FA 25 SSB Q&A

[Rosemary]

Here's the place for questions about our Fall Subchallenge, Sweet Sixteen Bingo.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Books may be read in any order, but you must complete a line to claim a bonus.

Does this mean you can just read randomly? That you don't have to complete a line before starting another?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

B1: Neustadt International Prize winners and nominees

Do pseudonyms work for this? John Banville was a nominee in 2012, but he also writes under the name of Benjamin Black. There may be others.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

O3: Set at least 51% in a country that is at least partially in the tropics

https://worldpopulationreview.com/cou...

The U.S. mainland is entirely located in the temperate zone. However, Alaska touches the Arctic Circle and the island state of Hawaii is located entirely in the tropics, making the U.S. the only country that touches both the Arctic and the Tropics.

[Valerie]

Does G1 mean of the total books they have written, or in any given series?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

O5: Alliterative Title

Here is a GR list. I don't know if all entries fit the square.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

[Apple]

Wow! You guys have been busy! It’s 5am here and I haven’t even thought about what to wear today!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I jumped right on it, Apple. Rosemary had it posted before I got up at just after 5am.

[Apple]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Books may be read in any order, but you must complete a line to claim a bonus.

Does this mean you can just read randomly? That you don't have to complete a line before starting another?"

Switched to lap top so it is easier to reply to the questions I have enough brain function for ;)

YES! You can read the board any way you want to, but you have to finish 1 /2 / all lines to score points.

Some people might only choose to do Bingo this season with it being 25 squares, but we gave option to only complete 2 lines (10 tasks) if doing the Mega Finish is the thing that gets you reading :)

[Apple]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "O5: Alliterative Title

Here is a GR list. I don't know if all entries fit the square.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..."

Thank you for this, I am sure lots of people will refer to this.

[Joanna]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "B1: Neustadt International Prize winners and nominees

Do pseudonyms work for this? John Banville was a nominee in 2012, but he also writes under the name of Benjamin Black

Yes, but please give the matching name in your post.

For example:

A Death In Summer by Benjamin Black
Note: Benjamin Black is a pen name for John Banville

[Apple]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I jumped right on it, Apple. Rosemary had it posted before I got up at just after 5am."

This is the good thing about having mods in different time zones, not just in the one country, but around the world!
(At work now, and tend to get the first hour to myself, so trying to catch up!)

[Apple]

Valerie wrote: "Does G1 mean of the total books they have written, or in any given series?"

Total they have written :) Although, I reckon I would be surprised at just how many series reach 16 or more books!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Apple wrote: "Total they have written :) Although, I reckon I would be surprised at just how many series reach 16 or more books!"

I tried a couple of authors who wrote long series, but also stand alones. I decided it was too hard to figure out which was the 16th book. I went with a long series where the author didn't have other books until late in her career.

[Valerie]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Apple wrote: "Total they have written :) Although, I reckon I would be surprised at just how many series reach 16 or more books!"

I tried a couple of authors who wrote long series, but also stand ..."

I know! I decided to go with a debut after mulling it over.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Thanks, Joanna.

[Claire]

For title tasks, we need to take the MPE. Does that mean we also have to find a four word title or an alliterative title in the default edition? Or is it just where specific words are asked for (eg fall)

[Rosemary]

Claire wrote: "For title tasks, we need to take the MPE. Does that mean we also have to find a four word title or an alliterative title in the default edition? Or is it just where specific words are asked for (eg..."

Yes, we have to find a four word title or an alliterative title in the default edition. I know that means a little more planning and research for you, and sorry about that, but it's the only way we can make the same book work for everybody. I have the same thing sometimes, because the British edition of a book can have a different title from the American edition, and the MPE is usually the American one.

If a word like "Fall" is required, then it should be in the default English title of the book if there is one. If there is no English title, you can translate the word into another language. For Fall, both 'val/vallen' and 'herfst' would work, as the word has a double meaning in (American) English. Excuse me if I have not got the Flemish words quite right, I am using Google translate ;)

I hope that is clear, but please ask about particular titles if you are not sure.

