Journal of the New Zealand Association of Scrabble® Players No. 119 Winter 2015 John Foster, NZASP’s newest Life Member Also in this issue Report on Nationals Book review: The fingertips of Duncan Dorfman From AASVOGEL to ZZYZX Advice for U all Scrabbly logic Ask Liz Winning Scrabble and the nature of expertise English assignment on Scrabble Report on Masters NZASP Executive Table of contents President Val Mills Editorial: Knocked for six? .................. 3 11 Lanark Place President’s report ............................... 4 Glen Innes Word famous in New Zealand: Auckland 1072 John Foster ........................................ 6 Phone 027-248-1701 Email Report on Nationals 2015 ................ 10 [email protected] From Aasvogel to Zzyzx .................... 14 Vice Ruth Groffman Club news ....................................... 16 President Hall of fame .................................... 19 4 Wycolla Ave Scrabbly logic .................................. 21 St. Clair A diversion ...................................... 22 Dunedin 9012 Phone 03 455 1777 A new meaning for “Bonus Block” .... 22 Email [email protected] Winning Scrabble and the nature of expertise .......................................... 23 Secretary Frances Higham Report on Masters 2015 ................... 26 9 Holden Place Mailbox ........................................... 30 Papatoetoe Auckland 2025 I've been reading: Phone 09 278 4595 The fingertips of Duncan Dorfman .... 35 Email [email protected] I've been reading: Jim Crace’s Harvest ......................... 37 Treasurer Dianne Cole-Baker Twenty years ago in Forwords .......... 38 9/435 Parnell Rd Parnell Advice for U all ................................ 40 Auckland 1052 Global titbits .................................... 41 Phone 09 309 5865 Email [email protected] Ask Liz ............................................ 43 On Scrabble ................................... 44 Web Master Glenda Foster Puzzle answers ................................ 45 1 Walters Street Tournament results ......................... 46 Avalon Tournament calendar....................... 49 Lower Hutt 5011 Phone 04 567 1590 Rankings list as at 1 June 2015 ....... 50 Email Club contacts .................................. 52 [email protected] Scrabble is a registered trademark of JW Spear & Sons, England, under licence in New Zealand to Mattel (NZ) Ltd. Page 3 Editorial KNOCKED for SIX? appropriate for a Scrabbler to yell “HOWZAT!!?”? By the time you are reading this, it’ll be old news, but I am writing this the But throughout the match, the main day after the World Cup Cricket final. way in which it seemed to me that I am one of the least sporty New Scrabble and cricket could overlap Zealanders you will ever meet; I don't thematically was this: at some point in play, I don't watch, and I don't care. a game, it may become apparent to But I once had a crush on a boy who us that we have been completely was a devoted cricket fan, so I have outclassed by our present opposition. watched enough to know roughly how This is often regardless of prior that game works (just don't ask me to performance; we may have beaten make any umpiring decisions!). them hands down in every club game and friendly match in the past six So having ignored almost the entire months, only to fall over when it Cup, I bestirred myself to watch the matters most or when the outcome of final. And it was … disappointing. the tournament depends on us not Chances were taken that did not pay losing this game. But my key question off. Opportunities were missed. We is: how should the player who seems made mistakes and paid heavily for to be doomed to lose respond in that them. ‘Neutral’ adjudication never situation? seemed to rule in our favour. Meanwhile, our opposition could do I have for some time been puzzled by no wrong! They snapped up the Scrabble opponents who will tell me chances that came their way, they “that’s the winning move” when we’re played better cricket all round, and barely beyond the halfway point in the sometimes they were less-than- game. I was especially astonished gracious about it. recently to be informed by an opponent who was experiencing a Inevitably, as the game (and by long losing streak that “I’m not extension, the tournament) dragged targeting you for a win” before our on towards its inexorable and oh-so- game had even commenced. It’s a bitter end, my mind wandered to sure bet that if you tell me I’m going making comparisons with Scrabble. to win, then I’ll take psychological What if Scrabble were a spectator strength and confidence from that and sport? What would the commentators I will win! Or perhaps it’s just that a say? Would we play differently if we player who begins a game with a knew what they were saying about us? losing mindset will lose. I am aware What is the Scrabble equivalent of a that my endgame is not my strongest cricket run, a boundary, a century? feature, but I can still relate myriad What would a Scrabbler have to do to occasions where I have redeemed my receive a standing ovation despite score from a long way behind, simply losing? At what point would it be Page 4 by never just going through the motions but always endeavouring to play the best I could with the tiles I had. I doubt that, as some commentators would have it, the Black Caps were doomed from the moment the first wicket of the final fell. But regardless, our players still gave everything they had. A One Day International bowler at his best is trying to take a wicket with every ball. A fielder knows that every catch, every grassy slide that prevents a I exhort you to play your Scrabble in a boundary could make the difference to like manner. Sadly, no team or their team’s winning or losing, or at individual player can come out on top least to their morale; and every throw, on every occasion... but there’s no no matter how far, should be aimed to surer way to lose than by simply giving dislodge the bails. up. President’s report Lately there seems to have been a lot enough, as of things happening that have been we didn't even making me think about time. My have that as mother turned 95 in April, and after an option at dropping her back to her unit at my high Hillsborough Heights after lunch, I school, but to immediately went to pick up my one- be in a class year-old grandchild Alice, whom I was where the looking after that night. It struck me Philosophy of Val Mills that I have 94 years between Time was members of my family! That is quite a being discussed in French was very long time! strange indeed. I clearly remember the first time that I People have always said how fast time realised the concept of Time was flies as you get older and, really, I something that could be studied, and didn't get that at all until I reached that had been studied for ages. I was 17 age bracket myself. It came as a shock and in Tahiti on an exchange, going to me when reading the last edition of to all the classes at the Lycee with my Forwords that I could actually host sister Sylvie. One of her classes remember the article that John had was philosophy, which was reprinted from 20 years ago. Oh no! compulsory for all students from the Had I really been reading that first year at high school. This was odd magazine for 20 years!? Page 5 Seeing the movie about Stephen do – play quicker at the beginning so Hawking reminded me again that Time that I have more time for my endgame. is something that scientists are still very interested in. Looking for an audio An organisation such as ours can only book at the library that I could listen to be successful through members giving on my phone when driving, I saw that their time. Looking through even our his book A brief history of time was current membership, I am amazed and available, so I downloaded it and humbled by the number of people that started listening... Well, although it was have helped in the running of the written for the general public, I was lost Association in all sorts of ways. One of from the first chapter. The words used the ways that the Association thanks were one thing, but also the concepts such members is to award life being discussed were things that I had memberships. I am delighted to say never put my mind to — was there a that, at the recent Nationals held in start to time, time goes faster in some Wellington, I had the honour of places than others, imaginary time... I presenting John Foster with a life made myself listen to the whole book, membership. John is one of those but I can't say I am much the wiser. people who has given huge amounts of his time to the Scrabble scene in New Anyway, we all know that in Scrabble Zealand. He, along with Bob Jackman, time is something not far from us all. founded the Trans-Tasman competition That clock ticks down and we have to between Australia and New Zealand, do our best within our 25 minutes. We which has now been going strong for have all agonised over a rack for 10 over 20 years. He also maintains the minutes only to end up playing Association’s Experts and Grand something for 10 points; we have all Masters database, and is the go-to left ourselves 60 seconds to play our man for anything to do with New last four moves; we have all forgotten Zealand Scrabble history and records. to press the clock. Thank you John on behalf of the Association.