SOUTHERN COUNTIES SCRABBLE® LEAGUE

SOUTHERN COUNTIES 

SCRABBLE® LEAGUE 

NEWS 

ISSUE 43 

DECEMBER 2012 

SCRABBLE® is the registered trademark of JW Spear PLC Maidenhead; 

a subsidiary of Mattel Inc.© Mattel 2003.

Southern Counties Scrabble® League Issue 28 February 2009 

Southern Counties Scrabble® League News Issue 43 December 2012 

Page 1 

DECEMBER 2012 

Teams finished their matches in good time. The 

disappointment was that the Southdowns Scorpions had 

to concede their last two matches due to the loss of a key 

player who moved outside the area. I hope the Scorpions 

will be able to find a substitute and rejoin us next season. 

Southampton Saints did not make it as Champions for 

an eighth year in a row. Although they did beat this year’s 

winners, the Phoenix, 7/5 in their match! 

I look forward to receiving the Team Entries for 2013, with 

perhaps a few new teams! We really cannot afford to lose 

more teams or the existing divisional structure will be in peril. 

Southern Counties Scrabble League is online at: 

www.souterncountiesscrabbleleague.co.uk 

You can download copies of the SCSL News on the site. I 

also offer a discount on League entry fees for those who do 

not require me to mail them the SCSL News and are willing 

to download instead. 

Ruth Marsden 

IN THIS ISSUE 

Tournament activity 

Scrabble news 

Match Results 

Top players 

Please send your comments, news 

and ideas to 

Ruth Marsden 

27 Spencer Road, Canford Cliffs 

Poole, Dorset, BH13 7ET 

tel 01202 707148 

email rtmrsdn@aol.com



WINNERS OF THE LEAGUE 2012 

Divisional Playoff 

Western Division Winner Phoenix 7 5 Eastern Division Winner Regents 

In the final the new team, the Phoenix from the South Winds club in Bournemouth, won 

the playoff against Brighton in their first year in the League, thus ending the winning run 

of the Southampton Saints who have been champions for seven consecutive years. 

We had various members of the club playing for us, and a lot of luck 

The looks of surprise in the photo are very real we couldn’t believe we had won on our 

first outing as a team. 

. 

Back row Wilf Gibbons, Ruth Marsden, Ralph Gibbs, Alan Childs. Front row Val Wright 

Angela Swain. 

Page 2



Other Hats 

A final poem from the most prolific of SCSL’s poets. Ed Breed from Southdowns, Ed has 

now moved out of the area, so enjoy this last rather sombre ditty. His poems are collected 

in book form which his children had printed for a special birthday. 

Migraine 

It started in my early teens, 

Just flashes in the autumn gloom. 

A hostage to my errant genes, 

Held captive in a darkened room. 

Then there was a visual blob 

With tongue’s unnatural thickness, 

The cranial vein’s perpetual throb 

And random waves of sickness. 

From school, the fearsome homeward trek; 

Perception getting hazier. 

A sobbing, puking, purblind wreck 

With nominal aphasia. 

Cooling cloths in Mother’s hands, 

Soothing fumes of brandy: 

Head feels clamped by metal bands – 

And keep the sick bowl handy! 

Loss of sight, incessant pain, 

All words refuse to form. 

Zigzag streak across the brain – 

The full electric storm! 

So how has migraine changed my life? 

No stress by definition. 

No rat race, no domestic strife; 

Farewell to high ambition. 

Be careful of things to eat 

Like chocolate (dark) or aging Cheddar 

Never drink a spirit neat. 

Avoid wine that’s redder! 

Always take the primrose path 

Avoid all confrontation. 

The cost of even legal wrath 

Not worth the aggravation! 

And should the symptoms reappear, 

Provide yourself some headroom, 

And hope, with peace, the brain will clear 

With aspirin in the bedroom. 

EB 23 11 2011 

Page 3



PUZZLE BY DAVID SUTTON 

To stimulate the little grey cells! 

TWINER WHEREAT Teasers 

The temperature outside as I write is currently below freezing, so here are 

twenty single-solution alphagrams of words all of which have some connection with winter 

weather, most fairly well-known but a few obscure. 

