Ben SCRABBLE PLAYERS The bi-monthly magazine of the Deadline for next issue 9th September No 103 August 2005 ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH Richard Whiteley O.B.E. 1943-2005 A new look for The Last Word!? It’s that time of year again, when ABSP that time of year again, when It’s members from far and wide gather together to let if they’re unable to attend the committee know just how they want their association run- or, the meeting, to cast their vote using proxy voting form on page 10. The only motion for that needs voting on this year is the conditional adoption of Collins Scrabble Words you to vote- it is your right 2006. If you have any feelings either way about this then I urge to express your opinion on the way we play our favourite game. this years who is organising On a related note, I have also been asked by Sarah Wilks, Park, to remind everyone that there are still spaces left in the main event, Yarnfield BMSC at the Ladies’ event, which is being held for the first time this year event and the new Men’s Please see the forthcoming events diary inside for for the John Rusted Memorial Trophy. further details. As I’m sure many of you are aware, Countdown host Richard Whiteley passed away on 26th June. Please turn to p10 for a full tribute. The AGM is just around the corner... panic, I’ve not gone and done anything too drastic, but due to the sheer volume of Don’t submissions I had this month, some regular items have to be omitted. Christina has kindly permitted me to hold over Xtras for this issue and I have also excluded the Ratings regard to the latter it was felt that because June issue had only been received List. With at the time final editing on this issue began, older ratings would not be significantly out ABSPof date and that the list, which is always accessible on website 24 hours a day, ABSPcould be left out with the minimum disruption. My thanks, of course, go to ratings officer John Grayson for his understanding regarding the omission. My gratitude also goes to several others who sent in items that I regretfully was unable will be glad of your material for the October include. Thanks, people! I’m sure Wayne issue! & Sons Ltd., Maidenhead SL6 4UB SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark of J.W.Spear

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R R A A (fuller list and details inside) D D N N E A quick reference to forthcoming competitions E L L The Last Word is printed by Keely Print, Beccles, Suffolk (01502) 713930 The Last Word A A C C DateAug 6th-7th Aug 6th-7th Aug 13th Nottingham Nomads (16) Aug 26th-27th Scottish Round Robin (14) (No of games) Tournament Aug 26th-27th BMSC Ladies’ Event (6)Aug 27th-29th Billericay (6) Clive Spate Event (6) Contact BMSC Men’s Sep 10th Marion Keating BMSC, YanfieldSep 16th-18thSep 18th524 265 01592 0208 920 0115 Sarah Wilks (6) (Tuition) Isle of Wight Sep 25th NSCT Final, Bradford (7) Sarah WilksSep 24th-25th Telephone Oct 1st-2nd Norwich (6)604 405 01476 NSC Final (12) Allan SimmonsOct 2nd Evelyn Wallace Middlesbrough (5) Philip Nelkon604 Sarah 405 Wilks 01476 Oct 8th-9th Stafford (12) 430 Oct 14th-17th771 569 01890 302 01702 Oct 15th-16th283 500 01628 Cardiff (14) Bournemouth (6) H-B Holidays Morecambe (14) 01476 405 604 Oct 22nd ABSP MastersOct 29th- Beckmann Viv Samantha Beckwith 0191 5866436 Oct 29th-30th Philip Nelkon Carol SmithNov 4th-5th Southend on Sea (6)6436 586 0191 (12) Tournament British Team Nov 6th-7th Elgin (5) Paul Cartman 283 500 01628 Ruth Marsden Nov 5th Vectis(5) Isle of Wight: Kelly Wayne 791 898 01603 Nov 12th Main event (11) Isle of Wight: Allen Mary 01785 211851 Nov 12th 01202 707148 Appleby Phil Evelyn WallaceNov 18th-21st Noel Turner Invitation Only (6) Weston-Super-Mare Nov 16th-20th Glasgow (6) Noel Turner (14)311 757 02920 H-B Holidays, Wigan 569 302 01702 Dec 3rd Luton (6) Invitation Only WORLD SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIPS 426 614 01983 426 614 01983 Rod Winfield Beckmann Lorraine Gordon Viv Swansea (5)Jan 21st332 794 01466 6436 586 0191 Jan 27th-29th824 789 01278 Jan 29th Wilson Tom Chester (16)Mar 12th Berkshire (6) West Mar 18th Adrian Noller054 263 01698 Sussex (6) West Grantham (6) Robert Johnston234 656 01582 East Sussex (6)886 296 01792 Ian Burn Kathy Rush Peter Hall5045 984 0118 Hazel Packham565 733 01928 Ed Breed161 410 01476 396 775 01903 334 219 01424 ISSUE CONTENTS COMMITTEE CORNER Committee Corner ...... 1 Event Reports ...... 14 COMMITTEE CORNER Chairman’s Report ...... 1 Obituaries ...... 30 AGM Final Agenda ...... 5 Edgeways ...... 31 Treasurer’s Report ...... 6 Across The Board ...... 37 Adoption of Collins Scrabble Words Accounts ...... 8 Forthcoming Events...... 44 The AGM motion is proposing an adoption of Collins Scrabble Words (CSL) with effect from Richard Whiteley - a tribute ...... 10 Edgeways Answers ...... ibc January 1st 2006. When people decide which way to vote on this option, I would suggest Letters ...... 12 Calendar of Events ...... obc that they consider the potential knock-on effects to tournaments of such a quick move to a new word reference. Throughout this publication, comments by the Editor do not represent the views of the Most, if not all tournaments, use electronic look-up for challenges rather than a manual ABSP Committee. Any statements by the Committee are clearly marked as such. All check of a dictionary. It is easier to use for the adjudicator, is quicker, and it is more other contributions to The Last Word represent only the views of the contributor. accurate. The most commonly used software in use is a package called LOOK. At the time of writing, there is no news on whether a CSL variant of LOOK will be available by January. This means that anyone organising a tournament in the early part of 2006 is either relying THE LAST WORD TEAM on 'something turning up' or adding riders to the tournament entry form to cover changes The Last Words Team welcomes contributions from readers to their respective areas, to tournament arrangements (including cancellation) should electronic checking not be either as letters, articles or suggestions. Contact information: available. Those people who use Lexpert or Maven for study purposes may encounter similar Editors: Games and Strategies: Words and Puzzles: problems, as may players on the Internet Scrabble Club. Ben Wilson Phil Appleby, David Sutton (odd-numbered issues) Thorns Cottage, 46 West Chiltern, My own views are that the timing of the new word source should only be sanctioned when Mount Pleasant Lane, Woodcote, the electronic dictionaries are in place, thus enabling tournaments to operate as efficiently Wayne Kelly Lymington, Reading, Berks as at present. After all, one of the founding aims of the ABSP is to promote tournament (even numbered issues) Hants SO41 8LS RG8 0SG Scrabble. [email protected]@ukgateway.net Allan Simmons Editorial Contact: Elisabeth Jardine Forthcoming events: Features: ABSP Chairman 6 Wentworth Avenue Paul Cartman, Christina French Bournemouth BH5 2ED 9 Chapel Terrace, 57 Cranham Road, 01202 419 708 Stafford ST16 3AH Hornchurh, Chairman’s Report- AGM 2005 [email protected] 01785 211851 Essex RM11 2AB This report covers the twelve months from the period of the 2004 AGM. It seems [email protected] 07736 686092 inappropriate to report in August based on a position at the end of December, especially [email protected] when the ABSP continues to grow. A report at the mid-year position can better reflect the reality of key aspects like membership and reflect the current status. Durham in the New Year My overall perception during the last twelve months is that the ABSP was making steady "Pete Finley is considering organising a rated, two day, 5 pt penalty event in Durham progress in increasing membership, tournaments, and tournament attendance. I was on the weekend of Jnuary 7th/8th 2006. It's a very tentative proposal at this stage pleased that this perception was backed up by the figures when the Committee looked at because he doesn't even know if he can get Trevelyan College over this period. If he progress against our objectives earlier this year. We have a very strong overall Committee could attract 100 players or thereabouts, the cost would probably be about the same primarily because it also extends less formally to the additional supportive roles of individuals and working groups. Anyone involved, directly or indirectly, with ABSP as the normal Durham weekend. The lower the numbers, the higher the cost is likely Committee work over the year can give themselves a pat on the back for helping maintain to be, because of overheads. Pete will only take things further if he gets an expression and expand the ABSP and make it a highly respected Scrabble association outside of the of interest from at least 40-50 people. He has about a dozen so far. If you would be UK interested in attending, please email Pete at [email protected] or phone him One area that has been a distraction of focus on ABSP development and pursuit of hitherto on 0191 5654079 by the end of August at the very latest. Preferably immediately." largely disappointing areas such as sponsorship (for myself at least) has been the Mattel

1 switch of licensing to Collins. After more than twelve months of effort (professionally and Although setting up the new team has had some teething problems, in the long term we voluntary) it at last looks as if a product is materialising that the players can support. will have a more flexible team without any one individual having the burden of a regular Although I am disappointed that it has taken so long and that Mattel and Collins ought to two-monthly task that the ABSP depends on. It will also mean that we are better organised have better grasped the needs prior to the deal, any rash decision earlier would have meant should we need future changes in this area. an inferior product compared to the existing Chambers OSWi. I trust that the membership It's important to remember that TLW and the Ratings are the backbone of the ABSP, so we will support the recommendation of the Dictionary Committee under the authority of now have nominal payments in place for TLW editors in recognition of significant effort Darryl Francis, whom I thank for taking the lead in this area and also representing the wider under time pressure. The Ratings Officer receives his contribution via the rating levies. WESPA Dictionary Committee. Ratings Another recent distraction that has absorbed a lot of time and energy (and caused much discussion, disagreement, and soul-searching) has been the request for the co-existence of John Grayson continues to ensure our Ratings are maintained accurately and remarkably Penalty Challenge rated events. I trust that the compromise outcome reached through a efficiently throughout the year. The fact that every Committee meeting there are no ratings recent Committee meeting, and based on wider consultation, is seen by the membership issues to discuss is a credit to John. We have completed the transition of replacing postcode to be a reasonable course of action. Note that I have put the item on the AGM agenda as a unique identifier with membership numbers and I extend my thanks to include Phil because I would like to encourage the views of the members and further debate on this Jefferies who helped with the software changes to achieve this. front. Finances I will now cover specific areas of the ABSP in more detail below. The 2003 increase in membership fees and the year-on-year increase in membership have Membership ensured that we have been able to explore new ventures (such as the logowear*), ensure we have a level of reward in place for Committee effort, and still maintain a healthy Our membership reached an all time high at the end of 2004, well over 700 and I'm balance sheet. I thank Ross for his efficiency and professionalism in this role, something pleased to note that at this half way stage we are already around the 700 mark. This time that tends to be only visible to the Committee. The fact that the accounts stand up to the last year it was about 650. annual expert scrutiny of Yoke Shin (thanks Yoke) with very few issues reflects this. Viv Beckmann has done well in developing a robust membership system, ensuring the I point you to the Treasurer's and Auditor's reports for more information. membership details reliably update the ratings database and ensuring membership numbers are now in use. It is important to note that the membership secretary has regular [* If I use the nonword LOGOWEAR often enough it might make it into the official Scrabble tasks to do throughout the year in respect of TLW and new members (and tardy renewals) words at some point!] and, while we are sorry to lose Viv in this capacity I am confident it will all be in good ABSP Online hands when Anne Ramsay takes over. Thanks to Stewart and support from Craig Beevers the website remains robust and uptodate Tournaments with ever increasing interest from the UK and World Scrabble community. One innovation Once again, my personal thanks go to each and every tournament organiser without whom since the last AGM has been the use of the site for renewing membership online which we we would not have so many venues at which to enjoy competing at our favourite game. hope to promote further for the 2006 renewals. Paul Cartman does a sterling job in maintaining the calendar and coordinating with Again I remind all members that it remains our policy to ensure that no members are organisers. He is also helping us keep an eye on latecomers and no-shows - an unfortunate disadvantaged through not having access to online material and TLW remains our prime necessity if we are to take corrective action on that rare breed of player who has frequent means of communication to all our members. disregard for the interest of the majority and the organisers. Sponsorship & Publicity Steve Perry has been active in heading up the Tournament Organisers Forum that has been Unfortunately after a term of generating excellent PR and dreaming up initiatives such as a helpful expansion of the way the Committee works with those at the 'coal face' in this National Scrabble Week, Jackie Mcleod had to step down from the Committee during the area. My thanks to Steve and his team for supporting the ABSP in this way. year. This leaves a big hole our PR department - we desperately need someone with time The Last Word and energy to take on the PR role for the ABSP and to especially ensure that annual I'm sure all members will agree, TLW continues to be an excellent publication with several National Scrabble Week focus continues. We will manage somehow through spreading the regular contributors ensuring a variety of content to suit a variety of members needs. And tasks around others but that's is not as good as a single focus on this key area. Sponsorship that excellence continues even though we have had a change of editor, mainly because is always entwined with PR and although there are some avenues to explore for the BMSC Alec Webb has applied his expertise in overseeing the changeover and training the new and Masters as have mentioned already my time spent on the Dictionary Committee editorial team in respect of the specialist publishing software used. So it's a huge thank you activity has meant that nothing has been pursued. Just as with PR we ideally need someone to Alec and a huge thank you divided equally amongst the new team of Ben Wilson, with the time and skills to pitch high on the sponsorship front. In my mind donations of Wayne Kelly and editorial coordinator, Liz Jardine. books and the like, while appreciated, are not what sponsorship is about.

