mc5 - AVMA Take 2

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AVMA Take 2

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

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Is it used to carry something?

OK – let’s try to see what we know:
It is a belt but it is not worn as such and is not an item of clothing. It is a part of a larger whole, but can be made separately (a replaceable part?) It may be made of A, V or M and is always ‘sort of’ the same shape although the size can vary. If Animal this could be leather. Manufactured although not necessarily by machine. Irg has made one. It is functional rather than decorative. It has some 'sort of' connection with 'attaching' but not of one thing to another (still slightly confused by that). The answer is one word plus the indefinite article, but this could exist in the plural. It is not normally elastic (although that is not impossible). It does not normally contain or hold other things (bandolier, tool belt)
It is not: a buckle or fastener (applause), garters, dog tag or leash, safety harness, seat belt, handcuffs or other bondage gear, a conveyor belt or a number of other things excluded by the things we know.

Is it a drive belt?

Raak] Is it a drive-belt? YES! (Specifically a fanbelt, but that's good enough).Apologies for the 'connecting one thing to another' answer, which I think was wrong now - I was trying to get at the idea of it being internal. And the answer to Dujon's tool-belts question was misleading, as I didn't read it properly. Not one of my better ones. One baton improvised from tights handed over to Raak.

That was unexpected. Hmm... MINERAL and ANIMAL, with ABSTRACT connections.

Is it manmade?

By the by, the answer "Would it normally be worn by a person? Person rather than an animal, yes - but it's not 'worn' as such." rather threw me. Did you mean "NO"?

[G III] Man-made? Something man-made is involved.

Is the mineral metal?

But is it art?

[Software] Partly metal.
[G III] Not art.

Is the animal portion canine?

An everyday object?

Begins with a P?

[Irouléguy] Can I ask about the "it was Tuj who gave me the idea"?

[irach] Not canine.
[Rosie] Not an everyday object. Not in the sense you mean, that is. *laughter*
[Tuj] Yes! It does indeed begin with a P! Is that a first?

P-research

[Raak] No, it is a seventh, though I have asked the question 59 times.
People who aren't me have an improved success rate of 3 out of 12.
Meanwhile Raak has asked if the word has ended in P, and CdM set the answer "the set of all words beginning with P".

Does this relate to time?

[Dujon] Relates to time? In a way.

Is the animal part living?

Are the abstract connections to a work of art?

[Tuj] Also related: around the same time I also set "A P" in the sense of the Associated Press, and "urine".

[Tuj] The animal part is living.
[CdM] Not related to a work of art.

A horse and cart?

[Rosie] Not a horse and cart.

A cage?

[Rosie] Not a cage.

"Pig in a poke" ?

[irach] Not a pig in a poke.

Is the animal a source of energy to be used as, for example, motive power?

[Rosie] The animal makes it happen? Yes.

A Pony and Trap?

[Software] Not a pony and trap. The "motive power" thing may be misleading.

Is it the animal part that begins with the "P"?

[irach] The animal part is not the part beginning with P.

A rat-race?

[Rosie] Not a rat-race.

Is there an agricultural connection?

[Kim] Nothing to do with agriculture. *snoring from the audience*

Is the animal a mammal?

[Rosie] The animal is a mammal.

Is the animal normally associated with human contact (e.g. pet or livestock)?

[G III] Not a pet, not livestock. Associated with human contact? Well...you're thinking on the wrong lines. Hint: a frequently asked question has not yet been asked.

Animal human?

Why the FAQ didn't I ask that earlier?

Is the abstract connection a metaphor?

Fictional?

[Rosie] At last! The animal is himan.
[CdM] The abstract connection is a metaphor.
[Tuj] Not fictional. (Knowledgeable members of the audience and those who have just googled it murmur.) Not intended as fictional.

Is it "Manpower"?

[Kim] Not "Manpower".

Related to the bible?

Is the mineral part a specific object?

[G III] Not related to the bible.
[Rosie] Yes, a specific mineral object.

Is the human currently living?

[Kim] Not applicable. Not a specific human.

"People Power"

Is the mineral object implied rather than specified?

[Rosie] Yes to both.

Is this a phrase?

[Tuj] It is a phrase.

Is the word that begins with P "Power"?

[irach, sorry I overlooked this] Not "People Power".
[Kim] P is not for "power".
Summary: the phrase describes a specified mineral object, an implied one, and some human activity, and the whole is also a metaphor. Not biblical, artistic, or any of the specific guesses so far. It begins with a P.

The Press?

[Rosie] Not The Press. The very first word of this begins with a P.

Is the animal human part a plural noun?

[irach] The animal human is not mentioned.

Is the mineral partly glass?

