OUR FIRST NOMINATION

On 29th November question 93 in the General Knowledge:

What is the fastest living thing in the world, a plant which releases its pollen at over half the speed of sound? Answer: WHITE MULBERRY TREE (accept Mulberry)
Amazed this was not picked up earlier – the additional comment was made “The generosity of accepting “Mulberry” alone is just as staggering as being expected to know the white mulberry”.

The following supporting comments were added:

So, 'twould seem that this question had some 'scientific' background to it .... (see below)  But, how were we as quizzers supposed to guess unless you actually had read 'Sexual Plant Reproduction' Volume 19, number 1 and then alighted on pages 19 to 24?  Sadly, I had let my subscription to this wonderful magazine lapse as part of the general belt-tightening exercises of 1992.
I think I'll stick to remembering Rolls-Royce part numbers from their 1932 catalogue!
Pat Jeater
The white mulberry is scientifically notable for the rapid plant movement involved in pollen release from its catkins. The stamens act as catapults, releasing stored elastic energy in just 25 µs. The resulting movement is approximately 350 miles per hour (560 km/h), over half the speed of sound, making it the fastest known movement in the plant kingdom.^[5]

Taylor, Philip; Gwyneth Card, James House, Michael Dickinson, Richard Flagan (2006-03-01). "High-speed pollen release in the white mulberry tree, Morus alba L". Sexual Plant Reproduction 19 (1): 19–24.

25th November "According to Andrew Marr what did Roy Jenkins replace with a fridge for his wine?A BOARD ON WHICH WERE WRITTEN THE NAMES OF ALL THOSE BRITISH PRISONERS COMING UP TO BE HANGED"

We Are Proud To Introduce The Trophy

 

We are proud to introduce the trophy that will be awarded to the setters of the worst question of the season.

The trophy has been hand-drawn and –coloured by a supporter of the Quiz League and will be in a proper frame; each year’s winner will be shown along with the offending question and supposed answer.

Nominations from all teams and players are awaited with some anxiety!!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

THE FIRST CONTRIBUTION

 

 

Duncan Disorderley’s Question Watch

Hello, everyone!

Thank God a little bit of sanity has crept into the Macclesfield Quiz League with the re-introduction of the “Nine Banded Armadillo” Trophy for the worst question of a season. Well done, Nick for boldly going (as my geeky Star Trek friends would say!

Well, another season has come to an end – congratulations and commiserations to all who need them. It says a lot for Nick that he has raged against a dip in the quality of questions whilst inspiring his own team, the Waters Green Phoenix to the highest honour in the B League. I’ve always said that Nick’s team will follow him anywhere (out of morbid curiosity).

So, having canvassed around as promised, here are the first submissions I have gathered to kick of the trophy which will be fought for in earnest next season.

Entry No.	Question	Answer	Set by	Date
1	Since its inception in 1895, how many different nationalities have won the US Open Golf tournament?	9 (nine) Details available from PoW, (no, missus, not prisoners of war.)	Prince of Wales (Sport Round)	5 March 2013
2	The actor David Ross played the original Kryten before being replaced, however he returned to voice the character of which annoying kitchen appliance?	Talkie Toaster (accept Toaster)	Prince of Wales (“The Smeg It Is” round)
3	Which British bird has the most feathers?	The Mute Swan, (with about 20,000).	Knot Originals (Science Round)	12 March 2013
4	Although she had no children, how many pregnancies did Queen Anne have?	17 (Seventeen)	The Weaver	17 March 2013

So there we are – what a selection. Let’s see how the list builds from October onwards!

By the way – Apart from 17 pregnancies Queen Anne ran a half-marathon twice each week and attended aerobics classes daily. This explains the problem with her legs.

IT’S NOT JUST IN MACCLESFIELD!

We have been trawling the interweb to find quiz questions, which, if asked in Macclesfield, may have ended up gracing this league. These questions are from a Quiz Night held in Hertfordshire.

As this is the end of the season, the answers are given. Next season, however, you will be able to visit this brilliant site and take part in our regular “NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO QUIZ!”

Q. Who Invented the Petrol Pump, and in what year?

A. Sylvanus S Bowser, 1905.

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Q. One of the definitions of a vagrant is "someone with no visible means of support".  The famous author, John Buchan, gave an almost identical definition for an atheist.  His definition was only two letters different.  What was his definition?

A. Someone with no invisible means of support.

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Q. In the Pallio horserace, in the Piazza del Campo in Siena ,
what is traditionally given to the horses before the start of the race?

A. A drink of coffee and a sugar cube.

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Q. What was the original name of the London Railway Station “Arsenal”.

A. Gillespie Road.

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Genesis and Rationale

 

This blog has been created to supplement the blogs for the Macclesfield Pub Quiz League, and will record recommendations for the Nine-Banded Armadillo Trophy; nominations will be voted on monthly and there will be an annual presentation at the end of the season for the questions most deserving ridicule.

The idea arose from Duncan Disorderley’s comments in March 2013 after seeing a particularly geeky set of questions:

“I’m glad of the opportunity to say more than a few words. As someone who has been on the Macclesfield Quiz League Scene for 27 years since I first started playing for the Limping Whippet, I feel it my duty to point out that some of the questions setters are taking liberties. Questions are being asked that only the most devoted geek could answer and you can take it from me as a keen observer that this is not going down well. Mind you, this is nothing new. Let me tell you a true story. Those of a certain age may remember in the early 1990s that a spate of smart-arse questions came to a head when four whole leagues of unsuspecting teams were given this question:

“What is the only creature, apart from man, that can catch leprosy?” (I’ll pause here whilst you rack your brains)......................

No?

Thought not.

The answer is the Nine-banded Armadillo. No, not the fourteen-banded or the triple-banded – they are immune. Just the nine banded variety.

Complaints were made, results were checked and NOBODY in all four divisions (the league was bigger then), got the question right. Following lots of discussion and accusations of stopping rival teams from scoring, my old mate Peter Cole introduced the “Nine-Banded Armadillo” Trophy for the worst question of the season. This was actually awarded, (amongst much good humour, I might say) for two years running. It did have an effect and the smart-Alec questions diminished. They are back”

Whilst I hate to contradict Duncan I should point out that the question was not just geeky, it was actually inaccurate – following from Wikipedia:

“Armadillos are often used in the study of leprosy, since they, along with mangabey monkeys, rabbits and mice (on their footpads), are among the few known species that can contract the disease systemically.”

So it is not just the nine-banded but ALL armadillos along with other mammals!!

As an example of the sort of entries that are expected the following is a spoof set of Specialist Subjects, that are not so far removed from actual ones that have been set:

 

1. Geography – Minor rivers in Papua New Guinea

2. Sport – Who came sixth?

3. Sayings – Identify the phrases you’ve never heard of

4. Origami round – 15 seconds to make the model you’re allocated!

5. Arts and Entertainment – 1950’s Australian sit-coms

6. Science – Identify the molecule from the really tiny picture!

7. History – All about the middle fortnight of June 1723

8. Who’s that? - Identify pictures of people you couldn’t care less about!

All nominations for this trophy of shame should be sent to nickpeck@gmail.com and are eagerly awaited.