24th February - Home to the Bate Taverners

 

The Lemmings were facing the Bate in the second leg of the League games – at the last battle the Lemmings scraped through by a very narrow margin so they knew it would not be an easy game. The Bate are old friends through their various manifestations from the Cricket Club and however close it was going to be a fun-filled night.

Wendy had recovered sufficiently to take part but Rosie had decided to stay in and watch the Manchester City and Barcelona game on TV.

The questions had been set by the Knot Know-alls and included some interesting ideas including fashion, the eye and even cake. A couple of questions however led to some discussion: both Bob and Nick felt the answer to GK47 was Gluck but the given answer is correct – Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo was written 155 years before Gluck’s. More contentious was Q3 in A Piece of Cake – not only was the bible quote rather obscure (certainly not as well known as Pete Seeger’s  version!) but to expect someone to know that it comes from Ecclesiastes and thereby get the answer Eccles led to immediate nomination for the Nine-Banded Armadillo trophy.

At the end of the Specialist rounds the Bate had slipped ahead by one point with 52 to 51 – not going well!! But the Lemmings recovered their composure in the General Knowledge and slowly built up a lead finishing with 75 points to the Bate’s 60 – final score 126 to 112 in the Lemmings’ favour.

Special mention must be made of the questionmaster from the Cock-A-2 – not only did he have to contend with the usual noise generated by the ladies’ darts competition but the Tavern was invaded by a party from a neighbouring pub making it very difficult to hear the questions – not the QM’s fault at all and he handled the problem with good grace and skill.

Individual scores were Bob 9/15, Wendy 15/21, Nick 6/9 and Tomo 12/15; conferred points were 5/7 with 4/8 pass-overs – the Bate picked up 7/9 pass-overs.

Manchester City lost 2-1 – Rosie’s reaction is not known at the moment.

Brian then supplied an excellent cheeseboard with delicious French baguettes and chutneys to round off the evening – many thanks Brian, the Bate and the unflappable questionmaster.

17th Feb Plate Semi-Final

 

This was the Lemmings’ third game against the Nag’s Head, the previous League games having been close run things and this was to be no exception. The questions had been set by the Church House Bollington and Ox-Fford C that were very fairly balanced but perhaps had more TV and children’s literature questions than the Lemming prefer – but Tomo did very well on these nevertheless.

A further problem was that Wendy could not play having injured herself decorating the house (we had warned that  suspending all her Quiz League trophies from the ceiling could lead to catastrophe) but Tony stepped into the breach and played his first game for the Lemmings bringing his science background for added strength.

Each set of 20 questions was very hotly contested, the first two narrowly going to the Nags with 17/15 and 14/13; the third set however went the Lemmings’ way with 17 to 14 giving level scores of 45 at the half-way stage. The next two seemed to be benefitting the Lemmings who crept ahead with 16/10 and 15/11; but the final round changed all that with the Nags thrashing the Lemmings 20 to 11 – a very narrow escape as this left the Lemmings with just a one point victory of 87 to 86.

As usual, the game was spent in good spirits despite the tension of the narrow differences in the scores and was rounded off with Brian’s home-cooked sandwiches – many thanks to the question master from the Church House, to the Nags team and of course to Brian.

10th February–Home to the Park Taverners

 

“Revenge is a dish best served cold”

Yes, on this bitterly cold evening in the heavy frozen fog that has clung to the town for some days two mighty teams came face to face to settle a long-outstanding debt. On 30th September Altrincham Town FC beat Macclesfield Town FC 1-0 and the Silkmen were out for revenge.

On the same evening, in the warm and welcoming Waters Green Tavern old friends met for a friendly, fun-filled evening of questions and answers in the Macclesfield Pub Quiz League – the Park Taverners were facing the WG Lemmings for the second leg of the season’s competition. In November the Park Taverners had thrashed the Lemmings who were hoping that this would not be repeated.

The questions covered a wide range of subjects from nicknames to aeronautics and were very well received. Some puzzled looks met with the answer to the General Knowledge 16 to which charity must be at least as accurate as philanthropy – probably better. One question in particular gave rise to some discussion (History Q8) but neither team noticed that the year given was 1715, the First Jacobite Rebellion that got no further than Preston and certainly not Derby. The General Knowledge Q75 also had the Lemmings floundering but all became clear with an enchanting dance-like movement from Shauna, so beguiling that she was asked to repeat it.

Mention must also be made of Juliet the question master from the Nags Head whose strict control over time set a standard for all question masters – and a warning to notorious time-wasters.

At the end of the Specialist, the Lemmings had stolen a lead of 65 to 33 but it must be said that the visitors were without Graham who is their highest scorer.

The Lemmings’ good fortune continued into the General Knowledge that they won with 103 to 83 giving a final score of 168 to 116.

Individual scores were Bob 15/18, Wendy 15/24, Nick 6/15 and Tomo 12/24; conferred points were 8/12 with 9/10 pass-overs whilst the visitors collected 4/7 pass-overs.

Oh and Macc won the football 2-1!

The evening was rounded off with a magnificent pork pie and sandwiches – many thanks to Brian, to Juliet and to our old friends the Park Taverners for a fun and well-fought game.

3rd February–Bloody But Unbowed

 

“Bewitched, battered and bewildered …” still reeling from what must be one of the heaviest defeats in the history of the Macclesfield Pub Quiz League the Lemmings gathered in the Waters Green Tavern to lick their wounds and face an uncertain future.

We were up against the Cock-A-2 who are also in the tight bunch at the top of the B League and always a difficult team to beat.

The questions had been set by The Dolphin, and fortunately they played to the strengths of the Lemmings as a team (hence the large number of conferred points);  the Specialist included a round on hats (surely a first!!) a very original round on eponymous characters and a picture round of film classics. The General Knowledge questions ranged from Greek and Roman mythology to poetry and art via science and the Old testament. Very challenging and most enjoyable.

At the end of the Specialist the Lemmings had begun to regain their confidence with a slight lead of 64 to 55, and then built on this  taking the General Knowledge with 84 to 59. Final score 148 to 114.

Individual scores were Bob 12/24, Wendy 15/9, Nick 9/15, Tomo 15/6 conferred points were 7/20 with pass-overs 6/10. The visitors picked up 7/6.

A very pleasant game with laughter and good humour under the benevolent eye of the question master Pat from the Plough Horntails rounded off with a selection of Brian’s home-cooked beef and pork sandwiches along with cheese sandwiches and salad.

Many thanks to the Cock-A-2, to Brian and to the questionmaster Pat