AFLLNOSW 

EHIOTTUW 

ABCILT 

BBDEEMNU 

DEGIILTY 

AEIKPRST 

CDHIILLNW 

IILNRTWY 

EEFNNORS 

AILNOQU 

ABDILRYZZ 

EILOPSUV 

BDFGNOOU 

AEEOPPRSU 

EIKORST 

ELMNOSTW 

AAGRSTUZ 

AFILRZ 

BCEIIKLN 

ACCEHNRRU 

Answers on page 11 

Page 4



TOURNAMENT ACTIVITY 

Get out and about over the weeks to come and participate in these Southern 

Counties tournaments. If you have a fixture you would like included in the next 

edition, let Ruth Marsden have the details – contact info on page one. 

Southampton 6 games Contact Alan Bailey 02392 384360 

Venue Hedge End Village Hall SO30 4AF 

Sunday 24 February Cost M £13.00 / NM £15.00 

Page 5 

Registration 0905 – 0945 

First game 1000 

Refreshments Tea and coffee provided 

Bournemouth Spring 7 games Contact Ruth Marsden 01202 707148 

Venue 

Sunday 12 May Cost M £13.50 / NM £15.50 

Registration 09.30 

Rooper Hall, 5 Victoria Park Road, Moordown, 

Bournemouth, BH9 2RB 

First game 10.10 Finish 18.10 

Refreshments Tea and coffee provided 

Brighton & Hove Actually 9 games Contact Doj Graham 01273 699811 

Venue Avenue Bridge Club, Third Avenue, Hove BN3 2PB 

Sunday June Cost M £20.00 / NM £22.00 

(date to be announced) Registration 09.00 

First game 09.45 Finish: not specified 

Refreshments Tea and Coffee provided 

Bournemouth Autumn 6 games Contact Ruth Marsden 01202 707148 

Venue 

Sunday October Cost M £13.50 / NM £15.50 

(date to be announced) Registration 09.30 

First game 10.10 Finish 17.30 

Refreshments Tea and coffee provided



NOTABLE SCORING FEATS 

Undefeated 

Brighton and Hove Regents, in the Eastern Division, were the only team in the League to win all of 

their divisional matches. 

Highest Word Score 

Rene Laws Salisbury 176 GRAPPLED, Joy Coomber of Southdowns 158 REGALITY, 

Heather Roberts of Salisbury 157 FAIRNESS, Evelyn Wansbrough East Berks 140 

SQUARES, Margaret Staunton of B’mth 131 SCUNNERS, Verity Cross of Brighton 126 

INQUEST, Ian Holmes Carshalton 123 UNQUIET, David Young Dorking TEARIEST 122, 

Angela Swain of South Winds 124 EXAMINE, Evan Terrett Newport Blue 122 RETAINED, Ian 

Caws Ryde PARTIES 122, Pat Williams Basingstoke ZESTINGS 120. 

Highest Team Score 

Scores of 5000 or more: 

5399 by Newport Blues against Newport Red 

5273 by Newport Blue against Salisbury 

5122 by Newport Blue against Ryde Bees 

5112 by B’mth Magpies against Ryde Hornets 

5098 by Brighton against Southdowns 

5095 by S’ton Saints against Newport Blues 

5073 by S’ton Saints against Newport Reds 

5067 by Guildford against Dorking 

5023 by South Winds Phoenix against Basinstoke 

High Game Scores 

Players who have exceeded 500: 

Penny Downer and Gary Oliver both achieved five 500+ scores) 

Penny Downer of Newport 615, 530, 529, 518, 583, Verity Cross of Brighton 560, Gary Oliver 

of Southampton 558, 554, 553, 540, 531 Margaret Firmstone of Guildford 539, David Lawton 

of Guildford 534, 501, Tim Lawrence of Brighton 534, 511, Maureen Chamberlain of B’mth 

518, 510, Chris Finlay of S’ton 513, Andy Becher of East Berks, Tim Charlton of Guildford 

505, Bob Lynn of Salisbury 503, 554, 512, George Newman of Brighton 501, Frankie Mairey 

of S’ton 514, Pat Silence of S’ton 519, Ivan Swallow of Ryde 594, Chris Downer of B’mth 509, 

520, 522, Elizabeth Jardine of B’mth 509, Alan Bailey of S’ton 502, 505, 526, Val Wright of 

South Winds 503. 

