While Congresspeople Shut Down Government, Charles Reinke Shuts Down Scrabble Players' Hopes and Dreams

1st Charles Reinke's new goal to average 500 over a club season is proceeding apace, as he averaged 501 points per game while going 5-0 +856.  His "worst" game of the evening was a "mere" 442 points against Richard Lauder's 395.  Richard gets a pass however, as he was mauled by several bears on his way back from a month-long west-coast excursion, and through the haze of a heavy dose of morphine managed to find three bingos: REFUTERS, TANISTS (n. TANIST, the heir to a Celtic chief), and SHALIER.  Charles bingoed with MACULATE (v. to mark with spots) and DELTAIC, but such a paltry amount of bingos did little to warm the burnt heart-husk occupying his chest.  What did warm his heart was his 629-338 victory versus Lynda Finn, wherein he played PTOMAIN, BEGUILED, ABSOLVED, and the nine TITRATING (through the first T and the N).  Lynda put up a good fight by playing CAROTINS and the Word of the Week, JACONETS (n. JACONET, a cotton cloth).

2nd Mary Becker overcame a rough start to the club season and forced her way into the top three, finishing 3-1 +234.  Most of her spread was generously donated by June Scott, who fell to Mary 202-431.  Mary played BOONIES in that one.   Only Betty Hasselkus was able to throw a wrench into the ever-turning cogs of the Mary Machine, defeating her 371-342 with the help of bingos LOUSIER and LITTERS.

3rd Lynda Finn's 3-1 +51 was good for the bronze medal.  She was one agonizing point away from the mystical 600, scoring 599 (to Andy Bohnsack's 391) and getting three bingos: LINTERS, FESTOON, and the 149-point nine-timer COTERIES.  That combined score of 990 is the highest combined score so far this year.  Lynda also squeaked one out against Thomas Reinke, 389-387.  It just goes to show: the player who scores more points will usually win.

4th(?!?!?!?!) Betty Hasselkus missed out on third place by eleven spread points, going 3-1 +40.  For her trouble she gets to be mentioned in the writeup. 

Sue Goldstein on Two-Person Intermediate Group: "If You're Not First, You're Last"

1st Sue Goldstein went 1-2 -97, using the bingo of LETTERS to outscore June Scott 344-272.