Withington Pub Quiz League - quizbiz 20/10/10

The Pigs keep their run going (just) - the Charabancs, also unbeaten, occupy second place on points difference

Results & Match Reports

Albert came close but couldn't quite get past the Charabancs who've now recorded 3 straight victories. Damian reports a closely fought match with no-one able to sit back and blurt safe in the knowledge that the game was sewn up.

Prodigals notched up their second victory of the season over newcomers Compulsory Meat Raffle. "Great fun and CMR were a breath of fresh air in comparison to the Old Gits from the Prodigal" was Clive's gracious summary.

Calluna Pussycats slumped at home to give Ethel Rodin their first victory of the campaign.

The Historymen fought their way to a nail-biting finish against the Electric Pigs at the Red and then just missed out by a single point leaving the Pigs flying high at the top of the table. The last question of the evening fell to Pig Gerry and he conferred with his team to get the necessary winning point. It seems that this season the Pigs have decided to have their poor run later rather than earlier in the season!! As a postscript Andrew passes on everyone's thanks to Alison who stepped in at the last minute and QMed "perfectly".

SPW coasted to victory with their first 50 point score of the season against TMTCH. SPW new boy, Bob Ganley, acted as a genial QM in the run up to his debut for the league champions.

Quiz Paper Verdict

This week's paper was set by The Opsimaths. I have to admit that as the Opsimaths' overall compiler and editor I made a conscious effort to keep the paper on the easy side. As a result some of the questions submitted by other Opsimaths were either dumbed down or replaced. I think it was worth it however, judging by the feedback.

"Excellent Quiz!!" was the verdict from Andrew at the Red - and from the Griffin: "The usual very high standard from the Opsimaths. The 'Pick your Topics' format (first seen last year) works really well whilst the Thunderbirds and dead pop stars rounds offered plenty of points."

From the Fletcher Moss Damian's observations:

"The quiz was a relaxing and largely enjoyable affair following the strenuous mental efforts of the last two weeks. The 'pick your subject' rounds went down particularly well. It was refreshing to be able to put down an incorrect answer to simple mental decrepitude rather than an inability to comprehend the question. Pleasant company, good quiz, drinkable beer. What more can we grizzled, old quizzers ask for?"

...and Ivor's verdict from the Pigs/Historymen encounter:

"Quiz itself a winner. Only 6 unanswered questions breaking 3-3. There were 25 2s, breaking 11-12 (in our favour) with the steals being the decider going 6-5 to the Electric Pigs. Although we were the victims of the either/or choices in Rounds 2, 3, 6 and 7, this format works out well for a head-to-head quiz adding to the tension and enjoyment (sort of). Last week we were accused of adding tension by laying 'landmines' i.e. questions designed to encourage the blurt of a wrong answer (e.g. 'Scooby Doo' instead of 'Hong Kong Phooey', 'Lord Copper' instead of 'Lord Zinc'). Such is quizzing. Long may it continue."

The average aggregate soared from last week's 57.0 to 76.0. High scoring doesn't necessarily make for an interesting evening but fewer unanswerables reduce the sense of frustration.

The Question of the Week

Andrew votes for the 'Soviet Union Question' for Team 2 in Round 6/7:

What was the popular name for the Soviet Union’s counter-espionage organization?

For the answer to this and all the week's questions click here.