2 3 International Scene ABSP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2005 We are grateful for Philip and Mattel for stepping in to ensure the continuity of the WSC Members are reminded that the 2005 AGM will be held at 8.15pm on Sunday 28th August although it's sad for world scrabble that North America has abandoned the world scrabble at the Yarnfiled Conference Centre, Yanfield near Stafford, in conjunction with the ABSP's scene in that respect. WESPA (the world English language Scrabble Players Association) British Matchplay Championship. All members are invited to attend. will be formally launching itself alongside the WSC while there is a focus of players from around the globe. WESPA has been developing its constitution and other preparatory areas PROXY VOTES may be sent to the Chairman, Allan Simmons at since the previous WSC. It is expected that WESPA will follow the ABSP in respect of a Edington House, The Bow, Coldingham, Berwiskshire TD14 5NE decision regarding the dictionary. Email proxies are allowed but you must give your full name: [email protected] Objectives A Proxy Voting Form is provided within this issue of TLW. The Committee have reviewed the objectives for the 2003-2004 period and restated these for 2005-2006. There is still scope to embrace the wider home-Scrabble enthusiasts in order to encourage them to dip their toes in the tournament water. We have several recent Final Agenda examples of Scrabble players who've braved an event and become hooked. Quite how we 1 To receive the Chairman's report (published this issue) address this has not been discussed since an earlier initiative re variable membership fees was rejected by the membership. I hope there is time at the AGM for some discussion about 2 To receive and consider the accounts of the Association for 2004, and the the objectives we have set ourselves. The Committee is willing to varying them based on associated Auditor's and Treasurer's reports (published this issue) further thoughts from the membership. 3 To elect the officers and other members of the Committee The Committee The current Committee consists of: Viv Beckmann, Amy Byrne, Paul Cartman, Elie Dangoor, Darryl Francis, Stewart There have been a few other changes on the Committee since last AGM. Those who've Holden, Liz Jardine, Wayne Kelly, Ross Mackenzie, Steve Perry, Allan Simmons, plus stepped down are Jackie McLeod, Paul Allan, and Alec Webb. Those who have joined are Philip Nelkon as Mattel representative. Liz Jardine and Evan Simpson. Viv Beckmann steps down at the AGM and hands over to Anne Ramsay. I thank those who have left for all their time and effort and welcome on Evan Simpson will have formally joined the Committee at the meeting on June 4th. board the new faces who I'm sure will bring fresh ideas and opinions the Committee. There Viv Beckmann is standing down at the AGM and will be replaced by Anne Ramsay as are spaces available, primarily for the PR/Sponsorship area although anyone interested in the new Membership Secretary. any capacity would be considered. The officers of the Committee are currently: I'm grateful for many others who've agreed to help us gauge opinions and deal with Allan Simmons (Chairman) change, innovation and progression through the mechanism of working parties. Amy Byrne (Secretary) The Committee standing as at the AGM: Ross Mackenzie (Treasurer) All the officers intend to stand again for these roles. (Gyles Brandreth - honorary President) Darryl Francis (Dictionary subcommittee) Stewart Holden (Webmaster) All other Committee members are standing except as indicated above. Allan Simmons (Chairman) Liz Jardine (TLW coordination) The honorary President is Gyles Brandreth. Ross Mackenzie (Treasurer) Wayne Kelly (TLW/Document Controller) Amy Byrne (Secretary) 4 To confirm the Auditor for the year 2005 (Yoke Shin) Steve Perry (Tournament Organisers 5 To fix the subscription for 2006 plus in alphabetical order... Forum) Paul Cartman (Tournament Organisation) Anne Ramsay (Membership Secretary) It is proposed that the subscription remains at £15 per annum Elie Dangoor (Data Control & Data Evan Simpson (computerisation Protection) area/general) 6 PRE-MOTION ITEMS Philip Nelkon is the Mattel representative 6.1 Wendy Rimmington (Chambers Managing Director) NB: John Grayson as Ratings Officer and Ben Wilson as TLW editor are not Committee Wendy Rimmington, the new Managing Director of Chambers, will speak at the AGM members. to highlight some of the exciting developments since Hachette (the second largest publishing group in the world after Bertelsmann) acquired the company last August. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the AGM at Yarnfield 6.2 Q&A with Collins and Mattel Allan Simmons, Elaine Higgleton (Collins) and Philip Nelkon (Mattel) will be available to talk to the ABSP Chairman AGM and field any general questions ahead of the Collins Scrabble Words motion.

4 5 7 MOTIONS National Scrabble Week 2003, and the introduction of non-members paying a minimum These are detailed below and will be addressed in the order shown surcharge to enter rated events. 7.1 Adoption of Collins Scrabble Words 2006 The other principal reason for the surplus is the money left over from the BMSC last year. "It is proposed that the ABSP should adopt Collins Scrabble Words 2006 (CSW2006) The Moat House bill is not fully settled yet, but it is anticipated that, of the £1,000 with effect from 1st January 2006, conditional on the Dictionary Committee signing outstanding, we will not be required to pay the full amount due to contractual and other off that the acceptance criteria listed below have all been met by end of September failings. I have prudently estimated a settlement of £500 will be necessary, although 2005. If adopted, CSW2006 would be the sole official word authority for all ABSP- currently it appears even that is being over-cautious. Any extra savings will roll into 2005's rated and ABSP-sponsored Scrabble events and tournaments." accounts, and be added to the overall surplus. proposer : Darryl Francis The ABSP garments project was designed to run at break-even - however, it ran at a small seconder: Allan Simmons deficit of £138 for 2004. The pricing structure has now been tweaked for 2005, and a break-even is anticipated this year. Collins Scrabble Words Acceptance Criteria 1. Includes all words also in OSWi except for about 100 deletions The Protiles stock in the Balance Sheet covers the surplus sets from last year's BMSC 2. Includes the latest Tournament Word List updates from North America. giveaway. Please note that the ABSP is constitutionally restricted in how it can use these, 3. Uses unabridged Collins English Dictionary to determine additional words so this asset, unlike the others listed, is not readily convertible into cash. 4. All inflections to follow existing rules and guidance Finally, I'm forecasting a surplus of the order of £1,000 for 2005. This is based on 5. When including minimal definitions, the unambiguous word list for subscriptions already banked for 2005, and no significant increases in expenditure. adjudication is not compromised. I could go on for pages and pages here, into a lot more detail, but I occasionally realise not 6. 10-15 letter words are listed separately from 2-9 everyone gets as excited as me about things like accounting. However, don't let this stop 7. The published book available for final verification. you asking me any questions, or commenting on the attached figures. Drop me an email, 8. A more affordable paperback word list without definitions to be published as write me a letter, or approach me at a tournament. soon as possible after acceptance. Ross Mackenzie NB: Dictionary Committee chair, Darryl Francis, writes: As of July 8th significant progress has been made with Collins on all fronts to meet ABSP Treasurer these criteria and, although sample pages may be available at the AGM, the Dictionary Committee has agreed to delay publication, primarily in order to accommodate the North American updates which had been significantly delayed but which are now available. Auditor’s Report Where possible, further updates on progress between July 8th and the AGM will be The ABSP Committee is responsible for the preparation of the accounts. My responsibility provided. These may be via the ABSP website and supported by a printed handout is to examine the system on a test basis in order to verify whether the relevant controls have at the AGM, or an oral statement at the AGM. been complied with, and that income, expenditure, assets and liabilities have been 8 Discussion on the limited Penalty Challenge trial correctly processed and recorded. An opportunity for a general Q&A regarding the trial period allowing rated events I am of the opinion that the accounts are fairly stated. with variable challenge rules. Yoke Shin 9 Discussion of Committee Objectives 2005-2006 A review of how the Committee is performing against its Objectives.

Rating Officer’s Statement Treasure’s Report 2004 The amount the Ratings Officer received in rating levies direct from tournament organisers The Association's accounts, on pages X and X of this issue of TLW, show a breakdown of for 2004 was of the order of £3,000. All the expenses incurred in performing the duties of income and expenditure from the year ending 31 December 2004, and assets held at the Ratings Officer were met from this amount, which is also subject to personal tax. There end of the year. Please take a moment to read these, and the auditor's statement, in were 22,230 ABSP-rated games in 2004. conjunction with the text below. The surplus for 2004 is £1,431. One of the reasons this is so healthy is due to an increase John Grayson in member subscriptions. I believe this can be attributed to the amazing success of Ratings Officer

6 7 Association of British Scrabble Players Association of British Scrabble Players Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2004 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2004

