[Chalky] Barkis? NO
[Tuj] Dickens? YES.
[Tuj] Dickens? YES.
What the Dickens?
From Oliver Twist?
[GL] Shakespeare, Merry Wives, III, ii? NO
[INJ] OT? NO
[INJ] OT? NO
'something will turn up' as in The Micawber Principle
From A Christmas Carol?
[Chalky] Turn up for the books? NO
[FGZstar] Bah Humbug , coffin-nail, surplus population, God bless us etc.? NO
[FGZstar] Bah Humbug , coffin-nail, surplus population, God bless us etc.? NO
From a book with the name of a character in the title?
[INJ] Nobody's name in the title.
Incidentally, I am at this moment standing in the room in which Dickens wrote parts of Oliver Twist, but not the work in question. The next room contains the desk at which (it says) Dickens wrote his last words. I assume they mean his last published words.
(There is a continual loop of As Long As He Needs Me sung by Shani Wallis playing upstairs. Classy.)
From one of Dickens' non-fiction works?
[FGZstar] Uncommercial Traveller et al.? NO
Was the book ever made into a film?
[FGZstar] Filmed? YES.
It is a far far better thing that I do?
(figuring that at least counts as positive)
YES! We have a winner. The words on the card are simply A far, far better thing. *tumbrils and drums roll; Projoy hands CdM a knitting needle*
(And to think, we're not even related!)
I knew that one ages ago, but I didn't want to discourage the others by 'guessing' it.
[INJ] Daddy?
Yeah. Me too.
Oh damn, that's let the cat out of the bag.
OK. This is MINERAL with ABSTRACT CONNECTIONS
A discrete object?
The Sword In The Stone?
Discrete object? Discrete Yes, object No.
Previously sized (ex-calibre)? No.
Previously sized (ex-calibre)? No.
Actually, I am not 100 percent sure if I would call it discrete; it depends on how tight a definition you are applying. It is, however, specific, if that helps.
Involving a gemstone?
Gemmy? No.
Solid?
A geographical feature?
Bigger than an average breadbox?
Begins with P?
Positivity
Solid? Yes.
Geographical feature? In the broad sense of the term, Yes.
Bigger than a breadbox? Yes.
Begins with P? Yes.
Geographical feature? In the broad sense of the term, Yes.
Bigger than a breadbox? Yes.
Begins with P? Yes.
A specific region (such as a country or smaller)?
Portsmouth?
Located on land?
Feature of a desert?
Noticing that there's no veg.
Specific region? No.
Portsmouth? No. (Nor Plymouth)
Located on land? Yes.
Desertish? No. (There might be some vegetable as well, depending on the exact interpretation of the words on the card, but any vegetable is inessential and unhelpful. Note again that i am using a fairly broad definition of "geographical feature".
Portsmouth? No. (Nor Plymouth)
Located on land? Yes.
Desertish? No. (There might be some vegetable as well, depending on the exact interpretation of the words on the card, but any vegetable is inessential and unhelpful. Note again that i am using a fairly broad definition of "geographical feature".
In a specific part of the world?
In a specific part of the world? Yes.
Is it man-made?
Some argue that deserts are man-made, eg Basildon.
In the Americas?
Man-made? Yes.
In the Americas? Yes. *a few audience members who have been looking puzzled since the round began now look a little less confused*
In the Americas? Yes. *a few audience members who have been looking puzzled since the round began now look a little less confused*
Unique?
Made in the Americas?
More than 100 years old?
Unique? Yes.
Made in Americas? Yes.
More than 100 years old? Yes.
Made in Americas? Yes.
More than 100 years old? Yes.
Norths Americas or Souths Americas?
er, I mean, Norths Americas?
Centrals Americas?
A ruin?
Panama Canal?
Teotihuacan?
Norths Americas? Yess.
Centrals Americas? N0.
Ruin? No.
A man a plan? No.
Teotiwhathesaid? No.
Centrals Americas? N0.
Ruin? No.
A man a plan? No.
Teotiwhathesaid? No.
A dam?
Dam? No. (I'm getting a bit worried about my geographic feature answer. Let me just say you would find it on a map of non-ridiculous scale.)
Transport-related?
Transport-related? Yes (at least technically).
You can probably find the answer on the card without exploring the abstract element, but I will say that it is significant.
You can probably find the answer on the card without exploring the abstract element, but I will say that it is significant.
is it a landmark?
