Round 3656: SCOWDER Results 🔥
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Daniel B. Widdis
Jun 14, 2026, 12:31:46 PM (5 days ago) Jun 14
to Dixonary, Tony Abell
I knew the round would go off the rails when Paul and John, the second and third voters, nailed the real def and started a trend leading to a D5. Could have been worse.
Scowder, also spelled scouther, descends from Old French ‘eschalder’, meaning to burn or scald, and post-classical Latin ‘excaldare’, meaning to wash in hot water. The sense of cleansing with heat is painfully described in the Jacobite Minstrelsy (1829): “He’s in a’ Satan’s frything pans, Scouth’ring the blude frae aff his han’s”.
More often it simply meaning overcooked, singed or burnt as in this description of a bannock in John Galt’s Ringan Gilhaize (1823) “somewhat scowthert and blackent on the one cheek”. A more appetizing snack is found in the New Shetlander (1960): “Scoodered loff an mermalade”. From this sense too we get an unflattering nickname for a blacksmith, found in the Scots Magazine (Aug. 1808): “Whan i’ the bleeze the sheep-head hirsles ... Till scowderdoup sings aff the woo’”.
The other short definition in the popular pair was not Paul's, as was guessed, but Tony Abell's. He collects 6 points and the deal.
*** SCOWDER ***
1. Hist. A railway train that has a locomotive temporarily attached to the rear to provide additional power or traction to climb a gradient; to configure train
Submitted by: Paul Keating, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 0 + 2 = 2
No Votes
2. a small gaff-rigged sailing boat formerly used for offshore fishing on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.
Submitted by: Tim Bourne, who voted for 5 & 13 and scored 1
Votes from: Eric Boxer
3. A firm, aged sheeps' milk cheese which originated in Castlerea, County Roscommon, Ireland, in the 1890s.
Submitted by: Nancy Shepherdson, who voted for 6 & 8 and scored 1
Votes from: Debbie Embler
4. [Scot.] a kipper; a smoked herring somewhat over-smoked for extra flavour
Submitted by: John Barrs, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 1 + 2 = 3
Votes from: Efrem Mallach
5. Uneven snow churned by skis or snowboards.
Submitted by: Eric Boxer, who voted for 2 & 9 and scored 2
Votes from: Tim Bourne, Efrem Mallach
6. [Yorks.] Depression; melancholia.
Submitted by: Efrem Mallach, who voted for 4 & 5 and scored 2
Votes from: Nancy Shepherdson, Tim Lodge
7. to scorch or singe
Submitted by: Collins, and scored D5
Votes from: Paul Keating, John Barrs, Mike Shefler, Shani Naylor, Judy Madnick
8. To mix vigorously.
Submitted by: Tony Abell, who didn't vote and scored 6
Votes from: Paul Keating, Nancy Shepherdson, John Barrs, Mike Shefler, Shani Naylor, Judy Madnick
9. [Scot.] to babble nonsense.
Submitted by: Mike Shefler, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 2 + 2 = 4
Votes from: Eric Boxer, Tim Lodge
10. Marks left on a polished surface by dirty or greasy fingers.
Submitted by: Shani Naylor, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 1 + 2 = 3
Votes from: Debbie Embler
11. to adjust one’s footing on uneven ground before taking a step.
Submitted by: Judy Madnick, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 0 + 2 = 2
No Votes
12. [Scots Law] The delict (tort) of Breach of Confidence or Misuse of Private Information.
Submitted by: Tim Lodge, who voted for 6 & 9 and scored 0
No Votes
13. A niche practice where scavengers turn animals that have been hit by vehicles into a stew or chowder; often associated with sustainability.
