FĂ ilt [Welcome]! Ciamar a tha thu [How are you]?

• The Fiery Cross Sign-up runs through March 1, 2011 [CLOSED]
• The Fiery Cross Clan Assignments & partners posted March 15, 2011
• Sporrans mailed by May 15, 2011

Outlandish Swap V: The Fiery Cross

Scottish clans were originally a Highland way of life. The Highland clan was, above all things, a family; a family in which everybody believed they were all, from chief to blacksmith, descended from one founder or progenitor. They regarded themselves as very close kinsmen. This Swap is dedicated to such clan families and will be organized into four clans.


Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Gathering Winner

My boy Ian has allowed his dinosaur to draw the name for the last highland game...



Congrats, Bea Murray! Ye've won your clan an extra 5 points! Braw job, lass!!
My boy Ian has allowed his dinosaur to draw the name for the last highland game...

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Gathering

Well, lasses, it is with a heavy heart that we gather here to celebrate the end of our Drums of Autumn swap. But celebrate indeed! There have been some beautiful sporrans received and it is great to see how everybody interpreted the book and turned it into a wonderful gift for a new friend. Our next swap, based on Fiery Cross, will begin with a Gathering as well. We do look forward to that.

Our last challenge, The Gathering, was sponsored by your chieftesses so we did not get to play. It was a logic puzzle and it was the first time one of these were used. There were a few puzzles this swap that were used for the first time, and a few that were previously enjoyed so they were brought back. There was a great variety of games and we hoped everyone enjoyed the challenges.

The answers:
For Claire's impromptu luncheon at the Gathering, the 5 young ladies, what they brought, how they got to the Gathering and where they traveled from are as follows:
Brianna brought corn and scotch, rode in a wagon from Frasers Ridge.
Catriona brought stew and beer, traveled by horse from Wilmington.
Jocelyn brought haggis and ale and walked from Jamestown.
Serease brought cake and wine and traveled by boat from Cape Fear.
And Wynda brought bridies and coffee and traveled by donkey from New Bern.

29 Lasses submitted answers to the challenge out of a possible 56. That is 52 % and a verra nice number indeed! And of those 29, 15 of them were perfect scores. Braw job, lassies!

Perfect scores were received from Sineag, Muirne, Elspeth, Isobel and Morven (of Beauchamp), Vika, Phaedra and Isla of Fraser, Kinley, Aislinn, Imogene and Ide of MacKenzie, and Caireann, Bea and Ceana of Murray. (The bolded names are the lasses who were among the first 10 with perfect scores.)

The Players:
Clan Beauchamp: Entries were recieved from Sineag, Muirne, Elspeth, Isobel, Morven, Nemetona, Caroline and Ealasaid Farquharson
Clan Fraser: Entries were recieved from: Vika, Phaedra, Isla, Bonny May and Nannag.
From the MacKenzies we heard from: Kinley, Aislinn, Imogene, Ide, Kellan, Sophia, Ceanna, Catriona Mac, Mrs. Fitz, Catriona Duncan and Eadgyth.
And from the Murrays: Caireann, Bea, Ceana, Zella and Eileen.
Well done, lasses!

Early bird goes to Caireann of Clan Murray. Her response was received at 8:27 am on 8/13.
Sneaker goes to Eileen of Clan Murray. Her response was received at 9:27 on 8/20.

The Score:
Beauchamp: 58 + 4EP + 8 P = 70
Fraser: 30 + 2 EP + 5 P = 37
MacKenzie: 48 + 2 EP + 11 P = 61
Murray: 41 + 1 EB + 2 EP + 5 P + 1 SN = 52 +
5 (game winner) = 57

EB = Early Bird
EP = Early Perfect (first 10 perfect scores)
P = Participation
SN = Sneaker

The names of the 15 lasses wi' perfect scores will be going into a hat and the winner will be drawn. Before we do that, please make sure that if you sent something in, you see your name above.

Thanks for playing along with us. We enjoyed the swap, the games, getting to know our old Outlander friends better, getting to know our new Outlander friends and seeing and sharing all of the sporrans.

Respectfully submitted,

Your Chieftesses: Eilis, Fiona, Mordag and Seonag

Beauchamp Challenge 2: Answers and Winners

Thank ye ladies for taking time from alternating heat and rain to partake of our challenge. Entries were received from 26 lasses out of a total 45 possible participants (Beauchamps got to sit this one out). We hope you all enjoyed our game.

ANSWERS
Scrabble #1: Roger MacKenzie
CINEMA-GOER RECOGNIZER REORGANIZE ENERGIZER GEOMANCER MENAGERIE MERCERIZE ORGANIZER RECOGNIZE RECORKING REMARKING RERACKING ARMIGERO COMAKING CRANKIER CREAKIER CREAKING CREAMIER CREAMING CROAKIER CROAKING EMCEEING ENERGIZE GERMANIC GREENIER GRIMACER MONICKER ORANGIER ORGANIZE RAZORING REGAINER REMAKING ROMANCER ROMANIZE

Scrabble #2: Kakonhoaerhas
SHOEHORN ANORAKS HARKENS HARSHEN HOARSEN HONKERS HOOKAHS HOOKERS HOORAHS KARAOKE KRAKENS ONSHORE SENORAS SNOOKER ANORAK ARENAS ASHORE HARKEN HERONS HOARSE HONKER HONORS HOOKAH HOOKER HOORAH KOSHER KRAKEN KROONS REASON REHASH RESOAK SENORA SHAKEN SHAKER SHRANK

Scrabble #3: Pere Alexandre Ferigault
PREFERENTIAL REFRIGERATED ULTRAREFINED ALEXANDRITE DEFERENTIAL EXPENDITURE PREARRANGED REDEFEATING REEXPELLING REFRIGERANT REFRIGERATE REGENERATED REREGULATED REREPEATING DEFAULTING DEGENERATE DERAILLEUR DEREGULATE ENRAPTURED FEDERATING FLATLANDER GENERATRIX GRANULATED GRAPEFRUIT GUARANTEED INTERFERED INTERFERER LATERALING LEAFLETING PLATEAUING PREARRANGE PREFERRING PREFIGURED PREGENITAL PRETRAINED PRUDENTIAL READAPTING REALTERING REARRANGED REDRAFTING REEXPELLED REFEREEING REFILTERED REFUELLING REGENERATE REINFLATED REINTERRED REPANELLED REPLEADING REREGULATE REREPEATED RETREADING RINGLEADER TRIANGULAR ULTRARAPID UNFILTERED UNILATERAL

Morph #1: From Free to Sold in 6 steps
free - fred - feed - teed - toed - told - sold
FREE, tree, tred, toed, told, SOLD
FREE, pree, pred, poed, toed, told, SOLD
free, cree, cred, coed, cold, sold 

Morph #2: From Grace to Faith in 7 steps or less
grace - grape - gripe - grips - grits - frits - faits - faith
GRACE, trace, trice, trite, frite, frith, FAITH 
GRACE GRADE GRADS GRIDS GRITS GAITS FAITS FAITH 
grace, trace, trice, trite, brite, brith, frith, faith

Morph #3: From Black to Death in 8 steps or less
black - blank - flank - flans - flats - feats - heats - heath - death
black block blocs blots blats beats heats heath death  
BLACK, plack, place, plate, plats, peats, heats, heath, DEATH
black, brack, brach, beach, beath, death

Morph #4: From Tell to Hear in 3 steps or less
tell - hell - heal - hear
tell teal tear hear

Morph #5: From Fuse to Bomb in 7 steps or less
fuse -fuss - muss - moss - toss - toms - tomb - bomb
Fuse fuss buss boss boas boab bomb
fuse fume fame came come comb bomb
fuse fume fame dame dome come comb bomb
FUSE MUSE MUSS MOSS TOSS TOMS (male turkeys, not multiple Thomases) TOMB BOMB
FUSE-MUSE-MUST-MOST-MOOT-BOOT-BOOB-BOMB
fuse - ruse - rose - rote - tote - tome - tomb - bomb
OR LESS:  FUSE, fume, fame, tame, tome, tomb, BOMB (Thanks, JPillsbury)

SCORING
6 Frasers: 4 ten-point scores were received from LCBraun, ToniLee, CurlyKat, and Cinnamonamon.  Additional responses were received from BlueMoonRanch and FinnGarian.

