Showdown Recap for 5 Dec 2017 at BWW Gibson in ABQ
Once again the team-in-exile has repaired to its alternate refuge, the hide-in-plain-site, the BWW on Montgomery Blvd for a new session of “Teach the Borg a Lesson.” BLZBUB was able to ascertain the continuing lack of Playmakers at our usual establishment and put out the word for the migration in time to assure full attendance. Tonight’s quest saw thirteen bodies in place at the start of the game.
Worn-up Round
1. The Keystone State is a nickname of: PENNSYLVANIA. 2. What do you load on a bandolier? AMMUNITION. 3. ‘Like a hot knife through butter’ is a phrase that describes something that is: EASY. 4. This mineral gets its name from its yellow-green color: OLIVINE. 5. It’s the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea: PORT MORESBY. 6. if you depurate something, you ___ it. PURIFY. {DOH! We went with the antonym, ‘degrade.’} 7. The mudskipper is an amphibious: FISH. 8. In 1889, the Centennial of ___ was met with huge celebrations in America’s big cities. WASHINGTON’S INAUGURAL. {BRICK was the first to suggest this, but it didn’t get relayed to the opposite end of the table.} 9. Wellington, chukka, and cowboy are three types of: BOOTS. 10. Pepita is another word for: PUMPKIN SEED. {JAX was the only one who knew this, but this one did get broadcast to the entire group.}
This round drew ‘Greek chorus’ responses on # 1, 2 and 9. Duff got #3 and 5. BRICK got #4 and 8. JAX got #7 and 10. The Sixth question drew a questionable response, resulting in no points earned. Most of the team finished with 4500 points for this round.
Ground-down Round
1. In which country did women begin voting in 1893? NEW ZEALAND. {DUFF and BRICK get credit here.} 2. A pika looks like a combination of a ___ and a ___. BABBIT – GUINEA PIG {JAX} 3. Who would most likely execute a move called ‘Port de Bras’? BALLET DANCER. {MEERA} 4. Named after the original inhabitants, Klamath Falls is a city in this state: OREGON. {LOONEY} 5. After saffron, this is the world’s most expensive spice: VANILLA. {GRIMM reaped this one.} 6. HAWKS is the name of this country’s top law enforcement organization: SOUTH AFRICA. {5-way split} 7. This climbing vine is native to the Far East and the eastern United States: WISTERIA. {DUFF clung to this one early on.} 8. Lord & Taylor is the oldest ___ in the U.S. LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORE. {MEERA} 9. Laird Hamilton is the biggest name in this water sport: BIG WAVE SURFING. {MEERA, again.} 10. The Japura River is a major tributary of the ___ River. AMAZON. {Most of us got sent down the Irrawaddy without a paddle.} 11. Which English King was known as the ‘Hammer of the Scots’? EDWARD I. {DUFF and CHILL, (playing as BCNIAN)} 12. In diameter, Jupiter is about ___ times larger than the Earth. ELEVEN. {DUFF}
The team did really well on that round, going 10 for 12 correct, with only two Third-clue saves on #6 and 10.
Scatology Round
S1. Word origins v CURRENT EVENTS Emmerson Mnangagwa recently became the President of: ZIMBABWE. {MEERA}
S2. 1960’S SONG LYRICS v scientists ‘I’ll buy you a diamond ring, my friend’ is a line from what song by the Beatles? CAN’T BUY ME LOVE. {DUFF literally led the chorus on this one.}
S3. NAME THAT CENTURY v world geography In which century did Joan of Arc live? FIFTEENTH. {DUFF not only pre-called the answer, he pre-called the QUESTION!}
S4. Scientists v WORD ORIGINS ‘Nostalgia’ is a term that was coined by Johannes Hofer, a 17 th Century Swiss: MEDICAL SCHOLAR. {Third-clue save.}
S5. World geography v 1960’S SONG LYRICS In Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘At the Zoo,’ who was skeptical of changes in their cages’? ORANGUTANS. {BCNIAN}
S6. Current events v NAME THAT CENTURY Gustavus Aldolphus ruled as the King of Sweden during the ___Century. SEVENTEENTH. {History-boy, DUFF did not pre-call this question, just the answer.}
The team got 5 of 6 for the full points. The confusion on #4 was not relieved until the third clue bailed us out.
