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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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[Tuj] - No, unless you speak it out loud.
[Dujon] - No.
[Boolbar] - No.
[Software] - No, although the expression has been used in the titles of novels.
[SimonsMith] - No.
[Rosie] - No, although if you do something about it, a vague link may appear.
Does it begin with P?
Post-coital tristesse?
Does the AOTC contain the word "birth"?
A well known phrase or saying?
Is there more than one word in the AOTC?
Improbability?
Connected to emotions?
Is it a human construct?
Old Times?
The existence of Superman?
[Tuj] No. One does make an appearance.
[Raak] No.
[Rosie] No.
[Softers] No.
[Bism] No. Some desultory applause.
[Radox] No. Some more desultory applause.
[Simons] On balance, no.
[CdM] No, though philosophers may demur.
[Chalky] No.
[Rosie #2] No.
A scientific concept?
[Raak] No.
Is mathematics involved?
Medical?
Luck-related - e.g. gambling?
Some sort of pseudo science?
[Raak] No.
[Chalky] No.
[Simons] No.
[Software] No.
That all denied, it is possible to relate all of the propositions made to the word, as in a medical AOTC, etc. But I still hold to NO.
An emergency?
The cold?
A compilation?
Is it to do with politics?
Anticipation?
[Raak] No.
[Rosie] No.
[Simons] No.
[Radox] Well now, not as I imagined it, but while checking I found several countries have a ministry for it.
[Chalky] No.
To do with food?
Silly Walks?
Religion?
Is the AOTC hyphenated?
[Bism] No.
[Raak] Hopefully no country has that ministry. No.
[Rosie] No.
[Simons] No.
A sensation?
'Development'?
A Surprise?
Privacy?
[Raak] No.
[Simons] The Zoom audience suddenly wake up and applaud. No.
[Chalky] isn’t everything? Some more Zooming.
[Bism] No.
Unexpected?
Productivity/Production?
Competition?
That's got a 'p' in it
[Chalky] vide supra, "surprise"
[Simons 1] Audience posts a couple of comments. No.
[Simons 2] Audience definitely all awake, in so far as sixty-one thumbnails are in any way visible on Zoom. No.
Related to economics?
Pertaining to LMIC?
Imports / Exports ?
[CdM] Yes, definitely.
[Chalky] No. Not specifically
[Simons] Could well be.
Zoom getting quite animated, though I really don’t want to know what three up and eight across is doing.
Transport?
The bank rate?
Income tax?
Money?
Getting close?
[Simons] No.
[Software] No.
[Rosie] No.

Audience all seem to have switched off their microphones again.
It's related to economics, but it's not economics, it's like development but it isn't development. There is one word and one 'p' in the word and you find government departments named after it. The rest can be summed up as "No."
Whoops. [Raak] No.
Sport?
Oops
*hurriedly turns off video*
Monopolies?
Anything to do with festivities?
Corporations? Companies?
[Raak] No.
[Simons] No, though thay may fall under the responsibility of the said department.
[Radox] No.
[Simons] Very much to do with such things, but a more general term is needed. No.
The economy?
Employment?
Unemployment?
[Raak] No.
[Simons] No.
[CdM] No.
All worthy guesses but all circling round the plug hole. A little more ...oomph... is needed. The Zoom-ers are practising singing in chorus, the effect is terrible.
The National Debt?
Enterprise?
I'm scraping the government department-speak barrel so hard I'm getting splinters. There's got to be something else in here
[Raak] No.
[Simons] Yes! It is! You are! Correct! Take this faintly glowing baton into the new year with a beaming smile on your face! And don't forget to leave some deathless words in conclusion for the Zoom.
VEGETABLE
'nother vegetable one.

[Deathless words for Zoom: arpeggio, manganese, pantaloon and clamp.]

Is it unique?
Is it edible?
Is it a vegetable?
Wooden?
Pomegranate?
Beginning with "P"?
Fictional?
Is it larger than a toaster?
[Unique] In the sense I intended, yes
[Edible] No
[A vegetable] No
[Wooden] No
[Pomegranate] Nuh uh
[Pegetable] No
[Fictional] Ironically, no.
[>Toaster] No.
Poisonous?
Is it in a museum?
Does it belong to one particular person?
Is it like coffee a substrate for a drinkable decoction?
Is it a fruit?
Is it a plant?
[Poisonous] No
[Museum] No
[Single owner] No
[Drinkable substrate] No
[Fruity] No
[Planty] No
Is it currently alive?
Is it in Europe?
Is it art?
Parasitic?
[alive] No
[In Europe] Yes
[art] No
[parasitic] No
This game is a lot harder if you're strict about your Yes/Nos.
Is it a fungus?
Coal?
A small dead european thing?
Did this exist in the year 1900?
Brussels sprout?
A punt from just outside my own penalty-area.
Is it green in colour?
Does it have writing on it?
[fungoid] No
[coal] No
[S.D.E.T.] No
[1900] No
[Sprout] No
[Green] No
[Writing] Yes
Are the words a work of fiction?
Is it a physical copy of a book?
Does it belong to you?
An inscription ... on to parchment of some sort?
Written by one specific person?
I've never felt so useful! That'll wear off.
Phew, suddenly homing in from miles away
[fiction] yes
[physical] yes
[mine] no
[inscription] no
[one author] yes
1984?
Is it in on public display?
Written last century?
Does it have pictures?
[1984] No
[Display] No
[20C] Yes
[Pictures] No
Is the following a correct (not necessarily exhaustive) summary of what we have learned? We are seeking to identify a single specific physical copy of a not-green less-than-toaster-sized book that is a single-authored work of 20th century fiction without pictures, is located in Europe, is not on public display or in a museum, would not be classified as art, is not 1984, does not begin with P, and—and this is the most puzzling bit—does not have a single owner.
And a follow-up question on the puzzling bit: is the ownership of this book none the less clearly defined?
(For example, owned by a household or an institution such as a school or library)
Is it a forgery?
Is it poetry?
Written in English?
Is it hidden away because of its dangerous content?
[shopping list] No. Pretty good summary, but not perfect.
[clearly-defined owner] No.
[forgery] No.
[poetry] No.
[English] Yes.
[dangerous] No.
Are there multiple copies of this book?
Does it have the word 'The' in the title?
[multiple copies] Yes.
[The] Yes.
Is this a work of reference?
Biographical?
[Reference, Biographical] No, fiction.
Is the author still alive?
Was it written by an American person?
[living author] No
[American] Yes
Does the book contain a collection of stories?
The stories of O. Henry?
Is it a single physical copy of a book?
Just trying to work out where I am confused.
[Collection] No
[Oh, Enry] No
[single physical] Yes. I'll break my yes-no rule and say that it's not a specific physical copy, just any old physical copy. This hypothetical copy happens to be in Europe.
Great Gatsby?
[GG] Yes!
That's right, a copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 30,000,000-seller. Came out of US copyright at the start of the year.
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Lucky guess there, I feel. So try your luck on the next subject which is ANIMAL.
Is it a blue footed booby?
Human?
Is it unique?
Is it bigger than a toaster?
Is it a red footed booby?
Is it extinct?
[Boolbar] Nay.
[Chalky] Nay.
[Tuj] Nay.
[Bismarck] Yea.
[Simons Mith] see above, Boolbar.
[Superman] Nay.
Is it alive?
Is it found in a zoo?
[Raak] Nay, not in any conventional sense.
[Tuj] Yea.
Is it tiger food?
Is it an artefact made from animal material?
[Simons Mith] Nay.
[Raak] Nay.
Is it something animals grow and/or shed?
Is it a dead horse?
Is it a part of an animal?
Is it an animal product?
Does it begin with P?
[Simons Mith] Nay.
[CdM] Neigh.
Hidden textYou didn't see that coming, did you?

