Episode 17 Beat the Brain

Hello, it's me, The Brain.

Have a go at solving the kind of puzzles

I'll be posing to our team today.

Short-changed.

What's the difference in the value?

Here's one more.

Head Spin.

Count the red teapots.

I'll put you out of your misery at the end of the show,

when I reveal the answers.

Let's see if today's team have all the answers,

as they attempt to Beat The Brain!

APPLAUSE

Please welcome our very own resident genius, John Craven!

-HE LAUGHS:

-Well, thank you for that!

Now, over the next half hour, you can play along with our contestants,

as they attempt the toughest test in TV quizzes.

So, Brain, what are you planning for us today?

Ah, hello, John, I'm planning lots of very, very difficult games.

I'm going to beat you! I feel invincible! Bwah-ha-ha!

Well, there's confidence for you, but is it justified?

Let's find out as we meet our team. Please introduce yourself.

I'm Andy and I'm a parks controller.

I'm Bernhard and I run a consultancy company.

I'm Dave and I'm a mechanical engineer.

I'm Phil, I'm an IT consultant and I'm the team captain.

APPLAUSE

And a big welcome to Beat The Brain.

Phil, have you got a name for your team?

Yes, our name is England 3 Germany 1.

-Why is that?

-Well, we're all avid football supporters.

Myself and my brother Andy are season-ticket holders

at Walsall Football Club. Dave is a Kidderminster Harriers fan.

And Bernhard is a Borussia Dortmund fan.

Well, let's hope you enjoy the game today. Here's how it works.

The show's Brain is divided into six Zones.

Logic, Memory, Orientation, Observation, Language

and Multi-tasking. Now, the Brain will select

four of these six Zones for you to play today.

Now, Phil, as the captain, you must nominate

which members of your team will perform best in each of those Zones.

And you're playing for time instead of points,

with every correct answer adding three seconds

to what we call the Brain Bank.

And the more time you build up,

the better chance you have of beating the Brain in today's final

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

-So, England 3 Germany 1, are you ready to play?

-Let's go.

-Yes.

Right, well, Brain, please can we have a Zone to face first?

Multi-tasking.

Right, Phil, who are you going to nominate for this round?

Probably my brother Andy.

Right, Andy, well, come and join me over here.

APPLAUSE

Are you a good multi-tasker?

Yes, I am, a lot of things going on at work,

two or three things at the same time, so yeah, I'll give it a go.

Well, let's see how you do on Multi-tasking.

You will play two games in this Zone.

Both games have three questions worth three seconds each,

so, Brain, what's the first game?

-Hello, Andy.

-Hello.

-Are you feeling nervous in the presence

of the great and powerful Brain? And I don't mean John!

-LAUGHTER

-Just a little bit.

-Ha-ha!

-I'm about to make you very dizzy now.

-Aw!

-Because here is your first game.

Count the number of times

the named object appears in the spinning wheels.

To help you out, have a trial run.

Count the sunglasses.

11, 12...

-12?

-12, you think you saw? Let's have a look and see if you're right.

You're absolutely right. Well done. That's a good start.

-Unfortunately, that was just a trial run.

-Right, OK.

Let's play it for real, Brain.

Please remember, Andy, I can only accept your first answer.

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

Your game starts now.

Count the carrots.

-How many did you count there?

-I think eight.

-Eight?

You think eight carrots. Was that right?

-It was correct, yes.

-TEAM APPLAUDS

That's a very good start.

Can we have the next game, please?

Count the red fez hats.

-15?

-15 you think?

-That's brilliant! Well done!

-TEAM APPLAUDS

I wonder how many people at home got that right. OK...

Count the suns.

How many suns?

-How many do you reckon?

-I'm not 100% sure of this one. 14?

You think 14? Let's see if you're right.

-Well, you are!

-JOHN LAUGHS

So, there you are, Brain, you've been beaten on that one.

Yes, don't rub it in, John!

