A week ago I played in the third Niagara Falls International Open. One highlight is that I attained a personal high for spread points. Over twenty-two games I managed to accumulate a spread into four digits, with a final record of 13-9 +1037. The directors and organizing team kept the tournament to its posted schedule. I was very happy to see that announcements and games started or resumed at the exact minute as stated. Although I was at the first two Niagara Falls tournaments, this year marked the first time that I actually got to see the falls. Another highlight was that I got to hang out with Carl Johnson. Thanks Jason Keller for the Skippy peanut butter.

I have included my bingo count for each round. My bingos are listed first, separated from my opponents’ by a virgule.

01 SWIRLER* [1] SAUTEING VALETINg / PRONATES pRIDING
02 SWATHING OUTRAISE WATERING / none
03 THRAWINg ACHINOTE* [2] / EVOLUTE SNIFtERS
04 none / WRESTER MENdIGO REDYINg
05 BuNKERS CANDIES / MERITOR* AIRdATE
06 SUDSIER PECTiNs [3] / none
07 CRUSTiNG [4] RAILERS iNEPTESt / NUTTERS
08 AMNESTY ELECTROS LARDiER / BIOPSIc CLEATING
09 ENURETic / INVENTS TAVERNAS
10 SuRGERY / SNEaKIER
11 APOGEIc / SODAMIDE cANTERS [5]
12 BALEENS / GITTERNS PROBATES
13 ETESIAN ONLiEST REFLATES cAZIQUES / WINGMEN
14 HILLOAS TRENDOID / TeENDOM LATRINE INJUREd
15 QUARTILE RiNGTONE / INFLATES SHORTIE
16 YEARlIES [6] ROSETTES / SOUrNESS
17 sTERANE RADIOING / SPAEINg
18 JUDDERs UNLOAdS / CORSAGE CRETINS
19 FUROREs / DEAREST COmPOTE ALINERS VERSING
20 CENTALS BETtERS / EAsTERN
21 ELATERID ANERGIES tENDERS / CHATTINg
22 HYALItE TRAILING ERMINES / none

[1] I knew very well that SWIRLER was a phony. I was playing second and my opponent had traded tiles on her first turn, so I took a chance that she would let it go.

[2] Obviously confusing it with ACHIOTE

[3] PECTiNs scored 101. The only way it could have fit is if I made the blanks the letters that they were (which made finding the play then very easy).

[4] I played this through the U, so my rack was six consonants and a blank.

[5] There were four C’s on the board.

[6] If I had played this word without a blank, it would have been YEARLIES.

45 for me / 35 for my opponents