Highest Win Ratios 

For those who have played in more than one match and achieved better than 80% wins 

Eastern Division 

Colin Parker of Carshalton 87%, Tim Lawrence of Brighton 85%. 

Western Division 

Penny Downer of Newport Blue 87%, Noel Turner Newport Blue 83%,Ralph Gibbs of South 

Winds 89%, Frankie Mairey of S’ton Sinners 100%.. 

Page 6



MATCH RESULTS 2012 

Eastern division 

Group one matches 1 March to 31 May 

Guildford 6 6 Carshalton Curlews 

Guildford 11 1 Dorking 

Brighton & Hove Regents 7 5 Dorking 

Southdowns Scorpions 3 9 East Berks Smarties 

Dorking 5.5 6.5 East Berks Smarties 

Southdowns Scorpions 5 7 Carshalton Curlews 

East Berks Smarties 6 6 Carshalton Curlews 

East Berks Smarties 7 5 Guildford 

Brighton & Hove Regents 8 4 Southdowns Scorpions 

Dorking 2 10 Carshalton Curlews 

Group two matches 1 June to 31 August 

Brighton & Hove Regents 7 5 Carshalton Curlews 

Southdowns Scorpions 5 7 Dorking 

Southdowns Scorpions 3 9 Guildford 

Brighton and Hove Regents 9 3 East Berks Smarties 

Brighton and Hove Regents 7 5 Guildford 

Carshalton Curlews 8 4 Southdowns Scoropions 

East Berks Smarties 6 6 Southdowns Scorpions 

Dorking 3 9 Brighton & Hove Regents 

Dorking 1 11 Guildford 

Carshalton Curlews 11 1 Dorking 

Group three matches 1 September to 10 November 

Guildford 2 10 Brighton & Hove Regents 

Carshalton Curlews 11 1 East Berks Smarties 

Carshalton Curlews 3 9 Brighton and Hove Regents 

East Berks Smarties 3 9 Brighton and Hove Regents 

Dorking 3 9 Southdowns Scorpion 

East Berks Smarties 8 4 Dorking 

Southdowns Scorpions 3* 9* Brighton and Hove Regents 

Guildford 9* 3* Southdowns Scorpions 

Guildford 5 7 East Berks Smarties 

Carshalton Curlews 6 6 Guildford 

* Match conceded 

Divisional Playoff 11 November 2012 to 10 January 2013 

Western Division Winner Phoenix 7 5 Eastern Division Winner Regents 

Page 7



Western division 

Group one matches 1 March to 31 May 

Basingstoke 4 8 Ryde Hornets 

Bournemouth Magpies 6 6 Southampton Saints 

Dorset Phoenix 10 2 Newport Red 

Southampton Sinners 5 7 Bournemouth Magpies 

Newport Red 1 11 Newport Blue 

Salisbury 5 7 Dorset Phoenix 

Newport Blue 10* 2* Basingstoke 

Newport Blue 7 5 Bournemouth Magpies 

Newport Red 8 4 Southampton Sinners 

Salisbury 5 7 Ryde Hornets 

Bournemouth Magpies 8 4 Basingstoke 

Southampton Sinners 5 7 Ryde Bees 

Ryde Hornets 4 8 Dorset Phoenix 

Ryde Bees 4.5 7.5 Southampton Saints 

Southampton Saints 8 4 Salisbury 

* match conceded 

Group two matches 1 June to 31 August 

Ryde Bees 4 8 Salisbury 

Basingstoke 6 6 Ryde Bees 

Bournemouth Magpies 7 5 Ryde Hornets 

Dorset Phoenix 9 3 Southampton Sinners 

Salisbury 6.5 5.5 Newport Red 

Newport Red 1** 11 Southampton Saints 

Southampton Sinners 1 11 Newport Blue 

Dorset Phoenix 5 7 Bournemouth Magpies 

Newport Red 10 2 Basingstoke 

Dorset Phoenix 10 2 Ryde Bees 

Ryde Hornets 5 7 Newport Blue 

Ryde Bees 4 8 Bournemouth Magpies 

Southampton Saints 10 2 Basingstoke 

Ryde Hornets 9 3 Southampton Sinners 

Bournemouth Magpies 6 6 Salisbury 

Southampton Saints 8 4 Newport Blue 

** two draws, giving one game point 

Group three matches 1 September to 10 November 

Southampton Saints 7 5 Dorset Phoenix 

Basingstoke 3 9 Salisbury 

Newport Blue 5 7 Dorset Phoenix 

Salisbury 6.5 5.5 Southampton Sinners 

Newport Red 6 6 Ryde Hornets 

Ryde Bees 5 7 Newport Red 

Dorset Phoenix 11 1 Basingstoke 

Southampton Saints 5 7 Ryde Hornets 

Newport Blue 9 3 Ryde Bees 

Southampton Sinners 6 6 Southampton Saints 

Bournemouth Magpies 10 2 Newport Red 

Basingstoke 3 9 Southampton Sinners 

Newport Blue 6 6 Salisbury 

Ryde Hornets 9 3 Ryde Bees 

Page 8



LEAGUE POSITIONS 2012 

Western division 

Played W D L Games Points 

Dorset Phoenix 9 7 0 2 72 21 

Southampton Saints 9 6 2 1 68.5 20 

Bournemouth Magpies 9 6 2 1 64 20 

Newport Blue 9 6 1 2 70 19 

Ryde Hornets 9 5 1 3 60 16 

Salisbury 9 4 2 3 56 14 

Newport Red 9 3 1 5 42.5 10 

Southampton Sinners 9 1 1 7 41.5 4 

Ryde Bees 9 1 1 7 38.5 4 

Basingstoke 9 0 1 8 27 1 

Eastern division 

Played W D L Games Points 

Brighton and Hove Regents 10 10 0 0 84 30 

Carshalton Curlews 10 5 3 2 73 18 

East Berks Smarties 10 5 2 3 56.5 17 

Guildford 10 4 2 4 69 14 

Southdowns Scorpions 10 1 1 8 45 4 

Dorking 10 1 0 9 32.5 3 

Page 9



Who Played for Whom? 

