About this blog:


A semi-random collection of pictures of various things in various places at various times - updated daily unless & until I run out of material...


All shots are taken by me and almost all with a Canon Powershot G9. As yet, I have no extra equipment or lenses to go with the camera, but I'm hoping this will change soon...


This is my main blog. For my art 'swaps', see:
here


About Quango-Bingo:


This is a simple game played by two or more people where words or phrases are 'traded' in turn by players.


Rules:


- All words/ phrases must have two syllables
- The second syllable must be an 'o' sound
- Repetition and hesitation are not allowed


For such a simple game, it can get quite tricky - especially if a lot of people are involved.

17th April 2012

Post with 21 notes

What’s a ‘Quango-Bingo’ anyway?

Ok, so I had a couple of comments/ questions about my nickname today. For those of you who do not already know (or for those who would like a fuller description) this is what quango-bingo is and how it came to be:

In short, it is the second daftest game I have ever invented. It is very simple, but beautiful in its mechanic. Sort of…

It all started back in the year 2000 (evidently an auspicious year) when a friend of mine - upon seeing a news report - commented that she really liked the word ‘quango’. My response was simply ‘bingo’. From that moment on, for about an hour and a half, our conversation consisted solely of two-syllable words or phrases ending in an ‘o’ sound (though not necessarily the letter O. Clever, no?).

Our 90-minute descent into madness was punctuated by such beauties as ‘oboe’, ‘pogo’*, ‘day-glo’ and - my personal favourite: ‘oh no!’.

*Even if you click on nothing else, click on the pogo link!

I was surprised not only at how much fun it was, but also the intensity of the experience. Quite odd indeed. Sometimes you’ve just got to go with the flow. Luckily, being university students, neither of us had anything better to do with our time.

Well, there was only one thing left to do: make it competetive! Thus the game of quango-bingo was invented and played - usually late at night and under the influence of various substances (including cheese) - by a bunch of young people who really aught to have been doing more constructive things with their time.

The rules are simple and as follows:

- Players take it in turn to trade words or phrases
- All words/ phrases must have two syllables
- The second syllable must be an ‘o’ sound
- Repetition and hesitation are not allowed

That’s it. You can score it however you like: 3 lives and you’re out; a mistake earns you a forfeit; clever phrases earn you points; whatever you want :)

It remains a fond friend of many of the people I hang out with and sometimes - very occasionally (and very definitely only ‘for old times’ sake’) - it is brought out of the dusty cupboards of our minds, shaken off and played into the wee hours.

May it bring you at least 5 minutes of fun :)

Bob x

Tagged: quango-bingoisasillygame

  1. someperfectworld said: play doh.
  2. giovannivenditti said: completely insane you are. So cool.
  3. thethriftylife4me said: This was amusing, Bob! Thanks for sharing. Actually, I think it sounds like a fun game [I am a word lover!]. So when can I come over and play a few rounds? :)
  4. goddessofscrumptiousness said: Not only is this an awesome story but the links you provided are so funny… like, Ohh, what is this link… then I click it and Ohh, hahaha!!! So nice and so funny-goofy Bob! :) :) :)
  5. amchphotography said: :D
  6. quango-bingo posted this