arrow_circle_left arrow_circle_up arrow_circle_right
AVMA Take 2
help
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 ....
arrow_circle_up
[gil] I would have to say YES, it is useful in a sense, although some would disagree.
Was it known about in 1900?
[Boolbar] YES, it was known about in 1900.
Flair?
[Softers] NO, not flair.
Luck?
Was it known 3000 years ago?
[Phil] Alas, no luck.
[CdM] NO, it was not known 3000 years ago.
I think we need to further narrow things down before guessing. All the guesses so far have been pretty wide of the mark. Oh, and re cfm's question above, it is certainly related to an intellectual process, but I couldn't say that it was one.
Is it related to religion?
[Phil] NO, it is not related to religion. (I could make a facetious comment here, but I shall refrain.)
Do we do this every day?
[Software] I expect that very few, if any, people make/do this every single day. Some do more than others. Some pride themselves on never doing it at all.
Could I type this (using both hands) while making/doing it?
Good question
[Boolbar] You can certainly make/do/perpetrate this while typing (with any number of hands); it's possible that you did so while typing your last question, but I think it very unlikely.
Is this typically viewed negatively?
[CdM] I don't know about "typically". It is viewed negatively by many; I suspect most people are actually neutral on the subject.
an entertainment of some sort?
[INJ] NO, not an entertainment of any sort.
A distraction?
Wild guesses are hyperbole and exaggeration...
[Software] It can be distracting, if you encounter one and you are the sort of person who notices such things.
[Giertrud] I'm sure they are; are they YOUR guesses? In which case, NO, not hyperbole or exaggeration, but you are sort of on the right lines.
Rhetoric
Could it be rhetoric?
A figure of speech?
A clue?
Do some people find it offensive?
Is it something to do with punctuation?
Wild guess.
As jim hasn't posted for 5 weeks, do we think someone else should perhaps take up the baton?
Yes. I nominate Phil.
Or will take it up myself if Phil prefers.
Well, I am phenomenally bored at work, so I certainly have the time.
Any objections?
*waits a minute*
Oh well, OK then.
Let's start a new game with

Animal

Is it a panda?
Is it a live animal?
Is it human?
Begins with P?
[Boolbar] Panda? NO
[cfm] Live animal? NO
[Raak] Human? YES!
[Tuj] P? NO
Is he female?
Did this person run a pub not so long ago?
[GL] Female? NO
[Raak] Ex-publican? No, not even a little bit.
Was this now dead person still alive in 1950?
[Boolbar] Now dead confirmation? YES; Alive in 1950? YES
An artist of some kind?
[cfm] An artist? NO
A sporting figure?
Did this gentleman die in April 1955?
European?
Was this now dead person still alive in 2000?
[Raak] Sporting? NO
[Dujon] d. 04/1955? NO
[CdM] European? NO
[GL] Alive in 2000? YES
American?
[Raak] Americano? NO
A politician?
[cfm] Politician? YES *some applause*
A president, prime minister, or other similar leader?
Did they die this year?
[CdM] Leader? YES
[Raak] d. 2012? NO
Oh, and a bit of *applause* for CdM, I would imagine.
Kim Il Sung?
Yassar Arafat?
[Raak] The man that looked at things? NO
[cfm] Yasser-al-briefly-exhumed-Arafat? YES - spot on.
Here, cfm, take this baton that looks rather like a sandy femur.
[Phil] Er...don't you think we should put it back?
Okay, let's try this:

ABSTRACT WITH ANIMAL CONNECTIONS
Connected to a specific human animal?
[CDM] Somebody not anybody? NO
A well known phrase or saying?
Is the animal human?
Did it originate in the Bible?
A human invention?
A work of fiction?
[GL] Just sayin'... NO
[Phil] Only human? YES *Audience applauds in an early-in-the-game sort of way*
[Boolbar] Word of God? NO *A smattering of snickers*
[Tuj] Man/woman-made? YES *Audience applauds again*
[Raak] No resemblance to persons living or dead? NO
Connected with the arts?
[CdM] Art in part? YES. *more applause*
A song?
A book?
Was this invented/created in the last 100 years?
