OK, loosely following your logic we find that a mess of fish could be likened to a mess of manure. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a good crop of apples could be called a corps of apples. Unless they were grown on a truck farm, in which case they would be referred to as a bumper crop.

I think I'm seeing the big picture, but I may need some clarification regarding the fish/exam connection (aside from the obvious brain-food angle). I've survived some absolutely gutting exams, and I'm able to follow the scaling process (via the sliding scale, of course), but the filleting has me baffled. Could it be in reference to the fillet knife blade having the same curve as the exam scoring gradient?

How many constitute a "mess"? Would it be a smaller or larger number than say, a shi*load? Or would it be more along the lines of a plethora? Personally, I would probably be able to make a mess out of just one exam or paper, depending upon the subject matter and time-frame allowed for completion.

Oh sorry, back to the subject of weekend plans. Like Lady of the Loch, I too have unresolved bathroom issues. I need to replace the faucet, but in order to do it properly I must replace the sink and vanity as well. The sink is this terrible avocado color that was popular in the sixties and it's impossible to find any towels or bath accessories that don't clash. I don't know what they would have used for a match back then, as I was raised in a harvest gold bath environment.

BTW- The * in my line above represents the letter "p". Had ya' nervous, eh?