Withington Pub Quiz League - quizbiz 12/04/17

Wins for The Opsimaths and Ethel despite handicap disadvantages - but also for TMTCH and The History Men who prosper on the back of their starting pluses

Mantis Shrimp take the 'wooden spoon honours' of setting for the Semi Finals on May 3rd

The Bards get a 'stay of execution' into the Plate semis as highest scoring losers

Val Draper Cup Round 2 - The Results

The Opsimaths started 4 points down against The Bards of Didsbury at the Albert Club but ended up 4 points in front to get through to the Val Draper semi final. The Val Draper Cup is the one trophy that has eluded the Opsis over the years so there's high hope that this season can see that omission put right.

The Bards were unfortunate not to have Steve who had to cry off at the very last minute leaving his colleagues three-handed. For the first half this didn't seem to matter as they maintained and, at one point even stretched, their advantage. But then in Rounds 5 to 8 things worked out differently as the Opsis steamrollered through to victory. But it's not all doom and gloom for the Bards - as highest scoring losers they earn a place in the Plate semi finals on May 3rd against tonight's setters, Dunkin' Dönitz.

Four of the Opsimaths squad of 6 were unavailable tonight so there were welcome WithQuiz debuts for my grandson, Joe, and for a friend of Nick's, Chris, who regularly plays in the Liverpool league on Merseyside. Both newcomers made telling contributions and will be very welcome to rejoin us in the future. Joe (who was captain of the Manchester University Challenge team this last series) says he is now free on Wednesdays and might be able to play with the Shrimps alongside other ex-UC stars if required.

Finally a big thank you to WoManchester Man, Andrew, for stepping in to QM for us. As ever Andrew was clear and decisive getting us through to the finishing line well before 10.30.

The History Men used their 5 point handicap advantage over Albert to win through to the semi finals by the merest sliver of a single point. Gobsmacked Ivor reports on his evening's joyful outcome....

"We lost really - but the magic of the handicap meant we beat Albert by a whisker. It was a game of four quarters. We raced ahead in the first, had a catastrophic second, and the third ended with the teams on 26 all. By the end of Round 7 Albert were a point ahead - and then, when it looked as if we were doomed, we managed to win the last round 4-2.

Tonight the 'History Men' should really have been called the 'History Women' (just like planet Earth should really be called planet Water) because 75% of our team were 'of the fair gender' (ED: Is this phrase still in use in Ulster?). We had Anne, Anne’s niece Vanessa making her debut (replacing young David), and the reappearance of the other Anne (replacing Tim who has gone somewhere exotic - or maybe Scotland which can be the same thing). So I was like the rooster in the henhouse (Anne says she will do me in if I use such a phrase). However I soon learned my place in the pecking order when I blurted 'Torrey Canyon' ('he never listens to the end of the question does he?').

Having reflected on the evening it is a wonder that we won at all - but of course we didn't really. However, shamelessly, we will walk onwards to the Cup semi final in three weeks' time."

In the neutral QM chair Mike H chips in with these observations....

"A very pleasant evening, a great social event as well as an enjoyable quiz. Three boys and a girl on one side - three girls and a boy on the other. Ladies prevailed. The handicap system seemed to work very well in 'equalising' the two teams. According to my calculations, Albert won 10-8 on the number of twos scored."

....while in a fit of self doubt Mike O'B pens this plaintive thought on his own performance ....

"We were well done in by the handicap but the real reason we lost was because, as the rest of the squad have pointed out to me, I contributed nothing to the score - not one two all evening. To emphasise their contempt they have borrowed a verse from a song by the great Bessie Smith, You've Been a Good Old Wagon But You Done Broken Down Now. I quote:

'Looka here Daddy, I want to tell you please get out of my sight.

I'm playin' quits now, right from this very night.

You've had your day. Don't stand around and frown.

You've been a good old wagon Daddy but you done broke down.'

Now Bessie is singing as a mature vigorous woman whose man can no longer satisfy her needs but the message is clear. Unfortunately there are a lot of verses in this song. Perhaps there is an Elephants Graveyard for old quizzers I can go to where we sit around and bemoan the ingratitude of our teams. Please advise. Remember this will come to all of you."

The Men They Couldn't Hang have worked hard all season to earn their 11 point starting bonus and this helped them to romp through to the semis with a 6 point victory over Compulsory Mantis Shrimp, who, as lowest scoring losers, now have the task of setting the paper for May 3rd's semi finals. Graham sends this upbeat and welcome report....

"With the King of Quizzers looking over us, The Hangers recorded an aggregate victory over the Shrimps. Answers involving Cheese, Nile Rogers, Ken Norton and Englebert Humperdinck always provide entertainment for The Men. 'Brakedisk' Steve was our admirable QM watching Adam, Tom, Rachael and Liz make a valiant attempt to overcome their hefty starting handicap - but not quite.

I'm sure everyone will be pleased to know the Hangers will be present for the new season in the autumn (ED: Hear! Hear!). We'll try our best to keep our question-setting standards up to the level achieved on the Barras Barometer in past seasons."

