Questions? Ask the Concierge

[Jane]

For task #28, can I read a book released on 24 Feb 2015? Or must it be between 2011-2015 (2012,2013,2014?)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Jenny wrote: "I swear I read through the faqs and this thread before asking this...

If I read a book that does not fit any of the month's tasks, so it is not entered on the spreadsheet, but it is listed on my r..."

I have some thoughts but I’d like to discuss with Tea first. We will come back to you soon

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Brooklyn wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Karolyn wrote: "Would you consider"Flowers" to be a summer related word for the December bonus?"

To me, flowers is more related to Spring"

Does this also exclude all names of flo..."

Roses are still spring flowers?

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Jane wrote: "For task #28, can I read a book released on 24 Feb 2015? Or must it be between 2011-2015 (2012,2013,2014?)"

Let’s make the years inclusive. So published in 2015 is ok

[Alysa]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I swear I read through the faqs and this thread before asking this...

If I read a book that does not fit any of the month's tasks, so it is not entered on the spreadsheet, but it is ..."

I saw Cat’s response to this too, but since Mods are discussing I would like to point out that it might be unfair to have us include “all books read” in total per month even if they aren’t for a task. Because there are in cases like, say, reading short children’s books to your kids.
For example, I am almost done reading a David Walliams book to my daughter. Started on Sunday, but is not eligible due to total word count constraint. (22585 wds, darnit!)
We can’t exactly not read books to our kids for 3 months ;D

I also don’t see the harm in reading more than can be used, generally, in that it doesn’t skew the point totals. If anything, it could help some of the people w/fewer points in that it hurts the people w/more points to be using “reading time” on stuff that doesn’t count towards the challenge.

And then on the other side of that, you also don’t want someone reading a bunch of short children’s books and reaching the highest # in their category halfway through a month even though they only filled like 3 tasks or whatever. Then they would be stuck, unable to read any more books that month without undesirably bumping themselves into the next player category.

[Cat]

Yeah, obviously you'd only record compliant books on the sheet!
and nothing says you have to record all your reading in a month against this challenge, does it? it's within the wit of reader to manage their books...

[Alysa]

Cat wrote: "Yeah, obviously you'd only record compliant books on the sheet!"

But even if it’s compliant but doesn’t fit a task — like, a book someone has to read for a school assignment or something?

So I had started out assuming that only books filling a task could or should be placed on the sheet, regardless of actual total number of books technically read in a month.

[Jenny]

Cool, thanks. I wasn't at all asking that question to try to game the system, but I am reading one right now that is long enough, but I haven't found where it fits into the tasks.

One more question. On the tasks that link to web sites, I can't seem to link to them from the master spreadsheet. What am I missing?

[Cat]

You'll need either to copy the url from the sheet, or stalk Danielle / my sheets - Danielle created workable links in her sheet & I promptly borrowed (rather than reinvent the wheel!)
ETA: Danielle's probably the better bet, as I've overwritten links as I've completed tasks

[Jenny]

Thanks Cat.

[Alysa]

Cat wrote: "Yeah, obviously you'd only record compliant books on the sheet!
and nothing says you have to record all your reading in a month against this challenge, does it? it's within the wit of reader to man..."

Yeah, exactly. But [message 99] you said “I think it needs to go on the sheet with no task info, cos there's no automation to check you've read the signed up overall no of books”
And then I panicked a little 🤣

[Alysa]

I'm not sure whether I'm actually going to read it this month, but:

#7 Read a book that has a yellow cover with black writing.



Normally cover has to be at least 50% yellow.
Tineye has this one at 46.9% yellow, with 40.2% black, because it is the text itself that is black, and the text is large.

Would this book be allowed?

[❀Tea❀]

I would say it works :)

[Lexi]

Alysa wrote: "Cat wrote: "Yeah, obviously you'd only record compliant books on the sheet!
and nothing says you have to record all your reading in a month against this challenge, does it? it's within the wit of r..."

I'm also interested in the answer to this as I assumed all books read counted towards the total for the month, if they qualified but regardless if they fit.

