About Ashleigh McKenna
After first subscribing to sweetspot.ca to get to know her new city, Ashleigh McKenna now gets to help find the sweet stuff worth sharing as Editor and General Manager. Go behind the scenes from favourite manicure spots to product sneak peeks and more.
Word Nerd
girl about t.o. canada
(Dec.23.09)
Even before I decided to become a writer/editor, I knew I had a thing for words.
I can remember the first one I found impossible to sound out (soldier); the one I learned to spell from Full House (double the c and double the s and you'll always have success); and how an elementary school friend explained remembering the spelling difference between desert/dessert (you always want more dessert).
So it's fitting that one of my family traditions is a very word-nerdy game.
I'm currently home with the folks and Ghost has already come up. Seeing as everyone is hopefully enjoying a bit of downtime right now, I though I'd share:
The object of the game is not to spell a 4+ letter in-the-dictionary word:
- Each person goes around adding a letter
- You cannot simply add gobledigook letters
- Your added letter must be part of a real word (you'll see at challenges)
- Say we're at H-O-M...
- I can't add E or I'll be out
- I can't add Z because if I'm challenged, what would start with Homz?
- (unless you're a risk-taker with a good poker face)
- I can add O (Homonym, if challenged)
- If you can't add a letter: You're out
- If you finish the word (say, Home): You're out
- If you're challenged and lose, You're out
- If you're challenged and win: The challenger is out
- Start a new word anytime someone gets out
- And if you're a planner, try to make sure your word won't just go around the circle and end up finishing back at you!
My dad and I have even been known to attempt an email round or two.
Yes, we're that nerdy.
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