Ep. 9: Game Within the Game
It’s time once again for a Survivor 41, “Game Within the Game” post. For the 9th episode we have another fun Rebus Puzzle from Tribal Council, the third to last word scramble, plus another strategy test to think over. Remember, here at Tribal Council Blog I’m trying to have some fun with all things Survivor and Amazing Race, so the GWtG is no exception. Have fun with it!
EPISODE 9 - REBUS PUZZLE
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CLUE 1 - 🍉🍍🍐 = FRUIT
CLUE 2 - ROOTS = F (sound)
CLUE 3 - i
CLUE 4 - NAIL
CLUE 5 - 🌴 = PALM TREE
F + i + NAIL + TREE =
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Every Survivor fan dreams of making it to the final three and having a chance to plead their case for the million dollar prize. I’m writing to make the case that this was a good Rebus Puzzle. The fact that it’s a crooked nail as opposed to a regular nail and a palm tree instead of a regular tree makes this take a smidge longer than you’d think. Is it as tough as the Idol in Pocket or as easy as the Learning Curve puzzle? No. But, it fits comfortably into the category of Rebus puzzle that would be an appropriate difficulty in the middle of a challenge filled with pressure and Probst behind you.
EPISODE 9 - WORD PUZZLE
Moving on from the Rebus puzzle. Next up in the GWtG is the WORD SCRAMBLE.
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Solving this episode’s word scramble is no problem, LED, but the riddle continues to be a tough one. It isn’t fun to feel like I’m just totally missing something and should feel stupid or that trying to solve it at this point would be extremely tough. Just hope I didn’t miss something at the start about how it all works. Anyway, let’s think out loud about this with the now 9 pieces of the riddle.
I still think that my early predictions about some audience participation toward voting in the end in some capacity, but other than that I’m struggling. Again, I hope there isn’t a piece of the directions that I misunderstood for the whole thing.
Other than that I think pairs of words could go together to start to formulate a message.
VOTE HERE
SEA + LED = SEALED
URN still makes me point back to the voting urn and the symbol on it. I pointed it out back in episode 3. Jeff, I will take a hint please.
Now to the good stuff…
EPISODE 9 - STRATEGY TEST
“You win individual reward and you get the opportunity to bring one, two, or three people along with you.” - Jeff
This situation is a double edge sword. On the one hand if you are faced with making this choice it means that you won something. Reward, love, safety, whatever. But, on the other hand making this decision to reward others to share in what you have gets complicated because when you choose one, two, or three people to join you it also means that you didn’t choose one, two, or three plus people to join you. The people you choose, you can strategize with. The people you leave out can strategize without you, or worse, against you because they didn’t get chosen.
“Do you bring the people who are in your alliance…or who isn’t in your alliance to try to earn their vote.”
Let’s weigh it out…
PROS
BRING YOUR ALLIANCE - It’s easier. Less messy. Solidify what you have. Reinforce your bond. Strategize with who you’ve strategized with. Enjoy the reward a bit more. Let down your guard a tad.
BRING NON-ALLIANCE PEOPLE - Make new bonds. Extend olive branch if desperate. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Never get comfortable. Make a big move to build winning resume. Find out new information. Your allies can hunt for idols back at camp.
CONS
BRING YOUR ALLIANCE - No new information. Risk being too comfortable in the game. Leaves option for others to hunt for idols open without you watching.
BRING NON-ALLIANCE PEOPLE - Strengthen the enemy. May go against you anyway despite the gesture. On your toes the whole time.
There is probably a lot that I am missing in those four categories. Both the decision to take allies and non-allies have their argument to be made. In the end, I think one factor that plays into it is being the end of the game. When making this decision you're in a position of power and you need to do your homework and have your plan for how you are approaching the end of the game. If I felt in my heart that I had a solid partner (ex: Rob and Amber, Dom and Wendell) then I ride with them for better or worse and take them on all rewards and keep it all locked up.
If I’m in season 41 and I’m say, Ricard, then I take Shan who is my number 1, but in this situation I know that Shan has a resume to present at a Final Tribal that could beat mine despite me feeling like I’m the mastermind behind it all. If this strategy test is for Ricard and the decision was to take Shan I would take Shan but only to build our alliance to a point where I break it before they can break it off with me. If Ricard played it this way I think he would eliminate the biggest threat to him winning while also making a move to help his case for winning. Also, I think he would still have a good chance at Shan’s final vote as the winner. If not, you hope the rest of the jury would respect the move and see it as the best move of the season.
Who knew that taking an ally on a reward could turn into a way to blindside them. Well, that’s Survivor I guess.
Thanks again for reading. Hope you are enjoying the Game Within the Game as much as I am. Be sure to outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest all season long. See you next week.
The blog has spoken!
