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QFTCI5GNM15 Game 3, Rounds 2-3: obsolete words and mafiosi

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Mark Brader

unread,
Sep 12, 2015, 2:47:32 PM9/12/15
to
These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-05-04,
and should be interpreted accordingly.

On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
the correct answers in about 3 days.

All questions were written by members of Five Guys Named Moe, and
are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may
have been retyped and/or edited by me. For further information
see my 2015-08-18 companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


* Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words

Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
simply select the word from the handout list:

| Clinomania | Jehu |
| Deipnophobia | Philogrobolize |
| Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
| Egrote | Smicker |
| Ergophobia | Snecklifter |
| Famelicose | Snollygoster |
| Feague | Sprunt |
| Fudgel | Tangerine |
| Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
| Gongoozle | Wamblecropt |
| Groke | Zarf |

1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
a drink"?

2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
person, especially a politician"?

3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
know nothing about"?

4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
driver"?

5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
anything at all"?

6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
to avoid work"?

7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
ornamental)"?

8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
few drops"?

9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
around among the haystacks after dark"?


So there were 12 decoys. After you've finished with the round,
decode the rot13 if you want to see their definitions and identify
those words for fun, but for no points.

11. Vagbkvpngrq, uhat bire.

12. Na noabezny srne bs jbex; na nirefvba gb jbex.

13. Pbafgnagyl uhatel.

14. Gb chg n yvir rry hc n ubefr'f obggbz.

15. Gb btyr; ybbx nzbebhfyl.

16. Na bofrffvir qrfver gb yvr qbja.

17. Gb znxr zbarl va nal jnl cbffvoyr.

18. N crefba be guvat sebz Gnatvref.

19. Gb tnmr ng fbzrobql juvyr gurl'er rngvat va gur ubcr gung
gurl'yy tvir lbh fbzr bs gurve sbbq.

20. Gb fgner vqyl ng n obql bs jngre, fhpu nf n evire be pnany.

21. Srne bs orvat ynhturq ng.

22. Birepbzr jvgu harnfvarff va gur fgbznpu.


* Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia

In each case, name the mobster.

1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
United States. He split New York City into five different
Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
surviving an assassination attempt.

4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
in 1957.

5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
Al Capone.

6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
in 1985.

7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.

9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
in 2005.

--
Mark Brader | "The speed of sound is considerably less than the
Toronto | speed of light -- that is why some people appear bright
m...@vex.net | until you hear them talk."

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Peter Smyth

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Sep 12, 2015, 2:58:03 PM9/12/15
to
Groke
> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?
Snollygoster
> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?
Fudgel
> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?
Zarf
> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?
Philogrobolize
> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?
Quomodocunquize
> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?
Duffifie
> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?
Sprunt
> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?
Deipnophobia, Gelotophobia
> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?
Gongoozle

Peter Smyth

Erland Sommarskog

unread,
Sep 12, 2015, 3:50:42 PM9/12/15
to
Mark Brader (m...@vex.net) writes:
> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list:
>
> | Clinomania | Jehu |
> | Deipnophobia | Philogrobolize |
> | Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
> | Egrote | Smicker |
> | Ergophobia | Snecklifter |
> | Famelicose | Snollygoster |
> | Feague | Sprunt |
> | Fudgel | Tangerine |
> | Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
> | Gongoozle | Wamblecropt |
> | Groke | Zarf |
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

Sprunt

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

Fudgel

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

Snoilygoster

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

Jehu

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

Snecklifter

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

Philogrobolize

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

Duffifie

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

Gongoozle

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

Deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

Famelicose




--
Erland Sommarskog, Stockholm, esq...@sommarskog.se

Joshua Kreitzer

unread,
Sep 12, 2015, 8:50:51 PM9/12/15
to
m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in news:7MednYqPT4_e7mnInZ2dnUU7-
fed...@vex.net:

> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

snecklifter

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

snollygoster; feague

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

feague; snollygoster

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

jehu

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

fudgel; gongoozle

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

gongoozle; fudgel

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

groke; egrote

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

groke; duffifie

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

gelotophobia; deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

groke; duffifie

> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>
> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

Bugsy Siegel

> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

Gotti

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

Henry Hill

> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.

