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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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holy grail? no
single work of fiction? It is strongly associated with a single work of fiction, although it might exist in others that I am unaware of.
The Da Vinci Code?
da vinci code? no. (you are up late, Chalky...)
Is it associated with religion?
Is it associated with magic?
[CdM] Yes, I am rather - have been painting and I tend to forget the time. Best be off now :-)
associated with religion? No.
associated with magic? No.
I forgot to mention that the audience applauded Irouléguy's question.
Is it the Title of a work of fiction?
title of a work of fiction? no.
Was the work written before 1970?
Shelley's 'Ode to the West wind'?
written before 1970? no.
ode to west wind? no.
Is it part of a larger work like an aria?
The magic flute?
Is the specific work of fiction a book?
OK so, to sum up.
We have an abstract something that is associated with, but is not the title of, a single work of fiction written since 1970. It is not associated with magic or religion. It does not necessarily have any actual existence, but if it did it would not be restricted to a single location, nor does it necessarily involve any participation by a person. It is neither a decision nor an event. It is neither positive or negative, nor is it a colour. In addition there are a number of specific things it isn't.
So, it seems to be some sort of concept or idea.
Was the work published before 2000?
part of a larger work like an aria? It is part of the work of fiction, but not really like an aria.
magic flute? no.
specific work of fiction a book? among other things, yes.
published before 2000? yes.
[INJ] I think your summary is accurate. I go back and forth a bit still on whether it is an event: I suppose it could be an event, although I still feel that no is the best answer to the question.
Is the book science fiction?
Any connection with Douglas Adams?
Any connection to television?
science fiction? yes.
Douglas Adams? yes *applause*
television? no.
The meaning of life, the universe and everything?
42? No. (but that would have been a good subject to have chosen, now you come to mention it)
The 'someone else's problem' field?
SEP? No. This kind of guessing could go on for a long time. :-)
I know it's unlikely, but - the improbability drive?
improbability drive? An extremely plausible answer, and therefore wrong. Although it wouldn't surprise me if operation of the ID were to lead to it.
A pain in all the diodes down Marvin's left side?
Interesting - the 'no' to television, from which I am tempted to assume that it did not appear/occur in the television series.
The shoe event horizon?
Did it appear only in the first series?
pain in diodes? no.
[I believe I am correct in saying that it did not appear in the TV series, although I don't really remember the TV version very well]
shoe event horizon? no.
only in first series? no.
Was it seen by Arthur or was it an entry from "the Guide"?
seen by arthur/entry from guide? It was not seen by Arthur as such, although it had consequences for him (and he saw several of those consequences). As far as I recall the guide didn't say anything about it, although my memory may be letting me down there.
Does it involve hyperspace?
involve hyperspace? I suppose it very well might.
A brain the size of a planet?
planet-sized brain? No.
A bowl of petunias?
The total perspective vortex?
petunias? No. [Raak] Reminder: it is abstract. Reminder no 2: not in the TV series.
TPV? No.
Did it happen on a spaceship rather than a planet?
spaceship rather than planet? It is hard to say where it happened. It is not even clear that is a meaningful question. However, in the radio series and book, it had implications on a planet and -- if I recall correctly -- on a spaceship as well.
The artistic necessity that holds a gigantic paper cup made of marble suspended in midair?
The birth of Zaphod Beeblebrox
(Which allegedly caused comets to streak across the sky and civilisations to rise and fall)
artistic necessity? no.
birth of ZB? no.
Did I mention that this could go on for a very long time with this kind of guessing? :-)
Is it a characteristic (or quality of something, as opposed to a thing)?
