

Like the Reichenbach Falls

[ImNotJohn] Yes, it does appear in a work of fiction. It is not Reichenbach Falls, but quite a few in the audience clap and nod appreciatively at its mention.

221b Baker Street?

YES, 221b Baker Street it is. See, 'twas elementary, my dear Watsons. It's through sleuthing with proper questioning, not by sheer luck one homes in to the right answer. A calabash pipe, in place of a baton, is handed over to Raak.

The next is VEGETABLE, ANIMAL, and MINERAL.

Does it begin with a P?

Does not begin with a P.

- oh

Is it unique?

Is it edible?

Is it a domestic article?

Is it Groucho Marx (the animal) smoking a cigar (vegetable) an dropping the ashes (mineral)?

[Tuj] Not unique.
[CdM] Inedible.
[INJ] Not really a domestic article.
[irach] Grouchy marks? No.

Is the vegetable paper?

Is the vegetable component wood?

[GL] Not paper.
[irach] The vegetable is wood.

Is the animal component leather?

Bigger than a toaster?

[cfm] Yes, leather.
[Tuj] Bigger than a toaster.

A lacrosse stick?

[cfm] Jolly lacrosse sticks? No.

Is the mineral metal?

[irach] Yes, metal.
What can you make with wood, leather, and metal? Actually, technically I think the animal part is not "leather", but it is skin processed in some way.

An old steamer sea trunk?

"skin processed in some way"? Whoa. Weirdness.

Just sayin....

Related to interment, memorialization?

[irach] Not a trunk.
[cfm] Not six feet under.

Bigger than a phone box?

[CdM] Not bigger than a phone box.

Would one normally find it indoors?

Is it musical?

[jim] Can be indoors or outdoors.
[Tuj] *applause* It is musical.

A concertina?

Oh, hang on, you said it was musical.

[INJ] It is both musical, and not a concertina.

A drum?

A tambourine?

[Tuj] *more applause* It is a drum.
[INJ] But not a tambourine.

Bongo drums?

[irach] Not bongos.

Associated with a particular people or location?

[INJ] Yes, associated with etc.

Bongo druums?

A djembe?

[cfm] Not a djembe.

A Taiko drum?

Is this a drum which is struck with an implement - as opposed to the hand?

A tabla?

[Dujon] Yes, [irach] No, [CdM] su-ku-DON!! YES, a taiko. Have this pair of bachi.

Baci? Yum! *unwraps and eats*
That was not a lucky guess; I just have a long memory :-)
All right, this next one is probably best thought of as ABSTRACT with ANIMAL and VEGETABLE connections, although you might be able to make a case for ANIMAL with ABSTRACT and VEGETABLE connections

Begins with P?

Is it Malcolm's army approaching Dunsinane under cover of foliage cut from Birnam wood?

P-begun? Yes.
Branches of the military? No.

Phrase or saying?

A work of art?

A title of a movie or work of fiction?

A particular recipe?

Phrase or saying? No, or at least only if you adopt a very broad definition of that term.
A work of art? I realise now that I should really say that, as well as being abstract, this has abstract connections. The answer, as I am interpreting it, is not a work of art. The abstract connections include a work of art, although that is unlikely to be helpful.
Title of a movie/work of fiction? Both, as it happens, although that is also unlikely to be helpful. *some applause, but for the question rather than for the answer*
Recipe? No.

Was this invented by a specific person?

A branch of study or learning?

Invented by a specific person? No.
Branch of study? No.

Mythical / legendary?

Mythical/legendary? No.

Appears in a work of fiction?

Is the animal in question human?

Appears in a work of fiction? Undoubtedly in many. The principal abstract connection is also certainly referred to in works of fiction, though I know no specific examples.
Animal in question human? Yes.

As so often seems to happen, I'm finding it hard to give answers that don't mislead, so let me attempt to clarify. The words on the card have a fairly generic sense, and I am taking that as the main definition. However, the words on the card are more notable in reference to a particular abstract connection. Googling reveals that the words on the card have been used as a title for a book, a movie, and a painting, but none of these is the significant abstract connection.

A werewolf?

Werewolf? No.

Does the word "man" appear on the card?

Word "man"on the card? No. *tiny smattering of applause*

Do the words on the card describe a human condition?

Human condition? Not a human condition, but in their generic non-abstract sense, they do describe (an exemplar of) a class of humans.

Is the class of humans distiguished by some physical characteristic?