[Boolbar] Nay.
[Raak] Nay.
[Tuj] Hooray. One of the words does and it's the most important one.
Is it an apex predator?
Is it fictional?
Wondering how an animal in a zoo can be not dead yet not alive "in any conventional sense".
[Simons Mith] Nay, not in real life.
[Raak] Yea.
Is this an individual, named animal?
Is it something like an empty cage containing a 'water otter' or a drop bear or something?
Or is it something like a dog masquerading as a lion or similar?
Has it four legs?
A cartoon character?
[Raak] Nay.
[Simons Mith] Nay to both.
[Tuj] Nay.
[Boolbar] Hooray! Not quite a Yea, though.
Is it a pushmi-pullyu?
Does it speak for the trees?
Is it a collection of cartoon characters?
[Simons Mith] Nay.
[Raak] Nay.
[Bismarck] Yea.
Is it a mascot?
Are a tiger and a six-year-old involved?
Pingus?
Do they live in a zoo?
I think they come from China . . .
Is one of the words pandas?
[Raak] Nay.
[Dujon] Nay.
[Simons Mith] Pingus: Hooray ! but Nay. Zoolife: Yea!
[KagomeShuko] Nay²
Is Dr. Doolittle involved?
[Raak] Nay.
Related to the Harry Potter franchise?
Is a lion involved?
Are these animals movie stars?
[Raak] Nay.
[Boolbar] The zoo has a lion which has been known to interact with the AOTC, but that is not what the AOTC refers to. Nay.
[Simons Mith] Yea.
Related to a London Tube station?
P-p-p-p-latypus?
[Raak] Nay.
[KagomeShuko] N-n-n-nay.
Is it a bird?
Are rabbits involved?
Are the animals found in the farmyard?
[Raak] Yea. Or Nay if I were feeling pernickety, as we've already established there's more than one of them.
[Boolbar] Nay.
[Bismarck] Nay.
Did they appear in the film “Creature Comforts”?
[Raak] As far as I can work out, Nay. Certainly not in the pilot and not one of the regular creatures.
Do these animals live in the water?
Perhaps something fishy is going on here.
Penguins?
So we still don't know what these animals are?
Parasites?
Pelicans?
I've been struggling to think of non-four-legged animals beginning with P
Psloths?
(Psee what I mean?)
Got whiskers?
[KS] Nay.
[Boolbar] Yea. And Hooray!
[Chalky] Nay.
[SM] Nay, and Pnay.
[Tuj] Nay.
Could it be 3-2-1 Penguins?
Is it the penguins from the Madagascar films?
C'mon everyone, let's endgame.
The penguin waiters from Mary Poppins?
Do you p-p-pick up one?
Smile and wave, smile and wave.
[Tuj] Hooray! Hooray! Yea, it is indeed the group of penguins from the Madagascar films. Take this stick that might just be dangerous and leave some deathless words for the assembly.
The rest - Nay. Special mention though to KagomeShuko and Simons Mith who were not far behind/ahead.
[RTG] Ta! I suspect there may have needed to be some abstract in the introduction. Anyway!
MINERAL
Natural as opposed to man made?
Is there just one of it?
A positive start
[Dujon] Yes!
[Raak] Yes!
Is it the Blarney Stone?
Rock?
Fictional?
The Ever Given?
[KS] No!
[Rosie] Yes!
[Bool] No!
[Raak] No!
A mountain?
In the UK?
In the middle of Australia?
Is it found outdoors?
[Raak] No!
[Rosie] No!
[SM] No!
[Bool] Yes!
Is it in (or under) the sea?
Not on (or in) planet Earth?
[Raak] No!
[Bool] Yes! Extra-terrestrial!
An asteroid?
Oo! Mwa! Mwa! ?
[Rosie] No!
[Raak] *makes confused face, looks for option to turn on subtitles*
'Oumuamua?
Thanks, it defied my internet search attempts!
[Rs] No!
On Mars?
A dwarf planet?
(Tuj) Do you have to shout?
Closer to Earth than Voyager 1?
[SM] No!
[Rosie] Yes! and No!, but I've started so I'll finish
[Bool] Yes! There's an ambiguity there I'm choosing not to think about...
Ceres?
The Oordt Cloud?
[Rosie] No.
[Bism] Um, no.
Does it begin with a 'P'? ;)
[Dujon] No, not Pluto :D
Is it a cubewano?
A meteorite?
Research, research...
[SM] No!
[Rosie] No!
If it wasn't clear, the answer to Rosie's question "A dwarf planet?" was "Yes!" – the "No!" was to whether I had to shout.
Pallas?
Come on da Palace.
[Rosie] No! (not a P-)
Should
Should I be silly enough to read this name backwards would it bring up images of an earthly mountain range?
Sorry about the stutter.
Is it a cubewano?
Is it a Kuiper Belt object?
[Duj] Um... ah! No! Not Sedna :D
[Bool] Still no.
[Rosie] No!
One of Haumea, Gonggong, or Eris?
Three strikes...
[Raak] Yes!
Those three are all Kuiper Belt objects.
Wikipedia calls them trans-Neptunian, while calling some other bodies KBOs, so I think there is a distinction being made.
Raak's found the distinction I'd found. I should've known there'd be debatable categorisations when I picked the AOC, alas!
Gonggong?
Strike one...
[Rr] Nono!
Haumea?
Strike two...
[Bool] No!
Eris?
Gotta be.
Home run
[Rosie] YES!
Eris it is, named for the Greek goddess of strife and discord. A frozen methane baton is yours, sir!
Fear not, the baton will be stored in liquid nitrogen until such time . . . . . .
And the next object is

ABSTRACT

Anarcho-syndicalism?
That moment you realise you can't remember what you went upstairs for?
(Chalky) No. I thought we'd done that.
(Boolbar) Damned cheek! Not that.
related to entertainment?
Would it exist if human beings didn't?
Just to wrap up the previous round, it's very disconcerting to set a mystery and have someone else start another game with the answer as the winning move!
(Simons) NOT related to entertainment.
(Tuj) Probably, though I have little insight into the minds of animals.
Is it a feeling?
Is the AOTC a single word?
(Raak) A feeling? NO, not really.
(Tuj) YES, a single word.
Is it a theory?
Does it rely on sight?
[forgetfulness] I was thinking of myself to be honest.
is it a cognitive ability, such as counting?
(Chalky) NO, not a theory.
(Boolbar) NO, not specifically.
(SM) NO, I wouldn't call it an ability.
(Raak) more info Could arise from a feeling.
An action?
Is it a Deadly Sin?
(Raak) NO, not an action.
(Tuj)In effect, YES.
Generally considered to be a psychiatric disorder?
Jealousy?
(Raak) NO, not normally considered a psychiatric disorder.
(SM) NO, not jealousy.
Is it imagination?
Ennui?
(KagomeShuko) Imagination? NO.
(Boolbar) Ennui? NO, wrong language for one thing.
Schadenfreude?
(Raak) Good guess, but wrong.
Late entry - Greed?
Is it a positive/beneficial trait?
(Bismarck) NOT greed though this may be one of the consequences.
(SM) Positive/beneficial? Most definitely NOT.
Does it begin with P?
Poverty?
Spite?
(Tuj, and therefore Raak) NO.
(SM) NOT spite.
Avarice?
Being a chav?
(Bismarck) Avarice? NO.
(Raak) Being a chav? Not a Sin, unfortunately, so NO.
So is it a German word?
Angst?
Ofermod?
(Tuj) NO, not German. (Dim y Gymraeg chwaith.)
(Raak I) vide supra
(Raak II) Not quite the word. *appreciative applause from a well-read audience*
Well if it's not Swedish death metal is it some other musical form?
That's what I found when I looked it up
Hubris?
Raak has it. HUBRIS it is. Now don't get cocky, mate.
I withdraw the baton from its liquid nitrogen bath and carefully hand it to you. Wear all sorts of PPE, esp. gloves.
The next is ANIMAL with MINERAL connections.
A mollusc?
Rock Lobster?
Here comes a bikini whale!
Is it unique?
[Ros,Raa] Well played.
[SM] A nice literal interpretation of mineral connections, but not a mollusc.
[B] Not Rick Lobster (in any meaning of the phrase)
[T] Not unique.
BTW, there are also VEGETABLE connections, but they seemed less salient than the MINERAl ones when I set this.
[B] Nor Rock Lobster.
An egg?
[R] Not an egg.
A mole?
Is the animal edible?
[SM] not a mole.
[R] *laughter in the audience* Not edible. At least, not customarily.
Is it an entire living animal?
[SM] If I were being curmudgeonishly strict, I'd say no. It's many entire etc.
Is it that famous relative of the elephant, the Rock Hyrax?
[RtG] Not a rock hyrax.
Found in the sea?
[B] I'm sure some of them could be, from time to time, but it's not a characteristic feature.
Are they mountain/cliff critters?
[SM] No association with mountains and cliffs.
Human?
[C] The audience heaves a sigh of relief at the first step of progress. Human.
Rock stars?
Are any of these humans still alive?
[SM] Not trolls singing music with rocks in.
[B] Some are alive.
Knights in shining armour?
Does sport come into it?
Blaenau Ffestiniog quarrymen?
[SM] Nor in white satin neither.
[B] Sport can come into it, but not primarily.
[R] Not quarrymen.
Do these humans work with the minerals referenced?
[B] Yes, they work with the minerals.
Sculptors?
[SM] Not as closely as that.
Does it begin with P?
A navvy?
[T] Not only does it not begin with a P, it does not end with a P, nor is there a P in the middle.
[R] Not that closely either.
Geologists?
[B] Not geologists.
Do these people share a nationality?
Are these people skilled?
[T] Not compatriots.
[R] The audience nods at another small step in the right direction. These people are indeed skilled.
Are they miners?
Not to be confused with minors, or even minor miners . . . .
Is the mineral metal?
[KS] Not min*rs.
[R] It can be metal.
Does building come into it?
[B] The audience swoons in ecstasy. Building comes into it! Indeed it does!
I was going to say bricklayers, even before the last clue. Bricklayers?
See? I said it.
Is it, therefore, since building comes into it, though without wanting to take a leap in the dark, builders?
[SM] Not bricklayers.
[B] Not builders.
Architects?
Are they celebrated in song?
I'm thinking of a ditty by Flanders and Swann in particular.
I don't know if F&S have ever celebrated architects, but Rosie has the answer: An Architect. Have this 1:1 scale model of the Burj Khalifa.
Precognition?
Cheers, Raak. I'll put it in the garage until I find a place for it.

