A Challenging Monday Night

by Graeme Lock Lee

Our WORDS club members are under strict instruction to challenge any word that they doubt, especially when played by me. I prefer to think that this is not a slight on my good character, rather good practice for tournaments where challenges are free.

I have to admit I take sly pleasure in causing a challenge, often choosing the more obscure option to effect this outcome. So as not to cause any undue embarrassment to my colleagues, I will anonymously list all the challenges to valid words made in my games. Meanings are supplied though I must confess I had to look up all but three.

Game 1

BOWAT a lantern, also BOWET, BUAT
DATTO a Philippine tribal chief, also DATO
URAEI pl. of URAEUS - the figure of the sacred serpent on Egyptian headdresses [Keith may not have challenged the more common AUREI]
MELANITE a black variety of garnet
ORD a beginning

Game 2

GERMIEST most GERMY
MIRS pl. of a Russian peasant commune, also MIRI [my S end-hook blocked Rene's bingo]
DEIF adj. deaf (Scots)
NIED v. pt of NIE, to approach [my D end-hook of NIE blocked another of Rene's bingos]

Game 3

WAIFTS v. casts up goods [Maggie didn't challenge my WAIFT, but I challenged when she hookd an S onto it.]

Game 4

HAMBONE v. to overact [I declared to Janine that JAMBONE would also have been acceptable]
LITAI pl. also LITU, former monetary unit of Lithuania, also LITAS, LIT