Here we go with another variation on the theme. Please read the instructions carefully as these are not the usual rules of the traditional game, but they seem to work better for an interactive on-line effort such as this: they may also be updated and refined in this post as we go. Hopefully everything is reasonably clear, but please do not hesitate to ask for help or clarification.

The rules

(i) The setter puts up a word or a short well-known expression in blank (so that all the players know is the number of letters in each word). The expression might be for example a book, play, film or music title or the name of a famous person or character, or perhaps a proverb or saying: it is entirely up to the setter.

(ii) Someone else posts at least two letters which he/she thinks might be in the word/expression: these letters can be the same. The reason why someone might want to guess the same letter more than once is that the setter is only going to enter a correctly guessed letter once in the outline (rather than every time it appears).

(iii) The setter enters any correctly guessed letter in one of the positions in which it occurs in the word/expression, meanwhile starting to add the hanged person to the gallows with one step for each incorrectly guessed letter. Seven steps are needed to complete the victim (head, body, right leg, left leg, right arm, left arm, face).

(iv) Someone posts another two (or more) letters, and so on. There is nothing to prevent the same person posting consecutive sets of letters, or even hogging an entire game, but please have some consideration for other addicts!

(v) Ideally, you should probably wait for the setter to let you know whether a previous guess is correct before guessing again, but it seems to work okay if there are two or three guesses oustanding at one time. However, tread carefully if only a couple of steps remain before the picture is complete!

(vi) At any stage anyone can try to guess the word/expression, but a wrong word/expression guess results in two steps towards the completion of the picture.

(vii) The setter wins if the picture of the hanged person is completed: otherwise the person to correctly guess the word is the winner, and hopefully then sets the next word/expression. (An exceptional trophy may be devised and awarded if the game generates enough interest...)

Note for setters on creating the picture of the gallows

This is taken from Pandora's Box photobucket album on the internet by using one of the urls (web addresses) below, and here's is how you do it:

In the full reply screen one of the option buttons across the top is "enter an image" which then offers you a choice of various image positions followed by a dialogue box for a url.

You just copy and paste the url you need, deleting and replacing as you go through the game and want to change the picture.

I have been using the position "non-floating image" but do not fully understand about the varous floating images. Feel free to experiment as it's just a bit of fun!

The urls

The gallows, in place at the start of the game
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/G4.gif

Step one, the head of the condemned person
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H1.gif

Step two, the body
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H2.gif

Step three, the right leg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H3.gif

Step four, the left leg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H4.gif

Step five, the right arm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H5.gif

Step six, the left arm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H6.gif

Step seven, the face of death
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H10.gif


So, what are you waiting for?

The ribbon has been cut and here is the next offering:


T H E * K N I G H T S * O F * T H E * R O U N D * T A B L E (six words 3,7,2,3,5,5) - correctly guessed by Jema

Letters already correctly guessed: EEARSTOFHIODNKB
Letters already wrongly guessed: P
Maximum number of wrong guesses remaining: 8

It may start off looking like a goal post, but step by inexorable step it will become an instrument of death... (Note: the starting picture and rules have been modified since this was posted)

E, E

I definitely do not like the new rule of entering a correctly guessed letter only once when there is more than one in the puzzle.

A R

S, T

O F

Good morning all!

Your guesses are all disappointingly correct. This supports my theory that longer expressions are easier to crack, and a single word can be the toughest

Jema, objection noted: let's see how it goes, as this is still a test run.

H and P

Bonjour Remi: one right one wrong!

O I

Two more on target Niki.

D and N

Salut Lex.

Correct on both counts: the executioner is in danger of becoming redundant!

K and B

The Knights of the Round Table

I think Redz and Curly also knew the answer.

Correct Jema!

Do you want to have a shot or shall I carry on for the moment?

Lex, how do I use those URLs to get the picture in the puzzle?

Jema

Jema, in the full reply screen one of the option buttons across the top is "enter an image" which then offers you a choice of various image positions followed by a dialogue box for a url.

You just copy and paste the url you want from the ones at the end of the first post on this thread, deleting and replacing as you go through the game.

I have been using the position "non-floating image" but do not fully understand about the varous floating images.

Hopefully that makes sense and will work for you.

OK. I'll give it a try.

S E R E N D I P I T Y (1 word, 11 letters) - Correctly guessed by Niki


Letters already correctly guessed: T N E R Y S I P I
Letters already wrongly guessed: O A A
Maximum number of wrong guesses remaining: 6

T N

That was quick, Flo. Both correct.

O A

Sorry, Cue - both incorrect.

Good for you having a go!

A and E

(Too quick for my own good, duplicating the incorrect A, but never mind)

It's fun to actually get in on doing the puzzles isn't it Jema.

Another guess R Y

S and I

Lex, as you already know, A is a no go, but E fits

Flo, are you reading my mind? Two more good ones.

Curly, both right on.

P,I

Haroula, both good

S E R _ N _ I P I T Y

serendipity

someone take my go please

Niki, exactly.

Wow! That didn't last long - you people are just too good!


Who wants to take Niki's go?

I'll do another to keep it moving. It seems to me that nine wrong guesses is more than we need, and Jema's seven step model is the one to run with for now, so I will change the first post accordingly.


P E R S O N A * N O N * G R A T A (three words 7,3,5) - guessed by Haroula


Correctly guessed letters: ATSAPNGA
Wrongly guessed letters: BH
Wrong guesses remaining: 5

A and B merci.

T and S

Three good, one not so good!

A, H

One up, one down!

P, N

G and A??

All four good - drat and double drat!

Persona non grata

Certainly is Haroula!

