Greetings fellow addicts! This game is a slight twist on the old schooldays word guessing game to gently tickle your grey cells. Here, the guessers start off by building 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...

Rather than being limited to a single word the puzzle will often be a title or character, adding a flavour of the game of charades.

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). The space for the first letter of each word is therefore left blank until that letter is correctly guessed.

(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). [If having to do this deters you from playing, feel free not to bother.]

(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; on the other hand, do not hesitate to steal a game from under someone else's nose!

(vi) The setter keeps score by posting a list of wrong guesses and the number of steps remaining.

(vii) 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).

(viii) 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.

(ix) 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.

(x) Apostrophes will not be shown, and any letter 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).

(xi) 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 [img]

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


Following LadyK's lead and as this is a computer gaming site, this one is a (well known) lead character from a game 6,7:

G E E R R A * _ N N M O O _

Gordon Freeman guessed by MxM.

Wrong guesses: TISLC
Steps remaining: 2

T, E

E is good.

R, I

S and L

R is good, but not I, S or L.

By way of hint, this character is not from an adventure game but from a short series on the dark side...

A, N

Both good.

(I have referred to a series because the original game has had a couple of sequels).

How about G and M?

Both good LadyK!

If you need a hint the remaining 4 letters are two matching vowels and two different consonants.

As another hint, the game is a First Person Shooter and the first sequel came out over ten years after the original game.

I know some FPS titles but not any of the characters, and since the research I've done so far hasn't unearthed anyone that fits, I'm just going to go with O and C.

Great hint Lex

Gordon Freeman

O is good and Gordon Freeman is the answer - the ultimate game hero, evolving from total nerd at the outset to full-on warrior unfazed by anything, however strange or puzzling!

I love the HalfLife games, also Portal which comes with HalfLife 2 as part of the fantastic Orange Box package!

I don't know whether the original game is available to play on any modern equipment, but it was an amazing experience with a wonderful sense of humour and some totally unexpected twists in the storyline.

Did I mention that I am quite keen on HalfLife?

I'm glad Manxman guessed it, and thanks for adding to my knowledge of the gaming world, Lex.

LadyK, you are most welcome!

This and the original Prince of Persia games were what got me interested in gaming beyond what I had previously played on the Sinclair Spectrum and later (to keep up with my children) a Gameboy.

I seem to remember at some point you had mentioned Half Life before and that made me think...

To continue the theme....A video game title (8) letters _ O O S I H _ _

incorrect guesses: E, T, L, R
steps left: 3

I'm too transparent for my own good!

E and T.

Ahhh, our favourite two letters. Unfortunately neither one is in the title.

O and L.

O is good

How about S and R?

S is good

I and H.

both good

Bioshock.

That's one I have yet to finish as I still find the thumbstick controls on the Xbox 360 lacking precision in an FPS as compared with mouse and keyboard on the PC!

Great set of games. Played them on PS3. I thoroughly enjoyed 1 and 2. Well done Lex

Okay, this one is a fairly new on the scene but already quite prominent country singer 8,7:

S T S I M I L L * S _ _ _ _ _ _

Sturgill Simpson, courtesy of MxM.

Wrong guesses: E
Steps remaining: 6

I'll take a chance with T, E.

There is a T...

Guessing first name begins with S
and another vowel could be I

Both on the money!

L, M

Yes to both, and I see that I had screwed up by failing to correctly place an S at the start of the second name: apologies!

Aha Sturgill Simpson

Yes indeed: his second album is my current almost constant companion on the drive to work!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNV16tz1NK0

A country/blues/rock band.

C E I O O _ * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (6,7)
Cowboy Junkies guessed by Lex

incorrect guesses: A, L, R, M
steps left: 3

A and L.

two misses

Let me try R and E.

E is good

I and O.

both good

N and T.

M and C

C is good

Cowboy Junkies.

(Hoping N was good although you didn't say so...)

Correct Lex
Sorry but I missed your earlier post completely

That's a new one on me, Manxman, but I like the name.

I had heard of them but did not know what sort of music they play: my answer was therefore google assisted!

This one is a film and TV serial in one five letter word (probably much too easy):

F R A _ _

Fargo guessed by MxM.


Wrong guesses: HES
Steps remaining: 4

H, E

Both misses, I fear!

R, S

R is good.

A, F

Now you're cooking - both good!

I'll chance it with Fargo

Correct - just watched the final episode of the TV serial last night.

Another band G A A E E * B R T * S G I (5,3,3)
Great Big Sea--guessed by Lex

incorrect guesses: M, N, X, C
steps left: 3

A and E.

both good, i am wondering if this is a repeat

R and S

two hits

Hmmm. How about M and T?

T is good

I don't think it's a repeat because I have no idea what it is, especially as the middle word is clearly neither "and" nor "the"!

I don't know it either. I'll try N and X.

two misses LadyK
hint; Canadian Group

It always surprises me how many Canadian groups are pretty much off the radar in Britain, so I may well never have heard of them!

B and C.

B is good

After a bit of thought and bit of googling, how about G and I?

'twould appear that your searching has worked Lex

Great Big Sea.

That's the group

This one is a nineteenth/twentieth century novelist (hopefully not a repeat) 4,6:

_ N N A * _ O C _ _ _

John Buchan solved by MxM

Wrong guesses: ES
Steps remaining: 5

E, N

A & S

You each got one right - N and A are good.

O, C

Both good.

John Buchan

Correct.

Thanks Lex.

_ A T E R * C I L L O H (5,6) TV show

White Collar guessed by Lex

incorrect guesses: N
steps left: 6

A and T.

both good

E and T.

E is good, and you already guessed T

Oops - make that R!

A bit frantic at work, but off to France again tomorrow.

R is good too
Hope you enjoy your trip to France

I and N.

Bonjour Lex. I est bon

L and O.

Both good

C and H.

two more good choices

White Collar.

Starting its 6th and final season soon

I've been a bit frantic at work of late and still am: I therefore propose to let this game rest for a while unless anyone else wants to run with it.

No problem Lex. Hope you had fun in France

L I N E * O F * _ _ _ _ (4,2,4) TV show

incorrect guesses: G
steps remaining: 6

I and N.

Welcome back Lex. Now I have to remember what I was thinking about
Oh yeah.....both good.

O and G.

O is good

L, E and F.

Ok. Answer it already

Line of Duty

Looks like you picked Lex's pocket on this one LadyK

Good for you, LadyK - that is definitely part of the spirit of the game!

My bad! I just couldn't resist!

This time it's a movie title.

_EERN * RNDL _ _ (5, 6)
Answer: Blade Runner

Wrong guesses: T
Steps remaining: 6

T,E

E is good.

R, N