Wiktionary:Halloween Competition 2011

General idea

The idea is to improve some of the basic entries in Wiktionary, especially for common words, while also getting users' creative juices flowing.

How to play

This competition is to write a really short original story, of exactly fifty distinct words(A word is to be interpreted as a wikilinked entry on Wiktionary. You cannot repeat the same word in the same story). As it is Halloween, it should be Halloweeny: suspenseful, scary, spooky, monstery, frightening, horrible, offensive, gross or just downright disturbing.

How to get points

Points are awarded in three steps:

1. Firstly, ten points are awarded to the user who most improves a word in a story from the beginning of the competition to its close. Any user may work with any story.
2. Secondly, a panel of judges will decide on the best story in terms of literary merit. The scores will be: 200 points for the best, 150 for the second best, 100 for the third and 50 for the fourth best. Also a bonus 20 points for the crappiest story.
3. Thirdly, for correcting any grammatical or spelling errors in others' writing, 5 points are awarded.

Eligibility

The competition is open to everyone who has been able to edit pages. Both unblocked and blocked users (this is the "bringing monsters back from the dead" part...zombies, Halloween, get it...)

Subrules

• The competition begins on October 25, and shall continue for 2 weeks, ending on November 8 2011, at 00:01 Wiktionary time.

• Each user may only write one story per four days. But no words from their own previous stories can be repeated (you may repeat words from others' stories).

• As the aim is to see improvement in entries for common words, in the event where more than one user writes a story using the same word (this is fine), the user who adds the most improvement will be rewarded to a multiple degree i.e. if 4 users use the word [[and]], then the user who most improves the word [[and]] gets 40 points.

• This competition is multilingual

• No copying of any kind is to occur

• The judges' decision is final

• The winner gets one hour of the rulemaster (Rockpilot (talk • contribs)) as their slave.

Entries

Please add wikified stories below.

User:Pilote du roque

Created 24 October: Sheep guts (this is merely an example) The sheep crept towards my cabin, squeaking, wheezing and clawing as if impelled by a dark force. What were they doing at this time at night? Surely not grazing, nor seeking mates. I panicked, rang Bobby, stared out into our green garden. All noises ceased while blood trickled from their eyes. WTF?

User:BigDom

• Attack of the killer pigeons We froze, statuesque, as they hurtled towards us. Each had eyes red like flames, razor-sharp talons and a murderous air about them. Was there any way or enough time to escape? Afraid, I let out an almighty scream. Suddenly everything went black - nobody wakes up from the killer pigeon attack!

user:msh210

• "The Zombie": All is peaceful. Work progresses nicely. Old attackers are put out of mind. Suddenly, from nowhere, someone long thought to be just another citizen reveals himself as the zombie, with an abrupt main-page deletion! Hurrying — scrambling — seeking a steward for reinterment — then peace once more. Until he rises again.

User:Widsith

• The creature burst from Alex’s body, clawing wildly, dripping with blood – clearly driven purely by an array of primal needs. Gore, plus other bodily fluids, were everywhere. Its former host lay back, gutted and sobbing in horror. Screams broke out across London’s midnight silence. ‘It’s a boy,’ our midwife announced.

User:SemperBlotto

• "organs dangling": Woken from deep slumber and strange dreams by unusual shuffling sounds, I look out of the window. What is in my garden? A hideous thing shuffles towards me - red, raw, with obscene glistening organs dangling - it has been literally turned inside-out! We really must not let Puss out at night.

Scores

Players can claim scores on their section. Below are judges' scores

Rockpilot's ranking:

1. BigDom
2. Widsith
3. SB
4. msh

Vahag's ranking

1. Widsith
2. BigDom
3. SB
4. msh

Daniel's ranking

I want a whole section for me.

1. Wid
   • So horrible and cool. Complete with a well-prepared plot twist that shifts the mood from fantastic to mundane while preserving the disturbing aura around both realms.
2. Dom
   • I see hints and more hints of a crazy ending involving a deadly bird.
3. msh
   • Interesting account of a true story.
4. Semper
   • Somewhat suspenseful, but the description was more scientifically accurate than particularly witty or scary.

All the stories were well-thought, even if I awarded different places for each of them. I spent some time checking the restrictive choices of prepositions, verbs and whatnot, just because I wanted to; yet, the podium was based solely on my subjective artistic enjoyment.

And all the stories were silly, as expected; and the rules were less well-thought and sillier.

--Daniel 20:23, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Final scores

Widsith 200, Dom 150, SB 100 and msh 50. If you claim other points for improving pages, tell me --Rockpilot 09:40, 10 November 2011 (UTC)