The strange, the bizarre and the unexpected

[RussDNails]

Yeah, I think you are Just kidding of course--I can see from your avatar that you're a youngster compared to me.........

One indication that I'm spending way too much time here--look at my spot on the 5 x 5 all time list--I'm catching people that have been playing 10+ years more than I have.........maybe I should just go watch some Netflix once in a while

[DrPlacebo]

ZYGODACTYLISMS. 29 points, 14 letters. I strung together the word parts based on having seen them all in human anatomy. Turns out it's not a human anatomical term, but refers to one of the possible configurations of the digits in birds' feet.

[Spike1007]

I found a number of -DACTYL- words before, but somehow I don't think I'd have gotten that one. Good job!

[flops]

So, Dears, not really on point, but unexpected....Every Tuesday morning after I drop Offspring 4 to school, I meet my 76 year old neighbour, aka Moonlight (which makes me Sunshine), down at the local creek to walk my dogs (Mud and Moose) and his dog (Mia). Remember it is winter here, in fact the ski season opened this "Queens Birthday" weekend (yes, just another Australian excuse for a public holiday, I don't think it is even the Queen (of England's) birthday). So it is relatively cold but still maybe 10 degrees c. I always thought that all dogs can swim, like, instinctively....perhaps they can, but not all dogs seem to understand that if you fall in the creek, and the bank is too steep, just paddle downstream to where, with all four of your strong boxer legs, you can. So Mud and Moose are in the water, swimming after the ducks, Mia ventures too close to the bank, and skitter, twist, somersault, splash...there she is in the water...trying to get purchase to get out..I put down my backpack, my phone (learnt my lesson last time) and my coffee, preparing to lie on my tummy, grab her collar and haul her out. Moonlight is already lowering himself down the nearly vertical bank...you know, his dog, he has first rescue rights..ceptin he is clinging to the bank now too, and can't get a foothold. I'm holding his arm, kinda, and trying to put all 85kg of him up the bank, but we are going nowhere fast. Moonlight grabs the collar, hauls Mia half way, I grab it and pull her all the way out, losing Moonlights arm..turns out the creek at that point is nearly chest deep if you are 6ft or so. Mud and Moose are out too, Moose is trying to dig away the bank so Moonlight can get out (Kelpies are problem solvers) and Mud is licking everyone (Border Collies are pleasers). Moonlight has a dog leash (nice strong leather one) draped over his shoulders, so I ask for that, and eventually haul him out with that (you will have to imagine the physics, because it was not probable, but turns out to be possible).

Mia is happy as Larry, and Moonlight suggests we continue our walk. His lighter and his phone arent working so well, atm, but at least in his retirement, he has a few extra jobs today (phone in the fridge, hot shower, load of laundry).

Not bizarre, cause weird stuff tends to happen here, we are all strange, but yeah, I think we totally nailed the unexpected! Anyways, Hi Ho, Hi Ho....flops out.

[Spike1007]

Hi flops, I think this story counts in this category, although it's a little more exciting than the usual post. I'm glad that it all worked out (except for the lighter & phone).

[DrPlacebo]

Just got points for NAZIFY.

I got points for DENAZIFICATION in the past, but I didn't the DE-prefix wasn't on this latest board, so I tried NAZIFY without the prefix. It worked.

However, RENAZIFY didn't score.

[DonGuy47]

I don't usually look at the Board Stats, so I'm not absolutely sure this counts as "bizarre", but it seems at least "rare" to me that this board has no "rare" words.

[bwt1213]

It also has no words of 8+ letters, and only one of 7 letters. It seems like a board that no one would want to play -- not for high score, not for long words, not for high point words. Perhaps someone would like to take a try at finding every word on the board. Are there even 100?

[pdiddp]

I'm not sure about the bizarre but I had something strange and unexpected happen just a bit ago.

I'm set up to play only 5x5 games and just a game or so ago, clicked 'play another' and started in on the board. It took me several seconds to realize that it was a 4x4! I almost ended out of the game but my goal this month was to play every game that came up so I finished it. And boy was it hard to get myself to swipe in any 3 letter words!

Anyone else get a surprise like that or is it a one-off glitch?

[DrPlacebo]

I did not expect to get points for PETERMEN. Turns out a peterman is a safecracker, from the older British slang term "peter" for a safe.

[nannybee]

How does one account for a word that was accepted, but when you look it up to see what it means you are told that it is not in the dictionary?

[crazykate]

How does one account for a word that was accepted, but when you look it up to see what it means you are told that it is not in the dictionary?

The game itself uses a different dictionary than the one it links to.

By the way, apparently "VAMPIRIZES" is a valid word worth 21 points.

[Spike1007]

I think the game uses a cobbled-together dictionary. I think it was erakis who pointed out that it may start with the Scrabble dictionary, but since only 15-letter words are possible there, they switch to a different dictionary for longer words. Depending on how those are combined, extra words may come into play.

By the way, I liked ZOMBIFICATION as a word here.

[rosedraws]

Unexpected to find that there's a new "Mobile Play" button where the old "Play" button used to be...
Bizarre that I can't stop myself from automatically clicking there like I always have...
Strange that no one else is talking about it. :-)

[bwt1213]

Play button? Mobile play button? I have no idea what you're talking about. Perhaps you're playing on a smartphone or tablet, neither of which I have (and neither of which I know how to use, though I'll bet I could learn). Nothing has changed on my screen.