WWTBAM Bored

"4-by-4"

Like it or not, here is the first of four pairs of toughie grids. I'll make it worth your while, though. 120 points if you can give me two perfect solutions. If you can't do that, I can still give you 8 points for each valid foursome with valid description. One perfect grid is good for 40 points total.

No pictures here. That would be too evil, even for this contest... although a couple of people on the "Only Connect" Facebook group have posted picture grids before.

Answers are due by Thursday 6/12 at 4 PM EDT.

Grid 1:

BILL | BOW | BREAK | CODE
FISH | GAP | GEM | HIKE
LOTUS | MESSAGE | RAM | RISK
SCORPION | SEAT | SHELTER | SMART

Grid 2:

BRA | CHOCOLATE | COFFEE | DATA
EEL | EXCEDRIN | GOLD | ICE
LOVING | NOODLE | PEANUT BUTTER | RED BULL
SLOPE | TIN | TUNA | VICKS VAPORUB

extra spoiler space
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These two grids looked menacing, but they were doable.

Grid 1:

BILL | BOW | BREAK | CODE
FISH | GAP | GEM | HIKE
LOTUS | MESSAGE | RAM | RISK
SCORPION | SEAT | SHELTER | SMART

1. BOW | FISH | LOTUS | SCORPION

Yoga positions. There are a lot of yoga positions. Ram, unfortunately, is not one.

2. GEM | RAM | SEAT | SMART

Automobile companies. Lotus was a distractor for the perfect score. Scorpion was a car manufactured by Mitsubishi, so that was good for 8 points. Just not good for the perfecta. SEAT is a Spanish car company owned by Volkswagen. It's pronounced "say-aht", not "seat".

3. BREAK | HIKE | MESSAGE | RISK

Take a _____. Bow and seat were distractors.

4. BILL | CODE | GAP | SHELTER

Tax _____. Break and hike were distractors.

Grid 2:

BRA | CHOCOLATE | COFFEE | DATA
EEL | EXCEDRIN | GOLD | ICE
LOVING | NOODLE | PEANUT BUTTER | RED BULL
SLOPE | TIN | TUNA | VICKS VAPORUB

Did you smell some recognizable odors in this grid? Did they smell like red herrings, or just old tuna?

1. BRA | LOVING | PEANUT BUTTER | TIN

_____ cup.

2. EEL | NOODLE | SLOPE | VICKS VAPORUB

Things that can be slippery.

3. CHOCOLATE | COFFEE | EXCEDRIN | RED BULL

Things that have caffeine.

4. DATA | GOLD | ICE | TUNA

Things that come in chunks.

Bob J didn't want to attempt the grids. That allowed Weasel and Smiler to close the gap a little.

6/9 + 6/10 + 6/11 Scores (7 participants)
Bob Juch - 32 + 68 + 0 = 100
ShamelessWeasel - 16 + 32 + 24 = 72
smilergrogan - 8 + 12 + 40 = 60
franktangredi - 0 + 20 + 0 = 20
kroxquo - 4 + 0 + 16 = 20
jarnon - 0 + 16 + 0 = 16
Bob78164 - 0 + 0 + 0 = 0

It wasn't that I didn't want to try, just had no time.