For newbies: Rules, and an example

[Jean-Joseph Cote]

Elliott writes:
>and another, by Jim, where -- something weird happened;
>actually, I don't remember what it was

I think you're referring to the round where we were asked to define
"modesty" (without peeking) and see how close/convincing we could get. 
There was also a variety round that was simply a matching game with ten
words and their definitions.

I'll also point out that once in a while, the Temporary Word
Commander/ress will solicit or require additional stuff, most often an
ersatz citation for each phony definition, but occasionally limericks,
double-dactyls, odes, clerihews, play scripts, illustrations or whatever
(okay, so I made some of them up, but they could happen).  The most
memorable may have been the citation for what turned out to be the real
definition of "loco-foco", from "Rules for Smoking Underwater", although
there have also been some fine examples of bogus Shakespeare or
Gilbert&Sullivan, and one memorable conversation entirely in French using
the word "baubee" (ending with "Merde!  Ou est un baubee quand on a
besoin d'un?", or something to that effect).

And there has been no cumulative scoring in this game.  People come and
go, and some people win more rounds than others, but nobody keeps track
of this, which make life pretty comfortable.

And Jed wrote:
>Of course, if you don't submit a definition it's impossible for
>you to win, but you can still contribute to determining the winner.

Impossible?  Careful with those absolutes, my good man!  Suppose none of
the definers got around to casting ballots that round, and you were the
only one to pick the correct definition with your two-point vote...

Jean-Joseph