The Alex City Quiz 2010

The third annual Alex City Quiz took place at the London Stock Exchange on Monday 22nd March 2010.

Making his apologies for Alex’s absence, Mr Robert Bathurst took time off from treading the boards in Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter” to host the evening. Sixteen teams, mainly from the world of broking and financial PR, competed for this year’s trophy (a couple of teams had followed Alex’s example in dropping out at the last minute, no doubt trying to suggest to their competitors that they were closing some big deal). Robert complimented the participants for managing to get along on a Monday night, leaving their loved ones at home. Though he also noted that the loved ones were no doubt relieved that in the age of the BlackBerry they no longer have to spend the whole evening sitting by the phone with a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica waiting for a desperate call from the loos. In enjoining people to switch off their mobiles Robert pointed out that security at the quiz would be strictly enforced by FSA-trained staff. And so probably one wrongdoer would be caught. In about twelve years’ time.

The evening’s questions were set by Russell Taylor, writer of the Alex cartoon, and Marcus Berkmann, renowned author of books on quizzing and cricket. Sadly there was no spread betting round this year, ostensibly out of deference to the government’s policy of discouraging excessive risk-taking in the financial sector, but actually due to the absence of regular host David Buik. So the quiz was conducted over eight keenly-contested rounds, with questions on history, the arts, sport, music, movies and current affairs. For their own good participants were spared having to demonstrate any knowledge of business or finance. As ever the teams proved their mettle on the sport and pop music questions, but were a little rusty on literature and history.

In a departure from the norm the two teams who had alternated in taking first and second places over the previous two years – The Kew Gunslingers and Seymour Piercings - found themselves this year relegated to mid-table mediocrity. They both blamed this on losing key members of their team, to a PTA evening and gardening leave respectively.

The winning team – the Rat Pack – were one of the few examples in history of a corporate merger delivering genuine qualitative improvement. This team, representing the newly-combined Pelham Bell Pottinger, swept to an imperious victory by a ten point margin, largely thanks to playing their joker on the Sports Round and scoring maximum points. Their captain Damian Beeley (ex Pelham), whose self-confessed contribution to his team’s performance was mainly in motivational and man management skills (though he did demonstrate a useful knowledge of Sam Brown’s back catalogue) was quick to ascribe his team’s triumph to the fact that the only other Pelham representative had dropped out at the last moment.

The second placed team, representing Oriel, also attributed their success to the fecklessness of colleagues. Last minute wimp-outs caused them to reduce their presence from two teams to one and this concentrated force scored 140 points out of a possible 180. They may have shot themselves in the foot however, as their management will no doubt use this as a vindication for any future headcount rationalisation program.

Dunce’s Progress demonstrated the aptness of their name by securing third position with a total of 138 points. Another appropriately named team was from the evening’s munificent hosts RNS. They had dubbed themselves Podium Finish and their captain did indeed find himself on the rostrum with Mr Bathurst at the end of the quiz, but sadly only to accept the wooden spoon prize for last place (with a nevertheless admirable tally of 98 points). They received an autographed copy of Mr Berkmann’s seminal tome on quizzing “The Prince of Wales (Highgate) Quiz Book”. This was the second time in a year that they had come last and indeed won the same booby prize. They might be advised to actually read it ahead of next year’s competition. (Of course they claim that they deliberately threw the competition to diffuse any accusations of favouritism).

The clear margin between the wining teams meant that we were sadly unable to use our tie-break question: how long does it take for a baby giraffe to grow to the same height as Tom Cruise?

Olivia Goodall from Financial Dynamics won the coveted prize of that day's framed and signed Alex cartoon original in the Snowball round. Her business card was drawn out of the jar and she was able to answer a question about Alex (correctly identifying that Alex's wife's new job is as a counsellor).

Overall the event raised £3,340 for our nominated charity London’s Air Ambulance, which is not a bad effort for a Monday night in a Recession. As Mr Bathurst pointed out in his opening remarks, this was about as close to buying a helicopter as any of the participants were likely to get this year.

No one went home empty handed and a generously stocked goodie bag was collected by each participant as they departed. This was not enough for one team who also helped themselves to a life sized cut-out of Alex, thus not only affronting quizzing etiquette but somehow breaching the very strict security at the Stock Exchange by smuggling him out of the building without a security pass. The guilty parties (the Kew Gunslingers) have since confessed to the crime and have been persuaded to return Alex, especially as, post credit crunch, the ransom value for bankers is rather on the low side.

In the meantime many thanks to all participants and helpers. And if you happen to be in Bath next week please do go and see Robert Bathurst in his excellent production of “Present Laughter” at the Theatre Royal.

Bookings are already being taken for next year’s event. If you want to know how you might fare here is the opening round of the 2010 quiz. As our charity was London’s Air Ambulance these are ten questions with the word “air” in the answer. The customary nice easy one to start..

1. Which actress and sometime TV presenter founded the production company Airhead Pictures, an allusion to her own reputation as a dumb blonde?

2. Name the Australian soft rock band whose biggest UK hit was All Out of Love in 1980.

3. It was designed in England in 1938 by William Paterson and Oscar Carl Kerrison but named in honour of the Lord Privy Seal at the time. What was it?

4. The slow movement of Bach’s orchestral suite No 3 in D major is better known under what name?

5. What rank comes immediately above Group Captain in the RAF?

6. The World Championships have been held in Oulu in Finland since 1996. Marks out of six are awarded by judges in three categories: for Technical Merit, Stage Presence and “Airness”. What discipline is this?

7. It was invented in 1902 by Willis Haviland Carrier to solve problems in a printing company in Brooklyn. In wide use all over the world today, what it is?

8. Which George Orwell novel tells the story of George Bowling, a middle aged insurance salesman, who takes a nostalgic trip to the town where he grew up?

9. Which American sitcom which ran from 1990 – 1996 made its lead actor into a chart-topping solo pop artist and a major movie star?

10. Originally invented in 1876 and very popular in the 1970s, it has largely been superseded by digital technology these days, but its name lives on in an expression meaning “to enhance or deliberately obscure”. What is it?

For answers, or to register for next year’s quiz, please email Alex.