[Claire]

Thank you, Rosemary, I think I understand. And you used the Flemish words just fine:-)

[Owlette]

Hi. Making a plan and would like to know whether India counts as a tropical/partially tropical country (square O3).

For O5, alliterative title, what if a word is between the two words that start with the same letter? Example: Murder and Mayhem.

[Rosemary]

Owlette wrote: "Hi. Making a plan and would like to know whether India counts as a tropical/partially tropical country (square O3).

Yes, India is partially tropical.

Elizabeth earlier linked to a useful map: https://worldpopulationreview.com/cou...
The green countries are fully tropical, the orange countries are partially tropical. If you hover over the map, it gives you the name of the country. It may be a surprise to see Alaska there, but the USA counts because of Hawaii.

For O5, alliterative title, what if a word is between the two words that start with the same letter? Example: Murder and Mayhem."

That doesn't work, sorry. The square says that ALL words must start with the same sound. In my own planning I've found some two-word titles that work, but nothing longer. I'm sure there are some, but I don't have any. (Subtitles can be ignored.)

[Owlette]

Thanks, Rosemary. I saw the world map but wasn’t sure if the orange countries would count for the task. Re Same sound: I see. Hope you enjoy your planning time. I am.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Just because, I have a 3-word title on my shelf that I think qualifies. Although I was taught vowels are not alliterative, perhaps this works at RwS.

Inspector Imanishi Investigates

[Rosemary]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Just because, I have a 3-word title on my shelf that I think qualifies. Although I was taught vowels are not alliterative, perhaps this works at RwS.

Inspector Imanishi Investigates"

Yes! I can see where it could be argued that the middle word might have more of an ee sound, but we'll take it!

Most languages don't distinguish between our short i and our long ee. I trained to teach English as a foreign language years ago, and we used a book called Ship or Sheep? - the difference is very difficult for people from many countries to hear or say. I think this is the same in American and British accents.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

It's OK, Rosemary. I just thought it was quirky to have a 3 word title that might work.

I have 2 options with the M sound and will probably go for the one with fewer pages:

Mystery Mile, which is NOT the one in my planning post.

[Rosemary]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Just because, I have a 3-word title on my shelf that I think qualifies. Although I was taught vowels are not alliterative, perhaps this works at RwS.

Inspector Imanishi Investigates"

I have this book too, now! I just came across it used and got it today. But I don't think I will get to it this season.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I probably will not either, though I have it pencilled for 20.10.

[Nick]

Do 15-pointers get regular Style ponts this time around?

If so, I will have to add 10 points for Elizabeth Kolbert the Female author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History -- which I will do in the Completed Tasks Thread if you confirm.

[Rosemary]

No, the Bingo tasks don't get style points.

[Owlette]

I’m having some difficulty with I 5: “A book without chapter numbers.”
Would a nonfiction book with Roman numerals I through V fit the task? The book is a collection of Saint Mother Teresa’s words organized by themes (I -V).

[Connie]

There is a list on Listopia for books with no labeled chapters. Many of them use a date instead of a chapter number.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

Some more suggestions here:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Apple]

Sorry Owlette, Roman numerals are still considered numbers, as they are representing a number in a sequence.

[Owlette]

I see. My difficulty was with “chapter ” versus sections or parts. So none of those are allowed if there is a numbered sequence?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Owlette wrote: "I see. My difficulty was with “chapter ” versus sections or parts. So none of those are allowed if there is a numbered sequence?"

That’s what chapters are - sections, parts, etc.

[Rosemary]

To clarify the alliteration task: if a pronunciation is standard enough to be in dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Collins, we will take it. And as we said earlier in this thread, subtitles can be ignored. So we will accept, for example, Why Willows Weep: Contemporary Tales from the Woods and Shooting Schedule.

[Rosemary]

To clarify square B3, "an author's last or latest book", books published after the beginning of this season (September 1 onwards) can be ignored or used, as you like. So if you have planned what was the author's latest book on August 31 and then they publish another one, you can still use your planned book, or you can use the new one.