mc5 - AVMA Take 2

A burger?

Is it a predator?

Is this one object?

[JJ] Not a mad cow.
[S] Not a burger.
[GIII] Not a predator.
[R] The answer is in the singular, but it's not a specific individual. (E.g. "A window-cleaner", rather than "The Eiffel Tower".)

Clothing?

[INJ] Not clothing.

This thing has Abstract connections as well.

Is the animal part a by-product?

[P] There are no byproducts, only products other than the one you were trying to make.

JJ

A Damien Hirst?

[JJ] Sharks in formaldehyde? No.

Is it a construction/building?

Trying to clear the fog.

Is it larger than a toaster?

[S] Not a construction or building.
[P] Yes! Bigger than a toaster.

But is it art?

[GIII] *applause* Yes! It is (associated with) art!

Used in the display of a work of art?

JJ

Some kind of pigment?

[R] Not an easel, picture rail, plinth, gallery, web site, or object of like nature.
[JJ] Not a pigment.
I am taking "art" in the general sense, not just pictures.

Larger than a phonebox?

[P] Not larger than a phonebox.

Animal part human?

[S] Not human. (Herbivore, remember.)

Is the animal part, leather?

[INJ] *applause* The audience were getting desperate for something to applaud. The animal part is leather.

An armchair?

Does its shape resemble a lamina (i.e., does it have immaterial depth)

A saddle (the vegetable part being wood)

[S] Not an armchair, however artistically made.
[GIII] Not laminate.
[i] (a) Not a saddle. (b) Yes! The vegetable part is wood.

Specific to a certain culture?

A gaucho's bolas?

Elephant's foot umbrella stand?

[CdM] Yes, specific to a certain culture.
[i] Not a bolas.
[INJ] Not an EFUS.

A drum of some kind?

Does it have any stuffing?

[CdM] *APPLAUSE* It is a drum of some kind.
[GIII] No stuffing.
I'll be away and offline for the weekend from mid-afternoon on Friday, so you'd better get it solved by then.

A Lambeg Drum?

A tabla?

[R] Not a Lambeg.
[GIII] Not a tabla.

A bodhran?

Asian?

[INJ] Not a bodhran.
[GIII] Yes, Asian.

dhol?

[P] Not a dhol.

Would this be more likely to be found in the Asian sub-continent than in Asia proper?

A mridangam?

[D] I'm not sure what distinction you're drawing there. Asia.
[i] Not a mridangam.

Primarily Chinese?

[INJ] Not Chinese.

A Taiko drum?

[GIII] *the audience burst into a 3-hour Miyake improvisation* You have hit the drum on the head! One bachi passed to the winner.

Huzzah!

Right, I'll try to be as responsive as I can, but may only be able to answer on a daily basis some of the time. We'll keep it reasonably easy (I hope).

ABSTRACT

Human construct?

A manifestation of the physical world?

[CdM] Made up by humans? YES
[Rosie] Not 100% sure I get your meaning, but I'm fairly confident the answer is NO.

Related to a specific culture?

linguistic connections?

[Software] Cultural? NO
[INJ] Except insofar that the answer is formed of word(s), NO.

A philosophy?

(G III) (First question) - I meant something like heat, cold, humidity etc.

[Rosie] Thanks for the clarification. Still NO then.

[Rosie] A philosophy? NO

Begins with a P?

Related to emotions?

[Tuj] P'ed? NO
[INJ] Audience oohs and whispers. Emotional? NO, not directly.

An intellectual process?

[Rosie] A process? NO

To do with music?

Associated with a specific time period or place?

[Software] Laaa! NO
[INJ] In general, NO, but to some people, probably YES.

artistic connections?

To do with belief?

[INJ] But is it art? NO
[Software] A believer? Good question. NO

Some form of memory?

A single word answer?

Nostalgia?

[Rosie] A memory? NO
[Tuj] Just one word? YES! *some applause and general relief*
[Dujon] Vera Lynn? NO.

An action?

Connected to this game?

[INJ] Action? NO
[Tuj] Connected thinking? NOT DIRECTLY
may be time for a clue soon.

Intelligence, in some form?

Dreaming?

[Rosie] Intelligentsia? NO, but not unrelated
[Software] Nocturnal activity? *healthy applause*: NO

Some form of wish?