Notes 2004 2003 Notes 2004 2003 ££ ££ Income Current Assets Membership subscriptions 9,803 9,259 Bank deposit account 7,340 4,779 Tournament surplus [1] 712 111 Bank current account 2,901 2,503 Bank interest 60 62 PayPal account 337 - Miscellaneous 50 70 Results sheet stock 216 290 10,625 9.502 Garment stock 230 Expenditure Protiles stock 824 Publications [2] 6,384 5,944 OSWi kits - 41 Commitee expenses 1,576 1,405 Sundry debtors 600 Past TLW editors 390 - 12,448 7,613 Website 204 211 Current Liabilities Insurance 220 220 Prepaid membership subs 4,004 1,462 Miscellaneous [3] 420 357 Sundry creditors [4] 1,081 219 9,194 8,137 5,085 1,681 Retained surplus 7,363 5,932 Surplus on year 1,431 1,365 Surplus brought forward 5,932 4,567 NOTES Surplus carried forward 7,363 5,932 [4] Sundry Creditors Commitee expenses 525 NOTES £ Moat house (provisional) 500 [1] Tournament surplus/(deficit) Border embroideries 56 BMSC 741 1,081 Masters (29) The outstanding balance owing to Moat House is subject to negotiation, and in the worst- 712 case scenario will increase to £1,000. [2] Publications ------TLW printing 3,736 Postage and packaging 1,908 AGM PROXY VOTING FORM Editing 400 If you wish to submit a proxy vote for the AGM then please cut out and complete the 2004 handbook printing 385 form overleaf and return to the Chairman, Allan Simmons at the following address: Enveloping 150 Allan Simmons (ABSP AGM), TLW inserts income (195) Edington House, 6,384 The Bow, Coldingham, [3] Miscellaneous expenditure Berwickshire TD14 5NE Garments (net) 138 Honorarium 100 Or email to [email protected] Transaction costs 56 DEADLINE - all to be received by Wednesday 24th August 2005 Engraving costs 50 You MUST sign the form and provide your full name for identification purposes Ubisoft review panel 40 OSWi kits written off 36 (If emailing please ensure you provide your full name and membership number*) 420 PLEASE read the detailed Motion and supporting notes in TLW before voting. You may vote for, against, abstain, or leave your vote to the Chairman's discretion. Please indicate clearly with a tick or cross as appropriate. Spoiled forms will be void. If you vote by post but then come to the AGM to vote you MUST tell the Secretary so your 8 proxy can be destroyed. The Scrabble community was stunned David Sutton: by the news that Richard Whiteley, To add my note of regret to the news about Richard Whiteley presenter of Countdown since its first Richard Whiteley, I can testify that when my 1943-2005 episode in 1982, died on 26th June. teenage daughter, then fifteen, appeared on A tribute compiled by Although it was common knowledge 'Countdown' some time ago both Richard Stewart Holden that Richard had been ill for weeks, the and Carol - and indeed the whole team - rapid deteorioration that led to his took particular trouble to set her at ease. It passing came as a shock even to those was actually her Mum and Dad in the closest to him. audience who needed the TLC - I think on Gyles Brandreth (ABSP President) the conundrum of her third game I recorded Richard's death is a real loss to all his a pulse rate of 160, while my wife quietly friends, and he really did count his fainted and had to be revived with a glass of friends in their millions. water - but I feel Richard can be forgiven on For somebody who was so admired in this occasion for not getting his priorities Richard at the 2004 ABSP Masters presenting the quite right. He brought a lot of innocent himself, he was not really interested in winner’s trophy and cheque to Mark Nyman himself. He was simply interested in pleasure to the innocent. RIP indeed. other people. Totally delightful. on the show at at least two hundred, Sandie Simonis: I think he rather liked the fact that the probably more. The newspapers obituaries Richard, you were unique. The holes you Queen watched Countdown. He was told the official story of how Twice Nightly dug yourself into, your dress sense, your certainly very proud of being made an became such a national icon; here is a great skill at putting contestants at ease, Officer of the Order of the British Empire selection of the many personal tributes paid especially youngsters, your lack of a couple of years ago. on the uk-scrabble and c4countdown grandeur, your schoolboy humour, your mailing lists: You couldn't not like him. inability to count how many letters in a 5- Over the 23 years of Countdown history Stewart Holden: letter word and yet occasional brilliance at Richard sat alongside a huge number of It's impossible to know what to say. My the numbers game, your respect for and faces from our own community. A condolences to Richard's partner and his memory of many past contestants and conservative estimate would put the family. Weekday afternoons can never be much much more. The nation loved you number of ABSP members who appeared the same again. and will miss you. Rest in peace. Finally, some words from Countdown Jackie McLeod: ------producer Damian Eadie which may give I am very shaken by the news that Richard some comfort to those hoping to see ABSP AGM 2005 - PROXY VOTING FORM Whiteley has died. He was supposed to be Countdown back on our screens one day: getting better and I never doubted that. I'm There's no question that we'll carry on at surprised at just how shocked and sad I feel. some point. Everyone connected with the MOTION 1 - COLLINS SCRABBLE WORDS (conditional acceptance) To be honest (and as a former Countdown show is commited to its continuation, contestant) I didn't entirely like him, yet including Carol of course, so its just a case now will miss him greatly. It's a real feeling FOR___ AGAINST___ CHAIRMAN ___ ABSTAIN___ of finding the right alternative to Ricardo, of having lost an important piece of TV (I denounce the use of the word history, a unique personality, and a jolting replacement), and then convincing Channel reminder of our own mortality. 4 that we've got a package in place that can Signature: ………………….………….. Pete Finley: equal or better the previous product. I'm Richard took a lot of stick over the years confident we can do this, but it's all about and appeared to be a man who had made it when. At the moment its very difficult to Name: …………………………………….…. without having any noticeable talent. The imagine Countdown without RW, but there fact that we cannot contemplate is a challenge that lies ahead. When we're Countdown without him tells a different all up to tackling it, we will do so with tale. End of an era certainly. complete determination to succeed. Membership Number (*given on address label every mailing): ……………. 11 appoint a rep who would be responsible for alongside a Scottish one. There is no reason ensuring uniformity of the game rules and why most of the functions of the ABSP could LLEETTTTEERRSS ratings system - in effect a European not be handled by English, Scottish and THE BEST FROM THE BAG... federation. Welsh associations, thus dissolving the Being slightly biased of course, it would be ABSP. This however, should not have any Below are a few of the many letters that have come through to the TLW mailbag over the hoped that other European countries would effect on players playing in tournaments run past few weeks, whether they came via snail mail, email, or over the uk-scrabble adopt our ratings system and most or all of by a different association, as the game rules discussion group. Remember: if you have an issue you wish to discuss with the scrabble our game rules. I don’t know if the WESPA and ratings system would be the same as community in general, simply drop a line, be it by email or snail mail, to Elisabeth Jardine has already looked into this possibility, but I ratified by the European Federation. (address in the inside front cover). doubt if the Americans would want to So to summarise the proposed changes: change their system. So for the fact that European Scrabble Federation - one rep It’s a small world most European associations are quite new, (possibly more) from each European Margaret Bright: In early June my husband "Your face looks familiar. Have we met and are geographically closer, the association, responsible for any and I went on a cruise to Norway on the before?" organisation appears to show more amendments to game rules and the ratings potential. Ocean Majesty. As I knew I couldn't expect “I'm from Lincoln," the lady replied. system. a decent game of Scrabble with my fellow "I don't know anyone from Lincoln and I'm This then fits in for the possibility of change The new English, Scottish and Welsh passengers, I went armed with books and from Poole." nearer home. The World Championships associations - anything else; membership, Sudoku grids for the "cruising" breaks "I get around a bit playing Scrabble" recognises the three different nations of tournaments, finance, publicity, updating between the ports of call. England, Scotland and Wales, yet there is a members’ ratings, newsletter, sponsorship "Ah! That's it. I'm Margaret Bright." British association which oddly exists etc. On the ninth day of the twelve day holiday, "I'm Heather Burnett. I know your name." I went on a shore excursion round some "We must have seen each other at fiords. About two hundred of the five tournaments. Have we ever played?" hundred passengers were on the trip split The Penalty Challenge Debate Continues... Neither of us could remember, but later I between five coaches. In a group of about checked the records on my Psion and found Chris Dossett: I am appalled at the decision allowing sufficient time for members to forty you start to notice individuals, whereas that we had played in May 2004 at Stoke by the committee to allow penalty submit any motion for the AGM. a large group is just a sea of strange faces. Rochford. As we live so far apart, we challenge tournaments to be rated without The committee fully understands that the That probably explains why this was the first seldom attend the same tournaments. first putting this to a vote at the AGM. This suggested trial period of rating various kinds time I had noticed a female face which Fortunately the Ocean Majesty had a to me seems totally unconstitutional. I don't of event will please some members and seemed vaguely familiar. Was it someone Scrabble set in the library and we had two see how temporary rule changes are displease others. However, we felt that it from Poole, I wondered? games on the way home on a rather choppy allowed to be brought in without a vote. was better to take this step and allow After an hour or two of furtive glances and North Sea, the result being a very friendly I find the timing of this decision puzzling, in members to experience the idea being unsuccessful memory searching, during one-all. that it was done just after the deadline for discussed than simply ask them to vote on it which I noticed the lady looking at me, I The moral of this tale is never be afraid to AGM motions to be submitted [this is now. An AGM motion will still be required plucked up courage andapproached her approach a familiar-looking face. You never incorrect, see below - Ed.]. To ride rough if this trial period is to become permanent while at a photo stop by a fiord. know - it might be a fellow Scrabbler! shod over your own constitution like this after the end of 2006. Please note that only beggars belief and I shall not be renewing current members can submit motions or European Scrabble Federation? my membership next year. vote on those put forward by others. We ask all ABSP members for their support Martin Thompson: An increasing number of their respective associations. But if every during this experimental period. We hope tournaments are now held overseas, but if association adopted the same game rules COMMITTEE REPLY TO CHRIS DOSSETT: they will take advantage of the variety of you played in Malta and Ireland, for (applicable to tournaments in the English The decision to allow events with different events on offer during the coming year and example, your matches are not rated, but in language) and ratings system, then you time limits and different challenge rules to that any debate which takes place at a could play anywhere in Europe for ratings Germany they are. The difference is the be rated was announced in TLW 102 future AGM will be more rational and better points. German tournament is organised by an alongside the draft version of the agenda, informed with the benefit of this experience. ABSP member, but the others are ran by I propose that each association should

12 13 near the start of a game was mis-scored by around 40 points. It went unnoticed until the filling out of the score sheet. A win then SSCCRRAABBBBLLEE EEVVEENNTTSS became a loss by 3 points. The moral of this is to please check your cumulative scores with your opponent every 3 or 4 moves. RESULTS & REPORTS It may save you an unnecessary disappointment at the end. RESULTS & REPORTS Division C was hotly contested throughout the day with the top spots continually changing and ended with four people winning Organisers are encouraged to send a list of prize winners and a tournament report to five of their six games. Well done to Mark Redhead, who the TLW editor as soon as possible after the event. emerged as the eventual winner. The ratings prize went to Jacquie Aldous in 6th spot. Division B was ‘women power’ all the way. The top seven places MSO ~ Cambridge A division winner being taken by them. One in particular started to shine more Alec Webb 7th May(6 games) brightly as the day progressed. Congratulations to Marlene Skinner who won the division with out dropping a game all day. Here the ratings prize was won by Doug Hill in 8th place. The Division A leader board had ups and downs all day but with several of the higher rated players losing games early on, it looked likely that Evan Simpson would successfully defend the title he won last year. However, paired against Alec Webb in the final round, it was not to be. Alec won and took this years top spot. Similar happened in one of the other top place matches with Neil Rowley beating Mark lane to leapfrog into second spot. The ratings prize went to Gavin Holmes in 12th spot. A special thanks to Neil Rowley’s daughter, Imogen and Betty MSO Cambridge A MSO Cambridge B Benton’s grandson, Bradley who did the majority of the running C division winner Jackie McLeod 6 574 Maurice McParland 6 435 for us on the day. Mark Redhead Graham Wakefield 5 90 Heather Burnet 4 329 Alec Webb 4 331 Joyce Frost 4 242 Bourne A Bourne B Bourne C Alec Webb 5 558 Marlene Skinner 6 526 Mark Redhead 5 428 Bourne Neil Rowley 5 322 Jill Parker 5 261 Sue Ison 5 330 Evan Simpson 5 302 Sarah Wilks 4 282 Paul Cartman 5 304 8th May(6 gamea) Mark Lane 4 358 Evelyn Wallace 4 111 Pete Ison 5 50 Report from Graham Wakefield This year’s event once again took place in the Corn Exchange in the Town centre. Everyone ADVERTISEMENT arrived before the official start time, just! We attracted 74 entrants this time a round, which Would you like to spend a week or two in congenial company playing allowed us to increase the prizes to six in each division, including a ratings prize. If we get your favourite game? Then why not join us on a holiday to Madeira from a similar increase next year, we may well be able to go to four divisions. 9-16th January 2006. We went international this year with one entrant coming from Newark, New Zealand! Kate Competitive (non-rated) Scrabble is played in the Wignall was over here for a period of time and heard of our event, so decided to enter. evenings; your days will be free for sight-seeing, The day seemed to run reasonably smoothly. We took it on board from last time, having sunbathing, swimming or even more Scrabble. asked for comments both positive and negative, to shorten the two main breaks. This Non-Scrabblers are also welcome. seemed to work okay. From my side of the computer the only thing that caused me any concern was seasoned players putting the wrong reference numbers on their score sheets Further details are available from: and that included the A division! Otherwise it was down to players A and B to leave a tile Kathy Rush, 10 The Quay, Frodsham WA6 7JG in the bag near the end of a game. This was resolved by back tracking and giving the letter Tel: 01928 733565 to its rightful owner. The outcome of the game was not affected. In another game a move Email: [email protected]

14 15 The pre-event was won by Theresa Camilleri, which is quite apt as it was at her suggestion Bournemouth we added this extra dimension! The main event was won by Wayne Kelly. From an 8th May organisational point of view, this was a very good venue, good playing area, plenty of staff available when I had any queries. One point was made that the bar should have been open 6 Rounds. Divisions A-K were a 5-game round robin plus King of the Hill in Round 6. earlier than it was. Whoever made that point - you can blame that on me! I did not see any Players in Division L played 6 of the other 7 players. point in Yarnfield employing staff so they could sit around watching unwatchable TV reality A Wins Spread E Wins Spread I Wins Spread shows. They told me how bored they all were on the Friday evening. The only customer up Penny Downer 5 467 Liz Barber 5 280 Judy Young 6 804 until 9.30 p.m. was myself when I ordered a nice cold lager, which I needed after hearing Gary Oliver 4 107 Sheila Jolliffe 4 4 Michael Chappell 4 80 that some of the players were not returning for the rest of the event. These were new players B F J from a local school. Angela Swain 4 131 Molly Lane 5 325 Anne Partridge 4 156 The food and service was Elizabeth Hull 4 -31 Hazel Parker 4 223 Margaret Coleman 4 144 very good but we will be C G K returning to Stoke in Wanda De Poitiers 5 359 Martin Taylor 5 516 Derek Neath 5 274 December as Yarnfield is Diana Beasley 3 13 Malcolm Shaw 4 21 Alice Nadin 4 -66 just a little bit too far for us Essex folk. It was nice D H L Rita Todd 5 235 Eileen Anderson 5 345 Tanya Robson 6 475 to see a couple of Essex Mike Whiteoak 4 176 Monica Stockwell 4 51 Dennis Hussey 4 359 League players take home prizes, Cecil Muscat ratings prize in Division A Theresa is in the foreground playing Graham Harding, after her and Evelyn Wallace, 3rd Morecambe victory in the Pre-Event place in Division B. 13-16th May Thanks to our Tournament Team and all those who entered. Through our entrants generosity we raised £135 for the two charities we support each year. A cheque has Morecambe A Morecambe B been dispatched to both charities involved. Christine Gillespie 9.5 156 Mary Shaw 12 665 Tony Davis 9.5 132 Richard Pajak 9 138 We have been asked to organise and direct a tournament Trish Johnson 8 450 Ruby Flood 8 70 in Malta next year: the response we got to this idea was extremely positive when we asked for a show of hands. Morecambe C Morecambe D Morecambe E I will be liaising with Theresa on this and will contact all Mabel Choularton 10 443 Jean Stevens 12 1015 Dorothy Henry 10 484 those who have expressed an interest once all the details On his way to Victory, Wayne Ginny Dixon 8 382 Rose Lawson 9 265 Norah Thompson 9 236 are finalised. Kelly plays Phil Kelly June Johnstone 8 -28 Gwen Linfoot 8 239 Maria Moseley 7 356 Yarnfield A Yarnfield B Yarnfield C Wayne Kelly 16 1249 David Shenkin 15 1269 Jake Berliner 16 1295 Jackie McLeod 13 915 Sheila Green 13 667 Geoff Cooper 16 1181 Yarnfield Femi Awowade 13 617 Evelyn Wallace 13 518 Val Hoskings 13 1063 John Ashmore 12 585 Greg Kelly 13 344 Marjorie Smith 13 576 27-30th May Report from Christina French Following the fire at Stoke Rochford, I had to find an alternative venue for our event. I Melton Mowbray was approached by the sales people at Yarnfield Park and Dave and myself were invited to Yarnfield for a complimentary visit. As soon as we saw the playing rooms we thought 5th June they would make a nice home for the BMSC. Report from Maureen Rayson The l2th Melton Mowbray Charity Event took place on Sunday June 5th. This year the We had a smaller crowd in this time and we enjoyed the company of overseas visitors JoJo tournament was enlarged to 3 divisions and extended to 6 games. 70 people took part in a Delia, Theresa Camilleri (both from Malta) and Kerry Constant from Dublin. most enjoyable scrabble day staged in the comfortable Civic Suite of the town’s council

