Pembroke, Cambridge v. Clare, Cambridge
Another match where the winners would get a semifinal place, and the losers would get another shot. Pembroke College scored a comfortable win over Balliol in their first match, and have a couple of very good buzzers in Ben Pugh and skipper Bibek Mukherjee, and are ably supported by Imogen Gold and Ed Bankes. Clare had it harder in their first match, managing a close win against Homerton. They too have two very useful buzzers in Daniel Janes and Chris Cao, and the two Jonathans – Foxwell and skipper Burley - have both weighed in with answers in every match as well. Clare had scored over 300 in their second round match. However, they hadn’t faced a team with buzzers quite as sharp as Pugh and Mukherjee up to this point. On paper, an interesting match in prospect.
Ben Pugh won the psychologically important race for the first starter, when he recognized that Maggie Thatch had stood for the safe labour seat at Dartford in her first election. This brought 2 bonuses on Peru. Chris Cao lost 5 points for buzzing too early on the next – a list of places all linked by the letters TAN. Skipper Bibek Mukherjee took that one for bonuses on the humours. These brought Pembroke a full set , and another 15 points. That old chestnut Emmanuel Kant reared his hoary head, and Ben Pugh was first to the buzzer. The set of bonuses which followed on officers of the government brought 2 more correct answers. Neither team recognized a definition of the term neurosis. The words ‘game’ and ‘eternity’ in the next starter for some reason immediately made Imogen Gold think of cricket, and she was right. So Pembroke’s next set of bonuses followed on chemical elements. Only one of these was taken. For the picture starter we were shown the line of succession of executive responsibility in the USA – with the Vice President in the second position. A lightning fast buzz from Ben Pugh correctly identified the missing link as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. For the bonuses, all the team had to do was to identify photographs of three speakers, of which they managed two. Bibek Mukherjee knew that the world’s largest christian church is in the capital of Cote D’Ivoire. Poor Clare must have been wondering when they were ever going to get started, because Pembroke were on fire. The bonuses on fictional titles in TV shows brought them 2 bonuses. Ed Bankes knew that the name for the eastern Mediterranean taken from a French verb meaning to rise is the Levant, thus ensuring that every member of his team had answered at least one starter correctly. The bonuses on the term Albion proved tricky , and they only took one. So by the ten minute mark Pembroke had achieved that rarity , a complete shut out of the first 10 minutes. They led by 140 to – 5, and had this been a boxing match you sense that Clare would be taking at least their second standing count of 8.
Cue Jonathan Foxwell to stop the rot by taking Clare’s first, with lysosomes. Their first set of bonuses on hexagons was a tricky one of which they managed one correct answer. Neither team knew that if all the numbers between one and one hundred were written out in letters, alphabetically the first would be eight, but the last would be two. Imogen Gold knew a set of words which can be made from the letters of Kafka-esque. Their bonuses on words which mean very small brought them another full set. Neither team knew that Camus said it was Charm that got you the answer yes without having to ask the question. Ed Bankes named three of the countries whose name in English begins with a different letter from their internet abbreviation. This brought them a terrific set of US Army circumlocutions, of which they answered 2 correctly. Poor Clare. At this stage of the contest they must have known they were going down, because JP was trying to encourage them – "There’s still plenty of time , Clare, for you to come back." he said. Kiss of death, that, I always think. A music starter by Telemann did for both teams. So the bonuses passed over to the next starter about Deptford, which gave Daniel Janes his first of the night. 3 more extracts of music based on Don Quixote followed, and I thought that Clare did well to get the first and third of these. It seemed as if Daniel Janes had found his range now, and he took the next , knowing that James Murray when compiling his dictionary called the shed he did it in his scriptorium. Questions on the 200th birthday boy Charles Dickens gave them a brace of bonuses. Chris Cao did his bit for the team , knowing that lordosis denotes a curvature of the spine. The bonuses were on eponymous states of matter – fair enough. Again, I thought that they did well to take one of these. Skipper Jonathan Burley buzzed too early on the next starter and lost five, which allowed Bibek Mukherjee to answer that we were looking for the forename Malcolm. A set of bonuses on young British Artists proved tricky , but their one correct answer proved enough to take them to 200 points. It had been a better 10 minute period for Clare, and in fact they had just about outscored Pembroke slightly in the last ten minutes, but still they trailed , having 60 points of their own.
Jonathan Foxwell took the second picture starter, recognizing Abraham as the missing name on a family tree of figures from the Book of Genesis. More of the same provided them with a full set. Now they were at 85 points. Daniel Janes buzzed too early for one on coffee, which lost 5, and let Ed Bankes in with the right answer. The bonuses were on works of literature with England repeated in the title. A tricky set which yielded nothing to the team. Chris Cao knew that the Haganah formed the basis for the army of Israel. Bonuses on Florence brought another 2 correct answers. Clare now had 100 , and were 110 behind Pembroke. A great early buzz from Daniel Janes linked a film by Woody Allen and a song by Janis Joplin with Roses. Bonuses on pharmacology saw them take another full set. Now they had 125 , and there were 3 minutes left. Chris Cao knew the subject of a painting donated to Manchester was football. Bonuses on damaged reputations saw Daniel Janes trying to supply correct answers at double speed, but it worked and took their score up to 150. In a matter of a very few minutes they had cut the deficit to 60 points. Surely they couldn’t do it ? Could they ?
Well, maybe. Chris Cao took the next starter on things that are magnetic – the deficit now cut to 50 points. They took one bonus to cut it to 45, but they only said Levi when Levi Strauss was required for another bonus – a little careless, but understandable under the circumstances. Chris Cao knew that annual Bloomsday celebration commemorates the works of James Joyce. Deficit now 35 . Bonuses on space telescopes brought another 5 points, and the deficit was cut to 30. However Chris Cao buzzed too quickly on the reverse of an isthmus, and lost 5. Which gave Pembroke the chance to decide that all this comeback business had gone on quite long enough , thank you very much, and reliable Ben Pugh supplied the correct answer. Escapes by boat brought them 2 bonuses – surely enough for the win. Especially when Ben Pugh took the next starter, knowing that Au – the symbol for gold, also stands for Astronomical Unit. 2 bonuses took them to 250. That win, over Clare’s 175 looks like a comfortable one, but it really was a terrific comeback by Clare. Well done Pembroke, who take a well-earned place in the semis. But Clare aren’t out of it yet. Good show.
