If you're like me, then you go to different quizzes for different reasons. Some you got to just to see your mates. Some you keep going to because you like the prizes on offer. Some you go to because they're a bit of fun, and you'll always hear one or two questions you might be asked in another more serious quiz. Then there are the quizzes you go because of the challenge provided by the standard of the quiz and the strength of the opposition. Such a quiz is the Pill Harriers quiz.
Its run by Trevor, whose business is setting quizzes. You might be aware of him through the 10 to Tackle sports questions in the Daily Express that he sets every day. The quiz is a cut above what you get almost anywhere else within an hour's traveling distance from my homes.
The drawback ? The handicaps. On Monday night we were the only team starting from level par. A team that were given a ten point head start managed to beat us by a single point. It rankles, but if you want to play in the quiz, you have to just accept the handicaps and get on with it.
How do I rate the quiz ? Well, you get 60 general Knowledge questions, a picture handout, and general knowledge multiple question handout. So, in terms of content and format its pretty damn good. Venue is not bad. Decor is a bit spartan but its bright enough, and you can always hear all of the questions. Also, everyone there is playing to try to win. The question master is usually Trevor, and he is as good a question master as you are going to get. You always feel in safe hands. So it rates
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4 question marks from me.
Venue - The Duke of Wellington , Cowbridge - Tuesday 9pm
This is more of a social quiz than the Pill Harrier's. You wouldn't say its as taxing, and you wouldn't say that the other teams are that brilliant either. But having said that it was still an enjoyable evening.
Venue
Good. This is a medieval building, and its olde worlde feeling is genuine, not manufactured. I like it. Its a little dark, but thats just a minor quibble. The quiz was extremely well attended. The pub is empty at 8pm, there are a couple of teams present by 8:40, but ten minutes later the place is heaving. 12 teams playing on a Tuesday night is good going by anyone's reckoning. The pub also provides sandwiches for all the teams at half time, which is a really nice thoughtful touch.
Format
Well, the quiz is a little short. There's 2 rounds of 20 questions, a mixture of topics, although there were a few too many on entertainment last night. Then there's 7 questions for the jackpot. As midweek social quizzes go this isn't bad at all, although another round would really hit the spot.
Question Master
This wasn't the same person as a fortnight ago. I was a little worried at first when I heard him putting on a 'hospital radio DJ' voice, but it never quite crossed the line into unconscious self-parody. On the whole he tended to get on with the job, and never irritated.
One curious thing, and the same thing happened a fortnight ago, was that after we won the whole pub pretty much emptied within 5 or 10 minutes, and no one approached us to exchange even a few words, even along the lines of "Where you from then ? " - and that's unusual.
Its a worthy
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three mark quiz, which is no bad score for a mid week social quiz.
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