[Cat]

We're waiting patiently for Karen to wake & confab with Tea. Curse you time differences! (even if it's lead to a fun challenge!)

[Alysa]

Lexi wrote: "I assumed all books read counted towards the total for the month, if they qualified but regardless if they fit"

And I assumed the opposite! Thinking that for anything to "count" for the challenge it has to be assigned to a task. (See: my other tl;dr comments from before.)
We don't need to have a special shelf for upside-down, even!

I think my brain was permanently changed by the Cutthroat challenge back in Jan/Feb though ;D

[Rayne]

Alysa wrote: "And I assumed the opposite! Thinking that for anything to "count" for the challenge it has to be assigned to a task.."

This was my thinking as well.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Brooklyn wrote: "Alysa wrote: "And I assumed the opposite! Thinking that for anything to "count" for the challenge it has to be assigned to a task.."

This was my thinking as well."

Ok, we are going to go with this. It was my original thinking, and we can't see that there would be any huge advantage to do otherwise.
So if a book you read doesn't fit for a task, you do not need to add it to your s/sheet.

[Jenny]

Thanks for clarifying that!!!!!

[Alysa]

Yay!

*claps*

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Hi Dee - we share the s/sheet with the email
Address used on sign up. Sometimes there are problems if it isn’t a gmail account as then you can only access by using that link.
I’ve now also added your gmail that you requested access from so if you are logged in to hat account it will now work :)

[Rayne]

I checked the spreadsheet and the FAQ and couldn't find an answer but maybe I'm missing it. If so point me in the right direction.

For the task where there is a color in the title, does the color have to be a word on it's own? Or can it be a part of a word, as long as the meaning remains (is still a color)...such as The Blueprint. Blue is part of the word, but it's still a color, as opposed to something like Shattered, where red is part of the word, but not a color. Makes sense?

[Alysa]

@Brooklyn:
Mods will answer, but your question reminds me of last winter during Cutthroat, when my team had Summerlong removed because the "season in the title" had to be a word on its own.

Am I bitter? No... ;D

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Haha Alyssa

Yes just like summerlong is not a season, blueprint is not a colour. It does need to be the word on its own

[Rayne]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Haha Alyssa

Yes just like summerlong is not a season, blueprint is not a colour. It does need to be the word on its own"

Thanks! Figured I'd double check just in case.

[Roger - president of NBR United -]

OK I checked for Witch/Wizard the spreadsheet said Sorcerer/Sorceress is acceptable what about other magic using characters like Mage, Warlock, Enchanter/Enchantress and yes I realzed after I check the December task that it is not for the current month task.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "OK I checked for Witch/Wizard the spreadsheet said Sorcerer/Sorceress is acceptable what about other magic using characters like Mage, Warlock, Enchanter/Enchantress and yes I realzed after I check..."

In for a penny in for a pound I guess.! So yes, those would work

[Marie (UK)]

the three vowels in a row do they have to be all in same word or can it be end of one beginning of another?

[❀Tea❀]

Marie (UK) wrote: "the three vowels in a row do they have to be all in same word or can it be end of one beginning of another?"

I would say that's ok to be end of one and start of another. At least that's what I was looking also :)
Just remember Y doesn't count as vowel in this case

[Roger - president of NBR United -]

Beau and the Beast could I use this for three in a row vowels or would it be considered 4 in a row so not acceptable

[Marie (UK)]

❀Tea❀ wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "the three vowels in a row do they have to be all in same word or can it be end of one beginning of another?"

I would say that's ok to be end of one and start of another. At leas..."

thanks Tea

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "Beau and the Beast could I use this for three in a row vowels or would it be considered 4 in a row so not acceptable"

I think if the task said "at least 3" then it could work, but otherwise it should be exactly 3

[Allegra]

I'm not clear on where I'm supposed to record my books.
Also, each book read can only count for one category, correct? As in a book with 3 vowels in a row in the title and is about a female radish farmer who dies of natural causes while dressed as a man is worth 100 points (for the title), not 190 points.