Jeremy Paxman Watch
Chris Cao got the first wigging for buzzing and then not answering straight away that we’ve seen for a while. Nice to see that JP still cares about this sort of thing. Let’s be fair though , he does seem to be really enjoying this series. He loved it during the fightback when Daniel Janes shouted “Geronimo !” at him in answer to a bonus.
Interesting Fact That I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week
Paddington Bear, although he comes from Peru , is actually called Pastuso in Peru
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Brain of Britain - Semi Final 1
The four hardy quiz warriors who had won their places in this first semi final were Austin McQuade, Dennis Muchmore, Frank Potter and Ray Ward. The form guide, such as it was, suggested that there was next to nothing to choose between yesterday’s four semi-finalists. Their scores in the first round ran the whole gamut from 13 to 15. Still, as we know, the scores don’t tell the whole story. For one thing, they don’t tell you anything about the relative strength of the opposition. I’ve played against Ray once, and I know that he’s a very strong player, and so I fancied he was the man to beat. On with the show.
Austin kicked off. He took his first 2 , but missed out on St. Vitus ‘ Dance. Frank took that. Dennis didn’t know the Sports Personality of the year for his first – I’m sorry, but that’s basic, especially considering some of the really tricky questions he was to be given as first questions in the rounds to come. Frank took one, but didn’t know that Oak Apple day falls in May. Ray took 2, but Vercingetorix took him out of the equation. At the end of the first round, once bonuses were taken into account, Ray , Dennis and Austin each had two, and Frank led with 3. Austin missed out on Edgar Allan Poe for his first. Dennis didn’t know a guanaco for his. Frank at least took his first 2, but didn’t know that Captain Bill Turner was the last captain of the Lusitania. Ray took a good three, but didn’t know that the fireworks display commemorated in Handel’s music for the Royal Fireworks took place in Green Park. Again, once bonuses were added, Frank and Ray both had 6 each. Austin didn’t know that Odysseus came from Ithaca – Ray did. Dennis got a nasty one about a way of producing gemstones – nobody had that one. Frank didn’t know that the fyrd was the anglo saxon army or militia. Ray didn’t know that Our Exploits at West Poley was the only children’s novel written by Thomas Hardy. So neither of the front runners had managed to put a spurt on , but Ray had put his nose in front with 7. For round 4 Austin got a music question about ELP’s version of Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. He didn’t know the first names of the trio. Dennis didn’t know that ‘Bonnie Dundee’ was loyal to James II during the Jacobite rising. Frank didn’t know that NASCAR racing grew out of moonshine smugglers. Ray didn’t know petiole for his first. All contestants seemed a little becalmed on their own questions, but Ray was taking the bonuses where they could be had, and his lead had now extended to 8.
This brought us to the Beat the Brains interval. The first asked them which British educational institution was founded by Miss Emily Ward in London in , but can now be found in Bath. They didn’t know it was the Norland college for the famous Nannies. The second asked which educational establishment is in White Lodge in Richmond – which they knew to be the Royal Ballet School.
All looked really tight between Ray and Frank as we began round 5. Austin took his first but didn’t know that chokey comes from an indian word for toll house. Dennis didn’t know the film The Three Faces of Eve. Ray nearly got it, but gave her 12 faces instead. Frank took his own first but didn’t know that patchouli comes from a member of the mint family. Ray didn’t get his first which asked for the title vizier. Which meant that the two were now both tied on 8. Good game. Austin gave Ray a bonus with Cleve Cloud for his first. Dennis took one, nobody knew Sir Stafford Cripps for his second. Frank got a very tricky Geog one which gave Ray a highly valuable bonus. Ray missed out his first, but no matter , he’d gone out to a 2 point lead with 10. In round 7 Austin took his first , but didn’t know Picasso’s second wife. Dennis got a nasty first one about Sir Patrick Spence which nobody knew. Frank didn’t know that the R101 crashed near Beauvais, and Ray was in like a coiled cobra. As for his own, he missed his first, but nobody knew that silver dishes into which we put golden apples are women . Fair enough. Both Ray and Frank had added a point to their scores. Austin got another music question to start, but Ray took the bonus, recognizing that it led to the independence of Belgium. Dennis took his first question, but got a nasty one about a scotch convoy for his second. Frank Potter didn’t know that Tel el Kebbir was in Egypt. Another point for Ray. He didn’t know Alberto Juantorena won 400m Olympic gold , though, which didn’t matter. He now had a 3 point lead.
So the last round had arrived. Austin didn’t know Charles Russell founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses – nobody knew it. Dennis didn’t know a group of works completed in the 1860s. Frank needed a good set , but his first did for him. The Daily Review was founded by Daniel Defoe. Ray had already won, then when asked his first question – just as well because he had it wrong, Guarani being a native people, language and currency of Paraguay. Austin had that. So many congratulations to Ray Ward. A worthy winner, and I think it’s fair to say that in yesterday’s show his all-round knowledge was greater than the other contestants. That’s pretty much what it’s all about.
