45.03-Guardian angel

Previously on the Smole, the contestants were paired up and had to race against the other pairs. Max and Brianna managed to steal the silver exemption away from Bryan and Apollo, and Max used his immediately. Unfortunately for Bryan, he was the first one to be executed. 40/100 points are in the pot. How much more can these past finalists bring in?

***

Jo: "I just realised something. Brianna and I look so similar. It's almost as if we are twins. It's so creepy to think about how there are doppelgangers out there in the world."

***

James: "Who turned on the lights?"

James: "Oh. It's just the sunlight. Why didn't they think to invest in curtains?"

*

*

*

Brianna: "You're up early. Revising already?"

Kelly: "Yes and no."

Brianna: "What do you mean...oh, that's not a journal."

Brianna: "I've been meaning to ask you about all these books."

Kelly: "They are textbooks. It wasn't easy for me to score a placing in university, especially since I'm a mature student. My leave of absence was only approved on the account that my grades didn't slip by too much."

Brianna: "It must be taxing to have to juggle the Smole and school."

Kelly: "It is, but I've grateful to have been given the opportunity to do both."

Brianna: "I respect you, Kelly. Despite being 50 you're really determined to succeed."

Kelly: "It wasn't easy. It was a culture shock when I first got accepted. Things are so different from the past. I became really disliked in orientation. The other freshmen found me to be too meddlesome and stiff. Eventually I learned to swallow my pride and adapt."

Brianna: "Like I said, respect. And you didn't join uni at age 50 to become Miss Popular. Just focus on your studies and screw the rest."

*

*

*

Guillermo: "Good morning fellow losers."

James: "The only one losing is you."

Brianna: "What makes you so sure you'll win?"

James: "Because I have a guardian angel watching over me."

Brianna: "Ew, that's so corny. I can't believe you actually said that out."

James: "I don't expect you to understand. Being completely alone makes me even more determined to succeed. There are no second chances in life."

James: "By the way, I realised that you and Jo look very similar."

Jo: "Oh good. I thought I was going crazy."

Brianna: "Looks like someone can't take the heat."

Jo: "All of you are acting as if you've secured a place in the finale. Talk is cheap."

Brianna: "Oh, but I will secure a place in the finale. There's only room for one of me."

*

*

*

"Contestants, your next mission is a spelling bee. You will be given 20 words to spell. Each word correctly spelled earns 10 points. You can ask for the definition but that costs you 5 points. You can ask for its usage in a sentence after that but that costs another 4 points. The one with the most words correct at the end gets a bronze exemption, which ensures you will not be executed in the event of a tie. Essentially, it reduces your time taken in the quiz to one second. Unlike the silver exemption, the bronze exemption takes immediate effect."

"Ready? Your first word is ECZEMA. If you think you know how to spell, press the buzzer beside you."

Katelyn: "What does that word even mean?"

"ECZEMA:  an acute or chronic noncontagious inflammatory condition of the skin that is characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or lichenified and that is often associated with exposure to chemical or other irritants."

*bzz*

Kelly: "ECZEMA. E-X-C-Z-E-M-A. ECZEMA."

"That is incorrect. The correct spelling is E-C-Z-E-M-A."

James: "If you didn't know you should have kept your mouth shut."

Kelly: "I thought I knew."

"The next word is PROMISCUOUS."

Guillermo: "Just so we're clear, can we get its definition?"

"PROMISCUOUS: having or characterized by many transient sexual relationships."

Apollo: "If none of you know what it means then you should go back to school. Or look at Bloom."

Bloom: "You're the one who romanced a maid who woohooed with a celebrity on TV."

Apollo: "It was just for show. For publicity. None of it was ever real. I could never love that worthless fat bitch."

*bzz*

Kelly: "Can we get back to the mission now? PROMISCUOUS. P-R-O-M-I-S-C-U-O-U-S. PROMISCUOUS."

"That is correct. As one clue was used to arrive at the answer, 5 points have been earned."

"The next word is LIAISON."

*bzz*

Brianna: "Finally. I'm not letting Kelly hoard all the words. LIAISON. L-I-A-I-S-O-N. LIAISON."

"That is correct. 10 points."

"The next word is CERISE."

James: "I've never heard of this word before. I'd like the definition please."

"CERISE: A light clear red colour."

James: "That's still not enough. I request for it in a sentence."

"She entered in a CERISE dress with her entourage."

*bzz*

Apollo: "Finally I get to answer. CERISE. S-E-R-E-S-E. CERISE."

"That is incorrect. The correct spelling was C-E-R-I-S-E."

"The next word is LOGORRHEA."