[Rosie] Wishful thinking? NO

An idea?

Daydream?

[Tuj] Idea? YES, in a way
[Software] Daydream? NO, wrong direction I'm afraid.

Insomnia

Reality?

Nightmare?

[INJ] Wakefulness? NO
[Rosie] Reality? NO
[Software] Mare? NO
some lateral thinking required.

Anything to do with sex?

The mind?

[Rosie] Something to do with sex? YES make of that what you will
[Tuj] The mind? NO, (and yes but that's less helpful).

A result of sexual activity?

I'm going to sleep.

Necessarily to do with reproduction?

A fantasy?

Fictional?

Hmm, along rather the wrong lines at the moment.

[Rosie] Afterglow? NO
[Projoy] Necessary? DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW. For most people, NO
[Software] Fantastical? NO
[Tuj] A fiction? DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW ;-)

A sexual activity?

[Projoy] Sexual activity? NO

To do with sex in the sense of "gender"?

[Projoy] Gender specific

Clue (but not really). Think about dreams (healthy applause but not the right answer) and being to do with sex.

An imaginary thing?

related to a man's world?

[Projoy] Imaginary? I think we can safely say YES
[Dujon] Manly? Not specifically.

An ideal?

[Software] Ideal? NO

A fantasy?

[Rosie] I refer you to an earlier answer. NO.

Think about dreams. Someone else did...

To do with being female?

Actually, scrub that. Is it connected with the subconscious?

[Projoy] Subconscious? *audience applause* YES!

The id?

The superego?

[CdM] Let's not just rush in with a random guess.

Subliminal?

[Software] Sublime? NO
[Projoy] Superlative self? NO
[CdM] Id? *Audience gasps with the audacious guess, then rapturous applause* YES! The word on the card was Id. One baton winging its way over to CdM...

The line maker

A bit of a lurker's victory, I'm afraid. So I'll atone with a nice easy VEGETABLE.

Is this a LARGE vegetable? ;)

Large? It is neither large nor otherwise.

Edible?

Grass?

Edible? Yes.
Grass No.

*coff* Begins with a P?

Got a feeling it will =)

Is it a vegetable?

Begins with a P? Absolutely not.
A vegetable? No.

A collective noun, e.g. blossom?

Collective noun? No.

Is it man-made?

[CdM] Burst my bubble, eh?

Man-made? I'm not sure one would usually use that term, but the answer is Yes in the sense that it is processed.

Potato crisps/chips?

Chrisps? No.

Canned?

Tofu?

Canned? Can be, but not usually.
Tofu? No.

Is this comprised of a type of tuber?

Can it be fed to animals?

Just need to get that out of my head.

Tuberous? No.
Fed to animals? Um, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be, although perhaps there is something I don't know about animal digestion that would preclude it. I don't think it is fed to animals on any kind of established or regular basis. On the other hand, googling around to investigate that question, I discovered that -- to my surprise -- I should have labeled this "VEGETABLE AND SOMETIMES ANIMAL".

Is it an ingredient in something that is consumed by humans?

Does it consist of multiple small elements?

e.g. Muesli

Some form of oil?

Ingredient? Sometimes, yes.
Mueslish? No.
Oil? No.

Is it something extracted from a plant (or sometimes animal)?

Extracted from a plant? Yes. *applause* (Extracted from an animal? No.)

As a small clue, the "sometimes animal" is not an avenue that you will find worth pursuing. I did not know of the animal connection and would be amazed if anyone here did.

Is it a liquid?

Liquid? Yes.

Fruit smoothie?

Smoothie? No.

Is it a brand name?

Does it have therapeutic qualities?

A syrup (e.g. corn or maple?)

An essential oil (i.e. perfume)?

Does it come in a variety of flavours?

Cutting to the chase

The words on the card are Maple Syrup, and so I will pass a fine hand-carved maplewood baton to irach. Apparently, manufacturers sometimes use a tiny amount of lard (or other animal or vegetable fat) to reduce foaming while boiling the maple sap. So your maple syrup may in fact contain about 0.003% lard. Vegetarians take note.

Lard-dee-dah!!

This one is Mostly MINERAL with possibly abstract connections

Mostly metal?

