The Ultimate QoD Challenge -- Rules
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 3:38 pm
Here is what you've been waiting for... the rules to the special trivia contest where it's not what you know or who you know. It's what, who, when, where, why, and how you know, connected to a few other things that you had almost forgotten that you did know. (If you think that explanation is complicated and confusing, just wait until we get to the questions.)
This is guaranteed to be the biggest, the most intriguing, and the most challenging trivia game in Bored history--yes, even more challenging than my infamous Notorious Turkeys puzzle from last summer. This is a Tangredi game on steroids. We will determine, once and for all, who is the second smartest person on the WWTBAM Bored. (I am the smartest person on the Bored because only a genius can come up with questions like these, so that title is out of play.
)
This ultimate general knowledge and lateral thinking competition will run 5 days a week for a total of 12 weeks. There will be two intermissions as I have two vacations that will occur during this contest--a week-long vacation in May and a two-week-long vacation around Independence Day. We will begin on Monday April 7 and end (tentatively) on Friday July 18.
Five different types of games will be played over the course of these 12 weeks. Each weekday will have its own type of game. The first three formats should be very familiar to those of you who have heard of the British quiz show "Only Connect". If you haven't heard of this show, here is an episode of it. (All of you should immediately recognize one of the contestants in this particular episode.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKAR8eadsw
Questions will get harder as this series progresses, but the points will increase. Weeks 1-4 will be relatively easy. Weeks 5-8 will be of moderate difficulty, but all point values will be doubled. Weeks 9-12 will range from difficult to downright evil, but all point values will be doubled again.
Normally, this would be the point where the host tells the players not to Google any of the answers. But considering the nature of most of the questions I will be asking, Googling may not be a whole lot of help anyway. Of course, you should always use spoiler spaces in your answers.
Mondays: "Make the Connection"
I will show you a list of four items. All you have to do is tell me what those four items have in common. Your answers must be as specific and exact as possible. If even one word of your description doesn't apply to all four items or if I feel that you answer is too vague, you will not score. And be on the lookout for lists that involve wordplay.
Example question: The Stranger / Pumped Up Kicks / Wind of Change / Don't Worry Be Happy
The correct answer would be:
A really vague (and therefore incorrect) answer would be: Songs
Ten foursomes will be presented each Monday. Each correct description is worth 1 point for a maximum of 10 points per day.
Tuesdays: "The Fourth Element"
"The Fourth Element" works much the same way as "Make the Connection", except we will deal with patterns and sequences.
I will show you three items in a sequence. You must not only determine the sequence but tell me what you would expect to come fourth in that sequence. Again, descriptions of the sequence must be specific and exact. Sequences involving wordplay and sequences that run in reverse order are a possibility.
Example question: June 6th, 1936 / July 7th, 1949 / August 8th, 1964 / _____
The correct fourth would be:
The sequence is:
Ten sequences will be presented each Tuesday. Each correct description is worth 1 point and each acceptable sequence completion is worth 1 point for a maximum of 20 points per day.
Wednesdays: "4-by-4"
You're still looking for common links amongst four items... but now you'll have the find the four items for yourself.
I will show you an assortment of 16 items. You must unscramble them in order to form four sets of four items, each with a unique connection. Like with the Monday and Tuesday games, you must specifically and exactly describe each connection. Wordplay is guaranteed to show up amongst the groups, too.
This format sounds simple enough, right? Not exactly.
Many of the items in each grid can fall into multiple categories, but if you put the wrong four items together, you will be unable to solve the entire grid and earn the maximum points. Any valid foursome and valid description you make, though, will earn you points.
Example grid:
Alda | Arkin | Bean | Bentley
Burghoff | Caesar | Farrell | Garden
Gould | Michigan | Pasta | Surrey
Sutherland | Waldorf | Watergate | Webster
The perfect solution would be:
1.
2.
3.
4.
As you can see, there are a number of dead ends in this grid that would try to prevent you from earning a perfect score.
Two different grids will be presented each Wednesday. Each foursome with a valid description is worth 2 points. (You must have both parts of the grouping correct in order to receive the points.) If you can successfully form all four foursomes and describe each foursome in a grid, you will receive a bonus 2 points. If you can fully solve both grids, you will receive a bonus 10 points. That is a maximum of 30 points per day.
