No need to phone a friend (23/09/00)

The Withington and District Pub Quiz season is about to kick off a new season. The first round of matches is on Wednesday October 11^th, starting at 8.30pm at a pub or club near you.

Last year saw a renaissance in the league and we are keen to spread the fun to as wide a group of participants as possible. If you fancy a trip out on winter Wednesday evenings rather than sitting in and watching boring Chris Tarrant on the box, then get 3 other like-minded people together, think of a suitably whacky name, and then contact us. Ring Gary Donnelly on 434-7931 or Mike Bath on 445-3534 before October 4^th and we’ll pencil you into the fixtures.

Last year Griffing Braggarts were given a close run for their money by a number of teams. This year promises as tight a competition as ever (in both senses of the word).

Just to whet the appetite here’s a typical quartet of posers with a hidden theme

Who is pop singer Norman Cook’s wife?
Which famous character was once (and once only) played by George Lazenby?
What does a bibliomaniac collect?
Which TV hit series is co-written by Craig Cash and Henry Normal amongst others?

Droopy Snoopy (17/11/00)

The Quiz League is now 5 weeks into the new season. Griffing Braggarts, last season’s league champions, are off to a good start with 9pts from 5 games. But form team so far are St Cath’s who have a 100% record with 8pts from 4. New team Snoopy’s Friends have made an uncertain start and nestle in mid-table – perhaps the unavailability of their home venue, The Woodstock, due to refurbishment, has thrown them. Some things never change, however, with Albert Park at the foot of the table continuing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in a number of close run games.

Answers to the questions last time:

Norman Cook (alias Fat Boy Slim) is married to Zoe Ball
George Lazenby played James Bond
A bibliomaniac collects books
Craig Cash co-writes the Royle Family

and, of course, the link between the answers is that they all contain names of City Managers.

3 more posers from recent league papers:

What was the Rolling Stones’ first number one hit?
What do Auk, Montrose and Beryl all have in common?
‘Blocked’ and ‘Barred’ are the 2 main types of what?

Smellies and Tasties (10/12/00)

Last Wednesday Christie’s managed to tear themselves away from the impending visit of HRH Prince Charles to entertain The Opsimaths in the Sun in September. Unfortunately The Old Sages from the Albert Club were in top form and ran up a convincing victory. The Opsimaths are coming into form as Christmas draws near and roaring into their traditional mid-table position.

In keeping with the reputation of our dippy dauphin there was a whole round of pictures (an all too rare event these days) asking for the identity of flowers, butterflies and other fauna. This brings to mind those even rarer days when there’s been a round of smellies or tasties. Over the years our hooters have had to put up with an assortment of herbs, spices and aftershave lotion whilst on one famous occasion our palates have had to identify brands of beer from individual samples provided by Christie’s in glass tubes that looked as if their designated purpose was altogether more sinister.

Meanwhile the league table shows a tight contest at the top with Griffing Braggarts still just in front on 13 points and Albert and St Catherine’s locked together on 12 points in second slot.

Answers to the questions last time:

The Rolling Stones’ first number one was ‘It’s All Over Now’
Auk, Montrose and Beryl are all North Sea Oil fields.
‘Blocked’ and ‘Barred’ are the 2 main types of Crossword Puzzle.

and 3 more to stun your brains taken from last week’s paper…..

Who played the part of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars?
What one name links an African President, a sterilizer, and a 17^th century English poet?
Which Football League team is nicknamed The Tigers?

St Catherines’s Wheel (13/01/01)

In the last game before the Christmas break St Catherine’s hauled themselves up to top place by beating top dogs Griffing Braggarts at the St Caths Social Club on School Lane. It all came to grief last Wednesday, however, when Electric Pigs overwhelmed St Caths sending them back down into second place. The Albert remain in third place.

Meanwhile at the foot of the table Albert Park recorded their first victory last week with a win away from home at the Woodstock on Barlow Moor Road against newcomers Snoopy’s Friends. Midwinter has seen both Christie’s and the Electric Pigs faring well with an impressive row of victories. Dumbos of the moment are Opsimaths who are drifting downwards at an alarming rate. Their captain puts it down to the preponderance of pop questions to which the answer is not ‘Blur’ – their standard answer to all post 60s pop.

Answers to the questions last time:

In Star Wars Luke Skywalker was played by Mark Hamill
The word Milton links an African President (Milton Obote of Uganda), a steriliser and a 17th century English poet
The Tigers is the nickname of Hull City Football Club

and more brain fodder from last Wednesday’s quiz paper set by Moss Dross.....

Which northern author wrote ‘A Kind of Loving’?
Which actor is due to play Doctor Who in the forthcoming film?
Who said ‘Any man who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined’?

Park on a mini roll (03/02/01)

With four weeks of league games left the Griffing Braggarts are pulling clear of the pack. St Cath’s were keeping pace with them until last week when they stumbled at home against the Opsimaths. The Albert maintain steady progress in third place followed by Christie’s, Moss Dross, Electric Pigs and Opsimaths huddled in mid-table. In the Bradford slot at the bottom Albert Park have recorded their second win of the season beating the Pigs. And then last week they went on to come within an ace of beating the Braggarts .

Christie’s were setting the week before last and they lived up to their reputation for whacky papers by producing a Scottish themed quiz (the following night was Burns’ night). Pictures of tartans and bottles of whiskey abounded. As ever it is never dull when Christie’s set. It’s probably safe for them to come out of hiding now.

and the answers to the questions last time:

‘A Kind of Loving’ was written by Stan Barstow
Sean Bean is about to play Doctor Who in a new film.
It was Sam Goldwyn who said ‘Any man who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined’

and some more challenges for the terminally quizzical…..

Which song contains the line ‘if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme’?
Who has succeeded Bill Giles as the BBC’s chief weather forecaster?
Which Scottish Football league team play their home games in Dumfries?

(Answers: 1. ‘Hey Mr Tambourine Man’ by Bob Dylan; 2. Helen Young; 3. Queen of the South)

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