Hell-Slinki and other festively muddled words

Christmas evening - so often an anticlimax - is a time for games in our house. The sort played on boards with teams and counters and winners. This year it was the turn of Articulate; a great game when lubricated by two glasses of bubbles, a couple (or three) of wine, one of pudding wine and enough food to ensure your tummy remains full at least until snacking-time just before bed. And a game at its best when played with the ages that extend across a family brought together to share Christmas.
Everyone has a different approach to the game - from the competitive I'm-almost-nearly-sober-and-if-I-pinch-myself-I'm-definitely-awake-enough-to-win-this, to the pinching-me-with-a-lobster-claw-wouldn't-keep-me-awake; via the slightly bemused befuddled and mildly belligerent no-I-don't-need-any-help-no-no-none-at-all-I-know-doing-what-I-am, to the I've-been-cooking-all-day-and-my-brain-got-steamed-with-the-sprouts-and-I-can-barely-string-two-words-together-so-my-performance-is-going-to-be-cr@p, to the I-might-not-look-like-I-know-what-I-am-doing-but-I-do-sort-of-at-least-until-you-tell-me-I-don't.

So which type are you? Which were we?

Littlest was in a category all her own (sober for a start and very conscious of being the youngest and while happy to inject some mirth into the proceedings also desperate to avoid being laughed at).

These were some of her clues (in the Place, Nature and Random categories) -

One of those springy things that goes down stairs - it sort of walks - and falls - over the steps. And a place that's not heaven.
Being very tall and sounding a bit like Hermione Grainger but not all of her name.
A male horse thingy

Did you get them?

The springy thing is a slinky and the place that isn't heaven is of course hell.
Which makes Hell-slinky.
Helsinki!!

Being tall is being high. A high-Hermione or high-Granger?
... Hydrangea!!!

And I have no idea why she thinks all unicorns are male!!

Happy New Year to all who over the past 12 months have read these words on the Walking the Dog blog.

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