Round 5 Commentary

Kathy Hummel, a member of the NSA staff, told me about one contestant who wasn't sure he could attend the tournament. She told him that if he was going to show up, he had to call her. So, at 4:30 am this morning he called to tell her he was on the way. She couldn't be unhappy, for he'd done just what she'd requested!

Two challenge judges have noticed clocks running when they approached the boards for a challenge. One told the opponents to neutralize the clock and the other said nothing (figuring it wasn't permitted). The word judges are still talking about what is the proper action.

Division 2 word judge, Kathy Baker, decided to dedicate part of her lunch hour to looking through the challenge slip box. These were the words tried that are not acceptable: RATIONER, AZIN, QUEG, FAH#, MES#, FLAKINGS, QUENE, ENCOIL, UNPERMER, BESTMAN, OUTSPARK, ORAS, WIM, AXINE, WROT, POUTISH, COM, DUGOUTS [this is acceptable - jjc], PLOGHED, JARE, CLAPY, DARSMAN, QUINE, SCAMPIS#, GOG, MEIN#, WOKER, LORDIES, BLINN, OASISES, HARASSE, COZING#, IRITATES, AIOLA, NEPORTIC, PIGFEET, QUAT#, AEROS#, MAVONS, ASHPILE, MEDS, DOFT, YONS, ROBOTISE#, SYE#, MAVES, DROPTIME, VIN#, KAO, PICAX, and MIN. These were acceptable words challenged: VALERIANS, ALEC, BOXINGS, QATS, SEESAWS, TARED, JOWED, PINHOLES, BUCKO, GITS, LUMPISH, WATERMEN, SORL, QUAVER, GAOLER, SAILINGS, REEL, RIVE, BALLOTERS, FER, and RUNE.

Joey Mallick tells me about his comeback game against Charnwit. He says, "First of all, I don't know what I was thinking when I challenged TERN. I slowly chipped away at his lead and then it's down to my last rack, and I think it's hopeless. I hold AADELN? and the only possible bingos must be exactly 7 letters and must end with A or AN. After moaning to myself for only finding ADRENAL and LANATED, I come up with LEADMAN and end up winning by 13, 375-362."

-- Sherrie Saint John, Internet Reporter, NSC98

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