|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
A. Skytale (n) (from Greek Sky-tala, to change shape) - A greek spy, especially one who disguised himself as a citizen of the city being spied upon.
Submitted by Capfka, who admitted he knew the word. Anyway, Capfka graciously voted for his own submission to try to muddy the water. Annastrophic obliged him.
B. The form of communication commonly known as "smoke signals" when used in conjuntion with ritualistic prayer.
Submitted by Musick.
C. another name for a caduceus, the winged staff of Aescalepius the Healer
Submitted by wofahulicodoc
D. A Greek encryption device, composed of a stick and a long strip of paper which is wrapped around the stick. The message is written lengthwise on the stick. When unwrapped, it cannot be deciphered without a stick of similar diameter on which to wind the paper. It was considered very high security (VHS) until some idiot included in plain text on the end of one of the tapes: Please rewind.
This is the actual definition, minus the last sentence. I ran into it in a novel about spies in which one of the characters was whisked off to a conference at a club for spies called the Skytale Club. It is pronounced SKIT uh lee. It got votes from maverick, wofa, faldage, and dxb. By the way, I was all ready to hit submit to send out the list of definitions when I got that familiar evil glint in my mind and added the last sentence. I have NO will power, it seems.
E. A device similar to a shoulder plane for cleaning out rough-sawn dovetail joints in fine cabinet joinery. From skive, Norwegian term for bird tail, plus tale, an alternative but obsolete spelling of tail.
This was my red herring. I figured I’d get a vote or two because of its connection to woodworking and because both of my prior attempts to be hogmaster dealt with woodworking or carpentry. Worked, too, and got a vote from Sparteye
F. (n.) Northumbrian dialect, 19th c., referring to a secondary mash of beer which considerably reduced the flavour and body of the brew.
Maveick sent in this one.
G. Slang - originating in 1920’s Oxford University. An affectionate term for Russian literature
This came from dxb
H. a basketball term applied when, on an inbounds play, the ball is thrown the length of the court before being received; used when the game or shot clock provide insufficient time in which to dribble or pass the ball to the front court.
Sparteye sent in this gem.
I. a celestial oddity in which the sun is setting at the same time the moon is rising and the North star is in perfect alignment with them both
And I got this from consuelo, who gathered a vote from musick.
J. obs. The distinctive, intricate carving on a scythe used to identify the tool's owner.
Our sweet Annastrophic submitted this one, which I probably would have voted for if I hadn’t had two definitions of my own.
K. ME scytale fr. ON skytael. Covered with dung.
This came from Faldage, who garnered one vote from consuelo.
-------------
So I either won or lost. Four people got the correct answer, but on the other hand I was the only one to get four votes, not counting of course the red herring vote!
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
My dearest TEd,
Could you add in the rest of who voted for what? And thank you for a very stimulating pastime! :-)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
I'll have to allow as to how I've never even *considered amending the actual definition in such a fashion -- not that this seems to have deterred a plurality from voting for it anyways.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
> voting for it anyways
Made me even more sure TEd was trying to slip us a Mickey :) Now does anyone remember that discussion about codes that I thought raised this device into my consiousness originally? hah, and as for most of the rest of my lame deconstruction...! Fun anyway - many thanks TEd.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Did I miss someone's vote?
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
ROOLZ?
As Mav said, this has TEd written all over it!!!
I think the addon helped steer people to the right definition, but....
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Mav:
I thought you broght a great new dimension to the game with your analysis of who submitted what daffynitions. I had meant to say something in my post above and it slipped my mind.
Perhaps we can expand the game a bit. I was amazed at how overall accurate you were! In some ways you know us better than we know ourselves!
TEd
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>Now does anyone remember that discussion about codes..
might have been the "book club" discussion of DVC.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I'm with tsuwm, here. When we come up with a definition we should be trying to make it look as much as possible like a real definition. Taking a real definition and messing with it so that it doesn't look like a real definition is beyond the pale. That you got more votes than any other definition is irrelevant.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Gosh, I suddenly feel like a miscreant. The last I heard this was supposed to be about having fun together. In fact, the overall category is "wordplay and fun."
I'm sorry if I offended anyone by trying to have a good time. I will not make the same mistake again, I promise.
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Wull, ya know, some of us takes our fun serious-like, ya know?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,066 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,066 Likes: 2 |
From wwh's post of July 1, 2003:
Dear Bingley: In searching for etymology of "scytala" I found a French site that gives as third definition "a serpent".Perhaps from some snake that wraps itself about brances in climbing trees, or a constrictor?
"scytala, ae (scytale, es), f. : - 1 - bâton, rouleau. - 2 - scytale (rouleau entouré d'une bande de parchemin sur laquelle les Macédoniens écrivaient) - 3 - scytale (un serpent). "
And on this basis I offered as my daffynition a caduceus, which is a snake wrapped around a stick.
I'm not convinced that it isn't actually another correct definition after all...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
I'm soooo disappointed that mav ID'd my definition. I had hoped that the subject was so obviously me that y'all'd think it couldn't possibly be me. So much for the double bluff strategy.
Oh, well.
FINAL FOUR
FINAL FOUR
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
> I'm soooo disappointed that mav ID'd my definition
Sorry, sweetie :{}
Now, this stuff about final four, in green, lemme jest see ifn I 'member this right - tiddlywinks, State Finals, yes?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
I'm soooo disappointed that mav ID'd my definition. ~ Sparteye
I know just what you mean. His acumen in that direction creates an extra challenge. Hmmm.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Well, I figured that my definition might just suck in a couple who were familiar with the term, but unable to remember exactly what it meant. The problems was that the actual definition is so unlikely that it seemed a natural ...
|
|
|
|
|
