[Fictionary] STONE rules Results

[J-J Cote]

Actually, your definition for SASTRUGA ("sastruga - n. - A member of the 
squash family with long strands of pulp.") won on 10/15/96, and you 
responded by choosing the word NOTORNIS.

But yeah, it looks like that may have been followed by a 15 year losing 
streak.

On 12/18/2011 10:08 PM, Lawrence Miller wrote:
> Hi, everyone,
>
> Whereas I've been subscribed to this list off and on for something on 
> the order of 15 years, and
>
> Whereas I have no memory of every having won,
>
> I do not have any "this would be a good fictionary word" words saved 
> up.  So I beg your patience and I will send out a word by Monday 
> afternoon.  Thanks, Jim, for a very enjoyable round!
>
> -Larry
>
> On Sun, Dec 18, 2011 at 2:27 PM, Jim Moskowitz <jim at jimmosk.com 
> <mailto:jim at jimmosk.com>> wrote:
>
>     Thanks to all who participated in this variant round. Before I
>     announce the winner let's review the entries and the comments they
>     generated...
>
>
>
>     Eric: Initial reaction: no way!  Not one of those is a real game.
>
>
>
>     1) A large circle is drawn on the ground or floor in the center of
>     the play space. At either end of the ground a goal is marked off.
>     One player, chosen to be stone, sits on the floor in the circle.
>     The other players stand around outside the circle, taunting the
>     stone by stepping over into his territory. Suddenly, and the more
>     unexpectedly the better, the stone rises and runs for the other
>     players, who are only safe from tagging when behind one of the
>     goals. Any one so tagged becomes a stone and joins the first stone
>     in sitting near the center of the circle. They also join him in
>     chasing the other players whenever he gives the signal. This
>     continues until all the players have been tagged.
>
>     Eric: Would not want to play.
>     Ellen: One point, because I like the writing style
>     J-J: A combination of Duck-Duck-Goose and Red Rover that's too
>     similar to my hayfield version.
>     Linda: I like that a kid  is the stone.  Plus the cumulative effect.
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Check.  Playability:  Check.  Compelling
>     reason to involve ``stone'':  Not found.
>      --a total of 1 point for The Real Rules [see the end of this
>     message for details]
>
>
>     2) This is a game for 3-5 players.  Everyone stands along a line
>     to start the game and throws in the same general direction.  In
>     turn, each player throws a certain flat stone (with a letter or
>     number painted onto or scratched into the top) chosen blindly from
>     several in a small sack, tosses the stone away from the group,
>     along the playing area, trying for the longest distance from the
>     line.  The one who is IT uses a knotted or marked rope to measure
>     the distances. The player who tosses it the farthest wins and
>     becomes IT for the next round.  A more exciting alternative is to
>     toss the stones toward a goal, like a stick in the ground, or
>     another stone that can moved by IT with each round.  The player
>     who hits another player's stone or the goal stone gets an extra
>     point.  If you are near a body of water, stones can be pitched
>     towards a target placed into the water, either floating or anchored.
>
>     Eric: Would not want to play.
>     Pierre: If the stone is chosen blindly, what happens if the player
>     forgets which stone
>     he chose?
>     J-J: The first variant is shot put with random handicaps.  The
>     second is bocce with balls that don't roll.  And the third version
>     is probably pretty hard to score.
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Not complete (what are points good for?).
>     Playability: Check.  Compelling reason to involve ``stone'':  Check.
>      --a total of no points for Linda
>
>
>     3) An outdoors game, best played on leaves or turf. The players
>     sit in a circle except for one player, the "stone mason" who goes
>     off a distance. While the stone mason is absent, the players sit
>     in a circle, with one of them sitting an a stone the size of two
>     men's fists or larger. The players then call the mason to return,
>     and he must detect which player is seated on the stone, the other
>     players, of course, trying to seem as solid and comfortable in
>     their seats as possible.  A good game for a mixed group of boys
>     and girls, as this is one game in which girls may excel, by reason
>     of their crinolines.
>
>     Pierre: Two points.
>     J-J: Just a liiiiittle creepy.  But after reaching bottom without
>     finding anything I believed in, I have to give this one point.
>     Ranjit: One point.