sorry, I didn't word that too well, but anyway...
Were any of the main characters involved?
My question may seem meaningless to someone who knows the answer and when it is finally I will probably think "what a duff question That was!". Have no fear, I shall ask you no more of this type of question.
characteristic of something? No, not really?
main characters involved? two main characters were very significantly affected.
Does this appear/occur in the first book?
Inkspot] No - it produced a definite answer, which makes it a very good question for this round.
first book? No. (*some applause*) [Clarification: to be honest, it is many years since I read the books, and I always knew the radio series better anyway. It definitely did not appear in the first radio series, and I am pretty certain that it therefore did not appear in the first book.]
The act of falling on the floor and missing?
how to fly? no.
Bistromathics?
bistromath? no.
The Golgafrinchan exodus?
Most of the way through The restaurant at the end of the universe, and no nearer the answer, but re-confirmed in the view that the radio series was better than the books.
Golgafrinchan exodus? no. I need to start thinking of some clues...
Day 9
[CdM] hmm - doubt if any clues will help me, not being over-familiar with Adams's work. But please slap a couple of mighty ones in. Then someone can guess this soon. Very soon.
eeeeek
[Chalky] Day 9? Really?? In some ways I think that the focus on Douglas Adams may not be the best way to go. And if you have hung around the morniverse, you will also have seen many references to it.
teleportation?
*suddenly wonders if that's a word or not* I think I need a language transplant.
teleportation? no.
The problem that no-one who wants to be President can be trusted with the job?
Anything to do with sport?
George Bush? no.
krikkit? no.
Procrastination?
More seriously - is it something to do with the destruction of the earth?
procrastination? I'll tell you tomorrow.
destruction of earth? No.
Is it an abstract concept for the book's characters?
Does it have visible/tangible effects
(OK, I know that's two questions in one)
Although we associate it with HHGTTG, could it actually occur/exist in real life?
abstract for book's characters? Yes. (Good question)
visible/tangible effects? Yes. Though, in the context of the book/series, more easily visible than tangible.
exist in real life? I answered that somewhat cryptically earlier on. As far as I know, the concept is entirely fictional. But then I'm not a physicist, so I could be wrong. Or the physicists could be wrong. And while I think all of us here associate it with HHGTTG, something similar almost certainly existed in prior works of fiction, and I think it now has acquired something of a life of its own, in that I suspect people refer to it without knowing about HHGTTG. I could be wrong about that too, though.
The end of the universe?
milliways? No.
Are ghosts involved?
Anything to do with wormholes?
Are the two main characters very significantly affected Arthur and Ford?
ghosts? No.
wormholes? No, or at least not exactly, or perhaps yes. *applause from audience*
Arthur and Ford affected? Yes. *more applause*
Can't think of the name of the damm effect, but is it how Arthur and Ford got from Magrathea to the Golgafrinchan exodus?
extensive time travel in both directions interrupted by a good meal? No.
Hmmmm
Another clue, perhaps...?
Nonono. The way I look at it, you should all keep guessing, and at sometime in the way distant future someone will get the correct answer, and then it will show up here tomorrow.
eddies in the space time continuum?
                            -
is he...?
eddy's? YES! Well, strictly speaking, only one eddy, but I am certainly not going to drag this out any longer.
*exhaustedly hands the baton to flerdle*
eek!
ok, quick and dirty... M I N E R A L
Is it a specific object?
[Darren] Yes?
[flerdle] Was that a question, or Australian intonation?
you've been watching too much Neighbours...
heh heh :-)
Darren's question was somewhat ambiguous, hence my uncertainty.
Are there many of these?
[Rosie] Yes.
Are they largely metallic objects?
woohoo
[Rosie] Yes!
Is it a Brass Monkey?
Is it mass produced or manufactured?
