It's Bryan's World, We're Just Living In It

1st Bryan Benwitz went 4-0 +479, going undefeated for the second time in three weeks. He put the clamps on Dave in the first round, winning 409-275 as Dave's late bingo-prone racks had nowhere to go on a dead board. Against Richard in the second round, he only outbingoed him 3-2 but won 527-304. Bryan played INCENSED, STEAMIE (n. a steamed hot dog), and went out with RETILING, leaving Richard's final bingo of TRAILED stranded on his rack. How rude! Bryan's stellar defense continued against Thomas, against whom he was victorious, 370-344. Bryan got down PINEALS (as in the gland), while Thomas played OVERRUNS (RUNOVERS is also good). In the final round, Bryan withstood Charles' feeble attempts at revenge, once again holding his opposition well below their average. 421-325 was the final in that one, leaving his opponents with a meager 312 average on the night.

2nd Lynda Finn overcame a supreme injustice (read on for more!) to go 3-1 +363, easily taking second place. Alright, injustice time: she lost the first game to Charles 352-369 because she got Q-stuck. Can you believe that? I thought QI was supposed to fix this problem, but I guess it didn't, and Lynda paid the price. For her part, Lynda, unlike what the majority of us would have done, didn't run home in tears, but instead won her next three games. She beat Sue 488-327, playing TODDLER, NEUTRINO, and LAYERING. She also played a certain four-letter word that starts with F, which drew a challenge. Who knows, sometimes those naughty words are too naughty even for the dictionary! Against David in the third round, she won 432-266, but the real star in her crown was her 483-430 win against Thomas. She played the double-double WOMBATS for 116, which wasn't quite enough until she went out REVENUES for 86 to secure the win.

3rd Charles Reinke went 3-1 +275, beating out Richard's 3-1 +115 for third place. He stole his first game against Lynda by sticking her with the Q, even though Lynda played the nine-letter REBLENDED. Man, typing that out is making me mad again. So mad I could just... never mind. A kitty just hopped up in my lap. I feel better now. Against David, he won 411-321, playing FILARIAE (n. FILARIA, a parasitic worm), SURPLICE, and REUNITED. Charles then trounced Helen, playing STRETTO and ENOPHILE (n. a wine lover, also OENOPHILE) and scoring 500 points in the process. In the battle of the undefeateds featuring him and Bryan, he came up sort, despite his bingoes of QUEEREST and TRICORNS.

Richard's EMPOISON (v. to fill with venom, or make bitter) was picked to be word of the week. EMPOISONMENT is also a word, if you want to get even weirder.