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Metapost: Finger Quotin’ Margo baffles American Scrabble-playing public

I reproduce the following e-mail and attached photos from faithful reader Jonathan Ahl, because they are hilarious enough that I feel no need to add to them.

Mr. Curmudgeon:

Thought you might like to know four of your fans decided to use Finger Quotin’ Margo as the inspiration and a team name during a competitive Scrabble tournament.

We attended a National Scrabble Association tournament in Indianapolis this past weekend, and decided to enter the team portion of the competition fueled by our love for making fun of Apartment 3-G and other funnies.

Attached are two pictures. From left to right in each photo, Dave Dahl of Peoria, IL; Jonathan Ahl of Dunlap, IL; and Wendy and Matthew Ridout of Lexington, KY.

I am proud to report the “Finger Quotin’ Margos” won the team competition, and all four of its members placed very well in the individual contests. The prize money for the team competition was almost enough to cover the cost of the shirts.

As for why we did so well, some say it was the “Motivation” of the team members while others credited the “Dedication” of the players. I think it was the “Pillow Case Full of Doorknobs” I as team captain kept in my trunk, just in case any of the team members “lost focus” on the goal of winning. I figured that would work better than an “intervention.”

If you want to blow the minds of squares at the Scrabble tourneys in your neck of the woods, then you’re going to need to buy some of these.

21 responses to “Metapost: Finger Quotin’ Margo baffles American Scrabble-playing public”

  1. Dr. Johnny Q. Beavispants
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:31 am [Reply]

    Is it just me, or does the ground in yesterday’s (9/12) B.C. say “nicky” and “mickmick” in panels 1 and 2 respectively?

  2. srah
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:38 am [Reply]

    Awesome.

  3. Meg
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:41 am [Reply]

    For the past several days (thanks to the CC), “pillowcase full of doorknobs” has stuck in my head as a particularly mellifluous turn of phrase. Perhaps a potential name for a post-punk band .. If Apwil’s “4-evah” project fails to take off, she could always go that way…

  4. Amber
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:47 am [Reply]

    You guys hardcore, silly, and very impressive!

  5. 420
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:54 am [Reply]

    Exciting.

  6. Laa
    September 13th, 2006 at 11:58 am [Reply]

    Congratulations! Great stuff.

  7. ninjaczar
    September 13th, 2006 at 12:09 pm [Reply]

    Great to see there are other NSA “tile-heads” who read this blog!
    You the men (and woman)! You too, Josh!
    rQ

  8. Harry Mirth
    September 13th, 2006 at 12:19 pm [Reply]

    If your team got the tiles

    k e l r a s t

    could you make a word out of it?

  9. Zach
    September 13th, 2006 at 12:54 pm [Reply]

    Well, there’s always ‘lakers’, for 6.

  10. Harry Mirth
    September 13th, 2006 at 12:59 pm [Reply]

    Sorry, but Lakers is a proper noun.

  11. popeye
    September 13th, 2006 at 1:44 pm [Reply]

    That’s got to be the biggest collection of nerds to assemble since the gang at Funky Winkerbean got together for the Jughead look-alike contest.

  12. Craigers
    September 13th, 2006 at 1:48 pm [Reply]

    Lakers is a proper noun

    What!? A laker is a lake-going vessel as well as an evil basketball team from Los Angeles.

    Anyway, I can make a seven-letter word: “talkers”. But if the other tiles set up right, I can also make “kangaroo”.

  13. Harry Mirth
    September 13th, 2006 at 2:27 pm [Reply]

    But if the other tiles set up right, I can also make “kangaroo”.

    Just don’t make it Captain, because. . .

    Oh, I will just shut up now. . .

  14. pelagius
    September 13th, 2006 at 3:08 pm [Reply]

    Perhaps slaker? As in something that slakes a thirst? A thirst for the sweet, delicious taste of Mary’s rose-like lips?

    Forgive me, I get carried away sometimes.

  15. Coby Buko
    September 13th, 2006 at 3:30 pm [Reply]

    Matthew Rideout has a bit of a Blanthony mustache, no?

  16. lfyt velo
    September 13th, 2006 at 6:33 pm [Reply]

    zen question:

    what is the sound of one hand quoting?

  17. MNLurker
    September 13th, 2006 at 7:53 pm [Reply]

    How about the obvious one: s t a l k e r.

    Or is that how Aldo got his name in the first place?

  18. Von Zeppelin
    September 13th, 2006 at 7:59 pm [Reply]

    #1–I concur with your learned analysis, Doctor. Pretty pathetic when the cartoon grass is actually funnier than the joke.

  19. Heckler123
    September 13th, 2006 at 9:49 pm [Reply]

    I came across an old Rex Morgan item, that obviously dates back many decades. It seems as though it would have given Margo’s fingers quite a workout.

    http://www.windywoo.f9.co.uk/rex%20morgan.jpg

    More about squares, drips, suckers, and smoothies can be found on the internet.

    And speaking of RMMD, does anyone else think that the picture of Sarah in the last panel of today’s comic looks like a depiction of the Christ child? There’s the disproportianately small, raised hand as well as the strange golden glow coming from behind her head.

  20. Doorknob Sack
    September 15th, 2006 at 1:23 pm [Reply]

    The beatings will continue until morale improves.

  21. KATIE26yL
    February 1st, 2010 at 7:27 am [Reply]

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