13 Mackenzies: 6 ten-point scores were received from CursedGreenSwtr, AnnaEd, BlackMoonDog, JPillsbury, Jules1960, and TheKnitDr . Additional responses were received from StickPixie, SixGunSally, Esuzabeth, Neila, DurableDora, Rhenbo, and KnitMo. 

7 Murrays: 3 ten-point scores were received from VioletDawn, Abitknottie, and ImgonnaPurl. Additional responses were received from Cabrita, KigeliaKitten, TheresaMG, and JustaJenJen.

The ladies in blue italics each receive an extra early submission bonus point for being among the first 10 to submit a 10-point answer. If you sent in your challenge and dinna see your name above, please let us know so we can adjust your clan's scores.

Our Earlybird Award goes to VioletDawn of Clan Murray. Her response was received at 11:11 a.m. on Friday, August 6th. Well done, lass! Your clan earned a point.  And our Sneaker Award goes to not one but two ladies, BlueMoonRanch of Clan Fraser and JustaJenJen of Clan Murray. Both responses were received at 11:58 p.m. on Wednesday, August 11th.  Both ladies submitted entries (not participation points) so both have earned a point for their clan.

A special Perfect Score Award goes to VioletDawn, AbitKnottie, CursedGreenSwtr, AnnaEd, and JPillsbury.  Each lady earns an extra point for her clan for answering all 8 questions correctly!  Way to go!

The Time Traveling Wittiness Award goes to ImgonnaPurl who couldn't quite make 'grace morph to faith' in 7 easy steps.  But she was quite creative in calling upon the special skills of another famous Time Traveler:  grace - brace - brack - crack - in the universe - Amy and the Doctor - Tardis explodes - faith (in Dr Who saving the universe).  Gotta give her a point for creativity that relates to the book!

And the Winner is . . .
All sisters with a 10 or better score . . . 

. . . went into a project bag . . . 

. . . and the name pulled out by my dear niece is . . .
 
Mrs. Fitzgibbons of Clan MacKenzie
Congratulations Mrs Fitz!  You have earned an extra 5 points for your clan!


THE FINAL SCORE (for this round)
Fraser: 48 + 6 participation + 2 early submission bonus pints + 1 sneaker = 57
Mackenzie: 77 + 13 participation + 3 perfect scores + 6
early submission bonus points + 5 winner = 105
Murray: 37 + 7 participation + 2 perfect scores+ 2
early submission bonus points + 1 earlybird + 1 sneaker + 1 wittiness award = 51

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Gathering

The Gathering


Claire and Jamie finally go to a Gathering and Claire decided to hold a luncheon to introduce Brianna to social customs and events in her new time. Claire sent word to several of the ladies there and asked them to each bring something to eat or drink that begins with the first initial of one of the guests. The guests included: Brianna, Catriona, Jocelyn, Serease and Wynda. None of the ladies brought anything that began with the initial of their first name, nor did they travel by any means that shared either their own first initial or either of the things they brought.

As an ice breaker, Claire asks all of the ladies to guess what everyone brought, where they traveled from and how they traveled to the Gathering. To get everyone started, she told her guests that she and Brianna traveled from Frasers Ridge.

From the clues given, can you match up each of the ladies that came to the luncheon with what they brought and where they came from? Place an X in each of the boxes to indicate a wrong answer and an O to show that mark the correct answer. If you need a wee bit more help, check out this link. If you still need a bit more help, you can buy an O. They cost 1 point each, for a max of 5 O's. But be specific. That can be asked on the Games thread, and I will respond by PM.

Once you have the correct answers, send me each guest’s name with the correct information about them. As always, please send your answers to: Highlandergames (at) ymail (dot) com in the following format:

example: Claire – oat cakes, tea, Frasers Ridge, stones

Please put GATHERING in the subject line, and include your swap name, your clan and your rav name.

The clues:
1. Neither the woman who brought corn and scotch nor the one who brought coffee traveled by boat. Either the woman who brought the ale or the one who brought the beer lives in Wilmington. All five women are mentioned here.
2. Wynda hoped her sister didn’t get seasick on her travels this year.
3. Brianna couldn’t wait to eat what Wynda brought. It reminded her of the food she and Lizzie shared when they first met.
4. The woman from Jamestown enjoyed the wine brought by Serease and the stew brought by the woman who traveled by horse.
5. Catriona observed that only one of the women came from a place that began with their first initial.
6. Jocelyn was happy to come to the luncheon. She didn’t know any other women at the Gathering. She had never heard of Frasers Ridge or New Bern before.
7. Claire noticed that the woman from Jamestown was limping and discovered that she had walked to the Gathering.
8. The woman from New Bern brought either coffee or scotch.
9. Ale and haggis were brought by either Jocelyn or Wynda.



The chieftesses would like to thank all of you for coming to this Gathering and taking part in our swap. We hope to see you all back at the next Gathering - with the Fiery Cross.

Mordag, Eilis, Fiona, Seonag.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Murray Challenge Winner

The results are in. The 11 perfect scores were entered into a basket:



I drew out one of them:



Oops... It should be Ide MacKenzie.

Congrats Ide! You have won an additional 5 points for your clan.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Beauchamp Challenge, Part Deux

Ladies! 

Welcome to Section 11 -- a book-free area.  With a nod to Section 11 of the book, this week’s challenge features two types of games:

-- What’s in a Name! – a Scrabble word game
-- Transitions! – a word morph game

As with all Highland Games challenges, the maximum possible points one can earn is 10.  But, ye can earn them by completing a combination of the following puzzles.

WHAT’S IN A NAME! is a “words-in-a-word” game that will present you with a name (like Jamie Fraser).  All you have to do is to find all the eligible words contained in that name.  Here are the rules, which follow standard Scrabble rules:

  • Found words should contain the number of letters listed for the origin name.
  • Proper nouns do not count, i.e., wolf counts; Wolfe does not
  • Found words must be a commonly used English word; “exotic” words are not eligible
  • Duplicates don't count.
  • For each name, earn 1 point for every four words of the identified length found, with a maximum of 3 points per name

Example:  Claire Beauchamp (all words 9 or more letters) results in the following words with 9 or more letters: amicable, bicameral, bleacher, chemical, cherubim, crucible, impeachable, impeccable, peculiar, preamble, reachable, republic.

Scrabble #1:  Roger Mackenzie (all words 8 or more letters) = max 3 points
Scrabble #2:  Kakonhoaerhas (all words 6 or more letters) = max 3 points
Scrabble #3:  Pere Alexandre Ferigault (all words 10 or more letters) = max 3 points

TRANSITIONS! is a word morph game where you change one letter in the starting word to form a new word.  Repeat the process until you spell the ending word.  Here are the rules:

  • Proper nouns do not count, i.e., wolf counts; Wolfe does not
  • Morphed words must be in common English usage; “exotic” words are not eligible
  • Earn 1 point for each completed transition, for a maximum of 5 points for this puzzle.

Example: morphing from "head" to "foot" takes five moves:
HEAD
1.    BEAD – H was changed to B
2.    BEAT – D was changed to T
3.    BOAT– E was changed to O
4.    BOOT – A was changed to O
5.    FOOT – B was changed to F

Morph #1:  FREE to SOLD in 6 moves or less
“I was born free,” Ulysses tells Brianna.  “The carpenter … claimed that as I was the child of a slave, I was by law a slave myself.  And so, he sold me.”

Morph #2: GRACE to FAITH in 7 moves or less
“[I] refuse to baptize infants unless both parents were Christian and in a state of grace” Alexandre confessed to Roger.  “This is necessary, you understand, if the child is to be raised in faith.”