16 17 offices. All the players arrived before the start time which gave us an excellent beginning to the day. Peterlee Lois McLeod did a splendid job as tournament director and Ken Pritchett made the 12th June (5 games) computer work look easy, the whole thing went very smoothly. Report from Samantha Beckwith Going into the last round Denise Saxton was leading the C division but was overtaken by Our 13th annual matchplay went smoothly after alterations due to one unexpected, but very Sue Ison. The rating prize went to Dorothy Kemlicz. welcome, player, and one non-arrival. In the B division Carol Smith had a wonderful day winning all of her 6 games. The rating Peterlee A Peterlee B Peterlee C prize went to Peter Winnick. Joyce Cansfield 4 320 Viv Beckmann 5 542 Elisabeth Williams 5 601 In the A division Paul Nind was also having an excellent day, but although he was unbeaten Mark Goodwin 4 223 Margaret Burdon 4 577 Rose Wall 4 404 he went into his last round match agains Graham Wakefield requiring nothing less than Craig Beevers 4 -103 Sue Thompson 3 377 Geoff Goodwin 3 303 victory to secure the tournament top spot. The brilliant move with which he clinched that victory features in Phil Appleby’s Across The Board later in this issue. Concerning the record for the number of players from one club, Cleveland S.C. fielded 19 players. Peterlee S.C. is now down to just 2 members, but we hope to stage our 14th event The A division rating prize went to Theresa Cole. next year, if our nepotism works The day ended with the Mayor Pat Cumbers presenting the prizes. £400 was raised to be donated to her fund which this year is going to the Air Ambulance Service. Brighton & Hove 12th June (6 games) Brighton A Brighton B Brighton C Ed Martin 6 821 Peter Hall 5 649 Anna Blakey 5 540 Gareth Williams 5 605 Marie Perry 5 503 Anthony Pinnell 5 464 Verity Cross 5 242 Vera Sime 5 362 Peter Dittert 5 75

The Cleveland Experiment (Penalty Challenge Tournament ~ unrated) Middlesbrough, 19th June Report from Pete Finley The Cleveland Experiment was organised as a result of extensive discussion on the UK- Melton Mowbray A Melton Mowbray B Melton Mowbray C Scrabble email list on the subject of 5 pt penalty challenges. Most of the people in favour Paul Nind 6 578 Carol Smith 6 707 Sue Ison 5 425 had tried them and most of those against had not. I thought I would give a few more people Stewart Holden 5 496 Andy Gray 5 270 Maisie Culpin 5 342 the chance to experience the rule. I also hoped to gather some statistics and information on Chris Hawkins 4 430 Graham Bonham 5 154 Denise Saxton 5 145 Alec Webb 4 397 Christine Gillespie 4 438 Ginny Dixon 4 310 players' attitudes. Entries were fewer than I had hoped, possibly because the tournament could not be rated. We did reach 22 but three dropouts in the last few days meant my wife, Laura had to stand Lang Toun Round Robin down too to keep the numbers even. There were therefore 18 players, grouped in three six- 11th June player round robin divisions. Groups A-E were of 8 players playing a 7 game round robin. Group F was a round robin The divisions, showing the ratings range of the participants and the prizewinners, were: followed by 2 extra rounds. Spreads omitted because the supplied figures did not add up to Div A (153-181) 1st Craig Beevers (181) 5 wins +753, 2nd Mikki Nicholson (157) 4 +48 zero. Div B (116-143) 1st Richard Moody (125) 5 +242, 2nd Tony Davis (143) 4 +165 A Wins Spread C Wins Spread E Wins Spread Div C (79-108) 1st Margaret Keeper (108) 4 +238, 2nd Margaret Boyd (105) 4 +197 Peter Igweke 6 363 Sheena Wilson 5 264 Jim Wilkie 5 554 Darryl Francis 5 421 Melanie Beaumont 5 174 Jean Gallacher 5 228 Because of the low number of players taking part, the statistics below should be treated with great caution, but here they are anyway: B D F of the 45 games played, only two had their results affected by the 5 point penalties Ricky Zinger 5 343 Margaret Irons 5 412 Paul Moorefield 5.5 Anne Steward 4 241 Carol Grant 5 259 Mary Orr 5 93 moves were challenged, 27 of them successfully the average number of challenges per game was 2.07

18 19 the average number of 5 pt penalties incurred per game was 1.47 Nottingham (Penalty Challenge Tournament ~ unrated) only four phonies escaped unchallenged. At the end of the event I asked the players to complete a questionnaire. 16 players did so. 3rd July It should of course be borne in mind that these were 16 players who were at least willing Report from Stewart Holden to take part in an unrated 5 pt penalty event. The full results were posted on UK-S - this is After some inital worries about making the numbers viable, Sam Kanthimathi of SamTimer a summary: fame stepped in to sponsor the event with free prizes. This was an experimental event, not the vast majority of players (12) were against 5 pt penalties being introduced for ALL rated by the ABSP, intended to give people a chance to taste Scrabble with an extra ABSP tournaments ingredient - the much-debated 'five point rule'. the vast majority of players (12) were either undecided (4) or in favour (8) of allowing 5 Some players were concerned about the logistics of this variation, worrying about extra lines needed on scoresheets or messy subtractions. There was much relief when I explained pt penalty tournaments to be rated - only four were against before the first game that you simply challenge a word, wait for the adjudication in the if both types of tournament were rated, only three players would not attend both types normal way and then add five points to its value if it has come back with a tick. So six players thought that allowing 5 pt penalty tournaments to be rated would cause a challenge a play that scores 34 and it will be worth 39 if the adjudicator says yes. Simple! split in the ABSP membership, four thought not, six were undecided Perhaps if this rule was more accurately referred to as a "five point bonus" rather than a "five all 16 respondents found the 5 pt rule either as expected (11) or better than expected (5) point penalty" it might gain more support! 12 of the 16 respondents played no unchallenged phonies - two played one and one With the rules easily understood, twenty-eight brave souls from as far apart as Basingstoke played two - one did not give details and Doncaster sat down for the first game. We had opted to do without a computer and I managed the whole day using Clive Spate's results tables designed for the Nottingham 12 of the 16 respondents incurred 0-5 penalties during the tournament - three incurred Nomads events. With pairings arranged in advance and my wife Julie adjudicating from 6-10 and one 11-15 OSWI the rest of the organisation was remarkably easy. Five of the 16 respondents said they were less likely to play 5 pt penalty tournaments To tie in with the theme of "five" we had spot prizes in each division for the highest scoring having played in this one - the remaining 11 were just as likely to do so. word using the K. Division C failed to impress, the best word being Geoff Cooper's meagre I believe these findings support the argument that 5 point penalties do not produce floods RAKER for 37; Division B claimed the top score of any group with WRECKAGE (90) by of unchallenged phonies or massive penalty swings. Neither do they change the result of Lorna Rapley, while Clive Spate took the award for style with WOOLLIKE (85) in Division many games. A. The spot prizes were the highly appropriate board game "Don't Give Me Five!" kindly donated by its creator Charlie Towlson, better known to a growing number of Scrabble Havering Evergreens ~ a tournament for the over-50s players as the inventor of the hugely popular game 'Gambler'. 25th June (6 games) Evan Simpson must have been delighted to spot ECUMENIC against Jackie McLeod, but his Report from Cindy Hollyer joy was deflated by the latter's reply of DIMWITS/ECUMENICS for 124 (119 + 5 for an unsuccessful challenge), the highest scoring play of the day. Other words ticked at the The above event, which was restricted to 44 competitors, took off with no hitches- everyone adjudication desk included ENNEAGON, COAEVAL, OXTERED, JAGGER, REREDOS, on time and a wonderful summer's day. There were three divisions and an air of bon homie OVERPRINT, PARLANTE, SAVVIES, OUTDRIVEN, SCURVIER and DISJUNE. prevailed. The venue was new- a small church complete with stained glass windows, now set aside solely for social functions. A few hundred yards away the Mountaineering windmill Brett Smitheram started well in the top group with four straight wins, but as his wheels came looked very impressive in the glorious sunlight proving that rural Essex is quite picturesque. off Clive Spate, Wayne Kelly and Evan Simpson stepped into contention. Brett failed to win another game while Clive polished off Chris Hawkins and fellow Nomad Adam Philpotts to Nobody won all of their games and happily no ducks were scored either. secure victory. Russell Byers didn't look like a prizewinner until a crushing 306pt victory in Havering Evergreens A Havering Evergreens B Havering Evergreens C the final round catapulted him into second place. Sandie Simonis 5 437 Peter Ernest 5 114 Mavis Ernest 5 313 Division B was foregone conclusion before the final round, with Alison Sadler storming the Ruth MacInerney 5 127 Sheila Anderson 4 376 Doreen Searle 4.5 232 field 6-1. Special mention must go to Mike O'Rourke; both he and Nuala lost their opening Nick Jenkins 4 350 Stuart May 4 163 Joyce Frost 4.5 232 two games but Mike then furthered his wife's misery and that of three more opponents to finish the day in second place. It was also a pleasure to welcome Martin Harrison (xmphx Raffle proceeds of £61 will be donated to the Royal British Legion, an organisation to which on ISC) into his second tournament, the first having been Pete Finley's 5pt event in the over 50's will equate and the club received a mention at the Victory Celebrations in July. Middlesborough. The players enjoyed themselves and there will be a repeat event next year. In Division C it was Margaret Pritchett undefeated after four games; Margaret went on to And guess what... No cardigans, anoraks or plastic bags!!!!!!! finish in second place but Sarah Wilks's superior spread saw her claim the top spot. Sarah

20 21 later said "I was very popular when I arrived home with my prize of a Pocket SamTimer; as some of you will know, my daughter Katy has been to a couple of tournaments and she has Reports from Overseas been asking me when I intended providing her with a clock!" ABSP members have been taking their love of the game around the world recently- here are some reports of games and tournaments involving well-known members- Nottingham A Nottingham B Nottingham C Clive Spate 6 288 Alison Sadler 6 567 Sarah Wilks 5 277 Swedish Buttercup, Stockholm Russell Byers 5 582 Mike O'Rourke 4 82 Margaret Pritchett 5 2 Evan Simpson 5 257 Joanne Hiley 3 134 Rick Blakeway 4 46 26th February Report from Martin Reed With regard to the five point rule, the following comments were received, all from different I'll start as I mean to go on. Many, many thanks to our Swedish hosts for providing us with people: the opportunity to travel to a great city, have a really good time and play a few games of "None of the challenges in my games affected the outcome. I definitely thought more Scrabble as an added bonus. carefully about whether I really wanted to challenge a word than I would in free challenge Greger Nassen ran a great event and has to be admired for making sure everything went games." smoothly and playing Scrabble in his second language at the same time. Marten Bjorkman "I made the decision from the start that I would challenge as normal and on the day, this and Lisa Blohm ably assisted and were also great company on our evenings out. paid off. However, had the event been rated, or had any of my opponents been rated way My journey to Stockholm went amazingly well even if I did have to get out of bed at 04:30 higher than me, I can't say in all honesty that my reaction would necessarily have been the (mind you thats the middle of the day for us train drivers!). The National Express bus from same. Certainly I'd be very happy to play to this format again in an unrated tournament; I'd Heathrow to Stansted was early and even Ryanair failed to screw up. have to think a lot harder about applying it to rated games." We were met at Stockholm Skavsta airport by an arctic wind and a temperature of -6 with "I believe I managed to play three unchallenged invalid words during the day, but I haven't a wind chill factor somewhere down around -15. After an interesting coach ride to the city done a complete check yet. Two were actually two letter words! These were mistakes, and which included many Christmas card scenes the like of which us soft southerners haven't I don't believe the 5pt penalty contributed to these staying on the board. At the end of the seen for years, we made our way on the metro to our hotel. First impressions of an ex-army event, I'd had 7 enjoyable games of Scrabble and the challenge rule didn't detract from camp, painted a fetching shade of pink, were belied by a comfortable interior and a more that." than adequate standard of accomodation and we met up with Allan Simmons and David "The nearest rated player in my group was 10 above me, so I was expecting a tough day. Acton who had arrived the previous day. Conceding penalty points was always going to happen, and didn't improve my confidence! At this point I must digress a little. Let me warn any potential Scrabble tourists out there of This is not sour grapes from a crushed loser, merely observations as requested. It's not for the pitfalls of sharing a room with Stewart Holden. The boy could snore for England! I have me, and that's that." never before come across anyone who can put their head on a pillow and 30 seconds later "If you'd had told me a few years ago that I'd have been taking part in a penalty challenge be doing a passable impression of a 28 stone sumo wrestler laying on his back. At least he's tournament, my response would have probably contained the words 'freezes, 'hell' and house trained! 'over', but my mind has opened slightly since and given the new committee stance I Anyway, after dumping our bags and sprucing up we returned to the city centre to find thought I'd give it a go. I cannot see what possible harm to the rating system would have some local cuisine. Of course we end up in a kebab shop. David pretended to eat a veggie come from this being a rated tournament. I would not like to see this form of Scrabble burger and Allan spilt his drink all over the place. Suitably refreshed we set off to do some become the predominant one, but I don't think a few EXTRA rated tournaments through the sightseeing and exploring. Ten minutes later we stopped for a beer in an Irish theme pub! year would be a bad thing in any possible way. I wouldn't want to play PC all the time This turned into 3/4 before we set off again in search of some legendary bar Ronnie had though because it is far more mentally draining." talked about, that sold champagne in the toilets. I have no idea if this was true or the "The penalties had no impact whatsoever on how I played, how I challenged or on any product of some previous alcohol induced stupor but we failed and instead settled for results of my games." Balthazars, a cosy bar, typically Swedish with nice beer and decent food. We were joined The majority of feedback received after the event was very positive, particularly regarding by Greger and Marten and spent a happy hour chatting with our hosts. the Richard Herrod Leisure Centre which catered for our every need and provided a very The elders decided to return to the hotel at a decent hour whist Ed, Daniel and Ronnie amiable venue for the tournament. A repeat event is planned for the near future (although went clubbing. I must be getting old, it makes me cringe even thinking about staying out with a baby due in mid-December we're not too sure when!); thanks to the Committee's that late anymore! And so to Saturday and the tournament. After a continental breakfast trial period of rating a few 'variant' events, next time around the tournament will be ABSP- we were met by Lisa and then, after a 15 minute walk through a blizzard worthy of an Ice rated and we hope to attract even more players. Finally I must thank Sam Kanthimathi for Age, we arrived at the venue in the community room of Greger’s apartment block. We met donating the prizes and thank Julie, my father Ian and my work colleague Lyndsey for their all the other Swedes as well as Marja the Finn who was playing in her first ever hard work in making our first foray into tournament organising a great success. tournament.