Submitted by: Debbie Embler, who voted for 3 & 10 and scored 1
Votes from: Tim Bourne
Def Submitter Votes Guess Total
8 Tony Abell 6 6
7 Collins 5 D5
9 Mike Shefler 2 2 4
4 John Barrs 1 2 3
10 Shani Naylor 1 2 3
6 Efrem Mallach 2 2
5 Eric Boxer 2 2
1 Paul Keating 0 2 2
11 Judy Madnick 0 2 2
13 Debbie Embler 1 1
3 Nancy Shepherdson 1 1
2 Tim Bourne 1 1
12 Tim Lodge 0 0
Scowder, also spelled scouther, descends from Old French ‘eschalder’, meaning to burn or scald, and post-classical Latin ‘excaldare’, meaning to wash in hot water. The sense of cleansing with heat is painfully described in the Jacobite Minstrelsy (1829): “He’s in a’ Satan’s frything pans, Scouth’ring the blude frae aff his han’s”.
More often it simply meaning overcooked, singed or burnt as in this description of a bannock in John Galt’s Ringan Gilhaize (1823) “somewhat scowthert and blackent on the one cheek”. A more appetizing snack is found in the New Shetlander (1960): “Scoodered loff an mermalade”. From this sense too we get an unflattering nickname for a blacksmith, found in the Scots Magazine (Aug. 1808): “Whan i’ the bleeze the sheep-head hirsles ... Till scowderdoup sings aff the woo’”.
The other short definition in the popular pair was not Paul's, as was guessed, but Tony Abell's. He collects 6 points and the deal.
*** SCOWDER ***
1. Hist. A railway train that has a locomotive temporarily attached to the rear to provide additional power or traction to climb a gradient; to configure train
Submitted by: Paul Keating, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 0 + 2 = 2
No Votes
2. a small gaff-rigged sailing boat formerly used for offshore fishing on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.
Submitted by: Tim Bourne, who voted for 5 & 13 and scored 1
Votes from: Eric Boxer
3. A firm, aged sheeps' milk cheese which originated in Castlerea, County Roscommon, Ireland, in the 1890s.
Submitted by: Nancy Shepherdson, who voted for 6 & 8 and scored 1
Votes from: Debbie Embler
4. [Scot.] a kipper; a smoked herring somewhat over-smoked for extra flavour
Submitted by: John Barrs, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 1 + 2 = 3
Votes from: Efrem Mallach
5. Uneven snow churned by skis or snowboards.
Submitted by: Eric Boxer, who voted for 2 & 9 and scored 2
Votes from: Tim Bourne, Efrem Mallach
6. [Yorks.] Depression; melancholia.
Submitted by: Efrem Mallach, who voted for 4 & 5 and scored 2
Votes from: Nancy Shepherdson, Tim Lodge
7. to scorch or singe
Submitted by: Collins, and scored D5
Votes from: Paul Keating, John Barrs, Mike Shefler, Shani Naylor, Judy Madnick
8. To mix vigorously.
Submitted by: Tony Abell, who didn't vote and scored 6
Votes from: Paul Keating, Nancy Shepherdson, John Barrs, Mike Shefler, Shani Naylor, Judy Madnick
9. [Scot.] to babble nonsense.
Submitted by: Mike Shefler, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 2 + 2 = 4
Votes from: Eric Boxer, Tim Lodge
10. Marks left on a polished surface by dirty or greasy fingers.
Submitted by: Shani Naylor, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 1 + 2 = 3
Votes from: Debbie Embler
11. to adjust one’s footing on uneven ground before taking a step.
Submitted by: Judy Madnick, who voted for *7* & 8 and scored 0 + 2 = 2
No Votes
12. [Scots Law] The delict (tort) of Breach of Confidence or Misuse of Private Information.
Submitted by: Tim Lodge, who voted for 6 & 9 and scored 0
No Votes
13. A niche practice where scavengers turn animals that have been hit by vehicles into a stew or chowder; often associated with sustainability.
Submitted by: Debbie Embler, who voted for 3 & 10 and scored 1
Votes from: Tim Bourne
Def Submitter Votes Guess Total
8 Tony Abell 6 6
7 Collins 5 D5
9 Mike Shefler 2 2 4
4 John Barrs 1 2 3
10 Shani Naylor 1 2 3
6 Efrem Mallach 2 2
5 Eric Boxer 2 2
1 Paul Keating 0 2 2
11 Judy Madnick 0 2 2
13 Debbie Embler 1 1
3 Nancy Shepherdson 1 1
2 Tim Bourne 1 1
12 Tim Lodge 0 0
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