History Boys v. Oxonians
What’s that
I hear you say – haven’t we had a team called the History Boys before? Well,
yes, in the second series. Rob
Hannah, Gareth Kingston and Craig Element lost in the first round to the
Rugby Boys, eventual series winners, and back then if you lost your first round
heat, then that’s it, you were out. Well, this series’ History Boys team
consisted of Rob Hannah, Gareth Kingston and Craig Element. That’s right! It’s
the same team. So the policy seems to have changed to allow teams to make a
comeback in another series. (Hmm – what do you think about it, Gary and
Neil?)Rob, Gareth and Craig are all friends of mine, and all very good
quizzers, and so The History boys instantly marked themselves out as among the
favourites for the series. Their opposition the Oxonians (work it out
for yourselves) faced a tough ask indeed. They were John Jenkins, Ian Hughson, and
captain Justin Floyd.
Round One – What’s the Connection?
The Boys
picked Lion, and immediately received the music set. We heard what sounded like
Mack the Knife in German. This was followed by Comme d’Habitude – or My Way as we
know it. As did the Boys, I said that it had to be original versions of songs
later translated into English to become hits. Nice gentle opener that. The Oxons
(hmm –sounds like an early 70s Dr. Who monster, does that) earned my admiration
for picking Horned Viper and voicing the second vowel for their very first
pick. Pope John XX rang a vague bell in my memory, but the Travelling Wilbury’s
vol 2 took the biscuit. You see, one of
the questions we had in the CIU quiz the day before actually mentioned that
there was no Travelling Wilburys vol2 , although there was a vol 3. They never
existed – I said, even though they did have follow ons – John XXI etc.
Australian Open 1986 was next, and the real clincher for any good quizzer was 3
– 13 September 1752. Only 1 point, but it’s better safe than sorry. Eye of
Horus gave the Oxons The Biography of Great Men (Carlyle) – A race between
education and catastrophy (Wells) – and immediately I thought that these were
quotations,rather than titles of works, and that they were referring to
History. The boys weren’t there at this stage, and took A set of lies agreed
upon (Napoleon). At this point the proverbial penny dropped, and they took it
for 2. The Oxons took Twisted Flax and started with Henry Pym. Now, they
correctly identified Henry – or Hank – Pym as the real identity of Giant Man
(despite Victoria’s explanation of the answer saying that he wasn’t). He was
also, when he took the shrink option – Ant Man. Trouble is, he also had another
identity. Emberiza Citrinella didn’t mean a great deal, although Flavivirus
Febricis rang a bell. Yellow fever would give lemon tree for the second – lemon
yellow – and fit with Hank Pym’s later identity – Yellowjacket. This was
confirmed by Musical subaqueous craft. (Actually the Cavern Beatles were
really, really good the other night). The Oxons couldn’t see it and so it moved
back to the Boys. They won’t look a gift horse like that in the mouth. Two
Reeds gave the boys – Guernsey – Jersey – (cattle and channel islands being far
too obvious) –Balaclava. Clothing named after places looked a good shout, and
when they took the 4th clue and bikini came up it looked to be a
very good shout indeed, and so it was. A Guernsey is the sweater worn by Aussie
Rules players. The Oxons finished with Water and the pictures. Ken Dodd’s
Teeth, and Merv Hughes moustache made me go for insured parts of famous people.
That was what the Oxons rightly thought, and it gave a timely boost to the
score. At the end of the round the Boys led by 7 – 4.
Round Two – What Comes Fourth?
The Boys
started with lion. Now – as soon as I saw Moore: Dr. Kananga I thought – allo,
five pointer here. Dr. Kananga was the first villain to Roger Moore’s 007. So
working forwards, Le Chiffre would be first villain to Daniel Craig. The Boys
thought so, and they duly received their 5 points for having the confidence to
go for it without taking Dalton: Gen. Georgis Koskov. Once again Justin voiced
the vipe in the way we like it at LAM Towers, and received 1st: The
Aqueduct. Funnily enough this was not greeted by the words – five pointer here.