The Details
Austin McQuade - 5
Dennis Muchmore - 6
Frank Potter - 10
Ray Ward - 13
Austin kicked off. He took his first 2 , but missed out on St. Vitus ‘ Dance. Frank took that. Dennis didn’t know the Sports Personality of the year for his first – I’m sorry, but that’s basic, especially considering some of the really tricky questions he was to be given as first questions in the rounds to come. Frank took one, but didn’t know that Oak Apple day falls in May. Ray took 2, but Vercingetorix took him out of the equation. At the end of the first round, once bonuses were taken into account, Ray , Dennis and Austin each had two, and Frank led with 3. Austin missed out on Edgar Allan Poe for his first. Dennis didn’t know a guanaco for his. Frank at least took his first 2, but didn’t know that Captain Bill Turner was the last captain of the Lusitania. Ray took a good three, but didn’t know that the fireworks display commemorated in Handel’s music for the Royal Fireworks took place in Green Park. Again, once bonuses were added, Frank and Ray both had 6 each. Austin didn’t know that Odysseus came from Ithaca – Ray did. Dennis got a nasty one about a way of producing gemstones – nobody had that one. Frank didn’t know that the fyrd was the anglo saxon army or militia. Ray didn’t know that Our Exploits at West Poley was the only children’s novel written by Thomas Hardy. So neither of the front runners had managed to put a spurt on , but Ray had put his nose in front with 7. For round 4 Austin got a music question about ELP’s version of Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. He didn’t know the first names of the trio. Dennis didn’t know that ‘Bonnie Dundee’ was loyal to James II during the Jacobite rising. Frank didn’t know that NASCAR racing grew out of moonshine smugglers. Ray didn’t know petiole for his first. All contestants seemed a little becalmed on their own questions, but Ray was taking the bonuses where they could be had, and his lead had now extended to 8.
This brought us to the Beat the Brains interval. The first asked them which British educational institution was founded by Miss Emily Ward in London in , but can now be found in Bath. They didn’t know it was the Norland college for the famous Nannies. The second asked which educational establishment is in White Lodge in Richmond – which they knew to be the Royal Ballet School.
All looked really tight between Ray and Frank as we began round 5. Austin took his first but didn’t know that chokey comes from an indian word for toll house. Dennis didn’t know the film The Three Faces of Eve. Ray nearly got it, but gave her 12 faces instead. Frank took his own first but didn’t know that patchouli comes from a member of the mint family. Ray didn’t get his first which asked for the title vizier. Which meant that the two were now both tied on 8. Good game. Austin gave Ray a bonus with Cleve Cloud for his first. Dennis took one, nobody knew Sir Stafford Cripps for his second. Frank got a very tricky Geog one which gave Ray a highly valuable bonus. Ray missed out his first, but no matter , he’d gone out to a 2 point lead with 10. In round 7 Austin took his first , but didn’t know Picasso’s second wife. Dennis got a nasty first one about Sir Patrick Spence which nobody knew. Frank didn’t know that the R101 crashed near Beauvais, and Ray was in like a coiled cobra. As for his own, he missed his first, but nobody knew that silver dishes into which we put golden apples are women . Fair enough. Both Ray and Frank had added a point to their scores. Austin got another music question to start, but Ray took the bonus, recognizing that it led to the independence of Belgium. Dennis took his first question, but got a nasty one about a scotch convoy for his second. Frank Potter didn’t know that Tel el Kebbir was in Egypt. Another point for Ray. He didn’t know Alberto Juantorena won 400m Olympic gold , though, which didn’t matter. He now had a 3 point lead.
So the last round had arrived. Austin didn’t know Charles Russell founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses – nobody knew it. Dennis didn’t know a group of works completed in the 1860s. Frank needed a good set , but his first did for him. The Daily Review was founded by Daniel Defoe. Ray had already won, then when asked his first question – just as well because he had it wrong, Guarani being a native people, language and currency of Paraguay. Austin had that. So many congratulations to Ray Ward. A worthy winner, and I think it’s fair to say that in yesterday’s show his all-round knowledge was greater than the other contestants. That’s pretty much what it’s all about.
The Details
Austin McQuade - 5
Dennis Muchmore - 6
Frank Potter - 10
Ray Ward - 13
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Is it vulgar to want to win ?
I’m sure you already know all about Dorando Pietri – but if you don’t, well don’t worry, it’s not a test. Dorando was an Italian athlete who contested the 1908 marathon in the first London Olympic Games. You’ll know that this was the race in which the distance for a marathon was fixed at 26 miles 385 yards so that the race would finish by the Royal Box in the White City Stadium ( now sadly defunct ). Dorando was the first person to enter the stadium , well ahead of the American John Hayes, and the rest of the field. However by this time Dorando had well and truly hit the wall. Older readers may recall watching television coverage of the women’s marathon in the LA Olympics of 1984, when swiss runner Gaby Andersen-Scheiss staggered all over the track, watched by worried officials , who knew if they helped her she would be disqualified. She did finish, and suffered no ill effects. Well, apparently , Dorando was worse. He was in a hell of a state when he arrived in the stadium – staggering, falling, and looking as if he was going to go the wrong way at one point. Worried officials gathered him up, and helped him over the line, to an ecstatic reception from a packed crowd. John Hayes finished shortly afterwards, and the US team made a protest that rules had been broken, and Pietri had been assisted across the line. They were right. The protest was upheld, and Hayes was declared the winner. That wasn’t the end of it though. There was a huge outburst of public sympathy for Dorando, who became something of a celebrity in Britain for a short while – so much so that Queen Alexandra presented him with a gold cup in memory of his efforts. In Britain we’ve certainly had a soft spot for a gallant loser ever since. It’s not the winning, you see.
Personally, I think that it’s perfectly reasonable to applaud both the winners and the gallant losers. If we pick on another example from sport, I always liked Roger Black – a nice, personable guy who came through terrible times with injuries to make the most of his considerable talent. But not as much as I admired Daley Thomspon. Because Daley, while he was at the top, always found a way to win. As a matter of act I met him once. It was just a week or so before he won his last major gold medal in the 1986 European Athletics championships. I was working as a porter in the Novotel in Hammersmith, and here he was, my hero, walking in carrying his own bag. I offered to take it, and he said “Nah, that’s alright mate !” What a man.
