diff -Naur Ularn/data.c Ularn.new/data.c
--- Ularn/data.c	2006-04-15 20:53:51.000000000 -0700
+++ Ularn.new/data.c	2006-04-15 20:52:46.000000000 -0700
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 char *libdir = LIBDIR;
 char *scoredir = SCOREBOARDDIR;
+FILE *scoreboard_filehandle = (FILE *)NULL;
 
 /* the game save filename   */
 char savefilename[MAXPATHLEN];
diff -Naur Ularn/extern.h Ularn.new/extern.h
--- Ularn/extern.h	2006-04-15 20:53:51.000000000 -0700
+++ Ularn.new/extern.h	2006-04-15 20:52:47.000000000 -0700
@@ -713,6 +713,7 @@
 	/************** extern decls for all data items **********/
 
 extern char *tempfilename, *libdir, *scoredir;
+extern FILE *scoreboard_filehandle;
 extern char bot1f,bot2f,bot3f;	/* in display.c */
 extern char ckpfile[], monstnamelist[];
 extern char larnlevels[],lastmonst[];
diff -Naur Ularn/header.h Ularn.new/header.h
--- Ularn/header.h	2006-04-15 20:53:51.000000000 -0700
+++ Ularn.new/header.h	2006-04-15 20:52:48.000000000 -0700
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/times.h>
 
+#define _GNU_SOURCE /* this must be done before the first include of unistd.h */
+#include <unistd.h>
+
 #ifdef FTIMER
 #  include <sys/timeb.h>
 #endif /* FTIMER */
diff -Naur Ularn/main.c Ularn.new/main.c
--- Ularn/main.c	2006-04-15 20:53:51.000000000 -0700
+++ Ularn.new/main.c	2006-04-15 20:52:48.000000000 -0700
@@ -50,7 +50,22 @@
 	struct passwd *pwe,*getpwuid();
 	extern char *optarg;
 	extern int optind, opterr;
+        gid_t realgid;
 
+        /* Open the scoreboard file immediately and then drop our setgid
+         * privileges.
+         */
+	sprintf(scorefile, "%s/%s", scoredir, SCORENAME); /* the Ularn scoreboard filename */
+        /* This could be NULL!  Users of this variable must check
+         * before using and not bother writing a scoreboard if it is null.
+         */
+        scoreboard_filehandle=fopen(scorefile, "r+");
+        realgid = getgid();
+        if (setresgid(-1, realgid, realgid) != 0) {
+            perror("Could not drop setgid privileges.  Aborting.");
+            exit(1);
+        }
+        
 
 /*
  *	first task is to identify the player
@@ -95,7 +110,6 @@
 	sprintf(buf, "%s/%s", ptr, ckpfile);	/* the checkpoint file */
 	strcpy(ckpfile, buf);
 
-	sprintf(scorefile, "%s/%s", scoredir, SCORENAME); /* the Ularn scoreboard filename */
 
 	sprintf(helpfile, "%s/%s", libdir, HELPNAME); 	/* the Ularn on-line help file */
 
diff -Naur Ularn/scores.c Ularn.new/scores.c
--- Ularn/scores.c	2001-11-16 10:13:28.000000000 -0800
+++ Ularn.new/scores.c	2006-04-15 21:10:20.000000000 -0700
@@ -145,8 +145,9 @@
 writeboard()
 {
 	FILE *fp;
+        fp = scoreboard_filehandle;
 
-	if ((fp = fopen(scorefile, "w")) == (FILE *)NULL) {
+	if (fp == (FILE *)NULL) {
 		lprcat("Can't open scorefile for writing\n"); 
 		lflush();
 		return(-1); 
@@ -164,7 +165,15 @@
 		return(-1); 
 	}
 	fflush(fp);
-	fclose(fp);  
+	rewind(fp);
+        /* Don't close the scoreboard filehandle.  If we're running setgid
+         * then we won't be able to open it again, and we might have to
+         * write to it multiple times if the user wants to pay his taxes
+         * more than once in a game.
+         */
+	/*
+  	fclose(fp);  
+	*/
 	return(0);
 }
 
@@ -185,7 +194,7 @@
 	}
 	if (writeboard()) 
 		return(-1);
-	chmod(scorefile, 0666);
+	//chmod(scorefile, 0666);
 	return(0);
 }