Now, the next object is ABSTRACT

An HTML <hr> tag?
A feeling?
A well known phrase or saying?
Related to music?
(Dujon) Clever clogs :-). Sorry, NO.
(KagomeShuko) NO, not a feeling.
(Software) NO, not a well-known phrase or saying.
(Tuj) Music? NO. Nor steam engines or Wales.
Artistic?
(Raak) Artistic? NO.*audience cackles maliciously*
Vandalism?
(Raak) I smile, but NO.
Does it begin with P?
Political?
(Tuj) NO, does not begin with a P.
(Boolbar) Political? NO.
It is something one can look at?
(Raak) NO, not currently.
An eclipse?
the Reformation?
(Simons Mith) Nice, but NO.
(Raak) NO, nothing so fundamental.
The Olympic flame?
(Simons Mith) NO, not the Olympic Flame.
Is this extra-terrestrial?
(Duj) Extra-terrestrial? NO, not at all.
Weather-related?
(Chalky) Weather-related? NO.
Is it an event happening at intervals?
(Simons Mith) Well, if it existed, YES
Is it fictional?
(Raak) In a literal sense YES, in most other senses NO.
A month of Sundays?
(Software) Nice try but NO.
A paradox?
A real thing named after something fictional?
(Bismarck) NOT a paradox.
(Raak) NO, not that.
Something to do with the end of the world as we know it ?
Is it elevenses?
The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul?
By saying that this subject is something that we can't look at currently, are you referring to the effects of the coronavirus in that statement?
(Dujon) Some would say that, but seriously, NO.
(KS) NO, nothing as domestic as that.
(SM)NO, far less poetic.
(RtheG) No, COVID is not the reason we can't see it.
Is it something we hear rather than see?
(Chalky) Seen rather than heard? NEITHER. In fact, in an important sense it doesn't exist.
Halloween?
(SM) Nice, but alas NO.
The Future?
A type of dream?
(Chalky) The future? Not the AOTC but you never know.
(Dujon) A type of dream? For the first time there's a non-NO answer, which in this case is COULD BE.
Imagination?
(Superman) NO, not imagination.
A prophecy?
(SM) NO, not a prophecy. Maybe I should add the the AOTC does not now actually exist.
Did the AOTC exist at some point in the year 1900?
(Boolbar) Around in 1900? NO. *some suppressed audience giggles*
Tomorrow?
(Softers) NO, not tomorrow.
Can it be expected to exist in the future?
Déjà Vu ?
(Raak) I would say YES, but others with more knowledge may disagree.
(Chalky) NON, c'est pas ça.
Is it next week, next month, next year?
(KS) NO, none of those.
Does this mark the end of something?
(RtheG) End of something? NO.
Is it the foundation of the United Federation of Planets?
(SM) NO, nothing as benign as that.
A legend?
We had a pink moon the other day, so is it a blue moon? If not, is this something astronomical?
(Raak) NO, not a legend.
(Bismarck) NO, nothing astronomical, so not a blue moon. Not shy blue or navy blue.
Er, sky blue, that is. Not royal blue, either.
The Impossible?
(Chalky) The impossible? NO.
Is the AOTC a single word?
(Tuj) Single word? NO. The AOTC is four words, one of which is the definite article.
Is the third word "of"?
(Raak) Third word "of"? NO.
End Of The Game?
Are the middle two words "of the"?
(Raak) Middle two words "of the"? NO. There is no "of" in it.
All The King's Horses?
Is it related to the Morniverse?
The sky?
(Raak) All the King's Horses? NO. None of 'em.
(Tuj) Related to the Morniverse? NO.
(Superman) The sky? NO. Remember the AOTC does not now exist in any true sense.
The European Super League?
Is it the next something or other?
The next big thing?
Underpinning Boolbar
(Boolbar & Softers) Alas, too late and wrong anyway because CDM, with a flash of inspiration and a huge wodge of cash, has the answer. It's the European Super League. "Let it fall among the weeds." (John Skelton ca. 1550).
A lurker's victory coming out of the blue with no preparation or planning. Seems about right.

ABSTRACT with ANIMAL CONNECTIONS
But is it art?
Heraldry?
Animal human?
A well known phrase or saying?
Is it Schoedinger's cat?
Bigger than an imaginary toaster?
Argh! I forgot about this; sorry.
Art? No.
Heraldry? No.
Animal connection human? Yes
A well known phrase or saying? Um. I guess it is a well known phrase, but it is not an aphorism or anything of that kind.
Sch(r)ödinger's Cat? *opens box to check* No. *looks in box again* Wait. Why is there nothing but HOPE left inside?
Bigger than imaginary toaster? Well, it definitely could be very big. But it is really incommensurable with a toaster, imaginary or not.
Is it a human invention?
Personal space?
A sense of humour?
Is it Lionheart or Heart of a Lion? playing my Wild-Guess card
To do with emotion?
And now some answers that I could have sworn I posted have disappeared; apologies again.

