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Jigjag Grunger

Playing Scrabble in USA you have to go by their word list. If words like CAKEWALK have been culled it wouldn't be difficult to get to 238. Our estate agents have been urged to avoid 'master' bedroom (connotation of slavery). I can't believe USA Scrabble will have gone that far.

Bridge Rule of 11 is the main one. There is actually a Rule of 1 saying that there is usually no point in drawing the opposition master (sorry!) trump - usually wasting two of your own trumps - when it's bound to win a trick anyway.

Oddly enough the Covid Rule of 6 in England is a relaxation in the sense that up to 6 different households are permitted indoors. Thus social bridge at home has become more legitimate. I'm interested only in duplicate, however, so have to make do with online sessions.

Yes, the Russia v India chess online final was agreed tied when two Indian players suffered disconnection. It happened to Armenian players in the semi-final v India but they were defaulted because it wasn't such an extensive (almost worldwide) outage as in the final. Needless to say the Armenians were not happy.

Grunger

I like Bumble on the Sky cricket commentary team, and Ebony Rainford-Brent ... she doesn`t irritate as much as some!

Paul

That seems very harsh on Armenia. I bet they would not have defaulted Russia or China.

Tyke

I am afraid ERB really irritates me. It sems to me she talks non-stop drivel, particularly on radio. Isa is different - she does not pretend to be an expert. I like Lloyd and his stories. I played against his son a few times when he turned out for Prestatyn in the North Wales Competition.

my favourite bumble story is after he had been commentating at napier, nz, he and some fellow commentators went out to a pub called the boozeee. there were two events on - speed dating and sheep shearing. late in the evening he came across a chap with a particularly attractive sheep.
"are you shearing?" he asked
"no mate, you'll have to get your own..."

In a letter in yesterday's Times, a reader mentioned hiccough (pronounced hiccup) as another way of pronouncing "ough". But why have such a useless word when hiccup is much better? After all, no one talks about "hiccuffs".

And one of the clues in the DT toughie crossword last week said of a horse running in The Derby. I know that is what the race is called but that capital T jars with me. I might visit the Queen and listen to the BBC but there's no need for capital Ts there, in my view.

ChrisE

That's a good sheep story. I have heard many in these parts, none of them publishable.

Orson

I agree about the Derby, the Times etc., but I like hiccough and it is one of the 10 ways of pronouncing -ough words.

I enjoyed the Last Night of the Proms and was pleased it was dominated by women for a change. Particularly liked the un-named cellist. But I thought the "arrangement" of Jerusalem was awful. and I dont know why the pundits had to pretend it was brilliant.

Are there really 10 variations of -ough?

Grunger

10 different -OUGH sounds. You have the usual 8:
ought
through
though
thorough
tough
bough
cough
hiccough

then I think you have
lough pronounced the Scottish (or Irish) way - loch,
and - stretching it a bit - apparently Lough Neagh is pronounced Lock Nay!

Orson, jigjag

I mostly agree about no upper case for 'the...' but I would make an exception for 'The Times' because it is what appears on its front page and it thus distinguishes itself from the many other newspapers which have 'Times' in their names.

I can also make a case for 'The Derby' as it is such an iconic race. But then how far do I go? 'The Grand National' (yes), 'The 2000 Guineas' (probably not). I'm getting in a mess!

I've heard a London football club being called the Arsenal, but no big T for me there.

Pedants might enjoy 13d in the Guardian today ...