[CdM] Can I hum a few bars? NO
[Phil] Can I turn a few pages? NO *A sustained murmur from the audience*
* [Boolbar] A modern invention? YES *applause*
Is the spoken word involved?
[Raak] Speaking parts? YES *more applause*
A speech made on some occasion?
[Raak] Special occasion? NO
A connection to motion pictures?
[GL] You oughtta be in pictures? NO.
Is it a joke?
Is it a catch-phrase?
[Phil] Is this a joke? NO
[Raak] Here--catch? NO but I am fairly certain the words on the card are well-known among this group.
[Raak] One further comment on your SPECIAL OCCASION question: I still think the best answer to the precise words and spirit of your question is NO. But it bears repeating that there is speech involved with the thing on the card.
Does it originate from a Radio or TV program?
ISIHAC?
[Boolbar] Broadcast first? NO
[Raak] Clueless? NO
To do with a game?
[Raak] Game on? NO
An eaves-dropping?
[Phil] Rain on the roof? NO
[Raak] Another revision. Related to a game, still NO. But the audience *applauds a bit* anyway.
A word?
Does the AOTC have a connection with a particular location?
[Phil] The idea of word? A single word? NO *a ripple of applause nonetheless*
[Boolbar] Here not there? NO
An answer?
[GL] The idea of answer? NO
Was this invented/created in the last 10 years?
[Boolbar] Past decade? NO
Was this invented/created in the last 50 years?
Is the letter W in the AOTC ?
[CdM] Past 50? YES *polite applause*
[Boolbar] Can I have a W? There are two common ways of describing the abstract thing on the card and one of them does include a W, YES. *more applause*
Connected in some specific way with the internet?
So this is connected to the arts, but not to movies, songs, radio, or TV, and is not a book or a work of fiction. (Though the book question elicited a response...)
[CdM] As much as everything is on the internet (including some things one fervently wishes were not), this is connected to the internet. But in a more specifc way, NO.
By the same token, it is also possible that there are movies related to the thing on the card -- just as there are movies about cooking or zombies or Watergate. But I think that is an overly broad interpretation of the question, so my answer stands.
Please refer back to the form of the question on TV. The answer is still NO.
Is there or has there been a TV program with a title that is the AOTC?
[Boolbar] I am aware of one TV program devoted to the thing on the card. I don't know how widely known it is. But the actual title of the show is not comprised of the words on the card. So I guess that is still a NO. Nonetheless *audience applauds encouragingly*
To do with theatre?
[Raak] Take a bow? YES, there is a connection to theater. *applause*
A play?
I am pretty sure the answer is no, but I just want to check.
[CdM] The play's the thing? NO. But you already knew that. :-)
A libretto?
[Phil] Operatic? NO.
A soliloquy?
[Raak] Soliloquy is not the word on the card, NO. But the concept is related. *vigorous applause*
Connected with comedy?
A monologue?
[Boolbar] Stand up and be counted? YES. I would say that there is some connection to comedy. (Though I would add that, like the internet, comedy can be connected to many things.) *more applause*
[Phil] Monologue is not the AOTC, NO. But the concept is again strongly connected. *audience is highly engaged*
*racking my brain*
Does the thing on the card usually involve one person speaking to an audience?
[Boolbar] One and many? Splendid. YES.
[Boolbar] *belated and extended applause*
A TED talk? (or whatever the correct term is for them)?
[Phil] TED-ed? YES, there has been a TED talk on this subject. It is available online. (Also, while TED is not the AOTC, one might argue there is some kinship between the two abstract concepts.) *applause*
Something to do with the giving of awards?
Something to do with the receiving of an award?
[Boolbar] Giving and [Raak] Receiving? In practice, there is frequently a competitive connection. But this is not a necessary component of the abstract concept. *encouraging applause*
A poetry slam?
No, wait a minute -- just one person.
A poetry reading?
[CdM] *considers*
Hmmmm. I can't think of a way to say "no" without seriously misleading the players. So while I actually had in mind the entire genre and not a specific event -- congratulations, YES! The AOTC is Slam Poetry a.k.a. Spoken Word Poetry. *invites CdM up to the mike to say a few very personal words about receiving the baton* :-)
Blimey! I was miles away. Perhaps I will win another day. To CdM I will say well done, and thanks to cfm for so much fun.