Are they machines of some sort?
[Gusset Login] Brass Monkey? No.
[Inkspot] mass produced/manufactured? Yes.
[Raak] machines of some sort? No.
Are they tools?
Do they nedd electrcal power to be used?
An item of cutlery?
[Raak] Hmmm. Yes, I think.
[Inkspot] nedd electrical power? No.
[Rosie] item of cutlery? No.
Shovels?
Are they used with one hand?
[Irouleguy] Shovels? no.
[Raak] used with one hand? Hmmmm. Yes.
Are they used together with other tools?
[Nea] Used together with other tools? No. That is, one of these can do its job by itself.
Do they have any connection to IKEA?
heh
[CdM] No. Sorry. But good guess :-)
Pliers?
Just so this doesn't last forever, I don't think that working your way through the contents of your toolbox is the way to go here...
[Irouleguy] Pliers? No.
Are they flexible or pliant?
Are they normally found in the home rather than a workplace?
[gabrielized] flexible/pliant? Somewhat.
[Inkspot] found in home rather than workplace? No, i.e. found in both, depending on home and workplace.
Paper Clips?
Drawing pins?
[gabrielized] Just a quick btw: it makes it easier when we're putting summaries together if you put the questions in "Apropos," because it makes them obviously different from comments (like this one).
Anything to do with gardening?
[gabrielized] Paper clips? YES. Well done. Over to you.
  • WOW i got it? A N I M A L
    • Human?
    A particular instance of an animal/human?
    Dead?
    Furry?
    Does it have legs?
    Are you still there?
    Is it a fish?
    Fictional?
    # Rosie - Human? Yes # Darren - A particular instance of an animal/human? Yes # Tuj - Dead? Not exactly # irach - Furry? Not particularly # Kim - Does it have legs? Yes # Rosie - Are you still there?yes, sorry, this is a weighty responsibility! sorry! # Gusset Login - Is it a fish? No # Raak - Fictional? In a way, yes.
    (new at this and not doing well with the formatting...) A Hint - it is mentioned in a popular novel.
    Is this a character loosely based on a real person?
    Male?
    [Dujon - Is this a character loosely based on a real person?] Not a character but yes, based on reality. [Rosie - Male?] Yes.
    Is the novel more than 50 years old?
    [Rosie - Is the novel more than 50 years old?] No.
    Anything to do with the Harry Potter stories
    [Rosie - Anything to do with the Harry Potter stories] No.
    Not something from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, then?
    Is this a real person who makes an appearance in a work of fiction?
    No, not HGTTG.
    [CdM - Is this a real person who makes an appearance in a work of fiction?] This is a representation of a man that makes an appearance in a work of fiction; and figures prominently in that work of fiction.
    A physical representation, like a portrait or a statue?
    Raak! YES........................which one?
    Is the person represented alive?
    tough question. I suppose not, in a way, yes. Sorry, that's a matter of interpretation. The exact person dead, but could probably find others like that one now alive.
    Is there just one of the physical representation?
    Is the person the holder of some official position?
    Any religious connotations?
    Raak - there is just one original of this representation. Rosie - No indication that the person is the holder of any official position. Darren - There are no religious connotations to the person or the representation - apparently.
    Is this best known as a painting?
    Is it some sort of "modern art"?
    Is the person anonymous?
    It is a painting or more likely, a pencil drawing by someone very famous for art. Not modern art at all. The person, the subject of the sketch, is rather anonymous.
    Is the novel in question the Da Vinci Code?
    Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man?
    Yes, in DaVinci Code, the Vitruvian MAN!!! YOU WIN!!
    (ImNotJohn) Are you there?
    Is it the ordnance survey symbol for a cairn?
    Is it the ordinance survey symbol for CdM?
    That's "ordnance" of course. Even having the word right in front of me didn't stop me misspelling it.
    If ImNotJohn doesn't materialise perhaps Néa should start one. She got closest.
    Sorry
    Had to take a little bit of time off to work.
    This one is MINERAL