>     Linda: Like that this is a seated game and someone is a stone
>     mason. We used to play a circle game called, Button, Button, Who's
>     Got the Button?  A button is in one player's hand while It is out
>     of the room.  Once It comes back into the room, he others pretend
>     to move the button from hand to hand around the circle while It
>     watches.  It must guess who is holding the button.
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Check.  Playability:  Check.  Compelling
>     reason to involve ``stone'':  Check.  Two points for plausibility.
>      --a total of 6 points for Eric, our silver medalist
>
>
>     4) Three players each have a tire in front of them; the tires are
>     fifteen feet apart in a triangle. The boundaries between the
>     players' territories are marked with sticks or ropes, halfway
>     between the tires. Each player starts with 30-40 stones in a pile
>     next to his tire and throws stones at the other two players'
>     tires. If a stone lands outside the tire, it may be thrown again
>     by the player in whose territory it lands. Once a stone lands in a
>     tire, it is out of play. The game ends when all stones are in
>     tires. The winner is the player with the fewest stones in his tire.
>
>     Eric: Plausible, except wasn't the game Victorian?  No tires.
>     J-J: I might have voted for this except for the likely lack of
>     availability of Victorian-era tires
>     Linda: Were there so many spare tires so long ago as the book was
>     written?
>     Elliott: Completeness:  How are the territories established to
>     begin with? Playability:  What if you hit someone in the head?
>      Compelling reason to involve ``stone'':  Check.
>      --a total of no points for Pierre
>
>
>     5) Players gather in a circle around a large tree suitable for
>     climbing. A small stone is required. On his turn a player must
>     throw the stone over a target bough, called the WHIP. If the throw
>     is not high enough, or the player misses the tree completely, he
>     is out. After making his throw, the current player, or CRACKER,
>     must climb to the WHIP to mark its location. Spectators and
>     players alike should cat-call the CRACKER during climbing; if he
>     falls, he is out. Previous CRACKERS already in the tree may
>     attempt to dislodge the current CRACKER as he climbs, but may not
>     leave their WHIP to do so. The next player must throw the STONE
>     over a new WHIP at least as high as the previous CRACKER. The
>     first CRACKER in a round can choose a WHIP at any height he
>     believes he can throw over and reach by climbing. Play begins with
>     the shortest player, and proceeds in increasing height order, so
>     as to ensure a fair chance to all. One round is complete once the
>     tallest player takes his throw; all players should come down out
>     of the tree, and the next round begins anew with the shortest
>     remaining player. Play continues until all but one player is
>     eliminated. If any player hits any other player with the stone,
>     they are both immediately out; if a throw causes a player sitting
>     on a previous WHIP to fall without hitting him with the STONE,
>     such as by cowardly flinch, only he who fell is out.
>
>     Eric: Would not want to play.  Ten creativity points.
>     J-J: Good lord!  This reminds me of the stories that my friend
>     Jimmy used to tell me in college, which invariably ended "...and
>     then Floyd went to the hospital".  This will probably turn out to
>     be real, and I'll be deeply disturbed.
>     Linda: Kids used to play dangerous games in the olden days and you
>     weren't supposed to be afraid of a little blood and a few bruises.
>     2 points for danger.  But isn't Cracker a derogatory term?
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Check.  Playability:  Risky!  Compelling
>     reason to involve ``stone'':  Wouldn't a nice, soft ball be
>     better? One point for creativity.
>      --a total of 3 points for Nick, good for the bronze medal.
>
>
>     6) The players form a pentacle surrounding the victim. They chant
>     the appropriate words. Should the victim attempt to break free,
>     restrain him, but do not shed his blood. When It comes to feed,
>     the players plead for parts of the victim. It will toss one part
>     to each player. The players then use these as blunt instruments
>     upon each other, but do not shed one another's blood. The
>     surviving player offers the bodies of the others to It, uttering
>     "stone," but must take care not to enter the pentacle. It then
>     will grant a desire; but be careful to formulate that desire
>     carefully, for It has a sense of humor.
>
>     Eric: Would not want to play.  Ten creativity points.  One real point.
>     Pierre: This doesn't sound like a children's game. Witch
>     fictioneer came up with it?
>     J-J: Yeah!  But no, I don't think so.
>     Ranjit: One backing-away-slowly.
>     Linda: Too zombie-like.
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Cryptic.  Playability:  Risky!  Compelling
>     reason to involve ``stone'':  None that I can see.
