10/11/05 | 2:16 pm | Backwards S
I have been slacking when it comes to clues and bounties, sorry. I decided to launch this one now rather than wait until tomorrow, so this’ll be a day and half long clue.
This interesting looking building is shaped just like a “Backwards S”. Or if you’re feeling imaginative it could be a worm or caterpillar. This is the point in the story where I tell you all about my friend in high school who had a rather disturbing experience regarding worms and a certain Mr. Goodbar. Oh, The Horror - I’ll stop right there.
The Backwards S was submitted by Dan M quite awhile back but I decided not to use it now. It’s quite visible at 15/18. Dan had some word hints that I thought were OK but they seemed sort of difficult as you had to make numerous connections. So I’ve modified them. It is interesting to me how people come up with word hints; I have had these truly amazing hints submitted for clues that I haven’t used because no matter how wonderful and convoluted they are, there’s no way that most people would be able to solve it.
It’s sort of weird, when coming up with word hints you really have to think “how MOST people will think” with a big emphasis on the word MOST. We’re shooting for averages here, and having only 1 person solve it is pretty much no good (and actually should be reserved for bounties). On the other hand, making it too easy and having 50 solutions will get boring really quick. It’s darn difficult, and in fact for me it’s definitely the most difficult part of the game. And on the flip side, I often tend to make the clues WORSE by trying to fix them. I just can’t seem to leave well enough alone. At the end of the day, though, I guess it’s just a game…
Well, enough chitchat. The word hints are:
“We Got Trouble with O’Leary”
See you soon…
[Edit: 11:15 pm PDT Tue - Whoops sorry, I just realized I hadn’t updated here all day. I have taken up playing tennis at night, yep the real kind where you physically run around and hit the ball. I decided I needed more exercise. So far, it is rough going especially with me being only 5 foot 4 inches tall. I need to learn how to spin serve, I think, or whatever that is called. Oh, so we are doing OK with this clue for now so I won’t drop a region for now…]
[Edit: 9:30 am PDT Wed - Hello fellows. And fellowettes. Good number of solutions coming in, with most Rooglers getting it in less than 5 minutes. By the way, I’m going to be out on a mini-vacation, if you could call it that. How can I afford this? Well, the parents are footing the bill. Heading up to Mammoth/Yosemite area this Friday for about 4 days. So I may not get a daily clue up next week until Thursday or Friday…]
Clue Name : “Backwards S”
Submitted by: Dan M
Status : Solved (20)
Duration: Tues 10/11/05 - Wed 10/12/05Solved By: Cheese, Heather G, Richard K, Katie N, Tim J, Jason Y, Paul H, Bernd, Jerry R, Mike B, Mike M, Shawn D, Jon G, Wilmore, Judy B, Mike H, Mark L, Citizen, Bryant, David H
Word Hints : “We Got Trouble with O’Leary”
Magnification Needed: 15/18
October 15th, 2005 at 2:04 pm
I recognised that “s” immediately. about 4 years ago I was in Chicago on a Greyhound bus and saw a view out my window that just made sense. I saw 3 generations of Chicago architecture with a running theme. If you look south of the “s”, on the other bank of the river, you can see an old square building with 2 smokestacks in the rail yard. Where the “s” is, i think there was a factory with 2 large stacks, and behind them was the Sears tower. It was a beautifull scene, and i guess it’s gone now.
October 17th, 2005 at 11:18 pm
john - thanks for that story. it’s sometimes a shame that “progress” is progress and can’t be stop. I can’t tell you how many old buildings, landmarks, and favorite restaurants have been torn down near where I live.
The latest one was this archaic sort of giant water tower (not sure what is was for) on this forested hill that is just behind my house. I used to be able to tell people “yeah, to get to my house, just head toward the water tower”. This past Memorial day, they tore it all down, piece by piece. They had to get a crane out onto the hill.
So now I can’t tell people about the water tower. And it isn’t in any of the historical records that I can find on my town, though that area was actually a famous country club where movie stars used to play golf. So when it passes out of my memory and the rest of the people here then it’ll be gone for good…