MM LINKS RESULTS JULY 2011 Wk 5

[gen2]

The game closed at 5pm (this week only) as previously announced, because we are going out for a meal.

I can now reveal that The Ice Queen's chosen (scoring) links were:-

Winter SPORTS (popular with some)
Snow PLOUGH/PLOW (how do you think those piles of snow appeared at the side of the roads and carparks?)
Ice SKATE/SKATING (strongly hinted at in the preamble)
Club FOOT (of course, not chosen by members of the 'Freefall Club')

See below for the details and scoring.

[gen2]

Crofter used to say that the reason Ont-Ice matched so few of the links was possibly because of cultural differences.
This month has supported that as players have struggled to match The Ice Queen's linkwords.
Past setters will know that they provide a ranked order of possible links for each one. That way, if a link isn't found by any players, then instead of a no-score, the game is scored on the next-ranked link and so on.
Never have I had to invoke this rule so often. Ont-Ice is heartbroken that players aren't guessing her links. Big hug for Ont-Ice - ((((((((Onty)))))))).

The rushing horde from the shrubbery all scored nothing this week. It was those who took a moment for reflection that picked up the points.

Player #15, Strix proved to be adept at WINTER SPORTS for 2 points. Handbaglady, teacher1, ShazzaHewat & twix123 later picked up a single on this.
JOOLS of JimJools was the only player to pick up on ICE SKATE for her 2 points (maybe others thought the clues too obvious.)
Not to be outdone, JIM of JimJools pushed his luck with SNOW PLOUGH for his 2 points. Jim is actually the only player to have scored every week this month. Mrs albaqwerty and Elspeth took a single here as well.

The final link lasted until 10:00 when Mr Albaqwerty hobbled in with a CLUB FOOT. Teacher1 later claimed a single for the same.

Teacher1 is already celebrating that his youngest daughter has just given birth a healthy baby girl.
He can now also celebrate the fact that he was the only player to manage a double-hit this weekend.
****** LET DRUMMERS DRUM ******
****** AND BAGPIPES DRONE ******
****** HOTSHOT OF THE WEEK ******
****** GOES TO TEACHER-ONE******
(apologies for the visual rhyme)

Let's now go over to the leaderboard to see the final positions

[gen2]

After this most difficult month frought with problems over cultural differences it is a remarkable achievement to manage 8 points.

****** RAISE A GLASS OF VINO ******
****** OUR WORTHY CHAMPION ******
****** FOR JULY: IT'S CENTRINO ******

The top of the Leadership board ended up looking like this:

8 points: Centrino
6 points: beejay1124, grannydi, JIMjools, lysander & roslyn251254
5 points: Mr Albaqwerty
4 points: cliffyg, owllady, paulineward, regward, rockfordill &Strix
3 points: Elspeth, teacher1, ulysses100 & X-ray
2 points: 12 players
and 7 on a single point


Now I have to resolve the matter of choosing a setter for August.

I hope centrino will forgive me (I know Pauline hasn't) if I follow Crofters habit of not necessarily offering the Setter's Crown to the Leaderboard champion.

The reason is that there is a virgin player in second place. I am of course referring to JIM of the JimJools partnership who plays with Jools' permission. Hopefully, she'll permit him greater access to her computer in oder to carry out his duties.

****** SETTER FOR AUGUST IS ******
****** OFFERED TO - - KING JIM ******


Well folks, thats it for another month and hopefully we'll see you all back next weekend for a new game.
This is the MM (Michael Mepham) Links Game.
Don't forget that you can also play our sister game - the KM (Kate Mepham) Links as well. Watch out for both in Quizzes and Puzzles next Saturday morning.
Happy Holidays
Gen2

[tearinghair]

Thanks Queen Ont-Ice - very interesting to hear about Canada - and Gen2. Not a point for me this month but will hope to do better next time as my two Augusts have been good so far! Enjoy your evening Gen2.

