Christmas Gift Guide #12 - The Age of Static

Released in November 2020, this is the first book from Phil Harrison who has wrote for several leading newspapers and publication. 'The Age of Static: How TV Explains Modern Britain' takes a look at the recent history of Britain through the eyes of the TV shows we have watched. The book is crammed full of facts as well as insight into the world of TV, and I found myself 200 pages in before even realising as I was enjoying it that much. Certainly one I can imagine quizzers enjoying too!

World Quizzing Championships

 

This Saturday sees The World Quizzing Championships taking place. Due to the obvious, the WQC has moved online this year meaning you can take part from wherever you are. Tackle some of the toughest questions around and compare your scores against the worlds very best all from the comfort of your own home. 

With GP's and other events largely unable to take place in 2020, its been something of a tough year for anyone trying to run quiz events, let alone global ones. The quiz world has changed dramatically and not everyone will agree with moving the prestigious event of the WQC online but its happening and if you are keen to take part all the information is HERE

Quiz League Friendly Set - Part 1

 I volunteered to set the friendly for the post-quizzing fun in the Online Quiz League this Wednesday. As with all friendlies the sets are available HERE but I will post Part 1 below for you to have a go at anyway and Part 2 later in the week! 

Round 1

1a	What four letter word can come before ’pig’ in the name of a website, ‘shine’ in the name of a drink and ‘walk’ in the name of a dance move?	Moon
1b	What type of lottery and savings scheme was introduced into the UK in 1956? The government contributes around 2% of the prizes and to play you must pay a minimum of £25 up to a maximum of £50,000?	Premium Bonds
2a	Jeremy Beadle, Lisa Riley, Jonathan Wilkes, and since 2004 Harry Hill, have all been the hosts of which ITV programme?	You’ve Been Framed
2b	Passing away aged 43 in August 2020, who is best known for playing ‘Black Panther’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie of the same name?	Chadwick Boseman
3a	Of the 10 US States to have a two word name, which US state has Charlotte and Greensboro amongst its 5 most populated cities and towns?	North Carolina
3b	“I think we're on a winner here…..play it nice and cool son, nice and cool. You know what I mean” is a line from one of the most famous moments in British TV comedy history.  It comes from a scene in which sitcom?	Only Fools and Horses
4a	“Don’t Start Now”, “Physical” and “Break My Heart” are three of which female singers UK Top 10 hits from 2020?	Dua Lipa
4b	Who was the manager of the England Men’s Football team when Linford Christie won Olympic Gold in the 100m?	Graham Taylor

 

Round 2

1a	Which American popstar founded the Ivy Park fashion chain? The name Ivy is shared with one of her children	Beyoncé
1b	What four letter word can come before 'Bingo' in the name of a UK Bingo Hall chain, 'Feed' in the name of a popular news website and is also the name of a quiz based video game series?	Buzz
2a	In 2020, which female Tennis player has both won and lost a Grand Slam singles Final? She won the Australian Open which was her first Grand Slam singles title.	Sofia Kenin
2b	Which Music publication launched in 1952, resorted to being given away free in September 2015 after sales slumped.  But this wasn’t enough to save the magazine however, which moved to being an online only publication in 2018, 66 years after being on shelves?	NME
3a	“I've sort of fused Flashdance with MC Hammer”  and “All the money collected is for both dances – both excellent dances in their own way. Mine was impromptu, but I don’t think you should get extra points for that” are quotes from one of the most famous scenes in British TV comedy.  They come from a scene in which sitcom?	The Office
3b	One of only two European serving leaders of state aged under 35, of which country is Sanna Marin the current leader?	Finland
4a	Who was manager of the England Men’s Football team when Steve Redgrave won his first TWO Olympic Gold Medals?	Bobby Robson
4b	Which Liverpool born Author, also a Dame, died in 2010? She was nominated 5 times for the Booker Prize for works including “Master Georgie” and “Every Man for Himself”?	Beryl Bainbridge

 

 

Round 3

1a	Which European Capital city lies between the River Danube and the River Morava? It is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states	Bratislava
1b	FULL NAME REQUIRED: Named after a song by one of his favourite bands The Jam, which British front man and now solo artist, founded the fashion label Pretty Green?	Liam Gallagher Do not allow Gallagher or Noel Gallagher
2a	Passing away in September 2020 aged 82, which actress is best remembered for playing Emma Peel in TV’s Avengers, Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones and as the wife of James Bond?	Dame Diana Rigg
2b	In 2020, which Austrian male tennis has both won and lost a Grand Slam singles final? His victory came at the US Open, his first singles Grand slam title	Dominic Thiem
3a	Which dance act represented Germany at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest? They have had 4 top 10 singles in the UK including “Evacuate the Dancefloor” which was No.1 in 2009.	Cascada
3b	Of the 10 US States to have a Two Word name, which one has Fargo and Grand Forks amongst its 5 most populated cities and towns?	North Dakota
4a	Which Scottish Author, also a Dame, died in 2006? She was nominated for the Booker prize on two occasions for ‘Loitering with Intent’ and ‘The Public Image’.	Muriel Spark
4b	What name is shared by something you may find in a first aid kit and a type of figure-hugging dress, made popular by French designer Hervé Leger in the 1990s?	Bandage

