h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I prefer "is" too.

Entry: Dominoes - A17077386
Author: MazinMadFiddler - U236774

If you ask me, dominoes is a game, but dominoes are the things you play the game with (though since many games can be played with dominoes, perhaps dominoes isn't a game after all).

Triominoes - mention them if you like. They are based on dominoes after all.

I guess you're still working on the additions, so I won't comment yet.

Right. I think this has now had the corrections done, although I would like clarification on Dominoes 'is' or Dominoes 'are' and is ready for inclusion.

I have included Triominoes, and also Domino toppling to incorporate the Domino Theory, especially as it is a game all children play at some point.

Final feed back required before I move it out of PR and into the Upgrade Forum.

I'll let it hang until Sunday, when I have the time to move it, and complete a few other entries.

for your help and support!

MMF

I agree with Bagpuss. If you're taling about the game, it's singular, if you're talking about a few individual dominoes, it's plural.

Thanks. Shall get it amended as that seems the consensus.

Think this little section needs a second read through


Possibly the most famous accident was in Leeuwarden on Friday, 11th november 2005.. The television company, Endemol, where attempting to braek the Guinness World Record. A system of 750 safety gaps had been built into the set-up but, unfortunately, a common sparrow had managed to get into the building, and managed to succeed in knocking down 23,000 dominoes. The errant bird was then shot by a Marksman, causing outrage among animal lovers.

Nice Entry, great to see Tri-ominoes in there

Will have a look Matt, and thanks for that. Even spell-check didn't notice that... or J had a moment!

Think that is sorted, along with additional links, but please advise, as I am but a mere novice!

Content:


"On the face of these squares are carved or painted dots, or pips, representing the numbers from one to six. There are also dominoes with a corresponding number of blank faces."

This doesn't explain that every possible combination from 0 to 6 is catered for. You'll need to expand this section slightly to explain this point.

I think you should mention triominoes in passing and give a brief outline of what the game is about, but I don't think you should give a detailed list of the rules and play. The entry is not about triominoes.

I think you'll have to do more work on the Domino Toppling section. It is very clumsy and stilted at the moment, and not completely clear what you are talking about.

"takes a replacement domino from the boneyard, hence the term bone" -- What term bone? You haven't mentioned the term bone before, and you haven't explained it here.

to twizzle their last domino (known as spinning... -- you've got this the wrong way round. They spin their domino - this is known as twizzling. You should rewrite this as follows:

"It is usual for a player, when reduced to one domino, to twizzle their last domino. This means that they spin the domino to indicate to the other players that they may go out on the next turnThis is usually only possible with decent dominoes with the brass pin in the centre ..

You shouldn't use terms in the text which are important and explain them in footnotes. Footnotes are only for information which the reader doesn't need to know but might find interesting. So you should move the fotnote which explains Chip Out into the main text.

"By playing dominoes at either end that are unplayable, forces opponents to forfeit their turn, thus speeding up the chip out for the blocking player. "
-- you'll have to rewrite this. Firstly, it is not clear what playing unplayable dominoes means. Secondly, it doesn't make any sense grammatically. By playing unplayable dominoes, what forces opponents?

Dominoes have been used, on many occasions, in a slightly different manner -- it's not a slightly different manner. It is a completely different purpose!

Typos etc:

It is perceived to be much older than that -- "perceived" is the wrong word here. "Believed" is actually the right word for the sentence, but you have "believed" in the previous sentence which would introduce repetition.

and it is thought that the game -->
It is thought that the game

square -- remove the space after square

in total -- add a full stop after total

and it's variant --> and its variant

between two to four players --> between two and four players

except the first domino laid --> except that the first domino laid

‘Threes and ‘Fives’ --> 'Threes and Fives'

or, more importantly are unable -- add a comma after importantly


In a number of instances gambling, of various levels, may occur -- those commas look wrong. It would be better as:
In a number of instances, gambling at various levels may occur

11th november 2005 --> 11 November, 2005
This format applies to all other dates too. You should not put the word "the" before a date.

255, 389 -- remove the space

1,382, 101 -- remove the space

303, 621 -- remove the space

G




especially favoured by children -- a special favourite with children

between 2 to 6 players --> between two and six players

Thanks for that. I will do the necessary amendments as the opportunity arises.

Would it be better to do the Triominoes as a seperate entry, as I have already written about it, and do a link to it?

Is there sufficient material there?

Maybe the entry should be Dominoes and related games, such as Domino Toppling, which in itself is not performed using dominos, but coloured domino-shaped pieces of plastic?

Yes, if you called it Dominoes and Related Games, you could leave the Triominoes section as it is.

Although that would mean that I would have to proofread that section too.

Damned if I do and damned if I don't, Eh?

Maybe that is what I should call it, as I don't think there is sufficient in the Triomonoes area to warrant it's own entry... Bit thin!

The problem is I haven't found very much to make it more meaty. It is popular, but not that popular, and I've never played it!

But I appreciate your input. watch that space.

BTW, I did use bones earlier, so guess I leave that as is?

>>Individual dominoes are variously known as bones, cards, tiles or stones.<<



MMF

..bone...

Oh, in that case, your explanation of bone is still confused.

You say:

"Once played, the player takes a replacement domino from the boneyard, hence the term bone"

In other words, an indidual tile is called a bone because it is drawn from the boneyard.

You also say in the footnote:

"There is a belief that the expression came from the material that dominoes were once made of. Hence boneyard."

In other words, the boneyard is called that because the individual dominoes were once made from bone.

Is this all a bit topsy turvy. Surely, the dominoes are called bones because they were once made from bone; the boneyard is called the boneyard because it has bones in it, not the other way around.

Good point. I must admit I hadn't read it that way, but makes sense.

Shall have another look.

Thanks.

MMF this is still in PR, are you having problems removing it?

Yes, I think it is about time you moved this into the Update Forum. Thanks for the reminder, GB.

Busiest time of the year for me, so not finished the changes you suggested G.N ot laziness, just time. Don't work in retail at this time of year if you want a rest! Everyone else gets 2 weeks off, and we're given two days if lucky, working until 20:00 or 21:00.

Removed it, and will tweak this week if given time. Watch this and thanks for your assistance on my first rewrite!

I have done a number of amendments that hopefully will make this a little clearer

Certainly created a bit of a going round in circles.

Would appreciate any other input before I send it in...

Thanks folks.

MMF

I can't remember what it was like before, but the description of the dominoes seems a bit long winded. Also there's the odd sentence that might be moved elsewhere. "Individual dominoes are variously known as..." sits in the middle of the bit about the number of spots. The bit about the introduction into the UK probably belongs at the start with the stuff about the origins, but then we'd be wondering how they got from China to France.

Hope that helps.