The madness of it all

[Naboka]

Playing Wordtwist sometimes feels like a trip down the rabbit hole.

Into madness.

Where nothing makes sense. Or very little does.

Though, it's interesting.

And entertaining.

Of the 75 words I played in this game, I didn't have definitions or ready understandings of 46. Add 6 that I've learned since starting to play Wordtwist and the total would have been 52 out of 75.

If my keyboard and fingers weren't now at war, I would have easily added another 20 words, half of which I would not have definitions attached.

I could chalk it all up to "learning new words," but even loving such words as "oont" I would never, ever, ever have an opportunity to use them in conversation.

Ever.

Unless I wanted to amuse my audience with the weird words found recently playing this game.

As the Chesire Cat pointed out, we're not crazy, our reality is different.

Or the Queen claiming to every day imagine 6 impossible things before breakfast.

[2cute]

Playing Wordtwist sometimes feels like a trip down the rabbit hole.

Into madness.

Where nothing makes sense. Or very little does.

Though, it's interesting.

And entertaining.

Of the 75 words I played in this game, I didn't have definitions or ready understandings of 46. Add 6 that I've learned since starting to play Wordtwist and the total would have been 52 out of 75.

If my keyboard and fingers weren't now at war, I would have easily added another 20 words, half of which I would not have definitions attached.

I could chalk it all up to "learning new words," but even loving such words as "oont" I would never, ever, ever have an opportunity to use them in conversation.

Ever.

Unless I wanted to amuse my audience with the weird words found recently playing this game.

As the Chesire Cat pointed out, we're not crazy, our reality is different.

Or the Queen claiming to every day imagine 6 impossible things before breakfast.

Wow 417 points, that's amazing!

I have the fingers don't type as accurately as my brain syndrome too. Sometimes when the wrong letters come out I just return/submit to get past it as its faster than deleting/backing up & redoing. Sometimes I come up w/words I didn't realize were considered a word & then get credit for it. Mostly though I get that nope, not a word sound. I tried playing w/o the sound (as MegaWord does), it wasn't as satisfying.

Its true, lots of the words are archaic and not of any conversational use, though some are useful and useable.

Its amazing how many terms there are to describe things. Like Fencing for example, mostly I only watch it during the Olympics and then no other time. Yet the other day I found a term used in the sport 'Parry' meaning a defensive action to block the other person's blade. Would I use this word in normal conversation? Nope, probably not. What I mean though is that there are so many terms for sports, hobbies, business, even cultures that we may not use for everyday use but are fascinating to learn about.

While my purpose may be to learn new words to help me w/my intellectual disconnect (for conversations mostly), its interesting to also learn about topics I normally wouldn't pay any attention to in my normal everyday life.

[Arabesque]

I'd use "parry," in writing if not conversation - most likely to say, "he parried the question" but I read too many books while I was growing up .

I definitely don't know the meanings of a lot of words I type into 5x5 boards. One of my standard patterns on the "ness" boards is: ness nesses esse esses sess sesses sese eses reses esne esnes ... that's 11 words right there I would never use and have no idea what they mean. Another pattern is nete netes eten etens. Again, no idea.

I'm not even sure why I know to look for those words. Probably from reviewing the lists of words other people play, or I read a tip in this forum. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I read someone say "I notice that no one ever types 'esne' even though it appears frequently.' Then I started looking for it.

[Naboka]

I'd use "parry," in writing if not conversation - most likely to say, "he parried the question" but I read too many books while I was growing up .

I definitely don't know the meanings of a lot of words I type into 5x5 boards. One of my standard patterns on the "ness" boards is: ness nesses esse esses sess sesses sese eses reses esne esnes ... that's 11 words right there I would never use and have no idea what they mean. Another pattern is nete netes eten etens. Again, no idea.

I'm not even sure why I know to look for those words. Probably from reviewing the lists of words other people play, or I read a tip in this forum. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I read someone say "I notice that no one ever types 'esne' even though it appears frequently.' Then I started looking for it.

ESNE

Saw the same post about it, and have been amazed at how many, many times it appears on boards.

Just like the other examples you gave. Lots of points. So many ete words: rete, cete, bete, kete, fete, etc. And the eses, sese, esse, esses, sess, sesses, etc. Typing them becomes almost automatic.

A motherlode of points.

[Naboka]

Wow 417 points, that's amazing!

I have the fingers don't type as accurately as my brain syndrome too. Sometimes when the wrong letters come out I just return/submit to get past it as its faster than deleting/backing up & redoing. Sometimes I come up w/words I didn't realize were considered a word & then get credit for it. Mostly though I get that nope, not a word sound. I tried playing w/o the sound (as MegaWord does), it wasn't as satisfying.