>      --a total of 1 point for David
>
>
>
>     7) The players array themselves as they wish around an open yard.
>     One player closes his eyes and counts aloud to twenty whilst each
>     other player selects a stone from the ground, remove a boot, place
>     the stone into the boot, and replace the boot upon his foot.  Upon
>     the count of twenty, the counting player opens his eyes and all
>     players begin walking about the yard.  The counting player then
>     attempts to guess in which boot each player placed his stone.  A
>     player whose stone is so located retires from the yard.  The game
>     ends immediately upon an incorrect guess from the counting player,
>     the player winning who fooled the counting player, or the counting
>     player himself if none fool him.  In common practice, a number of
>     games are played consecutively, with the winner of a game serving
>     as counting player for the next.
>
>     Eric: Two real points.  Also, maybe I would play this.
>     David: 1 point
>     Pierre: One point.
>     Ellen: Two points.
>     J-J: Somewhat similar to the "guess what I have under my skirt"
>     game, but less creepy, so two points.
>     Ranjit: Two points
>     Linda: Sounds uncomfortable but 1 point for "whilst."
>     Elliott: Completeness:  How small can the stone be?  Playability:
>     Check. Compelling reason to involve ``stone'':  Check.
>      --a total of 11 points for Larry, the running-away (hopefully
>     without a stone in his shoe) winner!
>
>
>     8) This game is played in a field of tall grass, ideally taller
>     than the players.  One player is chosen to start the game as the
>     "stone", while the others are initially "ploughs".  The ploughs
>     avert their eyes in order to allow the stone to hide somewhere in
>     the plot of grass.  After an agreed upon time (perhaps a count to
>     ten), the ploughs form a line and march across the field.  The
>     stone attempts to grab one of the ploughs by the ankle, while the
>     ploughs try to spot the stone.  If a plough is caught, he drops
>     into the grass and becomes another stone.  If the stone is
>     spotted, the plough may attempt to run away.  All of the ploughs
>     who arrive at the far edge of the field form a new line on an
>     adjacent side and begin another march, perpendicular to the
>     previous one.  Play continues until there is only one plough
>     remaining, who becomes the starting stone for the following round.
>
>     Eric: Most Likely To Be By Elliott Award.  Also, consistency
>     points for the spelling of "plough".  Might play this, depending
>     on the insect situation in the grass.
>     David: 2 points
>     J-J: Mine.  So obviously not right.  Basically Red Rover, with
>     added excitement for those who are afraid of snakes.
>     Linda: Like the cumulative effect of this one.  Sounds a bit like
>     Snake Pit from New Games.
>     Elliott: Completeness:  Check.  Playability:  You'd need to luck
>     into a field of the right size and shape.  Compelling reason to
>     involve ``stone'':  Well, OK.
>      --a total of 2 points for J-J
>
>
>
>
>
>     The actual game rules are taken verbatim from  __Games for the
>     Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium__, copyright 1909 by Jessie
>     H. Bancroft, specifically its "Active Games" section. (There are
>     also "Quiet Games" and "Singing Games" -- which is what really
>     indicates that the word "games" is being used broadly enough to
>     include what we'd today call "activities".)  You can read the book
>     here, thanks to Project Gutenberg:
>     http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25660/25660-h/25660-h.htm
>
>     Another game from the same book, which was my backup choice in
>     case some of you actually knew the rules to STONE, was:
>
>     SPOONING
>     All but one of the players stand in a circle. The odd player is
>     blindfolded and placed in the center. He is given two silver
>     tablespoons. The players in the circle clasp hands and move around
>     until the blindfolded player clicks the spoons together, at which
>     signal the circle must stand still.
>     The blindfold player then goes up to any one in the circle, and by
>     feeling over the face and head with the bowls of the spoons must
>     identify the player. He may not feel on the shoulders or around
>     the neck, only on the face and head. A player may stoop to
>     disguise his height for this, but otherwise may not evade the
>     touch of the spoons. If the blindfold player correctly identifies
>     the one before him, they exchange places. If incorrect in his
>     guess, the play is repeated.
>
>
>     May I suggest that when we organize the Fictionary Real-world
>     Get-together (for instance, this July?), we try a few of the
>     invented games from this round?  I'd like to play the winner, the
>     real one, and Pierre's #4.
>
>     The reins of Fictionary are all yours, Larry!
>
>     -Jim
>
>
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