Sunday 26 June 2011

High Stakes

On the theme of new quiz TV game shows, and on a different scale to Quiz Trippers is the new High Stakes quiz show ITV have devised.

The link below is the old recruitment site......

http://www.itv.com/beontv/highstakes/default.html

"Are you a risk taker? Do you have good general knowledge? Would you like the chance to win £500,000?"


Sounds promising!


ITV have long been seeking a replacement to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and this could well be it.


I know a few people from the BQA have been invited for auditions and pilots have been shot, or are shooting, so might not be long before we see this emerge

Quiz Trippers


http://www.channel4.com/info/press/programme-information/quiz-trippers

See the above link for some more information on the new Channel 4 teatime show Quiz Trippers which starts on the 11th July and which, to be honest, I am very much looking forward to. Quiz-Dine-With-Me in other words but still channel 4 always add a bit of humour to proceedings so this could liven up the tv dinners after work!

Friday 24 June 2011

Quizzing as Escapism

Various forms of entertainment are often classed as being “escapism”. A ways and means to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and the worries and stresses in your mind, and escape into a film, game or book. I never considered quizzing as escapism as being such a huge part of my life, it couldn’t be classed as so. Until now……..

My situation at the moment is worrying to say the least. The job I have had, the only job I have add, working as a tutor is under massive threat. 2 weeks ago we were told around 60-70% of staff, if not more, were to be cut and this week we have all been re-interviewed for work. The new systems and the new roles are within my capability but being based in two offices miles apart the lack of licence makes me an outsider. With my experienced tutors competing with me I have faced that it is game over for myself with the company and I am looking to move on, in September I am likely to be made redundant. As a 25 year old this is all new to me and very worrying, having never faced anything like this before.

But during all this I have failed to notice that the one thing keeping me going is the quizzing! For that three hours in the pub, even if I am watching what I spend more, the worries of work are gone. All that matters is the next questions, remembering the player who has won European Cups with two different British sides, arguing over a picture question and wondering how I failed to get an easy question right. Its home and to bed and always after a quiz I sleep well. Any other night recently I am not with all the obvious worries.

So quizzing has been my escapism this past two weeks and it has taken a lot of stress away from me. Without those few hours in the pub, glaring over an answer sheet a few times a week the stress would be with me more, an ever present but the quiz is allowing me to escape. Without consciously knowing so until now the quiz has been a godsend in the past few weeks. Although this will not effect my playing in anyway its interesting to think about the hobby in general. Something that is so big a part of my life that it consumes my spare time almost in its entirety, is also something that helps me escape the worries and stresses of working life and pending redundancy.  

I am hoping for news today about my future and if the redundancy is confirmed, then this weeks quizzing may not be enough to take away to worry!

So is quizzing escapism in some form? Is there a point at which quizzing is not escapism? 

Saturday 18 June 2011

Searching for County Durham/North East Quiz Players.....

If you are from the North East of England, but especially the County Durham area I am seeking your help and expressions of interest!

Basically, with the quiz scene in these parts being rather dead, I am looking at in the long run starting a Pub Quiz League for teams based in the County Durham area (mainly Peterlee, Horden, Easington,Shotton, Wingate et al). I have enquired in a few pubs around the area and I have had expressions of interest. However, what I need are names and perhaps contact details (email would be easier) of interest players. Maybe you are part of a regular quiz team and fancy the challenge of representing your local pub? Even if you are a single player I aim to have teams for you to join and even have a singles competition! So please anyone in the area get in touch with me at fully234@hotmail.com

This may start off as a one night chairty event to see what the level of interest is like but I really would like anyone with any interest to come forward!

TV Watch - A Question of Sport


Ever since I was a young boy I remember watching A Question of Sport. I had a board game, all I remember is the blue box, and each question moved you one step further around the  QS logo to victory. Hours of fun with this and the show has never been out of my viewing since!

Still shown on BBC One, now presented by Sue Barker and with Phil Tuffnell and Matt Dawson captaining teams of three sports stars, its as fun as ever and is something I enjoy watching each week and never fail to miss.