Physical characteristic? No.

Would this be more applicable to the female of the species?

Reference to angels?

Do the words on the card convey the vegetable element?

More applicable to women? I don't know any statistics but there is no obvious reason to think so.
Angelic? No.
Vegetable element on the card? Yes.

Does the vegetable element begin with P?

A Paper Tiger?

Does vegetable begin with P? Yes.
Paper Tiger? No. *some applause*

Is it only a paper moon?

Is the vegetable element paper?

Is the vegetable element papyrus?

Paper Chase?

Paper Moon? No.
Vegetable = paper? Yes
Papyrus? No.
Paper Chase? No.
Two clues, because I am feeling generous. First, the words on the card describe something less abstract than your guesses. Remember I said that this could also be described as Animal with Abstract/Vegetable connections. Second, the string of letters "paper" does appear on the card, but strictly speaking the word "paper" does not.

pDoes a word beginning with "paper" appear on the card?

pWord beginning with Paper? pYes.

Paperback Writer?

Dear INJ, that baton you took
It took me years to make, won't you take a look

Looks at baton, sees 'Lear' crossed out and 'CdM' written in its place
OK, we'll go for Mineral

Is there only one?

[Phil] Unique? - YES

A monument?

[Software] Monumental? - NO

Does it belong to one person?

[Tuj] Mine, all mine!? - NO

Earthly, terrestrial, or otherwise on this planet?

[irach] Third rockish? - YES

Is there metal involved?

A human artifact?

[cfm] Metal involved - NO, well, only sort of... *audience chuckles*
[Raak] Man-made? - NO

A disputed territory?

[Dujon] Disputed territory? - NO

Uluru?

[GL] Uluru? - NO

Watery?

Is it of substantial scientific interest?

Moving on a bit now

[CdM] Watery? YES - *applause*
[Raak] Scientifically interesting? - NO (IMO)

A lake?

[jim] mere, pond, tarn, inland sea? - NO

A geographical entity?

Begins with P?

[Phil] Geographical entity? - NO (by any reasonable sense of that term)
[Tuj] P......? *audience sits up as one* - NO *audience collapses, deflated*

Is it underground?

[Raak] Underground? - NO
As is traditional at about this point can I suggest you examine your assumptions.

Is the water actually what it is made of?

As opposed to "watery" just being taken to mean wet.

[jim] Made of water? - YES

Is it potable?

A glacier?

Is it located in a specific continent?

A Snowflake?

[Chalky] Drinkable? - NO
[Software] Glacier? - NO but *considerable audience applause*
[Tuj] - In a specific continent? - NO
[GL] Snowflake? - Nice idea, but NO

The Arctic ice cap?

The ice hotel?

The iceberg struck by the Titanic?

Any old iceberg?

An avalanche?

That's the way to do it!

Well - without beating about the bush - CdM is right.
It's the iceberg struck by the Titanic.
The point that people were missing and that I hoped to catch you on was that it no longer exists.
Take this baton before it melts.

MINERAL AND VEGETABLE (and also, by my best guess, ANIMAL, as well as having ANIMAL connections)

A manufactured thing?

Manufactured? Yes.

Begins with P?

Larger than the toaster size standard ?

Begins with P? Need you ask? Yes.
Bigger than a toaster? Yes.

Unique?

Partly made of wood?

Unique? No.
Partly wooden? Yes.

Is the mineral metal?

Is it a weapon?

Is it a vehicle?

Is it a tool?

Is it musical?

Metal? In part, yes
A weapon? No.
A vehicle? Yes *applause*
A tool? No.
Musical? No.

Is this 'vehicle' something that travels on water?

Aquatic? No.

Does it fly?

Is it more than 50 years old?

Aeronautic? No. (A few audience members, who chuckled quietly at the notion of this being aquatic, find this question even more amusing.)
More than 50 years old? Yes (although there are modern versions).

Is is restricted to a track?

A rickshaw?

Does it run on animal power?

A Phaeton?

On rails? No.
Rickshaw? No.
Animal powered? Yes (though not the more modern versions)
Phaeton? No. *smattering of applause* (but only a smattering; don't get too carried away)

Plough?

Plough? No.

Is the answer a form of public transport?

On the buses? No.

Is it a vehicle primarily for carrying goods?

Primarily for goods? Yes. *applause*

Ox-cart type of thingy?

Pantechnicon?