Morph #3: BLACK to DEATH in 8 moves or less
“Black is for death; prisoners who are to be killed are always painted so,” the girl explained in telling Claire the story of Otter-Tooth.  “You knew this when you met the man on the mountain.”

Morph #4:  TELL to HEAR in 3 moves or less
“But a man is not forgotten, as long as there are two people left under the sky.” declared Tewaktenyonh as she questioned how Claire came to possess Otter-Tooth’s opal.  “One, to tell the story; the other, to hear it.”

Morph # 5:  FUSE to BOMB in 7 moves or less
“I said, it’s no time we have to be wasting! Did ye not hear your man sayin’ that the fuses are lit?” Bonnet said to Brianna. “It’ll go off like a bomb!”

 As with all Highland Game challenges:

  • 1 bonus point goes to each of the first 10 perfect (i.e., 10 point) submissions
  • 1 point each goes for the first submission (early bird) and the last before the deadline (sneaker)
  • 5 points to the winner
We hope you enjoy the challenges.

Your Beauchamp Sisters

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Murray Challenge, The Results

Lasses,

There were 25 of you that rose to this week’s challenge. You did your clans proud. The challenges were a little different this week and Clan Murray was not able to snatch 5 points from any of the clans. Here are the answers:

The Crossword:
1. Childbirth
2. Iroquois
3. Highlander
4. Wormwood
5. Bonnet
6. Frasers
7. Ian
8. Ring

(We dinna mark off for spelling if it dinna affect the other word. We ken what ye meant.)


ANAGRAMS:
ronnie sinclair - acorn in line, sir
roger wakefield - a deer wig for elk
germaine fraser - raise a fern germ
kenny lindsey - skinny lye den
dougal mackenzie - a deck. a mule. no zig.
geilie duncan - i nudge in lace

QUOTAGRAMS

Quote #1: “Sassenach, I can stand fine bein’ hurt, cold, and hungry. I wilna put up wi’ being stabbed in the back by my own wife. Can ye not offer a bit of sympathy and comfort instead?”
Quote #2: “Aye, well. I seem to recall hearin’ a verra similar opinion expressed by your mother - the night before our wedding. I havena asked her lately does she regret bein’ forced to wed me or not, but I flatter myself she’s maybe not been miserable altogether.”

Answers to the clues are available upon request, but I do want to include the special one I did for Eilis, which she found:
Some consider this a clan. Is it? (65 - 88 - 49 - 53 - 11 - 72 - 2 - 80 - 111) 9 letters
The answer: Beauchamp
Eilis is the only one who answered the second part of the quesion, Is it? And we all ken how she answered.

The Scoring:

Perfect scores:
Beauchamp: Muirne, Morven, Bree, Eilis
Fraser: Nannag and Fiona
MacKenzie: Annaed, Catriona Duncan, Mrs Fitz, Kinley, Seonag
(italicized ones were the first 10 to be received.

The Players:
Beauchamp: Muirne, Morven, Lady NF, Nemetona, Ealasaid, Bree, Eilis, Elspeth, Isobel, Imogene, Caroline and Sineag
Fraser: Nannag, Fiona, and Jocasta Walkley
MacKenzie: Sophia, Ceanna, Annaed, Kellan, Catriona Duncan, Mrs Fitz, Kinley, Catriona Mac, Imogen, Ide and Seonag

Points:
Beauchamp: 88 (12 for participation, 4 bonus for being among the first 10 correct, 1 for finding the challenge within the challenge)
Fraser: 26 (3 participation, 2 bonus for being among the first 10 correct, 1 Early Bird)
Mac: 78 (10 for participation, 4 bonus for being among the first 10 correct, 1 sneaker, 3 bonus over-achiever for answering every challenge correctly) + 5 for winner = 83

Special awards and accolades:

Early Bird: Nannag of Clan Fraser ~ her entry was received at 5:53 pm on July 31st.
Sneaker: Seonag of Clan MacKenzie ~ her entry was received at 11:59 pm on August 4th.
Over-Achiever: Ide, Seonag and Catriona Duncan of Clan Mac for completing all of the challenges
Morven of Clan Beauchamp for figuring out that one of the challenges was from a different section of the book.

There will be 11 names to choose from for the Challenge winner. Results to be posted later.

If you dinna see your name, please let us know so we can add you to the list.

Respectfully submitted,

Mordag Murray

Monday, August 2, 2010

fraser challenge II winner

so many names in the hat this week!!

my third boy, Ian, who has, I'm sorry to say, no super-special hat of his own......drawing the name from a dress-up knight's helmet (he really doesn't always look so...cracked out, lol. he kept blinking or something!
And the lucky winner is, Ceanna MacKenzie!!! Congrats, lass -- you're won an extra 5 points for your team & a bittie prize from the Fraser lasses! :)



Friday, July 30, 2010

Murray Challenge II

Lasses,

We see that many of you are just breezing right through all of these challenges without breaking a sweat, so we are stepping it up a notch. We are offering 3 types of challenges - a crossword puzzle, anagrams, and cryptograms. Dinna fash - pick your favorite and earn up to 10 points.

When ye solve all of the puzzles, please send the answers to highlandergames (at) ymail (dot) com and put Murray in the subject line.

Pour yerself a wee dram, sharpen yer pencil and pull up a stool. We wish ye good luck.

The Murray Sisters

CROSSWORD PUZZLE
For the crossword puzzle, solve the clues - earn 1 point for every 2 words, max for the crossword is 4 points. You dinna need to send in the puzzle, just the answers to each of the clues.

Across:
1. In most places, a fifty-fifty, proposition
4. Only herb Claire might be able to use on Brianna
7. Who proposed to Brianna?
8. How Jamie and Ian find out who raped Brianna
Down:
2. Who has Roger?
3. One born to blood and honor
5. Who would Brianna like to kill?
6. Ye dinna want to step between two o’ these wi’ their dander up

ANAGRAMS

For the anagrams, unscramble the letters in each phrase or group of words to find a character whose name appears in this section. As with the example, the person’s first and last names dinna always appear together, but we ken who they are if they are referred to by their first name or their last. All answers are 2 words - first and last names. 1 point for each correct answer (first and last name), 6 points max.

Example: Rear scar - life!
CLAIRE FRASER

Claire is referred to as Claire, Mrs. Claire, and Mrs. Fraser in this section, but we ken she is Claire Fraser.

Acorn in line, sir
A deer wig for elk
Raise a fern germ
Skinny lye den
A deck. A mule. No zig.
I nudge in lace.

QUOTAGRAMS - 5 points each

To solve the quotagrams, solve the clues and enter the letters into the corresponding spaces above. The clues for quote 1 and quote 2 have different codes. Some of the numbers are repeated in the same quote. If the numbers 01 - 09 appear in the clues, they are in the spots 101 - 109. There was a bit of a space crunch. To enlarge the quotagram, click on the grid and it will grow.

You may be able to solve the quotagram without solving all of the clues. I just need you to send in the quote, not the clues.

quotagram #1 (5 points)



Solve the clues and insert the corresponding letter in the space above.