    CdM - Y....No.
    Darren - No

    Is it man-made?
    Is the Eiffel Tower?
    Is it a specific object?
    It just occurred to me that CdM might have an unfair advantage here.
    [GL] - No is the answer that helps most
    [all] - No
    [Darren] - Yes
    (Or alternatively CdM might have an unfair disadvantage.)
    Is it on the Earth?
    [Raak] Yes
    The white cliffs of Dover?
    Is it bigger than a house?
    Mount Rushmore?
    Basically watery?
    Cold
    [all] - No
    [Raak] - No
    [GL] - No
    [Rosie] - No
    In Europe?
    Is it usually found inside a building?
    Is it a notable precious stone?
    Does it belong to someone well-known?
    How did you do that?
    [Néa] - Yes
    [Kim] - Yes
    [Raak] - Yes (startled pause followed by prolonged applause)
    [Tuj] - Yes
    The Crown Jewels?
    The Hope Diamond?
    (er, except that fails the Europe test. And possibly the belonging to someone well-known test...)
    [Rosie] - No, but Yes, but No, but Yes, but NO
    [CdM] - No
    The Koh i Noor?
    (trying to decide if that's a really stupid question or not, and leaning towards "yes", so asking it anyway)
    The Star of Africa?
    Well that wasn't that hard, was it?
    [Néa] - No
    [all] - YES
    Cullinan 1 or 'The Star of Africa' (if you'd been struggling I would probably have accepted 'The Cullinan Diamond', but thanks to Raak's astounding intuitive leap it all went rather quickly)
    So, over to all
    drawing a line under it
    That was unexpected
    um...

    MINERAL

    Is it man-made?
    Is there just one of it?
    Is it on earth?
    Is it a notable precious stone?
    [ImNotJohn] - Yes
    [Raak] - Yes
    [CdM] - Yes
    [Néa] - Nope
    An engineering structure?
    [Rosie] - I'll say, Yes, pending a clarification of the term "engineering structure"
    Is it a building?
    Is it bigger than a phone box?
    Is it made entirely of metal?
    Is it a sculpture?
    Does it carry a means of transport?
    Does it have a practical use?
    Is it in Britain?
    The Angel of the North?
    [CdM] - No
    [Raak] - Yes (Audience, titters)
    [Tuj] - No
    [Dazed5] No
    [Rosie] - Yes (applause)
    [Darren] - Yes
    [Inkspot] - Yes
    [ImNotJohn] No
    Is it either the London Underground in general, or Mornington Crescent in particular?
    Obvious, I know, but someone has to ask.
    The inside of the Tardis?
    Or rather, just the Tardis?
    [CdM] - (Much Applause) No and No.
    [Raak] - No
    [Raak] - No
    Is it the Northern Line?
    [CdM] - YES! Well done. Over to you
    And once again I sneak in on someone else's coattails, as it were. OK, this one is
    ABSTRACT
    Is it in a fictional work?
    Is it an emotion?
    In fictional work? No.
    Emotion? No.
    A religion?
    Religion? No.
    A human construct?
    Human construct? Yes.
    Is it a form of entertainment?
    Form of entertainment? smattering of applause. No, but it has a connection to a form of entertainment.
    Is it audible?
    Audible? No.
    Samantha?
    Samantha? No.
    Is it connected to something competitive?
    Connected to something competitive? Yes. The competitive aspect is perhaps not hugely important, though.
    Is it a game of Mornington Crescent?
    The Laser Display Board?
    A bifurcation?
    Points?
    Ignore my last effort, which is not even abstract were it to actually exist.
    Game of MC? No. substantial applause from audience
    Abstract Display Board? No. (actually, I would have thought the LDB was very definitely abstract)
    Bifurcation? 1. No. 2. Yes. Congratulations! You won on the second strand! Unfortunately you still need to get the answer on the original strand.
    Points? No.
    The rules of Mornington Crescent?
    Rules of MC? No.
    Is it a technical term in MC (such as knip)?
    Knip (or some such)? Kno. (The audience is now concerned that it applauded too hard after Botherer's question.)
    Is it game other than MC played in the Morniverse?
    Morniverse game other than MC? No. loud applause from audience
    Is it the Morniverse?
    ISIHAC?
    ISIHAC? No.
    Morniverse? No.
    Mornington Crescent?
    MC? No. (a rather confused response from the audience; a few people applauding enthusiastically but most remaining silent)
    Connected with a pastime or form of entertainment not in the Morniverse?
    (Three questions for the price of one!)
    Connected with Non-morniverse entertainment? Yes (but I doubt if that is particularly helpful).
    A Tim-Tam slam?
    Tim-tam slam? No. I'd keep focusing on the morniverse, if I were you.
    mc5?
    mc^5? No. (some applause)
    Orange?
    Orange? No. (stony silence from the audience)
    A winning move?
    A pilgrimage?
    A winning move? Yes, but that is not sufficient. (loud and sustained applause from audience)
    A pilgrimage? No.
    *The* winning move?
    A lurker's victory in a game of MC?
    The final move of the MC^5 long game?
    The winning move? No.
    Lurker's victory? No.
    End of the long game? No.
    hmmmmmm...
    actually, you might be very very close with *the* winning move, but I need a clarification...
    A cry of "Mornington Crescent"?
    The final move of a game of MC?
    The first move of a game of Reverse MC?
    No, no, and no ... you weren't quite as close as I thought you might be. :-)
    That's lucky, it's time someone else got a chance to set one.
    The winner?
    Do eeither of the words 'mornington' or 'crescent' appear in the answer?
    The winner? No.
    M or C? No.
    Is the answer the winning move of a game?
    Is the answer the winning move of a game? Yes. (ushers are moving among the audience to try to get them to be quiet, and the riot police are starting to look nervous)
    Baker Street?
    (cconnection to another form of entertainment - but then again it wasn't supposed to appear in a fictional work)
    Baker Street? No. (I said that the other form of entertainment might not be helpful. I simply meant that the form of entertainment in question exists outside the morniverse as well as inside it.)
    is it theMC5 Audience when it *shouts, screams and generally goes wild for someone*?
    Stora Mossen?
    I never met a winning move I didn't like
    MC5 audience? No.
    Stora Mossen? No.
    You're running out of time today, folks; it's gone 11pm here...
    Is the answer the name of a station?
    name of a station? No.
    Boardo!?
    sorry CdM - are we keeping you up? :-)
    Boardo? No. And no you are not -- I have been working up to now. But you are probably going to have to wait until tomorrow, now...
    The Last Line Of A Limerick?
    Checkmate?
    Limerick?
    Said Gertrude, that master of prose
    "A rose is a rose is a rose"
    There's wisdom, you see
    In tautology:
    An answer's an answer, I s'pose.

