spoiler for 12 June 2016 challenge puzzle

[a non-amos]

In June of 2009 there was some discussion about the word "uncrested."

It sounded like this would be added to our list of uncommon words, but this word is not accepted.

[Alan W]

My deepest apologies, non-a, to you and every other player who has been patiently waiting for 7 years to see this precise set of nine letters come up again. (It's almost 7 years to the day since birdy suggested uncrested.) Now, who can say how many more years you'll have to wait for another chance to play the word?

Those who follow the link back to the 2009 discussion will see that I was uncharacteristically brief in responding. I said, in full, "All right." Then, in response to a query from AQ as to whether that meant the word would be playable if the letters ever came up again, I said, in full, "yes". Presumably the absence of an extended analysis of the word resulted in it slipping out of my mind almost immediately, so that I never got around to doing what I had said I would do.

Well I have done it now. Really.

[birdy]

Believe me, Alan, I haven't been lying awake waiting for that decision!  In fact, I don't even remember asking the question.  How time flies...

[Les303]

Hi Alan ,

I noticed the word " peri " came up again yesterday & as usual was listed as rare.
It seems to me that this word tends to pop up quite regularly.
As " peri " is also widely used as a prefix , i would have thought that this would prompt most players to find it.
The other reason i reckon that " peri " should be downgraded is that i remember playing the word " dryad " sometime ago & on that occasion " dryad " was accepted as common.
As both words have similar mythological definitions , i would suggest that " peri " could be downgraded to common.

Regards Les

[Les303]

There is a similar one tonight ..." naiad " classified as common ?

[TRex]

I've raised the question about naiad previously: in 2011 and in 2012. Alan recently commented on it.

[Les303]

Thanks for that ... I'm flat out remembering what i did yesterday , let alone five years ago.

Anyway my question remains the same ,  if naiad & dryad were made common then why not peri ?

[Alan W]

As noted in another topic, I've decided to make naiad and dryad rare words from now on. (Just to clarify, they weren't made common when TRex raised the issue a few years ago. They had always been common, and TRex raised the issue of consistency in handling the names of Greek nymphs. In response, I did nothing - until now.)

So any case for peri being made common based on consistency no longer applies. In any case, trying to classify all words for mythological beings the same way would surely produce some strange results.

The fact that peri- is a prefix shouldn't lead people to try playing it, unless they think it is a word in its own right. And I think that quite a few players would be unaware of the spirits of that name in ancient Persian mythology. So I think peri should remain as a rare word.

[Les303]

No worries & i do apologise for not noticing the previous discussions on another thread.

[mkenuk]

All Gilbert and Sullivan fans will know peri of course. 'The Peer and the Peri' is the alternative title to 'Iolanthe'.

MK

[birdy]

Though I know peri, I agree it's uncommon.  But I'm a little surprised at naiad and dryad being uncommon.  Was I the only one who read Bulfinch's Mythology for fun as a child?  And for that matter, the anthology that I was reading today, published in 2012, had two stories about dryads.