The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
"Devon Island" sounds like it could be any of literally hundreds of countries.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Well, probably not any of the landlocked ones. (And that's leaving aside the fact that we literally don't have hundreds of countries.)TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:33 pm "Devon Island" sounds like it could be any of literally hundreds of countries.
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
If the counts I'm getting from Google are correct, there are about 146 countries that aren't landlocked. I see literally nothing in the clue pointing to any particular one.seaborgium wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:30 amWell, probably not any of the landlocked ones. (And that's leaving aside the fact that we literally don't have hundreds of countries.)TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:33 pm "Devon Island" sounds like it could be any of literally hundreds of countries.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Sometimes you have to shift your focus from the name they give you. Which country has the most large, uninhabited islands? Canada. So it's probably Canada, unless the name is like Zheryashchensky Island or something, in which case it's Russia.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:34 amIf the counts I'm getting from Google are correct, there are about 146 countries that aren't landlocked. I see literally nothing in the clue pointing to any particular one.seaborgium wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:30 amWell, probably not any of the landlocked ones. (And that's leaving aside the fact that we literally don't have hundreds of countries.)TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:33 pm "Devon Island" sounds like it could be any of literally hundreds of countries.
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
They gave a name that sounds like it could be from anywhere. And just because Canada has islands doesn't mean they would have one that's large and uninhabited.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
The fact that Canada has *large* islands *near the North Pole* makes it a very likely candidate. And Devon is an English name; despite England's far-reaching colonial history, the name is also a limiting factor.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 11:10 amThey gave a name that sounds like it could be from anywhere. And just because Canada has islands doesn't mean they would have one that's large and uninhabited.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
In my case, I first thought of Canada due to its many large islands, but then the name Devon threw me over to the UK. And my horse-racing knowledge was the reason. I remembered the name Devon Loch, an English horse who famously half-jumped and fell down while holding a commanding lead in the homestretch of the Grand National Steeplechase of 1956. Add in that "loch" is "lake" in Scotland... I figured I was gonna slip in the side door and nail this FJ!, but nope...seaborgium wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:23 pm ... And Devon is an English name; despite England's far-reaching colonial history, the name is also a limiting factor.
There have been other times when horse knowledge has helped me nail questions that had little or nothing to do with horse racing (or helped me get words in spelling bees, believe it or not), but not this time..
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Or I could not know that fact at all. Or again, I could think that those islands are actually very small and just appear large on maps because of Mercator projection. Or I could think that maybe there's some island off Africa, Australia, or even Antarctica that I've somehow never heard of. In fact, Antarctica seems like a perfectly cromulent guess.seaborgium wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:23 pmThe fact that Canada has *large* islands *near the North Pole* makes it a very likely candidate.
Because North America is literally the only continent where English-named landmarks exist, right?And Devon is an English name; despite England's far-reaching colonial history, the name is also a limiting factor.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Not every J! clue will cater to your level of ignorance. The clue as it was written was enough for two contestants and more boardies.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:37 pmOr I could not know that fact at all. Or again, I could think that those islands are actually very small and just appear large on maps because of Mercator projection. Or I could think that maybe there's some island off Africa, Australia, or even Antarctica that I've somehow never heard of. In fact, Antarctica seems like a perfectly cromulent guess.seaborgium wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:23 pmThe fact that Canada has *large* islands *near the North Pole* makes it a very likely candidate.
I wasn't suggesting that it was. You, however, went beyond suggesting that there were hundreds of countries.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:37 pmBecause North America is literally the only continent where English-named landmarks exist, right?And Devon is an English name; despite England's far-reaching colonial history, the name is also a limiting factor.
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
It's called hyperbole.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:31 am I wasn't suggesting that it was. You, however, went beyond suggesting that there were hundreds of countries.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Was "Didn't see the slightest bit of a TOM" hyperbole too? I'm having trouble distinguishing your hyperbolic bullshit from your usual brand.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:44 amIt's called hyperbole.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:31 am I wasn't suggesting that it was. You, however, went beyond suggesting that there were hundreds of countries.
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
I didn't see a TOM. It was just a generic name, with nothing in the clue whatsoever giving me any semblance of direction.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:39 amWas "Didn't see the slightest bit of a TOM" hyperbole too? I'm having trouble distinguishing your hyperbolic bullshit from your usual brand.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:44 amIt's called hyperbole.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:31 am I wasn't suggesting that it was. You, however, went beyond suggesting that there were hundreds of countries.
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Well, it was clearly English (cue the "that's completely subjective" complaint), and I don't think J! would ordinarily have a "name the country" clue where the correct response is the UK or the USA (the most recent exception I know of was almost ten years ago). And what English-speaking countries are left? Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, uh... Guyana... So Australia's islands are Tasmania and some specks all over the place. New Zealand has two big islands and some smaller ones. South Africa also has specks. Ireland and Guyana, I can't picture having islands. Canada has Baffin and Ellesmere, huge ones in the top ten by area. Canada also has some forbidding Arctic grounds, so a big, English-named, uninhabited island makes sense as a Canadian possession.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 6:54 pm I didn't see a TOM. It was just a generic name, with nothing in the clue whatsoever giving me any semblance of direction.
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Subjective or not... there are non-English speaking places that have land masses with English names and vice versa. Why should I expect it to be an English-speaking country?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:54 pm Well, it was clearly English (cue the "that's completely subjective" complaint),
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Because it's an English name. I thought I just said that.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:08 pmSubjective or not... there are non-English speaking places that have land masses with English names and vice versa. Why should I expect it to be an English-speaking country?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:54 pm Well, it was clearly English (cue the "that's completely subjective" complaint),
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Again. Do English names occur exclusively in countries where English is spoken?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:17 pmBecause it's an English name. I thought I just said that.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:08 pmSubjective or not... there are non-English speaking places that have land masses with English names and vice versa. Why should I expect it to be an English-speaking country?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:54 pm Well, it was clearly English (cue the "that's completely subjective" complaint),
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
You reported having nothing to go off from the clue. How about just trying one thing on for size instead of immediately giving up and declaring an FJ TOM-less?TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:18 pmAgain. Do English names occur exclusively in countries where English is spoken?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:17 pmBecause it's an English name. I thought I just said that.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:08 pmSubjective or not... there are non-English speaking places that have land masses with English names and vice versa. Why should I expect it to be an English-speaking country?seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:54 pm Well, it was clearly English (cue the "that's completely subjective" complaint),
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
Because I have to recognize that there is something to try on in the first place. Sometimes there just plain isn't a TOM in the clue and it's a full-force YEKIOYD.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:22 pm You reported having nothing to go off from the clue. How about just trying one thing on for size instead of immediately giving up and declaring an FJ TOM-less?
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Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
IDK that one and I got it right.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:25 pmBecause I have to recognize that there is something to try on in the first place. Sometimes there just plain isn't a TOM in the clue and it's a full-force YEKIOYD.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:22 pm You reported having nothing to go off from the clue. How about just trying one thing on for size instead of immediately giving up and declaring an FJ TOM-less?
Re: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)
I still don't think "Devon Island" is anywhere close to a TOM.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:26 pmIDK that one and I got it right.TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:25 pmBecause I have to recognize that there is something to try on in the first place. Sometimes there just plain isn't a TOM in the clue and it's a full-force YEKIOYD.seaborgium wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:22 pm You reported having nothing to go off from the clue. How about just trying one thing on for size instead of immediately giving up and declaring an FJ TOM-less?
Again, you haven't addressed this point. Is an English-speaking country literally the only country that could ever, ever, ever possibly have an English-named landmark of any kind?