Turkey-Induced Coma Cannot Prevent this Writeup from Being Written

(Or: To Discuss Scrabble Whilst Residing in the Hazy Realm Between Consciousness and Unconsciousness)

1st Thomas Reinke averaged 464 points per game against a lineup of tough players, but failed to attain the lossless record usually required for first place, going 3-1 +321. To kick off the pre-Thanksgiving festivities, he pummeled his brother Charles by a score of 461-320, getting down bingos of BREEDERS and MAESTRO to Charles' UNEARNED. The second round saw him record his only loss as he fell to Bryan Benwitz 402-431. Bryan utilized the "bingo more often than your opponent" strategy to great effect, with his three bingos (ERODABLE, HOVELING, NONSUIT) clearly outnumbering Thomas' two bingos (SENARII and SEAPORT). Thomas took note of that strategy and adopted it as his own in his next match against Aaron Bader, which he ran away with, 542-397. Aaron was limited to the oddly-spelled INTRENCH as his only bingo, while Thomas' bingos were fourfold: VILAYETS, GASOLIER, STEEVING, and the word of the week ATARAXIC (n. ATARAXIA, a state of serene calmness). In the final game, Thomas secured his 3-1 record by taking down Lynda Finn in a closer game, 449-385. He again drew upon his knowledge of obscure X-bingos with a find of PURLIEUX, and also added the more sedate RONTGEN to his bingo list.

2nd Bryan Benwitz similarly went 3-1, with a +220 spread. Sources indicate that he gives thanks for the 3-1 record, but would definitely be giving more thanks if he had went 4-0. His first game, against Gail Salm, was a display of high-probability bingo prowess which Bryan won, 478-313. Gail got ENTRAINS down, but Bryan outdid that with his ETESIAN, SNOUTED, and DEEWANS. Bryan followed that up with a previously-described victory over first-place finisher Thomas Reinke, then matched up with the other undefeated player at that point, a full-of-confidence Helen Flores. Helen did not manage a bingo in her bout with Bryan (who had POLICES and GRAYEST), but kept the game close, losing 376-436. After that win, Bryan was the one who had reason to be confident, but his vision of an undefeated evening was trampled upon by Charles Reinke in a 405-439 match. Bryan utilized the -ING suffix twice with bingos of SEDATING and SWEETING (the latter being a type of apple - therefore, no SWEETED), while Charles had TOFFEES and IRRUPTS (the anagram of STIRRUP).

3rd Helen Flores made a triumphant return to the top three with her 3-1 +75 outing in which she averaged an impressive 401 points per game, almost fifty points more than her yearly average. Having discovered a new strategy of "don't let your opponent bingo even once", she immediately put it into use against Lynda Finn, winning their first-round encounter by a score of 386-363 while getting down PARADED and ENCASED. She then utilized that strategy a second time when matched up against Aaron Bader, playing CONTESTS, OUTFLIES, and a game-stealing outbingo of AGREEING to win 411-359. She ran into a roadblock when she faced off against Bryan Benwitz, but recovered her composure in the final round against Richard Lauder and took the victory, 432-372. Richard had three bingos (ETHIONS, STONERS, and GATEMEN) to Helen's one (TAILING), but Helen scored more than enough with her high-scoring non-bingo plays to guarantee the win.