Are You An Egghead - Week Five

Are You An Egghead ? Week 5

Round Two Match 5

Jenny Ryan v. Ann Hegerty

In the first round Jenny knocked out Ken Owen, while in her match Ann knocked out Melanie Beaumont. Both competitors very experienced and able quizzers tonight. Ann had by far the best of the opening rounds, shutting Jenny out until the last round, enabling her to take Judith into the final, while Ann marched confidently forward with Kevin, Chris, Barry and Daphne.

Jenny got the first question wrong – didn’t identify Pythagoras. Chris told Anne that vitiligo affects the skin. Jenny asked Judith who bought Necker Island, and Judith told her correctly that it was Richard Branson. Kevin told Ann that Eric Pickles was the chairman of the conservative party. Jenny, on her own, did not know that Heather Fell won a silver medal in the Modern Pentathlon in Beijing. Ann needed no help to answer the next question correctly, so it was all down to Jenny’s next question. She didn’t know that Darwin’s last book was all about Earthworms, and so that was the end of that. Anne won by 4 points to 1.

Match 6

Olav Bjortomt v. David Clark

See my earlier posting for comments on this match.

Match 7

Jan Crompton v. David Rainford

Horror of horrors ! A match between two LAM readers. Who on earth was I supposed to curse with my support ? Well – I like Jan. I like David. But who was going to win ? There was only one way to fi – sorry , a little touch of the Harry Hills there. Jan knocked out brother Alan in one of the most exciting final rounds of the first round. David knocked out Isabel Morgan in an equally tense final round, sudden death shoot out.

David – the People’s Choice – had a commanding lead of 4 Eggheads to 1, as he took Judith, Barry , Daphne and CJ in consecutive rounds, after Jan had won the first to take the not – inconsiderable prize of Kevin. Jan, though, has proven on all 3 of her previous appearances in this and the previous series that she is a force to be reckoned with in the final round.

David went first , and correctly answered without using an Egghead. Jan , not entirely sure, chose not to use Kevin, but still managed to answer that George M. Cohan wrote “Give My Regards to Broadway “ . Asked who created the phrase “The Pen Is Mightier than the sword, Daphne apologised for giving an uncertain answer of Bulwer Lytton. Uncertain or not, she was right. 2 – 1. Winchester man Kevin told Jan that the Clink prison in Southwark was built on land owned by the Bishop of Winchester. 2 – all. David asked Cj what was the name of the tribe of apes that adopted Tarzan. CJ tentatively suggested Mangani, and provided David with his third straight point. 3 – 2. Eggheadless, Jan was able to name the actor killed in a duel by Ben Jonson. 3 – all.
David answered that Stephano was Gabbana’s Christian name. 4 – 3. Jan knew that Siobahn Fahey married Dave Stewart. 4- all. Barry and Judith helped David answer that stinking nightshade and poisoned tobacco are other names for henbane. 5 – 4, but all the Eggheads were now out of the game. Jan answered that Johan and Peewit first appeared in The Smurfs. 5 – all, no Eggheads left , sudden death. David guessed that a sailor in a Wagner opera would be in the Flying Dutchman. Jan couldn’t answer that Count Rostov in War and peace lost a fortune playing the card game Faro. Very unlucky Jan, well done David. Wonderfully played the pair of you.

Match 8

Amy Godell v. David Edwards

The last match of round 2 pitched Amy Godell against David Edwards. In round one Amy defeated Rupy, while David overcame Alan Gibbs.

The first five rounds were pretty tight. David topped and tailed with Kevin and Judith, while Amy took forward a formidable force of Daphne , Barry and CJ. David elected to go first, correctly answering that Anthony Sher was born in South Africa. Amy knew what Barack Obama’s dog was called. David called on Judith for his second question – An ace café with quite a nice museum attached – and plumped for the correct answer of the V and A. Amy identified a wheel clamp as a Denver Boot. David answered that the pineapple is often used in architecture as a symbol of welcome. Amy called on Daphne to answer that Cleopatra died in Alexandria. Dermot bowled a real bouncer at David, who in his own words was reckless but correct. Amy got a world cup football question, and had the two Eggheads who know little about football to help her. She needed the name of the top scorer in the 1978 world cup. Chris liked Johann Cruyff. Alas, he wasn’t there, but Mario Kempes was. 4 – 3 to David, and one more correct answer needed. He duly got it, and a very tense and tight match was finished.

Quarter Finals

Quarter Final 1 – Gary Grant v. Shanker Menon

Well, the main question was whether Gary the greatest escapologist since Harry Houdini, could continue his brilliant run into the semi finals. Both Julia Hobbs and Chris Young fell to his incredible final round prowess in the first two rounds. Tonight Shanker Menon was standing in his way. Shanker himself had displayed remarkable sang-froid in a sudden death shoot out in his second round match.

Shanker took a commanding early lead in the first three rounds. During the course of these Gary revealed that The Muppets Christmas Carol is one of his favourite films – which funnily enough is my wife’s favourite film too. By the end of round 3 Shanker had Kevin, Daphne and Barry. Gary, though, began his fight back a little early tonight, winning CJ and then Chris in quick succession.

So to the final round. Both players, using Eggheads judiciously answered their first 4 questions correctly. Then Gary had one of those horrible number questions, which he guessed wrongly. If Shanker answered the next one correctly, then he was through. He didn’t, deliberately eschewing the obvious answer, which turned out to be right. So to sudden death. Gary was asked the name of Princess Anne’s second husband, and dredged Timothy Lawrence from the depths of his memory. Shanker was asked which style of hat was originally designed to protect gamekeepers from low lying branches. He went for ten gallon hat, whereas the answer required was bowler. Very hard lines, Shanker, but Gary, total respect to you. Brilliant.