Does one wear it?

Man made?

Begins with P?

[CdM] Not metal
[Raak] Not worn.
[Software] Not man-made
[Tuj] No "P" involved.

Mostly stone?

[CdM] Not mostly stone.

Does it currently exist?

A terrestial object or phenomenon?

[Tuj] Does currently exist.
[Dujon] Yes , a terrestrial object; many may also describe it as phenomenal.

Mostly harmless?

[CdM] Hmmmm... yes, for the vast majority of people it is, and has been harmless.

Is it unique?

Bigger than Wales?

Mostly water?

[Tuj] Unique? Certainly.
[Raak]Not bigger than Wales
[CdM] Mostly water? Yes!!!

Is it a lake?

The Ganges?

[Raak] Not a lake.
[Dujon] Not the Ganges.

Mostly freshwater?

Is the water liquid?

[CdM] Freshwater.
[Raak] Almost always liquid. In rare instances has been known not to be.

In a single country?

Niagara Falls?

[Tuj] Two nations.
[CdM] Yes.... Niagara Falls it is... the falls froze over completely in 1911...An icicle baton is handed off to you...

Line Maker

Me again? OK, a nice easy ANIMAL this time.

Human?

Human? No.

Dead?

Dead? Um. Well, I think the correct answer is that it was never really alive. Which might make you wonder if it is actually animal at all -- and I admit that I have had to think hard about that. My conclusion is that it *is* animal, though I could see someone making the case that it is vegetable. And still never really living. Or not exactly. Confused? So am I, despite the fact that it really is a simple AVMA topic.

Smaller than a pinhead?

Begins with a P?

Edible?

Fictional?

A Snark, as in the Lewis Carroll poem (Boojum or not)?

Insufficient room for angels? It is of no specific size, but it is not smaller than a pinhead?
Begins with P? No.
Edible? Yes. *some audience chuckling at the juxtaposition of the last two questions*
Fictional? No.
Snarky? No.

Is it unique?

A mineral, despite the classification?

Of marine origin?

Limestone?

Unique? No. (actually, not really a relevant question)
Mineral? No.
Marinal? No.
Limestone? No.

A brain?

A fossil?

Brain? No. (I don't think there would be any ambiguity there.)
Fossil? No. (Not mineral.)

Yeast?

Yeast? No.

Insect like?

liquid?

Insect-like? No (but some *applause*)
Liquid? Usually, yes.

Royal Jelly?

Sorry to ask 2 in a row, but it's a long time between them.

An oil?

Royal jelly? No, but *loud applause*.
Oil? No.

Honey?

Tree sap?

Honey is correct. Is honey more like milk (surely animal), or regurgitated carrots (probably stlll vegetable)? I think the answer is milk, but I'm not sure. *hands somewhat sticky baton to Raak*

The next is MINERAL and ANIMAL, with ABSTRACT connections.

Water off a duck's back?

[i] Not water off (or on) a duck's back.

Is the mineral component metal?

Rats! I was hesitating between Honey & Royal Jelly and decided that I would have put honey as more vegetable-ish.

Human animal?

{S} Not human.

Exceeding dimensional equivalence with a domestic bread grilling machine?

And my metal question?

[INJ] Oops, yes, mostly metal. Bigger than a toaster.

Animal leather?

Is it unique?

Any artistic connections?

[R] Not leather.
[T] Not unique.
[INJ] Yes, artistic, broadly understood.

Movable?

[S] Erm....yes, movable.

Associated with film or television?

Found in the home?

[INJ] applause! Associated with film or television.
[R] laughter! Not found in the home.

Begins with a P?

[T] Does not begin with a P. Bonus answer: there is not a single P on the card.

[Raak] Have you checked on the back as well?

[CdM] It's a Möbius card.

Associated with the *creation* of film or TV content?

[Raak] Ah, ok. Have you checked the edge?

A dalek?

[INJ] Not a dalek.

Pinewood studios

[S] Not a film director's tree hut.

[CdM] Associated with the creation of film or TV content? Like, equipment, screenplays, production crew, etc? No.

TV?

(Rather than film)

[INJ] Yes, TV rather than film.

Dr. Who's Tardis phone booth?

[i] Bigger inside than out? No.

A location or set?

[R] Not a location or set.