Its true, lots of the words are archaic and not of any conversational use, though some are useful and useable.

Its amazing how many terms there are to describe things. Like Fencing for example, mostly I only watch it during the Olympics and then no other time. Yet the other day I found a term used in the sport 'Parry' meaning a defensive action to block the other person's blade. Would I use this word in normal conversation? Nope, probably not. What I mean though is that there are so many terms for sports, hobbies, business, even cultures that we may not use for everyday use but are fascinating to learn about.

While my purpose may be to learn new words to help me w/my intellectual disconnect (for conversations mostly), its interesting to also learn about topics I normally wouldn't pay any attention to in my normal everyday life.

Return rather than delete. Yep. Took a few games to realize every backspaced delete could have been two letters advanced toward useable words. Do that religiously nearly every game.

As for sound, I get distracted, wondering just which word didn't count that I'd mistyped. It was worse than having to backspace/delete. For me.

"Parry?" I use it telling one of my favorite personal stories that changed how I approached life.

When you grow up and get hurt, you stop to take care of the wound or injury. Parents, teachers all preach that.

In Vietnam we had voluntary close-combat fighting classes taught by a Republic of Korea marine sargaent who was merciless. And deadly serious.

We used real knifes sometimes in sparring. Once, I parried (see the use) the thrust of my opponent and sliced open the little finger on my right hand. It was bleeding profusely, so I stopped, thinking I needed to go get stitches (which eventually required 7). The ROK sargaent stormed over, started screaming and cursing at me, slapping me and punching me.

"You think THEY stop fighting when you get hurt?

Think THEY say, 'poor boy, you bleeding?'

THEY kill you!

(several curse words)!

You never stop fighting. You breath, you fight! No stop! You want stop, never come back! (still lots of vulgar expletives omitted) You fight rest of session, no breaks--or never come back!" (Still lots of vulgar cursing omitted. With more punches and slaps and kicks.)

So, instead of getting rests between rounds I had to fight someone who was really pissed off because they didn't get a rest for that round either.

These were special forces and marines--not your suburban karate classmates.

And they wanted to make me pay for the inconvenience.

Never felt so close to dying. Ever. Never felt so exhausted. Ever.

But, I pushed through and didn't stop.

Lesson learned.

The ROK sargaent came up to me afterwards. Slapped me hard. Said, "good. No stop."

Love comes in many forms.

ps: the extra rounds were without knives.

[mdyak]

I found a term used in the sport 'Parry' meaning a defensive action to block the other person's blade. Would I use this word in normal conversation? Nope, probably not.

Parry is often used in normal conversation in relation to arguments, fencing with words not blades.

[floppers]

Does anyone, at all, play Wordtwist in their head? Like, a perfect board, and your brain gives you all the letters you want? (Maybe when you are in the shower, or going for a walk, or...). Anyone?

[Spike1007]

I found myself playing, but without a board (even an imaginary one). I'd get a word going through my head, then start adding prefixes & suffixes. This usually happened after a long bout of WordTwist play & I guess my mind just wasn't ready to stop.

[Naboka]

Does anyone, at all, play Wordtwist in their head? Like, a perfect board, and your brain gives you all the letters you want? (Maybe when you are in the shower, or going for a walk, or...). Anyone?

Not actual boards. More like Spike1007 describes.

Playing a board in my mind would be deceptive because the two biggest problems wouldn't be addressed: actually recognizing the word (getting those visual signals translated in a sluggish brain prone to distraction) and typing words actually seen using clumsy fingers and harridan keyboard.

I suspect playing a game in my mind would be much like the wondrous imaginings of love before a first date. Then comes the awkward conversation, food escaping a yapping mouth, air newly refreshed by exiting meal gases, strident laughter begging for a twenty mile ride on a psychiatric couch.

Before long, reality is throwing up in the front seat.

And love is hiding in the trunk.

I sure wish reality were as wonderful as my imagination.

[floppers]

That was like a Mills and Boon....first, I was resistant,, then I was falling for you....then (amongst other things (romantic imagery interrupted)), you threw up in the front seat....and anything hiding in a trunk is never good news (I know, I've finished Netflix).

Having said that, will you marry me? (my husband is glad that reality is sometimes more wonderful than imagination...but I bet (because I know I do), he could write as beautifully as you).

Still, stoked that love is hiding in the trunk...I've only reusable grocery bags in mine...

[Arabesque]

Well this is certainly a vivid thread with lots of good lines to read!

