The Big Hound 0

It's that time of life, retirement parties and 50th birthday bashes are becoming way more prevalent than stag parties and head-wetting. But who would have thought the former would precede the latter.

Cast - In Order of Appearance

Steve showed up first, business is good at JRP and thankfully its good that one of us still has his shoulder to Industry's wheel. They're even selling a product called "Guaranteed Income For Life" but I don't think it'll catch on.

Myself next - hotfooting it from nowhere in particular. The most productive thing I'd done in the day was empty the vacuum cleaner of fluff.

Graham was third in, full from his diet of cricket, golf and tennis. Not as full as Leeds' old and Mansfield's new manager, approx. 20 stone in a grass skirt. He'll get along fine.

Next up, the main man, briefly accompanied by Tina. House move and back operations both imminent. Lots going on.

Then there was Kevster, fingers in more pies than a blind butcher. Lets hope the business of the day was satisfactorily concluded.

Next man in, Bruce (works best here in a high voice, I can't do it). Easily the most travelled of the group and an internet sensation. Going off him already.

And bringing up the rear, oh stop it, we had Pete. Looking remarkably svelte actually but that's what a bout of beaver fever does for.

With a common interest in beer, pub quizzes and at sometime in their lives worked at Umbrella Towers, they are the Hound.

We kicked off with one of those Word Ladder things, the final answer was either THREW or THREE. I don't think it mattered.

In the news were Sting, Carrie Fisher and Danny Baker. For once, Brexit wasn't.

Of geographical interest were Mexico, Kazakhstan and Birmingham. We spent a while trying to work out which of Dorset and Devon had more Regis's. Other than continually offering Cyrille I was no help at this point.

What linked Terry Venables, McLaren and Slade? Porridge of course with Daren having the insight to spot it first, it says here.

I'd say something about the 10 pointers but I can't read Graham's writing. Time for a toast.

We got stuck on the Linkup Round until a Hiro came to our rescue.

Onto Jeopardy and what colour is the Ferrari horse? And which is the longest tube line? Time for another picture.

Ok, it isn't clear but that red one is pretty long. We didn't know it, we had 8 confidently with a good shout at the ninth. But we had to declare at that point.

Music, and a singalong to Antmusic and Country House ensued. We'd had a few at this point.

Results, would our effort be enough? No, the Anoraks had bagged the Jeopardy. Well played to them, but tonight wasn't about winning.

(Grey)Hound Round

News has reached Hound HQ that one of the team has recently been afflicted with "Beaver-Fever". I kid you not, and leave it you to surmise who. A speedy recovery is wished.

Thanks at least in part to Rolls-Royce/Vickers Umbrella shares are up to £2.34 today. It's almost like they are better off without us. As if.

Pozdrowienia z psami to all our polish readers who continue to hit the blog big style.  

Numbers are down again, just me and Robson. As a comparison here is the attendance for the other teams;

Lady & The Tramp - 8
Anoraks - 6
Young Ones - 2 + an old one
Unfamiliar Girls - 4 + 1 more later
Two new blokes behind us - 2 surprisingly
Busters - Not less than 50 at any one time.

Ok, it's Louie's quiz this week, we did have prior warning so no need to swot up on Current Affairs.

Oh good, makes of car to kick off. Robson and I reckon 4 was a good score here, but any one of you might disagree with this. We both got number 1., Robson knew no 6., and I got Fiat (which is on the back, it's Louie this week). My strategy of putting Ford where we didn't have a clue bore fruit on number 9, but you knew that didn't you. Despite it being Louie, I put Porsche and Lotus respectively for 3. and 7., knowing all of the time that they were probably Italian. Number 8. may look easy to you but apparently the answer is BMW. The wily old fox got the 'My answer is the correct one' in early, something he might come to rely on later.

 

 

 

Round 2 is numbers, surely an immediate chance to get some points back. Alas, no actual numerical ability required, being able to count was enough. Dots on a dice, Pearl wedding, carats in pure gold that kind of thing. We did surprisingly poorly here as well.

 

Another chance follows immediately, 'Name the Dog' a bone-a fide Hound Round. Dogs relating to the following;

 

Bill Sykes

Tin Tin

Rubeus Hagrid

HMV

Dorothy Gale

Famous Five

Mrs Humphreys in All Creatures Great and Small.

Bob Carolgees/Micky Quinn

Punch & Judy

Dr Who

 

        

 

Of course we got them all.

 

Two short connections round this week, 4 answers and then a connection. We got the second but not the first.

 

For the first, kicking myself for not remembering that 'Rodney Marsh' was sacked by Sky for a tasteless Tsunami joke. The other answers were 'Miners', 'Willow' and 'Azurri'. Answer at the foot of the page.

 

Second set of 4 answers were 'Pew', Barney Rubble', 'Officer Dibble' and 'Grub'.

 

We got the ten pointers, I pulled out 'Fenn Street' as the school in 'Please Sir', which I think brought us back in line, not many got it.

