Note: this a return to what appears to have been my most successful attempt to breathe life into this (possibly futile) idea for a game, which I recognise may well sink like a stone. If it does, so be it!

A slight twist on this old schooldays word guessing game to gently tickle your grey cells. Here, the guessers start off by creating a nonsense anagram of the answer, because the setter will simply enter each correctly guessed letter (including any duplicates) into the first available space(s) in the outline, except for the first letter of each word which will be correctly placed. At some point, there will be enough letters to create scope for a guess at the answer by unscrambling them, or at least that is the general idea...

Please read the instructions carefully as these are not the usual rules of the traditional game. Hopefully everything is reasonably clear, but please do not hesitate to ask for help or clarification.

The rules

(i) The setter puts up the outline of a word or a short reasonably well-known expression in blank (so that all the other players know are the numbers of words and of letters in each word) together with an indication of the nature or category of the word/expression. An 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, but please give enough of a hint to narrow the category.

(ii) Someone else posts at least two letters which he/she thinks might be in the word/expression.

(iii) The setter enters into the outline any correctly guessed letter, but only in its correct position if it is the first letter of a word: otherwise the letter and any repetition of it will simply be placed in the first available empty space (which might entirely coincidentally be its correct position).

(iv) Meanwhile the setter also starts to add the hanged person to the gallows with one step for each incorrectly guessed letter or position of letter. Seven steps are needed to complete the victim (head, body, right leg, left leg, right arm, left arm, face).

(v) Someone posts another two (or more) letter guesses and/or a guess at the correct position in the outline of at least one of the already posted letters, and so on. There is nothing to prevent the same person from posting consecutive guesses, or even hogging an entire game.

(vi) Players are allowed to try to guess individual words of an answer consisting of more than one word. However, such a guess will be treated as separate letter or position guesses for each blank space in the word (which could therefore prove expensive if the guess is wrong).

(vii) At any stage anyone can try to guess the whole word/expression, and a wrong word/expression guess results in two steps towards the completion of the picture, but without any indication of whether any of the individual letters or words guessed are correct.

(viii) Any letter appearing in its correct position (whether coincidentally or as a result of a correct position guess, or because it is the first letter of a word) will be shown in bold italic.

(ix) Apostrophes will not be shown, and any s following an apostrophe will be counted as part of the word which it follows (so that for instance Wayne's World would be two words 6,5).

(x) The setter wins if the picture of the hanged person is completed: otherwise the person to correctly guess the word/expression is the winner, and hopefully then sets the next word/expression. Don't be afraid to have a go: there is plenty of help available if you have any difficulty, and you can always edit your way out of any errors.

Note for setters on creating the picture of the gallows and hanged person

The picture steps (kindly contributed by Pandora) are in a photobucket album on the internet which are accessed by using one of the urls (web addresses) below, and here's 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 to insert followed by a dialogue box for a url.

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

[I have been using the position "non-floating image"]

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


Go on, release your inner child and make a fool of yourself!

Imported from the previous thread but applying these rules, the title of a film from a book in two words 8,8:

Nicholas Nickleby (guessed by Manxman)

Wrong guesses: TRDG
Steps remaining: 3

C K

Nicholas Nickleby

Two correct BobH and spot on MxM!

Thank you Lex.

_ _ _ _ _ * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ * _ _ _ _ (3 word full name of a TV and Film character 5,8,4)

wrong guesses:
steps left: 7

James Tiberius Kirk

Just saw the new Star Trek Movie so it was in my mind.

Too good BobH I'm on my way out to see it this afternoon with my sons as a Fathers Day activity.
I also thought Pandora would appreciate the reference (another photo op )

Thanks Manxman. I think you will like the movie. I had a great time. It was non-stop action. I was fully prepared to not like the "reboot" but I have to admit they are handling it pretty well.

Here we go...


M A R Y * P O P P I N S (Movie Title, 4, 7)


wrong guesses: E T D L
steps left: 3

That was quite a snatch Bob, and this one obviously isn't Into Darkness!

E and T.

Thanks Lex.

Sorry, two misses.

Well let's go with A and R.

Two hits!

I and N.

