Fall '20 Read-a-Thon: The Finch Family

[Fee]

That sounds right. We could try L next

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Johanne wrote: "S and T were a lot better this tine around. Our #2 puzzle could be 'My sister the serial killer'. But I think we have to make 5 letter guesses before we guess the puzzle."

I think you may well be right.

Fee wrote: "That sounds right. We could try L next"

Good plan.

[Ellie]

Do we only have one book title to guess for this puzzle then?

Hoping to have more reading time today, no visitors and I have the day off work. Was so tired after my boyfriend's mum left yesterday I just ended up watching Back to the Future II and went to bed early. Just need to go walk the dog and then I'll start reading Afterland.

[Johanne]

Yes, I think it's just the one title. I'll submit the L

[Aimee]

Johanne wrote: "S and T were a lot better this tine around. Our #2 puzzle could be 'My sister the serial killer'. But I think we have to make 5 letter guesses before we guess the puzzle."

I think you've got it!

[Trish, Annular Mod]

If L appears where we think it will, and we do need to do five guesses, shall we decide now to go for something like R and M, so that Johanne doesn't have to check with us as we gain guesses?

[Aimee]

Trish wrote: "If L appears where we think it will, and we do need to do five guesses, shall we decide now to go for something like R and M, so that Johanne doesn't have to check with us as we gain guesses?"

Happy to second this :)

[Johanne]

Emily just updated our spreadsheet and L is in the places that fit with 'My sister....'
She has also modified the rules so we only need 4 guesses. As soon as we unlock another guess, one of us can just guess one of the letters to confirm it's that title, and then submit the title guess.

[Aimee]

Johanne wrote: "Emily just updated our spreadsheet and L is in the places that fit with 'My sister....'
She has also modified the rules so we only need 4 guesses. As soon as we unlock another guess, one of us can ..."

Just updated my audiobook reading for this morning (I listen while I'm doing chores around the house) so we have another guess now :)

[Trish, Annular Mod]

I jumped to a different book, and have just finished Finding Courage for 169pg, which both ticks us over 2,000 pages, and gives us another completed book, for a couple more guesses.

[Johanne]

Cool! I'll submit R then, and if it's in it's 'proper' place let's make a guess.

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Looks like the Rs are exactly where we expected, so I think it's safe to guess the title.

[Johanne]

Alright let's do it!

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Good job, team! Onto puzzle three.

Back on the 1pt scrabble letters: L, N, R, S, T.

I see two three-letter words, and I think we have a couple of guesses left over. Shall we try T for one of them to see if they might be "The"s, and maybe an N?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

PUZZLE THREE: ON THE MAP
This puzzle includes cities, countries, and any other specific named geographical feature. In this case, it will be a book title that contains a location, fictional or real.

[Johanne]

Go for it Trish.

[Aimee]

Looking at the puzzle, do you think the second and third words could be 'of the' or 'in the'? Either way, Trish's suggestion of T seems good to me.

[Johanne]

We have two available guesses, and I think we should go for both now, so we have a good starting point.
I love this readathon, it combines two of my absolute favourite things: reading and word puzzles.

[Aimee]

Sounds like a plan. Maybe T and N then?

[Johanne]

I'll submit T and N :)

[Johanne]

That's a really long title btw

[Aimee]

I think it confirms the 'in the' theory though, and the penultimate word is probably 'and'.
It could be Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - maybe we could try G next and see what happens?

[Johanne]

oh you're right Aimee! Yes let's try G when we earn our next letter

[Aimee]

Haha thanks - I just went through my TBR looking for books with 'in the' and it jumped out at me! Hopefully the Gs will land in just the right place...

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Then perhaps an F, which could confirm "of", which would give us four, so we can guess the title.

I've just finished A Night in the Lonesome October, so that's another guess earned.

Johanne, are you happy to be the one who always posts the guesses, or would you like us to help.

[Ellie]

You guys are just too good at these puzzles, I couldn't even think of words ending in t that weren't nt. Haha, I'll just keep on with the reading.

