Only Connect Series 13: Preliminary Quarter-Final 3: Detectives vs Escapologists

OK, on with Only Connect early this week. I'm not going to turn my promptness of reviews into a running joke in the same way I turned by ill-fated attempt to blog Series 1 into a runner, but I am running out of intros for these blogs. Contrast to Victoria, who is still churning out excellent intros and outros.

Anyway, playing last night's match were the Detectives, Ian King, Tim Harrison and captain Tim Hall, who came straight here by beating the Theatricals and the Arrowheads, and the Escapologists, Frank Paul, Tom Rowell and captain Lydia Mizon, who lost their first match to fellow quarter-finalists the Eco-Warriors, but survived as the highest scoring runners-up, and then beat the Cricketers and the Dandies.

Round 1. The Detectives opened the night's quizzing with Twisted Flax: 'Alfie Conn (Glasgow)', then 'Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Milan)' (I had it at this), then 'Peter Beardsley (Liverpool)'; they identified them as footballers who played for both main clubs in that city, and claimed two points. The Escapologists opened their account with Two Reeds, and the picture set: we saw some roti breads, then the actress Tori Spelling (once infamously mistaken for Ingrid Bergman on an American quiz!), then three musicians playing string instruments, and finally police clashing with rioters; they spotted, just in time, that they are anagrams of each other (ROTI, TORI, TRIO and RIOT), and collected the point. The Detectives chose Eye of Horus next, and got the music set: we heard the Prisoner's Chorus from Beethoven's Fidelio, then Tom Jones with 'Green, Green Grass of Home', then 'Look Down' from Les Mis, and finally Johnny Cash with 'Folsom Prison Blues'. They identified them as songs sung by 'prisoners' and picked up another point. The Escapologists chose Water next: 'Random lists of words', then 'Names and faces', then 'Abstract images', and finally 'Pack of cards at speed'. They didn't get this one, their opponents did: they are disciplines in the World Memory Championships. For their own question, the Detectives chose Lion: 'Cornetto', then 'Red Curtain', then 'Mariachi', and finally 'Three Colours'. They didn't have it, their opponents did: they are names given to movie trilogies. Left with Horned Viper for their own question, the Escapologists saw 'Louise de Kerouaille - Duke of Richmond', then 'Barbara Villiers - Duke of Grafton', then 'Lucy Walter - Duke of Monmouth', and finally 'Nell Gwynne - Duke of St Albans'. They just about had it close enough: they are illegitimate sons of Charles II and their mothers. At the end of the first round, the Detectives led 4-3.

Round 2, What Comes Fourth? The Detectives kicked it off with Two Reeds, and the picture set: we saw Gordon Brown, then Alan Bennett, and then a statue of Virgil. They were timed out before they could offer anything; their opponents offered 'Scott Mills', and were correct for a bonus, the sequence being the Tracy brothers who piloted Thunderbirds 4, 3, 2 and 1. For their own question, the Escapologists chose Water: 'Fernandez', then 'Rodriguez', and then 'Gonzalez'. They saw it to be the most common surnames in Spain, but their offer of 'Hernandez' was wrong; their opponents offered 'Garcia', which was correct. For their own question, the Detectives chose Twisted Flax: '4: Heathrow', then '3: Manchester', and then '2: Gatwick'. They offered '1: Stanstead', which was correct, though they didn't offer a reason; they are airports with descending numbers of terminals (Heathrow's Terminal 1 having been closed down). The Escapologists chose Lion next: '"Beginning of sexual intercourse"', then 'First marriage of Burton & Taylor'; they identified them as events of 1963 and 1964, so offered 'England winning the World Cup' as an event of 1966 for three points (the first clue being a reference to Philip Larkin's 'Annis Mirabilis'). For their final choice, the Detectives chose Horned Viper: '14 = 1', then '23 = 8', and then '32 = 9'. They didn't get it, and their opponents didn't quite get it either, maths teacher Mr Rowell chosing the wrong answer out of two: they are powers, or rather powers with the power sign removed, so '41 = 4' would complete the set. (Sorry if I haven't quite got that right, not a subject I'm that familiar with) Left with Eye of Horus, the Escapologists saw 'Joint Army-Navy', then 'Federal Executive Board', and then 'Memory Address Register'; they saw them to be things that can be abbreviated to the abbreviations of months, JAN, FEB and MAR, so offered 'Automatic Plate Recognition', which was acceptable for APR and three points. At the end of the second round, the Escapologists led 9-7.

On to the Walls. The Escapologists had first pick this time, and chose to tackle the Water wall. It proved a very tough wall indeed; though they spotted the correct links, they were unable to isolate any sets in the allotted time. They thus had to settle for bonus points: 'Huhn', 'Kip', 'Poulet' and 'Frango' are 'chicken' in various languages, which they got, 'Grimmy', 'Copping', 'Dinner' and 'Pollo' become new words when one of the double letters is removed, which they got, 'Deadly', 'Parky', 'Diddy' and 'Gambo' are nicknames of radio presenters, which they also got, while 'Biting', 'Crisp', 'Snell' and 'Rimy' are words meaning 'cold', which they got as well. Four there then.

The Detectives could thus catch up they could get a good result from the Lion wall. This also proved a tricky wall, though they did manage to isolate one set: 'Screwdriver', 'Chelsea', 'Flake' and 'Alcove' all end with bodies of water. They couldn't get anything else sorted though, so too had to collect bonuses: 'Cardiff', 'Chatsworth', 'Rosemoor' and 'Wisley' are flower shows, which they didn't see, 'Salty Dog', 'Kamikaze', 'Cape Cod' and 'Vesper' are vodka cocktails, which they did get, while 'Serotine', 'Leisler's', 'Horseshoe' and 'Bulldog' are species of bat, which they missed. Three there, which left them trailing 13-10 going into the final round.

So, still all to play for in Missing Vowels. 'Same but different', such as 'DOPPELGANGERS' and 'IDENTICAL TWINS' went to the Escapologists 3-1. 'Inflammations and the areas they affect' went to the Escapologists 3-0. 'Hyphenated English towns' went to the Escapologists 3-1. 'Operas and their composers' saw the Escapologists take the one clue there was enough time to buzz on, and that was time. The Escapologists won 23-12.

A good match, despite the very tough walls, which lowered the scoring a bit. Unlucky Detectives, but a fair performance nonetheless, good luck in the eliminators. Well done Escapologists though, and very best of luck in the qualifying round!

Next week's match: the Belgophiles vs the Beaks