You're on a roll now! Both good.

O and S.

Two more hits.

D and L.

Two misses.

Time to start treading carefully...

Should the outline should actually be
_ A R I * _ N O S _ _ _ (as in this version, first letters are left blank in the outline unless guessed)?

M, P

Loved the new movie!

Yes, you are exactly right Manxman. I had forgotten how to set the letters if they weren't the beginning letters. Clearly you overcame that little problem.

Two good guesses. All that's left is to solve.

Mary Poppins

As expected Pandora The movie was great. Action packed.

Interesting that a scene from the Wrath of Khan with Spock and Kirk was reversed in this movie.

You got it Manxman.

CAUTION: MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD

Oh, don't get me started on the changes they've been making. I agree with the whole altered-time-stream thing (had to happen), but I absolutely HATE the relationship between Uhura and Spock. She's the only character they got wrong. Send Saldana back to Avatar and find a more motherly Uhura who can sing.

And since when would Uhura be the person sent down to help Spock in battle? It was the same disconnect as when Mrs. Weasley suddenly became the warrior woman equal to Bellatrix.

In the original Wrath of Khan, I sobbed when Spock died. I wasn't even moved when I realized they were recreating the scene. Good action, but outcome too predictable.

Sorry. I'll stop there. Still, I loved the movie.

CAUTION: MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD

You're absolutely correct Pandora. Every plot line was predictable and without surprise. I just enjoy watching anything with respect to Star Trek (having seen every episode of the original series at least 10 times). It is difficult to feel the same about these actors compared to the original actors so when Spock died it was very sad, unlike when Kirk died in this movie (although it was extremely obvious how they were going to bring him back).

I'll be renting it for home viewing as soon as it's available.

Meanwhile I await Panda Sue's extensive and in depth Star Trek quiz perhaps mixed with Star Wars!

BLADE RUNNER guessed by BobH

wrong guesses: T,O,G,I,S,C
steps left: 1

That might be fun, but I have to admit that I have seen only the original Star Wars trilogy.

E and T.

O G

Lex, E is good, not so for T.
Cue, sorry two misses.

A and R.

Two good ones

Thanks for the spoiler warnings folks - going to see it this week!

I and S

Sorry BobH, 2 misses

Getting tight ...C and D.

D is good

No way I'm trying anything!

Okay, I'm going for it.

Blade Runner

That's the one BobH

D I S C L O S U R E (Book and Film Title, 10) guessed by Lex


wrong guesses: T N A H
steps left: 3

E, T

One right manxman.

L, N

One and one again manxman.

A and R.

R is right Lex.

I, O

There you go manxman. Both right and one in the right spot.

C S

Two more good ones with S in twice.

This is a toughie!

D and H.

D is good and is the first letter. That might make the difference.

Disclosure!

You got it Lex!

A two word film title (4,4):

_ E R R * D A A _

Wrong guesses:
Steps left: 7

E, R

Both good.

D, A

Two more on target!

Near Dark

Sure is: great film, but obviously too easy!

Just a very lucky first guess Lex

NAKED LUNCH guessed by Lex.

wrong guesses: T, R, M, O
steps left: 3

The traditional opener, E and T.

E is good

A and R

A is good

N D

Both good

Ah, good! O M

Sorry Cue, two misses

L and K.

Good ones Lex. That should do it

(The) Naked Lunch

That's the one

Here is yet another film title (also a book), three words 3,4,5:


T H E * L T R S * W L D O O


Wrong guesses: The Wild Bunch NA
Steps left: 3


Walk this way...

The Wild Bunch

A good try, but no!

And as you've guessed the whole title you do not even get to know whether any of the letters or words were correct. Therefore, tactically, an initial guess at just the first word might have been better with the potential loss of up to three steps but a chance of some positive feedback.

I am taking the opportunity to amend/clarify the rules about that and apostrophes (another potential issue which occurred to me).

T, R, E

All three good.

N and first word THE

Good in part - no N.

A, S

L, D

All good except A.

O, W

Correct, and apologies for originally misplacing one L (now corrected).

The Lost World

Thst's the one Bob: over to you, but let's do it on a fresh thread (which I will now set up).