22 23 in the warm whilst they skated through a raging blizzard to the sounds of Abba (I kid you not). Daniel did a passable Christopher Dean whilst Stewart was definitely more Jayne Torvill! We set off to walk round the old town until we were finally defeated by the strength of the snowfall and found a relaxing coffee bar where we thawed out until it was time to head back to the Central Terminal and the coach to the airport. The trip home was equally smooth and trouble free, until that is Ronnie left his bag on the bus back to the car park at Stansted and we had to wait for the coach to do a second circuit! All in all a great weekend and I would recommend others take up the challenge and head off to Sweden if the opportunity arises. Its nice to think we have made new friends and extended the Scrabble family a little into Scandinavia. I really do hope that some of the Swedes can make it over here in the near future, thanks again guys. Germanica 1-3rd July Report from Alec Webb The event formerly known as The Rhein Tournament changed its name this year to The Buttercup Gang. Backrow, from the left: Stewart Holden, Edward Martin, Gunnar Andersson, Allan Germanica as organiser Karl Khoshnaw decided to take the competition to various venues Simmons, Henrick Holmstrom, Marten Bjorkman, Terry Kirk. Front Row: Daniel Simonis, Greger in Germany for this and future years. Nassen, Ronnie Reid, David Acton, Martin Reed, Marja Takala, Lisa Blohm and Peter Oljelund. For his first Germanica Tournament Karl chose his adopted home town of Hann Munden. This selection undoubtedly had the benefit of convenience for the organiser, and was not I played and beat 3 Swedes all of whom were extremely competent. Of my fellow travellers too problematical for competitors either, being about 1 hour’s travel from Paderborn, an I beat Ronnie and Daniel and lost to Terry, David and Allan. I was amazingly lucky and airport served by low cost airline Air Berlin. Certainly, all the participants (to my picked up 14 out of 16 blanks. I played 21 bonuses in 8 games, nothing too clever for all knowledge) wholeheartedly approved of Karl’s choice. you top raters out there but I was pleased. Our hosts place great stead on the number of Hann Munden is one of Germany’s best kept secrets - it is almost unknown to the British bonuses played and besides my nice Butter Cup trophy I was pleased to be presented with tourist. I personally did not hear anyone speaking English in the town apart from my fellow a rack with the Swedish word "RATTULE" on it. Apparently it means "High Roller" and it competitors. The town, set on the meeting of the rivers Werra and Fulda, is undoubted now has pride of place on my trophy shelf. beautiful, with cobbled streets, ancient timbered buildings, fountains, pavement cafes and After a rather long prize giving we adjourned to a local restaurant and partook of a ice cream parlours. There is a total absence of litter or graffiti. delicious pepper steak and some local ales. We The Hotel Karl had arranged for us was pretty basic, but it was clean and more than Butter Cup chatted and hopefully persuaded our hosts to make adequate. Although close to the town centre, it was a few minutes walk from the hotel to the trip to Blighty some time in the future to play in 1 David Acton 8 wins the Scrabble venue. The playing room was ideal, light and airy with tables just about the one of our tournaments. They may not be ready to do 2 Stewart Holden 6 perfect size for playing Scrabble on. battle in an A or B division just yet but I am sure they 3 Martin Reed 5 4 Edward Martin 5 On the Friday afternoon and evening 25 competitors played a six-game warm up would more than hold their own in a C division and tournament to which Karl gave the name Saxon. their improvement will be marked the more they play 5 Terry Kirk 5 6 Ronnie Reid 4 and compete. The A division was a close fought affair with nobody able to avoid losing at least 2 games 7 Henrik Holmström 4 but it still ended with the top 3 rated players finishing in order 1,2,3. Some hardy souls stayed up a while longer whilst 8 Gunnar Andersson 4 others retired to get the rest their senior years merit. 9 Daniel Simonis 4 An odd number of players in division B meant six players had to sit out a game, but were 10 Mårten Björkman 4 awarded an unrated win for their bye. None of these players made the top 3 as Viv And so the final day. After a bit of a lay in and a 11 Allan Simmons 4 Beckmann finished a win ahead of the field. Polish player, Wojtek Usakiewicz‘s 3rd place leisurely breakfast we checked out and set off for the (didn't play the last 2 rounds). is worthy of mention. It was only his second rated competition, the first being at the Rhein city centre once again to do some sightseeing. Daniel 12 Greger Nässén 3 2 years ago. was most insistent that we visited the ice rink and he 13 Lisa Blohm 3 Germanica, the 14-game main event commenced on the Saturday. The addition of Martin and Stewart ventured onto the ice whilst the more 14 Marja Takala 2 sensible of us retired to a nearby coffee shop and sat 15 Peter Oljelund 1 Thompson to the players who had competed in Saxon meant that the numbers were now even. And in division A it was Martin who got off to a roaring start winning his first eight

24 25 Saxon A Saxon B Karl Khoshnaw 4 298 Viv Beckmann 5 402 Chris Keeley 4 89 George Newman 4 225 Germanica A Germanica B Alec Webb(Exp) 4 74 Wojtek Usakiewicz 4 214 Alec Webb 11 786 Jim Lyes 10.5 1074 Elisabeth Jardine 9 284 George Newman 10 1125 games. However, defeat in the final game of the day meant he had to concede the Jeff Ngeze 9 138 Christina Pace 10 822 overnight lead to yours truly on spread. One game behind was Elisabeth Jardine and then there was a 2 win gap to 4th place. For 2006 it had been Karl’s intention to exchange the beauty of Hann Munden for the In B division George Newman finished the day in top place with Wojtek, putting up grandeur of Berlin but such was the regret from this year’s competitors that they had not another good performance in second. arranged to spend more time in HM that Karl has come up with the following bold idea. He is planning to organise four one-day events within 5 days, two in Hann Munden and two in I commenced Sunday morning by losing my opening 2 games, yet still found myself in the Berlin. Competitors may enter whichever days they wish and for those competing at both lead as Martin and Elisabeth slipped up also. Wins in rounds 12 and 13 meant that in the venues, Karl will arrange suitable transfers, by car, coach or train, depending on numbers. final King of the Hill round I met the only player who could overtake me, Jeff Ngeze although he needed to win by a big, but not unachievable, margin. Further details will be released later, but I can tell you that Germanica 2006 will take place in May to avoid a clash with the Football World Cup. My place is booked already. Jeff, playing in his first rated tournament, is a charming soft spoken young man with an undoubted talent and enthusiasm for the game. It is to be hoped he will be able to come Scrabbling in New York City to many of our events from his home in Holland. Report from Shane O’Neill My opening rack was GINRZO?. I made the blank an A and from that 102 point start I I wanted to share with everyone here one of the highlights of my recent trip to New York, then immediately drew the 2nd blank.... Jeff accepted my continuing, outrageous good which gave me my best scrabble experience so far. My friends took me down to fortune with good grace and I finished the event 2 wins ahead of runner-up Elisabeth Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village which Stefan Fatsis talks about in his best Jardine and Jeff who dropped to third. selling book Word Freak as a place where people congregate to play chess and Scrabble. At the top of the B division Jim Lyes had crept to within half a win of George, and these We found only 4 tables where scrabble was being played and in particular there was one table two perennial sparring partners met in the final round to decide who would be champion. occupied by four highly ranked NSA players engaged in a doubles game for quite big money. Jim it was who emerged victorious and took the trophy. My friend casually asked if I could get a SOWPODS game and one of the doubles players Thanks are due to Peter Keller who acted as Tournament Director, Chontelle Kenny for said he "played a little." The game concluded with this guy and his partner, Steve Lipschutz assisting with challenges and other duties and to Karl’s partner Antje who dealt with the who is NSA ranked 1743 relieving their opponents of a sizeable amount of money. It was catering and presented the prizes. mentioned that the player who "played a little" had finished 2nd in a former WSC. It was, There was a raffle, an auction of a WSC Scrabble board and a mini tournament at Karl’s of course, the legendary Matt Graham who finished 2nd to Joel Sherman in the 1997 WSC and featured greatly in Word Freak. He would play me for sure, but it had to be for money. home all of which, together with some surplus from the main event, raised about 400 euros This was obviously how he made his living, playing scrabble in the Park. towards Kurdish charities. My friends began negotiating the terms of the game on my behalf, but it was soon clear There is alway’s a strong social side to Karl’s tournaments, ans sizeable groups of Scrabblers Graham and Co were eyeing up a $1000 hustle. He intimated he was at a severe could be found dining together each evening, sampling the various cuisines on offer in disadvantage playing to the PODS dictionary and tried to get a spot. I refused this out of Hann Munden and there was even a post tournament garden party and barbecue at Karl’s sight, I can be stupid but not that stupid. Besides, I'm sure everyone here would be of the home. agreement that Mr Graham knows the PODS dictionary a lot better than I do. The 2nd