Human invention? More of a creation than an invention, but I will go with Yes.
Personal space? No.
Sense of humour? No.
Lions, Hearts? No.
To do with emotion? No.
Lebensraum?
Sorry, my German is pretty crap.
Mankind?
Is the AOTC a single word?
Might one do this upon a star?
Is it the shipping forecast?
Do computers play a part?
That's twice I have posted some answers from my phone and they haven't shown up. Not sure what is going on; sorry
Lebensraum? No.
Mankind? No.
Single word answer? No.
The act of being instantaneously incinerated? No.
Shipping Forecast? No.
Computer-related? Well, these days, pretty much everything is computer-related, and the AOTC is no exception. But since the AOTC also predates computers, I think the answer has to be No.
Did it arise before the Renaissance?
Pre-Renaissance? No. (I suppose there might have been some related concept prior to that time but the best answer is clearly No. Also, please don't now ask me a whole bunch of questions in an attempt to date the AOTC, since I am unable to give a clear answer. I can tell you that the google ngram viewer suggests that the phrase on the card seems to have started coming into significant use in the mid 1800s.)
Also, I guess I should clarify that the connection of the AOTC to computers is pretty tangential. I probably should just have said a simple No.
To do with economics?
To do with economics? No. (Except very tangentially blahblahblah.)
Is it associated with a particular geographic location?
Particular geographic location? Good question! In principle, no, and the AOTC has been relevant in various places in the past and in the present. But it's fair to say that, recently, it has a strong association with a particularly geographic location. So I'm going with Yes.
Hidden textAnd what does recently mean, you might ask? Well, it means both in the last couple of decades and in the last year in particular.
Anything to do with health?
Anything to do with politics?
Does it begin with P?
Health-related? No.
To do with politics? Yes. *sustained applause*
Begins with P? I'll tell you for free that there are three words on the card and the first is the definite article. One of the others does begin with P.
Is the word which starts with a P "party"?
The Monster Raving Loony Party?
According to the MRLP, their moniker consists of three words.
P = Party? No.
MRLP? No.
Does the P stand for 'principle'?
Probably oughtn't be encouraging this line of attack...
Principle? No. Nor Principal, in case that was going to be the next question.
Is it a lying buffoon?
Lying Buffoon? No.
The Industrial Revolution?
Is the P-word position?
The Pindustrial Prevolution? No.
Position? No.
Is the P word Philosophy?
Or even Parliament?
Philosophy? No.
Parliament? No.
For free I will tell you that the P word is not particularly connected to politics in and of itself. It is the other word that has a clearer political connection.
Is the P word pandemic?
Pandemic? No. Tuj's observation is probably a good one. There are a lot of words beginning with "P" in the dictionary.
Anything to do with land borders?
P-word proposition?
Border-related? No.
Propositional? No.
Is it to do with a war?
War-related? No.
Has it had a strong association with the USA in the last year?
Is the definite article the first word?
Is it directly related to voting?
Typical. You wait weeks for a Yes, and then three show up at once.
Strong association with USA in last year? Yes. *applause*
Definite article = first word? Yes.
Related to voting? Yes. *rapturous applause, where the rapture is definitely partly born of relief*
Is it a political position, such as Speaker?
The Trump Presidency...
About the one thing I didn't want to be reminded of. Hope it's wrong.
Political position? No.
Trump presidency? No.
Hidden text"...the phrase on the card seems to have started coming into significant use in the mid 1800s."
Is it 'The voting public,' or something along those lines?
Voting Public? *sustained applause* No.
Something along those lines? Yes. It is more of an established phrase than "voting public", though.
The hoi polloi?
Hoi Polloi? No.
Democratic Party?
Democratic Party? No. (P = Party has already been ruled out.)
Is 'Primaries' one of the words
Primaries? No. Also, the P word is not "photosynthesis", "parrot", "predestined", or "pickpocket". As I said before, the P word is not particularly connected to politics as such, so I don't think you will find this route profitable. Which is also not the P word.
Is it statistical?
Is it a group of people who share a particular characteristic?
Aware this may be too vague or broad to answer well, in which case so be it.
Is it statistical? The most technically correct answer is Yes, but I worry that this answer could end up being misleading. *applause*
Group sharing a characteristic? I am going to go with Yes (and *substantial applause*,) with the caveat/reminder that the AOTC is Abstract, not Animal.
Further clarification
The AOTC is not a group as such. But it stems directly from a group who share a characteristic.
Is it the popular vote?
Maybe my close guess was even closer than I thought it was. And I'm stumped for anything else. I keep thinking of things where the p word has the political connotations.
Do the words that aren't the definite article rhyme?
Stalling for time while someone comes up with a better approach...
Do they rhyme? No, because Popular does not rhyme with Vote. The Electoral College awards Simons the baton despite the fact that Tuj received more applause.
Me again? All right...
These things are VEGETABLE.
Are they edible to humans?
Is it unique?
[SM,CdM] Good show!
Something made of wood?
Are they used in the playing of a game?
[Edible] Yes.
[Unique] No.
[Wooden] No.
[Gameable] No.
Is that a record? A yes for the first ever question?
Well, they begin with P
Potatoes?
Comprising more than one ingredient?
[SM] Last happened half a dozen rounds ago
[Spuds] No
[Multi-ingrediented] Yes
Is it a dish? (Culinary, not ceramic.)
[Dishy] No.
Bouquet Garni?
Does it contain tomato?
[Bouquet and tomato] No and no.
Is it customarily eaten as part of a meal?
Is it a fruit?
[Meal, Fruit] No and no.
Although edible, is this not normally eaten?
A flower?
[not normally eaten, flower] No and no.
Medication?
Are the components uncooked?
[Medicinal, uncooked] No and no
Does it begin with P?
Does it include peas?
[Ps and peas] No and no.
Muesli?
Contains legumes?
[Legumes, muesli] No and no.
Is this normally eaten?
Not unclarifying the double negative
[Normally eaten] Yes. :-)
Eaten raw?
Is it drinkable?
[raw, drinkable] Nope and nuh-uh.
Does it include potato?
Cooked but among many "no"s, not a dish, nor customarily part of a meal... hmm.
Any nuts in it?
[Spuds, nuts] Nay and no.
Is it used to feed animals?
[Animal food] A clever twist, but no.
A biscuit?
Is there fish in it?
[Biscuits, fish] No twice more.
Does it contain sugar?
[Sugar] Oh yes.
Is it ornamental?
Cake like?
Fried?
[Ornamental, cake-like, fried] Nay, no, and nuh-uh.
Are oats in it?
Primarily eaten by animals?
[Oats, animals] No and no again
Does it contain cocoa butter?
Any rice in it?
Is it pulp for paper?
I cooked lots of that for my fourth grade science project.
[Cocoa, rice, pulp] A full set of nopes.
Does it come in a variety of colours?
Is it usually eaten cold?
[Colours] Yes

[Cold] Yes

Salad?
[Salad] Back to no again. Your processes of elimination are being super thorough this time.
Is it associated with a particular location?
Is yeast needed?
Locational, yeasty] Nuh-uh and nope.
Gaspacho?
Would most of us be able to find it for sale in our local supermarket?
[Gazpacho, supermarket] No and no.
Candy floss?
Can you drink it?
Is it mainly composed of sugar?
[Floss, drinkable] No and no

[Sugar] Yes. Audience applauds in relief

Rock?
[Rock] No. We did that one, not too long ago.
Might you buy this at a funfair?
[funfair] No, I don't think so. I'm not sure though. On balance let's play safe and stick with 'No.'
Recap
Edible, cooked, ingredient, not to be found in a supermarket or funfair, mostly composed of sugar, and not anything else you can think of.
Sugar cane?
Sugar Beet?
A sugar basket?
[Sugar*] All no, but Bismark's summary gets a weak smattering. Although I'm not sure what you mean by 'and not anything else you think of'. I can't relate that to any of the questions or my answers.
Soda syrup? I don't know the culture of these games well enough yet to say whether you'd say no to drinkable in this case. I don't think you can drink the syrups for cola, etc. by themselves.
[Soda syrup] No. 'Drinkable' was asked earlier and I don't think I'd have answered yes for that. It's like, shampoo. Technically you could gulp it down, but it's still a no. TBH I shudder to think what the concentrated syrups would taste like.
Mint flavoured?
[Minty] Yes. I had to check, but it seems that's a rarer option.
The filling of liqueur chocolates?
[Liqueur filling] No, getting that specific would have been unsporting. :-)
Corn syrup?
As used in almost everything :(.
[Corn syrup] No, not used in this, apparently.
Was this invented since 1900?
[Post 1900] No, a bit older, I think. I thought it was a firm no, but I'm struggling to confirm.
Can for sure say 'invented more than a century ago'.
A boiled sweet?
[Boiled sweet] No. Audience stirs, and there's some claps
Is it a viscous substance, like honey or treacle?
Sherbet?
[vicious sherbert] No and no, but the audience remains alert
Mat Mystery
[Mat] BTW, your surname's not Lambert is it? I knew a 'Matt' who preferred to be 'Mat' and it stuck in my head these many years
A sugar loaf?
[Sugar loaf] No. Cool idea, but no. You know, I knew about the mountain, never once thought about where it got its name.
Are these normally bought in packets containing different colours and flavours?
The problem with all this is I can't see what in this line is not available in a supermarket. I can get sweets and molasses and Mars bars for deep-frying in my local supermarket. So: is it a sugar chair, like those used in the movies to shatter over someone's head?
[Packets] No...? Yees...? I suspect that's too close to call nowadays. Nevertheless, solid clappage occurs

[Sugar chair] No.