    Checkmate? No.
    The end of this game?
    Is it a punchline?
    [Raak] I think that is close enough!
    The answer to this round of AVMA is "the answer to this round of AVMA". Over to you
    After that rarefied flight of circular fancy, a very down to earth MINERAL.
    Is it man-made?
    Is it found on Earth?
    [GL] Yes.
    [all] Yes.
    Is it a building?
    [Néa] No.
    Are there many of these?
    Is it bigger than a bread box?
    [Rosie] No. (But there are more than one.)
    [all] Yes. (All of them are. Each of them is.)
    Does it move?
    [INJ] No. At least, they're not supposed to.
    Are it made of stone?
    Are they to be found in Britain?
    [all] Um...no.
    [GL] Yes.
    That's all for today, I'm off shortly to a concert at the Aldeburgh Festival.
    Were they all made after 1900?
    I hope you enjoyed your evening the programme, not that I am in the least bit jealous.
    Are these objects identical, more or less?
    Would these consist of a soft, earthy substance, of a white, grayish, or yellowish white color, consisting of calcium carbonate, and having the same composition as common limestone?
    [Inkspot] Yes. (The Orlando Consort, giving a concert of Baroque recreational depression -- Tallis, Purcell, Tomkins, etc. There was a BBC OB van there, so it might get broadcast at some point, but of course, that's nothing like being there.)
    [Rosie] They're similar.
    [Dujon] Soft? No.
    Are they composed entirely of a single substance?
    [INJ] They are known for it!
    Is the substance liquid?
    [INJ] No.
    Does the name of the substance appear in the answer?
    [GL] Yes.
    Is the substance iron?
    Is it made to be decorative?
    Are they all in the same city or town?
    A brick outhouse?
    [GL] No.
    [Inkspot] Yes.
    [Darren] Yes.
    [INJ] No.
    The Crown Jewels?
    Concrete cows?
    [Rosie] No.
    [GL] YES! The Concrete Cows of Milton Keynes.
    (Gusset Login) Coo-oo!
    [Gusset Login) Coo-ee!
    Sorry, I was away for a few days
    I assumed I had it wrong. um...