26 27 point of negotiation was penalty. Matt wanted me to play to double challenge but for National Championships/National Club Tournament himself, 5 pt penalty. Again, the answer was a firm "no" and we eventually agreed on 10pt penalty. The 3rd point for negotiation was the clock. I wanted the regular 25 minutes, but report by Chris Hawkins he wouldn't budge on anything higher than 15 minutes. Of course the underlying and most During a five-week period from 21st May to 26th June, more than 200 players entered six important factor was that we were playing for $5 a point. regional qualifying tournaments [South-East (SE), South (S), South-West (SW), Midlands (M), I must've been on drugs to accept the terms in HIS back yard, but my friends had every Northern (N) and Scotland (SC)] aiming to qualify for one or both of the finals of the confidence in me and agreed to back me with their money. So the terms were agreed. Matt National Championships and the National Club Tournament. said he had to slip away for 5 minutes to pay his phone bill. Phone bill on a Saturday? The format remained the same as last year (despite an original intention to revamp the My friends thought not, and being familiar with him from Fatsis' book they had a fair idea format to have one big division at each regional qualifier) with team members playing in what he was doing. He duly returned, pumped up for the game, which he started after drawing the blank from the tile bag. one of three divisions, each division having a roughly equal average rating, and NSC-only He opened with HEP at G8a for 16 and from a rack of AAAELOT I laid ALATE underneath at entrants being assigned to divisions at random, G9a. Underneath this Matt played REEARNs for 68. My second rack was AFIOOUY and I again maintaining the equal average rating of replied with FAY/EF/EA/AY for 35. His third play was MYRICAS/ALATES for 86, which hit for each division. me an extra $50 when I unsuccessfully challenged it. I had a quick thought about everyone here arguing over penalty challenge, try it for $50 a time against Matt Graham, it kinda pales After some fierce competition, with final all other arguments into insignificance I can tell you. My 3rd rack was IOOORRU and with qualifying places often being decided only on the score at 55-180 I can tell you I was feeling pretty low. After only 3 moves I was $625 spread, the eight teams that qualified for the dollars down. I had no other option but to exchange and I changed 6, keeping R. Club Tournament Final in Bradford on the 10th At this point I dispensed with recording my racks. The pressure was really on, and at that September are as follows: London Pride, South East team winners moment I wanted to die anyway, worried I was going to cost my dear friends an absolute 1. Nottingham Nomads (Midlands Regional winner) 15/18 wins +1586 fortune. I can safely say that I never had a single bonus rack in the whole game and so 2. Newport North (South-West winner) 15 wins +1425 recording racks was insignifcant anyway. I bit the bullet and just went into what I can only 3. Aireborough A (Northern winner) 14 wins +1234 describe as ISC mode, where I try to play with lightning speed and just focus on nothing but the tiles in front of me. I simply went for the optimum score every move, while trying 4. Cleveland (Northern runner-up) 13 wins +951 to limit his bonussing opportunities, feeling a $625 fall was better than $1500. As soon as 5. London Pride (South-East winner) 13 wins +852 he made his play my own was going down instantly and I was hitting that clock. 6. Essex Essentials (South-East runner-up) 12 wins +1423 My 4th play was TREK/EFT/EAR/AYE at C12a for 34 and I followed that with QIS/EFTS at 7. Glasgow Fankle (Scotland winner) 12 wins +1038 A13a for 38. His were TUI for 5 at J9d and AVID for 24 at L8a. When he laid INJUrES at 8. Bournemouth A (South winner) 11 wins +544 N8d for 58 I was 130 behind. I played FOX/EF/SO at O13d for 46 before he closed some Sixty-one players progress forward to the National Finals, a 12 game shootout to be held of the lanes through MYRICAS with VILLI. I replied with AAH/AR/HEFTS at A9a for 27, in Birmingham on the 24th-25th September. opening the triple lane. He played TULIP/IT at K11d for 18 and I came through the P with BEEPED for 36. Nine grandmasters (Pete Finley (N), Allan Simmons (SC), Paul Allan (SC), David Webb (SE), At this point the scores were 285-236 so I had reduced the deficit considerably. My clock Di Dennis (SE), Evan Simpson (M), Russell Byers (M), John Grayson (SW) and Gareth was 12mins odd and his was 1 minute 13 seconds so I stopped writing down his plays to Williams (SW)) will be there (sadly Terry Kirk the only other Grandmaster entrant failed to concentrate on killing his clock. My next sequence of moves was QIS 36, WYNN 10 on qualify at the South-East regional). a vowelless rack, ZONA 39, AGGRO 31. At this point I had wiped out my deficit and he A further eleven 'Expert' players will accompany them, those being Joyce Cansfield (N), laid CAMEO/OW/EN/ON for 29 and the bag was empty. I had MORT and on my rack, but Neil Scott (SC), Harshan Lamabadusuriya (SE), Karl Khoshnaw (SE), Jackie McLeod (SE), didn't know his last 3 tiles as I had abandoned tile tracking at midway. His clock was 4 Robert Richland (SE), Sandie Simonis (SE), Stewart Holden (M), Chris Hawkins (M), Andy seconds mine was over 11 minutes. I took a timeout to see he had ITU left. I played Roughton (M) and Noel Turner (S). MOR/AM/GO/GROW for 28 and he went out with SUIT for 5, leaving me a solitary T. The remaining 41 names include such talents as Wayne Kelly, Ed Martin, Austin Shin, Gary The end result was that my friends had to cough up $5, the difference was 1 point. This was Oliver, Adam Philpotts, Shane O'Neill…oh yes, and defending champion Mark Nyman! despite him having plays of 86, 68 and 58 and my best play only FOX for 46. My friends were ecstatic, not because I had saved them a fortune, but because my opponent had been really Only six players qualified undefeated in their 6 games - Neil Rowley (N), Harshan (SE), rattled and I had beaten the hustler at his own game, even though I was officially the loser. David Webb (SE), Robert Richland (SE), Russell Byers (M) and John Grayson (SW). Of those six, Robert had the highest spread (+992). One to look out for in Birmingham perhaps! Needless to say he refused me a second game. It should prove to be an excellent weekend of Scrabble; whoever rises to the top of that Anyone for 10 pt challenge at $5 a point? array of Scrabble talent will be crowned a worthy National Champion indeed.

28 29 Obituaries Recently several stalwarts of Scrabble have died. Edelle Crane died in the early hours of Sunday 15th May, aged 61. She had been ill for some months, but in early April she seemed to be making a recovery, and returned home. Unfortunately after three weeks her illness resurfaced, and she passed away after another ten days. Edelle was, for many years, the driving force behind the Aylesbury Compiled by David Sutton (Puzzle solutions on inside back cover)

Scrabble club, and one of those who ran the Aylesbury Scrabble tournament in the EDGEWAYS early days of the ABSP. She was also a member of the Postal Scrabble club, and she Throughout Edgeways, words not in OSWI are marked by an asterisk * worked hard for that organization. She was a member of the London Scrabble League, and in later years she found further outlets for her Scrabble addiction on the Internet The Five-Minute Anagram Challenge Scrabble Club, where she was known as "snowdrop". Her disability prevented her from taking part in many tournaments, but she always enjoyed the ones she could get to, Below are four sets of anagrams, presented in ascending order of particularly Swindon and the Winter Matchplay. She was buried after a Humanist difficulty based partly on the likely familiarity of the words and partly on service at Brookwood Cemetery on Tuesday 24th May. the nature of their 'pattern'. Each anagram has a unique solution. It is suggested that full marks in set A corresponds to an ABSP rating of around 125; in set B to 150; in set C to 175; and in set D to 200, though Peter Dean died, also after a long illness, on the morning of Saturday 11th June, aged of course people differ in their vocabularies and anagramming skills so 83. Peter was one of the early members of the London Scrabble League, and for many any such categorisation can only be loose and intuitive. Give yourself years created the fixtures for that organization. He was an early member of the Postal five minutes for the chosen set. Of course, by all means try the harder Scrabble Club, and did great work for that organization, too. In later years he moved to sets, but don 't be discouraged if the going gets tough! Peterborough, and was a stalwart of the club there (as well as commuting to London for matches there). Peter lived for his Scrabble. As he was being taken to hospital, in A. AMHERST AQUABUS ARMURED ASHLAID BADCUTS what turned out to be his final illness, he was heard to complain "this would have to BADTOIL BADWING BRONWEN CANUTES CENTAIN happen on a club night!" He played Scrabble on the day before he died, beating his son comfortably by over 200 points. He kept meticulous records of all the games he B. BIRDSHY BLAINES THIGWEY CRAUNTY SIXRILE ever played -- over 15,000 of them. Peter often gave an initial impression of being gruff PIELURE MODERAL TARGROW DIOCESE GOALPOST and humourless. Nothing could be further from the truth. He had a tremendous sense of humour, and was always willing to pass on his Scrabble knowledge to others. Many C. PUNTIER CURRITE THINJAC MATTERX BEHANGS of today's top players owe their early training to Peter. Peter was cremated after a ABOUTERS ADLIBBED ANTILUMP ANTIWILD GIRLWAVE service at Peterborough Crematorium on Friday 17th June. D. MISDOED GUTTANE COAKENS OURABLE CARTOYS

I have, naturally, concentrated on Edelle and Peter's love for Scrabble. Both were much MANYHOE FOAMLENT ANYHUES BITTERY OUTGRIFF more than Scrabble players, of course. Both will be missed by all their friends and relatives, particularly their surviving spouses, Barry and Betty. Meet My Twin -Graeme Thomas Many common seven-letter words have exactly one somewhat less common anagram. Being aware of such alternatives can help you in those all-too-frequent situations where It is with great sadness that Bournemouth Scrabble Club has to announce the death in finding a bonus is one thing, but finding a bonus that fits is quite another. Practise by June, of their Vice-Chairman Alice Nadin. Having spent most of her working life in the finding the common anagrams of these less common sevens. Wirral she retired to Bournemouth where she started her involvement in the Scrabble GRABENS CREOSOL MEERCAT CREMONA IPECACS world. Despite her unbelievable 82 years, Alice was a staunch and welcoming member, having been Chairman and Vice Chairman and held many other positions in the club. NILGHAU MINCEUR HAGDENS SOULDAN STROMAL She was one of our longest serving members and will be sorely missed. DROICHS PESAUNT PARITOR DEWITTS FUROLES -Angela Swain CROTONS HRIECH APLENTY TALUSES CHOWSED

30 31 Author Author ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin' by Louis de Bernieres, IATRIC related to the art of healing: 'a certain iatric mystique'. a wartime love story set in Cephallonia, is a MANDOLA a large mandoline. Corelli imagines himself and Pelagia as beautiful, passionate, angry book, in turns 'octaves apart, laughing in octaves together, mandola and hilariously funny and unbearably sad. It took me a mandolin'. Also MANDORA. while to get into it, and I felt the author had lost NARGILE a HOOKAH, an Oriental tobacco pipe in which smoke is interest by the end, but in between I fell completely drawn through water by a long tube. [Persian nargil. coconut]. in love with Captain Corelli, Pelagia, Dr. Iannis and There are several variants: indeed the whole of Cephallonia. [The film, I NARGHILE, NARGILEH, should warn you, loses pretty well everything about NARGHILLY, NARGHILY, Louis de the book except the scenery]. Louis de Bernieres NARGILLY, NARGILY. has a large and fastidious vocabulary: here are Bernières some of the less familiar words you will meet. OREGANO a herb, wild marjoram. Pl. OREGANOS. Also ORIGAN, ORIGANE, ORIGANUM. ANERGIC lacking in energy: 'an anergic stupor'. PELAGIC oceanic, living in the open AUTARKY a policy of national self-sufficiency. sea. Cf. BENTHIC, confined to the depths of the sea. CARACOLE a half turn by trained horse; caper; (verb) to make such a turn. Also CARACOL. PHLEGMON purulent inflammation. The Greek CHIBOUK a long Turkish pipe, usually with a mouthpiece of amber and premier Metaxas died 'of a a bowl of baked clay. Also CHIBOUQUE. phlegmon of the pharynx'. CULVERIN alightweight, portable, long-barrelled cannon. RAKI a strong spirit distilled in Turkey, DOLMA avine or cabbage leaf with a savoury stuffing. Pl. DOLMAS or Yugoslavia, etc., from grain, usually flavoured with DOLMADES. 'Carlo and the captain uneasily partook of ... dolmades aniseed or other aromatics. Pl. RAKIS. Also RAKEE. stuffed with rice.' REREDOS a usually ornamental wood or stone screen or wall behind FAVUS a fungal skin disease, chiefly of the scalp: 'a kind of honeycomb an altar. Pl. REREDOSES or REREDOSSES. Also REREDORSE, ringworm' says Pelagia, diagnosing it on Mandras on his return from REREDOSSE. the war. Pl. FAVUSES. SPAVIN a tumour on a horse's leg. FUSTANELLA awhite kilt worn by Greek and Albanian men. SYRTIS a patch or area of quicksand. Pl. SYRTES.

You Can Put An S On That?! Blank Looks Completing our series on words that we don't normally think of as being pluralisable, but Another Ross Mackenzie special. The following racks each combine with one blank to which can nonetheless take an -S. Here are some beginning with T - Z: make one or more valid words. However, only one set combines with the blank as an A; only one set combines with the blank as a B; and so on, through to Z. What are the TANGIBLE TAUT TERRIBLE THAN THEN twenty-six words that result from the eleven racks below? (Note: Some of the racks have THERE THESE THOROUGH TORE TORPID fewer than seven tiles on them, so not all the words will be of eight letters.) The answers TRAGIC TRES TRICKLES TRITE TROD are given in two stages: the first stage gives you the stem and the letter(s) it matches so UNFAIR UNIQUE UNLIKE VERBAL VIOLENT you can have a go at working out the words before looking at the final answers in the second stage. VIVE VULGAR WAN WENT WHENCE ABDNNOR ACEITVY ACJNU AEHILMS AEIMX AELOUSY WHY WICKED WIFE WORSE WOVEN WILDER YOUNG YORE YONDER ZEBRAS AOOSY AORRU EEENNSS EEOOPRT ELLOTT

32 33 Multipack Monsters Cryptogram: The sport of bungy jumping, or hurling yourself off a bridge with an elastic rope tied to your ankle, has become very popular in recent years 16 1 21 5 11 21 22 26 10 22 9 1 11 22 among suicidal exhibitionists. Those of a more sedentary disposition are content to chronicle the variants of this word, which are: 6 17222559 17 8 5 1419 2217

BUNGEE BUNJEE 3 20 9 25 22 23 7 5 22 21 1 17 8 BUNGEY BUNJIE 17 8 1 17 4 3 22 18 9 5 17 4 23 BUNGIE BUNJY BUNJE 23 20 12 1 4 5 9 22 1 Anagrid: 2452151517251614517

