Withington Pub Quiz League
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Withington Pub Quiz League |
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Quiz Biz (19/12)
Apologies that it has taken until now (Monday 22nd) to publish last week's results etc. There have been all sorts of web site problems to overcome. One legacy of these is that the hit counter on this page has been reset to zero. I will try and reset this to its previous value asap. MIKE
This weeks results:
Snoopy's Friends kept up their their third place challenge beating Albert Park at the Albert Club
Fifth Finger (without Martin) drew level with St Caths at the top after a convincing win at home against the History Men
X-Pats ended the year on a welcome upbeat note running out winners against the failing Brains
Stumped narrowly beat the Pigs in a low scoring match at the Cricket Club and so moved up to third place in the table alongside the History Men and Snoopy's
Ethel Rodin triumphed over Albert in an enjoyable game down at the Red
The paper was set this week by St Caths. Last week we had the second highest scores of the season - this week the second lowest with an average aggregate of just 58.4. Actual aggregates varied from 52 (Stumped/Pigs) up to 64 (Finger/History Men). So the questions were definitely on the hard side. Comments from around the matches were mixed but there were no major gripes. Perhaps a few too many 'road' questions was one of the comments I heard. I was QMing at the Griffin and I knew there was going to be trouble over the 'How many ways can you organise 5 books on a shelf' question (Round 6 Q8). It went to Finger Barry. He worked out 120 quickly but then reasoned that you could put them upside down, back to front, and both upside down and back to front, as well as the conventional way (right way up with the spine facing outwards). So 480 was his answer rather than the 120 given in the paper. It was certainly a typical St Caths paper in that the questions and answers were short and clear - an easy game to QM (books and shelves excepted).
My Question of the Week award goes to (Round 8 Q8):
What is a Khaki Campbell?
For the answer to this and all the week's questions and answers click here.
News from Snoopy's that they are moving venue. From Wednesday January 7th they will play all home games at Hough End Social Club on Mauldeth Road West (I think it's where the police hang out so you have been warned, Gerry).
One other quirky bit of stuff....
I have received an email from someone surfing the net to inform me that Withquiz is a 'googlewhack site' on account of the 2 words: 'triskaidekaphobia' and 'brassica'. Apparently if you enter these 2 words into Google the only hit is a Withquiz page. To find out more about googlewhacks look at www.googlewhack.com.
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I have been sent an Easter (?) newsletter from Fr M.....
Both the little hand and the big hand are moving very rapidly leaving Fr Megson in a spiritual pickle as he, already a little behind this year, struggles valiantly if somewhat ineptly to get his Easter cards out on time. His unanswered fan mail is mounting up as well. Not to mention the bills and the threatening letters from irate husbands. A good job he doesn't have to update his quiz team's points total every week or the pressure would drive him mental. If you don't believe him, just ask his imaginary friend.
Rest assured however that our conscientious cleric will still find time to give his traditional "URBIS et PRINTWORKS" address to the poor and fuddled masses of Manchester and Salford next Sunday morning immediately after the Blue Peter omnibus. As is the custom he will rant from the top of the world's highest and emptiest glass display cabinet (but it makes an excellent dry ski slope) situated just opposite Victoria which, coincidentally, is the world's emptiest mainline railway station - with the possible exception of Carrauntouil Central. His special guest will be Bono, The Reeks very own part time rock legend, cowboy, booted Papal adviser and full time dog's dinner.
The dress rehearsal was held last Friday night and was a great success. Afterwards Fr Megson and his Turf Accountant repaired furtively to that legendary hostelry of ill-repute "The Whippet Inn" hard by the Cathedral gates. Victuals were called for and our loosely frocked priest partook of a goodly chitterling. "Yum yum, pig's bum!" was the cry. Whereupon the feisty serving wench from Bohemia dismissively passed it over to the other table for a bonus. Two butts of lusty Blue Nun were downed without much ceremony and then to pudding; to wit the noisome speciality of the house, Spotted Dick Surprise. At length a heady Noilly Prat (named after one of Fr Megson's less salubrious Reekish ancestors, did you know?) and a condor moment to round off a perfect evening of quiet and selfless contemplation for our clerical paragon.
And so to bed.
PS. Earlier that evening Fr Megson was in Deansgate playing his kazoo and soliciting for alms when he thought he spotted Barry from Finger V in the window of Waterstones signing copies of Martin Johnson's new autobiography. Nice work Baz if you can get it. If you've finished with that library book " How to look like a famous rugby player without actually getting your left ear and right buttock bitten off" could you foward it to Roisin? She quite fancies signing copies of the new Jonny Wilkinson cookery book in the window of The Chorlton Bookshop next Tuesday afternoon. She thinks it's great craic altogether practising his hand movements during the Rosary hour at training. Fr Megson thinks her soul is now in even greater peril than her mind.
I'll leave you with a heart-warming human interest story from the Withington and Reeks Reporter. The newspaper that proves that great journalism is not dead - just moribund.A worrying 48 hours last weekend for members and fans of the St. Kathleen's folkloric musical combo "The Funboy Four" as their lead spoons-player and mascot went missing presumed lost. Mike (28) and his beloved mutt Bingo (3) went spelunking in the Blue John mines of Derbyshire early on Friday morning. The alarm was raised when they failed to return home for their tea (chilli con pilchards and a tin of Bono respectively). Bassoonist Alan (63) takes up the story:
"We was worried sick. Still no sign of them at chucking-out time so we sent for the Peelers. They combed the area with bicycle-lamps and muttered blasphemies but it were fruitless. You try to stay optimistic, like, but deep down you fear the worst, you know, like a chip pan fire or summat. It were awful. It were as much as we could do to sup our ale without going all soppy."
"Still, life has to go on and we were just starting to audition for a new spoons-player on Sunday morning when the happy news broke on Radio Burnage. Apparently some altruistic American tourists were out weasel-baiting and, blow me, if they didn't find Mikey and Mutty stuffed down a rabbit hole near Takrit which is bloomin' miles down the road from Derbyshire. There's nowt as queer as folk, I always say. I thought at least the dog would have had more sense."
Both are now safely back in St. Kathleen's warm and fragrant bosom. And, despite everything, Mike is determined to play the spoons again.
"That's the last time I let Mike hold the map", chuckled Bingo (82) as they relaxed and posed for our photographer in a communal tin baa'th by an open fire in a parlour bedecked with mistletoe, roasted chestnuts and lachrymose Cockney waifs with beguiling yet strangely irritating speech patterns.And a jolly Dickensian Christmas to all of you from Fr Megson.