Landmark? *some audience applause* Not exactly. Or sort of. It depends again on how broadly you are prepared to define the term.
Has it a function, from a human perspective?
A feature of an Air Traffic Control map?
Is it the sort of landmark you might mention when you were giving someone driving directions?
But is it art?
Functional? Yes.
Air Traffic Controlling? No.
Driving clue? You certainly might mention it when giving directions, but again I'm not sure I want to call it a landmark.
Art? *some laughter* No.
Air Traffic Controlling? No.
Driving clue? You certainly might mention it when giving directions, but again I'm not sure I want to call it a landmark.
Art? *some laughter* No.
A quarry?
Is its area greater than, say, St Paul's Cathedral?
A border of some kind?
In the USA?
A certain road junction?
Possibly the new jersey turnpike?
Quarry? No.
Bigger than a Paul? I'm not sure. They are not easy to compare, and my very rough calculations have too large a margin of error to be sure. Plus the boundaries of the answer on the card are not completely clear. I suspect I might be able to make a case either way.
A border? No.
In the USA? Yes.
Counting the cars on the NJT? No. (but *two waves of applause*)
Bigger than a Paul? I'm not sure. They are not easy to compare, and my very rough calculations have too large a margin of error to be sure. Plus the boundaries of the answer on the card are not completely clear. I suspect I might be able to make a case either way.
A border? No.
In the USA? Yes.
Counting the cars on the NJT? No. (but *two waves of applause*)
To do with transport?
A city boundary?
To do with transport? Is that distinct from Rosie's earlier question? :-) I say again, in a technical sense it is certainly to do with transport, though that's not what comes particularly to mind.
A city boundary? Is that distinct from Chalky's earlier question? :-) No.
A city boundary? Is that distinct from Chalky's earlier question? :-) No.
A rubbish dump?
Is it, or a part of it, roofed?
A rubbish dump? No.
Partly roofed? Again, that might depend partly on interpretation, but the best and least confusing answer is No. Or I could just say that, if it is, you're doing very well. *audience laughter*
Geographic feature reredux. By the Wikipedia definition this definitely is a (man-made) geographical feature.
Partly roofed? Again, that might depend partly on interpretation, but the best and least confusing answer is No. Or I could just say that, if it is, you're doing very well. *audience laughter*
Geographic feature reredux. By the Wikipedia definition this definitely is a (man-made) geographical feature.
Is it, or are parts of it, underground?
Underground? No.
Coastal?
Coastal? Nothing essentially coastal about it as such, but it is located very close to the coast.
Route 66?
Near the West Coast?
Route 66? No.
West Coast? No.
West Coast? No.
In a Southern State?
The Statue of Liberty?
The doughnut hole?
In the south? No.
Statue of Liberty? No. (Begins with P, remember)
Doughnut Hole? No. (I have no idea what you are referring to. Although I think I might actually have set "A doughnut hole" as an answer in this game some time back.)
Statue of Liberty? No. (Begins with P, remember)
Doughnut Hole? No. (I have no idea what you are referring to. Although I think I might actually have set "A doughnut hole" as an answer in this game some time back.)
In a State beginning with "N"?
From the great state of N—? Yes.
On, or in the immediate area around Manhattan?
Manhattanish? No.
In New York State?
From the great state of New Y—? No.
In New Jersey?
Penn Station?
I'm confused. I could have sworn I answered FGZ*'s question three hours ago. Maybe I previewed but forgot to stand. Anyway...
In New Jersey? Yes. *no applause from the audience, since at this point it was either NJ or North Carolina*
Penn Station? No. (I think a fair amount of that is underground.)
Keep in mind that the abstract element is significant.
In New Jersey? Yes. *no applause from the audience, since at this point it was either NJ or North Carolina*
Penn Station? No. (I think a fair amount of that is underground.)
Keep in mind that the abstract element is significant.
OK - Is the abstract element connected with music?
Connected with music? No. To be clear, I'm sure you can mechanically work your way to the answer without thinking about the abstract element. But the answer would be uninteresting without it.
Is this connected with a particular event?
Does it appear in a work of fiction?
(I'm sure New Hampshire has a bit of coast too)
Pier A?
Connected with a particular event? No.
Appear in a work of fiction? I suspect that, in its abstract sense, it has appeared in several works of fiction, and in its non-abstract sense it might have as well. I know of no specific examples, though; I'm just guessing. In other words, appearing in a work of fiction is not its claim to fame.
[re New Hampshire} You are of course right. My bad.