1a b c d e f g h ijkl mno 5 4 5 9 11 22 2 19 5 22 4 5 17 4

2 5 1717511265 223115 17423 T 3 11 5 172045 9 1 173 2 J 4 A 5 11 23 17 11 20 11 5 4 22 21 20 6 5 6 152221 5 9 17 132325 3 7 17 24 1 3 20 17 20 15 23 9 5 11 5 8

9 17 22 4 1 16 5 2 5 2 5 25 1 4

10 5 4 22 25 5 9 5 20 9 22 11 25 5 9

11 17 22 2 22 21 5 17 18 1 11 4 5 9 23 12

13

14

15

HORIZONTAL CLUES: VERTICAL CLUES: a: RUSHDIRE i: OLONBLIPS 1: IMJUBE 9: LUSHSTYLER b: REFEEDV j: OISYING 2: KILOSNORE 10: TROTLEE c: RANBOOZY k: SUNLITES 3: UPOSSED 11: ORIGONST d: SNEMMAL l: LENETIC 4: EGRESSY 12: TRIBEST e: GLINTCAT m: ADIBONES 5: COPYZOOS 13: XIDOIDS f: KIRRETS n: TITTARE 6: RESWEDE 14: AGIILLEST g: ENSEEDSNS o: SHAYSIES 7: SLIDEREBEL 15: NEGEAS h: - 8: -

34 35 Curio Corner Here is a list of mainly shortish and quite useful words that can be spelt with either an initial SC or an initial SK; in most cases the SC variant is the more common. SCAG SKAG colloquial for heroin SCAIL SKAIL to scatter, disperse SCALD SKALD a poet, a bard. SCALD, of course, is also a verb No. 21 by PHIL APPLEBY SCART SKART a cormorant; SCART can also be a verb, to scrape No annotated game this issue because of the tight deadline, but I've raided my archives SCAT SKAT an animal dropping; SCAT is also a verb and unearthed a few items sent to me over the past year or so, which I've not previously SCAW SKAW a headland used - plus a few more recent submissions. I've also included a piece about endgame SCEPTIC SKEPTIC doubting strategy, based on a session I gave at a recent "Mastering your Game" Scrabble course at SCLATE SKLATE to slate which I assisted Allan Simmons. I hope you'll find it helpful! SCLIFF SKLIFF a small piece Seven steps to playing a better endgame SCLIM SKLIM to climb SCOFF SKOFF to devour I get the impression that many people find the endgame daunting, or at the very least very hard work. In contrast, I love the endgame! There's no magic formula, but if you keep your SCOLION SKOLION a Greek drinking song wits about you, and go through the seven steps below, I can promise you'll win more close SCRAN SKRAN food, provisions endgames than you did before. SCRIMMAGE SKRIMMAGE a melee The endgame, for the purposes of this piece, is defined as the stage of the game when the bag SCRIMSHANK SKRIMSHANK to evade work or duty is empty, so both players are in a position to work out exactly what tiles their opponent has. SCRIMP SKRIMP to scratch and sav Let's take a look at the seven steps, and follow with a sample endgame in which we can SCRUMP SKRUMP to steal fruit put them into practice. SCRY SKRY to divine by use of a crystal ball 1. Track tiles, so that you know exactly what tiles your opponent has on his or her rack. SCULK SKULK to move stealthily, lurk 2. Consider your opponent's potential plays, making a mental note to block out-plays SCULPIN SKULPIN a kind of fish if possible. SCUTTLE SKUTTLE to move rapidly 3. If your opponent is unable to play off a certain tile, plan to play out slowly. SCURRY SKURRY to move rapidly 4. Otherwise plan to go out in two moves, if possible, ensuring that you maximise the spread. Words In The Wild 5. If playing out in two moves isn't going to score enough points to win, consider the possibility of a clever set-up play. In 'Hamlet', the ghost of Hamlet's father appears to Hamlet and describes how the present 6. Don't inadvertently set up a winning move for your opponent! king Claudius murdered him to gain the crown, creeping into the orchard where he lay asleep bearing 'juice of cursed hebenon in a vial', which he poured into Hamlet's father's 7. Having planned your strategy, paying particular attention to step 6, put it into ear, 'and a most instant tetter bark'd about, Most lazar-like , with vile and loathsome crust, practice. All my smooth body'. Toxicologically improbable, but it gives us some nice words to examine. HEBENON (also HEBONA) is variously connected with ebony (there is an old word HEBEN that means ebony), with the poisonous plant HENBANE or with German Eibenbaum, yew-tree. A TETTER is a skin eruption, like eczema; it can also be used as a verb, and there is an adjective TETTEROUS. And a LAZAR is a leper, from Lazarus, the beggar with leprosy in the Bible, Luke 16.20; this is also gives us LAZARET, an old word for a hospital treating infectious diseases, with variants LAZARETTE and LAZARETTO (pl. LAZARETTOS).

36 37 O

T Now consider the following abcdefg hij klmno 1 BO R Moves to be proud of endgame, with you to play: 2 IYTA 3 ME E O I 4 AX ZO Here are some more fine plays made by ABSP members. See page 43 for the moves played. Score: You: 382 O NULETS 5 WH E F T T I Opponent: 395 6 CIN 7 UJAPE 1. Played by Paul Nind. Melton Mowbray tournament, June 2005 8 T CODA V IINOSST g j 9 PO BODRAGS abcdef hi klmno 1 10 MORA I NE L H BA 11 UVY 2 AJEE AA You 12 FEI 3 AN 13 T WARDEN 4 B I UNCO FY Score:Paul:382 14 Unseen: D E K O R EAQUAE G 5 VEPEAG 15 Opponent: 395 RLINGEL RWO6 D OXO OTAR7 I ES AL I VE R UNYHUM8 D We've already tracked tiles, so you know your opponent has DEKOR on his rack. So T9 E TILE consider step 2: Consider your opponent's potential plays, making a mental note to block 10EM Q I S K EILNR?? out-plays if possible. On this board there is just one place for your opponent to play out - 11DO SWEL T I NG with FORKED at c12a for 32 points. This would be a winning move, so your first objective 12 UIFNOO Paul must be to block it. 13 ZTIGHT 14 Unseen: D E P R R S Assuming you do block it, what else could you opponent play? Obvious moves include 15 KOB or KEB at a1a for 27, leaving DER or DOR on his rack. Or moves such as DREK or DEEK at f3a for 25, leaving two single-point tiles. The best play, if your opponent knows it, is ROED at e11a for 33. So keeping this in mind, let's go through the other steps… Step 3: If your opponent is unable to play off a certain tile, plan to play out slowly, doesn't apply in this instance. It is more likely to occur when your opponent has a tile such as C, N V, or Q on his rack. So we now reach Step 4: Plan to go out in two moves, if possible, ensuring that you maximise the spread. Playing out in two moves isn't likely to be difficult 2. Played by Stewart Holden. Club Game, May 2005 in itself, but the key is to play out in two moves, block FORKED, and score enough points abcdefg hij klmno to win if your opponent plays a move such as ROED or DREK. Take a few minutes to see 1 if you can spot a winning combination, before reading on… 2 S If you couldn't, you might need to consider Step 5: Consider the possibility of a clever set- 3 N up play. As it happens, this isn't needed here. 4 O Score: Unknown 5 OT Never forget Step 6: Don't inadvertently set up a winning move for your opponent! I'm 6 ZEAEN N EOUS sure we've all done it before - worked out a clever endgame knowing that our opponent is 7 ENGRAFT EILRUVX stuck with the Q, only to obligingly play a loose I. In this example, one possible danger 8 R YEP WOW would be to block FORKED with a move involving IF at b12a, only to set up KIF/KORE for 9 I SHAD I ER 50+ points. 10 N GIO 11 Stewart So finally Step 7: Having planned your strategy, put it into practice. In this case there is E 12 more than one winning line. A nice one that involves no unusual words is to play MOIST S at b10d for 27. Your opponent's best play is ROED for 33, and you can then go out with 13 SIN at o13d for 23, which wins by 14 points. An alternative is to play ISOS at e11a for 30 14 15 blocking ROED, followed by TWIN at b4d for 19 after your opponent's DREK or KOB. A final piece of advice. Get into the habit of trying to play the endgame well, even if it doesn't matter because you're winning or losing heavily; you'll find it that much easier to get the endgame right when it really does matter.

38 39 3. Played by Wayne Kelly. Club Game, June 2005 Can you match Maven? abcdefg hij klmno 1 AB D Andy Davis sent me the following positions, from games he played against the computer 2 MEN P 3 LUD R program Maven. See if you can match Maven's plays… 4 ZO RE Score: Wayne: 382 5 JOUST WAY Opponent: 176 1. 6 KIT IT D 7 AIA GI R abcdefg hij klmno 8 HOTEL O AYU 1 9 TARAND CEL I NS? 2 10 D SB 3 11 HE 4 12 ADO Wayne 5 13 IF 6 F 14 LING 7 O AEELNT? 15 NE 8 FURRY VIVID N 9 A Maven 10 OM 11 OB V 12 MI E 13 PEAK I EST 14 HE C 4. Played by Allan Simmons. BMSC, August 2004 15 GOLDS D H abcdefg hij klmno 1 2 3 4 Score: Allan: 66 2. 5 Opponent: 57 6 abcdefg hij klmno 7 1 W 8 D 2 H 9 WUD 3 FE T K 10 EG I LMTU 4 JAVA E 11 HI DPYAUPING5 12 AN AZYOU6 Allan 13VINA AG TAN7 CE I NRRS 14 ALOOF THELIO8 COWL 15 OB9 EX Maven 10 UAEM 11 MIRVS I 12 BL 13 AREOLAT 14 If you come up with anything to rival these moments of brilliance, do send me details! I T ED 15 G need the board position, your rack, the score, and details of when and where the game took place.

40 41 G

3. Solutions abcdefg hij klmno Moves to be proud of: 1 HO 1. Paul played bORDERLINe at o5d for 60. What was particularly impressive 2 JOUSTS 3 ME I about this move is that it was in the final game, and gave Paul his first ever A 4 FA N Division win. 5 IN G G 2. Stewart played EXUVIATES at h1d for 69. 6 ADEEGJ ? RE U 3. Wayne played StENCILLING at e13a for 67. 7 BEZ M L 8 4. Allan played UMANGITE at e11a for 44. FRAU LOVER T 9 GROTTO D Maven 10 R 11 Can you match Maven? A 12 WH E NC E 1. ENAMELIsT at b12a for 77 13 Q 2. SCRANNIER at c7a for 84 14 15 3. DEEjAYING at e5a for 76

All about timing Any obvious bonus by Allan is likely to lose. For example, consider AuNTERS at h12a for 69, the highest available score. Adam would trail 408-413, but would be on play, and All about timing would know the last two tiles on Allan's rack. Adam only really needs to have the B to score enough to win and the bonus plays create lots of scoring openings, for example a In TLW Issue 98, I included a board position in which Nick Deller played a late bonus, play such as BASIN at n10d for 26. emptying the bag, but then lost the game when his opponent, Alec Webb, immediately bonused back. Allan considered SeRJEANT through the J for 65 to draw level but the A next to the TLS at S b10 enables plays such as BI, BA, or ORB. Allan Simmons was faced with a similar decision in his game against Adam Philpotts in the Durham event in April. So Allan chose to try and play out with a bonus. To do this another bonus line has to be created. He could just play YA at n4d which leaves one in the bag for Adam. But this only abcdefg hij klmno scores 5 and if Adam then takes that TWS with five letters a low bonus score at the bottom 1 DOOMS Q HE may still not be enough if Adam only has two tiles left. So Allan played TA at m4a to get a 2 TW I L T VAT 3 MED AGONE Score: Allan: 345 useful 21 points and still threaten unblockable bonuses. He worked out that most of the 2- 4 UN I POLAR FOXY Adam: 408 letter pickups will yield a bonus in either spot. Adam has to block the TWS opening and 5 AOF the most he can score there is 26 if he plays a 5-letter B-word . Any such move is likely to 6 DEPUT I ES S open further bonus lines as well. 7 EU 8 AENRST? Allan's smart thinking was rewarded when he picked IR out of the bag, giving him a final JOWAR R I CY 9 rack of EINRRS?. Adam played BUNIA at o4d for 26, but Allan's IRoNERS at i14a for 68 I 10 gave him a win by 436-432. LEZ 11 AR Allan 12 NS 13 Unseen: A B E I I I N R U Contributions for Across the Board HEDG I NGS 14 I’m always delighted to receive interesting board positions, games for annotation, VOE C 15 clever moves, endgames, and anything else that’s happened to you across the board. BLEAT You can contact me at: Thorns Cottage, Mount Pleasant Lane, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 8LS Although there is little danger of a bonus response from Adam, should Allan play his or by e-mail at: [email protected] bonus? See page 43 to see his play, and the reasoning behind it.