Are you up for setting the next one?

I have decided to relax one rule slightly to give the setter a bit more of a chance. Where there are several letters the same, the setter is no longer required to position each one in the first available space in the outline: instead, each one can be positioned in whichever available space the setter chooses.

No thanks

Here's another:



P O L T E R G E I S T (one word 11) - guessed by Haroula


Letters correctly guessed: OSTRPLGEI
Wrong guesses: CMY
Steps remaining: 4


The executioner is waiting...

O, S

Two bulls eyes!

C and M

Salut Lex.

T and R

Two misses for Curly and two hits for Haroula.

P and L

By Jove, I think he's got it!

G and E

Y I

Three out of four correct: I thought someone would have guessed the word before now!

Poltergeist

Another one bites the dust!

You know what I'm going to ask...and it's not too difficult...and it doesn't hurt if you make mistakes...and you are probably at least a little bit tempted...

Lex,Im afraid I dont know how,if you ask me...
So you are the expert

Lex, since Haroula declined, I'll do another if you'd like.

A suggestion: How about making the instructions on how to use the URLs part of your
first post on this thread? I had no idea how to do it until you explained.

Jema

how many lives are there before the hanging?

Jema, that's a good idea, and yes please do have a turn.

Are you warming at all to the idea of having to guess the same letter more than once?

Niki, it's seven lives (steps) to the hanging at the moment (which may still be too many).

OK. Here goes.


S E N D * I N * T H E * C L O W N S (4 words - 4, 2, 3, 6) correctly guessed by manxman.


Letters already correctly guessed: E T O I N S H C W N
Letters already wrongly guessed: F G
Maximum number of wrong guesses remaining: 5

E, T

O and F

That'll be it for tonight, but I'll be back tomorrow!

manxman, both good.

Lex, O - yes, F- no

I N

Flo, both good.

S,H

2 more good ones, manxman.

C, W

N G

Question: when a letter occurs more than once in the solution, is the first correct guess placed in it's first position available from left to right?

Both good, Sondi.

Flo, N - yes, G - no.

manxman, short answer: not necessarily.

Lex changed the rule a few puzzles back so, if a guessed letter appears more than once in a puzzle, the setter may place the letter in any of its positions.

Jema

Thanks Jema

Send in the clowns

manxman, indeed!

Now it's your turn to be on the other side of the puzzle.

Thank you Jema. I'll try my best to figure out how to do this

manxman, Lex has all the rules and instructions for setting up the puzzle in the first
post of this thread.

Have fun.

Jema

GAM _ * OF * _ _ RON _ _ (three words-4,2,7)

Letters already correctly guessed:RGMANOF
Letters already wrongly guessed:I
Maximum number of wrong guesses remaining: 6

I, R

R good, I not

O and F

I see that Jema is doing an excellent job as my henchwoman - thanks!

However we still haven't succeeded in hanging anyone yet and I am wondering about possibly increasing the setter's chances by making each guess a minimum of three letters: depending upon anyone else's thoughts, I might try that later.

The only other alternative occurring to me at present would be to go back to a maximum of five wrong guesses, with the pairs of limbs each being a single step.

Please feel free to air your ideas as well as continuing to enjoy the game.

A and N.

G and M

All correct
Either you guys are too good or the puzzle is too easy.

Thanks to the lucky letter guesses, it's clearly Game of Thrones!

Well done Halfman, I mean Hangman

Here's the next one:

I N T E R C O N T I N E N T A L * B A L L I S T I C * M I S S I L E
(three words 16,9,7) - guessed by Haroula


Letters correct: ASBRSOLNTIAEMILLCILE
Wrong guesses: U
Number of remaining wrong guesses: 6

Hangin's too good for you...

A and S

Two good shots!

B, R, and S

Three good shots!!

Airing my thoughts, Lex:

To me it's not important whether or not the man is hung, so I see no reason
to further weight the puzzles in favor of the setter. But I will, of course, abide
by whatever you decide.


O and U

L, N

Three out of four correct, and thanks for the feedback Jema.

T and I

A and E

M, I, L

All on target!

L,C

I, L, E

Intercontinental ballistic missile

Correct Haroula! Are you ready to try setting one yourself, or not yet?

Meanwhile I am working on another twist to perhaps add later...

Well I will try next time,not now, thanks
anyway

Okay, that's fine.

Would anyone else like a turn using the same rules?

I want to spend some time working on my new idea, which is basically this with a slight word building twist: I think it could be interesting and make each game a little longer.

The new idea is on display on a new thread: Mrs Lex thinks that I am making too many changes too quickly and that people will be put off by the additional complication, preferring to stick with what they are used to. I am still pondering, and any initial reactions would be very welcome!

I have a short one I'd like to try.


RHYTHM 6 letters Guessed by Lex

Letters guessed right - T HINT Y
Letters guessed wrong E,A,P,Q,O,I

Thanks Flo.

E and T

Sorry, both wrong. I thought I did this alredy.

A, P, Q

O and I

Sorry all wrong. Yes, it is a normal word.

I've stumped you but will give a couple more tries.

Well done!

There must be U and/or Y in there somewhere

I am thinking that the word must have been slurry, flurry, blurry or similar.

Of course, as you won you get to have another turn!

Alternatively we could "road test" the new version (and come back to this one if it does not find favour). What say you?

All words are wrong. Is the new version ready?
If nobody guesses the word, I'll put it up in an hour. I will place the Y

Oops I made a Boo Boo, your first guess had a right letter. (T) Too early in the morning for me.

I think it has to be rhythm, and you might have won even if the T had been allowed!