OK, so here we go with the next 'round' of Only Connect; now we meet again the eight preliminary winners, of whom four will go through to the knockouts, and four will go to the play-offs against the four elimination match winners. I'm watching a football match at the same time I'm writing this, so apologies in advance for any mistakes.
Anyway, playing on Monday were the Poptimists, Oliver Levy, Box De Caux and captain Matt Loxham, who triumphed over the Hotpots in their first match, and the LARPers, Martel Reynolds, Kiwi Tokoeka and captain Ronny Jackson, who were victorious against the Durhamites first time around.
Round 1. The LARPers kicked the show off with Eye of Horus, and the music question: we heard 'If You Were Mine', then 'If You Were the Only Girl (in the World)', then 'If I Didn't Have You', and finally 'If I Could Turn Back Time'. They didn't see the link, nor did their opponents. The Poptimists opened their show with 'Horn-ed' Viper: 'Andy Murray (2016)', then 'International Committee of the Red Cross (1963)'; they suggested at this point that they won something for the second time in those years, not correct. Their opponents saw 'Franklin D Roosevelt (1940)' and 'Daniel Day-Lewis (2013)', and offered third time winners for the bonus. (2016, in this case, referring to Sir Andy's third SPOTY rather than his second Wimbledon) For their own question, the LARPers chose Lion, and got the picture set: we saw Captain Scott's ill fated party with an arrow at Titus Oates, then rower Constantine Louloudis, then Nero from 'Danger Mouse', and finally Augustus Gloop from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. They didn't get the link, their opponents did, Roman Emperors, and they collected their own bonus. (On a point of pedantry, though, Titus was not that Oates' real first name, it was a nickname after the 17th century plotter of the same name. A photo of him would've been more appropriate.) For their own question, the Poptimists chose Water: 'Cadabra', then 'Backrub'; they offered at this point 'old names of Internet search engines', close enough for the three points, they are simply the original names of Internet companies. The LARPers chose Two Reeds next: 'Patrick Stewart (Fire Officer)', then 'Norman Wisdom (Ernie Crabb)', then 'Prince Charles (Himself)', and finally 'Cheryl Cole (Herself)'. They didn't get it, nor did their opponents: they are cameo appearances in Coronation Street. Left with Twisted Flax, the Poptimists saw 'Musical instrument: Flute', then 'Animal collateral adjective: Bovine', then 'Oscar-winning film: Fargo'; they spotted that taking off the first letter gives another word that fits the same description, and collected another three points. At the end of the first round, the Poptimists led 6-1.
Round 2, What Comes Fourth? The LARPers started with Eye of Horus again, and, also again, got a music question: we heard Beethoven's Eighth Symphony, then his Seventh, and then his Sixth. They didn't recognise them, their opponents did for the bonus. (Cue a 'sing-along' of Beethoven's Fifth!) For their own question, the Poptimists chose Lion: '4: 12 countries in Europe', then '3: 34 countries in Europe', and then '2: Africa'. They didn't get it, their opponents did, albeit they didn't know the sequence: they are dialling codes by continent, so '1: North America' would be fourth. For their own question, the LARPers chose 'Horn-ed' Viper: 'A ≈ and', then 'E ≈ there', and then 'I ≈ garlic'. They didn't get it, despite a respectably good guess; their opponents knew them to be French words that sound a bit like those vowels sound in English, so 'O ≈ water' would be fourth. For their own question, the Poptimists chose Two Reeds, and got the picture set: we saw a black cat with yellow eyes, then an identical cat with white eyes, and then a second white eyed black cat. They spotted them to be cat's eye colours on the motorways going outwards, so offered a black cat with red eyes for the two points. For their final choice, the LARPers chose Twisted Flax: 'Golden', then 'Grand Canyon', and then 'Land of Enchantment'. They saw them to be the nicknames of US states going west to east so suggested 'Lone Star' for the two points. Left with Water, the Poptimists saw '_____ the Fourth', then '_____ Again', and then 'More _____'. They didn't see it, and their opponents didn't quite get it either: they are the 'Just William' books, so 'Just _____' would be fourth. At the end of the second round, the Poptimists led 10-4.
On to the Walls. The Poptimists went first, and chose the Water wall to tackle. They quickly isolated their first set: 'Ban', 'Piano', 'Hadid' and 'Goldfinger' are architects. This was followed by a second set: 'Slam', 'Cayman', 'Marnier' and 'Prix' can all follow 'Grand'. Taking their time with what left, they solved it on their last try: 'Cuba', 'Highlander', 'The Rock' and 'Marnie' are Sean Connery films, while 'Saba', 'Curacao', 'Aruba' and 'Bonaire' are Dutch Caribbean islands. A full ten there.
The LARPers thus set to work on the Lion wall. They also had a set in the bag reasonably quickly: 'Boss', 'Sleep', 'Kahuna' and 'Short' can all follow 'The Big' to give films titles. A second set, 'Pundit', 'Sage', 'Guru' and 'Mahatma' are words for experts (or 'wise people', and they had the last few sorted on their second attempt: 'Basil', 'Savory', 'Perilla' and 'Hyssop' are herbs of the mint family, while 'Sander', 'Lagerfeld', 'Joop' and 'Dassler' are German fashion designers, which they got close enough to for the point (just 'fashion designers' they offered). Another full ten, so as you were, the Poptimists led 20-14 going into the last round.
So, Missing Vowels to finish with as always. 'Good places', such as 'THE GARDEN OF EDEN' and 'GOODWOOD' was split 2-each. 'Bad places', such as 'HADES', went to the LARPers 3-1. 'Things invented by Swedes' was another 2-each split. 'Famous Mayors and their cities' went to the Poptimists 2-(-1), and that was time. The Poptimists won 27-20.
Another good game, well played both teams there. Unlucky LARPers, best of luck in the play-offs. Well done Poptimists though, and best of luck in the knockout stage!
Next week's match: the Pyromaniacs vs the Time Ladies
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