Its in many ways "the perfect panel quiz" for television. It comes across as genuine, lively, funny and unscripted and the nature of the quiz questions add to the enjoyment. They are serious sports quiz questions that avid quiz fanatics and sports fans can have a go at answering. None of this daft, watered down questioning you tend to get on some panel shows. There are novelty games thrown in and Tuffers acts the clown but generally this is one show I am enjoying as much as ever and something I would recommend anyone even with just a passing interest in sport to watch!


When is a quiz, not a quiz????

I have mentioned the issue of cheating several times over in this blog and this past week I have perhaps encountered the worst quiz I have ever been to. It is run on a Thursday night and comes just before a karaoke session. I walked into the pub for the first time on quiz night and found it was not the "usual" quiz crowd but rather younger folk (too young to be being served if you ask me). Anyway, the quiz started....

The picture round was very hard and tricky and in truth very satisfying. They were comedy double acts from days gone by and certainly a tough cookie. This was very enjoyable and gave me high hopes the quiz was to be a success.


We know you want a better quaff

However, the questions began.....and it became a cheat fest. There were to my dismay only 15 questions.......and it took 40 minutes to do the quiz. This gave around 2 minutes plus per question. Cue the cheats. People on phones searching the web, running to the table with papers for answers and the worst case, openly ringing a friend/relative where everyone could hear. This was the worst case of mass cheating I have ever seen. It was so open and blatant you would imagine it was part of the quiz itself!

Anyway, I have totally disregarded this as a possible quiz venue for us on a weekly basis as I do not consider it a quiz. Its basically a set of questions and whoever cheats best wins....and thats what happened! In my view this type of shambles should never be advertised as a "quiz" because for genuine players like myself, its simply a waste of an entire evening.

British Student Quiz Championships

Thanks to David Clark over at the excellent Life After Mastermind Blog for the link to this very enjoyable video on Youtube of this years British Student Quiz Championships!

Wednesday Quiz 2 Answers

1) Lily Allen
2) Sunderland
3) Work Programme
4) Alastair Cook
5) 59.93 centimetres (23.5 inches)

1) The Merchant of Venice
2) 1381
3) Richard II
4) Anthony Burgess
5) Quentin Tarantino
6) Orange
7) Stereophonics
8) Sunderland
9) Metal Gear Solid
10) Thimphu
11) Topiary
12) Abraham Lincoln
13) Copenhagen
14) Eric
15) Clowder
16) Tail
17) Metro Goldwyn Mayer
18) Manx
19) Switzerland
20) A Midsummer Night's Dream

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Quiz Classics - Daphne Fowlers Fifteen to one


Known by most from her role on Eggheads, to many quiz fans this is the highlight of Daphne Fowlers quizzing. An incredible performance on fifteen to one.

Wednesday Quiz 2 - Questions

Here we are then readers. This weeks Wednesday quiz. As usual answers in the comment box or emailed to fully234@hotmail.com. Only one entry last week but hopefully we will get a building up of contenders!

Current Affairs

  1. Which “Smile” singer got married this week?
  2. Which did Liverpool pay £20million for Jordan Henderson?
  3. What is the name of the new Government scheme to aid the unemployed back into work which started this week?
  4. Andrew Strauss and which other England cricketer were among the Honours in the Queens Birthday Honours list?
  5. A new record for the worlds smallest man was unveiled this week. How small was he?

General Knowledge

  1. In which Shakespeare play would you encounter Shylock?
  2. In what year did the Peasants Revolt, let by Watt Tyler Occur?
  3. And which king was on the throne during the Peasants Revolt?
  4. Which author wrote the Clockwork Orange novel?
  5. Name the director who brought Jackie Brown to the screen?
  6. What colour is the “black box” flight recorder found on aeroplanes?
  7. Which band have released albums including Performance and Cocktails, Word Gets Around and just Enough Education to Perform?
  8. In which city might you visit an annual airshow, visit the Bridges Shopping Centre, use the Park Land Transport Interchange and see the Winter Gardens.
  9. Name the gaming series which involves the character Solid Snake?
  10. What is the capital city of Bhutan?
  11. What is the name of the craft of shaping hedges?
  12. Which President appears on the US Five Dollar Bill?
  13. In which city would you find the statue of the Little Mermaid?
  14. And in the Disney film “Little Mermaid” what was the name of her love interest?
  15. What is the correct name for grouping of domestic cats?
  16. Where on a rattlesnake would you find the rattler?
  17. MGM is a famous film company, but what dot he initials MGM actually stand for?
  18. Which cat has no tail?
  19. Which nation did Celine Dion represent in the Eurovision Song contest?
  20. In which Shakespeare play would you find Hermia, Helena, Nick Bottom and Tom Snout?

