Imperial v.
Strathclyde
The first of this week’s teams,
former winners Imperial were represented by James Pollard, Ed Waddingham, Juan
Rubio Gorrochategui, and their captain Istvan Kleijn. Their opposition came in
the shape of the University of Strathcylde, and they were Ian Brown, James Flanigan,
Paul Dijkman and skipper Alastair Logan.
Now, here’s a point. I always thought
that the word chevron was derived from chevre – the French rather than the Latin
for goat. Whatever the case, it allowed Alastair Logan to draw first blood.
Bonuses on various Parkers – sadly not Aloysius Parker – only brought one out
of a very gettable set. The next starter asked for one of those Greek
philosopher chappies. Strathclyde zigged with Plato, while Imperial zagged
correctly with Aristotle. Their bonuses were on various meanings of the names
of political parties or movements. 2 correct answers gave them an early lead. I
didn’t know what Standard Error means, but Ed Waddingham leapt like a salmon to
catch that one on the fly, and earned Imperial a set of bonuses on winners of
the Palme d’Or at Cannes. They took one bonus – which funnily enough was the
one that I didn’t know. Bog men, that is, ancient human remains preserved in
bogs and marshes saw Imperial fail to add to their score. A lovely picture
starter followed. This showed us most of the text of a blue plaque, and a map
of the UK showing where it could be found. The date of death, and the fact that
it said that she had been buried with the heart of her husband led both me and
Istvan Kleijn to go with Mary Shelley. Actually, Alastair Logan’s throw of the
dice with Thomas Hardy’s wife was not stupid at all – his hear was buried away from
his body, and the area pinpointed on the map certainly wasn’t a million miles
from Lower Bockhampton. But the date was just far too early. Three more
commemorative plaques yielded no further points, and so they led 60 – 15 at the
ten minute mark. Were they going to keep powering away?
Nobody recognised a Kenneth Tynan
quote about King Lear, and so for the next starter Juan Rubio Gorrochategui
increased Imperial’s lead when he recognised the description of a pangolin.
Biochemical synthesis bonuses had me reaching for the smelling salts, and as I
came round, Imperial had given two correct answers. Ed Waddingham knew that if
you’re asked for a breathtaking natural feature near Buffalo, New York, you’re
going to be in the ball park if you offer Niagara Falls. Cricket in 19th
century literature saw them out for a duck. I’ll be honest, I love a good
Trollope, but I’ve never heard of the dystopian story referenced in the second
bonus. The line “No Man is an island” by John Donne gave Alastair Logan the
chance to narrow what was becoming a worryingly large gap for his team. Prime
numbers provided them with a full house. The music starter gave us a piece of
classical music written to represent a month of the year. Neither team managed
to get January. A fine answer from Paul Dijkman saw him correctly identify the
Pakistan province of Balochistan. This gave Strathclyde the dubious gift of the
music bonuses. More musical months added a single bonus, but that gap was
shrinking. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really understand the next starter, but
James Flanigan knew the answer was mitochondria. Films and books brought
Strathclyde one correct answer on The Wizard of Oz. The Strathclyde charge
continued as their impressive skipper identified the art critic Robert Hughes
for the next starter. Biology Chemistry and Physics saw us both get the first
two. This was enough to earn me a lap of honour around the living room, and
Strathclyde the joint lead at the 20 minute mark. Both teams had 90, and it was
starting to look ominous for Imperial.
Nobody knew that a set of books
including “Great Expectations” were all published in the 1860s. I awarded
myself a second lap of honour for knowing the second law of thermodynamics for
the next starter, as did Istvan Kleijn. Johannes Brahms, a rum chap by all
accounts, saw them again fail to convert bonuses into points. The second
picture starter saw all of us fail to identify Raphael as the painter of a
cartoon used as the basis for a tapestry. Right – if you get asked for a comic
novel of the 18th century – well yes, I suppose it could be “Tom
Jones” or “Joseph Andrews” or even any of Smollett’s novels. But on UC chances
are that it won’t be. You buzz and you answer “Tristram Shandy”. Now, that is a
rum old shaggy dog story if ever there was one. Neither team had it, which is
only to their credit. Neither team knew that the Silurian came between
Ordovician and Devonian. Finaly Alastair Logan won the buzzer race to say that
Knights, frogs, birds and clouds (although not gypsies, tramps and thieves)
were all plays by Aristophanes. Remember the picture starter. Well, we’d taken
this long to actually get to the bonuses, more cartoons on display in major
galleries. One was taken. Alastair Logan knew that the Shannon flows into the
Atlantic west of Limerick. Indira Gandhi brought another 10 points, and
Strathclyde led by a full set with only a couple of minutes to go. Not that
Imperial were rolling over in the dust just yet. Ed Waddingham knew deuterium.
So did I, but I was too knackered for a third lap of honour. Insects finally
saw Imperial get their act together on a set of bonuses, taking a full house in
very quick time. Right – socialist – political writer – 1947. Go. Alastair
Logan won the race to say George Orwell. The 2016 Euro championship saw them
take their own full house in quick time, earning the Paxman well done – the UC
equivalent of the Paul Hollywood handshake. Now, there was drama, for as time
ran out, Ian Brown lost 5 through an early buzz. If Imperial took a full house
on this set they could still win by 5. They didn’t know the answer though. They
would not have had time anyway, since we were gonged halfway through the next
starter.
Now that was a good match, since it
went right down to the wire. It was pretty easy to see why Strathclyde won –
the buzzing of their captain, and Imperial’s – sorry to say this – poor bonus
conversion rate. Well, losing by 125 to Strathclyde’s 145 they might still be back
to put that to rights. Well played Strathclyde – a demonstration of character
there to come back after allowing Imperial to make the start that they did.
Jeremy Paxman Watch
Jez rather displayed his ignorance in
one of the films and books bonuses. When Strathclyde made the eminently
sensible suggestion of “Gone With The Wind” he replied. “No, the Wizard of Oz.
. . Technicolor of course.” Jez – what the hell do you think Gone with the Wind
was shot in? And in fact, as well as being released in the same year as Wizard
of Oz, with the same director as Wizard of Oz, Gone with the wind was
completely shot in technicolour, while there are monochrome sequences in the
Wizard of Oz. Brain in gear before mouth in motion please, Jeremy.
Interesting Fact That I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week
A young sailor who has not yet
learned the requirements of the job is called a ‘wonk’. Make your own jokes
about that one.
2 comments:
Indeed it was on the bonuses that this match was won and lost, both teams getting eight starters, but Strathclyde managing 14/24 bonuses to Imperial's 9/24. Still, the way this series has been going, 125 may well be good enough for the play-offs, so we'll see.
On Monday, we have an Oxbridge clash, Emmanuel for Cambridge vs St Hugh's for Oxford; the week after, St Andrews take on St John's of Cambridge.
What on Earth were those music questions? I would be surprised if there has ever been a more obscure set in the entire history of UC.
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