This is how we like our eggs or cream, not our ale: ( 87 - 42 - 32 -63 - 27 - 109 ) 6 letters
Where did all the bears go? ( 114 -86 - 103 - 24 -42 60 -64 -125- 58 - 34 ) 10 letters
This challenge, it's the wind. First MacKenzie challenge - it was the medicine.( 23 - 126 - 96 - 15 -73 - 29 )6 letters
What do food, shelter, felling axe and clothing have in common? (84 - 5 -31 - 22 - 4- 62 - 25 - 113 - 92 ) 9 letters
Another word for Duine Uasal ( 61 - 100 - 26 - 52 - 33 - 130 - 110 - 102 - 40 ) 9 letters
An evil female snake occupied this cave: ( 116 - 78 - 7 - 21 - 37 - 12 - 83 - 67 )8 letters
Water of life ( 45 - 38 - 20 - 14 - 77 - 115 ) 6 letters
Either punishment or person, Jamie wishes to avoid this: ( 76 - 120 - 101 - 50 - 97 - 124 - 16 - 33) 8 letters
Tomorrow is a new year, but this is today. ( 114 - 106 - 41 - 121 - 131 - 6 - 12 - 81 ) 8 letters
The point of this cryptogram ( 16 - 119 - 39 - 54 - 51 - 94 - 89 - 30 - 53 - 42 - 93 )11 letters
Forever in Jamie's heart ( 1 - 8 - 123 - 105 - 47 - 35 - 70 - 118 ) 8 letters
A small flute ( 122 - 10 - 107 - 5 ) 4 letters
Counterclockwise ( 85 - 56 - 68 - 18 - 67 - 101 - 128 - 9 - 46 - 91 - 108 )11 letters
This won't make me a dandy, but I wilna look a beggar. ( 124 - 59 - 66 - 74 - 95 - 48 ) 6 letters
How Jamie kept his horse from leaving ( 9 - 82 - 23 - 57 - 33 - 88 - 132 ) 7 letters
A weapon or food? You decide. ( 98 - 69 - 3 - 72 ) 4 letters
Duncan was asked to handle this. ( 47 - 104 - 22 - 28 - 71 - 100 - 36 - 75 - 17 - 113 ) 10 letters
Some consider this a clan. Is it? (65 - 88 - 49 - 53 - 11 - 72 - 2 - 80 - 111) 9 letters
It may be, it will happen: ( 12 - 90 - 43 - 12 - 55 - 88 - 13 - 117 - 67 ) 9 letters
What Claire thought of their prospects: ( 44 - 99 - 19 - 79 ) 4 letters





The clues:

American Fireside poet 1 - (129-34-19-06-44-1-12 / 17-135-110-137-47-26 / 56-61-57- 138-132-64)
American Fireside poet 2 - (45-20-121-28-16-118 / 4-51-43-87-70-19-06 / 65-79-20-35-77-53)
Amer Fireside poet 3- (21-29-46-80-2 / 4-18-88-99-85-112-15-13-93 / 20-82-71-91-78-54-37-06-124-85)
My ride was written about by #3 above - (49-94-60-19 / 30-3-62-22-131-47)
What Bree called the small cave - (12-23-128-04-50-26-72-133-58 / 4-32-125-55)
Educational qualification - ( 56-18-17-126-1-37-38-83-24-5-94-136-51)
Nacognoweto for one - (75-60-115-17-39-05-63-117-97)
This puts us in the phylum chordata - (120-07-126-00-76-40-26-11)
To test somthing, to try a new thing - (66-48-41-81-31-36-62-01-71-08)
A term for endearment for one or derision for others - (52-98-114-9-10-122-1-17-69)
Wandering aimlessly - (35-95-18-43-02-116-67-25-26-73)
A body of people composed of one or more nationalities, with its own territory and government ( 17-14-130-12-59-26-85-113-1-7-68-74)
Also known as the Seven Years War - (123-15-86-43-17-03 /27-90-111 /8-26-127-92-34- 96) War
Easily irritated - (42-84-38-33-17-89-134-6-09)

*Note: Each of the American Fireside poets use three full names in the clue.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Fraser Challenge II Results!

Ye did a braw job, lasses! 32 of a possible 45 participants! Here are the answers:

Game 1 : PASIONEMT
We were quite lax & forgiving with this game, though we did draw the line at using the word "the" for the "T" entry. ;)

P places: Phillip Alonzo, plantation, Philadelphia, prison, Paris, packet boat & porch
P people: passengers, patrons, poppet, physicians, people, parents, planter, Phaedre, practitioners, & Pollyanne
A places: Artemis, alter Aunt Jocasta's, apothecary shop, atmosphere, & anyplace
A people: apothecary, auntie/aunt, Andrew MacNeill, & Alexander
S places: shed, Scotland, stones, street, straw (where the clothes were put), south, ship, stable, sky, & Siam (as in "the King of")
S people: Smoots (Jr. or Mrs.), shipmates, someone else, Seargent Murchison, Stuart, slave, seaman, son Sassenach, & Stephen Bonnet
I places: into f@#%ing no where (LOL), Indes, Inverness, inn, Isles, & inglenook
I people: immigrants, Ian & idiot
O places: on a cargo ship, on the river (see how far we stretched it! "on" lol), Oxford, outside & ocean
O people: only person I love, officer (court, or "of the crown"), object of desire (clever!!), orphan, & (one of our favorites of the entire game:) Oreilles en feuille de chou -- loosely translated to mean "cauliflower ears"
N places: North Carolina, north, & New Bern
N people: Nayawenne, newlywed, nephew, & noble
E places: Edenton, Edmonton, east, & Edinburgh
E people: Erinyes, Englishman, Ellen, erstwhile shipmates & Elizabeth
M places: main depot, muddy bank, marketplace, Main St., mountains, museums, Montego Bay, & mill
M people: Andrew MacNeill, mama/mother, Minister, Marsali, Miss/Mistress, malevolent spirits, maid/maidservent, men/man, Mrs. Smoot, Roger/Jocasta/Dougal Mackenzie, Mr. Happy (LOL), Miss/Mr. Viorst, medusa, malcolm, & "my blessing" (awwww!)
T places: tavern, taproom, tropics & town
T people: Temeraine, Tryon, them, and tall, red-headed girl


Game 2: Jeopardy
  1. Person who resembles a poisoned white mouse when ill. Who is Lizzie?

  2. Officious person who looks like a half-roasted pig. Who is Sergeant Murchison?

  3. Person who is Roger’s aunt, six times removed. Who is Brianna?

  4. Meeting a gentleman who could give Lizzie the current whereabouts of Jamie and Claire was the reward for this virtuous behavior. What is doing the washing/washing the clothes?

  5. A fair indication of male satisfaction (according to Roger). What is “behaving as though your spinal column has been removed”?

  6. Name of the county wherein lies Fraser’s Ridge (as well as a name recognized by knitters internationally.) What is Rowan?


Game 3: cryptograms

Spoken about Brianna:
1. A great huge girl, dressed in men's breeches. Walkin' down the street, plain as you please, with her coat over her arm and her backside in view of everyone!

Spoken by Roger:
2. And where the hell else should I be, with you tearing off into f#$@ing nowhere and risking your bloody neck, and -- why the hell did you do it?!

Recited by Roger:
3. I, Roger Jeremiah, do take thee, Brianna Ellen, to be my lawful wedded wife. With my goods I thee endow, with my body I thee worship...in sickness and in health, in richness and in poverty, so long as we both shall live.

Challenge Results:

Mackenzie:
Seonag*, Ceanna, Ide*, Catriona Duncan, Kellan, Eadgyth, Aislinn, Catriona, Imogen, Mrs. Fitz*, Sophia, & Kinley*

Murray:
Mordag*, Caireann*, Tammy, Zella*, Ceana, Bea, Eileen, & Toireasa

Beauchamp:
Muirne*, Imogene, Isobel, Ealasaid, Sineag, Elspeth, Lady North Facing, Caroline, Nemetona, morven, Bree & Eilis

Additional points:
Seonag Mackenzie as early bird, and Toireasa Murray as sneaker!

Mackenzie points: 92 points + 3 (first responders) + 4 (perfect 18) + 1 (early bird) = 100 points
Murray points: 67 points + 3 (first responders) + 3 (perfect 18) + 1 (sneaker) = 74 points
Beauchamp points: 101 points + 4 (first responders) + 1 (perfect 18) = 106 points

***I will edit (hopefully this evening) with the winner from the hat drawing. :) ***

2nd Mac Challenge Results and Winner!

Congrats to everyone for your amazing participation this round! My apologies for not getting this up sooner - the craziness called "life" got in the way...