 

Round 4

1a	What is the name of the subscription based lottery that has been played in the UK since 2005, with a top prize of £500,000? This and all other prizes may be shared depending on your particular residence	Postcode Lottery
1b	Which European capital city stands at the confluence of the River Sava and the River Danube? A quarter of the countries approximate 7 million population live in the city	Belgrade
2a	Which British music magazine announced that the July 2020 issue would be the last, ending a 34 year run on the shelves? It originally planned to have a longer name but this was changed to avoid possible confusion that is was a magazine about Snooker!	Q
2b	Roy Walker, Nick Weir, Mark Curry and, since 2013, Stephen Mulhern have been the host of which ITV programme?	Catchphrase
3a	One of only two European serving leaders of state aged under 35, of which country is Sebastian Kurz the current leader?	Austria
3b	Which DJ and Record Producer represented Finland at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest? He is best known for his 1999 worldwide hit “Sandstorm” which reached Number 3 on the UK singles chart.	Darude
4a	Which popular brand of boots and shoes, with distinctive yellow stitching on the sole, was originally developed by a WWII German army medic to rehabilitate his broken foot?	Doc Martens
4b	“Adore You” and “Watermelon Sugar” were top 10 hits in the UK Singles charts in 2020 for which former boyband member?	Harry Styles

Christmas Gift Guide for Quizzers #11

I  am glad I mentioned Bill Bryson in the last post, as I had somehow overlooked another great title that I have not only enjoyed this year, but has resulted in several points being won in quiz matches. Bill Bryson is an essential writer for quizzers to start and enhance their quiz knowledge and all of his books are worth reading. I am sure I am not the only quizzer who has a shelf full, devoted just to his works, The Human Body is another gem which just bursts with facts. We all know how often the subject of Anatomy comes up in quizzes, and as a primer for this, or indeed just as a book to enjoy on the subject, there is nothing as enjoyable or accessible as this.  

Online Quiz League - Call for Players/Teams!

 

As I  have mentioned several times on the blog, and will do again in my review of 2020, the Online Quiz League, founded by Jon Stitcher, has been the quizzing highlight of the year for myself, and many other quizzers around the UK (and indeed the world with the USA version having launched last month). 

The league is about to embark on its third season in 2021 and is on the lookout for teams and players who are keen to join! Whether you are brand new to quizzing, a seasoned veteran or someone looking for a friendly community to be part of on a Wednesday evening. This is the place for you. You can see all the past questions, teams and information on the website HERE where you will also find information to sign up. Solo players welcome and teams will be allocated to you (thats how I got into it!)

Hope to see you quizzing online next week and in the meantime, here is a video to show you how it all works!

All Things Quiz - Quiz Omnium

 Another excellent video from the All Things Quiz Channel here! This time its a MIMIR style quiz featuring 4 top quizzers taking on subjects they have chosen. A great watch and I look forward to the next ones in the series

Christmas Gift Guide for Quizzers #10

Recently released, Troy is the latest book from Stephen Fry following on from the likes of Mythos. I don't think these titles get anywhere near the credit they deserve and in future years, when new quizzers are emerging on the scene, they will develop Bill Bryson-level status as must-reads for new quizzers. Troy is no exception and covers the content in a fun, informative and educational way. Given the range this covers, I think few books have or will come close to being as good at cementing facts in quizzers minds on a given subject.

Quiz League Recap - Plate Cup Round 1

 After losing our first game in the Online Quiz League Cup (Details Here) Disparate Origins began our quest for the plate last week against Trivia UK (who run a fabulous podcast...more on that later). It was a great set from premier setter Rob Hannah that, with the 13 point handicap against us, proved to be a close game.

Here are my questions from Seat 2b...

Round 1 - Which famous waterfalls stand on their namesake river on the border between the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná? 

My streak of not getting the first question in my seat right continued! Geography questions are my weakest by far and I could not even hazard a guess in this. It went for a 'X' in the game and I certainly won't forget this next time.

Answer: Iguazu Falls

 

Round 2 - What is the name of the cold beetroot soup that originated in Ukraine but is now popular throughout eastern Europe? 