[Supermarkets] Supermarkets may be pretty comprehensive, but they don't sell everything. I'd only expect this to show up in the biggest supermarkets (and the right specialist shops), so when asked about 'normal' supermarkets I said no. I don't think Twickenham Waitrose has 'em, for example, and that's a good-sized shop. But for Kingston Waitrose, which is quite a bit larger, I reckon the balance tips. You all need to tell me the precise square footage of your nearest supermarket, then I'll redo the calculations. :-)

[SM's Mat Mystery] No, not Lambert. Besides, my government name is neither Mat nor Matt.
Are they mostly used for commercial purposes? The supermarket thing had me believing it was some industrial ingredient only used in factories, so let's tease that one out if we can.
Would some type of restaurant use this?
Some type of pastille?
Opal fruits?
My favourite...
Is it medicinal?
I thought of Fisherman's Friends a while ago, but the dating doesn't fit.
[Commercial] Yes. At least in the sense I think you mean. They're things people can buy, but unusual enough that only a larger-than average supermarket would stock 'em.
[Restaurants] No.
[Pastilles] No.
[They're starburst now, bah] No.
[Medicinal] No.
Used to decorate cakes?
Correction
Sorry, rereading Mat's query, I think I ought to change that to a No. Overlooked the word 'purposes'. This isn't, e.g. catering supplies, it's an ordinary thing bought for or by its end-user.
Dragees?
[Cake decor, dragees] No and no.
Do they typically come individually wrapped?
[Individually wrapped] No.
Are they spherical?
[Spherical] Yes! Strong applause
Are they more than 1cm in diameter?
[Diametrics] Yes! More applauses, possibly even whoops
More than 2 inches?
Gobstoppers?
standing on the shoulders of giants
A winner at last
[Gobstoppers] Yes! Gobstoppers is the AOTC. Audience collapses in relief, and they're probably not alone By Jove you had to work hard for that one. I was genuinely surprised that no-one thought to ask 'Sweets' weeks ago.
I think a lot of us were focused in on sweets for a long time, even if we never asked the question specifically. (That was my focus of attention ever since your reply when I asked if sugar was an ingredient.) The "no" to boiled sweets, though undoubtedly a correct answer, may have ended up taking us away from the right line of thinking.

MINERAL
Marbles?
Unique?
Metallic?
Marbles? No.
Hidden text''Unlike the ones from the book and the films, where Willy Wonka says you would break your teeth if you tried to chew a gobstopper, the Nestle produced gobstoppers are chewable once sucked long enough, and unlike their fictional counterparts they are not everlasting.'' Remarkably, that does not have a [citation needed].

Unique? Yes.
Metallic? Yes. *some muttering and head-shaking in the audience*
Is it found on planet Earth?
Does it weigh more than a million tons?
Is it smaller than a toaster?
Is it a small blob of neutron star matter?
(Just on the off chance that the answers to the previous two are both yes.)
Neutron Blob. The latest addition to the Mornington Crescent Cinematic Universe
On Earth? Yes.
> 1012g? Yes.
< toaster? No.
Neutron Blob? No.
The totality of British steam locomotives in 1960?
About 1.2 million tons give or take.
Ancient locomass? I know you'll find this hard to believe, Rosie, but No.
The Earth's core?
Human made?
Does it begin with P?
Earth's core? No. *some applause*
Human made? No.
Begin with P? No.
Is it the reserves of something?
Is it visible at the surface of the Earth?
Reserves? No.
Visible at the surface of the Earth? Yes.
Man-made?
Iron ore?
A specialised building?
Man-made? No.
Iron ore? No.
Specialised building? No.
A mountain?
Is it thinly spread all over the planet?
All the uranium in the oceans?
Is the metal in elemental form?
Mountain? Yes.
Thinly spread? No.
Damp and salty U? No.
Metal in elemental form? I am pretty sure the answer is Yes, though I know Rosie is a chemistry expert, while chemistry has never been my strong suit, so apologies in advance if I got this wrong.
(CdM) I meant metal as metal rather than chemically combined as in an ore, or rust even.
Does it begin with an E?
[Rosie] *nods* You can tell me at the end of the round whether I was right or not. :)
Begins with an E? No.
Is it plated?
Is the metal metaphorical?
Is it in a single nation?
Plated? No.
Metaphorical? No.
In a single nation? Yes.
Is it in Europe?
Is the metal copper?
In Europe? Yes.
Copper? No.
Does the metal end in 'um'?
As so many of them do
Does the name of this mountain include the name of a metal?
End in um? Yes. And also No. Check your assumptions.
Name include name of a metal? No.
A little more research also suggests to me that the correct answer to Rosie's last question (elemental form) might be Yes and No. But I am honestly not sure what the best answer is.
Is just one metal involved?
Is it West of Prague?
I should ask this more often.
Just one metal involved? No.
Hidden textIn a nerdy linguistic way, I find it interesting that the phrase 'the metal', which showed up in four questions, spanned meanings that I reasonably interpreted as potentially including multiple metals (elemental, metaphorical), to a meaning that definitely required a single metal (ending in -um). 'Is the metal copper?' kinda sits in the middle; I perhaps should have suggested assumption checking at that point. As you were.

West of Prague? Yes.
Hidden textOf course, it's also East of Prague, if you go far enough.
Does the mountain actually have Mount or Mountain in its name?
Is this mountain named on Google Maps?
The EU Butter Mountain it isn't, but it's too good not to play it
Mount or mountain in the name? There are in fact two acceptable answers on the card. The answer is Yes for one and No for the other. *a little muttering from some of the more literal-minded audience members*
Named on Google Maps? Yes. (Both answers on the card appear on Google Maps.)
Butter Mountain? No. (Interestingly, the second one of those would clearly have been only a marginal Yes in response to Tuj's last question.)

(This one is proving harder than I expected. I hope I haven't been misleading with any of my answers.)
Is it in Wales?
Is it South of Lyon?
In Wales? No.
South of Lyon? No.
What I would like it to be is the enormous yellow sulphur dumps you get at the end of some oil pipelines where they de-sulphurise the stuff. Is it that?
Enormous yellow sulphur dumps you get at the end of some oil pipelines where they de-sulphurise the stuff? No.
Is it in the Alps?
In the Alps? No.
In the UK?
Does mining come into it?
In the UK? No.
Mining-related? No.
(And, as I keep reading, I now think that my answer to Rosie probably should have been No. But I'm still not sure. Did I mention that chemistry is not my strong suit?)
Is it south of Loen?
You know, the village in Stryn Municipality in Vestland county in Norway.
Is it an island?
Oh, _that_ Loen
South of Loen? No. Which means it is also north of every Loon, Lyon, Leon, Léon, and León listed in Wikipedia.
An island? No.
Does water play a part?
Is it in Iceland?
Watery? No.
In Iceland? Yes! *applause*
Eyjafjallajökull?
Strike that suggestion - begins with an E
Is it a chocolate pavlova mountain?
You can find them in Iceland.   :)
Does either form of the name end with "-jökull"?
Eyjafjallajökull? No. *some applause*
Chocolate pavlova mountain? No.
Hidden text Only after googling did I understand the joke -- no Iceland where I currently live or have previously lived. :)