Frightening Round
1. ‘The Rooster Bar’ is a current bestseller by: JOHN GRISHAM. {DUFF} 2. Online retailer Brandless sells everyday essentials, each item for the same price of: THREE DOLLARS. {Brandless? Call us CLUELESS on this one, but five lucky guesses profited from their choice.} 3. The ribosome is where the human body makes: PROTEIN. {DUFF} 4. Which instrument was Jazz legend Art Blakey famous for playing? DRUMS. {GRIMM and BLZBUB} 5. In England, ___ Day is observed annually on November 5. GUY FAWKES. {BCNIAN} 6. Which letter identifies the main character in the 2017 movie ‘Blade Runner 2049’? K {Greek chorus, led by GRIMM.} 7. The 2017 Nobel Prize went to ICAN, an organization devoted to abolishing: NUCLEAR WEAPONS. {BLZBUB, saved the team’s score from destruction.}
The team did a great job on this round, but clearly, we have no internet shoppers scouring the net for discounted products. However, five boxes made it a perfect round of 7 for 7, while the rest stayed at 6 for 7 correct.
Py-Ram-It Round
P1. ‘Ten Tragic Days,’ which took place in 1913, was a pivotal moment in the history of: Choices: Luxembourg, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Uruguay A: MEXICO. {BRICK made the mental link to Pancho Villa, and got this answer. Five other players followed his lead for points.}
P2. Who was the first living scientist to have an element named after him? Choices: Niels Bohr, Ernest Rutherford, Albert Einstein, Glenn Seaborg, Max Planck A: GLENN SEABORG. {BRICK and DUFF had the most influential calls here.]
P3. This Samuel Richardson novel is subtitled ‘Or, The History of a Young Lady’: Choices: Matilda, Katherine, Clarissa, Rebecca, Pamela A: CLARISSA. {DUFF pre-called, ‘either Pamela or the other one’ which resulted in a split when both Pamela and Clarissa appeared on the list.}
P4. In days gone by, cotton that was used for extra padding or stuffing in clothes was called: Choices: Grout, Bombast, Percale, Dearth, Nostrum A: BOMBAST. {DUFF was much more confident on this question than the last, and he made the proper call with the appropriate verbal bombast.}
P5. Of his 41 numbered symphonies, only two are in the minor key: Choices: Wagner, Liszt, Mozart, Schubert, Tintoretto A: MOZART. {DUFF was the fastest of the Greek chorus to sing out on this one.}
The team managed to push three boxes through on 5 for 5 correct in this round. There were six boxes with 4 for 5 correct. The remainder were on 3 of 5.
FINAL TRAGEDY Topic: MONARCHIES
Which current nation I a monarchy?
1. Chile 2. Bermuda 3. Haiti 4. Chad 5. Bahrain
The order of the eliminations was 4, 1, 3, and 2, leaving #5, BAHRAIN as the correct answer. BRICK and BLZBUB, a natural diarchy, teamed up to rule the roost on this question.
The top individual scores for the night were 59355, 59230, 58986, 52452, 52027, and 51478 points. The rapidity at which the call on the Final question was issued ensured that all of the top nine boxes got a ton of points.
The team’s average score for this game was 55,588 points.
The Ragged Rascals’ systemwide ranking was FIRST PLACE, A#1, Top of the Heap, Head of the List, King of the World…yeah we were happy to see our first uncontested #1 of the year. Take that, you toad-sucking, Borg losers!
Congratulations to all of the wetware-only teams out there this week. Best among them were: Tilted Kilt, Scottsdale, AZ @ 522715; Old Barn, Portland, OR @ 51820; Teaser’s, Chicago @ 51711; Fellowship, BWW Kent OH @ 50833; Scooters, Las Vegas, NV @ 50408, and BWW Blacksburg, VA @ 48976.
_________________ }}}--( (x) (x) )---> Oh my gawd, they killed Ken Z. You bastards!
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