42 43 ABSP British Matchplay Championships Main Event Yarnfield Conference Centre 27th – 29th August FFOORRTTHHCCOOMMIINNGG EEVVEENNTTSS Ladies/Mens Events Contact Sarah Wilkes 26th-27th August 01476 405604 Compiled by Paul Cartman Havering Autumn Scrabble Tournament First game 10:15 Departure 18:00 Each tournament approved for rating will get a listing including: date, number of games (6 games) Tea/Coffee available at points during the and contact details. For one day tournaments, further details will be given as regards Sunday 4th September day but lunch is not provided. pricing, start times etc, to allow members to utilise the generic entry form. Note that Contact Cindy Hollyer Entry costs: £12.00 for ABSP member some organisers have indicated that rated tournaments will occur on particular dates, 01277-822050 £14.00 for non ABSP member but that full details are not yet available. These tournaments are included for Emergency No on day Deduct 50p if bringing clock completeness and once details are known, they will be published as appropriate. 07952 557324 which you are prepared to lend Cheques payable to Havering Scrabble This symbol denotes that the tournament organiser has let it be known that Venue Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall, Club and sent to Cindy Hollyer, 78 Peartree the venue is disabled friendly. The absence of a symbol does not mean that Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, Lane, Doddinghurst, Brentwood, Essex, disabled access is not possible, and in these circumstances the prospective Essex CM15 0RH entrant should check with the organisers Registration 09:30 NSC Final ~ Bradford Contact Phil Nelkon Note to Entrants These rules apply to all tournaments Saturday 10th September 01628 500283 The entry cost of all rated tournaments includes the ratings levy The Shanklin Hotel , Isle-of-Wight Friday 16th – Sunday 18th September Improve Your Scrabble Tuition & 6 rated Contact Allan Simmons Positions are determined on win and spread unless otherwise stated games 01890-771430 Smoking is not permitted in the playing area(s) Norwich (6 games) 3 divisional tournament. You will normally be placed in a division equivalent to your rating or ability. You Sunday 18th September Tea/Coffee and homemade cakes provided may request to enter a higher division but the Tournament Organiser reserves the Contact: Carol Smith (but not lunch) right to reject your request. 01603 898791 Entry costs: £10.00 for ABSP member Entries are at the sole discretion of the Tournament Organiser. Venue: Hethersett Village Hall, £12.00 for non ABSP member You must always include a SAE with your entry for application. Hethersett, Norwich, Norfolk No further discounts Please arrive on time Registration 09.30 Cheques payable to Carol Smith, First game: 10:15 Departure: 18.00 31Christine Road, Spixworth, Norwich Nottingham Nomads (16 games) Contact Clive Spate Middlesbrough (5 games) Lunch is not provided. 0115-920-0208 Saturday 6th – Sunday7th August Sunday 25th September Entry costs: £9.50 for ABSP member Scottish Round Robin (14 games) Contact Marion Keating Contact Samantha Beckwith £11.50 for non ABSP member Saturday 6th- Sunday 7th August 01592-265524 0191-5866436 Deduct 50p if bringing clock Venue Linthorpe Community Centre, which you are prepared to lend Billericay (6 games) First game 10:00 Departure 17:30 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough Closing Date for entries 11th September 4 divisional tournament. Saturday 13th August Registration 10:00 Cheques payable to Cleveland Scrabble Club Tea/Coffee available on arrival and between Contact Evelyn Wallace First game 10:45 Departure 17:30 and sent to Samantha Beckwith, 91 Hatfield games 2/3 divisional tournament. Place, Peterlee, Co Durham, SR8 5SU 01702 302569 Entry costs: £12.50 for ABSP member Emergency Number NSCT Final Contact: Phil Nelkon £14.50 for non-ABSP member 01268 794208 Deduct 50p if bringing a timer 24-25th September 01628 500283 Venue Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Cheques payable to Billericay Scrabble Church Hall, Billericay Falkirk Contact Viv Beckmann Club, C/o Evelyn Wallace, 2 Shakespeare Registration 9.15 Avenue, Westcliffe-on-Sea, Essex SS0 0ST 23rd -26th September 0191-273-1705

44 45 Tillington Hall, Stafford Contact Paul Cartman Weston-Super-Mare (6 games) Tea and Coffee available during the day. 1st – 2nd October 01785 211851 Saturday 5th November Ploughman’s lunch provided at a cost of Contact Rod Winfield £2.50 pp Bournemouth (6 games) Registration: 09:30 01278 789824 Entry costs: £11.50 for ABSP member Sunday 2nd October First game: 10:10 Departure: 17.30 Venue Princess Hall, Burnham-on- £13.50 for non-ABSP member Contact: Ruth Marsden Tea/Coffee available throughout the day 01278 784464 Deduct 50p if bringing a timer 01202 707148 Entry costs: £12.50 for ABSP member Registration 09.30 Cheques payable to Weston super Mare Emergency on day only £14.50 for non ABSP member First game 10:15 Scrabble Club, c/o Rod Winfield, 141 07720 949 825 Cheques payable to Bournemouth Scrabble No of divisions to be decided. Stoddens Road, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 2DE Venue: Rooper Hall, 5 Victoria Park Rd, Tournament and sent to Ruth Marsden, 27 Moordown, Bournemouth Spencer Road, Canford Cliffs, Poole, Glasgow (6 games) 2/3 Divisions depending upon entries Cardiff Weekend Contact Mary Allen Tea/Coffee available at points during the Saturday 12th November 8-9th October 0191-273-1705 day but lunch is not provided. Contact Tom Wilson Entry costs: £8.00 for ABSP member Lothersdale Hotel, Morecambe Contact Viv Beckmann 01698 263054 £10.00 for non-ABSP member 14th – 17th October 0191-273-1705 Venue South Dalziel Church Hall, Cheques payable to Glasgow Scrabble Club Orbison Street, Motherwell Tournament Account and sent to: ABSP Masters (Invitation Only) Registration 09.45 15th-16th October Mrs Mary Jones, 40 Riverside Park, First game 10:30 Prizegiving 17.30 Netherlee, Glasgow G44 3PG Southend-on-Sea (6 games) Tea/Coffee available at points during the Saturday 22nd October day but lunch is not provided. Luton (6 games) 4 divisional tournament. Entry costs: £12.50 for ABSP member Contact Evelyn Wallace Saturday 12th November Tea/Coffee and squash available at points £14.50 for non-ABSP member 01702-302569 Contact: Adrian Noller during the day but lunch is not provided. Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Venue The Civic Centre, Victoria Ave, 01582 656234 Entry costs: £12.00 for ABSP member Cheques payable to Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea, Essex Venue: Whitefield Junior School, £14.00 for non-ABSP member Scrabble Club and sent to Evelyn Wallace, Registration 09:30 Stockholm Way, Luton. Deduct 50p if bringing a timer 2 Shakespeare Avenue, Westcliff on Sea, First game 10:00 Depart 18.00 (n.b. this is a new venue) Cheques payable to Luton Scrabble Club Essex, SS0 0ST 4 divisional tournament. Emergency no on day only and sent to Adrian Noller, 1 Wendover Elgin (5 games) 2 division tournament 07753 143262 Way, Luton LU2 7LS You are recommended to enclose sae for Saturday 29th October Tea/Coffee and biscuits on arrival, lunch Registration: 09.20 directions to the new venue. Contact Lorraine Gordon and refreshments prior to leaving First game: 10.00 Departure: 18.00 01466-794332 Entry costs: £14.00 for ABSP member emergency no on day £16.00 for non ABSP member Standish Moat House, Wigan Contact Viv Beckmann 07967 129188 No further discounts 18th – 21st November 0191-273-1705 Venue Elgin Community Centre, Cheques payable to Elgin Scrabble Club Trinity Road, Elgin and sent to Lorraine Gordon, Glenview, Registration 10:00 Aberdeen Road, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. WORLD SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIPS First game 10:45 Departure 17:30 Closing date for entries 21st October 16th-20th November

British Team Tournament (Invitation Only) Romford 29th-30th October Details to be announced 19th November Isle-of-Wight Main Event 6th – 7th November 4th – 5th November Winter Matchplay Vectis (5 games) Contact Noel Turner 26th-27th November 4th – 5th November 01983 614426

46 47 Swansea (5 games) Answers to Edgeways Tea/Coffee available on arrival, at Saturday 3rd December lunchtime and at 3.35 p.m. Contact Robert Johnston The 5-Minute Anagram Test Entry costs: £9.50 for ABSP member 01792 296886 £11.50 for non-ABSP member A. HAMSTER SUBAQUA EARDRUM DAHLIAS ABDUCTS Venue Gorseinon Institute, Lime Deduct 50p if bringing a timer TABLOID WINDBAG NEWBORN NUTCASE ANCIENT Street, Gorseinon, Swansea Cheques payable to Robert Johnston, 8 Y B. HYBRIDS LESBIAN WEIGHTY TRUANCY ELIXIRS Registration 10:00 Berllan, Dunvant Swansea, SA2 7RW PUERILE EARLDOM RAGWORT MUSEUMS FACULTY First game 10:45 Departure 17:30 Closing Date for entries 26th November C. REPUNIT RECRUIT JACINTH MARTEXT SHEBANG 2 Divisional tournament of up to 32 players SABOTEUR BIDDABLE PLATINUM TAILWIND LAWGIVER Chester (16 games) Contact Kathy Rush D. DESMOID TUTENAG NOCAKES RUBEOLA SPAGERIC 27th-28th January 01928 733565 CASTORY HAEMONY HAUYNES TREYBIT FOGFRUIT West Berkshire (6 games) Deduct 50p if willing to bring Meet My Twin Saturday 21st January and lend a timer BANGERS COOLERS CREMATE ROMANCE Contact Ian Burn ICECAPS HAULING NUMERIC GNASHED Cheques payable to West Berks Scrabble 0118-984-5045 Club Tournament Account and sent to UNLOADS MORTALS ORCHIDS PEANUTS Venue The Barn, Beech Road, Purley Ian Burn, Valley View, 92 Purley Rise, AIRPORT TWISTED OURSELF CONSORT on Thames, Berkshire Purley-on-Thames, Berkshire, RG8 8DH CHERISH PENALTY SALUTES COWSHED Charity event proceeds going to local along with SAE or email address to which charitable causes. confirmation and directions can be sent Anagrid O G S D H U R R I E S Registration 10.00 Note that the timings are based upon F E V E R E D U O X E First game 10:45 Departure 18:20 electronic lookup of challenges. If the word R Y W B R Y O Z O A N 2/3 divisional tournament. authority for the tournament is not OSWI A L M S M E N T S D E Tea/Coffee available throughout the day. as and an electronic dictionary is unavailable I E R C L A T T I N G is afternoon cake. Lunch is not included then the organisers reserve the right to S K I R T E R E I D A Entry costs: £12.00 for ABSP member amend timings or cancel the event. O S D E N S E N E S S £14.00 for non-ABSP member N Z D S G I Blank Looks S P O O N B I L L B G 3/4 divisional tournament. West Sussex (6 games) ABDNNOR +N ACEITVY +LR J S O E Y O G I N I S Tea/Coffee available all day but lunch is not ACJNU +E AEHILMS +CFOQWY U T E N S I L S R T L Sunday 29th January provided. Contact Peter Hall AEIMX +X AELOUSY +GJT M U C L C E N T I L E Entry costs: £12.00 for ABSP member AOOSY +H AORRU +ABDIMP B E D S O N I A T E A 01903-775396 £14.00 for non-ABSP member Venue The Woodlands Centre, EEENNSS +KV EEOOPRT + SZ I O P E A T T R I T E Deduct 50p if bringing a timer ELLOTT +U E S S A Y I S H E S E Woodlands Avenue, Cheques payable to Rustington Scrabble 1 bdf hijkl Rustington, West Sussex Club and sent to Peter Hall, 34 Lawrence Blank Looks (Stage Two) Registration 9:15 Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex, BN16 +A=AURORA, +B=ARBOUR, +C=CAMELISH, +D=ARDOUR, +E=JAUNCE, +F=FISHMEAL First game 10:15 Departure 17:45 3HX +G=GEALOUSY, +H=YAHOOS, +I=OURARI, +J=JEALOUSY, +K=KEENNESS, +L=ACTIVELY, +M=ARMOUR, +N=NONBRAND, +O=HEMIOLAS, +P=UPROAR, Grantham (6 games) 2/3 divisional tournament. +Q=SHEQALIM, +R=VERACITY, +S=PROTEOSE, +T=AUTOLYSE, +U=OUTTELL, Sunday 12th March Tea/Coffee available all day. +V=EVENNESS, +W=LIMEWASH, +X=MAXIXE, +Y=LEHAYIMS, +Z=ZOETROPE Contact Hazel Packham Entry costs: £12.00 for ABSP member 01476-410161 £14.00 for non-ABSP member Cryptogram Answer Venue Great Gonerby Social Club, Cheques payable to Grantham Scrabble 1=I, 2=L, 3=M, 4=T, 5=E, 6=U, 7=Q, 8=H, 9=R, 10=Z, 11=N, 12=B, 13=X, 14=J, 15=P, Great Gonerby, Grantham Club, C/o Hazel Packham, 34 Orchard 16=V, 17=S, 18=W, 19=F, 20=O, 21=D, 22=A, 23=Y, 24=K, 25=G, 26=C Registration 09.00 Close, Gonerby Hill Foot, Grantham, Lincs, First game 09.30 Departure 18.00 NG31 8HD

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