First the answers:
1. raggedy ann
2. bagpipes
3. baroque pearls
4. wooden spatula
5. silk stockings
6. african parrot
7. quill pen
8. caged chickens
9. hammock

I loved all the pictures and the patterns!! Just as a reminder, you received a 1/2 point for unscrambling the item, a 1/2 point for a picture of the item, and a full point for a ravelry link to one of the items. Drum roll please...

We had a total of 28 participants, with 21 perfect scores! Names in blue were one of the first 10 respondents with perfect answers and received an additional point for their clan. Bolded names also received perfect scores and were eligible for the drawing.

Beauchamp:
Bree, Caroline, Ealaisaid, Eilis, Imogene, Isobel, Lady North Facing, Morven, Muirne, Nemetona, and Sineag

Fraser:
Airlie, Fiona, Isla, Jeannette, Jocasta Walkley, Nannag, Phaedra, and Vika

Murray:
Bea, Caireann, Ceana, Dalriada, Eileen, Mordag, Tammy, Toireasa, and Zella

DD#1 drew Fiona Fraser's name - congrats!! (Sorry no pics, camera is AWOL and probably in DD#2's toybox!)

Additional points were awarded to:
Eilis Beauchamp for being the early bird (+1)
Vika Fraser for being the sneaker (+1)
Bea Murray for including a picture of her own chicks hatching! (+1)
Fiona Fraser for being the individual winner (+5)

Totals are:
Beauchamp: 100.5 + 4 (1st responders) + 1 (early bird) = 105.5
Fraser: 61.5 + 1 (1st responders) + 1 (sneaker) + 5 (individual winner) = 68.5
Murray: 77.5 + 5 (1st responders) + 1 (cleverness!) = 83.5

Congrats, and thanks for playing! (And for all the lovely pattern links!)
~Seonag Mac

Friday, July 23, 2010

Fraser Challenge #2

Welcome to this passion-filled section with our favorite daughter and her soon-to-be lover & (hand-fast) husband! We've created 3 games for you to play again, all based on section 9. Same as before, each game allows for 6 points to be earned, but you need only 10 to get a "perfect." Over-achievers (you know who you are! ;)) who answer all 18 correctly do earn an extra point, though.

Answers due by midnight on July 28. Send them to highlandergames at ymail dot com. Happy Puzzling!


Game 1

The Murray's game of Marsali...has been renamed Passionement, in honor of our section's title. Or, without all the duplicate letters:

PASIONEMT

You need only find words beginning with each letter above, (from our paltry 2 chapters - 40 & 41), with the following subjects:

Places
People

3 words for every point.

Game 2

Nannag has created another tricky Jeopardy game for you. The "answers" are below...send us the questions! 1 point for each question.

1. Person who resembles a poisoned white mouse when ill.

2. "Officious" person who looks like a half-roasted pig?

3. Person who is Roger’s aunt, six times removed.

4. Meeting a gentleman who could give Lizzie the current whereabouts of Jamie and Claire was the reward for this virtuous behavior.

5. A fair indication of male satisfaction (according to Roger).

6. Name of the county wherein lies Fraser’s Ridge (as well as a name recognized by knitters internationally.)

Game 3

The last game is a cryptogram -- dinna hate me! I've made it easy -- well loved quotes spoken... 2 points for each quote.

Quote #1 - spoken about Brianna

Z AYSZM LXAS AJYI, UYSOOSU JW GSW'O EYSSPLSO. DZIBJW' URDW MLS OMYSSM, NIZJW ZO TRX NISZOS, DJML LSY PRZM RKSY LSY ZYG ZWU LSY EZPBOJUS JW KJSD RV SKSYTRWS!

Quote #2 - spoken by Roger (please excuse the language!)

YLN CKBDB QKB KBJJ BJUB UKIWJN Z GB, CZQK FIW QBYDZLV IXX ZLQI XWAOZLV LICKBDB YLN DZUOZLV FIWD GJIINF LBAO, YLN -- CKF QKB KBJJ NZN FIW NI ZQ?!

Quote #3 - recited by Roger

F, USKWU AWUWXFQJ, HS DQNW DJWW, IUFQVVQ WGGWV, DS IW XE GQOTZG OWHHWH OFTW. OFDJ XE KSSHL F DJWW WVHSO, OFDJ XE ISHE F DJWW OSULJFY...FV LFRNVWLL QVH FV JWQGDJ, FV UFRJVWLL QVH FV YSPWUDE, LS GSVK QL OW ISDJ LJQGG GFPW.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

MacKenzie Challenge, Part II

The MacKenzies' second challenge is based on Section 8, and this section was all about journeys: Brianna's journey through the stones, then to Lallybroch, and then to America; Roger's journey through the stones and off to America to find Brianna. Of course, they probably made a list of things to bring with them.

Your job is to unscramble the items on their list and find a picture so they know what to look for. Scoring: 1/2 point for unscrambling the item and 1/2 point for the image. Be sure to include the image and not just the link for the image. You get a bonus point for including ONE knitting pattern link from Ravelry. (All items are found within Section 8.)

1. gdyareg nna

2. spagpbei

3. qaeurbo aplsre

4. onwdeo ulpasta

5. kils gktsscnio

6. cfnaair tproar

7. luilq epn

8. daegc hnkcseci

9. mkhmcoa

Please submit all answers to highlandergames at ymail dot com by MIDNIGHT (EST) on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21. Be sure to include your swap name, clan name, and ravelry id, so we can properly sort the answers.

Have fun, and good luck on your journey!
~Seonag Mac and your MacKenzie Sisters

Fraser Challenge #1 Answers

Jeopardy:

1. What is “blinking first”?
2. What is crepuscle?
3. Who is Nayawenne?
4. Who is Shelley?
5. Who are Jamie and Willie?
6. What is “My Weekly”? (or My Weekly’s tips for the lovelorn, or “How to Intrigue a Man”.)

Word Search:

jamie fraser
claire fraser
ian murray
jocasta cameron
dougal mackenzie
colum mackenzie
duncan innes
andrew macneill
fionn mac cumhall
john quincy myers
nacognaweto
nayawenne

**fionn mac cumhall is the one that most could not find -- he (she?) was a fairy in one of the tales they talked about in the book**

Letter Suduko:

1 NRY AOL UIM
2 UML IYR NOA
3 IAO NUM LYR

4 MOU YIN RAL
5 AIR OLU YMN
6 LYN RMA IUO

7 OLM URI ANY
8 YUA LNO MRI
9 RNI MAY OLU

**for all those who said that these sukukos were hard -- only one person who attempted it did not succeed in getting a perfect score on it!**

The Fraser Challenge Results are IN!

**editing to add -- the Beauchamp's Nemetona had a sending snafu, so she's being added in -- she earned an additional 10 points for her team! Congrats, ladies!**

Lassies, ye did a braw job of it! We had a total of 28 participants, this round, and of those, TWENTY-TWO "perfect 10" scores! The break-down is as follows:
Murray:
Caireann, Mordag, Tammy, Bea, Eileen, Toireasa, & Zella

Mackenzie:
Aislinn, Catrionia Duncan, Ide, Eadgyth Mac, Isobel, Ceanna, Mrs. Fitz, Dirty Prudentilla Bonney, Imogen, Catriona, Kinley, Ronan, & Seonag
Beauchamp:
Muirne, Sineag, Imogen, Eilis, Ealaisad, Morven, Lady North Facing, Bree, & SuisanBlue text denotes first 10 responders who also had "perfect 10" scores (and thus earn their team an extra point), and bolded lasses are also "perfect 10" scores, who are entered into the drawing.