Still, you can’t argue that there is still this lingering , public school ethos in this country that it’s rather vulgar to actually say that winning matters to you, because the game’s the thing. So I always feel just a tiny bit ashamed of admitting that I do care whether I win or lose a particular quiz. I wouldn’t say that I’m a totally hopeless case – I never actually quite got as far as morosely wondering whether I’d ever win again after losing two quizzes in a row in January , but I won’t lie to you, it’s nice sitting here with four wins on the bounce in my last 4 quizzes. 7 out of 11 sounds a hell of a lot better than 3 out of 7. Last Friday John and I were ringers again in a quiz for family and friends in a works quiz in Swansea. To be honest, this kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when we top scored on 3 of the 4 rounds – on General Knowledge – Entertainment – and Sport, only to have the lowest score of any of the teams on the actual business ! Mind you, I always enjoy it when a complete stranger tells me – you should think about going on telly, you should.
As for this coming week we’re up the Dyffryn Arms on Sunday – which is a fun quiz whatever happens. However, we have a tricky league game against a distinctly useful Tyrisha Royals outfit in the League on Monday, and what with Brian being QM on Thursday we look like being outgunned again in the Rugby Club. So if I can maintain anything above a 50% success rate by this time next week, then I won’t be doing too bad.
Personally, I think that it’s perfectly reasonable to applaud both the winners and the gallant losers. If we pick on another example from sport, I always liked Roger Black – a nice, personable guy who came through terrible times with injuries to make the most of his considerable talent. But not as much as I admired Daley Thomspon. Because Daley, while he was at the top, always found a way to win. As a matter of act I met him once. It was just a week or so before he won his last major gold medal in the 1986 European Athletics championships. I was working as a porter in the Novotel in Hammersmith, and here he was, my hero, walking in carrying his own bag. I offered to take it, and he said “Nah, that’s alright mate !” What a man.
Still, you can’t argue that there is still this lingering , public school ethos in this country that it’s rather vulgar to actually say that winning matters to you, because the game’s the thing. So I always feel just a tiny bit ashamed of admitting that I do care whether I win or lose a particular quiz. I wouldn’t say that I’m a totally hopeless case – I never actually quite got as far as morosely wondering whether I’d ever win again after losing two quizzes in a row in January , but I won’t lie to you, it’s nice sitting here with four wins on the bounce in my last 4 quizzes. 7 out of 11 sounds a hell of a lot better than 3 out of 7. Last Friday John and I were ringers again in a quiz for family and friends in a works quiz in Swansea. To be honest, this kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when we top scored on 3 of the 4 rounds – on General Knowledge – Entertainment – and Sport, only to have the lowest score of any of the teams on the actual business ! Mind you, I always enjoy it when a complete stranger tells me – you should think about going on telly, you should.
As for this coming week we’re up the Dyffryn Arms on Sunday – which is a fun quiz whatever happens. However, we have a tricky league game against a distinctly useful Tyrisha Royals outfit in the League on Monday, and what with Brian being QM on Thursday we look like being outgunned again in the Rugby Club. So if I can maintain anything above a 50% success rate by this time next week, then I won’t be doing too bad.
Where's Only Connect ?
You may have noticed that I haven't posted about the latest Only COnnect Wall Night special. There is a good reason for this. I play in the Bridgend Quiz League on a Monday night, and I won't lie, when it's on I like to save up OC as a little treat for myself later on in the week. So I sat down last night after Mastermind to enjoy - and there it was - gone ! It's not currently on the iplayer. Not happy !
Brain of Britain - Heat 12
Last Monday brought us the last of the heats of Brain of Britain, and I was delighted to hear our own Paul Philpott taking part. Paul is the proprietor of the Just Quiz blog, and he played in the same heat of Mastermind 2011 as Brian Pendreigh, who was himself a contestant in this year’s BoB. It’s a small world. On with the show. Ian Banks kicked us off and managed his first question before being stopped by a definition of a hurdy gurdy. Dennis Muchmore was happy to take a bonus on that. he added one more of his own before failing to answer that Richmond Virginia was the second capital of the confederate states during the US Civil WAR. Ian took that one back from him. Paul came next, but he was stopped by his own first questions, a tricky little number on allotropes. Nobody managed a bonus. Maggie Pearce brought the round to an end, managing one, but being stopped by her second on the Basques.
Ian started off with two correct answers in the second round, but he didn’t know that Cassandra was punished by Apollo in having no one ever believe her prophecies – which were always true. Dennis took that one. It really is worth getting together a decent knowledge of greek mythology, because these questions do recur. Dennis stumbled on his own first question, but then nobody knew that polyps and medusas are stages in the life cycle of a jellyfish. Paul showed his class by taking two on the bounce, but nobody could get the Addled Parliament sat during the reign of James I. Maggie didn’t know that Sex and the Single Girl was written by Helen Gurley Brown – Dennis knew that , which kept him level with Ian on 4 points, with Paul a further 2 behind.
The next round saw each contestant fail on their own first question. Ian didn’t know that Napoleon won the battle of Marengo in 1800, which gave Paul a bonus. Nobody knew that Claudio Suarez set a world record number of football caps for an outfield player representing Mexico. Likewise nobody knew Paul’s question that the only mammal belonging to the class ornithorhyncus is the duck billed platypus. Maggie probably should have known that the first commander of the British Expeditionary force in World War I was Sir John French – Ian certainly did, and I suspect Paul and Dennis did as well, but were beaten to the buzzer. Round 4 took us up to the Beat the Brains interval. Ian didn’t know that Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday was linked to his campaign to get the birthday of Martin Luther King recognized as a National Holiday in the USA .Dennis took that. He didn’t know that Helsinki is still sometimes referred to in Sweden as Helsingfors – nobody had that. Paul didn’t know that the J in J Edgar Hoover is John – that one went to Ian. Finally Maggie got a nasty one asking the name of the largest glacier in the northern hemisphere. Neither the brains nor I knew that it was the Humboldt Glacier.