Thankfully a good old quiz chestnut to get my first points on the board. Sometimes in these matches, the longer it takes me to score a 2, the worse I play and even though food and drink is another of my weak areas, this is one of the most common questions out there so I was glad it fell to me!

Answer: Borscht

Round 3 - What name, from the Ancient Greek for ‘burning up’, was given to the hypothesized fire-like element once thought to be contained within combustible bodies?

Something I do remember learning at one point but this wasn't going to come to me in the 10 seconds available. Luckily, a team mate was on the ball and picked up the bonus. This has came up a few times now over the years so need to make sure it sticks next time (although Im pretty sure I made that vow last time I got this wrong!)

Answer: Phlogiston

 

 

Round 4 - Which Pritzker Prize-winning architect, who died aged 104 in 2012, is best-remembered for his many designs in the planned city of Brasília? 

When I was first planning to attend the World Quizzing Championships back in 2012, I put a ton of work into Architecture as I pitched it as one of my week subjects. 8 years on and  its turned into a key strength and I was confident in giving the answer here and took my score to 2 from 2. I have yet to score a (6) this seasons so would need a full house in the second half to achieve this!

Answer: Oscar NIEMEYER 

 

 

Round 5 - What was the surname of the brothers with the forenames Tony and Rory, who played international rugby union for England? 

After a pair on the Hastings brothers in the first half, I was hoping the other half would fall to me. Happily it did! The hopes of a (6) were still on....

Answer: Underwood

 

Round 6 - What surname is shared by the man who directed Do the Right Thing, the man who directed The Son of Frankenstein, and the man who directed Life of Pi? 

This is the perfect sort of question that would be so so easy in a pub quiz, but given the 10 second time constraints in the OQL it becomes more tricky. With three parts to the question, only two of which meant something to me, it took my half the time to focus on one particular part I thought I knew (Life of Pi) and then another 4.99 seconds to remember Ang Lee. My most satisfying answer of the night on a personal level. Maybe I would get that elusive (6) after all...

Answer: Lee

 

Round 7 - Between 1904 and 1908, the Germans fought the Herero Wars against the Herero people of which modern-day country? 

...and by bye goes that 6. I wasn't even on the right continent with my guess of Bolivia and approached the question all wrong. Had I cottoned on to Africa first and shouted out an African country that was an ex colony I may have said the correct answer. Alas I didn't....

Answer: Namibia

  

Round 8 - Gary Barlow and Ed Sheeran have each had UK number 1 hits with songs with which one-word title? 

Modern pop music seems to be something that, through a combination of the media, spotify and the constant presence on the radio at work all day!, I am stronger on than I expect to be. I had not kown the pair to this, but luckily knew Ed Sheeran had a hit with "Sing" and it rung a bell with  Gary Barlow too so was able to give a fairly certain answer.

Answer: Sing

I will always be happy with a 5 and looking at the three I got wrong, I can't be too disappointed. I have had much worse nights that this and the main thing is the team won. 

It was my turn to be captain for the night so I was able to pick up the following on a bonus.....

Bonus - One of the smallest stadia ever to host Premier League football, Boundary Park is home to which current League Two team? 

Everyone had their firsts out on the team, but I had been kind which Bonuses so took this one myself. 

Answer: Oldham Athletic

MIMIR's Well Quiz - Gunpowder League Final

Last night (Sunday 22nd November 2020) the final of the 2020 MIMIR'sWells Gunpowder League took place pitching defending champion Evan Lynch, Pat Gibson, Tejas Raje and Tim Polley. Having fought their way through weeks of competitions to get to this stage, the final was a tense affair. I won't spoil it at this stage but it is certainly well worth your time to watch.

The guys who organise the league are always looking for players so if you are keen to test yourself against the very best, no matter where you are based, then follow the link  HERE to sign up for future seasons!

Mastermind Postponed

 Sadly no report report on Mastermind this week due to the latest announcements by Boris. Shame, as there a few known quizzers in the heat this week, but I guess we will have to wait until next Monday!

All Things Quiz - Quiz News

 

If you don't already, then check out Gareth Kingstons excellent Youtube Channel "All Things Quiz". Covering the quiz world with news, interviews and discussion on hot topics, there is always quality, fresh content to devour! The latest news video is above!

Darragh Ennis makes Chase Debut

 

Receiving much media coverage, given the enduring popularity of the show, you may just be aware that recently a new member has been added to the Chase team. Congratulations and best wishes go to Darragh Ennis!

Darragh is part of the Online Quiz League and I have had the pleasure of quizzing against him numerous times over Lockdown and expect him to be a tough nut to crack on the show. I look forward to watching future episodes!