Ian looked to have the rationale – being part of the famous – what have the
Roman’s ever done for us bit of Life of Brian. But what came fourth? They knew
sanitation was in there, and it was second. They knew the roads would be there
and they were third. Healthcare they had fancied from the start but sadly it
wasn’t. Nor was it education, which was the Boys’ punt. It was irrigation. Bad
luck on picking that one. The Boys went for Eye of Horus and had 6th:
Heresy. One of them immediately said parts of Hell – and I was sure they were
right – circles of Hell in Dante’s Inferno. – 7th: Violence – 8th:
Fraud suggested we were looking for the ninth circle, which, being a lover of
Dante’s work, I knew to be Betrayal . The Boys had sins, but not the Dante
connection, and opted for drunkenness. The Oxons offered treason, which was
close enough for me, and I’m glad that Victoria accepted it. Two Reeds gave
them the chance to capitalize on the bonus with some pictures. Now – We had Pep
Guardiola in the first. A man in a 70s singing group came next, whom I guessed
was one of Gladys Knight’s Pips. The third was definitely Iggy Pop. The next
vowel being U, I predicted a picture of a pup. The Oxons couldn’t see it – ah,
I thought – bonus back for the Boys here. I was right. Twisted Flax gave the
Boys Savannah – Isla – George . I had no idea, but it looked like Craig who not
only worked out that these were the Queen’s great grandchildren in order of
birth, but that Mia Grace – Zara and Mike Tindall’s daughter – is the latest (
though not for much longer). Water again remained for the Oxons. A rather
straightforward one with Mortimer 1961 – gave them a chance of a five pointer.
Angela Mortimer won her Wimbledon singles title in 1961 – and working forward
this would mean Andy Murray 2013 was the 4th. They took Haydon-Jones
1969- and the real clincher, Wade 1977. This salvaged a point for them. Going
into the walls, the Boys led by 15 – 7.
Round Three – The Connecting Walls
The Oxons
led off with Water. Straight off they could see that there was a set of
penguins there, but the first line they isolated – Bolt – Holding – Jones and
Marley were all famous Jamaicans. It looked like Justin who first saw a set of
words which can be preceded by elbow – and suggested the tactical move that
they first isolate the penguins. They proceeded to do just that with
Rockhoopper – Emperor – Fairy and King. They took out three of the Elbow words,
and then tried to work out what would remain. The tactic looked flawed when
they put in the 4th elbow word – and it was wrong. Not to panic,
though. Another go isolated Macaroni – spin – joint and room. This left Carrie –
Basic – Hairspray and Grease. They went for musicals rather than John Travolta
Films, but still, gentlemen, it was a pleasure to watch you go about dismantling
that wall. Well done.
Lion gave
the Boys a wall which looked overloaded with possibilities. So much so that it
was a little while before they isolated their first set, towns in SHropshire
with Shrewsbury – Ludlow – Madeley and Wellington. Very cleverly they isolated
a set of words the first component of which was an animal; - cathode – doge –
boarding – bath. Trouble is that it left hardly any time to unravel the last
two. They’re probably kicking themselves that they thought of boots earlier and
never came back to it, since when the wall was resolved – Chelsea – Gum – Snow and
Cowboy made one line, while the other – Bolt – Bond – Churchill and Coward they
didn’t see were English playwrights. Such is life. The walls then allowed the
Oxons to eat a little into the lead, but the Boys were still ahead by 20 – 14.
Round Four – Missing Vowels
Things that
come in twelves fell two apiece. TV talent shows went 3 – 1 to the Boys, and
that, I felt, would do the trick, and secure the win. They include or contain
cabbages was the third category and went two apiece. I was pleased to see music
hall songs next, although not sadly – Whoops Mrs. Miggins, You’re Sitting On My
Artichoke (Blackadder c. 1989) The one we had time for went to the Boys. So the
final score was 28 – 19. A convincing win, but the Oxons look to have plenty of
fight left in them. Well played all.
1 comment:
According to my sources, they aren't inviting just any teams back - it's only teams who were knocked out by the eventual champions of those early series before the repechage system came in.
Whether they'll extend that invitation later to include other teams who were knocked on in the pre-repechage first rounds, I don't know but I expect it'll be a long wait before they invite semi-finalists who were knocked out by the losing team in the final...
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