Ignoramos 'n' Andy's Igloo

Ignoramos 'n' Andy's Igloo is a driving game originated by Jon and Ro, and based on a concept which has its origins in humorous wordplay between Jon and Jason Harden during high school and college days.

The Name

To understand the rules of the game, it is helpful to first understand the name, since the name itself, "Ignoramos 'n' Andy's Igloo" is somewhat self-descriptive, in that it is an example of a string of names and phrases which might be assembled during the course of a match.

It consists of three segments, each of which is a name, word or phrase which was well-known to both Jon & Jason:

1. ignoramus (standard English word)
2. Amos 'n' Andy (radio & television sitcom from the 1950s)
3. Andy's Igloo (hometown restaurant)

These three segments are linked together with the pronunciation of the ending syllable(s) of each segment matching seamlessly to the beginning syllable(s) of the one which follows.

1. ignoramus
2. Amos 'n' Andy
3. Andy's Igloo

This sort of linking wordplay was commonplace between Jon and Jason, but this particular example was one of the earliest and most memorable to Jon when he was describing it to Ro during a particularly long car trip.

Rules

• Each player must add a new segment in turn, and cannot pass.
  • A new segment can be added either to the beginning or the end of the Ignoramos.
• To complete a turn, the player must successfully recite the entire Ignoramos, including the added segment.
• A player cannot add multiple segments during a single turn, no matter how tempting.
• If a player has an idea for successive segments beyond the one added in his turn, he is discouraged from suggesting them to other players.
  • Doing so can muddy the memories of connected segments which are eventually played.
  • Doing so can pollute the imagination of other players and cause mental blocks preventing them from coming up with their own segments.
• All players must agree on the validity of an added segment. If it is not a commonly known name, word or phrase to all players, it's instantly invalid and the adding current player repeats his turn adding a different segment. It takes only one player to veto an added segment. (i.e. In the example of "Ignoramos 'n' Andy's Igloo," if "Andy's Igloo" were being added and a player had never heard of the hometown restaurant referenced, they could veto it as a segment.)
• Once a segment is added and approved by all players, its wording, phrasing and pronunciation cannot be changed.
• Spelling of a syllable (or syllable segment) is not important, but pronunciation is paramount. Any added segment's overlapping syllable must be pronounced exactly the same.
  • A good test of this is to pronounce the connected segments individually, ensuring that the same pronunciation holds true for both.
• Segments can be connected by words, syllables, or syllable segments
  • Words: Werewolves of London + London Bridge is falling down = Werewolves of London Bridge is falling down
  • Syllables: remember the Alamo + Moby Dick = Remember the Alamoby Dick
  • Syllable segment: going the extra mile + miles of smiles = going the extra miles of smiles
  • Syllable segment: dirty laundry + dream within a dream = dirty laundream within a dream

Winning

The concept of "winning" the game is a relatively new addition. The game itself is a wonderful time vacuum which can make very long drives go by more quickly, so ending the game is counterproductive to its reason for existence. However, because of Jon and Ro's competitive nature, conditions for ending the game were devised.

Methods of winning:

1. A player can win if they are able to add a single legal segment which links the beginning and the end of the Ignoramos together. Upon doing so, the player must recite the entire Ignoramos (including their linking, circular segment) twice.
2. All other players are unable (or, due to mental fatigue, unwilling) to recite the entire Ignoramos.

Examples

December 25, 2010

During a rainy drive from Jacksonville, FL to Tallahassee, FL

Too good to be true blood and gorillas in the mister educated guess what you see is what you get lost in space station miracle grobot chicken cordon blue bayou don't know jack skellingtons of fun in the sonny and share and share alike a virgin and tonick at knight ridirty laundream a little dreamember the alamoby dick in a box of chocolet's all go to the lobbeavis and butthead of the class action lawsuit of armor.

• too good to be true
• True Blood
• blood and gore
• Gorillas in the Mist
• Mister Ed
• educated guess
• guess what
• what you see is what you get
• get lost
• Lost in Space
• space station Mir
• Miracle Gro
• Robot Chicken
• chicken cordon bleu
• Blue Bayou
• You Don't Know Jack
• Jack Skellington (PRIMARY SEGMENT)
• tons of fun
• fun in the sun
• Sonny and Cher
• share and share alike
• Like a Virgin
• gin and tonic
• Nick at Nite
• Knight Rider
• dirty laundry
• dream a little dream
• remember the alamo
• Moby Dick
• Dick in a Box
• box of chocolates
• let's all go to the lobby
• Beavis and Butthead
• head of the class
• class action lawsuit
• suit of armor

August 6, 2011

During a drive with friends for a day of innertubing at Ichetucknee Springs. It's a brief one, but introduced the game to some new people.

Turkey bacon club mediterranean CSI need a fix-a-flat tire kingdom & dumberdur she wrote-o-rooterminator 2: judgment day of the dead as a doornail

• turkey bacon club
• Club Med
• Mediterranean Sea
• C.S.I.
• I need a fix
• Fix-a-Flat
• flat tire
• Tire Kingdom (PRIMARY SEGMENT)
• Dumb and Dumber
• Murder She Wrote
• Roto-Rooter
• Terminator
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day
• Day of the Dead
• dead as a doornail