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Jigjag - It was so many years ago, I think it may have been "kriegspiel". The man who was the opponent collected grandfather clocks as a pension fund (so very noisy as the night wore on) and I believe his wife refereed.
I expect I took a book

I've just watched Jamie Oliver and Masterchef, and Jamie and John Torode have both said "toomeric" rather than "turmeric". This happens so often - what amI missing?

Another recurring gripe. If you hear an advert promising "omega 3 oils", ignore it - they don't know what they're talking about.

"Omega-3" must be read as "omega minus 3". The carbon atom next to the ester bond in an oil is the alpha carbon, the next the beta. However many there are in the chain, the last one is the omega carbon atom. "Omega-3" means there is a carbon- carbon double bond 3 atoms away from the end.

This also means that "omega-6" isn't twice as good as "omega-3"!

ChrisE

Thats interesting stuff. If there is only one, would it be alpha or omega? Or perhaps you cant have that.

Is it better to have more carbon atoms? I dont know the benefits of the oils anyway.

ChrisE

Just read your toomeric post. I think they get cumin wrong too. I hate the "o - reg - anno" that Americans say.

Yes, Americans. I attended an American school for a couple of terms as an exchange pupil (incidentally I think the Americans influenced our downgrading of 'student' to near infant level).
In class we were asked the meaning of FECUND. Up shoots my hand - 'Fertile, sir', knowing I was right. Puzzled look from teacher, repeat answer from me - then the realisation from teacher: 'Ah! FURTLE! We suffer from the lack of a common language.'

I remember in a history lesson at school being told that Henry VIII might not have been a very "fertile turtle" and thinking that doesn't rhyme very well, but it does if you're American.

I don't mind the American accent except for the words can and can't. In English English they sound quite different but in American they both sound a bit like cairn and it's easy to miss the t at the end. Yet there's a vital difference between the two meanings!

And as this is a pedantry thread I've just realized I should have written "may not" instead of "might not". May not leaves the question open more than might not and we don't know what the reality was.

Paul

I loved your great clue for handbag. Congrats on winning. I have never used it as a weapon. I think ECF are very sensible.

Agree about "student" I still use pupil even in schools. I struggle with cars in America as every part of them is called by the wrong name.

Orson

I know there is a subtle difference between may and might but I never know what it is.

Here are some great american pronunciations koodos for kudos rout for route when they mean they are en route innernational for international