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Pub Quiz Machine Guide - Part 2 - Battleships 2!


This game appears in one form or another on mostly every pub quiz machine around. It shares the same traits as the others but has a few novelty features and is also the site of my biggest pub quiz machine win!

Battleships 2 has quite a simple concept. Its the age-old game of battleships, finding enemy ships by using co-ordinates. Touching the screen launches your missiles. The object is to find all your enemy ships and move onto the money game.

Each game requires different amounts of ships to be located and different sizes. If you miss you must answer a question correctly for another go. You have one pass and one try again which makes it tricky. The questions start easy and the "gettable" or should I say genuine questions are not that difficult. But as usual they throw a "stopper" in which is a question you simply wont know and need to guess. However, I found that in terms of value for money the nature of the questions here gives you a longer game.

If you are lucky enough to find all the ships you move onto the money game which is one of my favourites in any machine. Basically the grid of around 50 blocks becomes blank. You touch a square and it has amounts behind it ranging for 10p to £2 and even double money squares. You can see how this gets addictive. Each square you touch with money in it goes into your pot. However, touch a mine and your money is wiped out to the "safe amount". The safe amount is either the same as the first box opened or whenever you get a lifeboat it saves your money. Very addictive and each time we have reached the final board it seems to have been fair paying out £5 and above regularly. 

This is quite a good game for two people as my other half isnt interested in quizzing but likes finding the ships so it works well on that front and is more interesting for her than standing as I loose my temper with 1 vs 100!

All in all this is one of the best games on the pub quiz machine circuit but beware, as with everything there is a level of it being fixed and the only winner in the long run is the makers

Monday 13 June 2011

The Anti-Cheat Round!


One issue I raised a number of weeks ago was the fact that cheats can ruin the pub quiz, especially when you know there is cheating going on!

I made a complaint that quizmasters should do more to clamp down on cheating for the health of the quiz in the long run and gave a good example of regular teams boycotting the quiz as cheating was rife.

Another solution which our local quiz master has started to employ is what I call the "anti-cheat" round. Sometimes he tries to mix this in with pictures as well but usually after the 10 current affairs questions he knocks out a themed round. Usually this round would be based on say..."Sundays" every question has something to do with Sunday. Prone to cheating. However lately he has began to change this round and made it tougher. Last week for instance was Cryptic Place Names......almost impossible to cheat on unless he has taken it from another site. Questions such as "Mothers Garden Entrance" - Margate and "Someone who is leaving" - Exeter really do add some diversity to the quiz but most of all annoy the cheats!

Any other examples of quizmasters dealing with cheating?

Sunday 12 June 2011

Playing to win, "winners" loosing and Can a pub quiz be taken too seriously?

Sadly, I will not be attending the usual quiz tonight as I am dog-sitting. The poor little chap is having his first night with us in the flat and leaving him would not be wise so I wont have any questions for you from the Moorcock quiz this week.

Before attending the Moorcock quiz, I tried a few local quizzes and there was one in particular that amused me greatly. There was always a team of teachers who won every week bar none.....this is a bit before the time I took quizzing a bit more seriously.....and they would win each week by 6-7 points.  However, once every 4 weeks a certain team used to enter the quiz. It was a mystery where they came from, who they were or why  we only saw them at the quiz once a month.

This new team won with a maximum score, putting the teachers in second place and looking very glum. The next week....no teachers. They came back, won two weeks and then lost to the new team when they came in for their monthly go. Again, teachers did not attend the week after. What sort of behavior is this? In recent months they have lost to a few teams and never show up the week after.

