Episode 11 Beat the Brain

Hello there. It's me, the friendly Brain.

Our contestants today have one aim, to beat me.

Do you think you could?

See if you can, by having a go at these puzzling little posers.

Use the clue to find the word.

And what about this one?

Memorise the order of the colours in the musical sequence.

Are you satisfied you got them right?

Find out when I give you the answers at the end of the show.

Now, let's see if our team go home happy today,

as they try to Beat The Brain.

APPLAUSE

Please welcome the man who runs rings around everybody, John Craven.

Well, thank you very much indeed, and welcome to Beat The Brain.

Now, over the next half-hour,

you'll have the chance to give yourself a mental tune-up

by taking on an array of fiendish problems, puzzles and posers.

So, let's meet the Brain who's always teasing.

-Are you there, Brain?

-Oh, yes. I'm always here for you, John.

Oh, Brain, really! I bet you're not going to be as nice to our team.

Let's meet them now. Please introduce yourselves.

I'm James, and I'm a student.

I'm Kyle, and I'm a fitness instructor.

I'm Aly, and I'm an actress.

I'm Shireenah, I'm team captain, and I'm a children's entertainer.

Well, welcome, everybody. You're calling yourselves Midlands Minds.

-Why is that?

-Well, we're all from the Midlands,

-and we all have great minds.

-THEY LAUGH

-So, how do you know each other?

-Me, James and Kyle are school friends,

-and then Aly is a recent addition to the group.

-Yes.

-She's the newbie.

Somebody told me you have your own kind of language between each other.

Well, those three do.

Give me an example of that, then?

I think the most common one is "mashed".

So, it's just a way to describe anything that's negative,

or in any kind of derogatory kind of way.

So, if, say, you made the tea wrong, you'd be like, "Oh, that's mashed".

-Or, if you tripped up the stairs...

-Mashed tea!

-"Oh, that's mashed."

-And how are you feeling today?

-Mashed!

THEY LAUGH TOGETHER

-We're ready.

-We're Midlands Minds.

-Are you ready to play?

-Yeah.

-Good.

This is how it works. The show's Brain is divided into six Zones.

Now, The Brain will select four of these six categories

for you to play today.

And Shireenah, as captain, you must then nominate

which member of the team you think will be best

at playing that particular Zone, OK?

You'll be playing for time instead of points.

With every correct answer adding three seconds to your total,

to your Brain Bank. The more time you build up,

the more chance you have of Beating The Brain today

and, in the final, walking away with a jackpot of £3,000.

-So, Midlands Minds, shall we play?

-ALL:

-Yeah!

Okey dokey, it's time to find out which Zone you'll be facing first.

Brain? A Zone, please?

Memory. So, Shireenah, who do you think for the Memory Zone?

-I think Aly at memory.

-OK.

You can get it over and done with. Get us some points.

-Yeah, I think we're going to go with Aly.

-That's the final decision?

Come on, Aly, come and join me in the Memory Zone.

APPLAUSE

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Nice to see you.

-And you.

Are you happy being nominated for this Zone?

Yeah, a little bit, yeah.

-Being an actress, you have to learn lines and memorise them.

-Exactly.

-Have you ever forgotten any?

-Um, almost.

There was one occasion when I did suffer from stage fright a bit,

and my leg was going like that.

It was Shakespeare as well, and you can't really make up Shakespeare.

And the words were going through my head, onstage,

and then it came out, it just came out.

So it was all right, but almost.

-Shall we see what The Brain's got in store for you?

-Yeah.

-OK.

You'll play two games in this Zone,

and both games have three questions worth three seconds each.

So, Brain, what's the first game?

-Hello, Aly.

-Hello.

I've heard that some of the finest actresses come from the Midlands.

Who's your favourite Midland actress?

-ALY GIGGLES

-Erm....

Josie Lawrence?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Erm, I don't know about that.

OK, let's get on with the first game, shall we?

Your first game is...

-Identify the winning line in this game of noughts and crosses.

-OK.

Have a trial run.

Which one of those?

-I think it was D.

-You think it was D. Let's see if it's correct.

-No problem there, Aly.

-I know, that was good.

-Let's do it for real.

-Please remember, Aly, I can only accept your first answer.

-OK.

Every correct answer will add three seconds to your Brain Bank.

Your game starts now.

Which of those four options?

-A.

-A, you say?

-Yep.

-Let's see if you're correct?

-You are, indeed.

-Yes!

-So, on to the next one.

-Which one are you saying?

-Ooh.

-Erm, oh, no. Let's go for D. I don't think it was.

-D?

-Yeah.

-Oh!

-No, it was C, oh, dear.

-OK. No worries.

Anyway, here comes the last one.

What are you thinking there?

-Which of those four?

-Erm.

-I think it might be B.

-B, you think? Let's see if you are correct.

-And you are.

-Hurray, that's brilliant.

-Excellent.

-That's not a bad start.

-No, that's all right.

Let's see what The Brain has in store for you now, in game two.

I'm going to give you a second chance here, Aly,

with game number two.

Thank you.

Repeat the order in which the colours flash.

To get your eye in, have a trial run.

-So, what do you think they are?

-Yellow, black, blue, purple.

Yellow, black, blue, purple?

-Well done. Well, that was correct. OK, ready to play?

-Ready to play.

-Off we go.

-Your game starts now.

Purple, green, black, blue, white.

Yes, well done.

Here comes the second one.

Pink, green, blue, yellow, black, yellow?

JOHN READS OUT THE ANSWER

-Well done, yeah, good. That was a hard one.

-That was hard.

Here we go again.

Green, blue, black, purple...

..blue, black, white.

Let's see if that's correct.

Ooh. I think I got green wrong. I think I said black.

Oh, well. That's not bad at all.

-It was all right, wasn't it?

-Yes. Brain, your comments?

Well, she did very well.

And, Aly, now you've had time to think about it,

who's your favourite actress in the Midlands?

Ooh, I think I might have to go with Josie Lawrence.

Huh. I'd have to agree.

Aly, you added 12 seconds in that Zone, which means Midlands Minds,

you have 12 seconds in your Brain Bank.

Thank you.

You have given the team a very good start there, Aly. Good.

Go and rejoin Midlands Minds.

And it's time to find out now what our next Zone is going to be,

and who is going to take it on. So, Brain, a Zone, please.

Observation.

So. Shireenah, who are you choosing for Observation?

-I think myself.

-Is that your strongest?

Yeah, I feel like I'm quite observant.

-You're volunteering Shireenah.

-Yep.

-THEY ALL LAUGH

Come and join me, then.

APPLAUSE

-Hello.

-How are you?

-Fine, thank you.

-Good.

It's a lovely name, I've never heard of it before.

I actually haven't met anyone else with it. Quite a unique name.

-Shireen, yes, but Shireenah.

-Yeah. Very unique, like my parents!

-Are you a unique kind of person, you reckon?

-I'd say so, yeah.

A lot of things I do, I'm quite peculiar.

-I wonder how you're going to do in Observation.

-Hopefully very well.

I'm quite observant, I'm usually quite aware of things that go on.

-Let's see if that confidence pays off.

-Let's hope so, yep.

Brain, please reveal the first game that Shireenah will be playing.

Hello, weird and wonderful Shireenah!

Hello, weird and wonderful Brain!

-As a children's entertainer, do you do animal noises?

-I do, sadly, yeah.

Give me your best one.

SHE COOS LIKE A PIGEON

-John, there's a pigeon in the studio!

-Well, yes.

Oh, and look what it's done!

THEY LAUGH

Here's your first game.

Count the number of missing bricks.

-To give you some practice, Shireenah, have a trial run.

-OK.

-How many bricks have gone? Whole bricks.

-Seven, eight...

9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

13, you're saying. Let's see if that's correct.

-14, just one out. So, are you ready to play?

-I guess so, yeah.

Please, Brain, let's do it for real.

Remember, Shireenah, you only have 45 seconds to answer three questions.

-OK.

-I can only accept your first answer.

-OK.

Your game starts now.

SHE MOUTHS

-How many?

-20.

-20, you say.

Well done, good.

-And you've got 30 seconds left.

-OK.

-18.

-18, this time. Is that correct?

It is, indeed. 20 seconds to go. One more.

-15, 16, 17, 18.

-18.

-23.

23 is your final answer.

21.

-Almost there, weren't you?

-Yeah.

-Roll with the second one?

-Yeah, I think so.

-Next game, please.

-Here's your second game, Shireenah.

-OK.

-Count the number of times the lights come on. Have a trial run.

-16.

-16, you are saying. Let's see if that's correct.

Yes, it is. Well done. So, let's play the game, please.

Your game starts now.

-17.

-17, you think.

Were you correct?

You were indeed. Onto the next one.

-14.

-14.

Are you correct?

You are, yeah. Well done. So, the third one coming up.

-16.

-16.

16, let's have a look.

17, just one out. Brain, how about that?

You added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means in total Midland Minds have...

-Thank you.

-Jolly good. Lovely to see you, Shireenah.

-Thank you.

So, if you head back and join the rest of Midland Minds.

