Episode 24 Beat the Brain

Hello. Ms Brain here.

It's nearly time to see if our team of four have the mental toughness

to beat me,

but, first, here's a couple of challenges for you to try at home.

Here's another one.

I'll ease your pain by giving you the answers at the end of the show.

Now watch today's team attempt to use all their grey matter in a contest

to beat The Brain.

Show your appreciation for a man whose name has passed into legend

- John Craven.

Still here in the flesh. Thank you and welcome to Beat The Brain.

Now, over the next half-hour, our team of four contestants

will be put through their mental paces

with a series of cunningly conceived games

and here's the mistress of the mind herself - The Brain.

How you feeling?

Oh, mistress of the mind, I like that, John,

and you are master of the body. We're a perfect pair, eh?

Yeah, what a combination. Mind and body. Not sure about body, though.

Well, let's meet our team today. Please introduce yourselves.

I'm Siobhian and I'm an activities coordinator.

I'm Rachel and I'm a probation officer.

I'm David. I'm a retired accountant.

I'm Debbie. I'm the team captain and I'm an NHS complaints advisor.

Welcome everybody. Welcome to the show.

Debbie, as captain, have you got a name for your team?

-Our team name is Mental Gymnasts.

-Mental Gymnasts. Why is that?

-Over to my dad.

-We came up with the name.

We realised we'd have to be quite mentally agile

to tackle and beat The Brain,

so we think we've got the agility to do that.

Obviously, you two are connected, father and daughter,

but what about the other two? How do you know each other?

Well, I've known Debbie for a number of years

and she's my next-door neighbour.

And I've been friends with Deborah since I was about seven year old.

-A team of family and friends. That's what it is.

-ALL:

-Yes.

-And how are you feeling? Confident?

-Yeah.

-Absolutely!

-Yeah.

-Raring to go?

-ALL:

-Yes.

-Raring to go!

Well, let's get on, because this is how it works.

The show's brain is divided into six Zones.

Now, The Brain will select four of these six Zones

for you to play today

and, Debbie, as captain, you must nominate which team member

you think will perform best in each Zone, OK?

You're playing for time instead of points

with every correct answer adding three seconds to your total.

What we call your Brain Bank.

The more time you build up, the more chance you have of beating The Brain

in today's final and walking away with a jackpot of...

-So, Mental Gymnasts, ready to play?

-ALL:

-Yes.

Time to find out which Zone you'll be facing first.

Brain, Zone, please.

Observation. Debbie, who do you think is going to be best

in the Observation Zone?

You're definitely... Would fit in that category.

I'll certainly give it a try. Yes.

-What have you decided?

-David.

David's coming up. David, welcome to the Observation Zone.

-Quite a job, David.

-And you, sir.

You happy about that? Seemed to be a bit of a discussion going on there.

It's choice of questions. You don't know what's going to come up, so...

Pretty good observation, generally, though?

I think we're about to find out. I hope so, but...

OK, Brain, the first game, please.

-Hello, David.

-Hello, Brain.

Here's the first game.

What's the difference in the value?

Have a trial run.

What do you reckon the difference is, there, David?

The 20 pence on the bottom left is different to the 10 pence.

-Yes, so...

-Those are the two, so the difference in monetary value is 10p.

-10p, you say. That's your answer.

-Yes. I'll go with 10p.

You are correct. Are you the kind of person who checks their change?

With the family like mine, a number of grandchildren,

-you count your change.

-Well, hope you count it correctly in the game.

We're ready to play, I think, aren't we, David?

-Absolutely, please.

-Over to you, Brain.

David, you have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly.

Your game starts now.

Seconds are ticking away.

-The answer is 99 pence, I would say.

-You would say 99 pence.

And you're correct, well done. Next one, please.

I can... 1...

15...

4...

15...

-20 seconds left.

-4 pence.

-4 pence, you're saying. Is that correct?

No, it's 15. Never mind. You've got one more.

Ten seconds left.

20...

Two seconds left. Quickly! Quickly!

-Give me an answer!

-5p!

-Oh, time's up!

-It actually looks the same.

-I thought you said 5p.

-Yes.

-It actually looks the same.

-Correct?

It's 10 pence. So, a tough one, that, isn't it, David? Yeah?

-It is when you're trying to compare them.

-It is!

Right, on to game two, please, Brain.

I was naughty then, wasn't I, David?

I almost demolished you.

And, speaking of "demolish", here's your second game.

Count the number of missing bricks.

To get your eye in, have a trial run.

How many bricks have gone?

I would suggest

-ten.