As long as he doesn't get too cocky!

-No.

-Brain, let's have game number two.

Here's the second game.

Count the named object on the left and add the numbers on the right.

To get your eye in, have a trial run.

Count the ice creams and add the numbers.

-So, what was that? How many ice creams? What was the total?

-Three?

-Three ice creams?

-And 11?

-11 total. Let's see if you're right.

-Yes!

-TEAM APPLAUDS

You're doing remarkably well here. Brain, we're ready to play for real.

Very well, John. Andy, please remember

I can only accept your first answer. Your game starts now.

Count the carrots and add the numbers.

-So, what did you make... How many carrots?

-Three?

-Three carrots?

-And 12.

-Is that correct?

-It is!

-JOHN LAUGHS

Onto the next one, please.

Count the bananas and add the numbers.

-So, how many bananas and what was the number?

-Ooh...

-Er, four and 20?

-Let's see.

-Yeah!

-JOHN LAUGHS

Now, OK, final one.

Count the dogs and add the numbers.

-How many dogs?

-Five.

-Five dogs?

-And 19?

Five dogs, 19 number? Is that correct?

Yes!

-Well...

-JOHN LAUGHS

Andy, you couldn't have had

-a better start than that for your team.

-I surprised myself.

So, congratulations, well done. What do you think of that, Brain?

Andy, you were quite amazing and added 18 seconds in that Zone.

That means...

England 3 Germany 1 have 18 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-APPLAUSE

-And now it's time to find out

which Zone we're going to next and who is going to take it on.

So, Brain, a Zone, please.

Memory! So, Phil, who do you think would be best on the memory tests?

It's quite difficult to follow that one, but, um...I think...

I think, with me being the youngest, I think my brain should be

-a bit more fresher, so I think...

-LAUGHTER

I'll choose this one myself, actually.

Well, come on and join me, Phil.

APPLAUSE

Now, being an IT consultant, you probably

build computers and things like that, or not?

-No, I'm more on writing code.

-Uh-huh.

-Things like that.

More than on the building side of the computers.

So, how do you think you're going to cope against our Brain?

-She's been very well put together.

-Yeah, most people will think,

because I work in IT, it would be quite easy, but I'm not sure.

-We'll see.

-Brain, what's the first game?

Oh, my darling, John, can I just say thank you for saying

I'm very well put together? That's made my day!

LAUGHTER

Hello, Phil. So you think a young brain is a fresh brain, do you?

-Hopefully.

-This is your first game.

Repeat the order in which the colours flash.

Here's your trial run.

-So, what's the order of those colours out of that lot?

-OK.

It was blue, white, yellow, black.

Blue, white, yellow, black, you're saying? Let's see if that's right.

Indeed! You were correct, yeah. OK, Brain, over to you.

Please remember, Phil, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

So, what order was that?

Purple, yellow, blue, black and green. I think.

Let's have a look. "Purple, yellow, blue, black and green."

-Yes, well done!

-TEAM APPLAUDS

-I wasn't sure about that one!

-THEY LAUGH

Well, you could've fooled me. Right, onto the next one.

So, a few more there.

Yellow, purple, blue, green...

-I think it was blue, but I'm not sure.

-Two blues?

OK, let's see if you're right.

-"Yellow, purple, blue..."

-There's more!

-"..green, blue..."

-You forgot black at the end.

-Forgot black at the end, yeah.

-Never mind.

-Right, our third and final one.

Pink, yellow, purple, blue...

yellow, blue...red, I think.

-but I'm not sure.

-Let's have a look and see if you're right.

"Pink, yellow, purple, blue,

"yellow, blue and red."

-So that was correct.

-Oh!

-Yes!

-JOHN AND PHIL LAUGH

And a lot of colours there to work out!

I know. Wow! That was difficult. That was really difficult.

So, Brain, let's have the next game, please.

Here's your second game. It's called...

