- Brian

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"For Want of a Nail" by Brian Slesinsky

Part 1 - Definitions

Dependency relates various things to various things.  The verb to be
needed by implies the Dependency relation.

Needing relates a thing (called the needer) to a thing (called the
needee) when the needee is needed by the needer.  The verb to need (he
needs, they need, he needed, he is needed) implies the Needing
relation.

A thing can be lost.

To lose (item - thing):
  Now the item is lost;
  if the item is needed by something begin;
    let the next item be a random thing that needs the item;
    say "For want of [an item], [the next item] was lost[line break]";
    lose the next item;
  end if.

When play begins:
  lose the nail; finish.

Part 2 - Text

A Proverb is a room.  Use no scoring.

The nail is needed by the shoe.
The shoe is needed by the horse.
The horse is needed by the rider.
The rider is needed by the battle.
The battle is needed by the kingdom.

To finish: say "And all for the want of a horseshoe nail."

--Z

--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
If the Bush administration hasn't thrown you in military prison without trial,
it's for one reason: they don't feel like it. Not because you're patriotic.

-Giles