1st Michael David returned from an extended absence having (presumably, based on his record) studied the entire dictionary three times. It paid off, as he went 4-0 +349 and came in first place. The powers that be didn't let him ease into things, as he faced Charles in the first round, but he won handily, 417-336. His bingos were a double-blank NIMBLEST as well as a bingo somehow containing both a U and a W (new rule: you are entitled to a free exchange if you have both of those letters at once, effective immediately), OUTGREW. In the second game, he went up against another tough opponent, Bryan, and again won handily, 424-305. Bryan's potential high-scoring play making PRESTRUNG* was deemed invalid by the mean challenge arbiter. You know, like a tennis racket is sold prestrung? Or a Christmas tree with lights already on it? Humph. Against James in the third round, he played the very offensive PISSIER (adj. PISSY, soiled with urine). That play was the key to his 385-294 win. In the final round, he beat Dave 422-364. Dave got down RASHEST, while Michael played SANDMAN (n. a mythical person who makes children sleepy by sprinkling sand in their eyes) and INDICTER.

2nd Charles Reinke played 15 bingos over his five games, which resulted in a 4-1 +384 record and a second-place finish. His opener against Michael was his worst game by far, as he only got down GHOULIES. After vowing to do better next game, he played two at once, David and Helen. He had a high-scoring match with David, winning 523-407 with bingos of ALBATAS (n. ALBATA, an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc, not to be confused with BABBITT, an alloy of tin, copper, and antimony), KATIONS, and RUBEOLA. Dave got down TARGETED and MANDREL for 98, but on the turn after that Charles hooked it with an S for 80 points himself. Against Helen, he won 497-351, a game that would've been a loss had it not been for the 150 points he got as bonuses for playing bingos. In the third round, he had a huge game against his brother, scoring 561. He bingoed early with COLESSEE (n. a joint lessee), and also added HERNIAE, WINTERER, and INDULINE. For the finale, he played Bryan and won 447-317, stymying his opponent at every turn while somehow bingoing four times on a closed board. It's fun when there's one bingo line on the board and you miraculously hit it with your letters; it must be even more fun when that happens four times in a single game.

3rd Mark Kenas went undefeated against his usual Collins-dictionary opponent, and lost to his unusual Collins-dictionary opponent, ending up at 3-1 +121. His big game was in the opening round, as he beat Aaron 532-368. He bingoed with AMORALLY, GROOVIER, and GRANDSON. Aaron struck first in the second game, with WOULDEST, but Mark's triple-triple of TRANSFER for 140 (not the highest-scoring play of the night; James' STARCHES in the first round scored 194) led him to a high-scoring 509-493 win. That 493-point loss for Aaron is the 7th-highest since the club started keeping track. In the third round, he won 440-394, playing EXPLAIN early and GOITRES late. Aaron got down MILIARIA (n. a skin disease) which was chosen as word-of-the-week. In the final game, Mark got to face a new opponent, Thomas, and was so disoriented by the change that he lost 372-477. It also didn't help that he didn't bingo while Thomas got down four prosaic (for him) bingos: OREGANO, ALMONER, BRASSIER (promptly extended by Mark with an E for BRASSIERE) and DENTALS.

As a reminder, next week we will start using the new words from the latest dictionary update. A sheet with all of the new words was emailed out, and hard copies will be available the next few weeks. Hope you guys are all ready to finally play EW!