Occasionally one ripped past the outside edge to groans, oohs and aahs.
As the draw unfolded, there were cheers and sharp inhales of breath in the room as Mexico drew Brazil, though any schadenfreude swiftly turned to groans as Honduras landed in the softer group of Switzerland, Ecuador and France, and the USA's last hopes of a softer landing faded.
"Doesn't half hurt when they get you in the nuts," groans Alan.
My bookcase groans with books about the Third Way, and beside my bed in teetering piles lie pamphlets and psephological studies and slim, but optimistic volumes with titles like Conservatism - the Future.
"God, he wants to come to every single show," she groans.
I've nearly turned grey listening to the groans of the wounded".
The guesthouse's four rooms are all massive – some can sleep six – with hot water and air conditioning, while the garden groans with mango trees.
My coffee table groans under books, digital devices, coffee cups, lint rollers, newspapers and one or both of my kittens, Ollie and Sebastian.
The house is always silent (apart from the disabled child's incomprehensible pants and groans), because the mere sight of someone with a disability frightens everyone away.
The tension was unbearable and there were knowing groans around the Goldsands Stadium when the fourth official held up his board.
But combined with the Pentagon's failure to tackle rising costs, he says, this is "a double whammy".Making matters even worse, the Pentagon's procurement system groans under regulatory overload.
