Episode 3 Beat the Brain

Hello, it's The Brain.

Our team today is about to experience a bout of intellectual acrobatics.

To get you in the same mind-set,

try a couple of the kind of games our team could face.

What's the phrase or saying?

Now try this one.

Solve the riddle.

Did you get them right? Find out at the end of the show.

Let's see if our team of four have the mental stamina to Beat The Brain.

APPLAUSE

Please welcome the nation's favourite John, Mr John Craven.

Well, thank you very much, and welcome to the show.

Over the next half hour,

our contestants will face some mind-bending challenges,

designed to push their mental capabilities to the very limit.

And of course, you can play along at home as well with every game

and find out how you measure up.

So, let's say hello to the queen of our quiz.

-How are you today, Brain?

-I'm very well thank you, Mr Craven.

And if I were Queen, you'd have a knighthood, that's for sure.

Well, that's very generous,

and let's hope our team gets some honours as well today.

Let's meet them now.

I'm Amy and I'm a psychology student.

I'm Will and I'm a sports psychology student.

I'm Jess and I'm a psychology student.

I'm Daniel, I'm the team captain and I'm a biomedical science student.

APPLAUSE

A big welcome. Daniel, you're the captain. Have you got a team name?

We do have a team name, we are called the Roey Brains.

-Roey? Why Roey?

-We're all students at Roehampton University

and it became a running joke

of just a short-handed name for the university.

-Roey Roehampton.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-You're all, three of you anyway, studying psychology.

-Mm-hm.

-So, discovering all about the brain, the mind.

-Yes.

-That's right.

I wonder what you're going to discover about our brain today.

THEY LAUGH

Let's find out, because this is how the show works.

Our brain here is divided into six zones...

And The Brain will select four of those six zones

for you to play today.

Daniel, as the captain, you must nominate which team member

-you think will perform best in each of the zones. OK?

-OK.

You'll be playing for time instead of points,

with every correct answer adding three seconds to your total,

into what we call the 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 £3,000.

-So, Roey Brains, are you ready to play?

-Yes.

-We are indeed.

-OK.

Well, time to find out which zone you'll be facing first.

So, Brain, a zone, please.

It's Language.

Daniel, who are you going to nominate for Language?

I think for Language we will nominate Jess.

Jess. Any reason for that?

Jess is the only member of our team that speaks more than one language,

so she's best equipped for language-based challenges.

Right, Jess, come and join me.

APPLAUSE

-Which other languages do you speak?

-I speak Spanish.

-Ah-ha.

Of course our version of language

may not be what you think is of a language.

-Probably...

-The Brain can be pretty devious.

-Yeah!

Let's see how you do when you play The Brain, OK?

So, you play two games in this zone,

both have three questions worth three seconds each, all right?

Brain, what's the first game?

-Hola, Jess.

-Hello.

How are you?

-I'm good, thank you, how are you?

-I'm very well.

I hear you once broke your kneecap doing limbo.

-I did.

-Are you going to be bending over backwards for your team today?

-I wish I could say yes...

-Don't answer back. Here's the first game.

Find the hidden word using the sentence as a clue.

To help you, have a trial run.

Of course, the word you're looking for might be inside a word,

-or it could be two or three words.

-Yes, it's talking about painters.

-Yes, yes.

-It could be...

-..Picasso.

-Picasso. From Epic, and As and the S in Sun.

-Yes.

-Picasso...

-Is that right? Oh, great.

-You're absolutely right, yeah.

JESS LAUGHS

-No trouble in finding that last word.

-No.

-Ready to play the game properly?

-Ready.

-OK, off we go.

Jess, you can have as many guesses as you like,

but I will not move on to the next question

until you give me the correct answer or pass.

You only have 45 seconds to answer three questions.

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

The game starts...

now.

OK... so "using this tightly woven fabric

"can vastly improve your painting."

So...um...

There's a clue there somewhere.