Additional points are awarded to:

Caireann Murray, for being the early bird
Zella Murray, for being the sneaker, with our best time yet: 11:59pm!! No beating that one!
Caireann Murray, Muirne Beauchamp, Seonag Makenzie & Ide Mackenzie for answering all 18 questions correctly!
Totals are:
Murray: 61 + 4 (first responders) + 1 (early bird) + 1 (sneaker) + 1 (perfect 18) = 68
Mackenzie: 115 + 4 (first responders) + 2 (perfect 18) + 5 (challenge winner) = 126
Beauchamp: 71 + 2 (first responders) + 1 (perfect 18) = 74

****edited to add the drawing information****
22 Names were put in the hat...a very special hat! Knit for me as a surprise by one of the Lallyclickets from the Ladies of Lallybroch, 5 1/2 years ago -- before I knew how to knit!! And the blinking boy in the photo who chose the winner was the one who wore it as an infant. :)

On to the drawing...And the winner is.... Ide Mackenzie!!! Congrats! You've won your clan an extra 5 points! :)

I don't know why he kept blinking like that....lol

-Submitted by Fiona Fraser

Friday, July 9, 2010

Fraser Challenge

Je Suis Prest! Are you? We sure hope so!!

Your challenge is brought to you in 3 parts, and you may pick and choose which to complete to earn your 10 points. All information will be in Section 7 of the book.

Part 1: Jeopardy
each question worth 1 point - 6 points possible

The answers are below. Please submit the "question" for each.

1. The way you lose owl.

2. The mysterious half-light at dawn and dusk when some animals feed.

3. A bag ornamented with a rough green stone and the spotted tail-feathers of a woodpecker hung around this person’s neck.

4. Fiend defying poet with a calm mind.

5. Cack-handed father and son.

6. “Don’t be too aggressive” is advice from this source.


Part 2: Word Search
every word is worth 1/2 of a point - 6 points possible

There are 12 names in the word search below, but you shall have to work this without a word list. They are all found in Chapters 19 & 20 of Section 7. The last name is attached, even if it is not that way in the book (i.e. you would not just find "frank" but "frankrandall"). Two of the people do not have last names. One is actually not a character in the book, but the "person" is named (and yes, the use of quotes just there is a hint for you!). An additional help is that all words are front or backwards, up or down. No diagonals!

To submit, simply send a list of the names you find.

(click on word search to enlarge)

Part 3: Word Sudoku
6 possible points. 1 point deducted for each incomplete or incorrect row...you will not receive negative points, although there are 9 rows...

(Number) Sudoku explanation: Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Here is a link that contains tutorials of how to play (look in the left-hand column).

However, today we are playing WORD Sudoku. instead of 9 different digits, there are 9 different letters. What letters? Well...you must solve this bitty clue to find out:

Clue:
a boy and his "dog..."

Answer:
_____ _____ & _____

Look at the letters from these 3 words -- after you remove all the duplicate letters, there are 9 different ones left. Use these 9 to solve the sudoku below.

To submit, send the 9 letters (in the correct order) for each ROW:

Example below (x being the letters you have yet to discover -- obviously yours will have the "real" letters in there):

row 1: xRxxOxxIx
row 2: xxLIYRNxx
(all the way through row 9, of course)

(click on puzzle to enlarge)

As always, please submit your answers to highlandergames at ymail dot com. Include "Fraser Challenge" in the subject line, and your swap name, ravelry name, and clan affiliation in the body of the email.

Deadline is July 14th at midnight, EST.
-Fiona Fraser

Beauchamp Challenge Revealed

Thank ye ladies for taking time from a busy week and the excruciating heat to partake of our wee challenge.  Entries were received from 25 lasses out of a total 45 possible participants (Beauchamps got to sit this one out).  We hope you all enjoyed a little peek at Claire's letters home to Bree.

ANSWERS
LETTER 1: Word Search Forever
1. ADAM
2. BRIANNA
3. CLAIRE
4. DR RAWLINGS
5. DUNCAN
7. FIONA
8. FRANK RANDALL
9. IAN
10. JAMIE
11. JOCASTA
12. KING WILLIAM
13. LONGFELLOW (we didn't fool anyone; this is just one word)
14. MACBETH
15. MONSIEUR FRESELIERE
17. MR WAKEFIELD
18. MYERS
19. POLLYANNE
20. SASSENACH
21. SERGEANT MURCHINSON -- despite the spelling variations from the US and UK editions, everyone got this.

LETTER 2: Crosswords,  Je t’aime
ACROSS
5. Thermodynamics
7. Myers
9. Pollyanne
10. Gralloch
11. Saorsa
12. Mavis McDowell -- or Mavis MacDowell, the alternate spelling without the word space and NO, CurlyKat, it is not Mark Wahlberg, although he is better looking!

DOWN
1. Uncle Angus
2. Mohawk
3. Veil [Like St. Paul, we also accepted hair]
4. Faith
6. MacBeth
8. Gooseberry

SCORING
8 Frasers: 4 perfect scores were received from LCBraun, MsLilly, CurlyKat, Cinnamonamon. Additional responses were received from Anne, Orions1, Guinevere, BlueMoonranch.
7 Murrays: 5 perfect scores were received from VioletDawn, Abitknottie, MeredithParker, Tonilee, ImgonnaPurl. Additional responses were received from Cabrita, JustaJenJen.
10 Mackenzies: 4 perfect scores were received from CursedGreenSwtr, Neila, AnnaEd, BlackMoonDog. Additional responses were received from Jules1960, The KnitDr, StickPixie, SixGunSally, Esuzabeth, JPillsbury.

The ladies in blue italics each receive an extra point for being among the first 10 to submit a 10-point answer. If you sent in your challenge and dinna see your name above, please let us know so we can adjust your clan's scores.

Our Earlybird Award goes to VioletDawn of Clan Murray. Her response was received at 2:27 pm (and then again at 2:52 p.m.) on Friday, July 2nd. Well done, lass --both responses qualify for earlybird!  And our Sneaker Award goes to Cinnamonamon of Clan Fraser. Her response was received at 11:52 pm on Thursday, July 8th.  Both ladies have earned a point for their clans.

A special Perfect Score Award goes to VioletDawn, CursedGreenSwtr, AnnaEd, and ImGonnaPurl.  Each lady earns an extra point for their clan for answering all 33 questions correctly!  Way to go!

Final Results will be posted this weekend, once I wake up a couple of sleepy teens who have worked a Girl Scout camp for four days in 100 degree weather.

And the Winner is . . .

All sisters with a 10 or better score . . .

Went into a project bag (sorry, no hats out here in Manchester at the Knit and Crochet Show)

And the name pulled from the bag by youngest dear niece was:


Catriona Mackenzie!

Congratulations, Cat!  You have earned an additional 5 points for your clan.

The Final Score:

Fraser: 62 + 2 bonus + 1 sneaker = 65
Mackenzie: 59 + 3 bonus + 2 perfect scores + individual winner = 69
Murray: 52 + 5 bonus + 1 earlybird + 2 perfect scores = 60

CONGRATS to all our participants!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Beauchamp Challenge: Letters from Home


Haroo Sisters! 

A man in a black suit just made a special delivery of two very dusty letters.  He said they have been sitting in his firm’s vault for more than 200 years.  Of course, like our namesake, Claire, we Beauchamps were quite intrigued by the cryptic messages contained in the letters.  Although the Beauchamps are quite adept at solving puzzles, it looks like we won’t have time to solve these.  So, we call out to our Mackenzie, Murray, and Frazer sisters for a wee bit of help in deciphering these ancient letters. 

This challenge focuses on Parts 5 and 6 of Drums of Autumn.  As with all Highland Games challenges, the maximum possible points one can earn is 10.  But, ye can earn them by completing a combination of the following puzzles.

Letter One:  Word Search Forever
You get 1 point for every three words found, for a maximum of 7 points for this game.

August 1767

Dearest Bree-

You’ll love to know that I am doing fine.  Jamie and I have started to get settled.  We're in America now.  It is beautiful!  I wish you could see it.  Coming from the 20th century, we forget that there so many folks have tread the same soil before us.  Sorry dear, this is probably beginning to sound like a history lesson.  I
n the short weeks since our arrival, we have met many people, some of whom remind me so much of the lovely folks back in our your time.  I would love to list them by name here, but you remember your American history -– with my British accent, they likely think I am compiling a hit list of sorts.  So I will just list them with a few identifying letters and ask that you find them in the grid.

All my love, Momma.