The Brains were given one chestnut and one bouncer in the interval. The bouncer was – where is the Penguin Islet ? Apparently it’s just off Tasmania in the Bass Strait. They didn’t know it, and neither did I. The chestnut was – where are the islets of Langerhans. Alas, they zigged with kidneys when they should have zagged with pancreas. Book token duly despatched.
At this stage Paul was three points behind Ian. Nothing to panic about, but we were entering the part of the competition where everything would be decided. He needed at least 12 to guarantee a place in the semis. Ian took his first, but didn’t know the peek a boo girl – Veronica Lake. Dennis did. He managed his own first two, but didn’t know that Somerse Maugham, when visiting the set of Spencer Tracey’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde asked – Which one is he playing now ? Paul had that one. Paul could have done with a nice set of two or three now, but he didn’t know a german doctor who first used cocaine as a local anaesthetic. Dennis nipped in for that one. Maggie did manage her first, but didn’t know that the original name for the Thompson twins in the Tintin comics in French was Dupont and Dupond. Good bonus that from Ian, I thought. Ian had 8, but Dennis now led with 9, and I’m afraid that they were starting to pull away from Paul.
Nobody knew the Falklands – as in Falklands Sound – for Ian’s first, offering a lifeline to the others, and a chance for Dennis to gallop off into the distance. Dennis, though , missed his own first. He didn’t know that Berne is the only city in Switzerland to be a World Heritage Site. Paul got a nasty one – asked which three leaders met at Cairo in World War II. Churchill and Roosevelt were gettable, but the real bouncer in that one was Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai Shek. Maggie took her first, but Paul took a bonus on her second with Hooke’s Law. Round 7 would pretty much decide the contest. Ian took the first , but he didn’t know that the flags of Bhutan and Malta are linked by dragons. Dennis took the best set of the whole show with 3, falling down on species of turtles , which fell as a bonus to Maggie. Paul didn’t know what an orchidectomy was. Maggie , according to Russell, chuckled slightly as she supplied the correct answer – the removal of a testicle. Nobody knew her first though, which was the full name of Interpol. It’s the International Criminal Police Organisation.
Ian started round 8 two points behind Dennis. So the win was possible, but also Russell had said at the start of the show that 12 would see him through to the semis. So he missed his first question. Nobody knew that L’Enfant laid out the street plan of Washington DC. Dennis took his first, but missed out on the Berkshire Music Festival, held in Massachussetts. Paul didn’t know the Tamworth Manifesto, which gave Ian one bonus. If he could take one more . . . well, that’s exactly what he did. Maggie didn’t know that ricin is extracted from the castor oil plant, and Ian did. So Dennis won with 13, Ian took a runner up slot with 12. Well played both. Hard lines, Paul – but I hope that you still found it an enjoyable experience.
The Details
Ian Banks – 12
Dennis Muchmore - 13
Paul Philpot – 6
Maggie Pearce - 5
Ian started off with two correct answers in the second round, but he didn’t know that Cassandra was punished by Apollo in having no one ever believe her prophecies – which were always true. Dennis took that one. It really is worth getting together a decent knowledge of greek mythology, because these questions do recur. Dennis stumbled on his own first question, but then nobody knew that polyps and medusas are stages in the life cycle of a jellyfish. Paul showed his class by taking two on the bounce, but nobody could get the Addled Parliament sat during the reign of James I. Maggie didn’t know that Sex and the Single Girl was written by Helen Gurley Brown – Dennis knew that , which kept him level with Ian on 4 points, with Paul a further 2 behind.
The next round saw each contestant fail on their own first question. Ian didn’t know that Napoleon won the battle of Marengo in 1800, which gave Paul a bonus. Nobody knew that Claudio Suarez set a world record number of football caps for an outfield player representing Mexico. Likewise nobody knew Paul’s question that the only mammal belonging to the class ornithorhyncus is the duck billed platypus. Maggie probably should have known that the first commander of the British Expeditionary force in World War I was Sir John French – Ian certainly did, and I suspect Paul and Dennis did as well, but were beaten to the buzzer. Round 4 took us up to the Beat the Brains interval. Ian didn’t know that Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday was linked to his campaign to get the birthday of Martin Luther King recognized as a National Holiday in the USA .Dennis took that. He didn’t know that Helsinki is still sometimes referred to in Sweden as Helsingfors – nobody had that. Paul didn’t know that the J in J Edgar Hoover is John – that one went to Ian. Finally Maggie got a nasty one asking the name of the largest glacier in the northern hemisphere. Neither the brains nor I knew that it was the Humboldt Glacier.
The Brains were given one chestnut and one bouncer in the interval. The bouncer was – where is the Penguin Islet ? Apparently it’s just off Tasmania in the Bass Strait. They didn’t know it, and neither did I. The chestnut was – where are the islets of Langerhans. Alas, they zigged with kidneys when they should have zagged with pancreas. Book token duly despatched.
At this stage Paul was three points behind Ian. Nothing to panic about, but we were entering the part of the competition where everything would be decided. He needed at least 12 to guarantee a place in the semis. Ian took his first, but didn’t know the peek a boo girl – Veronica Lake. Dennis did. He managed his own first two, but didn’t know that Somerse Maugham, when visiting the set of Spencer Tracey’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde asked – Which one is he playing now ? Paul had that one. Paul could have done with a nice set of two or three now, but he didn’t know a german doctor who first used cocaine as a local anaesthetic. Dennis nipped in for that one. Maggie did manage her first, but didn’t know that the original name for the Thompson twins in the Tintin comics in French was Dupont and Dupond. Good bonus that from Ian, I thought. Ian had 8, but Dennis now led with 9, and I’m afraid that they were starting to pull away from Paul.
