XX Questions – Game CCXCIII

[Aristocrat]

I like some parts of the old rules, but this section always bothered me, even though I wasn't playing back when people really used these rules:

Before the twentieth question is answered, players who have not yet used their free guess may choose to expend their free guess alongside two consecutive questions.

The actual meaning of this sentence is that everyone should get to go question-question-guess on 19, provided they haven't used their free guess yet, and OP hasn't answered question 20. I know that is not how the rule is actually interpreted. But it is poorly written.

[Hanging Rook]

free guess: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares?

[FlaviusAetius]

free guess: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares?

I think this is the correct answer

[DreamTrawler]

Richelieu mentioned in the wiki page as well

[JECE]

free guess: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares?

You got it!

Richelieu and Olivares, by J. H. Elliott, is a great, short book that explains this period of history. I couldn't help but laugh when I read in this thread comments like that Spain was a highly "centralized kingdom". If only!

You guys almost went way off track but got saved by the Spanish language question. The Count-Duke of Olivares was born in Rome.

[JECE]

I like some parts of the old rules, but this section always bothered me, even though I wasn't playing back when people really used these rules:

Before the twentieth question is answered, players who have not yet used their free guess may choose to expend their free guess alongside two consecutive questions.

The actual meaning of this sentence is that everyone should get to go question-question-guess on 19, provided they haven't used their free guess yet, and OP hasn't answered question 20. I know that is not how the rule is actually interpreted. But it is poorly written.

I don't think that I agree, but is the long form of that rule clearer?

[Hanging Rook]

free guess: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares?

You got it!

Richelieu and Olivares, by J. H. Elliott, is a great, short book that explains this period of history. I couldn't help but laugh when I read in this thread comments like that Spain was a highly "centralized kingdom". If only!

You guys almost went way off track but got saved by the Spanish language question. The Count-Duke of Olivares was born in Rome.

The not born in 17th century Spain- question narrowed it down sufficiently.

[Wattsthematter]

While I had no hope of figuring this one out... I learned a lot about the... inbreeding... of Spanish Aristocracy in the 17th and 18th century. And I find the mixed opinion historians have on the mental capacity of Charles II pretty fascinating

[DreamTrawler]

I had an inkling that it would be cardinal related but was thinking either Cesare Borgia (does Valencian count as Spanish?) or Infante Luis (made a cardinal at 8 years old!) until we narrowed down the years

[Hominidae]

(does Valencian count as Spanish?)

For the record, no. Valencian is a form of Catalan, which is definitely a different language from Spanish.

[JECE]

(does Valencian count as Spanish?)

For the record, no. Valencian is a form of Catalan, which is definitely a different language from Spanish.

Cesare Borgia may not have been a native speaker of any Iberian language, though, right?

[DreamTrawler]

Ah, I saw his dad the pope was Valencian so I kind of just assumed