Associated with a specific TV programme?

Associated with Star Trek?

[Tuj] Yes, associated with a specific TV programme.
[P] Boldly going? No.

Associated with a children's TV programme?

[K] Not children's TV.

British TV?

[CdM] Not children's TV.

[CdM] Ahem. Yes, British TV.

Red Dwarf?

[S] Not Red Dwarf.

TV drama?

[K] Not TV drama.

Is the animal a character in the TV show (such as Skippy the Wonder Horse)?

[CdM] Not a character.

Comedy?

[S] Yes, comedy.

Monty Python?

[S] *applause* It is Monty Python!

That is, it is from Monty Python. Still a way to go.

The University of Wallamaloo?

Bibo ergo sum.

A Norwegian Blue in a cage?

[R] Not UW.
[CdM] Not pining for the fjords.

Dead bird and cage in the " Dead Parrot" skit?

[i] CdM just asked that.

Does it feature in one of their films?

[GIII] It doesn't feature in any of their feature films, but I couldn't swear that it's not in things like The Secret Policeman's Ball.

Is the animal actually a single animal?

[INJ] some applause Not a single animal.

All things dull and ugly?

[CdM] Not all things dull and ugly.

A bucketful of piranha?

Only a bit larger than a toaster.

[R] *a scattering of applause* Not a bucketful of piranhas.

The zinc stoat?

[S] Not the zinc stoat.

Spiny Norman?

Never mind; that's a single animal.

the name of a species?

[CdM] Not a Spiny Norman.
[P] (Consults Wikipedia.) Can be the name of a species.

From Series 1?

[P] (Consults Wikipedia.) (Consults Google.) (Consults Wikipedia.) (Consults Wikipedia again. Did you know that Line 6 of the Beijing Subway (北京地铁６号线) is currently under construction and is scheduled to be opened in 2012? And that the Öjendorfer See has an area of 460,000 m²?) Yes, Series 1.

A blind bat

(A nod's as good as a wink, know what I mean, say no more)

A hovercraft full of eels?

[P] Not a blind bat.
[INJ] *stock footage of women applauding* It is a hovercraft full of eels! I'm afraid we're all out of batons at the moment, will spam do?

My nipples explode with delight.

Well if that hadn't been correct I think I would have given up.

So, here we go again with a simple ANIMAL

Human?

[SW] Human - YES (there's a good start)

Alive?

Couldn't last

[Rosie] Alive? - NO

Fictional?

[PJ] Made-up name? - NO

Mainly known for artistic connections?

Rattling along nicely

[Raak] Arty-farty? - YES

Died in C20th?

Performer (broadly defined) rather than creator?

(intending no slight to the creative aspects of performance...)

Begins with P?

Pablo Picasso?

Well, come on, Tuj has to be correct once in a while :)

William Morris?

[PJ] died in C20? - NO
[CdM] Performer? - NO (* a few chuckles in the audience*)
[Tuj] P starter? - NO
[Dujon] Picasso? - I'm not going to tell you - (anyway, who's going to set an answer beginning with P now?)
[Rosie] A minor Morris? - NO

Politician?

[Software] Politician? - NO

Died in the C18th or earlier?

[PJ] Ancient? - NO

Died in C21?

By a process of elimination.........

[PJ] Just gone? - NO
OK I give in - died in the 19th century.

Born in the C19?

Deduction r us.

Female?

[Pj] Born in C19? - YES
[CdM] Weaker sex? - NO *ducks missiles from audience*

A painter?

Was English his mother tongue?

Novelist?

British, dammit?

I always think not logging on over the weekend is a good sign

[Rosie] - Painter? - NO
[CdM] Anglophone? - YES
[Pj] Novelist? - NO
[Software] British? - YES

A poet?

[Raak] Poet? - YES *applause*

nights

Tennyson?

I know lurking on AVMA is bad form. I apologise.

It's OK if your guess is wrong

[nights] Tennyson? - NO

Ralph Waldo Emerson?

Let the guessfest commence

[Projoy] RWE? - NO (he's not very British)

Edward Lear?

Are his works typically found on school curricula?

Just trying to get some sense of how major/minor a poet he is. If the question is too vague or difficult to verify, feel free to give me some other kind of answer to the question!)