*bzz*

Max: "LOGORRHEA. L-O-G-O-R-R-H-E-A. LOGORRHEA."

"That is correct. 10 points are earned."

Katelyn: "How did you know that? You're a foreigner."

Max: "To learn English I resorted to reading the dictionary. I came across this word because it looked like a log was having diarrhoea."

"The next word is MAROCAIN."

*bzz*

James: "I need to catch up while I still can. MAROCAIN. M-A-R-O-C-A-I-N. MAROCAIN."

"That is correct."

***

James: "I watched the 2017 National Spelling Bee. This was the winning word."

***

"Your next word is GLADIOLUS."

*bzz*

James: "GLADIOLUS. G-L-A-D-I-O-L-U-S. GLADIOLUS."

"That is correct. Another 10 points."

Katelyn: "James is on a roll!"

"The next word is DAIQUIRI."

Apollo: "Not letting you buzz in all the way, James. I want the definition."

"DAIQUIRI: a cocktail containing rum and lime juice."

Bloom: "Can I get it in a sentence?"

"The bar's top-selling drink is a strawberry DAIQUIRI, named after the rum-producing district in Cuba."

*bzz*

Kelly: "If I had known it was the Cuban village I would have answered earlier. DAIQUIRI. D-A-I-Q-U-I-R-I. DAIQUIRI."

"That is correct. 1 point has been earned due to the clues used."

Guillermo: "One point is pathetic. We need to stop wasting our time with clues. Either 10 points or none."

Kelly: "Well it isn't my fault that others waste points on clues."

"The next word is ESQUAMULOSE."

Apollo: "I need a definition."

"ESQUAMULOSE: not covered in scales or scale-like objects; having a smooth skin."

Guillermo: "What did I just say?"

Apollo: "I only listen to myself."

*bzz*

Katelyn: "ESQUAMULOSE. S-K-U-A-M-U-L-L-O-S. ESQUAMULOSE."

"That is incorrect. The correct answer was E-S-Q-U-A-M-U-L-O-S-E."

Katelyn: "Thought I'd try for fun."

***

Katelyn: "Word games aren't my strong suit, so I was so so bored in the mission just sitting there hearing alien languages."

***

"The next word is PSORIASIS."

*bzz*

Apollo: "This I know. PSORIASIS. P-S-O-R-I-A-S-I-S. PSORIASIS."

"That is correct. 10 points."

"Halfway through. The next word is POCOCURANTE."

*bzz*

Bloom: "POCOCURANTE. P-O-C-C-O-C-U-R-A-N-T-E. POCOCURANTE."

"That is incorrect. The correct spelling was P-O-C-O-C-U-R-A-N-T-E."

Bloom: "I stuttered at such a handsome voice."

"Nice try. The next word is PROSPICIENCE."

Kelly: "May I get a definition?"

"PROSPICIENCE: Foresight or prevision."

*bzz*

Jo: "PROSPICIENCE. P-R-O-S-P-I-C-I-E-N-C-E. PROSPICIENCE."

"That is correct. 5 points."

"The next word is STICHOMYTHIA."

Katelyn: "Uh...what? Meaning please."

"STICHOMYTHIA: dialogue, especially of altercation or dispute delivered by two actors in alternating lines."

*bzz*

Katelyn: "Here goes nothing. STICHOMYTHIA. S-T-I-C-...H-...O-M-Y-T-H-I-A. STICHOMYTHIA."

"That is actually correct. 5 points earned."

"The next word is KOINONIA."

*bzz*

Kelly: "KOINONIA. C-O-I-N-O-N-N-I-A. KOINONIA."

"Incorrect. It was K-O-I-N-O-N-I-A."

"The next word is ELEGIAC."

*bzz*

Katelyn: "ELEGIAC. E-L-E-G-I-A-C. ELEGIAC."

"That is correct. 10 points again."

Max: "I thought you were bad with words?"

Katelyn: "Lucky guess?"

"The next word is SMARAGDINE."

Katelyn: "Say what now? Can you explain that word?"

"SMARAGDINE: of or pertaining to emeralds, or having the colour of emeralds."

*bzz*

Kelly: "Oh, it's me again. Okay, SMARAGDINE. S-M-...E-R-A-G-D-I-N. SMARAGDINE."

"That is incorrect. The correct spelling was S-M-A-R-A-G-D-I-N-E."

"The next word is URSPRACHE."

*bzz*

James: "URSPRACHE. U-R-S-P-R-A-C-H-E. URSPRACHE."

"Correct. 10 points earned."

James: "Finally. You should leave all the answering to me next time."

"The next word is ANTEDILUVIAN."

Bloom: "Guillermo has been too quiet. Shall we let Guillermo have a try?"