That was a surprise; it was a bit of a shot in the dark. OK.
ANIMAL and VEGETABLE
Is the animal element human?
Steak and chips?
Human? No.
Steak and chips? No.
Is the animal element canine?
Doggy? No.
Edible -- at least in the normal course of things?
Is it strongly associated with a particular time of year?
Progress
Edible? Yes.
Associated with a time of year? Yes. *applause*
Associated with summer?
Connected with Christmas?
More specifically...drinkable?
This won't take long
Summer? Perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere
Connected with Christmas? Yes. *applause*
Drinkable? Yes. *sustained applause*
Is there nutmeg involved?
Now you are just toying with me
Nutmeg? Typically, yes.
Is the drinkable thing associated with Christmas potentially intoxicating? :-)
Egg-nog?
Intoxicating? My version certainly is.
Eggnog? YES! One baton with rum and grated nutmeg goes to Gusset Login.
Oh, how unexpected.
The next item is MINERAL
A snowman?
Metal?
Naturally occurring?
Such as, for example, a naturally occurring metal snowman
Gold?
[Raak] snowman? No.
[cfm] Metal? Yes.
[CdM] Natural? No. naturally occurring metal snowman? No.
[Boolbar] Gold? Yes.
One of a kind?
[cfm] Unique? No.
Is the gold object symbolic in some way?
Gold cast or moulded into a quintet of tori?
[cfm] Symbolic? Yes, or at least probably.
[CdM] FIVE GOLD RINGS!? YES

Have a baton made of pear wood tied with partridge feathers
Me again? Oh dear.
I'm travelling for much of the next two days, and not 100% sure of the internet connection when I reach my next destination. So if anyone wants to take over the baton, feel free. If nothing has been set when I am fully internetted again, then I will get back in the saddle.
Very well then
Since no one has picked up the baton... This is best described as
ABSTRACT with VEGETABLE and ANIMAL connections,
but it could also be described as VEGETABLE with ANIMAL and ABSTRACT connections.
Is it a fictional object?
Is the animal connection a human?
Fictional object? I think the best answer is Yes. But, in some sense, real versions do or can exist, hence the two ways of describing it.
Animal connection human? No.
A metaphor?
Metaphor? Yes. *applause*
Is the animal connection bovine?
Is the vegetable part wood?
Bullish? No.
Wood? Yes.
Is the animal a tiny creature that burrows through the wood?
Begins with P?
Does the abstract concept involve an object fashioned from wood?
Carpenter termite worm? No.
Begins with P? Yes.
Object fashioned from wood? A cautious Yes, provided you take a broad interpretation of "fashioned".
Is the animal connection a domesticated beast?
Is a horse involved?
Domestic beast? No.
Wild horse? No.
Is it in the Bible?
Biblical? No.
Is the vegetable element paper?
Paper? Yes. *applause*
Paper Tiger?
Paper tiger? Yes! An inspired leap by Phil, there. *hands over illusory baton*
Oh crikey - bit of a lurker's win, but "hey ho" all's fair in love and AVMA.
So our next puzzle will be:

Mineral, Vegetable and Animal

Fish and chips?
[Raak] Cod n spud? NO
France?
[GL] La Belle France? NON
Is it edible?
Does the mineral portion of the MV&A constitute the majority component of the answer?
Does the vegetable portion of the MV&A constitute the plurality component of the answer?
Does the animal portion of the MV&A constitute the primary component of the answer?
Does the conjunction portion of the MV&A constitute the primary component of the answer?
[Dujon] Mineral > Veg + Animal? YES
[CdM] Veg > Animal AND Veg > Mineral? NO
[GL] Animal is "primary component"? Not entirely sure what that means precisely, but I'm confident with a NO
[Boolbar] "Conjunction portion"? As an Austrian friend of mine used to say in French lessons, "My friend, I am completely lost"
Great answers but is it edible?
Is there just one of it?
