The Quiz Thread

[Nigel]

Crazy frog?

[MakemineVanilla]

I like to watch TV quizzes and I've lost a lot and won a few down the pub (I was on a good team) but the question which always remains at the end of the night is: How the f*** did they know that? Or when I am answering myself: How the f*** am I supposed to know that?

 

This is even more relevant these days when a guy called Mark Goodliffe has won the Times crossword championship six years in a row.

 

This clever bugger has the ability to solve 3 difficult (read - impossible) Times crosswords in 30 minutes.

 

Now the question is: how does he train?

 

I've asked loads of people, even an actual champion, but never got a straight answer - they do three crosswords a day and have been doing it for thirty years etc.

 

But this doesn't do it for me because I can't see how it is possible for actual random crosswords to bring up enough of the rarer words, where the difficulties lie.

 

So how do they train?

 

Mooney tells us that he watches four quizzes on Monday and usually wins free beer by winning the quiz down the pub but what else does he do?

 

Any tips, anyone?

 

For those interested, my last frustrating crossword moment was provided by the answer - Boccaccio.

 

HTFWISTKT?

Edited November 15, 2013 by MakemineVanilla

[Nigel]

It seems to me that crosswords are all about familiarity with the source. Repetition always seeps in, if not for the answers themselves then certainly in style of question.

Thus to train means to practice.

[mjmooney]

It seems to me that crosswords are all about familiarity with the source. Repetition always seeps in, if not for the answers themselves then certainly in style of question.

Thus to train means to practice.

 

Depends what sort of crosswords we're talking about: 

 

1. The basic so-called "quick" type, where the clues are straightforward (often one-word) definitions. Not always as easy as they seem, as there are usually multiple possibilities for correct answers, so you need to get some answers in first to narrow down the possibilities (like sudoku). A good command of vocabulary helps (true for all crosswords, really) more than practice. 

 

2. Cryptic. These are my favourites, and it's all about wordplay, anagrams, hidden meanings etc. Practice definitely helps here, because the more you do, the more you work out the conventions that the setters use to 'code' their clues. If you do a lot you get to recognise the styles of different setters - it's almost like appreciating books or music. 

 

3. Skeleton. No blank spaces, so to get all words to cross over there are going to have to be some damned obscure ones. Clues may be either straightforward or cryptic, but these are all about vocabulary and a big dictionary (OK, the internet). Not for me. 

 

4. General knowledge/quiz type. Self explanatory. There's a good one in the Saturday Guardian magazine section. As with quizzes, you either know the answers or you don't, so you learn by reading a lot and having a good memory for trivia. 

[maqroll]

Come on then, give us a quiz Mike

[mjmooney]

Funnily enough, I hate setting them (although I've done it for pubs a few times). 

[maqroll]

Name the country with the third largest Muslim population

[mjmooney]

Name the country with the third largest Muslim population

 

Hmmmm. Malaysia? 

[8pints]

Name all the competitors The Undertaker has defeated to reach the 21-0 stat for his undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.

 

 

I heard a rumour that if you don't know, it means you are actually terrible at quizzes despite any protestations.

 

But if you do know...you are cool.

[colhint]

Crazy frog?

Apparantley this was number 1 the last time arsenal won a trophy

[tonyh29]

Name the country with the third largest Muslim population

Hmmmm. Malaysia?

Fairly sure its India ... It's a big thing over there with Muslim v Hindu and the spiralling population

[maqroll]

Cadillac for tony

[villaajax]

Name all the competitors The Undertaker has defeated to reach the 21-0 stat for his undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.

 

 

I heard a rumour that if you don't know, it means you are actually terrible at quizzes despite any protestations.

 

But if you do know...you are cool.

 

Sporcle

[Wainy316]

Name all the competitors The Undertaker has defeated to reach the 21-0 stat for his undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.

 

 

I heard a rumour that if you don't know, it means you are actually terrible at quizzes despite any protestations.

 

But if you do know...you are cool.

 

Gonna have a stab

 

1. Jimmy Snuka

2. Jake the Snake Roberts

3. Giant Gonzalez (by DQ, booo)

4. Mabel

5. Diesel

6. Psycho Sid

7. Kane

8. Big Bossman

9. HHH

11. Ric Flair

11. Big Show and A Train

12. Kane

13. Mark Henry

14. Randy Ortron

15. Edge

16. Batista

17. Shawn Michael

18. Shawn Michaels

19. HHH

20. HHH

21. CM Punk

 

Totally off the top of my head.  Order may be a bit out and unsure about the handicap match and Mabel.

 

I can do Royal Rumble winners however.

[Wainy316]

Damn, just remembered who he beat at 11.  

[villaajax]

It was King Kong Bundy, not Mabel, very impressive though!

[8pints]

Totally off the top of my head.

 

Yeah like VA said it was Bundy not Mabel but that was brilliant.

 

And off the top of your head that's very close to the order, I think Henry and Orton swap places, Batista and Edge swap places, take out Mabel and put in Bundy and that's it.

 

You are cool and good at all quizzes

 

 

 

Seeing that gif makes me realise where VA gets his inspiration for GTA from.

 

Sporcle

 

...What was your time?

Edited November 15, 2013 by 8pints

[villaajax]

 

 

 

Seeing that gif makes me realise where VA gets his inspiration for GTA from.

 

 

 

2:02, yours?  

[8pints]

2:02, yours?

 

Oh for God's sake...2:03

 

[villaajax]