Now there could be something in this......the prize money might pay for the night out the following week or something such like and thus if they do not win they do not attend.

But seemingly, every time they get beat they miss the following week. Has anyone had this happen in their local quiz? Again it proves my point raised in the "Seat Wars" blog post that quizzing brings out irrational behavior that can only be seen in a quiz room.

Nevertheless, it raises the issue of teams who only play quizzes they can win. I once knew a member of a team who took pub quizzes "too seriously". They were well known in the local city area and to give them credit they were very good quiz players who played in more "professional" leagues. Suffice to say though, they play to win and win only. Of course everyone likes to do the best they can and it is nice to claim a victory but there is certain times when this goes too far. For instance....

Living in a busy-ish city, Sunderland, this team had a lot of choice of quizzes to attend. Instead of trying out a new quiz as a team, what they used to do was send one member as a "scout" to quizzes around the area. The "scout" would not enter the quiz but he would sit in the quiz room, making a note of questions and the team would decided based on the questions, and the winning score, if they could win the quiz and thus would enter the following week. If the quiz was too easy, too "pop-culture" based or had a large amount of points allocated to picture rounds, cryptic rounds or such like they would not enter.

Now, these were clever guys and chances are would have won most new quizzes without a "scout" being needed but this again raises the issue of whether you can take a pub quiz too seriously?

Would like to hear the thoughts of others on this

TV - Blockbusters re-runs - Challenge TV


Much to my delight Challenge TV have started weekend re-runs of Blockbusters. I vaguely remember the Bob Holness version, which is the one currently being shown, from my youth (whether they were new or repeats at the time I am not totally sure) and enjoyed watching the show yesterday.

Always my favourite aspect of the show is the questions which deliberately mislead contestants who buzz in early, always catches them out. I would have loved to go on this show in my Uni days but never got the chance.

Book of the Week - The Importance of Being Trivial - Mark Mason


I read this in the middle of last summer and for me it was one those books that I simply had to read once I started and managed to get through it in two sittings. Mason writes in such a matter-of-fact and intriguing style that you will feel you know him by the time the book concludes.

Its all about the notion of trivia, how we pick it up, what makes good trivia, why its good to know? and a really enjoyable read! 

Wednesday Quiz 1 Answers

1)The (British) Open championship in Golf
2)Lady Madonna
3)Chepstow
4)Jamaica
5) The Pink Ladies
6) Skaro's finest - the Daleks
7)Tommy Lee Jones
8)Family Guy
9) Left
10) Silk
11) Argentina
12) Spiracle ( blowhole)
13) Ankara
14) Narcissus
15) Green Room
16) Time
17) Black Coffee
18) League of Nations
19) Jeff Stelling
20) 4
21) Santa Fe
22) Green
14) Narcissus
15) Green R

Thursday 9 June 2011

Quiz Classics - Bill Mckaigs 15-to-1

Youtube is a treasure trove of classic quiz moments from over the years and each week I will be posting some of my favourites. Where better place to start than with the unique performance of Bill Mckaig's legendary run on fifteen to one. 


Wednesday 8 June 2011

New Channel Game Show - Sounds Interesting...

Channel 4 continue their "reality" tv daytime fixation and the Quiz Trippers show that is due to come later in the summer looks very interesting...

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-commissions-new-daytime-show-quiz-trippers

