Signs

Me at 7:59 PM heading into Music Round: “Hey Claude. Small crowd tonight. Question Round was pretty hard for some teams, but Picture Round was a crowd favorite — Dingbats. Almost everyone got 100% on it so we’ve got good energy moving into Music Round. The three teams at the bottom tonight all include younger players — 2 Gen Z and 2 Millennials – let’s pick a Music Round that helps prop them up a bit. Aside from them though, it’s a heavy Boomer night in here.”

Claude: “High School Cliques (#205). Here's why it fits all three conditions. . .”

Me: “That one gives maybe a little toooo much help. The only song of the five that is from before 2000 is Rebel, Yell. Far too many Boomers in here to cut them out like that. What about my MM Monogram round?”

Claude: “MM is worth considering, but based on your cognitive-stacking rules, you shouldn’t play a puzzle-type setlist since the Picture Round was Dingbats, and Question Round was harder than you wanted.”

Me: “Good call. What’s my best banger-type list then?”

Claude: “Seas (#203)”

Bingo.

It lands pretty well. The dramatic opening of boot spurs making their way through the outlaw wasteland in Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive mirrors the tone set by the wildfire smoke hanging heavy in the windows. Caribbean Queen seems to be recognized instantly by almost everyone. A little energy dip at Red Hot Chili Peppers but people seem happy to hear China Grove. And we end with my personal favorite of the night, No Diggity by Blackstreet. I DID have it in my notes that I wanted to reserve that round for a night when the ladies at the bar get a little too loose,  but, the wildfire smoke earned it.

Celeste hands in their sheet:

1.     Wanted Dead or Alive ✅ – Bon Jovi ✅
2.     Caribbean Queen ✅ – Billy Ocean ✅
3.     Californication Rest in Peace ❌ – Red Hot Chili Peppers ✅
4.     China Road ❌ - Doobie Brothers ✅
5.     No Diggity ✅ – Blackstreet ✅
THEME: Signs ❌

Damn.

Wanted. Rest In Peace. No Digging.

I am truly sad that I wasted No Diggity on Seas now. I am literally tickled at that connection.

. . .

Me at 11:00 PM next to a sleeping TJ: “OK Claude, new Music Round idea. Please audit using our standard rules for Puzzlers, with the added caveat that ‘Wanted’ has to be the last entry:

1.     Information Society – What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
2.     Stevie Nicks – Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
3.     Sublime – Wrong Way
4.     Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Hollywood Nights
5.     The Wanted – Glad You Came
THEME: Signs ”
. . .

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