Only Connect - Quarter Final 4

The Wintonians v. TheWordsmiths

in the first round the Wintonians put up a very impressive performance to dismiss the challenge of the Quitters in heat 6. Andrew Steen, Paul Baker,and Captain David Norcott won by 18 – 34. Their opponents were seasoned campaigners The Wordsmiths, comprising of our own Brian Pendreigh, Sunderland’s Finest, Chris Brewis, and skipper Dave Taylor. The Smiths didn’t have it all their own way , winning a tricky game in heat 4, where they beat the Educators 19 – 16. The Smiths the underdogs on paper, then ? No, not necessarily, for they have huge quiz experience, and that will always make you a difficult team to beat.

Round One – What’s the Connection ?

Horned Viper gave the Wints - 69th Infantry Regiment ( New York ) – Munchner kindl – Serjeant at Arms – Greek Olympic teams. I will admit that I only had it at last. The Wints couldn’t get it and this was a bonus for the Smiths, who recognized that these always lead particular processions. The Smiths had Communist Manifesto drafted – Football Association Founded – Alfie Moon and Kat Slater wed – George Cornell killed by Ronnie Kray. again, it was only the last one that gave it to me – knowing that this one had happened in The Blind Beggar pub. Surprisingly neither team had that they all happened in London pubs. Going back to that , they do say that if all the people who have ever claimed that they were in the Blind Beggar that evening had actually been there the place would have had to have been the size of the Albert Hall. I knew a guy at Uni who said that he had been, until I pointed out he would have been 3 years old at the time. I digress. Twisted Flax gave the Wints music. The songs were Tootie Frutie –DJ Run - Nothing compares 2 U – Let’s Stay Together. Neither team had it. Neither did I. The connection was the singers, not the songs. They were all ordained ministers – Little Richard – Sinead O’Connor etc. Two Reeds revealed Prince – Oslo – Leyton Orient , and I was working along the lines that the Smiths were – that they all changed their names, and then changed it back again. Good shout off three clues. Lion gave the Wints- White bull – Swan – and they took a fantastic answer with the forms assumed by Zeus when seducing women. Great answer. Water remained for the Smiths, and we saw someone ice skating, an equation , some faces from a TV series and a spiral galaxy. Spirals was indeed the connection. Simple as that. So the Smiths led with 4 to the Wints’ 3. Anyone’s game.

Round Two – What Comes Fourth ?

The Wints kicked off with eye of Horus. The set was - The Premiership – Today with Des and Mel – Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports – Neither team had it. I am so pleased with myself for getting The Apprentice. I worked out that these were previous shows of Countdown Presenters – Nick Hewer being the latest incumbent. The Smiths had the connection, but not the next in the sequence. For their own first they had Eotvos – Farad – Gauss . I guessed Henry – they knew Henry – these being SI units represented by E - F- G. Mine was a lucky guess, as I was going with electricity. Twisted Flax gave the Wints – Hey, not too rough – Hurt Me Plenty ( and I really worried where we were going with this by this stage !) – Ultra Violence - . Neither team had the correct answer of nightmare. The Wints knew that these were different levels of difficulty in the game Doom, but not what came next. Hard lines, that. Two Reeds revealed for the Smiths - Stop 5: Yokohama – Stop 6: San Francisco – Stop 7: New York and they knew that it was Phileas Fogg’s itinerary. They gave the Reform Club, when only London was necessary. Good shout. I had the next set off one – not boasting , but I just know a lot about Kings and Queens. Edward III in 1377 “Golden Jubilee ! “ I shouted. ”Elizabeth II in 2002 !” This was confirmed by George III in 1810, and Victoria in 1887. The Wints were unlucky and went Diamonds , with 2012, giving a bonus to the Smiths. The Smiths finished the round with pictures. A Walkman – Leon Trotsky – and a cathedral. Brian looked close to an answer – but they ran out of time. The Wints had it worked out – WALKman – TROTsky – CANTERbury – so gallop to finish. Great set. The score ? Oh, that was 9 – 4 to the Smiths.

Round Three – The Connecting Walls

The Smiths chose the Water wall. They unraveled a set of belts quickly – obi – girdle – baldrick and Sam Browne. They could see Blackadder characters, but first took Allen – Persie – Diemen and Dyke – famous Vans. Did they possibly consider using David Bedford there for that one ? Sorry. There were prisons there, and I think that Parkhurst was the one which did for them. Parkhurst was Bob’s surname in Blackadder Goes Forth. Two lives were spent, and they debated over the last, but were eventually frozen out. The Blackadder goes forth characters were Melchett – Flasheart – Darling and Parkhurst. This left the prisons – Bellmarsh – Woodhill – Whitemoor – Frankland. 6 points overall, and just a glimmer of a chance for the Wints to pull points back.

The Lion wall was pretty much tamed by the Wints. The first line they revealed was singing sisters – Beverley – Scissor – Pointer and Andrews. Halifax- Portman – Alliance and Scarborough gave them former building societies.York – Southwell – Howden and Croydon are all minsters – and unfortunately they got the line, but didn’t have the connection. Finally - Gave – Richard – Vain - Battle they knew from the famous mnemonic. So they pulled back 1 point scoring 7, and with the scores at 15 – 11 it was nicely poised going into the last round. Still anyone’s game.

Round Four – The Missing Vowels

Parents of twins was the first category – and I was deeply hurt to see that I was not included. 3 – 1 to the Wints and we had a game on our hands. The next set, beauty and toiletry products also fell 3 – 1 to the Wints, and we had a tied game. I didn’t fancy my chances with terms used by business consultants, and the Wints lost a point on the first. The Smiths took 2 , and the lead . There was time for just one archipelago. It fell to the Wints, but the Smiths had done it, with 19 to 17. What a great show ! Hard lines to the Wintonians, but congratulations to the Wordsmiths. A special thank you to Brian Pendreigh, who sent me an email earlier in the week, where he put at the top not to read it if I hadn’t already seen the show. That’s the kind of consideration I have come to know and respect from LAM readers.