Matthew Brockwell

Matthew Brockwell It's quite something to create a round where my response is "I'd rather play spoilage numbers"!

Stu Harkness

Stu Harkness So we don't have to actually solve the cons? It's just typing them in reverse alphabetical order?

Chris Hare

Chris Hare That's right! What fun!

Dave Kempshall

Dave Kempshall I required a sedative after playing this round last year in normal alphabetical order.

Elizabeth Beer

Elizabeth Beer Do you get the bonus point for just not declaring anything for 20 rounds? Because there is no hope for me in the main game with only ten seconds…

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers What am I missing here? If it's just spelling it in reverse alphabetical order surely you don't need to unscramble the conundrum at all though??? Remembering the letters is the hardest part then?

Dave Kempshall

Dave Kempshall Yes, that is exactly what you have to do Jon. Give it a practice, it's the subtle mix of putting them in order in 10 seconds and then remembering them once they've disappeared that plays havoc with your general existence.

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers Yes, not looking forward to this one so much then!!

Chris Hare

Chris Hare Elizabeth: Yes; if you don't buzz in at all then you haven't made any incorrect declarations.

Fiona T

Fiona T sounds like a strategy

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers It's a shame SPOONFEED isn't valid: that would be the only way to score points if that came up (or to bring my infinite practice game to an end).

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers Stupid question, ignore me: I see now there's zero advantage to getting a slightly longer word (unless going for bonus)

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers Sorry meant to say that on game 8 - thanks for your reply re buckets of agoutis. LOL

Florence C-L

Florence C-L Not sure you've understood the rules, Jon - this is a conundrum attack. If, for example, the conundrum scramble was NONMUDRUC, your declaration would be correct if and only if you declared UURONNMDC, since that is the conundrum in reverse alphabetical order

Jon Stammers

Jon Stammers Yes sorry Florence, again, this comment was meant for game 8 scavenger hunt. Sorry for confusion can't delete it now.

Stu Harkness

Stu Harkness TSPNNIEEA

See - I've mastered it.

David Holmes

David Holmes Very unpleasant.

Mark Baker

Mark Baker Hi. I don’t seem to have any games showing up after game six?

Show all comments
Elizabeth Beer

Elizabeth Beer You must be getting your games in two instalments, I expect the rest will arrive soon

Chris Hare

Chris Hare Mark: Yes, that's intentional (albeit fairly arbitrary); for obscure historical reasons, people who sign up before the start and don't indicate a preference get all their games at once, but people who sign up once things have got underway usually get their games by instalments unless they vote otherwise.

Mark Baker

Mark Baker No problem

Chris Hare

Chris Hare (I think everyone should now have all their games.)

Andres S.

Andres S. Wow this round was harder than I expected.

Tourney round: The Twelve Games of Chris-mas: Vol. IV: The Holly and The: Game Seven

<< Game Six | Game Eight >>

Notes from the organizer: Game Seven! Starve a fever, feed a cold.

Last year, I gave you an Instant Conundrum Attack and asked you to declare the letters in alphabetical order. The good news is that I'm not going to ask you to do that again. Hooray! The bad news is that I'd like you to unscramble the conundrum and declare the letters in REVERSE alphabetical order instead. Boo!

The player with the most correctly-reverse-alphabetised declarations will win. In the event of a tie, the player who makes their correct declarations in the smaller total time will win. If, somehow, there's still a tie, the player with the fastest single correct declaration will win. Any further ties will result in a match-fixing investigation.

The BONUS TOURNAMENT POINT will be awarded to any player who makes no incorrectly reverse-alphabetised declarations.

If you have any questions about the rules, scoring, or anything else pertaining to this tourney, please feel free to ask.

Here is a spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sEia7l7u7cJ6jBWZQWistIjD9j7KAwGvWK2OAcjpPno/edit?usp=sharing

Ran from: 15 December 2025 – 1 January 2026. Format: Instant Conundrum Attack. Matches: One-off. Level scores: Drawn. Approved.

Organizers: Chris Hare.

Fixtures: 49. Completed: 41.

Results and fixtures

Player 1Player 2Status
Steven HardingApterous Prune0 – 0
Ravi ChoudharyApterous Prune0 – 0
Sarah BinnsApterous Prune0 – 31
Mike LeeApterous Prune0 – 88
Matthew BrockwellApterous Prune0 – 1
David HolmesApterous Prune0 – 0
Wesley BartonApterous Prune0 – 20
Elizabeth BeerApterous Prune0 – 0
Dave KempshallApterous Prune0 – 0
Andres S.Apterous Prune0 – 6
Ian WrayApterous Prune6 – 0
Adam LatchfordApterous Prune0 – 112
Tom CapplemanApterous Prune0 – 99
Colin ThompsonApterous Prune3 – 0
Fiona TApterous Prune0 – 114
Martin HurstApterous PruneUnplayed
Richard DeckerApterous PruneUnplayed
Dan SpinksApterous Prune0 – 2
Tal LessnerApterous Prune0 – 0
Ben BazzardApterous Prune0 – 11
Damian McEvoyApterous Prune0 – 0
Keith C WilliamsApterous PruneUnplayed
Florence C-LApterous Prune0 – 0
Gav GraceApterous Prune0 – 1
Matthew TassierApterous Prune0 – 4
Hazel DruryApterous PruneUnplayed
Mark A. ThomasApterous Prune0 – 0
Elwin CarlosApterous Prune0 – 0
Jamie FrenchApterous PruneUnplayed
Matty ArtellApterous PruneUnplayed
Eoin JacksonApterous PruneUnplayed
Jason TurnerApterous Prune24 – 90
Ian VolanteApterous Prune0 – 0
Maria ChandlerApterous Prune0 – 3
Stu HarknessApterous Prune92 – 23
Jon PinyanApterous Prune0 – 18
Sean DApterous Prune0 – 23
Thomas CareyApterous Prune0 – 5
Jon StammersApterous Prune0 – 0
Zohaib RehanApterous Prune96 – 26
Martin ThomasApterous Prune0 – 0
Marcus HaresApterous Prune9 – 0
Mark Jeary-FairbairnApterous PruneUnplayed
Fi ThorneApterous Prune0 – 3
Trevor BissettApterous Prune0 – 0
Perry SarbApterous Prune0 – 65
Mark BakerApterous Prune0 – 0
Dan SouthwellApterous Prune0 – 3
Anthony EndsorApterous Prune0 – 0

Key. Green: winner. Red: loser. Grey: tie.

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