People we have met:
1. A __ __ M
2. B __ __ __ N __ __
3. C __ __ __ R __
4. D __ R __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
5. __ __ N C __ __
6. __ __ __ Q U __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
7. __ I __ N __
8. __ R __ __ K __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
9. __ A __
10. __ A __ __ __
11. J __ __ __ S __ __
12. __ __ __ G W __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
13. __ __ __ G F __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
14. M A __ __ __ __ __ [Corrected - Should be 7 letters]

15. __ __ __ S __ __ __ __ __ __E __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
16. __ __ __ __ R A __ __ __ (2 words)
17. M R __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words)
18. __ Y __ __ __
19. __ __ L L __ __ __ __ __
20. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ C H
21. S __ __ __ E __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (2 words) [Corrected - Should be 17 letters]



Click on the image to see the full Word Search for printing


Letter Two:  Crosswords,  Je T’aime
You get 1 point for every two words found, for a maximum of 6 points for this game. 

August 1767
Dearest Daughter-

Bree, darling (oh, how I miss saying that to you).  I hope you are doing fine and that you have continued to work hard at your studies.  I thought to tell you a bit about our travels, about the people we've met and the things we've seen.  You should see your Great Aunt Jocasta's place.  It is a wonder to behold.  I can only hope that it has been restored just like Mount Vernon, yet to be built, will be, so that you can see it.  Time is short and once again, I think it prudent to exercise some caution.  I do draw attention to myself just being me.  I do not need my words to add fuel to the fire.  With your methodical mind (so much like your father) I thought you would enjoy a bit of a crossword.  I've offered a few clues to the people and things we have seen and ask that you find them in the crossword grid.  Until I can write again.

Je t'aime, Momma 

ACROSS
5. This first law says nothing is lost only changed
7. A gentle giant
9. Claire's primitive "colleague"
10. What is the prayer Jamie said?
11. Freedom

12. A relative of the Planet of the Apes actor, perhaps? [2 words]
DOWN
1. This aged "Scottie" was given a renewed life [2 words]

2. No such thing as rape among them
3. Saint Paul's solution to unseemly lust
4. Nothing is lost, only changed
6. What is the postman's name?

8. Its green stage can "cramp" anyone's style

Click on the image to see the full crossword for printing


As with all the other challenges:
  • 1 bonus point goes to each of the first 10 perfect (i.e.m 10 points) submissions
  • 1 point each goes for the first submission (early bird) and the last before the deadline (sneaker)
  • 5 points to the winner 

We hope you enjoy the challenges.  Happy Independence Day! Remember, as Claire does with these letters to Bree, home is where the heart lies.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

MacKenzie Challenge - The Outcome!

Lasses! I am SO proud that so many of you participated in the MacKenzie challenge - WOW!! There were 45 lasses eligible to play (Clan MacKenzie issued the challenge, so we couldna play) and out of that group, 31 rose up to the challenge we issued. 18 of those 31 earned a perfect score. BRAW JOB, LASSES!!

The answers:

1. Jocasta Cameron

2. Governor Tryon

3. Edwin Murray

4. Phillip Wylie

5. Pollyanne

6. Ulysses

7. Lieutenant Wolff

8. Andrew MacNeill

9. Billy Murchison

BONUS: TULACH ARD!! (What else could it be?!)

Beauchamp: 6 perfect scores were received from Bree, Ealasaid, Eilis, Imogene, Muirne, and Sineag. Additional responses were received from Caroline, Elspeth, Isobel, Lady North Facing, Morven, Nemetona, and Siusan.

Fraser: 7 perfect scores were received from Fiona, Isla, Jeannette, Jocasta Walkley, Nannag, Phaedra, and Vika. Additional responses were received from Airlie and Julienne.

Murray: 5 perfect scores were received from Bea, Caireann, Mordag, Tammy, and Zella. Additional responses were received from Caena, Eileen, Marsali, and Toireassa.

If you sent in your challenge and dinna see your name above, please let us know so we can adjust your clan's scores.

Our earlybird award goes to Vika of Clan Fraser. Her response was received at 3:11am on Friday, June 25th. That was quickly done, lass! And our sneaker award goes to Elspeth of Clan Beauchamp. Her response was received at 11:58pm on Wednesday, June 30.

There are two special awards going to Nemetona Beauchamp and Jeannette Fraser for noting that TULACH ARD is the battle cry of Clan MacKenzie - LOL! You have both earned an extra point for your clan!

A bonus point also goes to Mordag Murray for lighting a fire under her clan and increasing clan participation by 50% in the last hour!!!

All sisters with a perfect score



went into the hat,


and the name that was pulled by DD was...




BREE BEAUCHAMP!!!


Congratulations, Bree! You have earned an additional 5 points for your clan!

The Score:
Beauchamp: 93 + 4 bonus + 1 sneaker + individual winner = 103
Fraser: 76 + 5 bonus + 1 earlybird = 82
Murray: 61 + 4 bonus = 65

Congrats to all of our participants - on to the next!


Respectfully submitted,
Seonag MacKenzie
ETA: changed scoring to reflect bonus points for first perfect 10 scores. Beauchamp received an additional 3 bonus points; Fraser received an additional 4 bonus points; and Murray received an additional 3 bonus points. The overall scores have been adjusted accordingly.
Apologies!!
~Seonag

Friday, June 25, 2010

And the Winner is...

Our Lady of the Blog is off, so I'm left to draw the lucky winner of the Murray challenge! Well, my sweet boy, actually... ;)

Lots of names this week:
All in the hat knit for him by his midwives 3 years ago:


Choosing carefully:


And here you go!


For those who canna read upside down, or turn their monitors on end easily, that is Caroline of Clan Beauchamp! Congrats, lassie!!

-Fiona Fraser

MacKenzie Challenge - Sections 4 & 5

Dear clan sisters, the MacKenzie clan brings you a list of characters that we first meet in sections four and five. Your duty is to use the Ottendorf Cipher to tell us who we meet.

An Ottendorf Cipher gives you the location of the letter in a particular document. For this game, we will give you the chapter number, paragraph number, word number, and letter number. For example, Stacey Hood would be:

10-4-7-1
10-8-5-3
10-20-24-3
10-47-31-4
10-74-3-4
10-106-34-10

10-136-8-2
10-155-35-2
10-200-7-3
10-227-23-4

You get 1 point for each correct character answer and a bonus point for the final phrase, which will pull the clues from each character.

Please email your answers to highlandergames at ymail dot com by MIDNIGHT EST on WEDNESDAY, June 30. Good luck and have fun!

eta: 2 numbers below are bolded to show that they were mistakes that have been corrected. thanks for catchin' it, lassies!

1.
10-2-1-1
10-4-20-2
10-6-3-1
10-9-12-4
10-11-25-2
10-14-7-7
10-15-38-7

10-17-32-4
10-19-10-8
10-21-10-5
10-22-16-7
10-26-18-8
10-28-32-10
10-30-16-3

2.
10-32-40-3
10-33-2-2
10-35-24-3
10-38-26-5
10-41-1-3
10-44-36-6
10-46-29-2
10-50-2-2

10-54-23-4
10-56-28-3
10-60-5-9
10-61-21-3
10-63-36-7

3.
10-65-31-2
10-67-6-1
10-69-65-2
10-72-1-4
10-74-15-5

10-80-1-5
10-83-36-7
10-88-17-6
10-91-11-6
10-99-9-4
10-103-1-2

4.
11-3-26-2
11-5-58-1
11-23-19-4
11-29-3-2
11-29-3-3
11-36-28-6
11-43-6-4

11-55-21-2
11-75-2-5
11-79-24-6
11-85-11-1
11-92-5-2

5.
14-5-17-4
14-27-4-2
14-34-7-3
14-46-22-4
14-68-16-7
14-106-17-2
14-113-12-6
14-123-38-2
14-133-20-4

