54 votes this month. Despite being down on the last couple of months, it was the highest number of voters for a June competition, which is traditionally lower because of the 4th of July holiday. |
This was a fascinating competition. By the twelve hour mark, the top three were well clear of the others, but only three points apart. Initially, Deano led, then Rosie and Rick at various times with never more than four points dividing them. Eventually, Rick held on for the win, Rosie came in second and Deano picked the award for third. Deano has won three awards this year and six in his career. |
1 | Rick | 70 | For the evil that men do ~ doth live on after them. |
2 | Rosie Perera | 68 | Internet addiction = Cannot end it. I tried. |
3 | Deano | 67 | "One small step for man, one giant leap for Mankind" = Neil's plan - speak for a moment after moon landing. |
4 | zolrakk | 23 | Nutrition facts = I instruct on fat. |
5 | Mey Kraus | 18 | Bikes ensured ~ bruised knees. |
This was a category where my pick ended up the winner. Its simplicity and humour made it very attractive. zolrakk led by nine points at twelve hours and gradually extended that lead to 19 by the close of competition. This was zolrakk's first win. Congratulations. |
1 | zolrakk | 70 | Rap music ~ Is, um...crap. |
2 | Ellie | 51 | "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet " = Be honest...we assume lady really wants Romeo. |
3 | Deano | 47 | Big Brother contestants ~ cannot be brightest sort. |
By twelve hours, Mey had a ten point lead and doubled that by the end of Day Three. He was never in doubt. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 63 | Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes = OK, is the romance simulated? |
2 | Toby Gottfried | 43 | California earthquakes = Quite a shake for car in L.A. |
3 | Ellie | 41 | The Live Eight Concert = Then rich elect to give? |
If Mey had won the Topical Category easily, then he wiped the floor with the competition here. His Day One lead of 21 points eneded up as 31 points at the end. This was one of the best Neil Armstrong anagrams that I have ever seen. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 75 | The US astronaut Neil Alden Armstrong = Let's send this great man on a lunar tour! |
2 | View | 44 | Sir Lancelot and Guinevere = Intrigues can end real love. |
3 | Ellie | 40 | Arthur Conan Doyle = Canny older author. |
3 | Rosie Perera | 40 | Astronaut Sally Ride = Lure a lady into stars. |
Rosie had a nine point lead half way through the first day. She continued to poll solidly and kept well ahead of Tony to win by 15. This was second award for Rosie this month. She has been due to open her winners' account and did it well with two wins. Congratulations. |
1 | Rosie Perera | 69 | The Federal Witness Protection Program = Tattlers get new ID, car, sniper-proof home. |
2 | Tony Crafter | 54 | American Apollo Eleven Mission = Neil's moon leap is live on camera. |
3 | Toby Gottfried | 37 | The University of Western Ontario = These fine tutors in an ivory tower. |
This was the first time that we have ever run two Awardsmaster's Challenge competitions in one month. This challenge was to anagram a famous criminal. This turned out to be an exciting competition. At twelve hours, Mey and Tony shared the lead with Toby just one point back. Mey opened a small lead by the end of Day One, which he maintained. Tony nearly caught on the last day with zolrakk and Toby not too far behind. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 51 | Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow = Known pair declare: "Robbery!" |
2 | Tony Crafter | 48 | Donatien Alphonse Francois De Sade = Dreaded felon's an insane sociopath. |
3 | zolrakk | 43 | Charles Manson = Conman, slasher... |
The second challenge was to anagram: "The Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud", which revealed many great psychoanalytic terms. I had a small lead at twelve hours, to be joined by Rick and David A. Green by the end of Day One. The lead seesawed but Rick was usually a few points clear and won by six at the end. |
1 | Rick | 41 | Guilt ensures anguish of a tortured mind. |
2 | David A Green | 35 | Truth is, I dream of unsound genital urges. |
3 | Rosie Perera | 31 | And thus, listening, figure out our dreams! |
Another very easy win for Mey here, leading from start to finish where he was 21 points ahead. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 62 | In regard to his social security plan, Bush's stated that he 'remains undeterred'. = |
2 | Ellie | 41 | The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. (William Shakespeare) = |
3 | Tony Crafter | 38 | 'A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.' = |
Only three contenders, with Mey and Tony polling strongly. Mey was half a dozen clear early in the event and opened this up to 14 by the close. |
1 | Mey Kraus | 94 | Top 20 picks of AFI's jury members for ... = Oh, a neat list of lines - but to eve... |
2 | Tony Crafter | 80 | Walking down the street, I saw a blind ... = A snobbish woman, walking down a stre... |
3 | Ellie | 34 | "The reasonable man adapts himself to t... = "Oh help! I'm a teapot!" Das ist, tr... |
Well, who would finally break Mike Keith's stranglehold on this category with his five first place wins in a row this year. I thought that I would be the last person to do that. Mike's almost one million letter, largely computer-generated anagram had its detractors, but did still poll quite well. I knew I had a chance to pick up a top three award, but I was delighted to see that I led the competition from the start. It seems that voters like anti-Bush anagrams. Mike and Mey maintained the respective second and third place throughout. Mike's win (his seventh this year) pushes him back into the Top Ten with 30 awards. Mey continues on with his brilliant anagrams, winning 28 this year and 226 on the All Time Table. My rather overdue win gives me 91 all up. |
1 | Larry Brash | 63 | When I was a lad I served a term... |
2 | Mike Keith | 43 | 935,763-letter anagram of Moby Dick. |
3 | Mey Kraus | 31 | "To My Brother George" by John Keats |
4 | Dee4j | 25 | "Let's Dance" by David Bowie |
5 | Tony Crafter | 19 | PERFORMER-DUO LIMERICKS |
This category started quite closely with Rick just one point ahead at 12 hours. He was challenged strongly by ofap throughout the event staying about six points clear, but ofap nearly caught near the end and finished just three points back. An excellent month for Rick this month with three awards, giving him five for the year and 11 all up. |
1 | Rick | 43 | A problem getting an erection = Met girl... Nope! I can't get a boner. |
2 | ofap | 40 | Topless waitresses = We possess real tits! |
3 | LR | 31 | Masturbation = To burst a main. |
Tony Crafter was well in contention in several categories this month: Other Names, Awardsmaster's Challenge I, and Long. All three were excellent anagrams, but we particulary like his runner-up in Awardsmaster's Challenge I, which was always in contention for a win and missed out by just three points:
This was Tony's 11th win. |
Congraulations to all the winners. Thank you all for voting.