Two teams attempted to "translate" a series of messages received from an alien civilization called the Noxians by guessing words that might appear in them. The Noxian messages had the same structure and word lengths as their English counterparts, but the individual words were gibberish. Teams took turns guessing words, receiving points for correct guesses. If too many wrong guesses were made in a row, a letter of an unguessed word would be revealed. An attempt at guessing the whole message scored a point for each unguessed word remaining, but risked a 2-point penalty if it was wrong.
Each message was a well-known English saying or quotation, but with an alien twist:
SAYING
O pelfitz gy o zippogak smorj glemp piztro porx o tembat mizlezek.
A journey of a thousand light years begins with a single teleport.
SAYING
Zo mo trenk zat glo'f temgock, feb i sark jebblik poz yag flemp.
If at first you don't succeed, use a time machine and try again.
POEM (title)
Pif Spodzo ka pif Smegojoobee Kizzy Glurkle
The Charge of the Ultraviolet Light Brigade
PROVERB
Scrozz po ix mub semozotz wa mub gegboosy.
Beauty is in the eyestalk of the beholder.
PROVERB
Ga sij nif'z glark pix merz, benk vub lu pix dembro callomo.
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the fusion reactor.
SONG LYRIC
U nep ziz xorkoll bez, sif temorax gaz ug bixx.
I can see clearly now, the ammonia fog is gone.
JOKE
Q: Xyd zor fex bliggol steez fex degblatz?
A: Trug'z o bliggol?
Q: Why did the chicken cross the monorail?
A: What's a chicken?
SONG LYRIC
...det sco'b flug zeggo nust bub zebb ag u gerjoplock stizz div eep.
...but you'd look sweet upon the seat of a hovercraft built for two.
PROVERB
Ix Drigfizzo e cag flebo zou dembag zall.
An Earthling a day keeps the doctor away.
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