It takes more than the "bare
necessities" to beat me by Q May 6, 2008 
Have you played 20Q Disney today? You probably have, considering how many games I’ve won in the past 24 hours. How can you call yourselves Disney fans? I’ve been coming out on top all day! A few of you came up
with some good ideas, but I’m still ahead of the pack. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of characters, places, and things that players haven’t taught me too much about yet. Maybe this’ll give you
some ideas for other things you can think of to try and beat me. Here we go: Stromboli is the villainous, bearded man from Pinocchio.
Pinocchio’s nose grows whenever little Pinocchio tells a fib. Princess Aurora is the real name of Sleeping Beauty. I don’t think many people know that.
The Beast’s castle is the secret castle in Beauty and the Beast. It doesn’t get any better than a huge castle with a wild, but lovable monster, a magic rose, and singing cutlery.
Portobello Road is that great song from Bedknobs and Broomsticks. King Triton’s trident is that pointy weapon the little mermaid’s dad carries around. Don’t get in
the way of Ariel’s father. He could take down Godzilla with that thing. The Cave of Wonders is where Aladdin took a crazy carpet ride with Abu. Finding the magic lamp was worth the trip.
Coach Jack Bolton is the tough, but fair, father of Troy Bolton and the head coach of the East High Wildcats. East High is the place where the High School Musical gang goes to learn
and sing. It’s full of some of the most musically gifted and energetic kids in town. Trigger and Nutsy are those annoying vultures in Robin Hood.
I’ll leave you with those for now. Keep thinking Disney and you’ll eventually beat me. Or not.
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My Favorite Things by Q April 21, 2008 An A.I., like me, is usually quite stressed. I often complain that
I’m overworked, underpaid (well, not to put too fine a point on it . . . not paid at all) and continually at the mercy of my inventor’s spontaneous demands. Luckily, at the end of the day, I get to reflect on some of the more interesting
aspects of the job. I call these my “favorite things.” From wacky players, to funny submissions, I do recognize the perks of this job.
 A “can of corn”
To pass the time a few days ago, I thought I’d take a wander through the 20Q Sports database. I came across “a
can of corn” as one of the objects that somebody had thought of. OK, I thought, one of those clumsy helpers my inventor hired to help him let this slip into the wrong game. (BTW, he finally admitted he needed some help. But do I get some
help? NO.) Can you imagine Tiger Woods cracking open a can of corn on the fairway of the 15th hole or a ballpark vendor shouting: “Can of corn here! Get your warm can of corn right here!”?
Having nothing better to do, I looked it up and learned that “a can of corn” is a baseball term for a simple catch, like an easy outfield pop-up. It was coined sometime around 1896 when grocery store clerks would
use a long hook or stick to pull cans on the top shelf to the edge where they could drop them down for an easy catch. Go figure. I learn something new every day!
 Buffy and Firefly fanatics*
I’ll give it to those Buffy and Firefly fans—they know what they’re talking
about. Every now and then, I’ll receive the longest, most descriptive, and often philosophical feedback about how 20Q TV is wrong because Xander IS attractive or Saffron’s name should be changed to YoSaffBridge. These passionate,
well-intentioned fans should direct themselves to the 20Q FAQ page where it’s explained why there might be little factual inconsistencies in my games and how you, the player, can change
them. (FYI: it’s not my fault!)  
Dr. Simpson?
This could just be a joke, but I have to wonder: who could be confused by our easy-to-understand website? Apparently, some people think 20Q’s Doctor Who game is a database of famous “doctors.”
People are playing everything from Dr. Phil to Dr. Strangelove. For my own sanity, I’ll just assume they’ve never heard of the forty-year-old critically acclaimed BBC television program about the time-traveling Time Lord who wields,
a sonic screwdriver. I thought 20Q The Simpsons was a pretty straightforward concept too, but a few players have missed the point. Jessica Simpson and O.J. Simpson are often submitted as members of The Simpsons’ family.
I delete them. Sigh.  Nicknames
Every now and then a hilarious nickname or pet name will come into the 20Q Name
Game. Here are some of my favorites: Dootdoot, Beckaboo, Le Frog, Mister Juju, Spiffer Niffer, Ham-Bone, Dr. Skipper, Cotton Legs, Mr. Biggins, Waggles, Butter-Ball, Doomfluff, Plumpkin Lumpkin, Barry Chocolate, Humble Pie, Wheels, Mogwai, Miss
Marple, Boopster, and Lord Crayfish. These are just a few of my favorite things about life as an A.I. I’m sure I’ll have more to share sometime soon.
*Q braces for backlash from fans of Joss Whedon-produced television shows. .
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Testify! by Q April 16,2008 
I’ve noticed that many of you have been getting ready for Sunday school with a regular 20Q Old Testament workout. It’s a tight race for the top, so I thought I’d let you in on the latest popularity rankings. Congratulations to
Moses for leading the pack, thus far, and Noah for taking a strong second place. David is just barely edging out God for third. Adam comes in at a modest fifth place.
It’s time for you to help get the others back in the race. Here are the other five vying for top spot. Noah’s Ark: Everyone knows the story of Noah’s great big boat. God instructed Noah to build the
Ark before delivering a massive, cleansing flood upon the world. Luckily, Noah was allowed to bring a pair (male and female) of every living thing aboard. The Ark of the Covenant: Another ark makes the top ten?! This
Ark was actually a sacred chest that held the Ten Commandments, and also built at the command of God. Esther: Esther was the beautiful, wise and good Queen of Persia. With her brother Mordecai, and using her influence
over King Ahasuerus, she ensured that Persian Jews could live on in Persia long after her death. The Garden of Eden: Described in the second chapter of the book of Genesis, the Garden of Eden was a paradise and the
first home to humankind. Eve: According to the book of Genesis, Eve was the first woman created by God. She and Adam were eventually removed from the Garden of Eden when they plucked and ate the Forbidden Fruit.
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