Platinum artist?

[CdM] No glass.
[staniel] Not a platinum artist. (Not an artistic thing.)
*the audience sign up for cryonic suspension*

Is the metaphor assoicated with human endeavour (eg, nose to the grindstone, shoulder to the wheel, that kind of thing)?

[Kim] Yes! Exactly that sort of thing!

Are the second and third letters U and T?

[CdM] Putting? No.

Is it also the title of a film?

First word a present participle?

Are the second and third letters U and L?

[Kim] Not the title of a film, according to IMDB. I think it ought to be, though. It would be rather a long one.
[Rosie] The first word is a present participle.
[Tuj] PULl the other one, it's got bells on.

Is there a mythical connection?

[Kim] No mything links.

Pulling your weight?

[Rosie] Not pulling your weight.

Are the second and third letters of the first word "U" and "S"?

[Kim] Pushy? No.

Any links to a game?

[INJ] Nothing to do with a game.

There are four words on the card.

I see my summary left out the information that this thing has a connection with time.

Painting the Forth bridge?

Aha!

[INJ] We have a winner! One bottomless bucket and a paintbrush handed over.

semi-lurking

I didn't think anyone would object, given how long this one has been going.
Rather more quickly, I hope, you will get to:
Abstract with Animal Connections - (Actually I could claim it as Abstract with Animal connections on 2 counts and Animal with Abstract connections on 1 - but don't let that confuse you)

Leaving now

Won't be looking at this until tomorrow morning now, I'm afraid.

Is the animal part human?

An activity?

[Kim] Human? - NO
[Rosie] Activity? - NO

An expression?

[Software] Expression? - NO

Is the animal of a species that exists in the world today?

Good question

[Kim] Animal species exists today? - NO (however, I am just a little wary of the exact form in which the question was asked)

Is the animal mythical?

[Raak] Mythical animal? - Hmm - NO, unless you mean 'is it fictional?', in which case, the answer is YES

A specific fictional animal?

(i.e., an individual animal like "White Fang")

Animal common in fantasy literature?

[CdM] Specific animal - YES
[G3] Common in Fantasy Literature? - NO

Begins with a P?

Does the animal appear predominantly in books?

[Tuj] THE question? - NO
[Kim] booky animal? - NO

From a children's movie?

[CdM] From children's film? - NO (and he claims he doesn't speak American)

Is the animal a human construction?

[Kim] Human Construction? - YES (in the sense that I think you mean)
Also YES in another sense *a few chuckles from the audience* and NO in a very obscure sense.
Confused enough now?

An animal bred for some purpose?

Is it an animal of legend (as distinct from myth)?

[G3] bred for some purpose? - NO
[Kim] Legend rather than myth? - NO - If anything the reverse, but neither is a good description

Is the animal a member of a real species (dog rather than hipporhinocecow, for example)

trying to hone in based on some previous answers...
And I never claimed any such thing. I speak American almost fluently.

[CdM] Member of real species? - YES

[CdM] "hone in"? **bang!!**

[Raak] ooops...

An animal of folklore?

[Raak] Although... maybe I was just demonstrating my command of fluent American for INJ. According to the M-W Dictionary of English Usage

The phrase [hone in] seems to have become established in American English, and is apparently beginning to be used in British English (Garner has a British example). If you use it, you should be aware that some people will think you have made a mistake.

Not surprisingly, the folks at Language Log have have also discussed it quite a bit. One of the interesting things is that though the verb to home has been around a long time, home in and hone in are both recent coinages. None of which is meant as a serious defense in my particular case, by the way; had I noticed it, I would have certainly chosen home in in preference.

Not well-honed

[Kim] Folklore? - NO

Is this animal primarily known for some artistic representation of it?

[CdM] artiswtically represented - NO (except for fairly wide definitions of 'artistic' and 'representation')

Is it a species of animal, rather than a single example?

[Kim] Species? - The answer would technically be a species, but it is known by a single example

From an adult film?

Not an "adult" film, you understand. Just an adult film.

(We now know that this animal is fictional, but not from a book, children's film, or known from an artistic representation...)

Would the aminal/species be known conventionally as a "dinosaur"?

[CdM] Film for adults - NO
[Kim] Dino? - NO
So, by a process of elimination....

From a teenage film?

Is the animal the subject of a poem?

Building on CdM's summary, if I have this right, the individual animal has never actually existed but is a human construction, represented not in books or artistic representation (which I take to mean painting, drawing, sculpture, etc) and not in any film made for children, adults or teenagers but in some other artistic form; moreover, the species to which the animal belongs is a real species, but the species does not exist in the world today, nor is it what we would call a "dinosaur".

Trojan horse?