-Ten, you think? Ten missing bricks. Is that correct?

Yes. Yes, it is indeed. So you got that one. All right.

-OK on the trial.

-Are you happy to go?

-Happy to go.

Right, Brain, let's play the game.

You only have 45 seconds to answer three questions.

Your game starts now.

-12 bricks.

-12, you're saying.

Yeah, that's right. On to the next one.

-14 bricks.

-14 is your answer here.

And it's correct. 25 seconds left.

-13 bricks.

-13, you're saying, David.

That's what I'll test The Brain on.

-Yeah, you're correct.

-Hooray!

-Well, you redeemed yourself.

-Redeemed! I had to!

Well, Brain, what did you make of David's performance, then?

Unfortunately, he did very well in that final game.

You added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means, in total, Mental Gymnasts have 12 seconds in their Brain Bank.

A very good start. Thank you, David.

If you'd like to go and rejoin your team.

Time to find out which Zone we're going to next

and who is going to take it on,

so, Brain, Zone, please.

Orientation it is. So, Debbie, who's going to play this game?

Of the six available to us, this wouldn't be, I think,

any of our strengths, so I'll take one for the team.

-You sure?

-Yeah. That all right?

-Yeah. Absolutely.

Come and join me, Debbie.

-Can I say welcome to the Orientation Zone?

-Thank you very much.

Do you play kind of orientation games?

No, I'm probably going to be useless.

Well, let's find out, shall we?

The Brain, I can see, is smiling already.

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

-Hello, Debbie.

-Hello!

Don't be nervous. Here's your first game.

Tell me whether the hands are left or right.

To give you some practice, have a trial run.

It's a good tip to use your own hands to work this out, I think.

-Right. Number one would be right.

-Right.

I think number two, upside down, would be right

and three would be left, so I would say right, right, left.

OK. Let's see if you're correct.

-You are indeed.

-Yeah!

So, let's play the game.

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

Please remember I will only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Left, right, left. Let's see if that's right.

It is, on to the next one. 30 seconds left.

Right.

Right.

-Right.

-Right, right, right.

-Left!

Sorry, right, right, right, first, was what you said. OK.

Oh, Deborah, I couldn't see it! I couldn't see it!

You've got 30 seconds left. Hurry up.

What's this one?

Oh, my goodness me!

Left.

Left. Right. Left, left, right.

Left, left, right. Is that right?

-Oh, no!

-Oh!

-I'm so sorry!

I even stood up and did the thing.

And there'll be lots and lots of people at home doing that as well.

-I wonder if they've done better than you. Debs.

-I'm so sorry.

So, Brain, can we have the next one, please?

Of course you can.

Debbie, never apologise for not being very good.

Here's your second game.

What is the real time?

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

There's the mirror image. What's the real time?

-Half past.

-Half past.

One, two...

Half past two, obviously.

-Half past two.

-I actually did that, didn't I?

-And you're correct.

-Ah, I find this really difficult.

-Do you?

This would not be my game at all.

Well, unfortunately, it is your game!

-Are you ready to play?

-Yes.

-Right. Off we go.

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

Your game starts now.

Half past...

-Half past seven?

-Half past seven, you're saying.

-Yeah. Absolutely right.

-Yeah!

-Next one, next one.

Five to two.

Five minutes to two o'clock.

Five minutes to two, that's correct, as well.

One to go. 21 seconds left.

25 to 12.

25 to 12.

-Yes. That's correct, as well.

-Yes!

-So...

-HE LAUGHS

Oh, I thought I was going to suck.

-Yeah, and you were dreading that one.

-Yeah, yeah.

-And you did incredibly well.

-I'm really, really pleased.

-I'm really pleased. Yeah, very much.

-So, what do you think, Brain?

Turns out you were very good on that last game.

Debbie, you added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means, in total,

Mental Gymnasts now have 24 seconds in the Brain Bank.

APPLAUSE

-Thank you.

-You're a good clock watcher! Thank you, Debbie.

Rejoin your team.

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

Brain, a Zone, please.

-Multi-tasking.

-Multi-tasking. So, Debbie?

-I definitely think Siobhian. Siobhian is definitely...

-A good multi-tasker.

-So come and join me, Siobhian.

-APPLAUSE

-Hello.

-How are you feeling?

-I'm all right, how are you?

-Good. Are you a multi-tasker?

-Yeah,

I think, as a woman, you kind of have to be, running a house

and having a child.

-I hear, as well, that you're pretty keen on volcanoes.

-Yes, I know.

I was fortunate to go to Sorrento on my honeymoon.

