MM Links Solutions November 2008 [Week 2]

[crofter]

This second week in the reign of Sir Strix the Artichoke was yet another in which very few entrants were able to fathom out just what makes him tick. As I said Strix is very complex and his preambles show increasingly how true this is. With Round Two of the competition dwelling on his training as an Architect, I can now reveal that his chosen links based on the theme of Building Materials were:

Brick YARD
Wood LOUSE
STEAM Iron
CONCRETE Poetry

As with last week, all Links were found (eventually), but points were thin on the ground!

NOW READ ON

[crofter]

This week, the title of �Artichoke� adopted by Sir Strix had me thoroughly bemused. Was he trying to remind us that there is a definite �Art in Strangulation� as one cuts off the supply of points? As for his choice of links, I had to look up �Concrete Poetry� and would everyone be completely misled by the domesticated �Steam Iron�? ~ only time would tell!

Once again, the floodgates opened at 09.01 and it was Entrant #1 in the form of the formidable Christiana who vented her spleen with WOOD LOUSE for TWO POINTS. One minute later, Dinkypuzzled came in with the same Wood Louse to qualify for the same bonus and register Two Points. No one else was to consider this option throughout the remainder of the game!

The game went quiet and the points dried up for over an hour and a quarter as another 20 entrants chanced their arm and failed! However, at 10.25am Entrant #26 in the form of Eiggam picked up her STEAM IRON and scored TWO POINTS for the second hit of the day. Having taken such an effort to identify the first two links, you would think that the last two will take an absolute age to find ~ Not so! They both fell to the very next entry!

At 10.25am, wickedtongue proved more than a match for the �wicked mind� of Strix by correctly predicting BRICK YARD and CONCRETE POETRY to score FOUR POINTS and take the title of HOT SHOT OF THE WEEK. You may recall that <wickedtongue was the first to predict all four of the links in Herculis and has been our setter on two separate occasions
*** Crowds cheer wildly at this awesome feat ***
*** Let drums roll and trumpets sound ***

[crofter]

The remainder of the game coasted to a gentle conclusion with single points falling to the lucky few.

The League Table after this second week is:

FOUR POINTS: <Christiana, ulysses100 & wickedtongue
TWO POINTS: cliffyg, Dinkypuzzled, Eiggam, gen2 & ladyalex
ONE POINT: Elspeth, Magyar, teacher1 & Mrs Ont-ice
Everyone else is �equal 13th�

Welcome to newcomer taize (first out of the blocks!)

I know that Sir Strix will be mortified that he has been unable to reverse the trend in terms of low scores. Whatever else he has in store for us next week, I am certainly looking forward to learning more about this complex colleague.


Until next weekend, this is crofter signing off for another week.
See you next Saturday: Same time � Same place � Same Strix

Until then: HAPPY LINKING!

:o)

[jan1956]

well this week I tried without the aid of the Oxford dictionary
as I have been so poor in previous weeks
did it help to go al fresco :-(((( nah, same as last week
zero por moi
have next weekend off to hunt for furniture, curtains etc
so hope to do better may even get Steve to help!!!!!!!
jan

[paulineward]

Complex Colleague....he's a bl***y mysytery!!!

Well...I think we need to tie him down in the shrubbery next Friday gang....and torture him...but maybe he'd like that! :-))

[Aquagility]

Well, I'm 'eartily choked off, once again. Zilch. Think I'll go and compose a concrete poem. ;-)>

[paulineward]

I can't spell either....mystery!!! :-((

[Strix]

Don't worri Pauline about spylling, my problem is I can't wurk how you all thunk!
I will, I promise, try to be more generous next Saturday.

[Strix]

And a huge thank you to crofter for all his efforts who must be getting a little less than amused with this particular setter of the MM Links.

[paulineward]

Yes...he should carry out his first sacking!!! :-))

[Dustybun]

well obviously my convent education was sadly lacking. What in blue blazes is concrete poetry? I haven't even had time to read the pre-amble yet. I think I'll take the rest of November off! :0)

[Strix]

Oh, Dustybun, don't give up- a lady like you with a Convent school education (as were my wife, sister-in-law, and my daughter) should think St Jude !!

[twix123]

Thanks Strix no points again!

Concrete Poetry - Poetry that visually conveys the poet's meaning through the graphic arrangement of letters, words, or symbols on the page.

Methinks it'll be a concrete overcoat instead of concrete poetry for Strix - is that a graphic enough arrangement!

[evsajo]

Well once again No Points!!!! I made a mistake with one of my answers....I thought concrete jacket was what baddies did to people they threw into water.....should have been concrete boots!!!!! Have never heard of concrete poetry so perhaps I didn't make a mistake!!!!!
Well done wicked tongue and Crofter for trying to score.
And Strix ?????? What can I say?? Thank you for your words. I thought it might have a Beatles connection as all your music on Friday night was Beatles stuff.
I don't think I will ever be on your wavelength but I will not be beaten.....I will keep trying!!!!! (yes he is very tring isn't he!!)

[jan1956]

agree Pauline next friday we ply him with drink and use a huge spotlight
ve hav vays ov making him talk!!!
jan

[evsajo]

Oh dear spelt "trying"" wrong !!!
Have just read Strix's Saturday write up so I do know a little bit more about him, but will it help guess his words???????Never!!!!!

[ladyalex]

Nothing for me this week, but as most people got nothing I don't feel too bad.
Who would ever think of concrete poetry.....only strix and wickedtongue I suspect.
Roll on next week...cannot wait to see the next lot of links.
Thanks to crofter and a rather more grudging thanks to strix.

[Dustybun]

Strix - I readily put up my hand to being a lost cause!

Twix - thank you for the explanation - I think! What half-wit thought that up? perhaps literature's equivalent of Tracey Emin?

Kay - you're a hero! I see it took you 28 minutes to read Strix's red herring verbal foreplay! That amounts to 1 sheet, 1 duvet cover, 3 tea towels, 2 blouses, 3 hankies and a pair of trousers on the ironing board. Only a man has time to waste like that!

[Christiana]

Am feeling absurdly pleased for getting one right, but full of admiration (with just a little gnashing of teeth) for Wickedtongue. Concrete poetry - I had, like Crofter, to look it up (and - oh the shame of it - to think I was once a teacher of English). We always called them Shape poems. Thanks to Crofter and to Strix who is always good entertainment value and, as champion, is also providing much that is thought-provoking. Provoking certainly and we won't say what we thought, in case we all get suspended!

[seekeerz]

I'm at a loss for words !!!!!

[slaney]

Well done Sir Srix!..to celebrate my own inglorious score here is a concrete poem (ok..I had to look it up!)

............nix.....
.......nothing
.zilch .......nada
....nil...........nil
...... for me

And thanks to crofter, though the sacred abacus must be in need of some WD-40 by now!