-I'm thinking something about TIGHTLY WOVEN is going to be the clue.

-Mm.

Um... VER... LINE...

30 seconds left.

You can pass if you want.

Um...

-I think I'm going to have to pass it.

-Pass? OK, right.

The answer was CANVAS.

OK, next one.

"This type of waterway can always be navigated by barge."

-OK, so it's going to have something to do with water.

-Uh-huh.

-So... It's CANAL.

-CANAL.

-CANAL.

-OK, let's see.

-You're absolutely right.

-Brilliant.

-Eight seconds left.

"In his search for a cure a coin stable

"took one to help ease the pain."

-So...

-Running out of time.

-Time up, I'm afraid.

-SHE SIGHS

-Let's find the answer to that.

-What was that?

-TABLET.

-TABLET.

-Ah.

-I'd never have got that.

Never mind. Let's see how you do in game two.

Sorry about that, Jess.

Although I have a spongy consistency,

I can be very hard.

Here's your second game.

Rearrange the newspaper cuttings to form a word.

To get your eye on, Jess, have a trial run.

So what word is contained there?

-It's DIESEL.

-DIESEL, you think?

-Diesel.

DIESEL, let's see if that's correct.

-There we are, yes.

-Brilliant, OK.

Well done, Jess.

-So...are you ready to play the game?

-Yes, I'm ready.

On we go, Brain.

You can have as many guesses as you like,

but I will not move onto the next question

until you give me the correct answer or pass.

Your game starts now.

OK, so... ANTPE-AS...

PE-ANTAS...

PEASANT!

PEASANT you say?

And you're right. Next one.

Um...

-FURLONG.

-FURLONG you say?

You're correct, well done. 30 seconds left.

Um...

PHAN... PHAPH...

O...

-PHOTOGRAPH!

-PHOTOGRAPH.

That could be... It is, well done.

Well done, with 19 seconds to spare, Jess.

-Brilliant.

-So that was an easier round for you, wasn't it?

-That one I could do.

-THEY CHUCKLE

So how did you think, Brain, what about Jess' performance?

-That was much better, wasn't it, Jess?

-Definitely.

-And I like your lacy top, too.

-Oh, thank you.

Jess, you added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means in total Roey Brains have 12 seconds in their Brain Bank.

APPLAUSE

Right, time to find out which Zone we're going to be playing next

and who is going to take it on.

So, Brain, a Zone, please.

Logic. Daniel, who's going to play in the Logic Zone?

-Um... I think I'm going to do the Logic Zone.

-Right, OK.

Well, come and join me.

APPLAUSE

Why did you nominate yourself?

I like to think of myself as a logical person

because I normally work in more of a science area,

so it's kind of the same area of the brain that you're applying a lot.

Well, let's see how you do now, then, Daniel,

in the Logic Zone, OK?

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

-Hello, Captain Daniel.

-Hello.

I have a bone to pick with you.

I think it's very presumptuous of you

to use my name as part of your team title.

Say, "Sorry, Brain."

Sorry, Brain. We used...

No excuses! LAUGHTER

Here's the first game.

Daniel, identify the phrase or saying from the cryptic visual clue.

To give you some practice, I'll let you have a trial run.

So, what phrase do you reckon that could be?

Well, it's a list of ages...

-Age, yes.

-..and it's going towards the middle one,

so I'd have to go for "middle age".

"Middle age", you're saying. Let's see if you're correct.

And you are indeed. Yes, "middle age".

-Something that you are a long way off at the moment.

-I hope so!

-Right, are you ready to play the game?

-I think so, yes.

OK, off we go.

Every correct answer adds three seconds to the Brain Bank

to use in today's final.

You only have 45 seconds to answer three questions.

Your game starts now.

-What phrase is this?

-That is "Double Dutch."

"Double Dutch," is it right?

It is indeed. Next one, please.

-"Diamonds are forever."

-"Diamonds are forever."

Yes, you're right.

And the last one.

Still 30 seconds left.

Um... "Horse and cart."

Mm.

Um...

-keep on guessing.

-Um...

Keep on guessing, the time's running out.

"Cart and horse."

Um...

Horse away from the cart?

Good old phrase.

Um...

I think the rest of the team might have it.

Horse without a cart... Cart without a horse...

Running out of time. Four seconds... 3, 2, 1.

I don't know it, sorry.

Out of time! So do you know, team?

-I tried really hard to work it out.

-I would have gone with your answer.

Oh, well. You don't feel so bad then.

I don't feel as bad if everyone struggled.

Let's get the answer.

You'll kick yourself.

OK.

Is that a phrase you've heard?

I don't think it is a phrase I've heard, no.

It's probably a middle-aged phrase.

THEY LAUGH

Anyway, let's move on to game number two.

-OK.

-Use the clues to work out the position of a particular animal.

The clues describe the animals from your perspective.

Have a trial run, Daniel.

Solve the riddle.

OK, so if Dot is to the right of Mimi,

and Dot is to the left of Dribble...

So Dot has to be in the middle...

So Mimi is to the right of Dot...

You reckon Mimi to the right? Let's see if you're correct.

Yes, it's Mimi on the far right.

Is Mimi on the right?

-OK, no.

-Mimi's on the left?

-THEY CHUCKLE

-That's a good start!

Yes, you sounded to be working it out pretty cleverly,

you just got the wrong answer!

-So you've got three to come now.

-OK.

-Are you ready for that?

-As I'll ever be.

OK, off we go, Brain.

Remember, Daniel,

you have only 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly.

Your game starts now.

Nigel is to the left of Steve,

Steve is to the left of Boris so...

(Nigel is to the left of Steve,

(and Steve is to the left of...)

Steve is in the middle.

"Steve is in the middle," you say?

Correct.

And Cheep isn't to the right of Squeak

and Squeak is to the right of Eggo...

Squeak is in the middle.

Squeak's in the middle? Is he?

Yes, he is.

Off you go.

Um... Teddy is to the left of Bear,

Bear is to the right of Boo...

So...

Where is Teddy? Ten seconds left.

Teddy is on the far...left.

On the left?

Let's see if you're correct.

No, he's on the right.

Well, two out of three there.

I'm OK with that.

Brain, what do you think?

I think he's a sweet, sweet boy.

Thank you!

Daniel, you added 12 seconds in that Zone.

This means, in total, the Roey...

BRAIN SPLUTTERS: ..Brains

have 24 seconds in their Brain Bank!

APPLAUSE

24 seconds, well done. Good to see you, Daniel.

Rejoin your team. Well, we're halfway through now.

We've had two Zones already and two more are just around the corner.

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

Brain, a Zone, please.

Memory. Daniel, who's going to play against the Brain

in the Memory Zone?

I think Amy is going to take this round.

-Amy.

-Yes.

-Well, come and join me.

APPLAUSE

-Good to see you.

-Lovely to see you.

Are you enjoying yourself at Roey?

Very much so. It's very interesting.

-And as a psychology student...

-Yes.

..how do you fancy facing up against the Brain?

I think we've got a good chance.

-Do you think you might outface her?

-Oh, definitely.

Right, well, let's see if you do. Let's find out.

Don't forget, there are another 18 precious seconds on offer

in this Zone, that's three seconds for every correct answer.

Brain, please reveal the first game that Amy will be playing

in your Memory Zone.

Ah, the confidence of youth.

LAUGHTER

-Hello, Amy.

-Hiya.

I may have wrinkles, you know,

but let me tell you I've got all the right wrinkles

in all the right places!

Anyway, on with your first game.

It's called:

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

-You can warm up, Amy, with a trial run.

-Thank you.

Which line?

I'm pretty sure it's B.

You think it's B? Are you correct?

-It is, indeed.

-Awesome.

Brain, let's play the game.

Please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

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

Your game starts...

now.

Which one?