You will see different ingredients being added to the pot.

You must tell us how many of each went in.

To get you in the groove, have a trial run.

Count them out, aloud.

Pepper, broccoli...

-So, which of those went into the pot?

-Um...

There was the most carrots,

so it's either A or B.

-Uh-huh.

-There were three.

-Yeah.

-And I think there was two peppers.

-Right.

-So that, process of elimination, I think it was B.

B, you think. Let's see if you're correct.

And you are. Well done. Good.

-Worked out logically, that one, wasn't it?

-Yeah.

-So, Brain...

Please remember, Phil, I will only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

-Count them out.

-Two...

-OK.

So, what did you reckon on that one?

-Right, I think...I think there was three broccoli.

-Three broccoli.

-And I'm sure there was only one carrot.

-One carrot.

-So that would mean...

-So how many onions?

Well, I think it'll have to be D.

-D? Let's have a look and see.

-I think it was two onions as well.

So, second one, please, Brain.

Two. One carrot. Two.

Two carrots.

-Lots going in the pot that time.

-Right.

-What do you reckon?

-Again, I think there was four carrots.

-Mm-hm.

That was the most of those.

And I think there was two peppers and I think...

I think there was two onions as well, so A.

-You say A.

-Yeah.

-Let's see if you're right.

And you are. Congratulations, yeah.

Just one more.

-Now, what do you reckon on that one?

-Right...

-All right...

-How any carrots?

-I'm a bit stumped.

-I think...I think...I think there was three broccoli.

-Three broccoli.

And that just rules everything else out, so it must be B.

It must be B. Let's see if you're right.

-Yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

Well, what do you think of that, Brain?

Yes, he may be impressed with himself, John,

but I'm not impressed with him.

Now, Phil, you added 15 seconds in that Zone. This means, in total,

England 3 Germany 1 have 33 seconds in their Brain Bank.

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

So, Brain, a Zone, please.

So, Phil, who will you nominate

amongst your final two people for Observation?

-I think Dave might be quite good at this one.

-Right, OK.

Well, come on and join me, Dave.

APPLAUSE

You think he's chosen correctly?

Er, hopefully, yes.

-You're pretty good, generally, at observation?

-Yes, yes.

-Now, I hear you used to be a roadie at one stage in your life?

-Yes.

A band from Wolverhampton called Dust,

who were once described as "a sophisticated Slade."

-Hard to imagine!

-Whatever that means!

-LAUGHTER

-Well, don't forget,

there are another 18 precious seconds on offer in this Zone,

so that's three seconds for every correct answer you give, Dave.

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

Of course I will. It's called...

Count the number of missing bricks.

You can warm up by having a trial run, Dave.

So there goes the ball. How many bricks knocked out?

How many do you reckon?

-Er, 11, I think, John.

-11, you think? Is that correct?

-It is.

-JOHN AND DAVE LAUGH

Let's bring the game on, Brain.

You have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly.

Please remember, Dave, I can only accept your first answer

and every correct answer will add three seconds to your Brain Bank.

Your game starts now.

There goes the wrecking ball.

And how many are missing?

Count them out.

-Nine.

-Nine, you reckon?

-Nine?

-Sorry, I...

-That's 14. The next one?

31 seconds left.

How many missing here?

-13.

-13, you reckon, this time? Let's see if that's correct.

-Yes, it is.

-TEAM APPLAUD

And you've got 16 seconds left for the last one.

How many missing bricks?

Ten seconds!

Speed it up!

-18?

-18, you reckon! Let's find out of that's correct.

And that is correct, so well done, Dave.

You left it to the very last second there, didn't you?

-Making the most of my time.

-JOHN LAUGHS

So, Brain, what have you got next in the Observation Zone?

Here's your second game, Dave.

What is the difference, Dave, in value between the two totals?

Have a trial run.

Two sets of coins. What's the difference?

-What's the difference in value?