Wednesday Quiz - June 8th

First in a series on weekly Wednesday Quizzes to get the mid-week brain working.....Answers in email to fully234@hotmail.com or in comment box please
  1. The Claret Jug is awarded to the winner of which golfing competition?
  2. Which Beatles song contains the lyric "Friday night arrives without a suitcase"?
  3. On which racecourse is the Welsh Grand National run?
  4. Linford Christie won a gold medal representing Great Britain in the 100 metres at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but what country was he born in?
  5. What was the name the gang of girls in the movie Grease?
  6. Which infamous Doctor Who villains are to be given a rest for the foreseeable future, the BBC confirmed this week?
  7. Who won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in the film The Fugitive opposite Harrison Ford?
  8. Cleveland Brown, Joe Swanson and Mayor Adam West are all characters that appear in which popular animated television series?
  9. Does the captain sit in the left or right hand seat in the cockpit of a commercial airplane?
  10. The highest heat setting on an iron is for which fabric - Silk, Cotton or Linen?
  11. Which country lies immediately east of Chile?
  12. What is the name given to a whale's nostril?
  13. What is the capital of Turkey?
  14. In Greek mythology, which youth fell in love with his own reflection?
  15. In the theatre what is the name given to the waiting, or retiring room for the actors?
  16. Chronophobia is the fear of what?
  17.  What type of drink lended itself to the title of a number one single for All Saints?
  18.  When the UN was established in 1945, what did it replace?
  19.  Which Countdown presenter is to leave after less than three years hosting the Channel 4 quiz show?
  20. How many points is a letter �V� worth in Scrabble?
  21.  What is the state capital of New Mexico?
  22. What was the original colour of the soft drink Coca-Cola?

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Book of the Week - The Wars of the Roses - Trevor Royle


Covering one of the most interesting, and my personal favourite, eras of British History this book has had me gripped for the past week. Trevor Royle has a solid body of work behind him but this is perhaps his finest yet. The War of The Roses spans the infamous conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster and not only does it talk about the battles and key elements of the war in depth but it also covers the prelude, the hundred years war and British society in general at these times as well as culture, technology and religious issues.

In terms of producing an all round picture of 14th-15th century Britain this works a wonder, using a great format and a consistent focus throughout. Royle always avoids rambling and provides key facts and events in solid chapters and interesting references. The book never slows down for a minute and in the 400-ish pages covers so much you will wonder how Royle has managed it!

This was released back in 2009 but having now found its way into the discount book stores I picked it up for only £2.99 and would suggest anyone else with a passing interest in the era does as well! Certainly helps cement those facts for the inevitable quiz questions!

Weekly Quiz - Starts Wednesday 8th June

I have been posting numerous quiz questions up since I started the blog and have now settled in and aim to produce a weekly pub quiz style set of questions each week to keep quizzers happy and help pass the mid week blues. This will start this week with the first quiz published on Wednesday morning. All instructions to come then!

Podcast Recommendation - Historyonair.com

Ever since discovering the wonderful delight of the Podcast I have been sampling all kinds of Podcasts to aid my learning and mainly for personal enjoyment. Over the time using this blog I will be recommending a select few of the finest podcasts out and about that I have found enjoyable and the first will be....

History on Air (http://historyonair.com)

This is a podcast produced by an amateur American Historian covering a wide range of historical events, each one interesting in their own right. Its now reached its 119th edition and during the course of that period so many subjects have been covered doing a short list would be a disservice to the work put into them. Check out the list on the website above.

The podcast are delivered clearly and although at times the presenter does slip into a bit of monotone reading, for the most part this is a very useful and informative podcast that is never boring and always full of useful trivia, facts and slices of information to keep the brain alive.

I love a good podcast as it helps pass the time on the way to work and I have learned quite a lot from this series and would certainly recommend that you dip in and give it a try.

TV - Eggheads



Series 12 of the ever popular quiz show returned last night after a week off and a cracking episode to start the week. Who Cares Wins? were the opposing team and got off to a flyer knocking out two Eggheads from the off with some great quizzing. Although the Eggheads clawed their way back to win the final two games it left a nicely even 3 on 3 for the final. Going to sudden death in the final the contest was close and when it goes to Sudden Death you always have to fancy the Eggheads to take it, especially when Pat is sat there with two others, but facing a questions about the winning Jockey on the Derby in 2001 and 2003 they came unstuck and Who Cares Wins? took home £14,000!


Congratulations to Who Cares Wins!

Monday 6 June 2011

Seat Wars!



On a normal night in most pubs around the UK, sitting in a seat would not be an issue. However, as quiz hour approaches each and every week something strange begins to happen, coats appear on the back of chairs without people, one lonely woman sits on a table with 7 places, pens out and beer mats lined to show she is awaiting company. The battle over seats is something which at the local quiz has humoured me ever since I started to attend!

