Thomas' New Year's Resolution: Kick More Butts Than Ever Before

1st Thomas Reinke won all his games, again, going 5-0 +435 and pushing his undefeated streak to 18 games. He prevailed in a pair of tough games in the first round against Mary (who already completed her new year's resolution to get stuck in an elevator, congrats!) and Lynda (who already completed her new year's resolution to get stuck in beltline traffic, congrats!). Thomas overcame Lynda's 140-point triple-triple TRAVOISE with a late BILKING to get a 489-431 win, and against Mary, played IDONEITY and TINNIER versus Mary's HAPPIER for a 420-398 squeaker. His 107-point SKIVERS made the difference in his 421-345 win over Bryan. Gail was next up to try and break the streak, but her hopes were quickly diminished as Thomas opened with BOOMERS, later playing DESERVES and SEEDIER. Gail got down TEARING and BRUISING, but came up short, 345-482. Similarly, his next opponent's hopes were dashed early, as Thomas played SQUINTED for 104 (among other high-scoring plays) en route to a 551-415 win over Charles. The next club meeting will include a vote on whether we should use club funds to lure some foreign competition to Madison to end this streak. Does anyone know Nigel Richards' number?

2nd Bryan Benwitz went 3-1 +168, losing only to the unconquerable Thomas. He opened with a high-scoring 490-453 against the definitely-conquerable Charles, playing three bingos: FIELDING, REJUDGED, and SCORIAE. He did get down two bingos against Thomas in his next game, PIMENTOS (n. that thing that makes green olives somehow edible) and FLOATIER, before only playing one in his 404-345 win over Mary. Notice a trend? I'm definitely noticing a trend here. In his final game against Helen, he scored 485 while playing zero bingos... alright that's a lie. He played two of them, but wouldn't it have been so much cooler if he had played none? Come on Bryan.

3rd Richard Lauder went 2-0 +355, good for third place in the absence of any other players with three wins. He scored a big win against Sue in the opener, playing AMORTIZE and BEANIES. To follow that up, he scored a less big but still pretty big win against Andy, 464-365. Andy got down TERRIER, which was no match for Richard's IODATING, CONGUES, and SHEAFING. Hopefully Richard enjoys his time in Arizona, but little does he know that this writeup is being written up from the top of his minivan as it speeds down the highway towards warmer climes. It's a bit hard typing with one hand as the other hand desperately clings to the top of the roof, but there's no way I was being left behind in this cold Wisconsin winter. No way in heck.

Aaron played the word-of-the-week, BARGHEST (n. a doglike goblin (what does that even mean?) of English folklore, also spelled BARGUEST).