Nobody knew the Falklands – as in Falklands Sound – for Ian’s first, offering a lifeline to the others, and a chance for Dennis to gallop off into the distance. Dennis, though , missed his own first. He didn’t know that Berne is the only city in Switzerland to be a World Heritage Site. Paul got a nasty one – asked which three leaders met at Cairo in World War II. Churchill and Roosevelt were gettable, but the real bouncer in that one was Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai Shek. Maggie took her first, but Paul took a bonus on her second with Hooke’s Law. Round 7 would pretty much decide the contest. Ian took the first , but he didn’t know that the flags of Bhutan and Malta are linked by dragons. Dennis took the best set of the whole show with 3, falling down on species of turtles , which fell as a bonus to Maggie. Paul didn’t know what an orchidectomy was. Maggie , according to Russell, chuckled slightly as she supplied the correct answer – the removal of a testicle. Nobody knew her first though, which was the full name of Interpol. It’s the International Criminal Police Organisation.
Ian started round 8 two points behind Dennis. So the win was possible, but also Russell had said at the start of the show that 12 would see him through to the semis. So he missed his first question. Nobody knew that L’Enfant laid out the street plan of Washington DC. Dennis took his first, but missed out on the Berkshire Music Festival, held in Massachussetts. Paul didn’t know the Tamworth Manifesto, which gave Ian one bonus. If he could take one more . . . well, that’s exactly what he did. Maggie didn’t know that ricin is extracted from the castor oil plant, and Ian did. So Dennis won with 13, Ian took a runner up slot with 12. Well played both. Hard lines, Paul – but I hope that you still found it an enjoyable experience.
The Details
Ian Banks – 12
Dennis Muchmore - 13
Paul Philpot – 6
Maggie Pearce - 5
This Week's News Questions
In the news – 4th Feb
Who or what are the following, and why are they in the news ?
1. Sir Philip Hampton
2. Spanair
3. Victoria Azarenka
4. Crawley Town
5. Robert Rock
6. Andy Thomson
7. Sea Ceptor
8. The Cathedral of Middlesex
9. Colin Tarrant
10. Hugo
11. Gary Dobson and David Norris
12. Kweku Adoboli
13. Slav Mitev
14. Wukan
15. Sutton St. James
16. HMS Dauntless
17. Ed Lester
18. Suzanne Greenaway
19. Top Totty
20. John Randall
21. K’Naan
22. Ed Davey
23. Jacques Brunel
In other news
1. Senior executives of which newspaper were arrested last week ?
2. Women’s Institute jam has gone on sale in which supermarket chain ?
3. Which organisation has halted operations in Syria ?
4. Who won Celebrity Big Brother 2012 ?
5. Disneyland has announced that it will at last allow employees to wear what ?
6. Who was voted the UK’s most influential standup ?
7. This is the Chinese year of the what ?
8. What was England’s score in the second innings of the 2nd test against Pakistan ?
9. Which Oscar winner was announced as having gained a role in Downton Abbey ?
10. Who will captain England in the Calcutta Cup ?
11. Which of the teaching unions has backed down on the pensions deal ?
12. In a survey – which was chosen as the saddest song of all time ?
13. A wax cylinder has been found , with a recording of the voice of which 19th century statesman ?
14. Djibril Cisse has moved to which Premier League club ?
15. What was the result of the Florida Primary ?
16. Which formula 1 driver was given a suspended sentence for a nightclub assault ?
17. Where will Adele be making her comeback performance ?
18. Who will be the guest star on the 500th episode of the Simpsons ?
19. Andy Murray has dropped out of the Davis Cup tie against which country ?
20. 73 people died in a football riot in which country ?
21. Which French politician was attacked with a flour bomb last week ?
22. Where did the Duke of Cambridge begin a tour of duty last week ?
23. A goose cull will take place on which lake ?
24. What was the UKs most borrowed book in 2011 ?
25. Which hugely respected boxing coach died last week ?
26. What caused consternation when it was found on a Royal Navy helicopter last week ?
27. With which offence has Chris Huhne been charged ?
28. A report says that cars of which colour are more likely to have hidden defects ?
29. Which two teams are contesting this weekend’s Superbowl ?
30. In tennis, which team did GB beat in the Federation Cup ?
Who or what are the following, and why are they in the news ?
1. Sir Philip Hampton
2. Spanair
3. Victoria Azarenka
4. Crawley Town
5. Robert Rock
6. Andy Thomson
7. Sea Ceptor
8. The Cathedral of Middlesex
9. Colin Tarrant
10. Hugo
11. Gary Dobson and David Norris
12. Kweku Adoboli
13. Slav Mitev
14. Wukan
15. Sutton St. James
16. HMS Dauntless
17. Ed Lester
18. Suzanne Greenaway
19. Top Totty
20. John Randall
21. K’Naan
22. Ed Davey
23. Jacques Brunel
In other news
1. Senior executives of which newspaper were arrested last week ?
2. Women’s Institute jam has gone on sale in which supermarket chain ?
3. Which organisation has halted operations in Syria ?
4. Who won Celebrity Big Brother 2012 ?
5. Disneyland has announced that it will at last allow employees to wear what ?
6. Who was voted the UK’s most influential standup ?
7. This is the Chinese year of the what ?
8. What was England’s score in the second innings of the 2nd test against Pakistan ?
9. Which Oscar winner was announced as having gained a role in Downton Abbey ?
10. Who will captain England in the Calcutta Cup ?
11. Which of the teaching unions has backed down on the pensions deal ?
12. In a survey – which was chosen as the saddest song of all time ?
13. A wax cylinder has been found , with a recording of the voice of which 19th century statesman ?
14. Djibril Cisse has moved to which Premier League club ?
15. What was the result of the Florida Primary ?
16. Which formula 1 driver was given a suspended sentence for a nightclub assault ?
17. Where will Adele be making her comeback performance ?
18. Who will be the guest star on the 500th episode of the Simpsons ?
19. Andy Murray has dropped out of the Davis Cup tie against which country ?
20. 73 people died in a football riot in which country ?