From TV?

At last

[Kim] Subject of poem? - NO *some chuckles in the audience*
[G3] Trojan Horse? - NO
[CdM] TV - YES *sighs of relief*
The summary is correct, except around the 'species' (and this is my fault). It's probably best to say that the genus is real and current, but this particular creature isn't. After all, it doesn't exist, so has never been classified, so I'm extrapolating here - is it a species or a sub-species - search me. However, I suspect that you would probably think of it as part of an existing species.

Is/was there a real animal or animals who played the part of this fictional animal on TV?

(e.g., Flipper the wonder horse, Lassie the bush kangaroo) (I'm assuming not, because otherwise I think INJ would have led with Animal rather than Abstract ... but INJ's original definition did seem to leave the door open for lots of things.)

Mister Ed?

Was it a TV cartoon?

Associated with a particular actor?

Is the TV show named after the animal?

[CdM] Real Animal played part? NO (or I certainly hope not)
[Phil] Mr Ed? - NO
[Raak] Cartoon? - NO
[Projoy] Particular actor? - NO, not as such *Some muttering in the audience*[Kim] Named after animal? - NO

Mr. Blobby?

Is the animal a puppet?

Was the audience muttering because a known actor voiced this character?

Is our elusive friend a puppet?

Whoops! Sorry, Kim.

I'm also going to request a clarification on the classification. Though you have classified this primarily as abstract, does (or did) it still have some physical (presumably vegetable or mineral) existence? (Although maybe that is just a very roundabout way of asking Kim's question for the third time!)

[Raak] Mr Blobby? - NO
[Kim] Puppet? - NO
[CdM] Voiced by well-known actor - NO
[Dujon] - still no
CdM - Some physical existence? - YES *some applause* (but the classification is still correct)

Was this animal played by an actor in costume?

Not a real animal, not a puppet, and not a cartoon. Not many possibilities left.

Was the animal invisible?

Do we take your earlier rejection of "cartoon" to include all forms of amination?

Is it a logo or mascot?

I am thinking along the lines of something like Pudsey the bear (though not him of course as he begins with P).

One of the Playschool toys?

Just as an observation, we have nothing indicating that this is a children's show, though I think we are all tending to assume that it is.

[CdM] Gorilla-suited? - N)
[Raak] Invisible? - NO
[Kim] animated? - NO (I don't split hairs in this game)
[Bigsmith] Logo/Mascot - NO
Playschool? - NO
[CdM] Good point, well made.

Pantomime horse?

Well this is proving harder than I had ever imagined

[Software] Panto pony? - NO (precluded by answer to CdM's previous question)

Not a real animal, not a puppet, not a costumed actor, not invisible, not a cartoon or other animation. We are obviously missing something here but I am drawing a blank.

Was this animal ever seen (in some form or another) by the TV viewers?

Avian?

getting warmer

[CdM] Was the animal seen? - YES (it will become clear)
[irach] birdy? - YES *relieved applause*

"Phoenix rising from the ashes"?

[irach] Phoenix? - NO

Did the animal have an individual name?

"Eagle eye"?

Did the TV show feature a representation of this bird (e.g., a picture) rather than the bird itself?

[Raak] Named? - NO *a few murmurs in the audience*
[irach] Eagle eye? - Never heard of it, so NO
[CdM] Representation? YES(ish), a picture? - NO
There are 3 words on the card, including the indefinite article.

Is this from a comedy show?

[CdM] comedy show? - YES Loud and relieved applause*

Is it visible during the show?

[Phil] Visible? - YES

A Liver Bird?

[CdM] Liver Bird - Good guess, but NO

Was this seen in a pet shop?

"Dead Parrot" a la Monty Python?

Close enough for jazz

I don't want to draw this out so I declare irach the winner! The answer on the card was A Norwegian Blue
[CdM] The category that had not been suggested was 'a prop/model'
(To explain the convoluted intro 'a Norwegian Blue' can also be an orienteering course or the nickname of the earliest fossil proto-psittacoid, which was found in Scandinavia.)
One baton totally bereft of life handed on to irach.

Simulposted with:

That must be it, though I am guessing that "A Norwegian Blue" are the actual words on the card. (That's irach's win, not mine, if correct.)

Well, that one was put to rest at last. The psittacoid in question pining for the fjords is now in birdie Valhalla.... The next one is ANIMAL with an ABSTRACT Connotation.

Human?

A single individual animal?

Is the answer a phrase?

[CdM] Non-human.
[IMJ] More than one.
[Rosie] Sort of a phrase.

Lemmings?

A single species of animal?

A team or pack?

[Tuj] Not lemmings.
[CdM] Not a single species.
[Rosie] A team of sorts, not a pack.