Jökullsuffixed? No.
North Atlantic Ridge?
North Atlantic Ridge? No. *some applause*
Surtsey?
Surtsey? No. (Not an island) *applause*
Is it only in Iceland?
Only in Iceland? Yes.
Does it begin with a K (in Icelandic)?
Begins with a K? No.
I'm surprised this is taking so long; I would have thought it was easy to guess by this point.
The amount of lava erupted from a volcano?
I'll have you know I spent at least one microlife yesterday looking up the geology and geography of Iceland on Wikipedia, and I've still no idea what it is.
Quantity of lava? No.
Now I'm feeling guilty! The audience applauds at the word "volcano".
Hidden textAt this point I will tell you for free that all my confusion/ignorance with regard to Rosie's question does indeed concern lava. I have never thought much about lava beyond the fact that it's a, well, hot mess. What exactly is going on chemically, I have no idea. Maybe, with Rosie's help, I'll end this AVMA better informed than I was when I started. :)
Fagradalsfjall!
Hekla, with lots of shouting
Hekla? Hekno, because...
...Fagradsfjall, which commenced eruptions in March of this year and is still erupting (at least as of yesterday) is indeed the answer on the card. "Fjall" is Icelandic for mountain. The other acceptable answer on the card was Geldingadalir which is the more precise location of the eruption.
Hidden textFull disclosure. The original AOTC was just Geldingadalir, but when I was asked whether the AOTC was a mountain, I felt it would have been badly misleading to have answered No, so I hurriedly grabbed my Sharpie and wrote in Fagradalsfjall as well. Also, to clarify one other piece of my answers, I went with the fact that one dictionary definition of 'metallic' is simply 'containing a metal'; I was a little worried that answer might mislead and tried to convey as much with the audience reaction; in the end it didn't seem to lead you astray too much!
Hidden textI clearly overthink this, don't I? :)
(Careful with this baton, Raak. It's still a bit hot.)
The next is VEGETABLE and sometimes ANIMAL, with ABSTRACT connections; or vice versa.
An anorak?
A wahoo from the centre circle.
Is it edible?
[Rosie] Not an anorak.
[CdM] Not edible, is the simplest answer.
Rethinking the rubric, it might be better if more long-windedly expressed as VEGETABLE and MINERAL, with ABSTRACT, VEGETABLE and sometimes ANIMAL connections.
Human Made?
A musical instrument?
Would a Morniverser typically own one of these?
[B] Yes, human made.
[SM] Not a musical instrument.
[R] I think a Morniverser would not typically own one of these, although they very well might.
A fossil?
A weapon?
Is the vegetable wood? Is the mineral stone?
[RtG] Not a fossil.
[R] Not a weapon.
[SM] There can be wood, peripherally. (murmur of amusement in the audience)
[SM2] (Confers with Mycroft. Mycroft gives a definite nod.) Yes, the mineral is stone.
Are the animal connections just because it is human-made (and perhaps human-used?), or do they go beyond that?
[CdM] The animal connections go beyond human make or use.
Is it a weapon? Is it a tool?
[B1] Not a weapon.
[B2] Not a tool.
Is it art?
Is the item fire- or heat-related?
[B] *applause!* It is art.
[SM] Not fire- or heat-related.
Is it commonly sited indoors?
[SM] Yes, indoors.
Is it smaller than a toaster?
A painting?
Is Mycroft the Highland version of Myspace?
[C] Can be smaller than a toaster.
[B] *rapturous applause* It is a painting!
[C] Mycroft declines to say.
All done by one artist?
[B] Not by one artist.
In the previous, I should add that it is not a specific painting.
Impressionist?
A still life?
A pet portrait?
Trying to think of something arty that a Crescenter might have rather than probably has is a narrow area to work in.
[SM] The exact phrase was “very well might”, which is even narrower. I mean, a Crescenter might own an original Chagall,
Hidden textI choose this example because I did know a perfectly ordinary not-rich person who owned a (small!) Chagall.
but I wouldn’t stick a “very well” in front.
[S] Could be.
[SM] Not unless it's dead, because...
[C] Yes. A still life. Have this tasteful basket of flowers, fruits, and roadkill.
Everyone can now boast of their collection of still lives that every Crescenter should own.
Mmmmmmm ... roadkill
Me again? OK. I'm about to head into a horrendously busy period, so here is a nice easy ANIMAL and MINERAL that we can hopefully despatch in a few days. *some immediate muttering and discussion in the audience*
An item of clothing?
Item of clothing? No.
Is the animal Human?
Is this weapon?
Human? *some more animated discussion in the audience* Given what was posted on the board, No.
Weapon? *laughter* No. Although, for a sufficiently broad definition, and in some circumstances, Yes.
Is it unique?
Unique? No.
A handbag?
It is I, Rosie
Does it begin with P?
A statue?
Sports-related?
A haaaaaaaaaaandbaaaag? No.
Begin with P? No.
Statue? No.
Sports-related? No.
Hidden textI can think of a very very very minor way to relate the AOTC to sports, but it's not worth exploring. So forget I said anything.
Can you lift it easily with one hand?
Part of an animal's anatomy?
Is the mineral salt?
Lift easily with one haaaaaaaaaaaaand...
Sorry. <mode "Edith Evans" = off>

Lift easily with one hand? Yes, I can.
Part of animal's anatomy? I think No is the best answer, but *some audience discussion*
Salt? No. *a sprinkling of audience laughter*
Are the connected animals domesticated?
A paint brush?
Is it edible?
Connected animal domestic? Sometimes.
Paintbrush? No.
Edible? The best answer, though not actually 100% accurate, is Yes. *some applause*
Is it not merely edible, but eaten?
Eaten? Yes. *more applause*
Hidden textThis is a lively audience
I'm going to clarify the "anatomy" response: I think that No is probably the right answer, though there could be some room for some debate, and I'm quite sure that No is the least misleading answer.
Are eggs involved?
Eggs involved? Well, an egg is, because that is the AOTC. One ovoid baton tossed carelessly in Boolbar’s direction.
The yolks on me.
Oh! I didn't think it would be eggactly that. We can let CdM go and be very busy and begin once more with another nice easy one: ANIMAL with some MINERAL. And no it isn't an egg again.
Is it human?
A chicken (with a tinfoil hat)?
Salted cod?
Human? No.
Chicken? No. Not even with a bit of foil. *Some of the audience are licking their lips*
Salted Cod? No. *'Oooh' comes from the audience*
Dead animal?
Is it unique?
Does it live in the ocean?
tl;dr Being in the AVMA chair is surprisingly hard:
Hidden textReflections on an egg. First, I set the last AVMA forgetting to check whether we had had 'egg' as an answer before. To my surprise, even though the word has come up over 50 times, it has never been a subject before (though both Faberge egg and Easter egg have been). Second, it's amazing how you think you've set a nice easy AVMA, and then the questions come in and you realise there are many more subtleties than you considered. In my head, I was thinking of a simple chicken egg sitting on a table. But I immediately had to worry about whether people understand 'mineral' as a geological term, or as including biominerals, such as eggshell? (I decided eggshell should be classified as mineral, but does that mean we should actually classify almost all animals as 'animal and mineral' because of bones and teeth??) Of course, having made that decision, I immediately ran into trouble with human eggs. And then there was the anatomy question. We'd classify ova within an animal as anatomical, but I had already assumed the existence of eggshell. But, then, what about, say, a developing chicken egg before it has been laid? Oh, and finally, it turns out some eggs are poisonous. Still, at least I was confident that one could lift an egg with one hand and that they could be weaponised. :)
Dead? I do hope so.
Unique? No.
Ocean dwelling? No.
Hidden textAlthough taking into account what you said in your hidden part, I would suspect there will be at least one example of the AOTC bobbing around in an ocean somewhere. This would be almost certainly accidental and should be ignored. It would not be 'living' anyway! Also, I haven't gone back through the entire history of this game to see if my AOTC has been used before. Sorry if it has.
Is it a preserved creature?
The worm in a bottle of Tequila?
Preserved? Well, yes. *A ripple of applause*   This might send people down the wrong path.
Wormy tequila? No. But I guess that was worth a shot...
But is it art?
Is the animal dangerous when alive?
...to people, that is.
Art? Isn't everything? In this case, NO. Although thinking about it, there is a connection between the word on the card and art...
DANGER! DANGER? NO. Well, usually not. Some close relatives might be.
Is the animal a ruminant?
Moo & Co.? NO.
Edible?
Stuffed?
Edible? YES! Stuffed? NO.
Escargot?
A tortoise?
Pickled?
I remembered the line break this time...
Snails? NO
Tortoise? NO
Pickled? Not usually, but apparently it can be found pickled (I did not know until I Googled it.)

Note: There are some tiny grey areas here. For instance it is possible that the AOTC could be associated with a ruminant, but it is then described as such and not just the single word on the card. Best ignored.

