Quiz Guy John Chaneski’s game is based on the names of cities and states where the National Puzzlers’ League has held its annual convention over the past few years. Attendees came up with a punny moniker for each that incorporates the con- in convention. For example, the 1999 convention was held at the Big Sky Resort near the town of Bozeman, so puzzlers jokingly called that gathering Contana. The 2012 convention was held in one of two famous Portlands. What state-related nickname did they give to that event? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Conquer the Con Quiz”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined by our quiz guy, that man of tall stature, John Chaneski in New York City. Hi, John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.
Like many organizations, by the way, the National Puzzlers League, you know, that organization I belong to, they were forced to cancel their annual convention this year. Now, luckily, our members are very committed to puzzling, and they’ve managed to put together not one, but two remote conventions via social media. Now, these conventions were dubbed with a portmanteau of convention and online, and I’m sure you can guess what they were called.
Conline? Conline, yes. Okay. Conline and Conline 2. Now, since every modern National Puzzlers League convention takes place in a different city, each is christened with its own nickname, which typically relates to the locale. I wonder if you can guess the one-word nickname of the following conventions, given the clues. All right? Okay. First, the simple ones.
In 1999, the convention was held at the Big Sky Resort near the town of Bozeman. If you know the northwestern U.S. state where you can find that, you’ll be able to tell me the simple nickname of that gathering? Contana. Contana, yes, in Montana. Very good. Similarly, the 2012 gathering took place in one of our country’s two most famous Portlands. Can you suss out the state-related nickname?
Conaghan? Try again. Kane? Maybe Oricon? Oricon, yes. Oricon in Oregon. Main Con took place in the other Portland two years later in 2014.
Yeah.
So far, only one convention has resisted a nickname because the word Khan appears in the state’s name. In 2018, the organizers simply stated that this Khan’s in…
Connecticut.
No.
Was it in Milwaukee or Madison?
It was in Milwaukee.
So this Khan’s in…
Is Wisconsin.
Wisconsin, Wisconsin.
Yes, they called it just Wisconsin.
Now, sometimes it references the state, sometimes the city. The 2011 bash took place in Rhode Island, and the nickname sounded like a word meaning the feeling or belief that one can rely on something or someone.
The feeling or belief that one can rely on something or someone.
Right, and it referenced a city in Rhode Island.
I don’t know that many cities in Rhode Island.
Do you know the capital of Rhode Island?
I would say confidence, but like Providence.
It’s confidence, right, which is maybe the opposite of Providence?
Confidence? I don’t know.
The 2019 gathering in Boulder, Colorado, opted for a play on the word Boulder and used a two-word phrase you might hear at a concert.
Freebird.
The other thing you hear at a concert.
Yeah.
Rock on.
Thank you, Cleveland.
Rock on, yes.
Rock on in Boulder in 2019.
Oh, Lord.
Again, if you’re near any of these places and you like puzzles and word games and word play, you’re invited to come crash our convention.
Thanks, John.
That was a great puzzle.
We’ll talk to you next week.
Thank you, guys.
Talk to you then.
Bye-bye.
And like John, we like to talk about puzzles, word games, word play, and language in all its glory.
So join us, 877-929-9673, or send us an email all about it.
The address is words@waywordradio.org.