21. Which French politician was attacked with a flour bomb last week ?
22. Where did the Duke of Cambridge begin a tour of duty last week ?
23. A goose cull will take place on which lake ?
24. What was the UKs most borrowed book in 2011 ?
25. Which hugely respected boxing coach died last week ?
26. What caused consternation when it was found on a Royal Navy helicopter last week ?
27. With which offence has Chris Huhne been charged ?
28. A report says that cars of which colour are more likely to have hidden defects ?
29. Which two teams are contesting this weekend’s Superbowl ?
30. In tennis, which team did GB beat in the Federation Cup ?
Answers to last week's news questions
Here you go - this week's questions to follow later : -
Who or what are the following, and why have they been in the news ?
1. Laura Dekker
2. HMS Argyll
3. Michael Sata
4. Rosie the dog
5. Outside In
6. Theodora Dallas
7. Ekaterina Makerova
8. Sergei Polunin
9. Coryton
10. Andrew Miller
11. John Anslow
12. Michael Clair
13. Anthony Gardner
14. Andrew Farndon
15. Nicholas Shakespeare
16. Nigel Leat
17. Dr. John Magumba
18. Uggie
19. Stephen Hester
20. A Twinkling Star to A Passing Angel
21. Angelica Maria Cecora
22. Anthony Albanese
23. Steven Slevin
24. Jean Claude Mas
25. The Teodora
26. Liam Broady and Joshua Ward Hubbert
27. Rhys Thomas
In Other News
1. Who is the socialist candidate for the upcoming French presidential elections ?
2. What is the title of Jessie J’s number 1 single ?
3. Which writer made headlines by saying that he has no ‘twitter machine’ ?
4. Which newsreader revealed that her baby daughter has the name Clemency ?
5. Where is the UKs first marine energy park ?
6. In which state did Newt Gingrich defeat Mitt Romney in the Republican primary ?
7. Which US Congresswoman publically quit last week ?
8. Which former businessman’s long awaited trial began in the Old Bailey last week ?
9. Ofcom rejected complaints about Ricky Gervais’ use of which offensive word ?
10. Which venue is to show the film “Citizen Kane “ for the very first time ?
11. Which Man City player was heavily criticised for stamping on Scott Parker’s head in the game v. Tottenham ?
12. Who is the New Chancellor of Portsmouth University ?
13. Whose statue was unveiled in Barnsley ?
14. How many Oscar nominations doe the nomination for The Iron Lady make it for Meryl Streep now ?
15. Which museum unveiled plans to move into the building which was formerly home to the Commonwealth Institute
16. Which team won the Stanley Cup ?
17. Britain’s debt has broken which barrier for the first time ?
18. Which football club last week were served with a winding up tax bill ?
19. Who knocked world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki out of the Australian Open ?
20. Plans were revealed last week to sell which RAF airfield ?
21. Which former cabinet minister last week said that Ed Miliband was struggling ?
22. Who was attacked last week in an Aboriginal Rights protest ?
23. What did Newt Gingrich promise to build if he becomes President of the USA ?
24. Who said last week that he writes like a two year old ?
25. Who faced criticism for saying that the state has no right to legalise marriage between gay couples ?
26. What surfaced briefly on ebay following the afore mentioned scuffle in an aboriginal rights protest ?
27. Waterstones are set to open a bookstore catering for which language in their flagship shop in Piccadilly ?
28. Who pretends to be Richard Branson in the current adverts for Virgin ?
29. Who is the Hat Person of the Year ?
30. Which country has apologised for deporting jews during the Holocaust ?
31. Which footballer has received a death threat in the form of a bullet being sent to him ?
Answers
1. 16 year old dutch girl who will not be recognised as youngest person to sail around the world by the Guinness book, despite the fact that she is.
2. Royal Navy ship that joined the western flotilla in the Straits of Hormuz
3. The Victoria Station sweeper who has become the president of Zambia
4. The dog in whose name Harry Redknapp opened a bank account .
5. Memoirs of Peter Hain
6. Juror jailed for 6 months for contempt of court for doing online research into defendant
7. She knocked Serena Williams out of the Australian Open
8. 21 year old lead dancer who has quit the Royal Ballet with no warning
9. Oil refinery which has stopped deliveries after the company went into admin
10. Writer of Pure – the Costa Book of the Year
11. Dangerous escaped prisoner ( 1st )
12. US Dentist who used paper clips for root canals to save money
13. Crystal Palace player whose own goal put Cardiff City into the Carling Cup Final
14. 2nd escaped prisoner – freed with armed help – arrested in Scotland
15. He was misquoted by Francois Hollande, who said that a quote he used was by William Shakespeare
16. Teacher who abused children for 14 years, despite his colleagues having reported concerns
17. Cleric who performed 28 bogus weddings
18. The canine star of the film “The Artist” who has ‘announced’ his plans to retire
19. The Boos of RBS who has been awarded a nearly £1 million bonus
20. A ‘new’ Abba song to be released
21. She is suing Oscar de la Hoya for Assault
22. Australian Minister who has been accused of using a speech from The American President for one of his own
23. He was awarded $22 million in damages after American police put him in solitary for a driving offence, and forgot about him for 2 and a half years.
24. Head of PIP who has been charged in France
25. The world’s biggest cut emerald – auctioned in Canada
26. British players who won the Boys’ doubles at the Australian Open
27. Welsh prop forward who has undergone heart surgery
In Other News
1. François Hollande
2. Domino
3. Tom Stoppard
4. Kate Silverton
5. South West England
6. South Carolina
7. Gabrielle Giffords
8. Asil Nadir
9. Mong
10. San Simeon ( William Hearst’s Castle )
11. Mario Balotelli
12. Sandie Toksvig
13. Dickie Bird
14. 17
15. The Design Museum
16. Boston Bruins
17. £1 trillion
18. Portsmouth FC
19. Kim Clijsters
20. RAF Northolt
21. Lord Mandelson
22. Julia Gillard
23. A moon colony
24. Julia Gillard’s shoe
25. Harry Redknapp
26. John Sentamu – Archbishop of York
27. Russian
28. Usain Bolt
29. The Duchess of Cambridge
30. Norway
31. Anton Ferdinand
Who or what are the following, and why have they been in the news ?