    Vegetable

    A potato?
    [Raak] - No
    Is it edible?
    [Darren] - Yes, or part of it is
    Is it processed?
    Can you buy it in a typical U.K. supermarket?
    [Darren] - No.
    [Raak] - No
    Does it grow wild in the U.K.?
    [Raak] - Yes
    Is the edible part of it a fruit?
    Is it a nettle?
    Is it later processed into a product?
    Is it a magic mushroom?
    [Kim] - No
    [CdM] - No
    [Rosie] - Yes
    [rab] - No.
    Is it rhubarb?
    Is it nicer with custard?
    Is it a type of grain?
    Is the edible bit green?
    Dandelion and Burdoch?
    Is it a mustard seed?
    [Darren] - No
    [Irouléguy] - No
    [Raak] - No
    [Tuj] - The websites I've checked are undecided about the green bit being edible.
    [Dujon] - No
    [CdM] - No
    Hops?
    Would you (well, not necessarily you personally) ever eat the edible bit in its unprocessed form?
    [Chalky] - No
    [CdM] - Yes
    It might be worth clarifying that most products produced from it are not intended to be edible
    Are those products flowers?
    Oil See Rape?
    or perhaps Linseed?
    [Irouléguy] - No
    [Chalky] - No (nor Oilseed Rape)
    [Chalky] - No
    Are the products produced from it mostly liquid?
    Is it a tree?
    [Darren] - No
    [Rosie] - Yes
    Is the edible part a nut?
    [Darren] - No
    Is the product produced from it decorative?
    Is the non-edible product timber?
    [Darren] - That depends, can you think of any decorative uses for wood?
    [Raak] - Yes
    Is the answer a particular tree (such as a maple tree, for example)?
    Are we looking for the final product?
    [CdM] - Yes
    [Darren] - No, it's a tree
    So we are looking for a tree that grows wild in Britain and which has an edible part that is not a leaf or a fruit or a nut or a blossom...
    A pine tree?
    Licorice?
    If I'm right, someone else needs to carry the torch...
    The mighty oak?
    My "other" computer is an Acorn but I've never eaten one.
    Is the edible bit a vegetable?
    [CdM] - Good summary, But you forgot to mention that the edible part can be eaten raw and it is mainly used for non-edible products.

    [Raak] - No
    [Botherer] - No
    [Rosie] - No
    [Irouléguy] - No, the whole thing is a tree.

    Willow
    The bark is edible in small quantities but is mostly used for medicinal ones
    [ImNotJohn] - No, but you're thinking along the right lines
    Is the edible part the sap?
    Alder?
    [Raak] - Yes, but also the bark.
    [Inkspot] - No
    Is it from the salicaceae family of trees?
    [Inkspot] - No
    Family Fagaceae?
    Jesuit's bark aka cinchona?
    [Darren] - No
    [Irouléguy] - I've never heard quinine bark called that before... No

    Would a clue be useful at this point?

    WE will ask the questions, Mr Login. Er, yes please. :-)
    Very well.

    It's a conifer and easy to recognise from a distance.

    The Larch?
    [Darren] - YES! Well done, it would have been easier if no one had asked about it being edible, which it is, apparently.
    Ah, but it's the unexpected questions that can produce misleading answers which are so much fun!

    So, this one is primarily VEGETABLE but I wouldn't be surprised if MINERAL or indeed ANIMAL could be involved in some cases.

    Stovold's Mornington Crescent Almanac 2002 ?
    Is the vegetable still alive?
    [Chalky] I can see your reasoning, but no.
    [Gusset Login] No.
    Is it man-made?
    Austrian wine?
    GL] I know the name from the Patrick O'Brian 'Master and commander' books.
    arrow_circle_down
    Want to play? Online Crescenteering lives on at Discord