So, we've reached Friday and the conclusion of my odd-yssey. Emphasis on the odd is, I think, justified.
First of all, I left a puzzle unsolved yesterday from the Intelligence World Championship -
I AM IN A THINNED RACE
This in fact resolves to "The American Indian", which is rather nice. As for today - well, I'm pleased to say that I added a bronze to my silver from yesterday. I thought today's test was probably the easiest of the three, even after allowing for one of the questions being a direct repeat from Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, therefore, I got my highest score of the three days and made up a lot of ground on silver - not enough though.
Entropy provided good news and bad news.
Good news - there are people, other than you, actually reading this series of articles!
Bad news - top Entropy players don't like weak ones saying that it's all just luck really. Oops. I hesitate to suggest that my 0/4 performance this afternoon was influenced by top players not liking me; I don't hesitate to put it forward as clear-cut evidence that it's all just luck really. Ahem.
Much rushing around ensued, as I discovered that my little Countdown detour yesterday counted as a Pentamind event, which meant I was back in the competition. In combination with a little bit of disarray on the part of the Intelligence organisers, this meant that in my last hour in London I needed to pick up a bronze medal in an impromptu ceremony in the office whilst simultaneously registering my results for Pentamind to Tony Corfe.
Good news - I'm in the lead!
Bad news - nobody else has lodged five events yet. Judging from recent years, I might still achieve a top 10 placing which would be nice - I'm sure that one of "The Team", as I've come to know them, will append a final position to this once it's known.
Well, I can't believe the time has come to close off my diary of the week, and an excellent week it's been; I'm typing this in the relative calm of my bedroom in sunny Huntingdon, it's roughly midnight and this time tomorrow I'll be in rainy Nottingham with another heavy Scrabble agenda.
So, what would be the main words on my Mind Map of the week? Well, there would have to be WORZELS, JUGGLERS, OVERSLEEPING, BLACKCURRANT, LOAD OF RUBBISH REALLY, and of course TROMPE L'OEIL1. Why? Look, it's my mind and I'll map it how I like, OK? Oh, and one big branch: "Extremely enjoyable, definitely coming again in 2001 - hope to see you there". Because it was, I am, and I do!
For avid Wizards of MSOZ followers we are trying to organise a guest writer to complete the journal for the rest of the Olympiad. Here's hoping - GR
Footnotes
1 Oh well.... 1/6 in my bizarre titling wasnt bad. I shall change that statistic with the day 7 title (see below) - GR