Two Zones down, two to go and make sure that

you are playing along at home as well because the more you play,

the better you will get and the fitter your brain will become.

Let's find out which Zone is next and who is going to take it on.

Brain, a Zone, please.

Orientation. So, Shireenah, which of the guys?

I think it's going to have to be Kyle.

He is quite worldly wise and he does a lot of travelling.

Kyle, come and join me.

APPLAUSE

Well, you are a fitness instructor. What kind of workouts to you do?

I teach group fitness,

so not so much one-to-one but one to a group of people.

I really enjoy getting the energy in the room and motivating people.

It really makes me happy, too.

You are pretty good at the physical agility.

What about the mental agility?

Mental agility I've generally been OK at.

-Shireenah seems to have faith in you.

-Yeah, I hope so.

So, Brain, please reveal the first game that Kyle will be playing.

-Hello, Kyle.

-Hi, Brain.

-You're a perky, handsome cove, aren't you?

-Oh, thank you.

Shireenah is a lucky girl.

No, we're just friends.

Yes, that's what they all say. Here's your first game, Kyle.

Follow the car's journey

and identify in which direction it ends up facing.

You can warm up by having a trial run.

Turn right.

U-turn.

U-turn.

Which direction does it end up facing?

I think East.

East, you are saying. Let's see if you are right on that.

-East is correct. Right, so, are you ready to play?

-Yes.

Brain, let's carry on the game, please.

Your game starts now.

U-turn.

U-turn.

Turn right.

-Which direction?

-East.

-East, you're saying.

And it was indeed. Good.

Next sat nav, please.

U-turn.

Turn left.

U-turn.

Turn left.

-North.

-Is North the answer?

No, South.

Direct opposite. Let's go with the third one, then.

Turn left.

Turn left.

Turn right.

U-turn.

Oh.

That U-turn at the end.

-West.

-West, you're saying.

Let's have a look and see.

-East.

-I did it again.

-The U-turn did it.

-Sorry, team.

-That's all right, mate!

-The Brain foxed you a bit on that one.

-So, please can we have game two.

-Absolutely, John.

Kyle, here is your second game.

Tell me whether the hands are left or right.

Here is a trial run of what I mean.

Left, left, left.

Left, left, left, you're saying.

You are indeed. You are right on those lefts.

Can we play the game, please?

Kyle, you have a maximum of 45 seconds to answer three questions.

Please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

Left, right, left.

Let's see if that's correct.

Yes. Next one.

Left, left, left.

Left, left, left, you're saying.

Right, left, left. One more to go.

Right, right, right.

Right, right, right.

Correct, you were right on that one, so that's two out of three.

-Not so easy, is it?

-No.

I can imagine millions of people at home all

going like this as well, you know? Trying to work it out.

But you did OK on that one, didn't he, Brain?

Absolutely, though I bet that mental workout made your cortex sweat,

-didn't it, Kyle?

-It certainly did.

I'm disappointed with that performance, but hopefully

-we can pull through as a team.

-Yes, it was disappointing.

Kyle, you added nine seconds in that Zone.

This means in total, Midland Minds have...

Well done, Kyle.

So, James, you are the only one left -

the final player. So why don't you come and join me and we'll find out

which one of the three remaining Zones you will be playing?

-OK.

-Come over here.

APPLAUSE

-Pleasure to meet you.

-And you too, James.

And I work it out at we've got Logic, Multi-tasking and Language.

-Yes.

-So, or which of those three would you like The Brain

-to serve up for you?

-I'm quite happy with Logic or Language.

-Language.

I mean, do you speak foreign languages as well as English?

Yes, I speak a little bit of Japanese.

Ichi, ni? San, shi?

-Yeah.

-Go, rok, kyuu, juu.

-Something like that.

-It's close enough, I guess.

-I can get what you're talking about.

-One to ten.

Ichi, ni has nothing to do with any scratches or anything.

It's a good way to remember.

If you've got an itchy knee...

It's really easy to remember.

Let's find out which zone The Brain is going to choose for you.

Language, it is Language, so you will be a happy bunny.

Yeah, I'm quite comfortable with that.

So, Brain, please reveal the first game that James will be playing.

-Hello, James.

-Hello.

Can you say Beat The Brain in Japanese?

I can, it's Nou O Taosu.

That is correct.

-Thank you, Brain.

-Here's your first game.

Find the hidden word using the sentence as your clue.

-Have yourself a trial run.

-Right, OK.

-OK.

-Mm-hmm.

-Erm...

So, it could be in the middle of the word or it could be two

or three words joined together.

It's obviously a European country,

-that's obviously what I'm looking for.

-Yeah.

You have... It is vital you have an ice cream.