[Projoy] Pleasant to know? - NO
[CdM] Major/Minor? - I would expect to find him on some school curricula. I expect the vast majority of morniverse contributors to have heard of him without googling.

Robert Browning?

[Projoy] Gravy poet? - NO ([CdM] a poet of a similar public stature to Browning IMO, if that helps)

Kipling?

[Software] An exceedingly good poet? - NO (I haven't checked, but I know he made it well into the C20th)

Gerard Manley Hopkins?

[Projoy] That might or might not be right, but knowing INJ as I do, I can tell you that it is an inspired guess

Associated with a particular region of the world?

[Projoy] GMH? - YES!!! HOPKINS it is.

One instressed baton handed on.

[Projoy] Told you so.

The Projoypartner has recently been very into Inversnaid...

ABSTRACT

Photography?

[Rosie] flash flash grin grin? - NO

Phrase or saying?

imNotJohn

Related to the arts?

[Sw] phrase/saying? NOT REALLY (I suppose it is a phrase, strictly speaking)
[INJ] Arts-related? NO.

Something to do with Scotland?

culturally specific?

Seasonal?

[GIII] Scottish? OCH, NO.
[INJ] Culturally specific? YES
[Software] Seasonal? YES *applause*

Christmas-related?

[You and Your Kin(rah)] X-mas the spot? YES! *more applause*

A Christmas Carol?

Santa-related?

[Softers] Christmas Carol? NO
[INJ] Fat trespasser? NO

Does the word "Christmas" appear on the card?

[CdM] Christmas/Card? NO

Seasons greetings?

[SW] Seasons Greetings? NO

Also related to legs?

[Duj] Legs? Um, NO.

Musical connection?

[CdM] Musicky? NO

A state of mind or body?

[Rosie] State? NO

Is the specific culture that of the English-speaking Christian peoples?

Religiousness?

[INJ] Specific to Anglophone Xtians? YES, pretty much.
[Chalky] Religiosity? NO (I'm assuming that was a guess).

Primarily concerned with the religious rather than secular aspects of Christmas?

The Nativity?

[CdM] Spirit over Secularity? NO
[Chalky] The Nativity? NO.

Primarily commercial in nature?

[Chalky] Good to see you back contributing.

[INJ] Commercial? NO (although there is an historical link with commerce)

Phil

Food-related?

[Phil yer phace] Phood? NO.

Merry Christmas?

[GL] "Merry Christmas" - NO, not the phrase itself but The Answer could form part of the phrase's referent.

*sounds of discontented pedantic muttering in audience*

The season to be jolly?

Had that in my head for a while, need to get rid of it.

[Kinrah] TSTBJ? NO, but see referent comment above.

Connected to some specific Christmas tradition?

Does it describe a period of time?

[CdM] Specific Tradition? YES
[INJ] Period of time? YES *applause

Phil

New Year's Day?

Christmas Day?

Boxing Day

To complete the set

INJ has it! Whereas the other two are Xtian (in general) dates, Boxing Day is more a Commonwealth affair. Over to INJ. *hands box-shaped baton to INJ*

Line-Tamer

Pausing only to take the ribbon and bow off the baton

OK then, this one is Animal or Vegetable (with Abstract connections)

A musical instrument?

[Raak] Instrumental? - NO

Is it edible?

[Tuj] Food, glorious food? - NO

Manufactured?

As you state Animal OR Vegetable - is this an either/or - or can it be both?

[and thanks INJ for welcome back. I am healing - slowly but shurely :)]

[Projoy] Manufactured - YES
[Chalky] Animal/Vegetable? - Either/Or is probably the most helpful, but in both cases that would be predominantly, rather than entirely.

Is it found indoors?

If animal, then a specific part of an animal?

[Chalky] Indoors? - YES
[Rosie] Specific part of an animal? - YES (at least for the predominant part)
Thinking about my answer to Chalky, the 'predominantly' bit, although true, is probably not helpful. From now on I will ignore the minor elements in my answers unless specifically asked.

Sticky in texture?

Is the vegetable wood?

(I don't think that's the same question as Software just asked...)

Begins with P?

[Chalky] A hearty welcome back from over here too =)

Is the animal bone?

