Babble: Archived Puzzle for Friday, August 13, 2004

12:14 am

Christine

Dang - I had three 6s and a seven to enter, and the bloomin' grid changed on me.... life is sooooo hard, for some of us.

12:14 am

runningforhome

I found a seven for forty.

12:56 am

eyezzz

A 7 for 52

12:57 am

eyezzz

And a related 8 for 70

1:30 am

runningforhome

I found a 9 for 66, but I can find the 7/52 or the 8/70.

1:31 am

Karen

just got the 7 and 8, but sure don't see a 9 for 66!

1:32 am

eyezzz

The 7 has something to do with the computer ~ the bigger the better to see you with. The 8 is the plural. A clue for the 9?

1:34 am

runningforhome

Well, it's not in the dictionary, but think of the structure of a story.

1:55 am

Karen

but it is english ? :)

1:58 am

runningforhome

Hehe, yes... well, it at least stems from a common English word.

2:11 am

Karen

hmm, I can't see straight - I'll check tomorrow. Good night!

4:29 am

Atalante

there's an 8 for 40 and one for 50

6:25 am

alimaya

That 9 is the most ridiculous word I have ever come across. What the dictionary suggests describes it perfectly!!

6:31 am

alimaya

There's also a ridiculous 8 for 50. Amazing what happens when you just fool around.

7:04 am

Christine

Alimaya - generally, fooling around just gets you into trouble!!
Is this 9letter word the one we found a couple of weeks ago, the definition of which was that it refered to something that has no definition, or a number that has no significance -- something like that?
I made a note of the word, but I've misplaced it, aaargh.

7:08 am

Atalante

2 8's for 40 ....

7:09 am

alimaya

Sorry Christine, I have no idea if it's the word you are referring to - I missed that conversation :-(

7:14 am

Christine

Will someone share starting letters, for these 9s (or even for some of the 8s).
Just too early on the Left Coast...

7:16 am

alimaya

The 9 and 8 I'm referring to are the same word and start with p............

7:18 am

alimaya

That didn't really make sense, did it, but you know what I mean :-)

7:26 am

Christine

Can't concentrate (been awawke all night, reading), so I'll get a shower & a cuppa, and see if I can get the brain hooked up.

9:02 am

Atalante

oh gosh that 9 really is silly .... mind you, the 8 is just as bad

9:05 am

Minski

I think I have the 1st 4 letters of the 9 & 8 but I can't figure out the ending.

Tons of 4 & 5 letter words though.

9:08 am

Minski

OK got the 8/50
now to find the 9/66

9:10 am

Minski

GOT IT!
and you are all right.
what ridiculous words!
thanks for the help.

9:19 am

Treble99

Can anyone give me a clue for the 9

9:22 am

jlm_mi

RFH's 1:30am clue refers to the 9. Also see 7:16am.

9:23 am

Kirsty1

Thought I'd get the ball rolling on the overall scores. So far I have 198/4.78/2608 as follows:

Ax6
Bx21
Dx14
Ex3
Ix4
Lx16
Nx7
Ox4
Px21
Sx48
Tx32
Vx11
Wx11

Does anybody know how many we are playing for? It feels like there's a long way to go yet...

9:25 am

jlm_mi

Kirsty1 - to compare and contrast :)

7xA
21xB
11xD
1xE
3xI
16xL
4xN
4xO
19xP
48xS (I was amazed to find this many so easily!)
31xT
16xV
10xW

We are playing for 297: 7x8+ (includes 9s), 16x7, 41x6, 93x5, 140x4.

9:25 am

jlm_mi

Oh, and currently at 191/4.61/2204

9:27 am

Kirsty1

Thanks jlm_mi, much appreciated. It was all those Ss that made me think I might have a good 100+ words still to go! Nose meet grindstone....

9:34 am

jlm_mi

Oh, man, I really think it should take newbie/newbies! :-D

Kirsty1 - I have no doubt that you'll find most if not all words. :) Please come back and share your starting letters again when you've found even more!

9:43 am

Kirsty1

Well I'm honoured by your (deeply unfounded) confidence in me...speak again in a couple of hours!