Gigante

--
Joshua Kreitzer
grom...@hotmail.com

Marc Dashevsky

unread,
Sep 12, 2015, 9:27:28 PM9/12/15
to
In article <7MednYqPT4_e7mnI...@vex.net>, m...@vex.net says...
> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?
Deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>
> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.
Lucky Luciano

> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.
Meyer Lansky

> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.
>
> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.
>
> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.
>
> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.
>
> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.
Gotti

> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.
Sammy the Bull

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.
Henry Hill

> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.



--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.

Dan Blum

unread,
Sep 12, 2015, 11:54:54 PM9/12/15
to
Mark Brader <m...@vex.net> wrote:

> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words

> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

snecklifter; snollygoster

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

ultracrepidarian; snecklifter

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

snollygoster; ultracrepidarian

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

jehu; groke

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

philogrobolize; gongoozle

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

quomodocunquize; gongoozle

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

feague; fudgel

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

smicker; sprunt

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

deipnophobia; gelotophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

duffifie; smicker

> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia

> In each case, name the mobster.

> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

Luciano

> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

Siegel

> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.

Luciano

> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.

Torrio

> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

Gotti

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

Hill

--
_______________________________________________________________________
Dan Blum to...@panix.com
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."

Björn Lundin

unread,
Sep 13, 2015, 7:01:53 AM9/13/15
to
On 2015-09-12 20:47, Mark Brader wrote:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-05-04,
> and should be interpreted accordingly.
>
> On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
> both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
> Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
> based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
> the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
> the correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> All questions were written by members of Five Guys Named Moe, and
> are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may
> have been retyped and/or edited by me. For further information
> see my 2015-08-18 companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
> Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
>
>
> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list:
>
> | Clinomania | |
> | | |
> | Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
> | | |
> | | |
> | | |
> | Feague | Sprunt |
> | Fudgel | Tangerine |
> | Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
> | | Wamblecropt |
> | Groke | Zarf |
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

Snollygoster

>
> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?
>

Snecklifter

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?
>
Gongoozle


> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?
>

Jehu

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?
>
Egrote

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?
>

Ergophobia
> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?
Smicker

>
> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

Philogrobolize

>
> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?
>
Deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?
>
Famelicose


>
> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>




--
--
Björn

Jason Kreitzer

unread,
Sep 13, 2015, 11:17:31 AM9/13/15
to
Meyer Lansky
> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.
>
> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.
>
> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.
>
> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.
>
> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.
John Gotti
> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.
>
> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.
Henry Hill

swp

unread,
Sep 13, 2015, 1:09:09 PM9/13/15
to
On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 2:47:32 PM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list:
>
> | Clinomania | Jehu |
> | Deipnophobia | Philogrobolize |
> | Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
> | Egrote | Smicker |
> | Ergophobia | Snecklifter |
> | Famelicose | Snollygoster |
> | Feague | Sprunt |
> | Fudgel | Tangerine |
> | Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
> | Gongoozle | Wamblecropt |
> | Groke | Zarf |
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

snecklifter

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

snollygoster

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

ultracrepidarian

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

jehu (vin is jewish?)

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

feague

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

egrote

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

zarf

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

duffifie

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

gongoozle

>
> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>
> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

lucky luciano

> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

bugsy siegel

> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.

frank costello

> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.

albert anastasia

> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.

johnny torrio

> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.

paul castellano

> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

john gotti

> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.

sammy gravano

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

henry hill

> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.

vincent gigante


swp

Gareth Owen

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Sep 13, 2015, 3:16:23 PM9/13/15
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m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) writes:

> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list:
>
> | Clinomania | Jehu |
> | Deipnophobia | Philogrobolize |
> | Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
> | Egrote | Smicker |
> | Ergophobia | Snecklifter |
> | Famelicose | Snollygoster |
> | Feague | Sprunt |
> | Fudgel | Tangerine |
> | Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
> | Gongoozle | Wamblecropt |
> | Groke | Zarf |
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

Snecklifter. There's a real ale called that round these parts, made up
in Cumbria.