At the quiz I mentioned I attend on Sundays, the Moorcock, there are two main areas. One has nice padded seats, plenty of space and windows. The other is the dark dingy corner, cramped with seats that induce a terrible backache. But nevertheless each and every week the same thing happens.....a war for Seats! I am sure the same thing happens up and down the country!

Funny looks, comments that are meant to be overheard and jokes between other teams.....followed by the next few weeks of "table saving" to make sure it is no repeated. The first time we went to the quiz at the local was a bank holiday and not knowing anybody or anything we sat in a seat intended for two. We heard some sighs and a groan from behind us and a comment meant to be overheard..."Bev and ??? won't be happy". Proceeded by dirty looks. There we were, a twenty something couple out for a drink and a bit of quizzing, getting dirty looks and playground comments from a group of fifty somethings because of where we sat.

The following week was another source of amusement. We usually get there about an hour before the quiz as we like to sit down and have a chat, maybe a game of pool or a pump a few pound into the jukebox, but nevertheless the place was empty apart from one elderly woman sitting on a 7 seater table, with her coat on  the back of a chair on an entirely different table and her carrier bag on a chair on another table, the one we sat at last week. The smug sense of victory on her face as we walked in was to be quite honest insanity. Obvioisuly, not being bothered we went to the bar got our drinks, and by the time we had done this a usual table of quizzers had taken their seats.

We walked over to the main area and being no small tables, we took a table with four seats...."They sat over there last week.....taking xxxx table this week". That was a petty comment number one as it was but the following comment just really got to me as it was said to be overheard and in a cruel way...."Don't worry, they wont last long. Be gone in a few weeks". Then one joked "We should have reservations".

You get the picture by now...

So what I am really asking here is why is it that when it comes to the local quiz, an evening intended for fun, do some regulars behave in this way? I am sure you all have experienced this up and down the country but what is it about a simple quiz that causes people to be so, well, territorial and at times childish? I am sure the same people who behave this way do not do so in their normal day to day life, so why does the quiz turn people like this? I know we are all creatures of habit but surely this is too far...

Now before I proceed I want to make it clear that this is not a complaint or rant, its just something which I find funny and that hunmours me. I do not let the comments, which still go on despite us being "regulars", bother me now but always look forward to what sarky comments people will come up with.

And I have experienced the other side of the coin though and know my examples and experiences may be extreme. I have many times been invited to join teams and greeted with general chatter by locals glad to see new faces.

At the end of the day though the pettiness that "seat wars" can induce can be off putting for some. As mentioned I let it wash over me, but particularly at the start of the evening before it fills off, things like this sour the atmosphere and hearing people talk about you in such ways can be off putting I assume for some. Do people intend to scare newbies away? Do people simply want to play against the same teams in the same seats every week? (or as we found out, the team dishing out the main comments were the regular winners, the comments stepped up a gear when we came second by one point and after beating them one week they were notable absent for a few weeks and came back very quietly)

Its odd behavior I cannot quite explain!

All over the issue of where to sit.

Sunday Night Quizzing.... Victory, Jackpot Success and some teasers!

As usual for a Sunday night it was off the quiz at the Moorcock. After our second place last week my two team members returned (mother and father) to make a foursome. 12 Teams took part in what was again an excellent quiz by local quizmaster Bob Garrigan and we ended up joint winners of the evening scoring 57/64 as well as scooping the jackpot. A profitable night but also a fun one!

Anyway here are some of the questions we faced last night. Round 1 is always current affairs following the picture round so Ill leave that one out and also there was a cryptic round regarding place names. Some of the questions in the final twenty were....


1. Which sport used the term "home run" long before baseball was invented?

2. Who is the only goalkeeper (might be the only player too) to win the European Cup with two different teams?

3. If one parent has blue eyes, and one has brown eyes....what colour eyes is the child likely to have?

4. Which character uttered the word "I dont give a dam" in Gone with the Wind?

5. In which modern day country does the ancient city of Carthage lie?

6. Name the four signs of the Zodiac represented by human figures?

7. The capital of Scotland prior to the 1400's.....raised some debate this one!

8. In which novel did Humpty Dumpty first appear?

9. Which BBC Quiz show has the theme tune called "Approaching Meance"?

10. Who is next in this sequence....William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee?

11. Complete the proverb...."Rumour goes in one ear and out....."

12. True or False.....50% of humans can flare their nostrils?

13. How long does a lottery win have to claim their prize....180 days or 6 months?


Answers tomorrow

Sunday 5 June 2011

Congratulations to Pat Gibson!