Is the mineral part a shell?
Shell? NO
Extinct?
Is the mineral salt?
Does it begin with P?
Extinct? NO.
Salt? YES! There is salt in there.
P? NO. But a P beginning word is associated with the AOTC.
Overacts
Ham? NO *Audience applause*
Bacon?
*Audience goes wild*
Yes! Bacon it is. The first thing I thought of after the previous "egg". It is wise not to play this game while feeling a tad peckish.
Back to me? OK—another one that I hope will be reasonably easy. ANIMAL and VEGETABLE
FIsh and chips?
Fish and Chips? No and No.
Bangers and mash?
Is it food?
Bangers and Mash? No and No.
Food? Yes.
Sushi?
Liver & Onions
Soup?
Does it require much preparation?
Burger and fries?
Meat and two veg?
Sushi? No.
Liver and Onions? No and No.
Soup? No.
Does it require much preparation? I'll go with No. It does require some preparation, but it is straightforward.
Burger and fries? No and No.
Meat and two veg? No and No and No.
Is the animal part, milk?
Animal part milk? Yes, in part. (Technically, No is possible, but anything other than a Yes would be misleading.)
Is the mineral part the container?
Mineral container? Is this a fiendish trick to make me admit there is a mineral component even though that was not specified on the board? If so, your dastardly plan has succeeded. It is very probable that there is a small amount of mineral. Is that useful? Almost certainly not. Is it anything to do with a container? Definitely not.
Oops.
Milk and cookies?
A cereal?
Milk and cookies? No and No.
A cereal? No. *a smattering of applause*
Porridge?
Porridge? No. *a smattering of applause by the same smatterers who smattered in response to the previous question*
Does it taste sweet?
Is it baked?
OK, now it is starting to get tricky. There are actually two acceptable answers on the card. I'd always thought of them as being essentially equivalent, but some perusal of the internet suggests some subtle differences. One of the two answers is probably more familiar to most people. With that in mind...
Sweet? For the more well known answer, I would say Sometimes But Mostly No, although it can be—and an even more complicated answer might depend on how we think of the flavour profile of a common but not essential ingredient. For the less common answer, the answer seems to be Mostly Yes.
Baked? Mostly No, but sometimes—and more likely in the case of the less common answer.
All of that makes sense to me, but perhaps not to you. So, to keep things simple, if we stick to the more familiar AOTC:

Sweet? Sometimes.
Baked? Usually No.
Sausages?
Sausages? No. *the serial smatterers smatter*
Are eggs used to prepare this food?
Hamburger?
Eggs used in preparation? Yes. *applause*
Hamburger? No.
A breakfast aliment?
Poached eggs?
A coddled egg?
Breakfasty? Yes, my dear Watson. *applause*
Poached eggs? No.
Coddled egg? No.
An English breakfast?
Is toast involved?
I think we are just about done here
English breakfast? No. *laughter*
Toast involved? *loud applause* Toast is one of the words on the card. (Oddly, however, it is at least arguable that the best answer to the question might be No.)
Soldiers?
Soldiers? No.
French Toast?
Scrambled egg on toast?
Yum-yum
Eggy bread?
And Chalky has it! The AOTC is indeed French Toast (which, of course, is not toast as the word is usually understood, hence my answer to Bismarck's earlier question). The alternative AOTC was Pain Perdu, which is, er, the French version of French toast. Unfortunately, I never got the P question. While the egg mixture for French toast is typically not sweetened (even though of course it may typically be served with very sweet things like maple syrup), my casual googling suggests that it is more common to include sugar in the making of pain perdu, so I think there may be a subtle difference. I don't think I've ever actually heard the term "Eggy Bread" before, but I would have awarded it the win had Chalky not got there first; as far as I can tell from very quick googling it is equivalent to French toast.

I have here one soaked and fried baton for Chal—hang on, where did I put it...?
Thought I might have nailed it in a moment of weakness ;^)

To quote our friend and all-round gamestar CdM "Being in the AVMA chair is surprisingly hard .." I can but do my best although it may be helpful to set an alarm as a reminder to pop in at least once a day.

Next up ANIMAL

If you translate the answer into French, does it begin with P?
CdM, I let you down :(
Is it human?
Alive?
Catgut?
Translates into a French P? NON

Human? - YES

Alive? - YES

Catgut? - NO

Involved in the world of entertainment?
A sportsperson?
British?
A single identified individual?
Involved in the world of entertainment? YES

A sportsperson? YES

British? NO

A single identified individual? YES

Female?
Plays in a team sport?
Female? NO

Plays in a team sport? NO

Roger Federer?
A cricketer?
Lately in the news?
Roger Federer? NO

A cricketer? NO

Lately in the news? NO

Have they won an Olympic medal?
European?
Retired?
Have they won an Olympic medal? NO

European? NO

Retired? YES

* rethink *
Retired? YES and NO
Retired from the sporting activity for which they are known?
Is this a footballer?
Retired from the sporting activity for which they are known? YES

Is this a footballer? NO

A lone yachtsman?
A lone yachtsman? NO
A commentator?
A commentator? NO
Not female. Trans?
American?
Trans? NO

American? YES

A golfer?
A F1 driver?
They are regularly retired.
Are we looking for the name of the person?
A golfer? NO

A F1 driver? NO

Are we looking for the name of the person? YES (as confirmed to CdM above as 'a single identified individual')

A tennis player?
A tennis player? NO
Has this person competed at a Summer Olympic Games?
Has this person competed at a Summer Olympic Games? Supportive of ... but NO - never competed
Has this person competed at a Winter Olympic Games?
Original questions R Us
Has this person competed at a Winter Olympic Games? NO [unoriginal answers R Us]
Is being a sportsperson the main thing for which this person is mémorable?
Is being a sportsperson the main thing for which this person is mémorable? NO *audience stirs*
Under the age of 60?
Is what they are mainly remembered for their post-retirement involvement in the sports world?
Under the age of 60? YES

Is what they are mainly remembered for (in) their post-retirement ... ? YES

... involvement in the sports world? NO

*hint* the 5th question asked on this subject is an avenue worth exploring
Have they been in a few movies?
Schwarzenegger?
Recap
We are to name an American man, still alive and under 60 though currently retired, who had some sporting links earlier in life, who has been involved in the entertainment industry and is known for this.
That looks like less useful info than there should be...
Have they been in a few movies? YES! *sighs and murmurs of relief from the audience *

Schwarzenegger? NO but a fine guess

Recap? A somewhat timorous description of this character's previous sporting prowess and current status in the entertainment industry although, by and large, correct.

O J Simpson?
*sighs*
A Schwarzenegger & O J Simpson are both 74 years young ... this chap is under 60 years of age
Does this person typically play himself in his movie appearances?
Does this person typically play himself in his movie appearances? NO
Keanu Reeves?
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson?
*audience claps and cheers and generally goes wild for Tuj*
So not all-round-good-guy Keanu.

Dwayne Johnson it is! Not as Fast and Furious as some, I believe.