One extra note about all Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday games: Since proper capitalization, punctuation, and italicization (or lack thereof) could give away one or more of the categories presented, all of the clues will be shown simply in all caps and without certain punctuation and italics.
And just to make the game even more interesting, each Monday and Tuesday game in Weeks 9-12 will include one picture question. You'll still have to figure out the connections, but you'll have the additional task of figuring out the pictures first. Pictures are necessary for these questions because typing the words and names will invariably give away the categories.
Thursdays: "Ten!"
This is the QoD format that all of you are most familiar with: Ten questions that follow a specific daily theme. Each correct answer is worth 4 points for a maximum of 40 points per day.
Fridays: "Fat Chance"
The final game of each week will give you an opportunity to gamble all, part, or none of your week's points on one final question.
Each "Fat Chance" question will be in the same category as that week's "Ten!" game. Before you can play, you must submit the percentage of your points (anything from 0%-100% is fine) for that week that you wish to gamble. This bet must be submitted with your "Ten!" answers in order for it to be accepted. If you do not follow protocol or if you fail to submit any bet, then you will automatically be assigned a bet of 0%.
All you have to do to win your bet is answer that one question correctly.
Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong again.
These are called "Fat Chance" questions because I believe there's a fat chance that you will get the correct answer. These questions will truly test your knowledge and instinct. Be sure to read and understand each question carefully because, in many cases, the most obvious answer is a wrong answer. If you give the most obvious answer and it's a wrong answer, you will lose your bet. (Any other wrong answer will not penalize you. It's only the pathetically obvious answers that will.)
All points in this contest will be rounded to two decimal places.
There are also bonus points that will be awarded at the end of each week based on how well you perform. I will explain those bonus points at the end of the first week of gameplay. These are the only bonus points that will be available throughout this game. No participation points, humor points, partial points, or points for interesting answers/comments will be awarded at any time. It's all about the knowledge here.
All I have to say after that is: Good luck. You're gonna need it.
This is guaranteed to be the biggest, the most intriguing, and the most challenging trivia game in Bored history--yes, even more challenging than my infamous Notorious Turkeys puzzle from last summer. This is a Tangredi game on steroids. We will determine, once and for all, who is the second smartest person on the WWTBAM Bored. (I am the smartest person on the Bored because only a genius can come up with questions like these, so that title is out of play.
)This ultimate general knowledge and lateral thinking competition will run 5 days a week for a total of 12 weeks. There will be two intermissions as I have two vacations that will occur during this contest--a week-long vacation in May and a two-week-long vacation around Independence Day. We will begin on Monday April 7 and end (tentatively) on Friday July 18.
Five different types of games will be played over the course of these 12 weeks. Each weekday will have its own type of game. The first three formats should be very familiar to those of you who have heard of the British quiz show "Only Connect". If you haven't heard of this show, here is an episode of it. (All of you should immediately recognize one of the contestants in this particular episode.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKAR8eadsw
Questions will get harder as this series progresses, but the points will increase. Weeks 1-4 will be relatively easy. Weeks 5-8 will be of moderate difficulty, but all point values will be doubled. Weeks 9-12 will range from difficult to downright evil, but all point values will be doubled again.
Normally, this would be the point where the host tells the players not to Google any of the answers. But considering the nature of most of the questions I will be asking, Googling may not be a whole lot of help anyway. Of course, you should always use spoiler spaces in your answers.
Mondays: "Make the Connection"
I will show you a list of four items. All you have to do is tell me what those four items have in common. Your answers must be as specific and exact as possible. If even one word of your description doesn't apply to all four items or if I feel that you answer is too vague, you will not score. And be on the lookout for lists that involve wordplay.
Example question: The Stranger / Pumped Up Kicks / Wind of Change / Don't Worry Be Happy
The correct answer would be:
Spoiler
Songs that feature whistling sections
Ten foursomes will be presented each Monday. Each correct description is worth 1 point for a maximum of 10 points per day.
Tuesdays: "The Fourth Element"
"The Fourth Element" works much the same way as "Make the Connection", except we will deal with patterns and sequences.