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

Snollygoster, Ultracrepidarian

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

Philogrobolize, I assume. Now superceded by "Usenetter"

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

Duffifie, Egrote

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

Wamblecropt, Zarf

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

Feague, Fudgel

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

Duffifie, Smicker

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

Smicker, Sprunt

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

Gelotophobia, Deipnophobia

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

Gongoozle, Wamblecropt
>
> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>
> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

Erland "The Swede" Sommarskog

> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

Mickey Cohen

> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.

Steven "Brains" Perry

> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.

Peter "The Notoriously Meticulous" Smyth

> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.

Mark "The Canadian of Intermediate Size" Brader

> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.

Howard Hughes (notoriously unimaginative, mob nicknames)

> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

John Gotti

> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.

Mark "The Other Mark" Dashevsky

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

Henry Hill (you'd like him, he's a Good Fella)

> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.

Theopulous P. Mandible

swp

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Sep 13, 2015, 4:29:04 PM9/13/15
to
<giggle>

swp

Mark Brader

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Sep 13, 2015, 7:40:25 PM9/13/15
to
Gareth Owen:
> > Mark "The Canadian of Intermediate Size" Brader

Ah, fiction.

Stephen Perry:
> <giggle>

Likewise, plurally!
--
Mark Brader "Those who do not know USENET
Toronto are doomed to repeat each other."
m...@vex.net -- Erik Fair (after George Santayana)

Dan Tilque

unread,
Sep 15, 2015, 4:55:46 AM9/15/15
to
Mark Brader wrote:
>
>
> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words
>
> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list:
>
> | Clinomania | Jehu |
> | Deipnophobia | Philogrobolize |
> | Duffifie | Quomodocunquize |
> | Egrote | Smicker |
> | Ergophobia | Snecklifter |
> | Famelicose | Snollygoster |
> | Feague | Sprunt |
> | Fudgel | Tangerine |
> | Gelotophobia | Ultracrepidarian |
> | Gongoozle | Wamblecropt |
> | Groke | Zarf |
>
> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

Wamblecropt

>
> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

Snollygoster

>
> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

Ultracrepidarian

>
> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

Famelicose

>
> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

Fudgel

>
> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

Feague

>
> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

Sprunt

>
> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?
>
> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

Gelotophobia

>
> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

Duffifie
Dan Tilque

Pete

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Sep 15, 2015, 11:01:59 AM9/15/15
to
m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in news:7MednYqPT4_e7mnInZ2dnUU7-
fed...@vex.net:

Duffifie

>
> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

Snollygoster; Snecklifter

>
> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

Fudgel; Snollygoster

>
> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

Snollygoster; Snecklifter

>
> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

Fudgel; Groke

>
> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

Gongoozle; Groke

>
> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

Gongoozle; Fudgel

>
> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?
>
> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

Gelotophobia; Ergophobia

>
> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

Zarf; Sprunt

>
>
> So there were 12 decoys. After you've finished with the round,
> decode the rot13 if you want to see their definitions and identify
> those words for fun, but for no points.
>
> 11. Vagbkvpngrq, uhat bire.
>
> 12. Na noabezny srne bs jbex; na nirefvba gb jbex.
>
> 13. Pbafgnagyl uhatel.
>
> 14. Gb chg n yvir rry hc n ubefr'f obggbz.
>
> 15. Gb btyr; ybbx nzbebhfyl.
>
> 16. Na bofrffvir qrfver gb yvr qbja.
>
> 17. Gb znxr zbarl va nal jnl cbffvoyr.
>
> 18. N crefba be guvat sebz Gnatvref.
>
> 19. Gb tnmr ng fbzrobql juvyr gurl'er rngvat va gur ubcr gung
> gurl'yy tvir lbh fbzr bs gurve sbbq.
>
> 20. Gb fgner vqyl ng n obql bs jngre, fhpu nf n evire be pnany.
>
> 21. Srne bs orvat ynhturq ng.
>
> 22. Birepbzr jvgu harnfvarff va gur fgbznpu.
>
>
> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> In each case, name the mobster.
>
> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

Luciano

>
> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

Lansky

>
> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.
>
> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.
>
> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.