A milk float?

A Pantechnicon (or more precisely, a Pantechnicon van, which is what the original horse-drawn vehicles of the Pantechnicon company were called) is the correct answer. Would you like us to store this baton for you, or should we deliver it?

When do you want me to email you the answer?

Well, this is getting a bit embarrassing. But, since I had already thought of pantechnicon when I asked my penultimate question, I don't feel sufficiently awkward about setting another one.
So, the next one is MINERAL, with some Abstract connections

Unique?

Metal?

Whitney Houston's coffin?

Begins with P?

[Raak] Only one? - NO
[Phil] Metallic? - YES
[Dujon] The last resting place...? - NO (one of these days the pin in the encyclopedia method is going to work, but not today)
[Tuj] Pfirst? - Why, YES

A phone box?

[jim] The oeuvre of G G Scott? - NO

A ubiquitous object?

Bigger than a phone box?

Which was what I was going to ask first, but I thought I'd cut to the chase :)

[cfm] Can't get away from it? - NO
[jim] - Dimensionally excessive K2-wise? - NO

A toaster?

[Software] The other toaster question - NO

Naturally occurring?

A tool of some kind?

[Raak] Naturally Occurring? - NO
[jim] A tool? - NO

A decorative object?

[cfm] Ooh, innit pretty? - NO (though it/they may be found attractive by some)

Associated with a particular country?

Mass-produced?

Does it have moving parts?

[Tuj] One country? - YES
[CdM] Mass-produced? - YES
[Raak] moving bits? - NO

Is it a model of something?

[Raak] A model? - NO

A bell?

[Raak] Belly? - NO
As a help, I can expand on my particular country answer to Tuj. They are/were associated with and produced in one country, but have/had a wider presence.

Still mass-produced?

[Phil] Still in production? - NO (Thank you - that'll make it easier for me to write comments and clues)

Does the answer contain a brand or company name?

[jim] Branded? - NO (Well, actually, I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover that it has been used as a brand name at some point somewhere, but that won't help you)

Smaller than a toaster?

[Phil] The first toaster question? - YES, smaller
In looking up the answer to jim's question I discovered this had been used as the name of an album, a book and a shop amongst other things but I can't see that helping much.

Associated with a European country?

[jim] Associated with European country? - YES * a few murmurs, but no dissent, among the audience*

Entirely metal?

[Phil] All metal? - YES *the audience are beginning to show some interest*

Is the abstract connection closely related to the country of origin?

Turkish?

Russian?

[Raak] We're thinking along the same lines, I think.

[cfm] Abstract connection related to country of origin? - Not especially, though there is some link
[Raak] Turkish? NO (I don't count that as European, despite Istanbul)
[jim] Russian? - NO (I see how your minds are working, but that's not the reason for the (very minor) audience reaction - The country of origin is fully and completely European)

A coin?

A peseta?

Here we go

[Raak] A coin? - YES *applause and even a couple of 'Huzzah's from the audience*
[Phil] Peseta? - NO *some more applause*

An Irish pound?

A currency in common usage today?

Can't take much longer

[jim] Taking a punt at a punt? - NO
[GL] In common use? - NO

Rendered obsolete by the Euro?

The pfennig?

Arrgh, I think I know the answer, but I can't bring myself to double-guess :(

[jim] The Belgian Drachma? - NO
[Phil] I bet you're right, so it's not the pfennig. I admire your restraint.

Ahem, the peso?

Well, that's a let-down

[Phil] Peso? - NO, that word is not on the card, but.....

LMAO - back to the drawing board!

A piece of eight?

Which amounts to almost the same thing ...

Oh sugar, beaten to it. Just what I was about to type

We have a winner!

[Phil]Well, it's always easier when you know the answer, but I think we're now at the cryptic crossword clue stage so that when you think of the answer, you know it's right.(simulposted)
[jim] You have just proved me right - The words on the card are Pieces of Eight (aka Peso de Ocho, aka Spanish Dollar)
Polly, take this baton over to Jim lad.

I'm actually kind of tempted to concede the win to Phil, since "peso" is so nearly there and we practically simul'd it. If you've got a clue lined up, Phil, you can take it if you want, otherwise I've got one I can do.

No, I haven't got one ready, so do go ahead, jim.

"Apres vous!" "Non, apres vous!"

OK, I am thinking of a ABSTRACT, with ANIMAL and MINERAL connections.

A kobold?

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