Name Team Div. % Games Wins 

M Chamberlain B'mth Magpies W 71.43 21 15 

Margaret Staunton B'mth Magpies W 51.85 27 14 

Chris Downer B'mth Magpies W 54.17 24 13 

Nicola Staunton B'mth Magpies W 0.00 3 0 

Chas Best B'mth Magpies W 33.33 3 1 

Elisabeth Jardine B'mth Magpies W 74.07 27 20 

Ruth Marsden Dorset Phoenix W 62.96 27 17 

Angela Swain Dorset Phoenix W 0.48 2721 13 

Alan Childs Dorset Phoenix W 70.83 24 17 

Val Wright Dorset Phoenix W 66.67 24 16 

Ralph Gibbs Dorset Phoenix W 88.89 9 8 

Wilf Gibbons Dorset Phoenix W 33.33 3 1 

Evan Terrett N'port Blue W 50.00 24 12 

Barbara Kent N'port Blue W 29.17 24 7 

Penny Downer N'port Blue W 87.50 24 21 

Noel Turner N'port Blue W 83.33 24 20 

Wendy Tiley N'port Red W 44.44 18 8 

Sheila Jolliffe N'port Red W 35.19 27 9.5 

Elisabeth Allen N'port Red W 33.33 27 9 

Jill Warren N'port Red W 50.00 6 3 

David Reading N'port Red W 0.00 3 0 

Jo Tebbutt N'port Red W 48.15 27 13 

Heather Roberts Salisbury W 43.75 24 10.5 

Bob Lynn Salisbury W 68.52 27 18.5 

David Holt Salisbury W 44.44 27 12 

Margaret Scamell Salisbury W 66.67 3 2 

Rene Lawes Salisbury W 44.44 27 12 

Gary Oliver S'ton Saints W 77.78 27 21 

Chris Finlay S'ton Saints W 53.70 27 14.5 

Brian Jones S'ton Saints W 73.81 21 15.5 

Brenda Margererson S'ton Saints W 50.00 21 10.5 

Sylvia Meyrick S'ton Saints W 58.33 12 7 

Sheila Wyatt S'ton Sinners W 0.00 3 0 

Alan Bailey S'ton Sinners W 55.56 27 15 

Janet Milford S'ton Sinners W 55.56 9 5 

Pat Silence S'ton Sinners W 16.67 18 3 

Tanya Robson S'ton Sinners W 36.11 18 6.5 

Frankie Mairey S'ton Sinners W 100.00 6 6 

Frances Goulding S'ton Sinners W 44.44 9 4 

Jeanne Rossiter S'ton Sinners W 16.67 18 3 

Judy Young conx1 Basingstoke W 20.83 24 5 

Pat Williams Basingstoke W 29.17 24 7 

Helen Thompson Basingstoke W 29.17 24 7 

Cath Cooper Basingstoke W 22.22 9 2 

Janice Ball Basingstoke W 33.33 9 3 

Veronica Baker Basingstoke W 33.33 3 1 

Ivan Swallow Ryde Hornets W 66.67 27 18 

Peter Neaves Ryde Hornets W 70.83 24 17 

Maureen Reynolds Ryde Hornets W 55.56 27 15 

Carol Smith Ryde Hornets W 0.00 3 0 

Pam Fairless Ryde Hornets W 40.74 27 11 

Page 10



Ian Caws Ryde Bees W 25.93 27 7 