6.
12-64-47-5
12-66-23-7
12-70-9-6
12-85-9-3
12-87-13-4
12-94-5-2
12-99-18-6

7.
13-1-14-2
13-17-14-5
13-34-35-3
13-72-10-4
13-91-6-5
13-122-18-6
13-131-15-6
13-147-18-2
13-162-10-3
13-182-32-4

13-200-2-1
13-213-17-2
13-225-8-4
13-245-4-3
13-245-4-4

8.
14-2-8-4
14-6-23-9
14-9-17-4
14-22-6-4
14-28-25-4
14-34-20-3

14-38-18-1
14-45-2-6
14-48-22-6
14-51-5-4
14-66-29-6
14-72-30-3
14-90-26-4
14-137-16-5

9.
15-1-31-1
15-14-41-2
15-27-3-3
15-36-16-4
15-54-34-7

15-65-8-5
15-80-5-12
15-94-25-5
15-102-2-3
15-114-23-2
15-119-2-5
15-153-36-4
15-174-24-2
15-198-19-5

BONUS
13-91-6-5
15-80-5-12
12-66-23-7
10-19-10-8
14-48-22-6
11-5-58-1

14-106-17-2
10-50-2-2
10-67-6-1

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Lasses ~ I was so happy to see how much everyone enjoyed the challenges this week! I fear the sweet wee Fraser laddies will have a tough time picking from so many names.

There were 45 lasses eligible to play, (Clan Murray issued the challenge so we couldna play) and out of that group, 25 of you rose up to the challenge we issued. 21 of those 25 earned enough points for a perfect score. Braw job, lasses!

The answers:

CRYPTOGRAMS

Most of you did not try the cryptograms, so I will give you those first.
1) You’ll have a turn at the pole yourself before long ~ and I expect ye’ll have us in Cross Creek before nightfall, aye? This was Jamie speaking to Ian.

2) God kens best what will happen to the lad; if he's not shot or knocked on the head in some tavern, he'll likely come home wi' an ostrich he's won at faro next. Jamie to Claire pondering what they will do with wee Ian.

3) After what we've done for ye, ye'll rob and spoil us, lay violent hands upon my aunt and my dog, and then ye'll ha' the gall to speak of repayment? Ian to Bonnet after they were robbed. (I wonder how Claire likes being lumped in with Rollo. At least she was mentioned first.)

BALDERDASH
This is one of my favorite party games! We are given a word(phrase) and we write down the word(phrase) that is the closest to it.
Alagruous ~ woebegone
Basia Mille ~ 1000 Kisses
Caisteal Dhuni ~ A Mhor-fhaiche (both battle cries of Clan Fraser. Most of you picked Clan Motto and told me it wasn't a motto, but a battle cry.
Duine Uasal ~ gentleman (a man of worth)
Munro bagging ~ mountain climbing (climbing specific mountians ~ over 3,000 feet)
Sedulous ~ Diligent

And finally, MARSALI or Bust
FOOD/BEVERAGES
M~ Mulberry Leaves, Milk, Moist crumbs, mushrooms, Mashed tobacco residue, Mutton, Meat
A~ Apples, Aspic, Amber nectar
R~ Rings, Ragout, roots, roasted peanuts, Roe
S~ Salt, Scotch, Shortbread, Salt beef, Soda, Sardines, Soused hog's face, Spiced crabs
L~ Lard, Lobster, lagavulin, Lemon
I~ Insects, Ian (threatened to be turned into fishbait), Italian, Invertebrate (octopus on a stick), Ichthys, (Greek for fish - Jamie loved his Greek) In aspic, Ices
OBSTACLES
M~ Memories, misgivings, Mud, Money, water Moccasins, Seatbelt (when you want to kiss your lass), Mad March to glory, Mosquitoes, Miles of wilderness, Midges
A~ Alligator, Joe Abernathy (tried to keep Roger from hurting Bree),Alarm clock, Appearance, Atlantic, Aloysius (as an obstacle to the name Germaine, if Marsali had her way!), awkwardness, broken Axles,
R~ Revolver, rumpled bedclothes (in Bree's way as she is talking to Roger on the phone), Roads (washed away by storms), Rings, Rascals, Rising, River, Rubies, RCA (as in the tv that almost didn't work), Rope, Regulators, Religion, Rollo, Roberts the robber
S~ Sturgeon, Stephen Bonnet (enough said), Saplings, Sapphire, beard Stubble, Swamp, Secrets, Sailors, stray children and luggage carts, Sale of stones, surgery w/o anesthesia, Stuart Rising
L~ Latin conjunction, Laoghaire (keeping Jamie out of Scotland), Loss, Love, Line of Cars, Loyalty oath, Lawlessness, living as a farmer with a hook arm -Fergus, Lack of Laborers, Lake
I~ Ian (his presence is an obstacle to privacy), Inuinal hernia, Interruptions, Ian's thick head (an obstacle for Jamie - or thick heid), Indians
PEOPLE
M~ John Quincy Myers, Marsali, Mary,Mackay, Mama (Claire), Mary Oliphant,
A~ Ambrose MacKenzie, Auntie (Claire or Jocasta), Abernathy, Neil Armstrong,
R~ Roger Mac, Reverend Wakefield, Dr. Daniel Rawlings, Red Jacob,
S~ Charles Stuart, Sister Marie Romaine, Sassenach, Sonnini Stanhope,
L~ John Lennon, Lenny Abernathy, Lindsay, Laoghaire, Bill Livingston
I~ Ian, Duncan Innes,
PLACES
M~ Moon, Munro, mountains, Massachusetts, Montrose, Mission Control
A~ Airport, Apartment, Atlantic, America, Aberfeldy, Apothecary, Amherst
R~ River Run, River,
S~ Scotland, Sailors Rest, Sherrifmuir, South Carolina, shipping dock
L~ Lillington's stables, Lallybroch, Loche Linnhe, Loch Lomond, London, Lunar surface, Leoch
I~ Inverness, Indies
TRANSPORTATION
M~ Morbid sore throat (transpoted Old Hector to his rest), Mustang, Mule
A~ Automobiles, Apollo 11, Airport (transportaion hub), Ambulance, Airplane, airline seat
R~ Rocket Ships, River boat, roads, Raft, Running
S~ Ships, Sally Ann, Sea, Scull, Stone Circle, Spaceship, Skin
L~ Ladder, Light (calling of clans), Learning (and influence - my mother would love this one!), Legs, Lunar Lander, Leapt
I~ Inhuman embrace of reptile transporting one to position of rank and riches, In Claire's pocket (acupuncture needles), Illness, Inutero (Germaine), Incoming tide, Ingenuity


There were 10 of you that submitted perfect responses early enough to get that extra point: Eilis (also our Early Bird getting her answer in first at 10:14 am on 6/18) and Muirne of clan Beauchamp, Nannag and Bourgogne of Clan Fraser, Seonag, Eadgyth, Ceanna, Ide, Catrionia Duncan and Catriona all of Clan MacKenzie (Yes, 6 bonnie lasses from Clan MacKenzie!)

The other names in the 'hat' for perfect scores are: Caroline, Elspeth, Isobel, Morven and Ealasaid of Clan Beauchamp, Fiona, Jocasta Walkley, Vika and Jeannette of Clan Fraser and Mrs Fitz and Kinley of Clan MacKenzie.

Our Sneaker award goes to Kinley of Clan MacKenzie, who submitted her answers 8 minutes before the bell of midnight.

There is a special award going to Catriona Duncan, and it is a dubious honor to be sure. She gets the Balderdash Award, which might be the equivalent Most likely to become next Games Chieftess; She is the only one who answered all of the Balderdash questions correctly, or more importantly, the only one who knew that A Mhor-fhaiche is also the Fraser clan battle cry. Mayhap she's heard it a time or two. You have earned an extra point for your slyness!

The Score:
Beauchamp:103 + 2 bonus + 1 Earlybird = 106
Fraser: 75 + 2 bonus = 77
MacKenzie: 88 + 7 bonus + 1 sneaker = 96

Respectfully submitted,

Mordag Murray