 

It's Louie this week, so anagrams of famous actresses at half time.

 

1. Joining Aleale

2. Fax Gnome

3. Twangler Wop Thy

4. Puzel Cornpe

5. Kittens Nurds

6. Hanked To Us

7. Blanketiet Cake

8. Zodiac Maner

9. Jointers Fine Ann

10.Woman Teams.

 

It's Louie this week, so watch out for the spelling mistakes in 4. and 7. We got them all, 3. taking the longest. Answers on application.

 

Onto the Jeopardy Round and it feels like we have to have a go. Not necessarily true as it transpired.

Did I mention that it's Louie this week, so everything is from 2009, not sure that the Jeopardy round needs a theme. Microsoft bought/launched which search engine in 2009. We weren't sure but arrived at Bing by process of elimination. It's stretching us to remember Mel Brooks controversial touring play from 2009, but we settle unsurely on 'Springtime for Hitler'. Two other obvious stumbling blocks, "What iconic mode of transport popular in the US was introduced to the UK in 2009?" and a Hillary Benn multiple choice question with 4 possible answers. The 4 answers were 'Sell by', Use By', 'Best Before' and a comedy one to end. Not looking great at this stage but we reckon 'Best Before' is right.

 

I'm sorry to say that I now resorted to deviousness asking for the transport question again because I could tell that Louie was uncomfortable that it might be a bit hard. A bit of subtle probing and he eventually gave away that it was a Greyhound bus, game on. We go full tilt.

 

 

 

Louie gave the answer to the Hillary Benn question as 'Use By' but subsequent googling suggested that it was actually 'Use Before', which wasn't one of the 4 possible answers. Not much point in complaining as Louie's answer is correct we already know that, and besides 'Springtime for Hitler' is just one of the songs in 'The Producers'. Nil points it is. In a simple twist of fate it transpires following the scores that we would have won by leaving the doubtful ones out. Having said that, The Anoraks were probably the rightful winners, blowing their Jeopardy round because they weren't listening when I pumped Louie on the Greyhound question, and answered 'Segway'. They didn't see the funny side of that at all. Easy full marks on the music for us, and a second win in  a row for the Busters. By my calculations they made about £1 each.  

 

Connections answers, 'Tits' and 'Camberwick Green/Trumpton'.

 

G-Force.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Halloween Fun

So Robson's not having Halloween. Fortunately not all of us are such killjoys. Take this pig for instance...

Terence Trent Hound

Let it not be said that us hounds are creatures of habit. Several unusual events to report on last night's goings on.

1. Meeting at the Hatch.

Why? Well Graham and myself had another hard day's marking (the work's ok but I'm struggling with the commute) and were just too tired to cook. Steve had managed to swing a WFH as well and made the happy band.

2. No poppadoms.

It's curry night, what do you need lots of? In place I had a bhaji, Graham had a samosa. Reminds me of the time The Pembroke ran out of peas, not as it there's not a Tesco next door.

3. Hound Table Occupied By An Amorous Couple

Well I ask you? Pending their departure, which Graham hastened by standing very close, we had to occupy the Anoraks' usual spot.

4. The Hound's Plus One

One of TLATT found himself without a lady (or tramp) quite literally. A potted version of his life history revealed that his wife of 43 years died early last year, he's since taken up with another woman who he was very keen on, however on Monday she dumped him. It'll surprise no-one that he wasn't the most sparkling company, and that from me.

So the quiz, we start with some badly taken pictures.

Steve managed to recognise David Van Day just from his forehead. Almost spooky. Onto the rounds:

Current Affairs - Cheryl (she seems to have given up with surnames) is to be the face of Childline and the Spanish are striking about having too much homework.

Halloween - I'm sorry but I just don't buy it as a major event. Still, we hit the crossbar a couple of times here, witches brooms are generally made from birch, not that I know any witches and apple bobbing apparently determines who's going to get married. Maybe we've moved on from that, maybe we have't.

Connections - Lots of seemingly unconnected things but we subsequently found it, all pumpkins. David Dickinson included. Is it the colour?

Ten Pointers - Bagged.

Link Ups - Sticky start, about three in before we actually wrote anything down but then it started to come together. We tried to fit a close fitting item of jewellery between "Ramekin" and "Taffeta", gave up and put bracelet. Necklet apparently. Wouldn't "Inuit Territory in NW Canada" just be a whole lot better?

Jeopardy - Not the easiest. We swerved a mild bear trap knowing the 50k walk is the longest Olympic athletic event but had no idea what a dish "Veronique" was. We thought Daren would probably have known it though. Also what did Jack Horner have his thumb in? Probably his ass.

Something Veronique.

Music - Needed to go to second listen on a few, being stumped by something Irish sounding. We fancied our chances though, no-one looked like they'd nailed the Jeopardy and we were confident on 10 pointers. Not to be, second again.

Checked access for the 17th and fine, great if we could all make it there though we have a quiz to win before then.