Here Tuj - have this baton hewn from Rock

What a gory baton!
Thanks Chalks! Let's head over now to something VEGETABLE.
A record-breaking prize vegetable?
Is it alive?
Raak] YES and NO. I think in the sense you mean, NO ;)
Supe] YES.
Does it span many acres?
A well-known forested area?
Does it begin with pea?
SM] No.
Rosie] No. (A couple of audience members confusedly unmute themselves briefly)
Bool] No
A particular tree?
Is it edible to humans?
Rosie] YES. (applause)
Supe] NO
A fruit tree?
Raak] NO
Is it of great age?
In the United States?
A bristlecone pine?
SM] YES.
Rosie] YES (applause)
Raak] NO
The General Sherman?
Rosie] NO. (gasps)
A creosote Bush?
Over 3000 years old?
Methuselah, the bristlecone pine?
Don't you dare make any ageist jokes.
Giant sequoia
RTG] NO.
Bool] NO.
Rosie] NO
Softers] YES. (clapping, then an expectant hush)
That redwood with the road going through it?
Supe] NO.
Gerneral Sherman?
Note to self: 4/4/4/1/3/2/
Sorfters] NO.
In California?
Bool] YES
General Grant?
Are we looking for the colloquial name of this sequoia
I had to look this up and there's quite a few named trees.
Softers] NO (appreciative 'ooh' from some audience members)
Bism] YES (if I'm understanding your question to be whether the AOTC is the name of a specific tree)
Does the tree have a military rank?
SM] NO
The President Tree?
Softers] NO.
Is it in the Giant Forest national park?
I thought I'd give this game a nudge.
Bool] NO!
A tree specific to the US of A DC and Christmas?
Duj] NO
Is it named after someone?
Raak] YES (some audience dissent, discussion and ooh-ing)
Is it named after some individual person by their name?
Does the name have seasonal connections?
Raak] YES (well, depending on your definition of the word 'person')
SM] NO (I began this 5 weeks ago :( )
Is it in the Mountain Home Grove?
Bool] NO
Cmon everyone, let's get this done this year!
Is it in the Sierra Nevada?
Hyperion?
I'll be very surprised if that's not right. :)
Raak] NO...
CdM] YES!
General Sherman popped into my head as a potential AOTC, but on research I found that this coast redwood, named after a mythical titan, is feted as the world's tallest known living tree. A very long wooden baton to you!
OK. A nice easy VEGETABLE.
An antivaxxer?
Is it a tree or made of something from a tree?
Edible?
Antivaxxer? No.
Tree or made from tree? Yes. *applause*
Edible? No.
Mainly paper?
A piece of furniture?
Paper? No.
Furniture? No.
A tool?
A work of art, or part of one?
Are there more than one?
Tool? No.
Art? No.
>1? Yes.
Christmas-related?
Christmassy? No.
Would you typically find one of these in someone's house?
Does it begin with P?
Found in someone's house? No. * audience laughter*
Begin with P? Regrettably, no. There is one P-adjacency that I can think of, but it does not appear on the card.
Is it too big/heavy to be lifted by one person
Is it something made of wood?
Alive?
Is it something revered?
Too big to be lifted by one person? No. *audience laughter, and considerable muttering*
Made of wood? Yes.
Alive? No.
Revered? No.
Wood-chip mulch?
Is it normally carried on one's person?
Mulch? No.
Normally carried on one's person? No. *considerable laughter*
Sawdust?
The stump of a tree?
Sawdust? No.
Tree stump? No.
Is it a man-made object?
Man-made? Yes. *audience mutter a little, but are generally in agreement*
A cricket bat?
Long shot (over silly point)
Cricket bat? No.
Is it pointy?
A stack of wood for burning?
Some sort of container?
Pointy? No.
Proto-bonfire? No.
Container? No.
Is it made of fossilised wood?
Fossilised? No.
Is it functional?
A hedge?
Functional? Yes. (Perhaps not a word that would naturally come to mind for the AOTC, but that has to be the best answer.)
Hedge? No (not alive, remember).
I'll also slightly qualify my answer to the "Pointy?" question to add a parenthetical "well, sometimes, sort of". Probably not helpful, though; just trying to pre-empt appeals at the end of the round.
Used for a game?
A weapon?
Is it edible for human consumption?
Used for game? Yes. *applause*
Weapon? No.
Edible? No.
A Pooh-stick?
A caber?
Pooh stick? No *laughter*
A caber? Yes! *applause*
I now have this image of highlanders playing poohsticks with cabers tossed over the side of the Forth Bridge.

I was handed a very long wooden baton, and I now hand on a shorter—but still very long!—wooden baton to Bismarck.
This thing could do with some handles, you know. Also its swishability is lacking somewhat. But on we go!
This is VEGETABLE with a bit of ANIMAL and MINERAL thrown in as accessories.
Is it an area of woodland?
Just in case trees are the current trend.
Smokey bacon crisps?
A Trifid?
A manufactured item?
Worcestershire sauce?
A recipe book?
Does it begin with S?
Is it portable by an average human?
Lights out - round 1!
[Boolbar] No.
[Raak] No.
[Software] No.
[Rosie] Yes.
[nights] No.
[Simons] No.
[Tuj] No.
[Superman] Yes.
A pleasing symmetry in those answers.
Is it found in a typical household?
Is it made to be eaten?
It is mainly made of wood?
They keep a-comin'
[Rosie] Not uncommonly.
[Boolbar] No.
[Raak] Yes.
Is it used for a game or sport?
Is it a tool, or part of a tool?
Is it piece of furniture?
The Noes have it
[Tuj] No.
[Raak] No.
[Radox] No.
Foldable?
It is a human artefact?
Oops, that ws effectively answered yes already.
Is it ornamental?
Is it functional?
Ducks redux
[Simons] No.
[Raak] Yes, and then No.
[Chalky] Ain't everything... Yes.
A hatstand?
A walking stick?
Generally of a stick-like form?
Is it (intentionally) combustible?
Does it belong in the garden?
Owed to joy
[Rosie] No.
[Software] No.
[Rak] No.
[nights] No.
[Radox] No.
Is the animal part leather?
A kitchen item?
Generally of a ball-like form?
Uncanny unanimity
[Software] No.
[Boolbar] No.
[Raak] No.
Is the animal part hair?
Is it smaller than a house brick?
The burden of the animals
[Raak] No.
[Boolbar] No.
A musical instrument?
A footstool?
An applau
[Simons] YES. The audience claps and sways.
[Software] No.
A stringed instrument?
Woodwind?
A guitar?
Violin?
A ton of applause
[Raak] Yes.
[Boolbar] No.
[Rosie] Yes! But there are two words on the card.
[Software] No.
Flying V?
A bass guitar?
[Raak] No.
[Rosie] Possibly a version.
Is one of the words "guitar"?
A Fender?
Is one of the words 'dusty', 'forgotten' or similar?
speaking as part of the non-musical contingent
Does the first word on the card begin with 'A'?
And now the end is near
[Raak] Yes.
[Rosie] No.
[Simons] No.
[Dujon] No.
Acoustic guitar?
Spanish guitar?
Lo hiciste a tu manera
[Software] Yes, but not the answer on the card.
[Rosie] Si! Si! The audience stamps and claps, Rosie has won.

With a rose between your teeth, take this baton and lead us in an impromptu paso doble.

Arglwydd Mawr, dw'i wedi ennill. Be' sy'n ddigwydd?
Hidden textGood Lord, I won. Woss going on?

And the next object is

ABSTRACT

.
Is it Welsh?
(R the G) Welsh? NO. Looks more Latin-based to me.
Did Kant refer to it in any of his works?
(Superman) Not having read all of Kant (or any of it, actually) I can't say but the answer is very likely NO.
Does it have more syllables than 'breadbin'?
Is it owt do wi' art?
Did it originate in the bible or Shakespeare?
(SM) YES, it certainly does.
(Dujon) You cannot be serious. NO.
(Boolbar) I very much doubt it so let's just say NO.
Is it the steam that's on a winter's morning gently rises from the chimney of a steam engine which has just started to heat up for its first run up to York?
A well known phrase or saying?
A load of bollocks?
From Wales?
(R the G) Alas, NO. That's smoke BTW. Lighting up a steam loco is a dirty job.
(Boolbar) NOT a well-known phrase or saying.
(Softers) Generally, though not always, YES.
(Raak) NO. Not location-specific.
To do with current affairs?
(Raak) Current affairs? YES. *audience gets rather animated*
Democracy?
(Dujon) NO, not democracy.
Political rhetoric?
Social Media related?
(Softers) Political? YES. Rhetoric? NO.
(Boolbar) NO. Predates social media by quite a lot.
So nowt to do with Boris "not a complete clown" Johnson then.
(Raak) Not a thing. Nice link, BTW.
Does it involve death?
Does it have royal connections?
(Superman) - NO link with death.
(SM) - NO royal connections.
A Political Ideal?
Was this linked to a specific event?
Something to do with voters?
(Chalky) A political ideal? Very often, YES. *audience sit up and take notice*
(Bismarck) A specific event? NO.
(Boolbar) YES, quite a lot to do with voters. *even more buzz from the audience.*
Votes for women?
A ballot of some sort?
Universal suffrage?
Brexit Opportunities?
We do have a new smarmy incumbent, after all.
(Superman) Votes for women? NO.
(Duj) NOT a ballot.
(Raak) NOT universal suffrage.
(Softers) Brexit Opportunities? I think they'd keep quiet about it, so NO.
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