OK, so we seem to be having at least one rematch every series of OC, even when it's avoidable, so we have one as this year's as the final quarter-final fixture, with two teams who met in the first round remeeting here. Winners would take the final place in the semis.
Playing were the Eco-Warriors, Jonathan Kershaw, Peter Barlow and captain Brett Bostock, who went on to beat the Snake Charmers and the Wanderers, but lose to the Inquisitors, and the Escapologists, Frank Paul, Tom Rowell and captain Lydia Mizon, who subsequently beat the Cricketers, the Dandies and the Detectives, but were narrowly beaten by the Belgophiles. They were also beaten by the Warriors in that first round encounter, surviving as one of two highest scoring runners-up.
Round 1. The Warriors kicked the rematch off with Twisted Flax: ''Oh! Calcutta!'', then 'Mayday!', then 'Love in tennis', and finally 'Dandelion'. They saw them to be corruptions of original French words, and collected the first point of the night. The Escapologists chose to open their show with Eye of Horus: 'Pregnancy', then 'Political beliefs (in Northern Ireland)', then 'Joining (or not joining) a trade union', and finally 'Whistleblowing'. They didn't quite get it, nor did their opponents: they are grounds for unfair dismissal. The Warriors chose Horned Viper next: 'Evil!', then 'Kick the ball into the back of the net!', then 'Leap!', and finally 'Jump onto a horse!'. Again, neither team saw this: they are synonyms of Jilly Cooper novels. The Escapologists chose Lion next, and got the music set: we heard Dr Bartolo singing in The Marriage of Figaro, then Dr Jekyll singing 'This is the Moment' from Jekyll & Hide, then 'Sweet Transvestite' from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and finally 'If I Could Talk to the Animals' from Doctor Doolittle. They saw the link, and collected the point. The Warriors chose Two Reeds next: 'Mack and Mabel', then 'Barnum', then 'Let's Face the Music and Dance'; they identified them as songs danced by Torvill & Dean, though Mr Bostock needed quite a bit of prompting to try and get their names(!), and collected two points. Left with Water, and the picture set, the Escapologists saw a kangaroo, then the Supremes, then a cricketer appealing to the umpire, and finally the crown jewels. They noticed just in time that their names can all precede 'court', and collected a point. At the end of the first round, the Warriors led 3-2.
Round 2, What Comes Fourth? The Warriors kicked off with Two Reeds: 'Margaret Bondfield (Labour)', then 'Ellen Wilkinson (Labour)', and then 'Florence Horsbrugh (Conservative)'. They didn't get it, nor did their opponents: they are the first female cabinet ministers, so 'Barbara Castle (Labour)' would be next. The Escapologists chose Twisted Flax next, and got a music question: we heard Freddie North with 'You and Me Together Forever', then 'Play That Sax' by Fleur East; they saw the sequence and offered something by Kanye West for the three points. (They refused to sing an example!) The Warriors chose Lion next: '(e.g.) Sarah Montague', then '(e.g.) Clemency Burton-Hill', and then 'Chris Evans'. They saw it to be noted presenters on Radios 4, 3 and 2, so offered up 'Nick Grimshaw' as an acceptable Radio 1 presenter for the points. The Escapologists chose Horned Viper next, and got the picture set: we saw Ruth Davidson MSP alongside an 8, then a group of judges alongside a 7; they came in here, and suggested 'numbers alongside a 5', not right. Their opponents saw Anthony Joshua alongside a 6, but were none the wiser. It is, as they both knew, books of the Old Testament going backwards, so something for 'Deuteronomy' alongside a 5 would complete the set. For their final choice, the Wariors chose Water: 'Benfica', then 'Uniao de Leiria', and then 'Porto'. They tried 'Sporting Lisbon', not right. Their opponents offered 'Chelsea', correct, the sequence being the first four teams managed by Mr J. Mourinho of Manchester. Left with Eye of Horus for their own final question, the Escapologists saw '3: A (FCG)', then '2: D (FC)', and then '1: G (F)'. They didn't get it, nor did their opponents quite. They are the number of sharps in the major key signatures, so '0: C' would be fourth. At the end of the second round, the Escapologists led 6-5.
On to the Walls. The Escapologists went first, and chose to tackle the Lion wall. After some early difficulties, they eventually isolated 'Whitlock', 'Part', 'Wade' and 'Painter', which are surnames of darts players. A second set, 'Change', 'Tyre', 'Rib' and 'Room', which can all follow 'Spare', followed with not much time left. They couldn't untangle what was left in their three tries, so had to go for bonuses: 'Myra', 'Perge', 'Ephesus' and 'Nemrut' are ancient sites in Turkey, which they didn't get, while 'Troy', 'Chad', 'Gabriella' and 'Taylor' are, of all things, characters in High School Musical, which, much to their embarrassment, they did get! Five points there.
The Warriors thus set to work on the Water wall knowing bettering that would be enough to draw/retake the lead. They saw some possible links, but isolating sets proved more difficult. Alas, time ran out and they could not get anything into place. So, bonuses to be salvaged again: 'Barnacles', 'Peso', 'Kwazii' and 'Inkling' are characters in 'The Octonauts', which they didn't get, 'Tweak', 'Charlie', 'Acid' and 'Weed' are slang words for drugs, which they did get, 'Speed', 'Gravity', 'Crash' and 'Premonition' are films starring Sandra Bullock, which they got in the nick of time, while 'Hunch', 'Intuition', 'Qualm' and 'Notion' are words meaning 'feeling', which they also got. Three there, which meant they trailed 11-8 going into the final round.
So, still all to play for in Missing Vowels. 'Hot things made cold', such as 'COLD CROSS BUN' and 'COLD AIR BALLOON', went to the Escapologists 3-0. 'Late', such as 'OFF THE PACE' and 'OUTSTANDING', went to the Escapologists 2-1. 'Common New Year's resolutions' went to the Escapologists 3-1. 'Types of mushroom' had time for two, one the Warriors took, the other timed out.The Escapologists won 19-11.
Another good show, with some very tough questions, good quizzing considering. Unlucky Warriors, but nothing to be ashamed of in your performances this series, thanks for playing! Well done Escapologists though, and very best of luck in the semis!
Next week's match: the first semi-final! The fixture seem to be under embargo, but the Belgophiles vs the Vikings and the Inquisitors vs the Escapologists is my best guess.
Just like the current series of UC, all 4 semi-finalists won their first QF match, although in this case there is only 1 unbeaten side left, as the Inquisitors lost in Round 2.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the Inquisitors would have gone out in Round 2 under the previous format, thus suggesting that this year's format (confusing though it may be) is an improvement.