9:49 am

Treble99

How Many 9s are there

10:49 am

jlm_mi

There are 7 words of 8 or 9 letters. So far only 1 9 has been reported.

11:50 am

loiler

i have a general question; i was just curious, for the high scorers, of how many words (among the ones you find) you know, versus how many you find on accident?

11:54 am

loiler

i.e. guessing at things that look like words?

11:58 am

jlm_mi

So far, I have about 82% words that I already knew, and the rest found by accident or good guesses. Of course, playing this game has taught me words I didn't know before which definitely helps.

If I can find anymore words today, that will probably skew slightly more toward words I don't know.

12:03 pm

soho72

Of course, it would help if they didn't count words that no dictionary has a definition for, or not count words that really are words - like esne, which every crossword puzzle solver knows is a word.

12:13 pm

loiler

e.g. those two words in todays puzzle.

12:18 pm

parsec

although even when they count nonexistent words, they usually at least /feel/ like real words--could be worse!

12:22 pm

jlm_mi

I don't know . . . yesterday's puzzle accepted "pehs" which I can't find a definition for, and it doesn't feel like a word to me, LOL! I tried it in desperation!

12:36 pm

onyx

just found an eight for 50 talk about a made up word! it was a stetch that i just thought i woul try.

12:36 pm

jlm_mi

That's part of the 8/9 combo discussed earlier.

12:39 pm

onyx

yeah, and i just got the nine.....crazy

12:39 pm

jayferg

need more clues for the 8/9. I am so stuck.

12:41 pm

onyx

work with the clue of the structure of a story and try to expand on that

12:43 pm

jayferg

i think i got the part but it just isn't working for me

12:43 pm

jlm_mi

Don't use the T on the right side of the board to make your root word.

12:44 pm

onyx

try to think like an english teacher

12:46 pm

jlm_mi

OK, I have a couple more in a couple areas now:

7xA
22xB
14xD
3xE
4xI
16xL
7xN
4xO
21xP
48xS
32xT
16xV
12xW

9-66

8-70
8-40
8-50
(still missing one known 8-40)

7-32
7-52
7-40
7-40

12:51 pm

jayferg

got it. i thought i tried that before but i must have made a typo. i miss alot that way.

12:51 pm

jlm_mi

Add a 7-36 to the beginning of my list of 7s.

1:01 pm

claws

222 words 4.88 3119

A few more or less here and there

10xa
34xb
14xd
6xe
4xi
18xL
7xn
5xo
22xp
43xs
33xt
16xv
10xw

1:05 pm

soho72

Okay! Does anyone know (or care) how long I've been looking for this 8/9 P combination? Those are the most ridiculous words I've ever seen. And for what it's worth, I WAS an English teacher!

1:06 pm

soho72

BTW, thanks everyone for the clues. I never would have found them by myself.

1:10 pm

jlm_mi

Yeah, the 9 is a ridiculous word, but I suppose I can guess sort of what it means. Can't see using it that way, but OK. But what the heck does the 8 even mean????

1:15 pm

Treble99

Claws and jlm_mi - You're both missing at least 4/5 P's.

1:15 pm

joanie84

I got a 7 for 28 that I haven't seen listed, yet.

1:16 pm

soho72

Can't even offer a guess!

1:17 pm

joanie84

Makes me feel lonely.

1:20 pm

soho72

I don't know if anyone has made reference to this. But there's a 6/7 combination that is the Spanish word for ball.

1:22 pm

onyx

soho72, it wasn't meant to be an insult, hope nonewas taken..... i was just imagining that a teacher might use that " word" btw, i am a teacher

1:23 pm

jlm_mi

Thanks joanie and soho! So that makes my list of 7s:

36
32
52
28
36
40
40

1:25 pm

Treble99

There's a 7 for 42 and someone just posted a clue recently for it...

1:25 pm

Treble99

There's a 7 for 36 and someone just posted a clue recently for it...

1:25 pm

Treble99

The top one is right :)

1:26 pm

Treble99

Grr it should be 7 for 48**

1:26 pm

jlm_mi

Treble - that's on my list.

Just found another 7/40 that goes toward the end of my list, making 3 40s in a row.