The BQA are reporting that Pat Gibson, famous for being an Egghead and WWTBAM winner has won this years World Quiz Championship. At first look it seems as if he has stormed to a victory by at least 10 points ahead of Kevin Ashman. Coming on the back of victory in the Mahaquizzer a few weeks ago Pat is on a storming run and congratulations to him!

Friday Quiz Answers

1) Lorenzo - from the Merchant of Venice

2) Buddhism 

3) Battle of Crecey

4)Henry III

5) 1071

6) 1154 

7) Henry II

8) Wrestlemania 3  - Hogan v Andre

9) In "The Merchant of Venice" Launcelot Gobbo starts off as Shylock's servant.

10) Newcastle upon Tyne.

Friday 3 June 2011

Friday Quiz - Weekend Warm Up

A few questions to warm up the mind before the weekend.....Answers in the Comment Box Please


1. If Bassiano's partner is Portia and Nerrisa is in love with Gratiano, who is Jessica's significant other?


2. Which religion calls the burial mound a "Stuppa"?


3. Which battle, which took place in August 1348 in Northern France, was a key element of both the Hundred Years War and the future of warfare?


4. Which King was responsible for whitewashing the Tower of London leading to the name of the White Tower?


5. In what year did the Seljuk Turks conquer Jerusalem leading to the Crusades urged by Pop Urban II?


6. In what year did King Stephen die and who replaced him on the throne of England?


7. Which English King married Elenaor of Aquitaine? (If I remember this question was also Judith Keppels Million Pound Question on WWTBAM)


8. Which event, that took place in 1987, claimed a new worldwide indoor attendance record with the main stars including André René Roussimoff and Terry Boella?


9. In a Shakespearian play Launcelot Gobbo is whose servant?


10. Discovery Museum, Life Centre, Metro Radio Arena, Liang Gallery.....all lie in which British city?

The Pub Quiz Machine......Part One



Feeding on from the introduction I mentioned that the Pub Quiz Machine tends to be something to which I am drawn to every time I happen to around one. I know they are fixed and know that they should be approached the way you would approach a fruit machine and although I have had minor wins in the past I know a trip to the quiz machine, whilst fun, will also end up being costly.

Over the next few weeks I am just going to be looking at some of the most popular quiz based games on the systems in and around your local pubs and have a chat about the various games on there.

Starting with my favourite.....

ELIMINATOR


Based on the TV game show, Wipeout, Eliminator is a simple concept.... presented with a theme and 16 (I think) possible answers you are given the task to find the correct 8. Its a simple and fun touch screen game that works better played in large groups. You are of course on a testing timer that allows little time for serious debate and encourages mistakes. You have lifelines including 2 lives per board meaning you are allowed to make mistakes, a lifeline to eliminate a random number of wrong answers and also two "find 1" chances to aid you on your way.

The game has a series of rounds and usually the top prize is £10 but I am yet to see a £10 board on Eliminator. £3 is the most I have managed and that was because the machine obviously was in a paying out mode and gave me an easy run.

Typically the categories that come up include Names of Banks, Shops etc, Things found in a handbag, kitchen garden etc, names of football players for certain teams, Eurovision winners, capital cities etc etc.

It starts off always fairly easy with the wrong answers being often humorous spelling mistakes to try and catch you out...for instance instead of HSBC it may say HBCS and the name Ryan Giggs will be changed to Ryan Gliggs.

However when the money starts to draw near the answers become tougher. Music based rounds become obscure asking you to identify songs from particular bands with obscure b-sides on there, rare animal breeds and such like.

Its tough and of course when there is money on the line becomes unfair but its one of the most fun of the normal games to play and certainly the one I have won the most on.