Nitti

>
> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.
>
> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

John Gotti

>
> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.
>
> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.
>
> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.
>

Pete

Mark Brader

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Sep 15, 2015, 2:52:07 PM9/15/15
to
Mark Brader:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-05-04,
> and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information
> see my 2015-08-18 companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
> Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


> * Game 3, Round 2 - Literature - Obsolete English Words

> Since the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English has become less
> flowery and some fantastic vocabulary been dropped from everyday
> conversation. From author Mark Forsyth's book "The Horologicon",
> and his Tumblr and published articles, here are 10 words that
> have gone out of use, but perhaps need reviving. In each case,
> simply select the word from the handout list...


> 1. What is the word for "a person who pokes his [or her] head into a
> pub to see if there's anyone who might stand him [or her]
> a drink"?

Snecklifter. 4 for Joshua, Stephen, and Gareth. 3 for Dan Blum.

> 2. What 19th century American word means "a shrewd, unprincipled
> person, especially a politician"?

Snollygoster. 4 for Peter, Stephen, and Dan Tilque. 3 for Joshua,
Gareth, and Pete.

> 3. What do you call "somebody who gives opinions on subjects they
> know nothing about"?

Ultracrepidarian. 4 for Stephen and Dan Tilque. 2 for Dan Blum.

> 4. Vin Diesel will know this. What do you call "a fast or furious
> driver"?

Jehu. 4 for Erland, Joshua, Björn, and Stephen. 3 for Dan Blum.

> 5. Which word means "pretending to work when not actually doing
> anything at all"?

Fudgel. 4 for Dan Tilque. 3 for Joshua and Pete.

> 6. Staying with work, which word means "to feign sickness in order
> to avoid work"?

Egrote. 4 for Stephen.

> 7. What is the word for "a cup-shaped coffee cup holder (often
> ornamental)"?

Zarf. 4 for Stephen.

> 8. This old Scottish verb means "to lay a bottle on its side
> for some time so that it may be completely drained of the last
> few drops"?

Duffifie. 4 for Stephen. 2 for Joshua.

> 9. What do you call "a morbid fear of dinner parties"?

Deipnophobia. 4 for Erland, Marc, Björn, and Stephen. 3 for Peter
and Dan Blum. 2 for Joshua and Gareth.

> 10. Another Scottish classic, which word means "to chase girls
> around among the haystacks after dark"?

Sprunt. 2 for Pete.


> So there were 12 decoys. After you've finished with the round,
> decode the rot13 if you want to see their definitions and identify
> those words for fun, but for no points.

For some unaccountable :-) reason, nobody tried these.

> 11. Intoxicated, hung over.

Philogrobolized.

> 12. An abnormal fear of work; an aversion to work.

Ergophobia.

> 13. Constantly hungry.

Famelicose.

> 14. To put a live eel up a horse's bottom.

Feague.

> 15. To ogle; look amorously.

Smicker.

> 16. An obsessive desire to lie down.

Clinomania.

> 17. To make money in any way possible.

Quomodocunquize.

> 18. A person or thing from Tangiers.

Tangerine.

> 19. To gaze at somebody while they're eating in the hope that
> they'll give you some of their food.

Groke.

> 20. To stare idly at a body of water, such as a river or canal.

Gongoozle.

> 21. Fear of being laughed at.

Gelotophobia.

> 22. Overcome with uneasiness in the stomach.

Wamblecropt.


> * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia

> In each case, name the mobster.

This was the hardest round in the original game.

> 1. He is considered the father of modern organized crime in the
> United States. He split New York City into five different
> Mafia crime families and established the first Commission.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano. 4 for Marc, Dan Blum, Stephen, and Pete.

> 2. A Jewish mobster, he was a founder of Murder Inc. and one of the
> driving forces behind the establishment of the Las Vegas Strip.
> He was shot to death in 1947 at the Beverly Hills home of his
> girlfriend, Virginia Hill.

Bugsy Siegel. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, and Stephen.

