Shawn was penalized (perhaps) on the previous game for using $.
See:

Topic: NEW! KiXtart Golf (for the slow days on the board!)

Jens left it a bit vague and should have clarified it. I'd cry foul or at least allow everyone else to rewrite their code using $.
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Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.