Thursday 2 June 2011

Wednesday Quiz 1 Answers

1)Which Queen in English History has been referred to as "Gloriana"?

Elizabeth I

2. What is the name of the city today that the Romans called Camulodunum?

Colchester 

3. What was the name of Boudica's husband, who's death caused the Romans to breach the "client kings" agreement and flog Boudica whilst taking her kingdom?

Prasutagus

4. Hardians Wall stretches from Wallsend to where?

Solway Firth
5. Which Saint sacrificed himself to protect the Christian Cleric Amphibolus?

St. Alban

6. Why are the Pagan gods (from roughly the Dark Ages) Tiw, Wodin, Thunor and Friya so important today?

Days of the week - Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday , Friday

7. Who is often called the "Father of British History" after his expansive works on British History including "The Ecclesiastical History of English People" in 731 AD?

The Venerable Bede

8. Which kings death in 1066 caused a succession crisis, as he had no heir and had allegedly "promised" the throne to at least two different people?

Edward The Confessor

9. In which county did King Harold II's victory at the Battle of Stamford Bridge take place?

Yorkshire
10. What was the name of the Hill on which the Battle of Hastings took place?

Senlac Hill

Wednesday 1 June 2011

The Pub Quiz Machine......Introduction

No matter what the time, occasion or state of drunkenness I am in, if there is a pub quiz machine in the corner then I will be found at some point in the night endlessly wasting my pound coins to search of a win. I know they are fixed unfairly against the player in this day and age and so does everybody else but at the end of the day I cant keep off them. Many other quizzers find themselves glued to these devices!

I have been reading a very good book lately by Marcus Berkman entitled Brain Men.

Well worth hunting down if you can find it. It goes through, in a humorous way, all the ways and means of a seasoned pub quizzer and in there is a chapter on the quiz machines of old. I have heard many stories such as the one Berkman tells of Pub Quiz Machines with small memories being exploited by alert users. Many people state how within a few hours they could clear the contents of the local pub quiz machines and bag up to £400 a night doing so.

Nowadays of course this is not possible as the memory bank on these machines is so vast, large and constantly updating that at the end of the day seeing the same question twice on some games is a rarity let alone getting a set of questions you have seen before! So learning the answers is no longer an option.

I know what you are thinking......Why is he talking about learning answers when we might know them already? Well the answers that require to be memorized ar the questions which are commonly referred to as "Stoppers".  These are questions that you are unlikely to actually "know" are are designed to make you loose lifelines , take a wild guess and basically loose.

Example of ones I have had before.........

How much did Steve Mcmananan earn each week whilst playing for Real Madrid?
A. £88,000
B. £87,000
C. £86,000

I was down to 1 vs 3 on the 1 v 100 game, had used my Dodge and had to guess, which I did wrongly.


Anyway I have not yet even mentioned the main point of this post which is to review the games on the common pub quiz machines for any future users and give some feedback and encourage views from other readers. I will be starting this tomorrow with Eliminator and continue throughout the weeks alongside my usual posts

Wednesday Quiz Questions

A few teasers to get your brain in key on this damp and rather wintry Wednesday. Answers in Comment Box Please -

1. Which Queen in English History has been referred to as "Gloriana"?

2. What is the name of the city today that the Romans called Camulodunum?

3. What was the name of Boudica's husband, who's death caused the Romans to breach the "client kings" agreement and flog Boudica whilst taking her kingdom?

4. Hardians Wall stretches from Wallsend to where?

5. Which Saint sacrificed himself to protect the Christian Cleric Amphibolus?

6. Why are the Pagan gods (from roughly the Dark Ages) Tiw, Wodin, Thunor and Friya so important today?

7. Who is often called the "Father of British History" after his expansive works on British History including "The Ecclesiastical History of English People" in 731 AD?

8. Which kings death in 1066 caused a succession crisis, as he had no heir and had allegedly "promised" the throne to at least two different people?

9. In which county did King Harold II's victory at the Battle of Stamford Bridge take place?

10. What was the name of the Hill on which the Battle of Hastings took place?


Answers in a day or two