And is it edible?
Is the mineral part a liquid?
[Conjunction] As mineral, animal and vegetable had already been taken, I was left with the "and" ;)
My sincerest apologies:
[Raak] Edible? NO
[Raak] Unique? YES
[Boolbar] Liquid mineral? NO {Re: conjunction - ah, very good :-)}
Was it man-made?
[Primary Component] Either the initial component or that from which the majority is made.
If that doesn't make sense, I apologise. English is my first language, so I tend to play with it until I break it.
Is it in a building?
[GL] Man-made? YES
[Boolbar] In a building? NO *applause and hubbub*
A landmark of the type that a tourist would visit?
[cfm] Tourist-magnet? YES *applause*
I've forgetten my next question
CdM, Gusset Login & Boolbar: Thanks, it's not often I get a chuckle out of MV&A.
[Dujon] Imaginary next question? I've forgotten the answer ;-)
Is it in Europe?
Is the vegetable portion in Canada?
Is the animal part alive?
Is the animal part human in whole or in part?
[Boolbar] In Europe? YES
[CdM] Veg portion in Canada? NO
[Raak] Animal part alive? NO
[cfm] Animal part human? NO!
Is it more than 300 years old?
[Boolbar] > 300 years old? YES and NO. You might wish to pick another number *a little applause and much chattering amongst the audience*
Is the animal part bone?
Is it in England?
[cfm] bone? NO
[Boolbar] In England? YES *some applause*
Hidden textI confess, I had to use the Whoops! button earlier, as I said NO to Europe, forgetting temporarily that the UK is a part thereof. How 70s of me!
Stonehenge?
[Software] Stonehenge? NO
Is the animal part leather?
[Raak] Leather? YES
Is it larger than an adult Old English Sheepdog?
Is it smaller than the New York Stock Exchange?
Is it a vehicle?
Is it a building?
[Boolbar] Bigger than the Dulux dog? YES
[Tuj] Smaller than NYSE? NO
Hidden textBeing unfamiliar with NY, that took some research!
*some applause*
[Raak] A vehicle? NO
[cfm] A building? YES *more applause*
Is the mineral element stone?
[cfm] Mineral = Stone? YES *a bit more applause*
Is it in London?
[Chalky] In that London? NO
A famous library?
A Museum?
[cfm] Library? NO
[Boolbar] Museum? NO
A tannery?
[Raak] Tannery? NO - I would just add that the leather is very much a minor component
Is the vegetable element wood?
A religious building?
[cfm] Wood? YES
[Raak] Religious? NO
A commercial location?
[CdM] Commercial location? NO, using UPS's definition of a "commercial address".
If you meant "has it been used in an advertisement?" then the answer is YES
Is it less than 50 miles away from Cambridge?
The Cambridge in England that is. The one where half the boat race comes from.
[Boolbar] <50 miles to Cambridge? NO
Associated with an academic institution?
[cfm] Academic? NO
Is it a National Trust property?
[Boolbar] NT? NO
Does anyone live in it?
[Raak] Inhabited? YES *some applause*
Is the leather component, though minor, essential in some sense?
[CdM] Essential leather? NO - not worth focussing on, IMHO.
Is its latitude less than 52° N?
[Boolbar] Lat < 52oC? YES *much glowing of smartphones as audience members check the veracity of Phil's reply, followed by knowing smiles and a slow spread of applause*
Buckingham Palace?
[Software] Buckingham Palace? NO *applause and eager anticipation of a victory*
The Royal Pavilion at Brighton?
[Raak] Brighton Pavilion? NO
Tower of London?
[Software] Tower of London? NO
Is it in a county that ends with "shire" ?
It is associated with royalty?
Windsor Castle?
[Boolbar] In a shire? YES
[Raak] Associated with royalty? NO, not closely in the sense I think you mean.
[Software] Windsor Castle? NO
I think a couple of questions could be useful to revisit the answers to (and the audience's reactions). "Latitude" and "Older than 300 years" would be of interest, from memory.
Would longitude be of particular importance?
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich?
arrow_circle_down
Want to play? Online Crescenteering lives on at Discord