msb@vex.net (Mark Brader): Sep 30 03:59PM -0500
Mark Brader:
> 1. A desert is traditionally defined as an area of land which
> receives less than 250 mm of precipitation per year. By that
> metric, what is the largest desert in the world?
Antarctica (Antarctic Polar Desert). 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Peter,
Bruce, and Calvin.
> only 15 mm of precipitation per year, with some parts receiving
> as little as 1 mm per year. Climatologists have compared it
> to the surface of Mars. Name it.
Atacama. 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter, Bruce,
and Calvin.
> 3. At almost 500,000 km², what is the largest desert in North
> America?
Great Basin Desert. I didn't know it either. See:
http://www.in-the-desert.com/desert/IMAG009.JPG
> 4. The Rub'al-Khali ["roob-AL kah-LEE"] is the largest contiguous
> sandy desert in the world, but it is only part of a much larger
> desert. Which one?
Arabian. I accepted "Saudi Arabian" based on the "important part
of the name" guideline. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, and Dan Tilque.
2 for Pete.
> 5. The Gobi Desert is the 5th-largest desert in the world, but
> lies within the borders of only two countries. Name both.
China, Mongolia. 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter,
Bruce, and Calvin. 3 for Pete.
> single "superdesert", located within one state of the country.
> The state and the desert share the main part of their names:
> give either name.
Western Australia. (Western Desert). 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Joshua,
Dan Tilque, and Peter. 3 for Pete and Calvin.
> 7. Which Argentinian desert is the largest desert in South America,
> and the 8th-largest in the world?
Patagonian. 4 for Erland, Joshua, Dan Tilque, Peter, Pete,
and Calvin.
> African desert is the *second-largest* cool coastal desert?
> The name of the desert forms part of the name of the country
> where it's located.
Namib. (Namibia.) 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Peter, Bruce, Pete,
and Calvin. 2 for Erland.
> On this basis, and not counting the disputed "autonomous region"
> of Western Sahara as a country -- within 1, how many countries
> does the Sahara extend into?
11 (accepting 10-12). 4 for Erland, Dan Tilque, and Peter (the
hard way). 3 for Joshua and Calvin. 2 for Pete.
See: <http://cdn.britannica.com/700x450/67/3867-004-E8505AD3.jpg>
In the original game this question did not cite a source or provide
any guidance such as the mention of Eritrea. Oops.
> both primarily Mexican deserts, which share most of their
> names with the Mexican states they respectively overlap.
> Name either one.
Sonora (Sonoran Desert), Chihuahua (Chihuahuan Desert). 4 for
Dan Blum, Joshua (the hard way), Dan Tilque, and Bruce.
> Here's a treat for our younger players. Beware of table talk:
> trains can't keep secrets.
> 1. Name the island where Thomas lives.
Sodor. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Peter, Bruce, Pete, and Calvin.
> for the diocese does not get a seat as a Lord Spiritual in the
> British House of Lords, because the island is not part of the UK.
> What's the common name of this well-known island?
(Isle of) Man. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Dan Tilque, and Peter.
2 for Calvin.
> 3. Who wrote the original books that Thomas first appeared in?
> Not surprisingly, he was an Anglican minister.
Wilbert Awdry. 4 for Joshua and Peter.
> In the later books and the TV series, he is known by his name,
> which has more to do with how he dresses than with his girth.
> Name him.
Sir Topham Hatt. (The surname was sufficient.) 4 for Dan Blum,
Joshua, Peter, and Bruce.
> 5. What does <answer 4> say that Thomas has caused when he's done
> something wrong? (Full phrase required.)
Confusion and delay.
> 6. How does <answer 4> describe Thomas when he's done something
> well? (Full phrase required.)
A really useful engine. 4 for Dan Blum.
> 7. Name the musician who narrated the first two TV seasons in
> Britain, from 1984 to 1986.
Ringo Starr. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Peter, Bruce, Pete, and Calvin.
> 8. Name the comedian who narrated the first four TV seasons in
> the US, from 1991 to 1996.
George Carlin. 4 for Dan Blum, Joshua, Bruce, and Pete.
> (in which one name would be visible if we hadn't blurred it out),
> and tell us which image shows...
> 9. Cranky?
#3. 4 for Dan Blum, Peter, and Pete. 3 for Joshua. 2 for Calvin.
> 10. Percy?
#5. 4 for Peter and Bruce. 3 for Pete and Calvin.
> And if you like, for fun but for no points, decode the rot13 and
> do the same with the 5 decoys:
> 11. Toby?
#4. Peter got this.
> 12. Henry?
#2. Peter got this.
> 13. Duncan?
#7. Peter got this.
> 14. Edward?
#1. Peter got this.
> 15. James?
#6. Peter and Bruce got this.
Scores, if there are no errors:
GAME 6 ROUNDS-> 2 3 4 6 TOTALS
TOPICS-> Lei Can Geo A&L
Joshua Kreitzer 32 13 35 27 107
Dan Blum 28 14 28 28 98
Bruce Bowler 24 0 20 20 64
Peter Smyth -- -- 28 28 56
Dan Tilque 24 0 28 4 56
Pete Gayde 16 0 18 19 53
"Calvin" -- -- 26 15 41
Erland Sommarskog -- -- 22 0 22
Jason Kreitzer 12 4 -- -- 16
--
Mark Brader | I'm just protesting at it. ("against it" might have been better,
Toronto | but that would have involved typing five more letters, so in the
msb@vex.net | interests of speed and economy I didn't do that.) --Paul Wolff
My text in this article is in the public domain.
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