[❀Tea❀]

Allegra wrote: "I'm not clear on where I'm supposed to record my books.
Also, each book read can only count for one category, correct? As in a book with 3 vowels in a row in the title and is about a female radish ..."

When you signed up, you should have got a spreadsheet for your tracking. There is a tab where you can enter your read books and what task they fit. Other tab has list of tasks.

And yes, it's book per task. So if book fit more than one task, it' up to you which one you'll pick.

[Allegra]

❀Tea❀ wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "the three vowels in a row do they have to be all in same word or can it be end of one beginning of another?"

I would say that's ok to be end of one and start of another. At leas..."

Why? Y is often the only vowel in a word--as in Why. Shouldn't it be like the Ace in Gin Rummy; you count the points based on how it is used?

[Allegra]

❀Tea❀ wrote: "Allegra wrote: "I'm not clear on where I'm supposed to record my books.
Also, each book read can only count for one category, correct? As in a book with 3 vowels in a row in the title and is about ..."

Thanks. I wasn't seeing the final right column (with the link). I think I'm good now.

[❀Tea❀]

Allegra wrote: "❀Tea❀ wrote: "Allegra wrote: "I'm not clear on where I'm supposed to record my books.
Also, each book read can only count for one category, correct? As in a book with 3 vowels in a row in the title..."

Didn't you get your spreadsheet link in mail? if not, let me know as you won't be able to edit it.

[❀Tea❀]

Allegra wrote: "❀Tea❀ wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "the three vowels in a row do they have to be all in same word or can it be end of one beginning of another?"

I would say that's ok to be end of one and start of an..."

I think we agreed on that one when we made those tasks for one of previous challenges. I think it was to make it easier for everyone, especially non native English speakers.
For example, until your post I had no idea in what cases Y is a vowel. I only knew it can be one sometimes. :)

[Ashley]

Would "next to read" work for top shelves as "next up"?

[❀Tea❀]

Ashley wrote: "Would "next to read" work for top shelves as "next up"?"

As Karen said here as long as the meaning is same, so that would be yes.
We are not that strict in this one (at least for now :P)

[Suzanne]

For "Character named Patience, Pat, or Patty" would Patsy work? I'm reading it's often a diminutive or Patience, so...thought I'd ask.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Suzanne wrote: "For "Character named Patience, Pat, or Patty" would Patsy work? I'm reading it's often a diminutive or Patience, so...thought I'd ask."

I'm going to say no, unless the character's name is actually Patience, but they call her Patsy as the nickname

[Marie (UK)]

is there a link to the name berry names site as i cannot find it

[Cat]

Marie (UK) wrote: "is there a link to the name berry names site as i cannot find it"

it's in the text of the task.

or:
German: http://nameberry.com/popular_names/Ge...
Spanish: http://nameberry.com/popular_names/Spain
Netherlands: http://nameberry.com/popular_names/Ne...

[Cat]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Alison wrote: "Probably chancing my arm a bit here but given the whole Aussie/NZ thing would you consider Christmas a summer related word?"

Well... for me it is! When I think of Christmas I do thi..."

Does that mean that December would also be summer-related? *hopeful grin*

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cat wrote: "Does that mean that December would also be summer-related? *hopeful grin* ..."

sure, for me (and half of our planet) it is ;)

[Roger - president of NBR United -]

OK for book with a tree on the cover is it OK if there are more than one tree on the cover like

Also since you do not specify main Character if any Character in the book is the profession stated like a Lawyer in task 31, it counts?

Would "cutting corners" be acceptable for "cut corners" task 61?

[Tati]

so, I signed up earlier today, and put the wrong e-mail address... is there any way I can fix that?

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

@Roger
Tree or trees is ok
Any character is fine
With "cut corners" and any idioms, variations are ok if it keeps with the spirit of the phrase

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Tati wrote: "so, I signed up earlier today, and put the wrong e-mail address... is there any way I can fix that?"

I've used both. The Hotmail one you entered as been returned as incorrect, so I've added the original gmail one. If that doesn't work, go to your s/sheet here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
and request access and then we can share it that way