1. Laura Dekker
2. HMS Argyll
3. Michael Sata
4. Rosie the dog
5. Outside In
6. Theodora Dallas
7. Ekaterina Makerova
8. Sergei Polunin
9. Coryton
10. Andrew Miller
11. John Anslow
12. Michael Clair
13. Anthony Gardner
14. Andrew Farndon
15. Nicholas Shakespeare
16. Nigel Leat
17. Dr. John Magumba
18. Uggie
19. Stephen Hester
20. A Twinkling Star to A Passing Angel
21. Angelica Maria Cecora
22. Anthony Albanese
23. Steven Slevin
24. Jean Claude Mas
25. The Teodora
26. Liam Broady and Joshua Ward Hubbert
27. Rhys Thomas
In Other News
1. Who is the socialist candidate for the upcoming French presidential elections ?
2. What is the title of Jessie J’s number 1 single ?
3. Which writer made headlines by saying that he has no ‘twitter machine’ ?
4. Which newsreader revealed that her baby daughter has the name Clemency ?
5. Where is the UKs first marine energy park ?
6. In which state did Newt Gingrich defeat Mitt Romney in the Republican primary ?
7. Which US Congresswoman publically quit last week ?
8. Which former businessman’s long awaited trial began in the Old Bailey last week ?
9. Ofcom rejected complaints about Ricky Gervais’ use of which offensive word ?
10. Which venue is to show the film “Citizen Kane “ for the very first time ?
11. Which Man City player was heavily criticised for stamping on Scott Parker’s head in the game v. Tottenham ?
12. Who is the New Chancellor of Portsmouth University ?
13. Whose statue was unveiled in Barnsley ?
14. How many Oscar nominations doe the nomination for The Iron Lady make it for Meryl Streep now ?
15. Which museum unveiled plans to move into the building which was formerly home to the Commonwealth Institute
16. Which team won the Stanley Cup ?
17. Britain’s debt has broken which barrier for the first time ?
18. Which football club last week were served with a winding up tax bill ?
19. Who knocked world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki out of the Australian Open ?
20. Plans were revealed last week to sell which RAF airfield ?
21. Which former cabinet minister last week said that Ed Miliband was struggling ?
22. Who was attacked last week in an Aboriginal Rights protest ?
23. What did Newt Gingrich promise to build if he becomes President of the USA ?
24. Who said last week that he writes like a two year old ?
25. Who faced criticism for saying that the state has no right to legalise marriage between gay couples ?
26. What surfaced briefly on ebay following the afore mentioned scuffle in an aboriginal rights protest ?
27. Waterstones are set to open a bookstore catering for which language in their flagship shop in Piccadilly ?
28. Who pretends to be Richard Branson in the current adverts for Virgin ?
29. Who is the Hat Person of the Year ?
30. Which country has apologised for deporting jews during the Holocaust ?
31. Which footballer has received a death threat in the form of a bullet being sent to him ?
Answers
1. 16 year old dutch girl who will not be recognised as youngest person to sail around the world by the Guinness book, despite the fact that she is.
2. Royal Navy ship that joined the western flotilla in the Straits of Hormuz
3. The Victoria Station sweeper who has become the president of Zambia
4. The dog in whose name Harry Redknapp opened a bank account .
5. Memoirs of Peter Hain
6. Juror jailed for 6 months for contempt of court for doing online research into defendant
7. She knocked Serena Williams out of the Australian Open
8. 21 year old lead dancer who has quit the Royal Ballet with no warning
9. Oil refinery which has stopped deliveries after the company went into admin
10. Writer of Pure – the Costa Book of the Year
11. Dangerous escaped prisoner ( 1st )
12. US Dentist who used paper clips for root canals to save money
13. Crystal Palace player whose own goal put Cardiff City into the Carling Cup Final
14. 2nd escaped prisoner – freed with armed help – arrested in Scotland
15. He was misquoted by Francois Hollande, who said that a quote he used was by William Shakespeare
16. Teacher who abused children for 14 years, despite his colleagues having reported concerns
17. Cleric who performed 28 bogus weddings
18. The canine star of the film “The Artist” who has ‘announced’ his plans to retire
19. The Boos of RBS who has been awarded a nearly £1 million bonus
20. A ‘new’ Abba song to be released
21. She is suing Oscar de la Hoya for Assault
22. Australian Minister who has been accused of using a speech from The American President for one of his own
23. He was awarded $22 million in damages after American police put him in solitary for a driving offence, and forgot about him for 2 and a half years.
24. Head of PIP who has been charged in France
25. The world’s biggest cut emerald – auctioned in Canada
26. British players who won the Boys’ doubles at the Australian Open
27. Welsh prop forward who has undergone heart surgery
In Other News
1. François Hollande
2. Domino
3. Tom Stoppard
4. Kate Silverton
5. South West England
6. South Carolina
7. Gabrielle Giffords
8. Asil Nadir
9. Mong
10. San Simeon ( William Hearst’s Castle )
11. Mario Balotelli
12. Sandie Toksvig
13. Dickie Bird
14. 17
15. The Design Museum
16. Boston Bruins
17. £1 trillion
18. Portsmouth FC
19. Kim Clijsters
20. RAF Northolt
21. Lord Mandelson
22. Julia Gillard
23. A moon colony
24. Julia Gillard’s shoe
25. Harry Redknapp
26. John Sentamu – Archbishop of York
27. Russian
28. Usain Bolt
29. The Duchess of Cambridge
30. Norway
31. Anton Ferdinand
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
