OK, now this may get a bit tricky, so just bear with me if I can't properly explain some of these hard questions. Playing the first knockout match were the Scientists, Innis Carson, Ian Volante and Lorraine Murtagh, who defeated the Builders and the Athenians, and the String Section, Tessa North, Richard Aubrey and Pete Sorel-Cameron, who beat the Headliners and the Wayfarers.
Round 1. The String Section went first and, as they always do, chose Two Reeds: 'Israel = student', then 'The Netherlands = monkey tail', then 'Italy = snail', and finally 'Norway = curly alpha'. They didn't get it, nor did their opponents. They are what that country uses instead of an '@'. The Scientists began their game with Twisted Flax: 'Copenhagen - Ellen Price', then 'New York - Charlotte Bartholdi', then 'Piccadilly Circus - Angelo Colarossi', and finally 'Rolls Royce - Eleanor Velasco Thornton'. They didn't get it, their opponents did: they were the models for famous statues relating to those locations. For their own question, the String Section chose Eye of Horus, and got the music set: I didn't recognise any of the pieces, except one from an advert. They, however, spotted that they were all sung by Oscar-winning actors (the one I recognised was Lee Marvin singing 'Wand'rin' Star'). The Scientists chose Lion next: 'Michael Elphick and Helen Mirren as children', then 'Ray Winstone as a borstal inmate', then 'Leo McKern as Rumpole', and finally 'Alison Steadman as Beverly'. Again, they didn't get it, nor did the opposition. They are all roles in the BBC's 'Play for Today'. The String Section chose Horned Viper next, and got the picture question: now, I can't really describe this one, but they were all paintings that were subject to controversial restorations. They knew this for a point. Left with Water, the Scientists saw 'Memoir: My Life', then 'Song: Your Life', then 'Film: September', and finally 'Novella: the Life of Ivan Denisovich'. They didn't get it, their opponents did: putting 'One Day in' in front of the latter gives the former. At the end of the first round, the String Section led 4-0.
Round 2, What Comes Fourth? The String Section kicked things off with Two Reeds again: 'DA02 Nuclear / non-nuclear weapons', then 'DA03 Ciphers and secure communications', and then 'DA04 Sensitive installations and home addresses'. Neither time got it: 'DA05 UK security and intelligence services'. The sequence is the Defence Advisory Notice System. The Scientists chose Eye of Horus next: '1 x 11 = 11', then '10 x 11 = 110', and then '11 x 11 = 1001'; they offered '100 x 11 = 1100', which was correct for two points. It is the three times table in binary. The String Section chose Lion next: 'Sculpture of lovers by Rodin', then '1966 surfing documentary', and then 'Song from Jeff Wayne musical'; they didn't get it, their opponents just about did, offering 'Always Winter'. The clues represent 'Eternal Spring', 'Endless Summer' and 'Forever Autumn'. For their own question, the Scientists chose 'Horn-ed' Viper, and got a music question: only song I recognised was Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams, which was third. They didn't get it, their opponents did: a song by Dinah Washington would suffice. The artists all share their names with the first four presidents of the USA going backwards (the first two artists being Madison Avenue and Jefferson Airplane). For their own final choice, the String Section chose Twisted Flax: 'Ephesus', then 'Galatia', and then 'Corinth (twice)'. Neither team got it: 'Rome' completes the set. They are the epistles written by Paul the Apostle in reverse order. Left with Water, the Scientists got the picture question; again, it was one I cannot really describe in detail, but the pictures presented Stettin, the Baltic and Trieste. Neither team offered 'the Adriatic', the link being Churchill's famous Iron Curtain speech. At the end of the second round, the String Section led 5-3.
On to the Walls then. The Scientists went first, and chose to try the Water wall. After some unsuccessful gos, they isolated 'Victoria', 'Cairo', 'Juba' and 'Praia', which are African capital cities. A second group followed: 'Spiaggia', 'Strand', 'Plage' and 'Kahakai' are words for beaches. The final two groups followed: 'Surrender', 'Teddy Bear', 'King Creole' and 'Polk Salad Annie' are songs by Elvis, while 'Monrovia', 'Woody Guthrie', 'Hoover Dam' and 'Cristiano Ronaldo' are named after US presidents. Well resolved considering how tricky that was, so ten points.
The String Section were left with the Lion wall. After looking over the clues, they isolated 'Keynes', 'Lynn', 'Buzzard' and 'Walden', which are the second halves of towns in England. They soon had a second group sorted as well: 'Scarlet', 'Blue', 'Osprey' and 'Dragon' are Welsh rugby union teams. They worked out what the remaining links were, and tried quickly trying to solve them, eventually managing it on their final go: 'Hobby', 'Vulture', 'Kite' and 'Falcon' are birds of prey, while 'Modigliani', 'Friedman', 'Hayek' and 'Tobin' are Nobel prize winning economists. Another well resolved ten points meant they led 15-13 going into the final round.
Once again, then, Missing Vowels would decide the winners. 'Songs from Saturday Night Fever' was split 2-each. 'Names with the word 'Taylor' removed', such as 'TIM BROOKE', proved decisive, going to the String Section 4-(-2). 'Greek muses' was another 2-all split, and that was it. The String Section won 23-15.
Another good match in spite of some tricky questions. Unlucky Scientists, but well played over three matches. Well done String Section, though, and very best of luck in the SFs!
Next week's match: the Yorkers vs the Operational Researchers
I'll be back tomorrow to finish off my Deal retrospective.
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