[Software] Like a stick? - NO
[CdM] Like a big stick? - NO
[Tuj] P....? - NO
[Rosie] Bonie? - NO

Does its name describe its function?

Leather?

Like Dan and Dunx, it is well known that Rosie and Raak are the same person, an 80 year old hedgehog-trapper living in the New Forest.

Some sort of covering?

Perfume?

[Projoy] Does what it says on the tin? - NO
[Raak] Leather? - YES - that is the animal component - at least, that's easily a better answer than No
[GLog] A covering? - NO
[Rosie] Smellie? - NO

A lucky rabbits foot?

[Software] Cruelty to lapines? - NO

Functional?

Larger than a toaster?

Is the vegetable a fabric?

[CdM] Functional? - NO * A few 'tut's from a small minority of the audience*
[Chalky] That toaster question - Similar in total volume, depending on the toaster, but differently shaped.
[Projoy] A fabric? - NO (though we might get into a discussion of definitions)

Is it written on?

[Projoy] Written on? - YES *Applause*

Is it a scroll?

Is The Answer the name of a type of document?

[Raak] Scroll? - NO
[Projoy] A type of document - NO - but *applause*

Ornamental?

[Chalky] Ooh, innit pretty? - NO - at least not primarily (or secondarily, or tertially, come to that)

Not Functional/Ornamental - how about Educational?

[Chalky] Educational? - NO (to most values of 'Educational') - some would disagree quite strongly

Software`

A plaster cast?

A book?

Is there a specific kind of writing to be found thereon?

[Software] Plaster Cast? - NO
[Chalky] Book? - YES
[Projoy] specific kind of writing? - NO

To summarise, it's a book primarily made of leather that isn't funtional, ornamental or educational?

The Bible?

A specific title.

I hope Rosie has it.

An autograph book?

Getting close

[GLogin] Remember: either Animal or Vegetable
[Rosie] The Bible? - YES, *Applause* But you have not yet got the words on the card
[Projoy] A specific Title? - YES
[Raak] Sign here please? - NO

The Authorised King James Version?

A Gutenberg Bible?

A Gideon's Bible?

We have a winner.

Projoy has it - A/The Gutenberg Bible it is. There were about 180 Gutenberg bibles, about 40 printed on vellum and the rest on paper, giving the either/or.

A leather-bound baton passed on to Projoy

Splendid. OK. Here's another. ABSTRACT/ANIMAL

Is the animal element human?

[Kinrah] Animal human? Strictly speaking, NO. *audience laughter and cries of "bad luck!"*

Is it a mythical animal?

Fictional?

[GL] Mythical? NO
[CdM] Fictional? YES

Best known from Film or TV?

[INJ] Best known from film or TV? NOT SURE. I expect that some would say yes, others no, but no stats available.

(PS. For myself and probably for yourself, the answer would be NO, I suspect.)

The Christmas elf?

[Software] Winterval wellbeing? NO

A character in literature later adapted for the screen?

[INJ] Book > Screen? *much animated whispering in audience* Strictly, NO. *continued animated whispering in audience*

Character in a comedy?

[Rosie] Comedy? YES *applause*

Associated with a particular actor?

[CdM] Particular Actor? Mm. NOT SURE. To me the answer is YES, but it wouldn't be to everyone.

Bottom?

Begins with P?

[Duj] I beg your par... oh, you mean the series Bottom. NO.
[Tuj] P-led? NO

An animated character? [or have we established this and I'm being a bit thick]

Archie Andrews?

[Chalky] Animated? NO
[Rosie] The uneducated one? NO.

From children's literature?

Were they adapted for the stage before TV or film?

[CdM] Kidlit? NO
[GL] A previous stage? NO

Addendum

[INJ] On further thought, I feel like I should change my answer to your adaptation question. As you phrased the question: "A character in literature later adapted for the screen?" the truthful answer is YES, but this isn't a wholly typical case, so check your assumptions.

From works of Shakespeare?

[Chalks] Bardly? *audience laughter* NO.

Is this more than one character?

Is it related to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

[Chalky] Multiple? NO
[GL] TLOEG? NO.

Adapted from comics/graphical novels?

Supernatural?

Male?

[INJ] Graphic? NO
[Softers] Supernatural? NO, at least not in the conventional sense.
[Chalky] Male? YES].

