alphabetics question

[pyrfan]

Then there was the time Howard ruled that "cat" was the opposite of "dog". Allen called him on it, and rightfully so. I'm not sure how much of that incident was left in the show. Anybody? I seem to recall Allen remarking that it was a rare occurrence indeed for Howard to admit he was wrong.

While I don't remember the "dog/cat" incident, I do remember that Ross Martin once gave a clue of "winter" for "summer" and got the do-do-do-do. The judge ruled that they were opposite seasons, and Allen rolled his eyes to the camera.

A loophole that worked at least once was saying "knight" in a rising voice to elicit "day" as a response. Tom Kennedy remarked that that's why it was a legal clue. I was then waiting for a celeb to use "daze" to get their partner to say "nights."


Brendan

[whewfan]

I can see why winter and summer may be considered opposites. One is a cold season and the other a warm season. However, the seasons are not direct opposites, just times of the year in succession. It's like saying November and July are opposites.

[Kevin Prather]

I can see why winter and summer may be considered opposites. One is a cold season and the other a warm season. However, the seasons are not direct opposites, just times of the year in succession. It's like saying November and July are opposites.

Disagree. If you think of the seasons as a cycle, which it is, winter and summer are directly opposite each other, as are autumn and spring.

[Jay Temple]

Summer is the three-month period in which the days are longest and nights are shortest.
Winter is the three-month period in which the days are shortest and nights are longest.
They don't get more opposite than that.

The interesting side question is whether spring and fall are opposites. They're both defined by equinoxes, which means simply that the day and night are as nearly equal as they're going to get. The difference is that the lengths are trending in opposite directions on those two days.

[Jimmy Owen]

Summer is the three-month period in which the days are longest and nights are shortest.
Winter is the three-month period in which the days are shortest and nights are longest.
They don't get more opposite than that.

The interesting side question is whether spring and fall are opposites. They're both defined by equinoxes, which means simply that the day and night are as nearly equal as they're going to get. The difference is that the lengths are trending in opposite directions on those two days.

The context with which spring or fall are passwords do not necessarily translate to the seasons.  You could say bounce for spring or stumble for fall without the season being a consideration.

[Twentington]

"Dixie"

Cup.

/k, sorry.

Now, a red Solo cup is the best receptacle...

[clemon79]

The context with which spring or fall are passwords do not necessarily translate to the seasons.  You could say bounce for spring or stumble for fall without the season being a consideration.

You could say "spine" for "back", too, but I assure you your ass is still gonna get buzzed if you try "front" in a no-opposite's game.

[Jimmy Owen]

The context with which spring or fall are passwords do not necessarily translate to the seasons.  You could say bounce for spring or stumble for fall without the season being a consideration.

You could say "spine" for "back", too, but I assure you your ass is still gonna get buzzed if you try "front" in a no-opposite's game.

I agree, that's the flaw in Password Plus.  If the puzzle clue password is "fall" and the puzzle is "Humpty Dumpty," the word fall does not refer to the season of fall but the action.

[snowpeck]

Wouldn't "autumn" be a more appropriate password if you wanted the season? At least that word doesn't have a double meaning.

[Jimmy Owen]

Wouldn't "autumn" be a more appropriate password if you wanted the season? At least that word doesn't have a double meaning.

Yes. Perfect clue!

[Twentington]

On a related note, has anyone on Password ever gotten away with a clue for a homophone of the word? For instance, a clue for "flower" when the word is "flour"?

[Matt Ottinger]

On a related note, has anyone on Password ever gotten away with a clue for a homophone of the word? For instance, a clue for "flower" when the word is "flour"?

Yes.  Fairly routinely in the 70s version, as I recall.

[clemon79]

On a related note, has anyone on Password ever gotten away with a clue for a homophone of the word? For instance, a clue for "flower" when the word is "flour"?

There's nothing to get away with. You can say any single word (within the boundaries of a legal clue) that you want. Nowhere in said boundaries does it say that it must be a logical clue for the word inside of the wallet.

[clemon79]

I agree, that's the flaw in Password Plus.  If the puzzle clue password is "fall" and the puzzle is "Humpty Dumpty," the word fall does not refer to the season of fall but the action.

I fail to see where that's a flaw, if you're capable of mentally disconnecting the clue-giving and puzzle-solving parts of the game, which I would suggest is a quality a good P+ player should have.

[Mr. Armadillo]

On a related note, has anyone on Password ever gotten away with a clue for a homophone of the word? For instance, a clue for "flower" when the word is "flour"?

There's nothing to get away with. You can say any single word (within the boundaries of a legal clue) that you want. Nowhere in said boundaries does it say that it must be a logical clue for the word inside of the wallet.

I think the surprise is more in the fact that a homophone is a legal clue to begin with.  I, for one, wouldn't have thought so until you told me otherwise.