Add and Drop Letters, Eight Ball Style Quiz

Answer: avail

Welcome to the first Eight Ball face-off between our resident superhero Terry, who wants to always add new cool stuff to FunTrivia and his evil twin Yrret, who wants to subtract from it until there is nothing left. Who will win?

Terry AVAILs himself of the advantage of getting the opening break and smacks the cue ball into the triangle. Immediately, balls roll everywhere, but only one - the yellow number 1 - hits the pocket.

Continued with question number 13.

Answer: medal

Now, however, it is Terry's turn to laugh, heartily and healthily. "Oh, my goodness, this is just too funny. You want to attack me with that, in spite of you knowing that I have the philosopher's stone? That's just golden", Terry finally says. "Speaking of gold, I'll add this M and make myself a MEDAL of it. Earned, for example, for this shot here."

He slams the cue against the white ball, sending it across the felt at breakneck speed. It rams the blue solid, obligingly sinking it into the corner pocket.

Continued with question number 9.

Answer: steam

Terry crumples a bit, visibly in pain. Whatever evil magic his twin had in store, he was not prepared for it. Still, he would not be defeated. Shivering and freezing, he weakly shoots at the red number 3 ball and sinks it. "I'll call a quick time out. Just let me take this S and enjoy a short STEAM bath to warm up. Oh, you may of course make your shot while I'm away. I got it all on closed circuit", Terry says before disappearing.

Continued with question number 15.

Answer: valid

"You know, evil one... your antics do hardly concern me", Terry says, composed and calm. "I could make this shot with my eyes closed anyway and besides, I am the one who controls both the immortality serum and the letter D, so your poison is not a VALID threat to my health!"

One quick movement of the cue later, the purple 4 ball falls just as predicted.

Continued with question number 12.

Answer: tamed

"You have no power over FunTrivia", Terry replies. "See, I simply add this T and that's all it takes to get you TAMED."

With the table wide open, he does not need long to set up the next, perfectly executed shot on the orange ball.

Continued with question number 11.

Answer: smote

Visibly refreshed, Terry re-emerges from the steam room. He quickly flexes his fingers and prepares for the shot as his evil twin unleashes the prepared witchcraft. However, in a protective gesture, Terry raises his arm and the energy strikes the polished glass of his watch, reflecting back and narrowly missing its originator. Looking at the damage, Terry shrugs. "My insurance will cover that watch, but what will they say at Evil, Inc. when you have to report that I just took an O and almost SMOTE you with your own little magic?"

The clicking sound of another ball successfully hitting the pocket is all that is heard in reply.

Continued with question number 14.

Answer: ideal

"Just for your information: I have not been using that component for years. Instead, I simply added an E to arrive at the IDEAL formula - and it tastes better that way as well", a smiling Terry, sitting on the corner of the table, answers his evil twin. "I must however admit you have left me with an interesting shot here."

He walks around the table three times, eying the shot from all possible angles before finally deciding on a complex three-rail shot risking an early eight-ball drop and instant game loss. Finally, he strikes. The cue ball seems too slow, but just makes the collision and drops the burgundy ball, nestling itself just between the pocket and the menacing black eight.

Continued with question number 10.

Answer: moths

As the room falls apart around him, Terry frantically tries to think of a solution. Then, it dawns on him: The challenge to play a game of pool with the evil one was still valid and if he could win on the table, he would win in the real world as well. However, the shot angle is just impossible - playing the ball as it lies would mean losing. He needs to find some way to dislodge it. He looks up to the bright lamp above the table and suddenly has an idea. Adding an H, he shoos away the MOTHS circling the bright light. They fly everywhere, with one landing just on the polished Eight Ball. The weight of the insect is enough - the ball moves by a quarter of its diameter, just sufficient to fit the cue ball and make a straight shot towards the far corner.

Our hero shoots, the ball drops, and once more, the world is saved. For now.

TO BE CONTINUED. (Maybe.)

Answer: Edam

"So you might survive this. Fine. But your little trivia site won't. Look, I'll just take away this L and now you're reduced to asking questions about British nobility, synonyms for "created" and third-rate cities such as EDAM", Yrret quips. "And if I get my way - which I will - you will soon not have any letters left to ask questions with!"

He sits on the table corner, puts the cue behind his back and just taps the white ball, sinking the easy 9-ball.

Continued with question number 5.

Answer: lead

"You're so smart, do-gooder. I'll take down that little site of yours in no time and, just so you can feel the pain I'll start right with this I, which should also tell you really should start worrying about that poison because I didn't even mean to interfere with your little serum, but it won't help you against LEAD poisoning!", Yrret laughs, in his best maniacal "evil twin" sound.

With a flick of his wrist that doesn't seem quite legal in billiards, he makes the shot, jumping the cue ball over the black obstacle and right onto the blue-striped 10.

Continued with question number 2.

Answer: meat

"As if anyone or anything could even contain or control evil", the maniacal creature continues. "Here, take this: I grab this D you added a while ago and you're reduced to a helpless, shivering, piece of MEAT. Now how do you like that?"

Shaking himself, but from laughter, he almost misses the next shot, but a lucky bounce means that the red-striped ball leaves the table through the side pocket.

Continued with question number 3.

Answer: dial

"Immortality, Shmimmortality", the evil one retorts. "Do you really think you're the only one who knows how to cheat death? Except, of course, the batch of serum you drank from was missing a crucial V - so better DIAL 911 before it's too late!"

He takes a few seconds to aim, but then comfortably sinks the 12 ball, leaving Terry in an awkward table position.

Continued with question number 7.

Answer: vial

"Ha!" exclaims Yrret. "Is that the best you can do? I call orange 13, middle pocket, and by the way, I stole that A from you and that VIAL you just drank from was poison! So you'd better shoot fast, before you go blind or worse!"

Continued with question number 4.

Answer: most

"Give me that", Yrret barks, ripping the cue from Terry's hand. He sinks the last remaining colored ball after a two-second setup and then looks at the lone remaining Eight Ball, inconveniently placed near a side rail.

"You took a time-out, so I may take one too while you think about your shot", Yrret fumes before disappearing through the mirror. Terry just shakes his head - always the same cheap special effects. But then, he notices something very wrong. In disappearing, Yrret has taken an E with him and MOST of FunTrivia is just falling apart! He has to do something and he'd better do it quickly!

Continued with the grand finale at question number 8.

Answer: stem

Visibly disappointed at having no audience to unleash more mad scientist and mad sorcerer talk upon, Yrret ponders his next move. He looks from the table to the balls, to the cue and then has an idea: 'What if I just took that last A and paralyzed this guy so that he's helpless like a STEM without roots and leaves?. Oh, yes!'

Briefly torn between the two striped balls remaining, he finds that the burgundy 15 will leave Terry with a harder shot, so he pockets it and waits for the entrepreneur superhero to return.

Continued with question number 6.