New Scaratings

I always go with 1, although 5 seems to show up a lot!

OK, as we don't seem to be able to post the files here, I am giving a link to the statistical analysis I discussed early in this thread (the one disproving that "3" comes up significantly more frequently):

http://www3.uakron.edu/history/trivia/ThreeMyth.pdf

As you will see, it does not necessarily say that one should not default to "3," particularly in certain circumstances, but simply that on average, the "three-hole" is likely to come up in no statistically-greater percentage than any other number.

Oh puhleese, it's not even published in a refereed journal. And no citations?

Citations? I don't need no stinkin' citations! This is all groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting original research with data I collected myself! I'd be happy to share the original data with you, but since most of it was on napkins, those precious original documents are, alas, gone. First the Library of Alexandria, and now this... (fortunately, just checking now it seems I still have the spreadsheet with all the data on it. Phew!)

Those snooty know-it-alls at the Annals of Improbable Research said it did not have "broad enough popular appeal for their audience"--but I know that was really just a smokescreen to keep the truth from getting out there. All those special Three interests want to thwart me from alerting the people to the terrible lies they've been spreading for years. Well, it won't work, do you hear me?!?!? My colleagues thought I was mad...MAD...to persist, but now, thanks to Scaratings, the truth can finally be told!! Ha HAH!!!

Excuse me, I think it's time for my medication and a quiet lie-down.

I have a completely different 'guessing method.' I look it up on my laptop, and then punch the correct answer into my iPhone at a site that is lagged behind mine, and I get a 1000.

Sincerely,

HAQQER

These are good rules, of course civil war needs to be chosen when an option, and avoid the number 4 as a guess, esp in a 5 question game.

If I have no clue whatsoever, I always go with 3.

Well, I used to do 'when in doubt, 4 it out'. Then a played a few games with a fellow with the same slow reading issue I have. His answer is to poke 5 right away and start reading from #1. That way, if you do not find an answer that feels better, you may be on it. Especially true with the evil 'all except' questions. Same theory would work starting with #1.

Poking a middle number requires you to read in 2 directions. One directions seems an obvious improvement over that.

Obviously, if you think you have a good idea, may be better to just hurry thru, from the top. However, here again, if you finally find the answer you like at #5, you have, probably, wasted 100+ points.

MOJO

Nobody has a response to this?

I suppose this subject is taboo here also? Not only BORG, but cell phone cheat..

Homers....

I thought it was pretty damn funny.

Not taboo at all.

everyone knows what he does.

nothing anyone says or does will result in any changes to his behavior.

if it truly bothers you, recruit some surrogates to lobby Buzztime to put a tight GPS lock on the iphone app instead of moaning that Scaratings community isn't the type to work itself into a frenzied self-righteous lynch mob.

Well, they were supposed to be working on the GPS lock issue so hopefully they'll get that done.

Haqqer is a member of this site.

What more was there to say? It was succinct, to the point, and funny. Why gild the lily?

I thought HAQQER said he did not Borg. The Cell Phone thing is another story. I know nothing about that.

Do you also believe in Santa Claus?

I recall some Floridian calling him out for borging at his homesite before he got his home install, something like the Woodside Lanes or somesuch.

Anyway, my memory was Haqqer admitted to limited borging, basically "as an experiment".

It's too bad all of the old "ScaRatings" advice on this topic has been lost. So I guess we will have to start all over again.

Here's a tip that is guaranteed to work for you 80% of the time.

When the question lists 5 answers of names of people on a "Countdown" game, and you have no idea as to which one is correct, always go with the person's name you have never heard of before. Yep, sometimes you will get more than one that you have never heard of before, and that makes it a little tougher. Then you will have to guess. However, when there is just one name you have never heard of before, go with it, and 80% of the time you will be right...!

Go with alcohol...

(I must give JESSE credit for this one.)

Any time you are at a loss as to what the right answer is, if one of the answers involves alcohol, always go with it. You will be pleasantly surprised how often this will work.

p.s. Cheese is a pretty good guess a lot of times also.

Yes Virginia, I do.

My group tends to use rule of 1. We answer 1 if we are clueless. If we can positively eliminate #1 as an answer yet still have no clue, roll down two, etc..

Exceptions include animule questions which we tend to go w/ the bird rule followed closely by the fish rule. Basically if we are clueless on an animule question and there is a bird answer, take it. If no bird, take the fish answer. If both are listed, throw up your hands and yell at NTN

Ironically there was a question last night (can't recall which game) that was an animule question. One of our team knew it cold and it was neither bird nor fish yet both of those types came up as answers.

I will agree on the "all-except" questions that #5 is prevalent. We generally read bottom up on those.

If it's a music question, always go with the artist or band you've never heard of.

If Richard Thompson shows up as an answer, it's Richard Thompson.

LOL. My problem is that with many POP Music question, I never heard of any of the artists or bands. If I do not go with 3, I will pick strangest name.

I have been out of touch with POP Music since the early 80's.

Funny... I always thought most of you folks simply went with whatever answer somebody yelled out first as your "guessing" technique - ch-ching!!

I use 3, but I use *2* for BT b/c my logic is w/ one fewer choice the middle is also one fewer....I'm amazed how often this works....if I've no idea i hit 2 and it works more often than not, but not always, just like 3 w/ five choices....

My mantra is "If I have to think about it, it's probably 3!"

which goes in line of: "if the first words out of my mouth after reading the question are 'I have no idea' I hit 3!"

similarly on questions 5, 10, & 15 more often than not if I have no idea I go w/ 5 (that's my only exception to the go w/ 3 when in doubt rule)

When I have no clue of the answer, i usually pick the longest choice. However, if the question is of the form "all are this EXCEPT..." I will usually pick #5.

-- RWM