-DAVE COUNTS TO HIMSELF

What do you reckon?

Maybe a coin has changed or disappeared or something like that?

-What do you think?

-Er, 10p.

-10p, you're saying?

-Yes.

-Yeah? The difference is 10p?

-And you're right, yes.

-THE TEAM APPLAUDS

So you might have to be a little bit nippier than that.

-Yes.

-Because you're probably up against the clock.

-Yes.

We'll see what Brain says.

Yes, John, he is up against the clock.

You have only 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly.

Your game starts now.

What are you thinking? What's changed there?

What's the difference in the total?

-Er, 3p.

-3p?

-Yes, well done. Yeah, yeah.

-THE TEAM APPLAUDS

Next one?

30, 28 seconds, 27.

What's the difference?

-Quickly, quickly!

-Er, 55p?

-55p, you're thinking?

50p. That's not correct, but let's move on to the last one.

15 seconds to go.

What's the difference on that one?

JOHN COUNTS DOWN

Quickly. Give me an answer.

£1. £1, you're saying?

-And it's right!

-LAUGHTER

-Again, you left it to the last second!

-Yes!

-That's how you play the game, isn't it?

-Yes!

-Make the most of your time.

-Yes.

-Check your answers.

So what's your reaction to that, Brain? So close to the wire!

Absolutely close to the wire. Dave, you added 12 seconds in that Zone,

which means that England 3 Germany 1 have 45 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-APPLAUSE

-Well played, Dave.

Now, Bernhard, you're our final player, so why don't you swap

places with Dave and we'll find out which Zone you will be playing?

APPLAUSE

So how do you think you're going to do against our Brain?

Er, we'll see, you know, I'll give it my best.

-It's going to be hard, though.

-Well, we have three Zones left,

Bernhard, we've got Language, Logic and Orientation,

-so which do you hope might come up?

-Oh, Orientation, please!

Orientation you would love? Yeah.

So, let's find out which Zone the Brain is going to choose for you.

-It IS Orientation!

-Good stuff!

-JOHN LAUGHS

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

Darling, here's your first game.

Tell me whether the hands are left or right, Bernhard.

Have yourself a trial run.

-It's good to do it yourself, I think.

-Yeah, exactly, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

-So, what are you saying now?

-I would say right, right, left.

-Right, right, left?

-Er, Right, left, right!

Ooh! Well... Ha-ha!

-Yes!

-I think, because it was the trial, I'll let you have that.

Right, left, right.

Right, Brain, we're ready to play.

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

Unlike the trial, remember, I will only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

So, that is left, right, right.

Left, right, right? Left, right, right?

That's correct! Second one?

Shout them out as you see them.

Right...

..left...

-Right, left, right.

-Right, left, right? Is that correct?

No, it's not. You've got 18 seconds left. One more.

That's left, left...right.

Left, left, right, you're saying?

No, that's wrong as well! They're all right!

I'm sorry, guys!

-So, you weren't right!

-Yeah! I'm sorry.

-So, Brain, you were pretty successful there.

-Yes, Bernhard!

Here's your second game.

Match the viewpoint on the left to the numbered position on the right.

Have a trial run.

Mm-hm.

-What number matches up with the picture on the left?

-Number 2?

Number 2, you're saying? Let's find if that's right.

-It is right, so yeah.

-THE TEAM APPLAUDS

So, Brain, maybe you've got a bit of a challenge here.

I think not.

Bernhard, you have 45 seconds to answer three questions.

And please remember, only your first answer I will accept.

Your game starts now.

Which viewpoint? 1! Number 1?

That was pretty quick. Was it correct?

-It was correct, yes. Onto number two.

-SOME APPLAUSE

Which one?

6. Number 6, you're saying?

That's correct. And you've got 27 seconds left.

4. Number 4.

-No, number 3. Number 3.

-Yes. Yes, I see, yeah.

But you did two out of three in that section.