Joan Caws Ryde Bees W 35.19 27 9.5 

Alan Everitt Ryde Bees W 48.15 27 13 

Stanley Wilkinson Ryde Bees W 33.33 27 9 

Ian Holmes Carsalton Cur. E 59.26 27 16 

Barbara Allen Carsalton Cur. E 60.00 30 18 

Colin Parker Carsalton Cur. E 86.67 30 26 

Pam Windsor Carsalton Cur. E 33.33 33 11 

Stuart Solomons Carsalton Cur. E 66.67 3 2 

Tim Lawrence Brighton E 85.19 27 23 

George Newman Brighton E 70.83 24 17 

Mary Siggers Brighton E 61.90 21 13 

Verity Cross Brighton E 66.67 24 16 

Ann McDonnell Brighton E 66.67 3 2 

Joy Fox Brighton E 100.00 3 3 

Peter Bailey Brighton E 50.00 6 3 

Jill Zinzan Southdowns Scorpions E 44.44 9 4 

Shirley Angell Southdowns Scorpions E 26.67 15 4 

Martin Smith Southdowns Scorpions E 50.00 6 3 

Ed Breed Southdowns Scorpions E 54.17 24 13 

Renee Paine Southdowns Scorpions E 22.22 9 2 

Pat Fenn Southdowns Scorpions E 38.89 18 7 

Joy Coomber Southdowns Scorpions E 33.33 9 3 

Alison Twine Southdowns Scorpions E 50.00 6 3 

Tim Charlton Guildford 1xcon E 46.67 15 7 

David Lawton Guildford E 66.67 24 16 

Carol Stanley Guildford E 58.33 24 14 

Margaret Firmiston Guildford E 55.56 27 15 

Anne Connolly Guildford E 16.67 6 1 

Lorna Foster Guildford E 66.67 3 2 

Tim Stratford Guildford E 100.00 3 3 

Andrea Watson Guildford E 0.00 3 0 

Rosemary Coldham Guildford E 33.33 3 1 

John Hale Dorking E 44.44 9 4 

Pricilla Munday Dorking E 46.30 27 12.5 

David Young Dorking E 13.33 30 4 

Peter Baker Dorking E 29.63 27 8 

Eileen Hunter Dorking E 0.00 3 0 

Ailsa Edwards Dorking E 16.67 24 4 

Andy Becher E.Berks Smarties E 61.11 18 11 

Maureen Barlow E.Berks Smarties E 37.50 12 4.5 

Evelyn Wansbrough E.Berks Smarties E 42.86 21 9 

Hepzi Rodrigues E.Berks Smarties E 26.67 30 8 

Mavis Harding E.Berks Smarties E 11.11 9 1 

Wanda DePoitiers E.Berks Smarties E 76.19 21 16 

Jan Bailey E.Berks Smarties E 66.67 9 6 

Answers to David Suttons Puzzle on page 4 

SNOWFALL, WHITEOUT, BALTIC, BENUMBED, GELIDITY, PARKIEST, WINDCHILL, 

WINTRILY, ENFROSEN, AQUILON, BLIZZARDY, PLUVIOSE, FOGBOUND, 

PEASOUPER, ROKIEST, SNOWMELT, ZASTRUGA, FRAZIL, ICEBLINK, 

CRANREUCH. 

Page 11

SOUTHERN COUNTIES SCRABBLE® LEAGUE

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