Covid Chronicle

It turned out that I was wise to miss scrabble last week. Had a positive Covid test on Tuesday morning. Isolation is only 5 days now, but then another 5 days wearing a mask. Under those rules I could play tonight with a mask on, but it seems best to err on the side of caution by leaving it until next week. It was a surprise to get Covid, not just because I had all the vaccinations, but because Julie had been battling a non-Covid bug for over a week and I presumed I had finally got that.

A Grade Challenge

The letters this week are C and V for COVID. Only 4 racks, but each one of them has two answers, so you are looking for a total of 8 words

C E E E I L T V

A C I L O R T V

A A C E L O R V

A C E E H I R V

B & C Grade Learning List

There are 60 words of 5 letters that include both a C and a V.

I have chosen 15 that are less well known

CLAVI Plural of CLAVUS, a horny thickening of the skin

CLEVE A hillside. Can also be CLEEVE

COVEY A small flock of birds such as partridge or quail

COVIN A conspiracy to injure someone. Also COVINE or COVYNE

CUVEE A vat of blended wine of uniform quality

SCHAV A cold soup of leafy vegetables

CARVY An alternative spelling of the herb CARRAWAY

CRUVE A Scottish word for a pen or sty. Also CROOVE or CRUIVE

VACUA Plural of VACUUM, completely empty of matter

VAREC A type of seaweed. Can also be VARECH or VRAIC

VATIC An adjective pertaining to a prophet

VAUCH To move fast

VINCA A genus of plants which includes the periwinkle

CEZVE A small copper coffee pot with a long handle

CONVO An Australian term for a conversation

The Aussies have introduced a lot words like that last one. FIRIE, AMBO, TOOLIE and SCHOOLIE also spring to mind. What is it that makes them want to end all their words with a vowel?

Answers to A Grade Challenge

ELECTIVE Concerning the power of choice CLEVEITE A radioactive mineral

VICTROLA A type of gramophone VORTICAL Whirling, like a vortex

CAVALERO A horseman. Also spelled CABALERO CAVEOLAR Relating to a CAVEOLA, a tiny pit in a cell membrane

ACHIEVER One who achieves CHIVAREE To perform a mock serenade

If tin cans are tied behind the car of a newly married couple, the sound that produces is a mock serenade. It can also be spelled SHIVAREE or CHIVARI

Happy Scrabbling See you next week Patrick