> 3. Nicknamed "the Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one
> of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American
> history. He served as consigliere to <answer 1> and later led
> that man's crime family for 20 years. He retired in 1957 after
> surviving an assassination attempt.

Frank Costello. 4 for Stephen.

> 4. Nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner",
> this mobster ran Murder Inc. during the pre-WW2 era. In 1951
> he became boss of the modern-day Gambino crime family. He was
> assassinated in the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel
> in 1957.

Albert Anastasia. 4 for Stephen.

> 5. During the 1920s he helped build the criminal empire known
> as the Chicago Outfit, which was inherited by his protege,
> Al Capone.

Johnny Torrio. 4 for Dan Blum and Stephen.

> 6. Known as the "Howard Hughes of the mob", in 1976 he succeeded
> Carlo Gambino as head of Gambino family. He was assassinated
> in 1985.

Paul Castellano. 4 for Stephen.

> 7. He in turn succeeded <answer 6> as head of the Gambino family
> in 1985. He became known as the Dapper Don" for his expensive
> clothes, and was later nicknamed the "Teflon Don" after three
> high-profile trials in the 1980s each ended in his acquittal.

John Gotti. 4 for Joshua, Marc, Dan Blum, Jason, Stephen, Gareth,
and Pete.

> 8. <answer 7>'s downfall came in 1992, when his underboss decided
> to cooperate with the FBI, thus becoming the highest-ranking
> member of New York's five families to break his Cosa Nostra
> oath and cooperate with the government. Name that underboss.

Salvatore Gravano (also accepting "Sammy the Bull"). 4 for Marc
and Stephen.

> 9. He was associated with the Lucchese family and had Irish and
> Sicilian roots. His life story was documented in the true-crime
> book "Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family" by Nicholas Pileggi.

Henry Hill. 4 for Joshua, Marc, Dan Blum, Jason, Stephen, and Gareth.

> 10. Known as "The Chin", this former professional boxer was boss of
> the Genovese family from 1981 to 2005. He was also the shooter
> in the failed assassination of <answer 3>. He died in prison
> in 2005.

Vincent Gigante. 4 for Joshua and Stephen.


Scores, if there are no errors:

GAME 3 ROUNDS-> 2 3 TOTALS
TOPICS-> Lit His
Stephen Perry 32 40 72
Joshua Kreitzer 18 16 34
Dan Blum 11 20 31
Marc Dashevsky 4 16 20
Gareth Owen 9 8 17
Pete Gayde 8 8 16
Dan Tilque 12 0 12
Jason Kreitzer 0 8 8
Björn Lundin 8 0 8
Erland Sommarskog 8 0 8
Peter Smyth 7 0 7

--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "Unfortunately, real life is usually
m...@vex.net | not a movie." --Al Kriman

swp

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Sep 15, 2015, 5:16:43 PM9/15/15
to
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 2:52:07 PM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> Mark Brader:
> > * Game 3, Round 3 - History - The American Mafia
>
> > In each case, name the mobster.
>
> This was the hardest round in the original game.

unless you happen to be married to a mafia princess. just sayin'

swp

Peter Smyth

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Sep 16, 2015, 4:19:00 PM9/16/15
to
Mark Brader wrote:

> > So there were 12 decoys. After you've finished with the round,
> > decode the rot13 if you want to see their definitions and identify
> > those words for fun, but for no points.
>
> For some unaccountable :-) reason, nobody tried these.

I didn't answer them because I have gelotophobia and am not an
ultracrepidarian. I am certainly not philogrobolized though, as my
whisky bottle is still duffifying

Peter Smyth

Mark Brader

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Sep 16, 2015, 7:15:14 PM9/16/15
to
Mark Brader:
> > For some unaccountable :-) reason, nobody tried these.

Peter Smyth:
> I didn't answer them because I have gelotophobia and am not an
> ultracrepidarian. I am certainly not philogrobolized though, as my
> whisky bottle is still duffifying

That's easy for *you* to say!
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "So *you* say." --Toddy Beamish
m...@vex.net | (H.G. Wells, "The Man Who Could Work Miracles")
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