Pier A? No.
Appear in a work of fiction? I suspect that, in its abstract sense, it has appeared in several works of fiction, and in its non-abstract sense it might have as well. I know of no specific examples, though; I'm just guessing. In other words, appearing in a work of fiction is not its claim to fame.
[re New Hampshire} You are of course right. My bad.
Pier A? No.
Is it in or near Atlantic City?
In Atlantic City? Yes. *loud applause*
Park Place, as in Monopoly?
(part of which is "roofed", but which I guess has probably too much to do with transport to be right)
Park Place is the correct answer! I had lots of trouble with what seemed like simple questions on this one; sorry. I wasn't sure where to think of the boundaries (is it just the street, or does it include buildings?). And I didn't mean to mislead on the transportation question, but looking back I can see that perhaps I did suggest less of a connection than I should have. I think I was too focused on how small a street it is, and the fact that it doesn't really go anywhere...
*collects $200*
Well, seems appropriate as I did slightly monopolise the questions at the end, there.
The next is ABSTRACT (Yes, sorry, another abstract but everyone will definitely have heard of it and many will have first-hand knowledge)
The next is ABSTRACT (Yes, sorry, another abstract but everyone will definitely have heard of it and many will have first-hand knowledge)
A medical condition?
Connected with the arts?
Hmm. I did have a Rosie-like moment at that answer. It's only after the fact that I've discovered the Atlantic City - Monopoly link (that makes the question worthwhile from my pov). On my own I'd probably have needed another half-dozen questions to get there.
[Chalky] Medical condition? *gales of delighted audience laughter that doesn't subside for about a minute* NO. Altho some might link it to one's state of health.
[INJ] Arts-connected? NO.
I had known the Atlantic City/Monopoly link (I used to work in a toy museum and an original Monopoly board was part of the standard tour) but must admit I had assistance from the internet to remind me after all these years, and also to find out the names of the squares.
[INJ] Arts-connected? NO.
I had known the Atlantic City/Monopoly link (I used to work in a toy museum and an original Monopoly board was part of the standard tour) but must admit I had assistance from the internet to remind me after all these years, and also to find out the names of the squares.
An emotion?
[audience] Bring it on - more delighted laughter - see if I care ..
Related to sex?
[Chalky] An Emotion? *hollow laughter from members of audience* NO, but again, could be linked to...
[Raak] Sex-related? *man shouts "No!"; another minute's merriment* YES.
[Raak] Sex-related? *man shouts "No!"; another minute's merriment* YES.
([CdM] PS. If you take a shufti on Google Earth, you'll see that a stretch of Park Place is indeed roofed over by an upper floor of the casino/hotel building.)
Is this gender related?
[audience] Do your worst ...
[Chalky] Genderelated? NO, altho some might argue otherwise.
Is it a physical sensation?
[cfm] Physical? *wag in audience calls "it is for me!" followed by much laughter* NO.
Begins with P?
Gosh, they're a rowdy lot in tonight!
*blatantly playing to the audience* Is this a double-entendre?
*also blatantly playing to the audience* Have you experienced it recently?
{Projoy] I'd looked at Park Place on Google Earth when I first set the question, but didn't notice (or forgot) the fact that part of it is indeed covered.
[INJ] Obviously, without the Monopoly connection it is just a random small street in America. I didn't expect people to know the entire board in the US version, but I thought most people would have come across references to Boardwalk/Place Place (the most expensive properties). I think I had heard of them even before I lived in the US, and I know I've seen several references over the years. I would have picked Boardwalk, but it doesn't begin with P.
[INJ] Obviously, without the Monopoly connection it is just a random small street in America. I didn't expect people to know the entire board in the US version, but I thought most people would have come across references to Boardwalk/Place Place (the most expensive properties). I think I had heard of them even before I lived in the US, and I know I've seen several references over the years. I would have picked Boardwalk, but it doesn't begin with P.
[Tuj] P? NO
[Chalky] A double-entendre? *audience completely silent* NO.
[CdM] Have I experienced it recently? *a few titters* YES.
[Chalky] A double-entendre? *audience completely silent* NO.
[CdM] Have I experienced it recently? *a few titters* YES.
Marriage?
[Raak] Marriage? *much applause* NO.
Civil Partnership?
As opposed to large numbers of uncivil partnerships
[INJ] In-all-but-name? NO.
Is it a custom or ritual related to sex?
[cfm] I think you could call it a custom, but not a ritual.