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It was nice to see the voting back up over 50 again, with a solid 55 voter turnout. 31 of these voted in the first twelve hours. This was the first month in which we dropped the email address requirement and the confirmation emails. I had hoped that I might have led to a higher number of voters. It did not make a big difference, considering we have about 900 people on our reminder list. This month there were ten people winning 15 awards. with one person picking six of them (No guesses who that was!) |
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The top three here separated from the pack by the 12 hour mark. Palusch (Paul Lusch), Mey and Deano (Dean Mayer) remained pretty much in that order most of the competition, although Mey and Paul were very close and tied at times. Paul and Mey went right down to the line, with Paul just getting there by two points. This was Paul's second win this year and his fourth ever (His first was in 1999). Dean also picked his fourth award. Nice to see Dean back in the Forum. He was active in the competitions back in 2002 to 2003. |
1 | palusch | 52 | The crime investigator = He interrogates victim. |
2 | Mey Kraus | 50 | A trained sushi chef = He's a tuna-fish dicer! |
3 | Deano | 37 | Asteroid threats = Disaster to Earth. |
4 | Tony Crafter | 28 | A mortal sin = Moral stain. |
5 | David Bourke | 27 | A nine month gestation period = Oh no! It ends in great pain to me! |
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This was an exciting contest between our two most awarded anagrammatists, Mey and Richard. At the 12 hour mark, Mey led by two points over Richard, as they left the field well behind them. At the end of Day Two they were tied, but Mey collected more points in the last 24 hours for a narrow win. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 66 | 'Travel Guide To London' = I'd love to tour England! |
2 | Richard Grantham | 64 | The Complete Works of William Shakespeare = Whole script's a Marlowe fake, like the poems. |
3 | View | 35 | Actor Sidney Poitier = One Oscar. Pity, I tried ! |
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At the half day mark, this looked like an easy category for Mey, with a 15 point lead over Richard Brodie. However, at the end of Day One, that gap had narrowed to ten, then to five after two days, and finally just two points at the close of voting. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 54 | The Chicago millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett = See, this noted flier loves to circumnavigate Earth |
2 | Richard Brodie | 52 | Should Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be taken out? = I feel about her need to die but oh, starving sucks. |
3 | Larry Brash | 39 | The Michael Jackson court case = Teen claim: "He's just a cockroach". |
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If the first three categories were close, this was an easy win to Rick. Rick was 11 points clear of David half way through Day One and had powered well ahead by 30 points after Day Two. He kept that margin secure to the winning line. This was Rick's second win this year and his eighth ever. |
1 | Rick Rothstein | 71 | The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch = Tortured hand-waving in "The Scream". |
2 | Scott Gardner | 44 | Sarah Michelle Gellar = I agree she'll charm all. |
3 | David Bourke | 41 | The singer and blues guitarist Eric Clapton = Regrets cocaine...but still standing up, I hear! |
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Mey has been right back in the zone after two relatively quiet months (for him). In this category he started with a modest lead over Toby of seven points on Day One. Rosie came into contention for second place, as Mey moved clear for an eleven point win. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 55 | Eastern Africa = A safari center. |
2 | Rosie Perera | 44 | Burger King's Enormous Omelet Sandwich = Oh, malign new grub induces more strokes. |
3 | Toby Gottfried | 38 | The California Desert = Its air can feel red hot. |
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David Bourke suggested that my entry here was one to look out for. Thanks, David. I was happy with the anagram, although I must admitted that having a shot at Bush seems to draw a lot of voters. I was 14 points ahead after 12 hours, but Mey narrowed that gap by the end of Day One. However, I gathered a lot of votes on the last two days reaching 100 points, 24 clear of Mey. This was my third award for the year and gives me a total of 90 all-up. |
1 | Larry Brash | 100 | What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! =
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2 | Mey Kraus | 76 | Star Wars: Episodes I (The Phantom Menace), II (Attack of the Clones) and III (Revenge of the Sith) = |
3 | Tony Crafter | 51 | Is the Northern Ireland peace process in danger of collapse? = |
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This month's challenge was to create an Easter theme anagram, up to 50 letterrs in length. As soon as Richard posted his on the Forum, it was clear who the likely winner would be. Richard led by by a massive 19 points after 12 hours, and pushed this out to a 30 points walkover by the end. Five winners this year moves him up to 151 awards on the All Time Table |
1 | Richard Grantham | 64 | The Passion and the Resurrection = Death upon cross, inter, then arise. |
2 | Don Rogers | 34 | The Crucifixion and the Resurrection = His end: horrific execution; return act. |
3 | JFrankovich | 30 | Easter bunny made of dark chocolate = From a neat coloured candy basket, eh? |
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With just four entries, Long was rather quiet this month. The order established by half way through the first day remained right through until the end. Mey was never in doubt. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 79 | [A news story clip from the DeHavilland ... = Top Ten Reasons The Queen Is Ditching... |
2 | Tony Crafter | 61 | (The professor to his errant pupil) "... = Phew! A batty Oxford don, the Reveren... |
3 | David Bourke | 47 | "I am quite sure now that often, very o... = Many, many core voters in America now... |
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No surprises here! Mike's astounding combination of anagrammed poetry, mathematical genius, and graphic skill left us all breathless. Mike's lead just got bigger and bigger and he won by 30 points over Mey's usual fine effort in this category, which would have won comortably in any other month. David came in with a third and fourth, with a good tactical move running two entries. This meant there was a total of five in the competition, so that there would be three winners. A well deserved one at that, too. Mike has won three awards this year, giving him a grand total of 26 awards and clear tenth place on the All Time Table David's winner brings him to four this year and 68 all up. Mey, of course, had another brilliant month with six wins (eleven for the year) and 198 career total |
1 | Mike Keith | 85 | The essay on Mt. Fuji in Exotics and Retrospective by Lafcadio Hearn. |
2 | Mey Kraus | 55 | A Keats sonnet transformed it into 3 different poems. |
3 | David Bourke | 28 | Afroman - 'Because I Got High'. |
4 | David Bourke | 15 | 'Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee...' |
5 | Tony Crafter | 8 | He comes not with a clamorous gush... |
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It was hard to pick the eventual winner here before the start of the competition. However, the voters like Adrian's offering here and he was nine points clear inside 12 hours. He eventually was an easy winner by 15 points. This was Adrian's send win this year and his 55th ever. |
1 | Adrian Hickford | 42 | Relationship expert = Rotten sex? I help pair. |
2 | Joe Fathallah | 27 | "The Sun" tabloid newspaper = Hands out bare, wet nipples. |
2 | Mey Kraus | 27 | Have safe intercourse = I cover these fun areas. |
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There quite a few second and third placegetters who were considered for this award. It came down to Tony's General and Richard Brodie's Topical. While Richard's was very close to winning, I preferrred Tony's as it was short, uncontrived, and very apt. All the qualities of a good anagram. So good in fact, I did a more thorough search to make sure that this was not a rediscovery. It wasn't!
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This year's: