Cruciverbalists v Belgae Hive Minds

Welcome to Hive Minds,

the quiz were simply knowing the answers isn't enough -

you've got to find them, as well.

We have reached the semifinal stage of the competition.

A place in the final for our winners is at stake. Let's meet them.

Cruciverbalists, good to see you again.

Would you like to introduce yourselves?

I'm David, I'm a finance manager from Glasgow.

I'm Jane, I'm an information design consultant from York.

I'm Dave and I'm an enquiry officer for ombudsman services

and I'm from Warrington.

Now, Cruciverbalists, meaning doers of crosswords.

So I'm assuming you're all demon crossword whizzes.

-We are, yes.

-Like to think so.

So, if you were doing the Times cryptic crossword,

how long would it take you?

-Depends...

-15, 20 minutes.

-Yes. Depending on the set-up.

Quickest I've ever done it is about six-and-a-half minutes,

but usually it takes a lot longer.

That's still pretty impressive, isn't it, Belgae?

Are you intimidated by that?

-Yes.

-Belgae, good to see you again.

Introduce yourselves, please.

Hi, I'm Helen, I'm an actuary from Winchester.

I'm Richard, I'm an actuary, also from Winchester.

I'm Linda, I'm a writer from Winchester.

Hence the name, Belgae, the warriors of Winchester.

Best of luck to both of you.

Let's play Hive Minds.

All the answers are hidden in a hive which looks like this.

And if the answer to my question was

what are the names of this week's teams,

you'd be looking for Cruciverbalists, there it is,

and Belgae.

And as you can see, answers use adjoining cells.

They can go in any direction, and no cell is used more than once.

In round one, as you're looking for answers in the hive,

the letters will start to disappear and as they do, the points go down.

So the faster you answer, the more you score.

Watch out, there are little traps in there, little blind alleys,

be careful. Cruciverbalists, here's your first question.

When you think you've found the answer,

hit the first letter to stop the clock.

Find one of the four novels

that make up Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet.

Reveal the hive.

What were they called?

Balthazar...? Balthazar.

Balthazar.

Your answer's Balthazar.

I'm afraid you haven't found the right answer.

Let's see what you would have been left with, Belgae,

and I'll throw it over to you for a bonus point.

Er...

-Any ideas?

-Just press T.

No, doesn't look like it.

Belgae, I'm sorry, you ran out of time.

But just out of interest, you pressed M.

-What would you have put?

-I was going for Mount,

having only just found the word, but...

You wouldn't have got it, anyway.

The answer we wanted was Mountolive.

What were the other three novels?

Anyone? Justine, Balthazar...

Clea...was the third.

Belgae, let's see how you get on with this one.

Find the Russian composer who was one of the group known as the five.

Reveal the hive.

OK...

Double-check.

No, just a...

Tchaikovsky's nearly there, but not.

OK. No...

Three points now.

Right.

Erm...

-Mussorgsky! Mussorgsky!

-OK.

-Your answer?

-Mussorgsky.

I'm afraid you haven't found the right answer.

I'm going to throw it over to you, Cruciverbalists, for a bonus point.

Borodin.

B for Borodin.

Yes.

Now, Mussorgsky was nearly in there.

That's why you saw it.

And he was one of the five, so you had Borodin, Mussorgsky,

Cui, Balakirev, and Rimsky-Korsakov.

So, Cruciverbalists, you have gained one point there.

Well stolen from Belgae.

I'm still with you, Cruciverbalists.

Find a US state with more vowels than consonants in its name.

Reveal the hive.

Omaha.

Omaha is not a state.

Iowa. No, it's not there.

-Hawaii.

-Is it there?

No, it's not there.

Not there, no.

Ohio...

Florida...

-Florida's not there.

-Iowa. No?

It's not there.

One point now. Oh...

Gosh.

Belgae, can you steal a point back?

-We'll try.

-No, it's not there.

No, out of time.

Well, there are ten US state names

containing more vowels than consonants in its name.

Alabama.

That's nearly there.

Louisiana...is there.

ALL GASP

-You're all kicking yourselves now, aren't you?

-Yes!

All right, Belgae, let's see if we can get you in the game.

Find a prehistoric supercontinent.

Reveal the hive.

It's going to be Gondwanaland. Gondwana, is that there?

-How do you spell it?

-Gond...

G-O-N-D...

I think... I think, go, yeah.

-Your answer?

-Gondwana.

Let's see if you're right.

Gondwana, for four points.

And that's taken you into the lead, Belgae, you're on four.

Cruciverbalists, you're on one.

And we're going to make it a little bit more complicated now.

I'm looking for two answers, and you want both to score the points.

Cruciverbalists, find a Fifa World Cup-winning captain

and his country.

Reveal the hive.

So Beckenbauer, Germany.

Er...

-No...

-France is here.

Is Platini there? No.

Drogba? No.

Who was the captain when France won it?

Your answer? France and Deschamps?

France and Deschamps. Let's see if you're right.

Deschamps, Didier Deschamps, and France.

Belgae, find a fictional TV detective

and the city in which they worked.

Reveal the hive.

It's going to be a Morse and Oxford?

Morse is there.

Er... Oxford's not there.

No, it isn't. OK, so...

-What else can we say?

-What we've got, er...

-West...

-For three points now.

No, no...

Who else is there?

Oh, we've got Glasgow.

OK, go.

And?

-What's his name?

-Oh... Oh...

I'm going to throw it over to you, Cruciverbalists, for a bonus point?

-Taggart and Glasgow.

-Need your answer.

-Pressed the wrong G.

-Your answer was?

Taggart and Glasgow.

Taggart and Glasgow. Let's see if you're right.

You haven't found the right answer.

We were after Taggart and Glasgow,

but you didn't put it in the right place.

You couldn't get it that way,

and if you'd got that point it would've brought you neck and neck.

Cruciverbalists, you're still behind by one point.

Let's see if you can make it up now.

Find a chef and the location of his flagship restaurant.

Reveal the hive.

Blumenthal, yes, is there.

And...

Bray. Yes.

Not that B! No, it's that one.

-Your answer?

-Blumenthal and Bray.

Blumenthal, Heston Blumenthal and Bray.

Let's see if you're right.

Blumenthal, there it is.

And Bray, for three points.

-And what's the name of his restaurant? Anyone know?

-Fat Duck.

The Fat Duck. Specialist dishes?

-Snail porridge.

-Snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream.

Cruciverbalists, you're now in the lead.

Belgae, let's see if you can catch up.

Find a country and the birds that appears on its national flag.

-Reveal the hive.

-Mexico and Hawk, do you think?

Erm...

Well, Mexico's not there, so it's not that one.

-OK.

-What other...?

What are the countries? Let's just think for countries.

Er...

OK.

Has Argentina got...?

-No.

-Is Argentina there?

No.

-Belize.

-No.

No, I can't think...

-No.

-No.

OUT-OF-TIME BUZZER

That's got you stumped. Cruciverbalists, any ideas?

-Guatemala and Quetzal.

-Guatemala and Quetzal.

Let's see if you're right.

There it is.

And Quetzal - the national bird of Guatemala.

Where does that leave us? You snatched the point there.

Cruciverbalists, you're in the lead with seven.

Belgae, you've got a little way to make up, you're on four.

In round two you will each face two hives containing three answers

relating to a specific topic.

You have 45 seconds to complete each hive

and you can score a maximum of five points.

Cruciverbalists, you're in the lead, so you get to choose first from...

-Which will it be?

-For me, it's either science or literature.

-Literature or science?

-Literature or film for me.

But... So, literature seems to be common there.

It seems like the common one, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-We will go literature.

You've chosen literature. When I reveal the question,

you'll have ten seconds to confer as a team,

and then you're answering on your own.

You've got two passes, but remember, one wrong answer

and your team will be locked out of the hive.

You've chosen literature,

you're looking for pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

You've ten seconds to confer.

-The pardoner...

-Can you speak up?

Speak up a little bit. Mercer...

Knight, pardoner, mercer, there's something...

-Almonor.

-Almonor.

There's...

-Time's up.

-Yeah.

David, we're starting with you.

You've 45 seconds, reveal the hive.

-Pass.

-Jane.

-Pardoner.

-Pardoner.

Correct. Dave.

You can pass.

-Pass.

-David.

No more passes.

No can't. Knight's nearly there, mercer's nearly there.

No.

-See it?

-I've just seen...

Saw it after I passed.

-What have you just seen?

-Merchant.

Merchant was in there, as well.

And finally, Reeve.

Those were the three you needed, you got a one out of the three,

so you've got one point and that takes you up to eight.

Belgae, over to you now.

You can choose from...

I think this is going to be the science round. Absolutely.

-It's as obvious as that.

-It is!

For the three of you, it's science.

Your question is...

Branches of biology.

You've ten seconds to confer.

-Zoology?

-Zoology, molecular biology.

Psychology...

Botany?

Time's up.

Helen, we're going to start with you.

Reveal the hive.

Pass.

Richard.

I'm going...

-Botany.

-Botany, correct.

Linda.

One pass remaining.

-15 seconds.

-Pass.

Helen.

You're timed out of the hive.

So, you got botany for one point out of a possible five.

Can you spot any of the others?

-Genetics.

-Oh.

Genetics, the study of heredity.

And there is one more in there.

Mycology. Those were the three we needed.

You've got one and that brings you up, Belgae, to five.

We're back with you, Cruciverbalists.

Which topic would you like?

Which will it be?

Anything but European politics.

Yeah, anything but European politics.

It's up to you two, choose between you.

After the popular music in the last one,

I think we should probably try something else.

-Film.

-We'll go film.

-We'll try film.

-OK, you've chosen film.

You will be looking for actors who appeared

in Four Weddings And A Funeral. Ten seconds to confer.

Callow, Grant, Coleman.

-Atkinson.

-Atkinson.

What's the name of Duck Face?

Big tall lady, American lady, Andie MacDowell.

Time's up.

Jane, you've 45 seconds.

Reveal the hive.

Pass.

Dave. There's one pass remaining.

Atkinson.

Atkinson, correct.

David.

-MacDowell.

-MacDowell, correct, Jane.

You still have one pass.

-Pass.

-Dave.

No more passes.

-What were you going for there?

-Hall.

Completely made up name.

Well, good try! I like your style.

-No, it was...

-When you were chatting before

and you were talking about duck face,

-you are trying to think who was it?

-Chancellor.

-Anna Chancellor.

-Chancellor.

-Chancellor.

-Anna Chancellor,

that's what you needed, and that would have got you the five points.

So, you got two, Cruciverbalists, that takes you up to ten.

Belgae, if you get all five points,

you could draw level with the Cruciverbalists.

You get to choose from...

-Which will it be?

-It's got to be the music.

Let's hope for the '80s.

Let's go popular music.

OK, you've chosen popular music.

Your question is...

animals appearing in the titles of Beatles songs.

You've ten seconds to confer.

-Walrus.

-A walrus, yeah.

Bird...

-I'm not good on...

-No.

Dog, cat? Tiger?

Time's up.

Richard, we're starting with you.

Reveal the hive.

-Walrus.

-Walrus, correct.

Linda.

Two passes remaining.

You can pass.

Puppy?

You said that so hopefully, as well.

Is there a Beatles song with puppy in the title?

There's Puppy Love, but that is by The Osmonds.

It certainly is by The Osmonds!

What did you get? You got walrus. Of course, I Am The Walrus.

That's the one you got for one point.

Donkey is in there!

It's not donkey, you're close, it's monkey.

-Oh!

-Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey.

And then there's one more in there, a creature that lives under the sea.

-Octopus...

-Octopus, Octopus's Garden.

That was a little Ringo Starr number.

So, out of five you've got one, for Walrus.

That takes you to six, Belgae.

Cruciverbalists are on ten.

There's not too much between you as we come into Round Three,

where you're each faced with a super hive,

and you're looking for a number of answers that fit a certain category.

Your challenge is to use every letter to find one perfect solution.

Cruciverbalists, it's your turn.

Which hive are you going to go for? The A hive or the B hive?

We'll stick with the A hive, please.

The A hive. Well, that's served you well so far.

You have two minutes and you're looking for...

Roman authors.

Reveal the hive.

Horace. Ovid.

Ovid...

Juvenal is down here.

-Shall we start with Juvenal?

-Yeah, go for it. Go for it.

-Aeschylus.

-Catullus.

Yeah, go for Catullus first.

-There's "lus" there.

-Virgil.

-Shall we put it in?

-Virgil.

Yes, put it in for now.

I've a feeling Livy might be there, but never mind.

Erm...

Lucretius is there.

Is it? OK... Put it in.

-Seneca.

-Seneca.

Pliny?

I don't think that's right at the bottom.

OK. Lock it in for a moment.

Yes.

Um...

Something at the bottom is not right there.

No, I think we've gone wrong.

Um...

Don't get rid of any others until...

-Sallust!

-Is that...

-somebody?

-Yes.

I believe you.

So...

Um...

No.

Um...

It's not right, is it?

-That's not right.

-30 seconds to go.

There's no Obilt.

We've got, we got... Don't...

Are you sure Sallust's right?

Because Livy is there.

Hang on, we haven't spelt Catullus right, have we?

-No, we've not spelt Catullus right.

-Haven't we?

-No.

-Why not?

-It's two Ls.

-It's...

-Go for it, then.

-It's either that or Virgil?

Quickly. We've lost it.

Either that or Virgil.

-You should've...

-It's there, Virgil's that one.

Right, so what did you find of your Roman authors?

They are all Roman authors, of course,

so you get six points for that.

But did they all form part of the perfect solution?

Let's have a look.

So, Virgil was in the wrong place.

What you needed was Cato...

Oh.

Similar to Catullus, but Tibullus.

-Virgil.

-Let's show you where Virgil goes.

That's what you needed.

-OK.

-There are a couple of others hiding in there.

Lucan is in there. Livy, you wanted Livy, didn't you, David?

You desperately wanted him.

Except it would not have been part of the perfect solution.

Out of a full ten points you got six, Cruciverbalists,

that puts you on 16.

Belgae, over to you.

You've got ten points to play for.

If you get them all, you've drawn level.