Me and my husband climbed Mount Vesuvius. It was epic.

So you picked there to go on your honeymoon,

-because you wanted to climb the volcano?

-Yes. My husband had no choice!

Well, let's see how you do now as we go into Multi-tasking.

Brain, the first game, please.

-Hello, Siobhian.

-Hello, Brain.

So you went on honeymoon to a volcano -

-was there any kind of eruption?

-Er...

-LAUGHTER

Anyway, here's your first game.

Seeing Double.

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

You can have a warm-up.

Count the ice creams and add the numbers.

What do you think? What's your answer?

I think I got two ice creams.

-Two ice creams and...?

-I am going to say 11.

-11.

Two and 11. Is that right?

-Two and 12. Almost.

-Almost, yeah.

-Very close.

Brain, let's play the game.

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

-OK.

Your game starts now.

Count the carrots and add the numbers.

-Two and 11.

-Two and 11 is your answer. Is that correct?

It is indeed. Well done. Next game, please.

Count the dogs and add the numbers.

-Three and 21.

-Three dogs, 21, you're saying.

Three and 21, that's correct. Jolly good.

Next, please.

Count the rubber ducks and add the numbers.

-I lost that one.

-How many ducks do you think?

-Three.

-Three ducks.

-And what's the total?

-14?

-Three and 14, you think.

Let's see if that's right.

Three and 22. Right with the ducks, but wrong with the numbers.

-That's not a bad start.

-Not bad, not bad.

-Very good indeed.

-So, Brain, please can we have game number two?

-Of course, John.

Here's something to get your head spinning.

The second game is appropriately called

Head Spin.

Count the number of times the named object appears in the spinning wheels.

Here's a trial run of what I mean, Siobhian.

Count the red high heels.

-How many red high heels?

-Seven.

Seven, you're saying.

Are you correct? Yes, you are, indeed. Off we go, please, Brain.

Please remember I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

Count the white plates.

-How many white plates?

-I am going to say ten.

-Ten, you say.

Is that correct? It is, indeed. Jolly good.

Next one, please.

Count the kites.

-How many kites? Going a bit quicker there.

-Yeah, it was.

-I'm going to say 15.

-15, you think.

Is that correct?

-Ah!

-16.

-So close!

-Just one kite out. Oh, dear. So, the last one, please.

Count the yellow hard hats.

-How many hard hats went through?

-20?

20, you think.

Is that correct?

20, yes. Goodness me, because they were really spinning through.

-Is that just a guess or...?

-I tried. I tried to follow it as best I could.

-You certainly did well there.

-Thank you.

-Didn't she, Brain?

-Well, yes, I'll have to admit that she did.

-Thank you.

-Well done, Siobhian.

-Thank you, Brain.

You added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means Mental Gymnasts now have 36 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-Jolly good. Well done, Siobhian.

-Thank you.

-Rejoin your team.

Thank you.

We only have one player left now,

so, Rachel, would you please come and join me?

APPLAUSE

How are you doing, Rachel?

I'm doing OK. A bit nervous about what's left.

See what comes up! Thanks!

Well, we've got Logic, Language and Memory still left.

So which one do you hope of those three will be yours?

I like language. Reading reports, writing reports is part of my job.

OK. Well, let's see what Zone you are going to play.

Fingers crossed for you it's Language. Brain, a Zone, please.

-Memory.

-It's Memory.

Oh, dear. But you never know.

-You never know, it might turn out to be your Zone.

-Yeah, could well be.

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

-Hello, Rachel.

-Hello, Brain.

-What star sign are you?

-Cancer.

-Correct. See, you're good at answering questions.

-Thank you!

-Here's your first game.

What's Cooking?

You will see different ingredients being added to a pot.

You must tell us how many of each went in. Have yourself a trial run.

Carrots, broccoli and red peppers.

Um... I was frantically counting on my hands.

So I got three peppers, so that narrows it down to C and D.

There were definitely two carr... C. Definitely two carrots - I'll say C.

-You're going to say C?

-Yes.

-Is that correct?

No, it was A. It was A.

-So...

-Missed that one.

Don't worry, you might find them easier when we get to play the game for real.

Can we do that, please, Brain?

Please remember I will only accept your first answer.

Rachel, your game starts now.

So what went into the pot?

Four broccoli, so C.

C, you're saying. OK, let's have a look.

You are correct. Yeah.

There you are. On to the next one, please.

What went in this time?

Four broccoli.

I'm not sure about the carrots.

Four broccoli, two onions.

-Two carrots. D.

-D, you are going for. Is Rachel correct?