In a radio programme?

[INJ] Radio? YES *tumultuous applause*

Won't have 2 guesses in a row, but I think we're close

Well - your addendum helped

Slartibartfast?

From HHGTTG?

Marvin?

[GL] He said it wasn't important? NO
[INJ] H2G2? YES *applause*
[Software] Brain the size...? NO

Ford Prefect?

Zaphod Beeblebrox?

Freow.

[Kinrah] You have hit the subject on one of its two heads! It was ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX, indeed. As you can see, my confusion over the adaptation question arose because of course, while the screen versions followed the book version chronologically, they didn't do so adaptationally, as it were. Plus of course, the character didn't originate in the books.

Over to you, Kinrah. *Hands over a perspex baton shaped like a cricket stump, just before there is the sound of a million billion people saying "Wop"*

I was trying to weigh up whether to go for Zaphod or the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (which has the potential to be part animal), even though I have just realised [Tuj] ruled that out with his 'P' question. Whee. Now, let's see if I can get the formatting right with
ABSTRACT/ANIMAL connections
This shouldn't be too difficult.

Begins with a P?

Glad to see my usual question served a small purpose, Kinrah!

Is it a fictional person?

Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer - the song?

*correction* RudolPH The Red NoseD Reindeer - the song?

[Tuj] P-aff? *audience laugh... then applause* YES
[GL] Imaginary? NO
[Chalky] Lyric of an oddly coloured creature? NO

Seasonal connections?

A work of art?

[INJ] Seasonally speaking? NO
[Projoy] Arty-farty? NO

Are the animal connections human?

Connected with science?

[Tuj] Humanimal? YES
[Projoy] Psy-ense? After giving it some careful thought, SOMETIMES (but the connection there really isn't worth following)

Culturally specific?

Is it related to psychology?

Involves an action or actions?

To do with religion?

[INJ] Cultural terms? NO
[GL] Psycho-analytic? NO
[Rosie] Requiring effort? NO
[Projoy] Belief system? NO

A feature of the intellect?

Related to politics or public life?

Is The Answer a noun or noun phrase?

[Rosie] Intellectual? NO *audience whispers among itself*
[INJ] Political? NO
[Projoy] Nounal? YES
I've also been considering the science question, and much like Projoy, I'm going to do a bit of a U-Turn; YES FOR A GIVEN VALUE OF SCIENCE. I believe it could be called a science by some people.

A social science?

Connected to the "Paranormal"?

[Projoy] Socially scientific? NO
[GL] Paranormal? NO

To do with the natural world?

Was it invented?

[Projoy] Natural? NO
[Tuj] Created? YES *audience applause*

Is it a type of person?

[Projoy] Demographic? NO

A theory? (Of anything)

Does it exist?

[Rosie] Theory? NO but *very loud applause from audience*
[Projoy] Existential? YES

Heredity?

Something that exists both in theory and in practice?

[Rosie] Passed down? NO
[Projoy] Works both ways? YES

Connected to economics?

Is it really really really small?

Is it a one word answer?

Is it something that can be studied in a reasonably mainstream environment?

Does it end with a Y?

Is it a process?

Sorry about the so long gap - had a LOT of stuff to do over the end of the weekend.
[Projoy] Economical? NO
[Tuj] Teensy-Weensy? DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE COMPARING IT TO *audience laugh*
[Chalky] Just the one? NO
[INJ] Mainstream? YES
[GL] Why-y? NO
[Projoy2] Process? NO *more hushed whispers from audience*

A human activity?

Related to games or entertainment?

A cartoon?

Any medical connections?

[Projoy] Active? NO
[INJ] Move that joystick? NO
[Software] Cartoon? NO
[Rosie] Doctor, Doctor? STRICTLY NO (There is one connection, but it's so far gone from the standard question bounds that it's also not worth looking into.)

Since this is taking much longer than I anticipated (I really hope it's not because I'm giving the wrong answers) as a sort of first hint here's a roundup of what you do know.
Begins with P
Given value of science
Noun
It was invented
Audience gave loud applause to Theory
It exists
It works in both theory and practice
Studied in a mainstream environment
Also, it seems the audience have changed their mind and decided to give some rather late *loud applause* for 'Process'.