You are left with the B hive.

You're looking for culinary herbs and spices.

Reveal the hive.

-OK.

-I can see...

-What can we see down here?

-Fenugreek's up there.

Right, shall I put fenugreek in?

Just put it in, but...

-Let's see if...

-Oh, mace is there.

-No, it's not, sorry.

-It is there if that's...

But let's start on another corner

and see what we can get.

OK.

Paprika's not there, is it?

Ore...

Ore...

-Oregano?

-No, not quite.

-No.

-No. Um...

-No, let's...

-Borage is there.

Either E.

-Go for that one?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Um... What could that be?

Rine?

Margerine? No.

Something... Sage is there, isn't it?

You're left with that E then, aren't we?

-We've got anise.

-OK.

-Anise, yes.

-OK.

-Fennel was there, wasn't it?

Shall we get rid of fenugreek?

Yes, OK.

-OK.

-Then shall we put mace in?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Now coming down here...

-Right.

-Gus, rus, at the end?

Er...

Right.

Right.

-Must be something...

-Thyme.

30 seconds to go.

-Thyme.

-Right, now...

Is paprika there? Paprika must be there.

OK.

-OK, so what's...

-Nutmeg.

OK.

Ring. Something ring, isn't it?

There must be...

No.

Must be something like this.

That well-known culinary herb and spice, "ring".

-Yes!

-Whatever that is.

Right, let's see what you ended up with.

So, you chose...

So, you've got six herbs and spices there,

so that's six points out of a possible ten.

Are they part of the perfect solution?

By putting mace in there you couldn't get sumac.

That's what you needed there.

Borage, you needed it there

in order to leave you space for wintergreen...

and ginger.

So, well done for taking fenugreek out,

because fenugreek was a red herring in there.

There are a couple of others lurking in there.

Sage and basil.

You ended up with six out of a possible ten,

that's pretty respectable.

Belgae, you're on 12, Cruciverbalists, you're on 16.

This time the hives are filled with answers.

If you pay attention you might spot an answer

to a question you haven't even heard yet.

Fingers on buzzers.

Reveal the hive.

Find a region of north-eastern Spain.

Cruciverbalists?

-Aragon.

-Aragon, correct.

A Charles Dickens title character.

Cruciverbalists?

-Rudge.

-Rudge. Barnaby Rudge.

You're pulling ahead.

A Danish philosopher.

Cruciverbalists?

-Kierkegaard.

-Kierkegaard, indeed.

Come on, Belgae.

A Japanese martial art.

Belgae?

-Kendo.

-That was the encouragement you needed. Kendo.

An acute bacterial disease.

Belgae?

-Anthrax.

-Anthrax, correct.

Five points between you now.

An English jazz composer and saxophonist.

Cruciverbalists?

-Dankworth.

-Dankworth, Johnny Dankworth.

Let's refresh the hive.

Find a chess piece.

Cruciverbalists?

-Bishop.

-Bishop, correct.

You get the point.

A fast food entrepreneur.

Cruciverbalists?

-Sanders.

-Sanders, Colonel Sanders.

A Sicilian city.

Belgae?

-Syracuse.

-Syracuse, correct.

A flowering plant of the mallow family.

Cruciverbalists?

-Hibiscus.

-Hibiscus, it is.

Nickname of a Spice Girl.

Belgae?

-Scary.

-You know your Spice Girls. Scary, Mel B.

A Scottish football club.

Belgae?

Rangers?

You lose a point, Belgae.

You can't afford to do that at this stage, it's Hibernian.

Let's refresh the hive.

An edible cephalopod.

Cruciverbalists?

-Squid.

-Squid, correct.

A member of the comedy trio The Goodies.

Cruciverbalists?

Garden.

You lose a point!

Oddie. We're after Oddie, Bill Oddie.

Just couldn't quite get it.

One of Jesus's 12 disciples.

Belgae?

-Thomas.

-Thomas, correct.

A Liberal Prime Minister.

Cruciverbalists?

-Asquith.

-Asquith, Herbert Henry Asquith.

Find an American linguist and philosopher.

Cruciverbalists?

-Chomsky.

-Noam Chomsky, correct.

A fictional sport.

Cruciverbalists?

-Quidditch.

-Quidditch, it is.

END-OF-ROUND JINGLE

Harry Potter, of course.

Oh! So, where are we?

Belgae, you're on 16.

Cruciverbalists, well done.

You have romped away in that round with 26.

You are through to the final!

-Hooray!

-Belgae, commiserations.

You have been great sports in this series.

Well done, sorry to let you go.

Cruciverbalists, I'll be seeing you again.

-Great.

-Join us for more word-based wizardry in Hive Minds next time.

But before we go, here's one just for you at home.

Find a person to whom one of Elgar's Enigma Variations

is dedicated. Bye-bye.

You did really, really well...