Yes, you are, Rachel.

-Thank you.

-And one last one.

Which one this time?

Well, I thought there were three carrots, but there clearly wasn't.

-No.

-Um...

So I'm going with two carrots. There were four onions, so C.

-C?

-Yeah.

-One red pepper. Let's see if that's correct.

Yes, it is, well done.

Well, you're pretty good at observing what

-goes into the pot, aren't you?

-Yeah, I'll go with that one.

-So, Brain, the second game, please.

-Yes. Full house with that one, Rachel.

Here's your second game.

Forget Me Not.

Remember where the pictures were once they've disappeared.

Have a trial run to help you get a feel of the game.

Where are the Aston Martins?

Number one and number three.

The cars were number one and number three, you think.

And that is correct.

OK. Let's play the game properly.

Please remember I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

Where are the cars?

Number one and number six.

One and six.

Yes, you're good at car spotting!

-Thank you.

-Right. Number two game, please.

Where are the doughnuts?

Three, six and...

..four or seven? Three, six and four.

Three, six and four, you're saying.

-Yes. Well done.

-Thank you.

Here comes the last one.

Where are the blackbirds?

Three, six, nine and eight.

Oh, no. No, not quite. No.

Never mind, never mind.

-Outfoxed by the last one.

-Absolutely. No cars in that one!

But you did incredibly well, Rachel.

-I hope you enjoyed playing. What did you think, Brain?

-Well done, Rachel.

You were the best. I hope the rest of the team don't begrudge you that.

-Thank you.

-Rachel, you added 15 seconds in that Zone.

This means, Mental Gymnasts,

you have finished with a grand total of 51 seconds in your Brain Bank.

-APPLAUSE

-Congratulations, well done, Rachel.

Go back and join your team.

Well, we've finished 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.

Well, Mental Gymnasts, you were well named,

because you've managed to add 51 seconds to your Brain Bank.

Now, it's your chance to turn time into money.

Each of you needs to get two questions right within those 51 seconds.

Do that and you'll take home our jackpot of £3,000.

If you can't, there's still chance to win, because the Brain has

set aside a further two minutes for you to get the correct answers.

But, as the time counts down, so does the cash -

at the rate of £25 a second.

And, if you take too long, it'll run out.

Debbie, as captain, you've chosen the order of play.

Any reasoning behind that?

I'm nervous, I'm apprehensive and I wanted to get mine out the way.

Siobhian was quite happy with the pressure of being last. Yeah.

Rachel, I think, was like me.

Yeah, I'd been last previously, so Siobhian kindly offered to go.

-What about you, David?

-I'm a rose between two thorns, so...

LAUGHTER

Well, are you all ready? Because it's time to get serious.

Let's start today's final. Over to you, Brain.

Mental Gymnasts,

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.

Well there's a challenge for you. Can you beat The Brain?

As usual, we start with the player on the left. That's you, Debbie.

So I need two correct answers from you before we can pass on to the next player - that's Rachel -

and so on down the line. OK? Let's start the game.

Count the missing bricks.

10.

Correct!

Left or right hands?

Right, right, left.

Yes, Rachel.

What's in the pot?

-D.

-Correct.

What's the difference?

Pass.

Count the rubber ducks and add the numbers.

Nine and three.

Correct. David.

What time is it?

Twenty past two.

Yes.

Count the missing bricks.

14.

No.

Count the spades.

Five.

Correct.

Siobhian.

Where are the balloons?

One, five, nine.

Incorrect.

Left or right hands?

Left, left, right?

No.

What's the difference?

30 pence.

Correct.

What's in the pot?

C.

Yes. Stop the clock.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

So, that's eight correct answers. Congratulations, you've won £1,375.

CHEERING

-Your heart was beating away before.

-Oh, that was just awful.

Brilliant, but awful. Yeah, yeah. I'm so pleased. I'm so happy.

Congratulations to you. What do you think, Brain?

Well, they did very, very well. You beat me fair and square.

You can afford a bottle of champagne,

though I don't think any of you need it.

Well, thank you, everybody at home, for watching today, as well.

I hope you enjoyed playing along.

Now, it's goodbye from the Mental Gymnasts.

ALL: Goodbye.

-From the Brain.

-Goodbye.

-And from me. See you again next time.

You saw how the team did, but what about you?

Did you get those posers I set at the start of the show? Here's a reminder.

What's the difference in the value?

The answer is...

And the second one? Are they left or right hands?

The answer is...

Don't forget, practice makes perfect,

so remember to sharpen your wits by watching next time on Beat The Brain.