As for me, I don't deliberately build imaginary boards in my mind, but if I've been overdoing the playing, images of boards come to me unbidden when I close my eyes. That's when I know it's time to stop playing so much.

[2cute]

Return rather than delete. Yep. Took a few games to realize every backspaced delete could have been two letters advanced toward useable words. Do that religiously nearly every game.

As for sound, I get distracted, wondering just which word didn't count that I'd mistyped. It was worse than having to backspace/delete. For me.

"Parry?" I use it telling one of my favorite personal stories that changed how I approached life.

When you grow up and get hurt, you stop to take care of the wound or injury. Parents, teachers all preach that.

In Vietnam we had voluntary close-combat fighting classes taught by a Republic of Korea marine sargaent who was merciless. And deadly serious.

We used real knifes sometimes in sparring. Once, I parried (see the use) the thrust of my opponent and sliced open the little finger on my right hand. It was bleeding profusely, so I stopped, thinking I needed to go get stitches (which eventually required 7). The ROK sargaent stormed over, started screaming and cursing at me, slapping me and punching me.

"You think THEY stop fighting when you get hurt?

Think THEY say, 'poor boy, you bleeding?'

THEY kill you!

(several curse words)!

You never stop fighting. You breath, you fight! No stop! You want stop, never come back! (still lots of vulgar expletives omitted) You fight rest of session, no breaks--or never come back!" (Still lots of vulgar cursing omitted. With more punches and slaps and kicks.)

So, instead of getting rests between rounds I had to fight someone who was really pissed off because they didn't get a rest for that round either.

These were special forces and marines--not your suburban karate classmates.

And they wanted to make me pay for the inconvenience.

Never felt so close to dying. Ever. Never felt so exhausted. Ever.

But, I pushed through and didn't stop.

Lesson learned.

The ROK sargaent came up to me afterwards. Slapped me hard. Said, "good. No stop."

Love comes in many forms.

ps: the extra rounds were without knives.

Your sergeant was right, when you're fighting & get hurt, you can't stop because your attacker will use that against you. Course now I learned that when I took boxing & self-defense classes. No knives, mostly punches to the face. That was the hardest part, taking a punch and not getting super pissed off and losing my control over myself & the situation. You can attend to your wounds when your attacker is injured themselves or gone from your environment. Usually I'd have so much adrenaline I wouldn't notice the pain from my injuries until the next day when I woke up and I couldn't move.

[2cute]

Parry is often used in normal conversation in relation to arguments, fencing with words not blades.

Ok, good to know. So parry is a synonym for evade. Right?

[Naboka]

That was like a Mills and Boon....first, I was resistant,, then I was falling for you....then (amongst other things (romantic imagery interrupted)), you threw up in the front seat....and anything hiding in a trunk is never good news (I know, I've finished Netflix).

Having said that, will you marry me? (my husband is glad that reality is sometimes more wonderful than imagination...but I bet (because I know I do), he could write as beautifully as you).

Still, stoked that love is hiding in the trunk...I've only reusable grocery bags in mine...

A cynic might suggest that reusable grocery bags might have more value than love sold on grocery selfs.

Certainly, you can appreciate that the bags helped you bring home the bacon, while the snoring love has simply created more laundry.

[Naboka]

Ok, good to know. So parry is a synonym for evade. Right?

To parry is less to evade and more to redirect an attack to create an opening for a counter attack.

A lot of karate schools teach an array of blocking techniques. I've pretty much never blocked anything in an actual fight. Slipping punches and kicks (evasion) takes less effort and leaves your opponent exposed.

Parrying goes beyond evasion. To parry is to use your efforts to redirect an attack. The less effort used to parry, the better. You're applying some degree of force to your opponent to move their attack away from you, (usually by inches or fractions) and optimally create openings for counter attacks. Normally, the slightest tap with a flick of the wrist or palm is enough.

Have someone make a fist and tell them to try to drive a punch toward you while you hold the face of their fist. With very little effort a weaker person can redirect a stronger person's efforts. You just move the fist one direction or another. That's pretty much the simplicity of parrying, though a parry is pretty quick and you aren't holding on.

Blocking is a method of using your force to collide with their force to prevent an attack or advance. It often hurts as much as getting hit in the first place. I used to target a person's hands if they were trying to use them to block or to protect their face, because breaking the metacarpal bones is fairly easy. And unexpected. And immediately ends a fight. (Well, depending on your intent and follow through.)

Evasion has two purposes: to avoid a fight all together, or to move into a position to ambush. Ambushes can occur during an actual fight when the enemy believes they have you beaten and on the run--only to discover you were setting them up to expose themselves.