-Erm...

-Where...?

Which European country is famous for its ice creams?

Italy?

-Oh, I see Italy now!

-You see it now?

Yeah, "vital you", Italy. Yeah, right.

-Is he right? Yes, he is right.

-Thank you, John.

-Confident? Ready to play?

-Ready to play, ready as I'll ever be.

-Brain, we are ready to play.

You have a maximum of 45 seconds to answer three questions, James.

Your game starts now.

Erm...

-Oh.

-You can pass, if you want.

-Erm...

It's pretty difficult.

-25 seconds.

-Pass.

-Pass?

-Duke.

-Duke. Oh, I was looking for a name.

Here we go.

Erm...

Right, "trifle annoying for your pets."

Tick?

No. No, not tick.

-Nine seconds left.

-Pass.

-Pass.

-Flea!

-OK.

Time is up, I'm afraid.

Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Sorry about that, James.

-It is hard, that, isn't it?

-Yeah. Heron! Oh...

I hope Brain is going to be a bit kinder in the next game.

-Yeah, hopefully.

-Can we have it, please?

-Yes.

-James, I'm not going to be kinder. Here's your second game.

-OK.

I will give you a word.

All you have to do is spell it to me backwards.

-OK.

-Here's a trial run to help you get a feel for the game.

Spell "gnome".

That's correct, yes. Well done. Good.

So, you got the hang of that one.

Yeah. I think this one will be a bit better than the last.

-I hope so. I hope you win. Here we go.

-Your game starts now.

Track.

Well done, yes. On we go. The next one.

Gauge.

Yes, well done. One more to go.

Believer.

That's wrong.

-Yeah, that is right.

-Oh, OK!

-Well done, yes.

So, Brain, how about that?

-Very well done in that last game, James.

-I redeemed myself, thankfully.

-You did, thankfully.

-Thanks.

James, you added nine seconds in that Zone.

This means, Midland Minds, you have finished with a grand total of...

Thank you, thank you.

And we finish the individual Zones now

and it's time for our team to try to Beat The Brain one last time

and take home some serious cash in today's final.

So, Midlands Minds, you've racked up 42 seconds in the first four Zones

and now you have the chance to turn that time into money.

You need to answer eight questions correctly

within your 42 seconds to win today's jackpot of £3,000.

If you can't do that, fear not.

The Brain has given you another two minutes in which to get the eight

correct answers that you need.

But once you hit that two minutes, the money starts counting down at

the rate of £25 a second, so the longer you take, the less you win.

And when the time runs out, so does all the cash.

Shireenah, you decide in which order the team is going to play.

Well, Kyle and James for me worked well under pressure, so I thought if

I put them at the beginning and the end that hopefully they'll do well.

OK. It's time to get serious. Let's start today's final.

Over to you, Brain.

You will only face questions from the games you have already seen today

but for every game in the final, I will only accept your first answer.

Beat me if you can.

-So, can you? Can you Beat The Brain?

-Yes!

-Yeah.

As usual, we will start with the player on the left -

that's you, Kyle.

I need two correct answers from you before we can pass onto Aly

and then down the line. Let's start the game.

Which line won the game?

B.

Correct.

Count the missing bricks.

15.

No.

Left or right hands?

Right, left, left.

Incorrect.

Chorus.

Pass.

Eight.

Aly?

White, red, purple, pink, blue.

Correct.

U-turn.

U-turn.

Turn left.

West.

Yes. Shireenah.

Find a hidden word.

-You can pass.

-Pass.

Which line won the game?

C?

Correct.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Left or right hands?

Left, left, left.

No.

Listen.

-Wrong.

-No, wrong.

Nine.

James.

U-turn.

U-turn.

U-turn.

South.

Correct.

Sheriff.

Stop the clock!

APPLAUSE

Congratulations, you have won £775.

THEY CHEER

It was getting pretty close at one time, wasn't it?

You actually managed to Beat The Brain.

-Whoo-hoo!

-Sorry, Brain.

-Didn't they, Brain?

Well, Midland Minds, you mashed me.

We did.

-And what is your phrase for doing really well?

-ALL:

-Some next thing.

Some next thing! Well, well done. Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you at home for watching today.

I hope you enjoyed playing along.

For now, though, it's goodbye from Midland Minds...

Bye!

-..from The Brain...

-Goodbye.

-..and from me - see you again next time.

Just before you go,

I'll give you the answers to those two questions

I posed at the start of the show.

Use the clue to find the word.

The answer is...

Beaver.

And the second game...

Memorise the order of the colours in the musical sequence.

The answer is...

Join us again next time when you can pit your wits against me

and try to Beat The Brain.