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Each month a regular challenge
is set to give Alpha Writers a chance to flex their writing muscles and engage in
some friendly competition. Read on for details of present and previous challenges,
entries and results!
CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2005
Now for those of you who are waiting for this challenge - it's based on numbers. I know that as writers, you
are not expected to deal in numbers, so I've written those down for you. Each line is a statement: it may be a
proverb or a saying; it may be a book or film title, it may be a measure equivalent, or it may simply be a statement
of the obvious (or obscure). So obvious, in fact, that I have omitted everything except the initials of the key words.
Examples: 3 M in a B, clearly is an abbreviation for 3 Men in a Boat, and 4 P of the C is just as clearly 4 Points
of the Compass.
So have a go at this, and send me what you've done by Alpha Day 6 (Put XMAS CHh in the subject box): there'll be a
bonus point for the highest scoring. But I warn you, some of them are easy, and some are fiendish: there are 26 to
solve, and the winner will do well to exceed 20.
**Click here for the answers, and here for the winners!**
(a) 1 S d make a S | 1 Swallow doesn’t make a Summer |
(b) 2 H on a B C | 2 Humps on a Bactrian Camel |
(c) 3 B to an I | 3 Barleycorns to an Inch |
(d) 4 S in a Y | 4 Seasons in a Year |
(e) 5 C on a P | 5 Corners on a Pentagon (or Pyramid) |
(f) 6 F to a D | 6 Faces to a Die |
(g) 7 A of M | 7 Ages Of Man |
(h) 8 P to a G | 8 Pints to a Gallon |
(i) 9 L of a C | 9 Lives of a Cat |
(j) 10 G B h on a W | 10 Green Bottles Hanging On A Wall |
(k) 11 M in a C T | 11 Men in a Cricket Team |
(l) 12 M of a J | 12 Members of a Jury |
(m) 13 D at the L S | 13 Disciples at the Last Supper |
(n) 14 L in a S | 14 Lines in a Sonnet |
(o) 15 P in a R U T | 15 Players in a Rugby Union Team |
(p) 16 O to a P | 16 Ounces to a Pound |
(q) 64 S on a C B | 64 Squares on a Chess Board |
(r) 200 P for PG in M | 200 Pounds for Passing Go In Monopoly |
(s) 273 D b for A Z | 273 Degrees Below for Absolute Zero |
(t) 29 D in a L Y F | 29 Days in a Leap Year February |
(u) 100 W in a M S | 100 Words in a Mini Saga |
(v) 20 T in the P | 20 Teams in the Premiership |
(w) 101 D in the F | 101 Dalmatians in the Film |
(x) 20,000 L under the S | 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea |
(y) 92 E in the P T | 92 Elements in the Periodic Table |
(z) 76 T in the B P | 76 Trombones in the Big Parade |
The Winners
1st place: Zena with 24 correct answers and a half of another
2nd place: Clare, Di and Geoff with 24 correct answers each
Runners-up: Sally (19), Christine (16), and Sue (13).
My congratulations to you all, but especially to Zena, who gets my bonus point,
and therefore joins Ann, Clare, Catherine and Laura on the 6pt. total above. It’s tough on Clare, Di and Geoff, but
I’ll bear your efforts in mind if there’s an equal top in the total for the year.
I did wonder if anyone would get over 20: getting 13 was very commendable. I was obviously not averse to anyone
seeking help from anyone who could give it - it was a Christmas fun (?) challenge, anyway.
I was surprised at the 100 words in a Mini Saga proving so difficult. I put that in as an easy one, as you had this
in a Challenge last year! I can understand the 3 Barleycorns though: all you youngsters probably didn’t learn your
tables at school!
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