For the past several years I have kept a record of my win-loss record against Mark in Scrabble. We played more games in 2020 than in any other year, thanks to COVID keeping us inside and away from other Scrabble opponents. My 2020 win-loss record against Mark was 201½-51½, or a 79.6% win record. That blasted tie game occurred on March 19, so I had to carry that annoying fraction around for most of the year.

We played four games on New Year’s Day and my first bingo of 2021 was the politically incorrect KLAVERNs for 65. I played it through the A, and was lucky to do so, since there was no spot for KLaVERN. Mark’s first bingo of 2021 was the powerful EXERCISE for 104.