The Charabancs of Fire couldn't make the most of their starting advantage of 4 points, succumbing to Ethel Rodin by a margin of 6 points at the Turnpike. Damian tells the story....

"Relegated yet again to the Turnpike vault (which seems to be becoming more and more our normal quiz setting these days) our season finally came to a close with a loss to one of our toughest competitors, the in-form Ethel Rodin (can't recall when we last managed to beat them). Not even the handicaps could save us this time. After drawing in Round One, we fell steadily behind and could never quite make up the deficit of 8 points at the half way stage despite some valiant efforts in the second half. At least we managed to dodge the bullet of setting for the next round by scoring one more than the Shrimps, bless 'em!!

Cheers and signing out for this season."

The Paper

This week the paper was set by Dunkin' Dönitz.

An excellent effort at such short notice - indeed it would have qualified as an excellent effort even if they had had weeks to prepare it! All seemed to enjoy the range of topics and question styles adopted. Right at the start there was a beautifully crafted tribute round to Dave Barras combining non-league football and the North East as a theme. The overall average aggregate (after the distortion of starting handicaps had been eliminated) was a tad lower than the season's average at 69.5 but nobody seemed to think of the paper as too hard. There was another outing for the 'second part of the first answer is the first part of the second answer' format now secured in the history books as a Charas invention. The round with this format gave two joyful moments - the thought of a Jennifer Eccles cake and the look of bemusement on Opsimaths' Joe's 19-year old face at a question about a 1930s singing group who trilled about a Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

Disputes? Only two very minor ones. Is Greenland a country (Round 6 Question 2) - and isn't Rutland a county once more (Round 7 Question 5)?

As for QotW we eventually opted for Round 1 Question 7 (shown below) but Round 8 Question 4 ('Which construction company built the Mulberry harbours for D Day, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point, Wylfa and Hartlepool and the National Assembly building for Wales, amongst many other projects?') ran it pretty close.

Other feedback on the paper?

Ivor reflects....

"In our match there was a aggregate score of 69 (or 70 if 'real' scores are considered) with 12 unanswered questions, 3 'steals' by each team. Evelyn emerged as Most Valued Player (MVP) with 5 twos. Considering the Dunkers had only a week to compile and moderate the quiz it was an excellent offering (and better than would have been offered by ourselves had the match last week gone against us). Something for everyone though the 'wrong seat' syndrome always amuses (especially if an opponent cops for it) and there was almost an inevitability that the maths question did not fall to Evelyn and that Anne got the physics question. Mike H in the chair thought no one would spot the diacritical connection theme in Round 3 but it got rumbled after just two questions - not that it helped us with le Carré novels or Sitwell entertainment which were both snatched as steals by the Albert.

From the same match Mike H adds....

"One very mini dispute over whether or not Greenland is a country."

Mike O'B has this to say....

"The quiz itself was a good effort considering how little time the Donuts had to put it together. It did show the stresses of quick work. It was better to go second. Perhaps there should be a one week break to give the setters more thinking time. We liked the run-ons round."

....and finally Damian's thoughts....

"We had no particular complaints about the Dönuts' paper. By and large, it was a very answerable affair with plenty of themes and a 2-part answer round which we all enjoyed and which we always seem to do very well on. This particular format seems to be getting more and more popular - at least for us anyway. I guess I have to hold up my hand and plead guilty for causing us to lose a few points we probably should have got. I just can't believe I missed the chance to get a two by forgetting about Rutland Weekend Television - and my confusion about what constitutes a spire led me to talk us out of getting a much needed steal on the 'only two English cathedrals with triple spires' question. John (our star player of the evening) had the right answer with Lichfield and Truro. I insisted on Lichfield and Lincoln. Apparently spires are pointy things as opposed to flat-topped things which are towers. Always dangerous to argue with John when he's sure about something because, when he's sure about something, or even when he has a mere inkling, it seldom goes well for us if we pay no heed. Sorry John, sorry Charas!"

Question of the Week

This week Opsimath Nick votes for the trip down memory lane that had us all thinking of defunct coins but was really about hours spent sticking stamps in albums. It was the poser at Round 1 Question 7:

They were introduced in 1958 and phased out in 1991. They are said to have inspired the 1973 Genesis album Selling England by the Pound. What are they?

For all this week's questions and answers click here.

....and also

Next Wednesday we take a rest, then things kick off again in two weeks' time with the finals of the inter-league WIST and A-Trophy competitions.

Both matches will be at the Albert Club and it would be great to see as many spectators (however partisan) as the Club can hold. Mike Wagstaffe from the Stockport League has been invited to QM the WIST final and (if required) I'll happily QM the A-Trophy contest. Mike will also bring the Question Papers with him so no need for teams to collect from the Red Lion.

And on the same theme I'm glad to report that Mike Wagstaffe has accepted my invitation to compile and QM the question paper for our End of Season evening on May 24th.