1:27 pm

jlm_mi

Make that the 36 that's on my list. :-D

So, there is a 7/48?

1:28 pm

Treble99

I actually meant 7 for 48, I don't know why I typed it wrong twice. Must have been looking at the wrong thing. Apologies.

1:28 pm

boatierra

soho72 - Gracias for the espanol clue. Whenever I see espanol words, I enter them, 'cause you never know. But I didn't see that on. On previous puzzles I have entered both 'casa' and 'senor' and they were both accepted.

1:29 pm

fit1

I think I'll drum myself out of the corps. After hours of off and on, I just this second saw the profession from which my husband retired. Can ya believe it?

1:31 pm

jlm_mi

fit1 - is that a profession requiring an advanced college degree? Got one of those, but wondering if I should look for more professions. :)

1:32 pm

soho72

Onyx, no offense taken at all. I just feel like my reputation is at stake here.<G>

1:38 pm

fit1

problem with that profession is my poor husband always looked a slang expression for sad :)

1:39 pm

jenyi

grr... can't find the 8/9 combo. found the first part of the word.. but is the second part a separate word?

1:40 pm

soho72

De nada, mulhermujer. I always put Spanish words in too. I'm amzed that it will take words like casa, but not pere.

1:45 pm

jlm_mi

jenyi - no, it's not a compound word. It's not a word you're likely to have ever heard before, but noodling around you can find it. Knowing the point values, you know that there are only single-point letters after the root word.

And as I mentioned in a previous post, don't use the T that's to the right of the grid. You can make the root word with another T and work from there.

1:45 pm

jlm_mi

Treble - Someone gave a clue to the 7/48? Did they know they were doing that, LOL?? Or is it just that in one of the previous posts it's hinted to, but not intentionally?

1:46 pm

Christine

I'm baaaaack - and I've been thinking about the P word - will someone, anyone, please give me the clue to the very bizarre words?
It's vey embarassing, being the only one here that doesn't have this bloomin' word....

1:48 pm

true_felicity

so far I've got 32 B words... :-/ I haven't gotten past a and b yet, heh

1:48 pm

parsec

the 7/48 is about speech--I found it looking for ridiculous p words that might lead to the 8/9 combo. it is not related, but it is equally funny-looking.

1:55 pm

Treble99

jlm_mi - I thought someone did give a clue but turns out I was wrong. Think speech and sound through an air passage :)

1:57 pm

jlm_mi

That's OK Treble99. Once I figured out which letter point values were required (was originally looking for the wrong point count essentially) I found it. I guess math on a Friday afternoon is a bad idea for me. :)

2:01 pm

parsec

sigh. i've been stuck around 170 for ages. I do so much better when there are only a few longer words.

2:02 pm

loiler

i found two different words for "ball" in spanish, and their plurals. how odd...

2:06 pm

parsec

also it seems I should've learned spanish instead of french--french only gives a 5 and its plural.

2:06 pm

jlm_mi

Parsec - Do you know which letters you are very short on, or which long words you don't have?

2:07 pm

jlm_mi

Harry Potter can get you a 5-letter word and its plural. :) It's where Harry and the Weasleys went to get the portkey to the Quidditch World Cup. Incidentally, it's also a type of weasel. Clever, that J.K. Rowling! :-D

2:09 pm

fnurt

Harry Potter can also give you a maker of flavorful beans for a 4/5.

2:11 pm

jlm_mi

Ooooh - You know you can also get a 4 by dropping one of the double letters, right? I didn't try that combo!

2:12 pm

jlm_mi

There's another Spanish word. It means "dull" in Spanish according to the babelfish translator, but it has a different definition in English. 4 letters plus its plural.

2:19 pm

parsec

i am behind pretty evenly by letter--but I could use help with the 7s. Mine are:
32, 36, 40, 48, 40, 40.
So as I figure it, I am missing a 32, a 36, or both at the top, a 52, a 28, and another 36.

2:20 pm

parsec

oh, and a 40 near the end.

2:25 pm

jlm_mi

I know what your 36 and 48 are ;) so you're missing my first 36. You have a 40 I don't (my 36 and 48 are the same as yours, and next to each other). And you're missing one of my last 40s.

