Riddle 013: Spreading That Christmas Cheer [Action]

[questionauthority]

[Christmas Time is coming! Today, you'll probably find Edward in one of three locations.

A. At the Christmas Village, dressed in his little "Helper Elf" costume and freezing furiously. He does not look at all happy to be there.

B. Wandering through the town, dressed in a warm, green pea-coat, a jade scarf wrapped around his neck, just admiring the winter scenery.

C. Back at home, meticulously setting something up on the dining room table. Once he's finished, he'll call upstairs.]

Slugger? Susan? I'd like it if you could come to the dining room, please. ...Susan, you're free to call upon your Grandfather, too, if you like.

Comments

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Edward, for his generosity, receives a look of confusion. Slugger doesn't get it, nor does he really "get" Christmas. Unsure, he'll slowly take a seat beside Death and peer at Eddie from the corner of his eye...]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

It's Scrabble!

[Taking note of both Death's and Slugger's confused expressions.]

...the board game?

[Still nothing. Brushing that aside, he continues.]

It was one of my favorite games growing up. Well. It still is one of my favorites. I saw it on a store shelf this afternoon and figured, "Why not?"

[likescats.livejournal.com]

[Has one of the letter pieces in his hands.]

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THESE?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

You use them to spell out words and rack up points. Each of these letters is given an assigned value that adds up. And you get even more points if you spell out words on certain tiles that give you bonuses, either based on the letter placed onto that tile or on the word spelled out.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger is still hung up on the whole "gift" concept. Who gives gifts to people they don't like without wanting something in return? Do you want something from him, Edward? He already gave you the copy of the damn Maipole handbook. What more could you want??

He'll continue to sit there scratching the side of his face and eying Edward suspiciously.]

[likescats.livejournal.com]

....SO YOU JUST SPELL OUT WORDS?

[That doesn't seem like a game.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[He gives Death an annoyed look.]

There's more to it than that. Each player has to pick seven letters at random from this bag, and they have to spell out words with the letters they're given. And once you lose letters, you take from the bag a set of tiles equal to the amount you used. It's random. It can be challenging, in that respect.

Additionally, you can make words based on whatever other words another player may put down. If they've placed an "M" somewhere on the field, you can put down "M-O-O-N," and get points from the letters they've put down, too.

[He gives Slugger a pleading glance.]

Slugger, come on. Doesn't that sound fun?

[This is Edward trying to give you a peace offering.]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[And he'll find Slugger looking away with pointed disinterest in whatever it is Edward is trying to accomplish. But don't think this means he hasn't been paying attention.

Feeling Edward's gaze, Slugger's eyes shift in their sockets to stare back at him. He then gets up and moves to a seat closer to the table.]

...

Well?

[likescats.livejournal.com]

WHAT TYPE OF WORDS?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Any type of words, so long as they're proper English. If there's a word in there you want to challenge, you have to consult the dictionary to make sure it's in there.

[Edward pulls up a seat at the table.]

Both of you, reach into the bag and take out seven random letters. You can then place them along those little bars I have set up on each place. Make sure you don't share your letters with anyone.

I suppose I'll keep score for now.

[He pulls out a sheet of paper and begins to write down names.]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger reaches in and takes seven little tile things (what is this even)

After setting them up...] Now what.

[likescats.livejournal.com]

[Takes some as well.]

WHAT LANGUAGE IS ENGLISH?

[Completely serious.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[First, to Slugger.]

Now we pick another random letter from the bag. Whoever has the letter closest to the beginning of the alphabet goes first. Then---

[He suddenly realizes what Death just asked.]

...you can't be serious. The language we're speaking in right now.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[He draws from the bag once more, glances down at the letter, then at Eddie.]

It's a Q.

[likescats.livejournal.com]

I THOUGHT WE WERE SPEAKING MORPORKIAN.

[Also known as English.]

I HAVE AN N

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Mor...por---No. At least, I wasn't---

[He groans.]

Look, I'm going to pick a letter, then I'm going off to find a dictionary. If any of these... Morporkian words don't show up in this dictionary, they won't count.

[And reaching in to pick a letter.]

J. Well, it appears I'll be starting, then Death, then Slugger. And then we continue at the top from there. But first I think I'll go search for a dictionary.

[And leaving the table. Feel free to talk smack about him behind his back.]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Turns to Death with a semi-sour expression.

My "father" is fucking weird.

He might also be peeking into the bag of letters and possibly taking a few...]

[likescats.livejournal.com]

[Looking at a tile]

....WHY DO ONLY ENGLISH WORDS COUNT.

[Glances over at Slugger]

HE DOES SEEM RATHER ODD.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[still rummaging in the other room]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Because it's Mayfield. Everything is American English.

[Or that's his guess, anyway. Slugger nods in agreement with the second statement.]

Truth.

[He's idly arranging some letters on the board. When Edward returns it'll spell O SHIT in a vertical line.]

[likescats.livejournal.com]

HOW OPPRESSIVE.

[Death figures he might as well go next. The S will have a CYTHE next to it.]

[deaths-heritor.livejournal.com]

Spell properly, Slugger.

[Having appeared from behind, Susan places an H next to the O and shifts the slates to leave a blank in between.]

What are you doing?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger grins at the correction.]

Waiting for Edward.

[He'll add an L and an F to Death's E. Edward will know the significance.]

[likescats.livejournal.com]

APPARENTLY THIS IS A GAME OF SOME SORT.

I THINK YOU WOULD LIKE IT. IT'S ABOUT SPELLING.

okay, here it goes

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[And wouldn't you know it, here comes Edward, a dictionary in hand.]

Well, it's a dictionary from 1950, so it's probably not up to date, though I suppose it'll have to---

[He sees the scene before him.]

...oh, what is this. I told you both to wait for me before you---

[He sees the words. He mad.]

...Slugger.