[Johanne]

I'd like you guys on my quiz team :D

I think we can all submit, no need to wait for me, I just have a bit extra time on my hands here in my sofa-isolation-corner. So I'm happy to do the posting if I'm on. I'm feeling better so I may have to work some from home, but I'll still be able to check in more than usual.

But we have a G to submit now, and next up is F if G lands according to Aimee's guess.

[Johanne]

I think your guess is solid Aimee, we just need one more letter before we can post it.

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Morning all.

Looks like we've got another guess - I'm going to go ahead and ask for a D - that should fill four spaces and let us guess the title.

[Johanne]

Morning!
Great Trish, Emily is probably asleep right now, but then we're ready to roll as soon as she checks in :)

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Morning. Hope you're feeling okay this morning.

I thought I'd get it in her queue, as we seem to be lagging some of the other families (I think because of our initial "E" confusion in puzzle 1).

If the Ds go where we expect, then whoever spots it first should go ahead and officially guess Aimee's title.

[Johanne]

Yes let's do that. And we can't be left behind!

I'm feeling better, thank you. Still a bit tired and an on-off headache. I have so mild symptoms I have a hard time knowing what's what, but it's definitely not usual for me to have an on-off headache for a week. My doctor told me I have to stay in isolation till 48 hours after the last symptom, like every little cough counts, and I'm like, see you in April? Anyway, I have a feeling it won't be too long and I'm not complaining - I still have my family around (at a distance), people text and call, and I have this glorious readathon :)

[Johanne]

...and I'm definitely not going to jeopardise anyones health by going out before I'm absolutely certain. I just stress a bit over not being able to tell my work when I'll be back, when I'm not really feeling sick. But I know they won't want to see me too soon.

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Johanne wrote: "...and I'm definitely not going to jeopardise anyones health by going out before I'm absolutely certain. I just stress a bit over not being able to tell my work when I'll be back, when I'm not real..."

Definitely the wise course

[Aimee]

Johanne wrote: "Yes let's do that. And we can't be left behind!

I'm feeling better, thank you. Still a bit tired and an on-off headache. I have so mild symptoms I have a hard time knowing what's what, but it's d..."

Oh Johanne, that sounds nasty. Hope you feel better soon.
Glad the readathon is giving you something else to focus on anyway!

[Johanne]

Thanks Aimee :)

[Johanne]

I just read another smutty romance. So one more guess ready.

[Trish, Annular Mod]

:-)

Emily's awake, and the Ds were in the right place, so I went ahead and posted Aimee's title, which has been confirmed.

On to puzzle 4, Finches!

Alas, I've actually had some work this morning, so I haven't started reading for the RAT yet.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

PUZZLE 4: THINGS
These book titles will all start with the word "The".

[Johanne]

Yeah!

@Trish, there should be a paid holiday for readathons...

Anyways, we have one guess to start off puzzle 4. Any preferences?

[Johanne]

Emily wrote: "PUZZLE 4: THINGS
These book titles will all start with the word "The"."

Thanks Emily, for all the time you put into this :)

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Johanne wrote: "Emily wrote: "PUZZLE 4: THINGS
These book titles will all start with the word "The"."

Thanks Emily, for all the time you put into this :)"

Seconded.

I have no preference between L, N, R, S, and T. We do know there's already one T.

[Johanne]

Alright I used a randomiser ;) and it chose N.

[Aimee]

I've just added 3 hours of audiobook which also means a finished book so we have two more guesses now :)

[Johanne]

Do you want the honour of choosing the letters Aimee? We have one N, but I have no idea what it could be.

[Johanne]

Oh yeah, and we know the first word is 'the'.

[Johanne]

Alright I'll submit...L

[Ellie]

I think it's The Poisonwood Bible

[Johanne]

Right Ellie! We have one more guess ready. We could use one on one of the letters in that title. P, B, W maybe?

[Aimee]

Johanne wrote: "Do you want the honour of choosing the letters Aimee? We have one N, but I have no idea what it could be."

Oh sorry I was working! But it looks like N and L were great guesses.