The first 36 is not a word I ever would have thought of, but I found it's 5-letter root word (for 10 points, starts with S) and just added a 2-letter prefix.

The 52 also makes an 8/70. It has a 4-letter root word for 9 points (starts with P) and a prefix.

For my 3 40s at the end - the first 2 start with the same letter as each other. They actually sound pretty similar - same first 4 letters. One is a verb, the other is plural of a flower. My last 40 is a superlative form of an adjective.

Hope some of those help. Off to find the 40 I'm missing!

2:29 pm

jlm_mi

Wait - maybe you don't have the same 7/36 I have right before the 7/48. Do you have the spanish ball word?

2:30 pm

parsec

i do. gotta love online translators. =)

2:33 pm

jlm_mi

;) So, you have a 40 between that and the speech 48?

2:34 pm

parsec

i do. i saw it because i have long hair.

2:36 pm

jlm_mi

Hmmm - I have a 5/6 combo that fits there and works with long hair. Not sure how to make it 7, but I love a challenge. :-D

2:36 pm

jlm_mi

Duh! Nevermind. ;)

2:41 pm

jlm_mi

Bwahahahaha! I just found a GREAT pair of words!

They are 5 and 6 letters for 14 and 24 points. It's a place where boat owners can pull up and dock their boats and sleep there overnight. Think the equivalent of drivers on a road trip. There are two alternate spellings, rather than singular and plural. Fabulous word!

2:42 pm

parsec

thanks for the great clues--i was starting to feel like such a dunce! i found the 40 and 52, but I'm starting to think I might not have found the root for the 36 yet. I'll keep looking.

2:44 pm

parsec

Is it just me, or is the definition of "english" a bit looser for this grid?

2:48 pm

onyx

i'm going for a pb with this puzzle. is there a total word count yet?

2:51 pm

parsec

jlm_mi said 297 (see 9:25 post)

2:51 pm

jlm_mi

onyx - see my 9:25 am post for word counts by length and total

parsec - definitely not my version of english here!

2:51 pm

Kirsty1

I'm getting really stuck now as follows:

277/4.83/3725

13xa
38xb
14xd
6xe
5xi
22xl
7xn
8xo
27xp
67xs
40xt
17xv
12xw

Please won't somebody tell me there aren't any more Ss!!

2:52 pm

Benjake

great clues for the boat sleeping...where do they come up with this stuff??

2:52 pm

jlm_mi

Holy cow on those S words!!!! But see, I told you you'd get them all or come close. :)

You are missing at least 1 V.

2:57 pm

Kirsty1

Ahhh, 18 Vs...big thanks...it's funny how they pop out at you as soon as you know they definitely exist isn't it??

2:58 pm

jlm_mi

Yeah, I went from 23 Bs to 33 Bs so fast. But now I'm stuck there . . .

Atalante said earlier there were 2 8s for 40. I found one. It fits here in my 8 list: 70, 40, 50
Any idea what the other 8-40 is, where it fits in the list, clues????

3:03 pm

parsec

my 8s go 70, 40, 50, 40--both 40s are superlative, both are somewhat iffy members of Real English.

3:09 pm

jlm_mi

Bummer. I was looking for superlatives after finding that first non-word 8/40 with no luck. Back to that grindstone I head!

3:12 pm

fnurt

That second 8/40 is a ridiculous word, but at least the root is familiar!

3:15 pm

parsec

now, i words...I have 2...are the others not english?

3:18 pm

fnurt

A clue for the 7/28 would make my day.

3:18 pm

jlm_mi

I found another 7-28. It comes after the 7-48 on my list below.

It works on the same root word as the first 7-36 on my list. You can add one letter to the front to get a 6/18 then add another to get the 7/28.

3:21 pm

jlm_mi

A clue for the first 7/28 - it is a verb. In its -ed form (which does not exist in this puzzle), it applies to Tom Hanks' character in the movie "Castaway". Starts with i.

3:23 pm

jlm_mi

parsec - I have 5 i words. One I just described to fnurt. Two are a greek letter and its plural. One (4 letters) is an internal body part that most people have never heard of. But think of the Greek poet Homer and one of his poems might steer you in the right direction. The 5th is 5 letters, and is a Mexican name for a strong fiber. Never heard of it, but found it by noodling around.