I will show you three items in a sequence. You must not only determine the sequence but tell me what you would expect to come fourth in that sequence. Again, descriptions of the sequence must be specific and exact. Sequences involving wordplay and sequences that run in reverse order are a possibility.
Example question: June 6th, 1936 / July 7th, 1949 / August 8th, 1964 / _____
The correct fourth would be:
Spoiler
September 9th, 1981
Spoiler
Successive dates that consist of square numbers (6/6/36, 7/7/49, 8/8/64, 9/9/81)
Wednesdays: "4-by-4"
You're still looking for common links amongst four items... but now you'll have the find the four items for yourself.
I will show you an assortment of 16 items. You must unscramble them in order to form four sets of four items, each with a unique connection. Like with the Monday and Tuesday games, you must specifically and exactly describe each connection. Wordplay is guaranteed to show up amongst the groups, too.
This format sounds simple enough, right? Not exactly.
Many of the items in each grid can fall into multiple categories, but if you put the wrong four items together, you will be unable to solve the entire grid and earn the maximum points. Any valid foursome and valid description you make, though, will earn you points.
Example grid:
Alda | Arkin | Bean | Bentley
Burghoff | Caesar | Farrell | Garden
Gould | Michigan | Pasta | Surrey
Sutherland | Waldorf | Watergate | Webster
The perfect solution would be:
1.
Spoiler
Arkin | Burghoff | Gould | Sutherland -- actors in the film "MASH" (David Arkin, Gary Burghoff, Elliott Gould, Donald Sutherland)
Spoiler
Alda | Farrell | Garden | Pasta -- operatic sopranos (Frances Alda, Eileen Farrell, Mary Garden, Giuditta Pasta)
Spoiler
Bean | Caesar | Michigan | Watergate -- salads
Spoiler
Bentley | Surrey | Waldorf | Webster -- hotels in New York City
Spoiler
Alda (Alan) and Farrell (Mike) make you think of "MASH", but neither one was in the film. Watergate is a famous hotel, but it's not in New York City. Sutherland (Joan) was an operatic soprano. Garden, pasta, and Waldorf are salads. Alda, Arkin, Bean, Farrell, Gould, Sutherland, and Webster are all surnames of famous people named Alan.
One extra note about all Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday games: Since proper capitalization, punctuation, and italicization (or lack thereof) could give away one or more of the categories presented, all of the clues will be shown simply in all caps and without certain punctuation and italics.
And just to make the game even more interesting, each Monday and Tuesday game in Weeks 9-12 will include one picture question. You'll still have to figure out the connections, but you'll have the additional task of figuring out the pictures first. Pictures are necessary for these questions because typing the words and names will invariably give away the categories.
Thursdays: "Ten!"
This is the QoD format that all of you are most familiar with: Ten questions that follow a specific daily theme. Each correct answer is worth 4 points for a maximum of 40 points per day.
Fridays: "Fat Chance"
The final game of each week will give you an opportunity to gamble all, part, or none of your week's points on one final question.
Each "Fat Chance" question will be in the same category as that week's "Ten!" game. Before you can play, you must submit the percentage of your points (anything from 0%-100% is fine) for that week that you wish to gamble. This bet must be submitted with your "Ten!" answers in order for it to be accepted. If you do not follow protocol or if you fail to submit any bet, then you will automatically be assigned a bet of 0%.
All you have to do to win your bet is answer that one question correctly.
Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong again.
These are called "Fat Chance" questions because I believe there's a fat chance that you will get the correct answer. These questions will truly test your knowledge and instinct. Be sure to read and understand each question carefully because, in many cases, the most obvious answer is a wrong answer. If you give the most obvious answer and it's a wrong answer, you will lose your bet. (Any other wrong answer will not penalize you. It's only the pathetically obvious answers that will.)
All points in this contest will be rounded to two decimal places.
There are also bonus points that will be awarded at the end of each week based on how well you perform. I will explain those bonus points at the end of the first week of gameplay. These are the only bonus points that will be available throughout this game. No participation points, humor points, partial points, or points for interesting answers/comments will be awarded at any time. It's all about the knowledge here.
All I have to say after that is: Good luck. You're gonna need it.