[Ont-ice]

Yes, enjoy your evening Gen2.
I am shocked that we have a virgin as setter for next week. I thought that word was not allowed in the UK. It was my first choice for SNOW. 'The first snowfall is alway beautiful, pure and clean.' Hence Virgin Snow.
THIN ice which no one answered was, I thought, obvious 'Although most other rivers and lakes freeze over it is not recommended that one skate on them as the density of the ice is unknown and tragedy has occurred too often in the past. THIN ICE.
As a kicker for CLUB. I had the nerve to say that 'I guess that next month it will be back to a certain MM losers' club for Mr. O and myself.' In the FREEFALL Club.
The only choice that went by first ranked was Winter SPORTS. I even wrote 'As far as winter sports go we are merely spectators.'
Sorry to have confused so many of you. But I did honestly try to make things very obvious and truly was disappointed that so many links had to go to 2nd, 3rd and even 4th choices.

[boxtops]

Nowt for me this month, I will try harder in August - enjoy your meal, gen2!

[Ont-ice]

But apart from the confusion I did enjoy myself.
Thank you Aberquerty for your invitation to return. But if I do as well with the UK setters as the UK setters did with this Canuck then you are indeed in for a very long wait.
Thanks to all for making it worthwhile.
Onty

[JoolsTwo]

Well, I managed to break my duck this week - As for Jim I will have to think about allowing him access to the computer. :-)) I'll email you later Gen as I know you are out tonight.

Thanks to The Ice Queen - It took me 5 weeks but I manged to get near to your wave length. I actually picked Snow Plough too and then changed my mind.:-/

[lysander]

Thank you Ont-ice for an interesting month hearing about your beautiful country.There was nothing wrong with your selections.The fault was entirely we linkers not guessing your links correctly. Regards LYSANDER

[Strix]

I echo Lysander's sentiment.
But thank you, Ont-Ice, for all your efforts.
Don't feel too down-hearted at the lack of success with people here in the UK guessing your links.
Even here, when a new setter is chosen from say the North East of England or Caledonia (stern and wild) us in the South know we will have a problem matching the words!
So not so surprising when trying to match words from Ontario!

[Elspeth]

Thank you Ont-ice for your beautiful descriptions of your homeland. My daughter and her husband are longing to re-locate to Canada (they married there) and I can understand why. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with your words - you gave us plenty of clues!

[Ont-ice]

Lysander and Stryx.
Thanks for the kind words. I'm not crying into my beer because no one guessed. I just simply couldn't understand it. I actually had a bet on with Gen2 that you, Strix, would guess the Virgin Snow - I figured it might be on your wavelength. LOL. (No money was involved). Too much of a rush through the shrubbery gates within the alloted time would be my guess which left no time to search for some very obvious clues most of which were picked up after 0905.
Anyway, I did enjoy the experience. It's one I'm not likely to repeat unless I start getting up at 4am to gain double points. I wonder if I'll be on Jim's wavelength during August.

[Handbaglady]

Hooray I scored a point. I did think of Virgin Snow but decided against it as French Letter was a no hoper last month. Again I must be firmer with myself next month and stock to my first thoughts. Thank you Ont-ice for your very descriptive and informative insight into life in Canada. You really kept us on our toes this month.

[albaqwerty]

We thoroughly enjoyed this month. Thank you Mrs Ont-Ice for letting us share part of your beautiful home.

[paulineward]

Thanks gen2 and Ont-ice.
Christiana will confirm that while we were staying there this weekend, Reg picked club foot...and I told him they wouldn't use that!! Oh dear...
He still wouldn't have won anyway!

[paulineward]

Just realised ...he would have had 6 points...never mind. :-))))

[Aquagility]

Thanks Ont-ice and Gen2.
Last Saturday I was floating around that muddy soup which the locals call the North Sea, so I missed the finale. Not that it would have done me any favours - I only got one right. Must try to do beter tomorrow.