Guillermo: "If you all agree..."

*bzz*

Guillermo: "ANTEDILUVIAN. A-N-T-E-D-I-L-U-V-I-A-N. ANTEDILUVIAN."

"Correct. That is another 10 points."

***

Brianna: "Guillermo knew the right answers for the hard words and yet he chose to keep quiet. Why didn't he help to earn points when he knew the words? That Mole."

***

"The next word is OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGIST."

Apollo: "What the hell does that word even mean?"

"OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGIST: surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck."

Katelyn: "What's the second clue?"

"If a general practitioner is unable to cure your cold, you may want to consider visiting an OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGIST."

Guillermo: "The sentences are useless."

*bzz*

Max: "There aren't many words left. I have to get this right...OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGIST. A-U-T-O-...R-H-I-N-O-...L-A-R-I-N-G-...G-O-L-O-G-I-S-T. OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGIST."

"That is incorrect. The spelling was O-T-O-R-H-I-N-O-L-A-R-Y-N-G-O-L-O-G-I-S-T."

"The last word is FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION."

Katelyn: "You have to be speaking gibberish to me. I don't understand you."

*bzz*

James: "FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION. F-L-O-C-I-N-A-U-S-A-N-A-L-I-A-P-I-L-I-V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N. FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION."

"Incorrect. The correct spelling is F-L-O-C-C-I-N-A-U-C-I-N-I-H-I-L-I-P-I-L-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. That means the estimation of something as worthless, by the way."

Bloom: "That last question definitely was worthless."

"With that, the spelling bee is over. 96/200 points have been earned, making the pot 106/300 points. At the very least, this group is a better group of spellers than the last group."

"Guillermo, you had one correct answer."

"Brianna, you had one correct answer."

Brianna: "I just wasn't fast enough with the buzzer."

"Max, you had one correct answer."

Max: "What Brianna said. Everyone was too fast."

"Jo, you had one correct answer."

Jo: "I did? I don't even remember."

"Apollo, you had one correct answer."

Apollo: "Ugh. Fuck this."

"Kelly, you had 2 correct answers."

"Katelyn, you had 2 correct answers."

Katelyn: "Awesome. See? I didn't even need to try too hard."

"James, you had 3 correct answers, which is the most out of everyone. Congratulations. You get a bronze exemption."

James: "Pretty worthless. Like floccinaucinihilipilification." 

James is the champion of the spelling bee and gets a bronze exemption for his effort, allowing him to be safe if he is tied for lowest. Will he be through or will he end up still scoring the lowest and be executed?

***

Summary:

1. katelyn asked 1st clue, kelly wrong
2. guillermo asked 1st clue, kelly right
3. brianna right
4. james asked 1st clue, james asked 2nd clue, apollo wrong
5. max right
6. james right
7. james right
8. apollo asked 1st clue, bloom asked 2nd clue, kelly right
9. apollo asked 1st clue, katelyn wrong
10. apollo right
11. bloom wrong
12. kelly asked 1st clue, jo right
13. katelyn asked 1st clue, katelyn right
14. kelly wrong
15. katelyn right
16. katelyn asked 1st clue, kelly wrong
17. james right
18. guillermo right
19. apollo asked 1st clue, katelyn asked 2nd clue, max wrong
20. james wrong

1. eczema - an acute or chronic noncontagious inflammatory condition of the skin that is characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or lichenified and that is often associated with exposure to chemical or other irritants
2. promiscuous - having or characterized by many transient sexual relationships
3. liaison - communication or cooperation which facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations
4. cerise - a light clear red colour
5. logorrhea - pathologically excessive and often incoherent talkativeness
6. marocain - a type of dress fabric or ribbed crepe
7. gladiolus - an Old World plant of the iris family, with sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brightly coloured flowers, popular in gardens and as a cut flower
8. daiquiri - a cocktail containing rum and lime juice
9. esquamulose - not covered in scales or scale-like objects; having a smooth skin
10. psoriasis - a skin disease marked by red, itchy, scaly patches
11. pococurante - apathetic or indifferent
12. prospicience - foresight or prevision
13. stichomythia - dialogue, especially of altercation or dispute delivered by two actors in alternating lines
14. koinonia - intimate spiritual communion and participative sharing in a common religious commitment and spiritual community
15. elegiac - relating to or characteristic of an elegy
16. smaragdine - of or pertaining to emeralds, or having the colour of emeralds
17. ursprache - a hypothetically reconstructed parent language (eg Proto-Germanic)
18. antediluvian - ancient, antiquated or supremely dated
19. otorhinolaryngologist - surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck
20. floccinaucinihilipilification - the estimation of something as worthless