Right, well, after University Challenge carried on its remarkable run of winning scores of 195, would Only Connect uphold its side of the run. Would this week's winners win with 22? Both teams tonight came through the scenic route, losing and surviving to the play-offs, then winning through to meet each other at this stage.
Playing were the Verbivores, Phyl Styles, blog reader Tom Cappleman and captain Graeme Cole, who just lost to the Psmiths then pipped the Channel Islanders, and the Taverners, Dean Reilly, Simon Gibbons and captain Mickey Alexander, who lost to the Cosmopolitans before beating the Bardophiles.
Round 1. The Taverners were put in first, and kicked off the show with Eye of Horus: 'Chief exec of TalkTalk', then '7-Up mascot', then 'Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong', and finally 'First queen of Carthage'. The last clue gave it to them: they are all called 'Dido'. The Verbivores opened their account with Horned Viper: 'Japanese: Growing rice fields', then 'Korean: Three stars', then 'Danish: Play well'; that clue gave it to them that they are what brand names mean in their original languages (Minolta, Samsung, Lego, and the last clue would've been 'German: People's car' for Volkswagen). The Taverners chose Lion next: 'Charles Percy', then 'Cecil Scott', then 'Pamela Lyndon', and finally 'Gilbert Keith'. They didn't have it, their opponents just about did: they are the first names of authors who used initials (CP Snow, CS Forrester, PL Travers and GK Chesterton). For their own question, the Verbivores chose Water: '...Bill', then '...Baby', then '...Homepage', and finally '...Quartet'. They suspected it to be a word question, but could only come up with 'String'; not right. Their opponents were none the wiser. 'Million Dollar' are the linking words. The Taverners chose Two Reeds next, and got the picture set: we saw a carp fish, then a grouse, then a mother dog with her puppies. They spotted it from the third clue that they are words meaning 'complain' (carp, grouse, 'word beginning with 'B' that rhymes with 'twitch', and some beef would've been last). Left with Twisted Flax, and the music set, the Verbivores heard Glamorous by Fergie, then Gloria, then Lola by the Kinks, and finally Respect. They had it that they are songs where the title is spelled out. At the end of the first round, the Verbivores led 4-3.
Round 2, What Comes Fourth? The Taverners kicked it off with 'Horn-ed' Viper: 'ANITA AND THREE GIRLS: Life can be bright', then 'BERNARDO: If you can fight', and then 'ALL GIRLS: Life is all right'. They knew it to be who sings what in a song, but didn't know what came next. Nor did their opponents. The song is 'America' from Westside Story, so 'ALL BOYS: If you're all white' would come fourth. The Verbivores chose Eye of Horus next: '28: 3 in 48', then '29: 1 in 48', and then '30: 16 in 48'. They didn't get this, and their opponents couldn't provide an answer quickly enough. '31: 28 in 48' would be fourth, the sequence being how many months there are in a four year cycle. The Taverners chose Lion next: 'Chamber of Stone', then 'Prisoner of Secrets'; they identified it to be the Harry Potter series with the titles merged moving forwards, so 'Order of Fire' would be fourth. The Verbivores chose Twisted Flax next: '.2' then '.25', and then '.3'. Quite simple this one: '0.5' would be fourth, with the sequence being a fifth, then a quarter, then a third and then a half. For their final choice, the Taverners chose Water, and got the picture set: we saw some pirates, then an angry person, and then a rat. They didn't see it, their opponents did: an 'A' would be fourth, the others being 'pirates', 'irate', 'rat'. Left with Two Reeds for their own final question, the Verbivores saw 'Plymouth Argyle' in green, then 'Norwich City' in yellow, and then 'Blackpool' in orange. They saw it to be football teams and their kit colours going up the rainbow, so 'Manchester United' in red would satisfy for two points. (Though, technically, Blackpool's shirts are tangerine, not orange; same with Dundee United) At the end of the second round, the Verbivores led 9-6.
On to the Walls. The Verbivores went first this time, and chose to tackle the Water wall. This would prove a mistake, as they got completely stuck, and ultimately got timed out without anything in the bag. They could still garner connections points though: 'Timbers', 'Sounders', 'Crew' and 'Galaxy' are American association football teams, which they didn't get, 'Desire', 'Lumia', 'Optimus' and 'Xperia' are makes of smartphone, which they also didn't know, 'The Fly', 'Sweetest Thing', 'Elevation' and 'New Year's Day' are U2 songs, which they did know, while 'Frozen in Time', 'Above the Below', 'Revolution' and 'Buried Alive' are stunts performed by David Blaine, which they didn't. So just the one point there, which I think may be an unfortunate record.
The Taverners thus had a big chance if they could make the most of the Lion wall. Indeed, in complete contrast, they immediately isolated 'Into Darkness', 'Nemesis', 'The Wrath of Khan' and 'Insurrection', which are subtitles of Star Trek films. A second set followed almost immediately: 'Helter Shelter', 'Michelle', 'Glass Onion' and 'Across the Universe' are songs by a pop group called the Beatles. The final clues fitted in pretty promptly too: 'The Swarm', 'Revolution', 'Rita' and 'Big One' are rollercoasters of some sort, while 'Sketch', 'Anwar', 'Maxxie' and 'Sid' are characters in the sitcom Skins. So, a full ten, which put them ahead 16-10 going into the final round.
So, once again, Missing Vowels would decide who went through and who went out. 'Football tricks', such as 'SCORPION KICK' and 'CRUYFF TURN', was split 2-each. 'Musical trios' went to the Verbivores 3-0. 'British butterflies' was a clean 4-0 to the Verbivores. 'TV series set during the 1940s' only got one clue out, which neither team got. At the end of the night, the Verbivores had snuck another one point win, 19-18!
Well, what a way for the '22' run to end; another well played match by both teams. Unlucky Taverners, but nothing to be ashamed of in any of your efforts, so thanks very much indeed for playing. Very well done Verbivores though, and best of luck in the group stage!
Next week's match: the Fire-Eaters vs the Clareites
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