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Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:59 pm
by John Upham
Question:
Which chess player's obituary includes the following sentence?
"Jones where Brown had had had had had had had had had had had the master’s approval"
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 1:14 pm
by MJMcCready
oh boy that's a tough one. Can't even guess. Is that sentence grammatically correct?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 2:03 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
I think the point of its inclusion is that it actually *is*?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm
by IM Jack Rudd
It's not grammatically correct as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:
""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:00 pm
by John Upham
IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm
It's not grammatically correct
as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:
""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."
Having punctuated the sentence correctly what would be your interpretation of its intended meaning?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:28 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
Anyway, any ideas about the player?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 8:28 pm
by Paul Habershon
John Upham wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:00 pm
IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm
It's not grammatically correct
as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:
""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."
Having punctuated the sentence correctly what would be your interpretation of its intended meaning?
I thought someone would have answered this by now. The had x11 sentence was doing the rounds when I was a schoolboy in the 1950s, except I remember it had 'examiner's' instead of 'master's'.
My interpretation is that Jones and Brown were examinees who had different answers to some sort of English grammar test.
I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player.
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 10:47 pm
by Nick Grey
I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player. SEEMS poor taste. may come up at an AGM if this year.
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:20 am
by John Upham
I suspect it is time to reveal a clue...
The writer of the obituary was EGR Cordingley.
If that does not help I will reveal the year in 24 hours time.
I very much hope that this grave matter will be brought up an an AGM this year. NG does not specify which AGM merely "an AGM".
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:58 am
by John Upham
Paul Habershon wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 8:28 pm
I thought someone would have answered this by now. The had x11 sentence was doing the rounds when I was a schoolboy in the 1950s, except I remember it had 'examiner's' instead of 'master's'.
My interpretation is that Jones and Brown were examinees who had different answers to some sort of English grammar test.
I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player.
More detail for those who need it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_whi ... he_teacher
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:59 am
by Mick Norris
Vera Menchik
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 10:09 am
by John Upham
Very good Mick!
May I ask how you got to that answer?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 10:41 pm
by Roland Kensdale
Why Vera Menchik?
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 9:21 am
by John Upham
accidental duplication
Re: Trivia Question
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 9:23 am
by John Upham
If you visit
https://britishchessnews.com/2020/06/27 ... niversary/
you'll find an obituary from EGR Cordingley (amongst others). EGRC used this phrase about VM.
I'm assuming that is where Mick found the reference? Maybe he could confirm?