3:30 pm

parsec

okay, if it's going to take some of those superlatives, it really ought to accept biostats. I was so sure it would work =(

3:31 pm

jlm_mi

I just found another word with a great definition! Incidentally, it is also a man's name. Wouldn't want my name to mean:

"A drinking mug, usually in the shape of a stout man wearing a
large three-cornered hat."

I mean, how are there so many drinking mugs shaped like stout men wearing three-cornered hats that they need to have their own category???? LOL!

3:32 pm

jlm_mi

parsec, you're awfully close to my first 7-36 with that word. ;)

3:33 pm

anniem

did it accept your drinking mug word? because it won't take it for me

3:33 pm

jlm_mi

Yes - it's plural.

3:35 pm

anniem

duh! sorry about that :)

3:35 pm

runningforhome

It won't take it for me, either.

3:37 pm

jlm_mi

RFH - Even plural?

3:38 pm

parsec

ha! now i just have to work on that castaway clue and my 7s will be all caught up.

3:39 pm

runningforhome

Heh, thanks jlm - I was trying to make it plural a different way because I'm apparently crazy.

3:54 pm

jlm_mi

Another 7-40. So now it's

36,32,52,28,36,40,48,40,28,40,40,40.

The new 40 is the one just after the 48. Think grand.

3:58 pm

Minski

I'm not done but the work day is over and I'm off for a non-connected house at Cape Cod so I'll see y'all on Monday.
TATA

108/1174

4:00 pm

jlm_mi

Me too. Not the Cape Cod part, but outta here all the same. If I get home from an evening out before the game changes over, I'll check to see who's gotten more big words and try to find them. :)

4:05 pm

parsec

jlm, there's another 7/28 before the first 36.

4:15 pm

fit1

I'm sorry to see that my hubby is only worth 32 points :)

4:36 pm

fit1

137/1505/crooseyed:)

5:11 pm

Atalante

found the other 8 for 40 yet jlm_mi? Clues - it goes before the other one. Its a plant term, how plants grow in the dark

6:44 pm

runningforhome

What does the plant word start with?

6:53 pm

Atalante

E

7:01 pm

periwinkle

what does the 9 letter word start with.

7:01 pm

periwinkle

what does the 9 letter word start with.

7:03 pm

chaz

Good evening, Periwinkle!

7:06 pm

keadyj

someone explain why it won't take ebola?

7:08 pm

periwinkle

Never mind I got it.

7:08 pm

periwinkle

I tried ebola too and it woudn't take it.

7:09 pm

periwinkle

Good evening to you too, chaz! Are you in the country? I am also watching the Olympics opening ceremony, multitasking.

7:09 pm

chaz

It also rejects 'stent!'

7:10 pm

periwinkle

marigold, did you get the 9 letter word yet?

7:10 pm

chaz

Ciao Peri, from the country! Taking a
dinner break. Hi to you from B.
Back later...

7:14 pm

marigold

no still looking

7:25 pm

marigold

Yea! I finally got the 9 letter p word

7:31 pm

onyx

marigold. there is a related 8 lettter word for 50

7:38 pm

marigold

9 letter p word is 66 and i have a 8 letter word that is 50. Is there another one.

8:09 pm

jayferg

finally got the E 8 plant term

8:16 pm

Tolinya

woot got a 7 for 32 all by myself...happy dance...lol

9:07 pm

jlm_mi

Atalante - I didn't know there were 3 8s for 40. I have two, but neither starts with E or has to do with plant growth.

And thanks for the clue on the 7/28. Will look for it.

10:43 pm

jayferg

Anyone out there or am I the only loser playing on a Friday night. :)

10:45 pm

onyx

i'm here looking for that e 8 plant word

10:50 pm

jayferg

use this link then you have to tweak the word a bit.

http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/glossary/Glossary.htm

11:02 pm

onyx

cool tool, thanx

11:09 pm

jayferg

ok...i am tired of trying to find words. was going to try and break 200 but i need to go read or something.

176 words 4.73 2183

11:23 pm

onyx

goodnite

View Word List Friday, August 13, 2004

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