-HE SIGHS

-And you did it well under the time.

-So...

-Well, maybe I should've taken some more time.

-Yeah!

What do you think of that, Brain?

Bernhard, you added nine seconds in that Zone.

That means England 3 Germany 1 have finished with a grand total

of 54 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-APPLAUSE

-54 seconds!

So we've finished the individual rounds

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

one last time and take home a possible £3,000 in today's final.

So, today's team - England 3 Germany 1 -

now it's your chance to turn the time you've built up into money.

You need to answer eight questions correctly - that's two each -

in order to Beat The Brain.

Now, if you manage to do that within the 54 seconds

that you've built up, well, you take our £3,000 jackpot.

If you take more than 54 seconds, you still have a chance to win,

because you have two further minutes in which to answer,

but as the time runs down, so does the money.

And, if the time runs out completely...

so does the cash!

Phil, you've chosen the order in which your team are going to play.

-Yes.

-What you're thinking behind that?

-Two reasons.

The first reason, I think,

from the level of nervousness of the team, from high to low, and

I think, secondly, I thought Andy did the best in the earlier rounds,

so I thought we'd try to get off to a good start.

-Are you feeling nervous, Andy?

-Er, I was at the start,

-but not now, to be quite honest with you, so...

-So?

-It's all OK.

All the very best to all of you and let's play today's final!

England 3 Germany 1,

you will only face questions from the games you've already seen today.

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

-Beat me if you can!

-So that's the challenge!

Are you going to be able to Beat The Brain?

Well, as usual, we'll start with the player on the left -

that's you, Andy - and when I've had two correct answers from you,

we'll go down the line, Bernhard and so on, OK? Good luck to everybody.

Let's start the game!

What's the difference?

-Quickly.

-Pass!

The answer is £1.

Hands On.

Right...left...

right.

No. Left, right, left. Next one?

-The colours? Order?

-Black, green, white...

-..blue, yellow.

-Let's see if that's right.

No, it's not, I'm afraid. Next one...

Whose view is this?

6? Number 6?

Number 8! Count the number of bricks missing after the ball.

Seven.

No, it was 10.

BRAIN: Count the broccoli.

Six.

Six is correct.

-B.

-B?

B is correct. Onto Bernhard now.

How many bricks missing, Bernhard?

-12!

-Let's see.

No, 11.

Hands On.

So that's, um...

..right, right, right.

Let's see if that's correct.

No, it was right, right, left.

Er... (Three, four...)

(50...55...)

-Pass!

-Pass.

Count the rubber ducks and add the numbers.

-1 and 11?

-1 and 11? Let's see if you're correct?

Yes, you are.

Follow the order.

Red, yellow, white...

pink, black?

See if that's correct.

It is indeed. Right, so we move on to Dave.

Which viewpoint?

4.

Number 4? Correct!

-15...

-Time is up, I'm afraid!

-APPLAUSE

-The Brain has beaten you.

Bad luck, guys. You did so well at the start of the show, didn't you?

But then you crumpled at the end.

I think I was right with the nervousness, I think.

-LAUGHTER

-Yes, you were.

-Sorry, guys.

-You never got a chance to be the anchor.

-Well, I think...

I think this one is on us.

So, final thoughts on this, Brain?

Absolutely! After all, I am the Brain.

It's hard to beat me, boys, and I'm willing to share my victory.

Let's all open a bottle of cham-brain, shall we?

-LAUGHTER

-Thank you all for watching at home.

I hope you enjoyed playing along.

But for now, it's time to say goodbye from England 3 Germany 1.

ALL: Goodbye, Brain!

-Bye, Brain!

-Goodbye.

And goodbye from me as well. See you next time.

Remember the questions I posed at the beginning of the show?

Here are the answers.

Short-changed.

What's the difference in the value?

The answer is...

And what about the second one? Count the red teapots.

The answer is...

Join me and John next time for more exciting games on Beat The Brain!