Domesticated animals?

Likely to be seen in the wild?

(in counterpoint to INJ)

[INJ] Not domesticated.
[CdM] Yes, and no.

Fictional?

Dickybirds?

Land animal?

[Tuj] Fictional in part.
[Rosie] Not dickybirds.
[Software] Yes. Land animal

Does it begin with P?

To business.

[Tuj] 'Pologies, but no "P" whatsover, in either the beginning, middle, or end.

The Circle of Life?

Ouch.

[Tuj] Not the circle of life.

An animal of which there are both domesticated and wild examples?

[Kim] Only wild or presumed wild.

Does the name of an animal (or several) appear on the card?

[INJ] Yes, the animals are named.

Indigenous to the UK?

"Wild? I was absolutely livid!"

Do they form an heraldic or symbolic group?

[Bigsmith] Not indigenous to the US individually, but togeter, yes, very British.

[INJ] Yes, they form a heraldic or symbolic group.

Lion and Unicorn?

[Software] The Lion and the Unicorn it is. The baton is passed

Bu**er! That means I'll have to think of something. Right, after 30 seconds deep thought here it is:

VEGETABLE with ANIMAL and ABSTRACT connections.

Terry Schiavo?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Is the vegetable wood?

I Can't Believe It's Not Bu**er!?

Smaller than a toaster?

[Raak] Yowzer!

[Raak] Terry? No
[INJ] Wood? Yes.
[CdM] er.. No.
[Tuj] Toaster? Difficult one, probably Yes.

Are the animal connections human?

Is there only one of these?

A board game?

[Raak] Human? Yes.
[Kim] Unique? No.
[Tuj] Boardo? No.

A tool?

Found in a kitchen?

Long and thin?

[INJ] tool? some may say so, but a sensible answer is probably No.
[irach] kitchen? some would say Yes.
[Rosie] phalic? No.

Edible?

Chopsticks?

*wonders about the short fat approximately toaster-sized chopsticks that irach eats with*

[CdM] edible? theoretically, Yes.
[irach] ching-chang-chew? No.

Part of a foodstuff that is not normally eaten? (eg fish bones)

[Rosie] Fishy? No.

A container of some kind?

Specific to a particular culture or country?

[Tuj] Container? No.
[CdM]Specific country/culture? No.

Serves a decorative purpose?

I'm struggling with the edible wood.

Heart of palm?

[INJ] Decorative? No.
[Raak]Swamp cabbage? Had to Google that! No.

Advent calendar?

About the size of a toaster in all three dimensions, two dimensions, or one?

Found in most homes?*

* for a definition of home based on the Western European model

[G III] Chocolatey date thing? No.
[irach] Toaster sized? In one dimension maybe. Yes.
[INJ] Domestic? Yes. (random claps from audience)

Used in the preparation or serving of food?

Is the abstract connection something to do with the arts?

[INJ] Jamie Oliverish? Nah.
[CdM] Arty-farty? No.

Associated with apparel?

[INJ] wear it? No.

Clue?

Is the abstract connection a phrase or saying?

Does it begin with a 'P'?

Sorry Tuj, but we can only wait so long for you.

[Tuj] Clue? OK. This is a give away: almost everyone has used one of these.
[CdM] Abstract? Not a phrase or saying as such, but a familiar term.
[INJ] P? Not in the answer itself. * audience murmurs.*

Paper of some sort?

Toilet paper?

[Chalks] Paper? Yes. *audience claps*
[GIII] Bog roll? No.

Advent Calendar?

ooops - CANCEL THAT

Box of Tissues

Newspaper?

[Chalks] Advent calendar? You wish! And not paper hankies either. No.
[irach] The fourth estate? No.

Paper Towels?

[irach] Towels? No. Hint: it is paper, approximately toaster sized in one dimension.

Is is typically written on, e..g. foolscap paper?

[irach] Written? Not by hand, but Yes. * audience claps * Foolscap? Are you a lawyer?

A Telephone Directory?

A fortune cookie?

[CdM] Directory? The exact words on the Card!!!

Well done and over to you!! I'm glad that its gone because I'm away from a computer for the next 5 days and there would have been a big gap!

That was unexpected

OK. I am going to designate this as ABSTRACT with ANIMAL connections, while acknowledging that many of you might have deemed this ANIMAL with ABSTRACT connections.

Begins with P?

Anubis?

Mythical?

A well-known phrase?

Pinitial? No.
Anubis? No, but *a tiny smattering of applause*
Mythical? No, but *some audience murmuring and consultation of dictionaries*
Well-known phrase? In a sense, yes, although that's not the best way to think of what you are looking for.

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