-D.

-D? Are you saying D?

Let's see if you're correct.

Yes, you are.

Next one, please.

-Which one this time?

-A.

-A?

-Yes.

All the noughts.

It is correct.

And one more.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Which one that time?

D?

-D?

-Yes.

-D.

Let's find out.

And you're correct - so that's pretty good.

-Lovely!

-Maximum seconds.

Let's find out what the Brain has got in store for game two?

Hm, I shall have to up my ante with Amy.

Here's the second game.

Remember where the pictures were, once they've disappeared.

Here is a trial run, Amy.

-Where are the fiddles?

-Where are the fiddles?

3 and 4.

3 and 4, you're saying for the fiddles?

Well done.

-Correct, good observation there.

-Thank you.

So, on we move then to play the game for real.

Please remember I can only accept your first answer.

Every correct answer adds three seconds to the Brain Bank

to use in today's final.

Your game starts...

now.

Clocks, pigs, coins.

Where are the clocks?

-1 and 5.

-1 and 5?

Is that correct?

It is.

Next one, please.

Where are the glass slippers?

-Glass slippers.

-5, 8 and 9.

5, 8 and 9, you're saying?

Are you right?

You are.

So...one more.

(Oh, God!)

-More of them this time.

-Yes.

Where are the cats?

5, 2, 3 and 12?

5, 2, 3...

-Yes!

-Yes!

-Well done! That was a very difficult one...

-Thank you!

-..wasn't it?

What did you think, rest of team? Did you get that one right?

-That was amazing!

-She was fantastic!

So, Brain, you'll have to try to do better than that.

Absolutely, John, what a clever young woman.

Amy, you added 18 seconds in that Zone. Full house.

This means in total, Roey Brains have 42 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-Thank you very much.

-Maximum points, Amy, well done.

-Thank you.

Yeah, go back and join your team. Lovely to meet you.

-Will, you're our final player.

-Oh, dear.

No choice over what you get nominated for.

Come and join me

and we'll see what the Brain has got in store for you.

-Good to see you.

-Good to see you.

-You're studying Sports Psychology.

-I am indeed.

So, what do you hope to do with that?

I would like to work in a developing country

with a potential Olympic athlete, to be their sports psychologist.

Well, let's see how you do because we have got three Zones left.

We've got Orientation, Observation and Multi-tasking.

So, Brain, a Zone, please.

Multi-tasking, what do you think of that?

My least favourite but I'll give it a go, obviously.

Do as well as I can.

Are you any good at multi-tasking around the digs or anything?

I'm a man, no.

-Gosh.

-OK, Brain, please can we have the first game?

-Of course. Hello, Will.

-Hello.

I'm not meant to have favourites

and I know brains matter rather than looks but lordy, you're cute.

-Oh, thank you.

-My pleasure. Here's your first game.

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

Have yourself a trial run.

Count the carrots and add the numbers.

-So that was 10 on the right...

-10 on the right.

-..and 2 on the left.

-2 on the left.

-1 and 10. Right, off we go.

-Your game starts now.

Count the ice creams and add the numbers.

So, how many ice creams?

That was 3 ice creams on the left and 12 on the right.

3 and 12, you're saying.

Yes, you're correct, well done. Onto the next one.

Count the bananas and add the numbers.

So, what do you say there?

I think 3 on the left and 20 on the right.

3 and 20 is your answer and it's correct. Yes, one more to go.

Count the rubber ducks and add the numbers.

That's 3 on the left and 24 on the right.

3 rubber ducks and 24 is the total. Are you right? Yes, you are.

-Yes.

-Well done. That was very good.

-Thank you.

What have you got for the second game, Brain?

Hmm, three out of three there, this makes me sad.

Here's your second game.

Count the number of times each arrow passes its needle.

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

So, what are you saying, how many times on the left and on the right?

-2 on the left and 5 on the right.

-2 and 5. Let's see.

-2 and 6, missed one revolution out.

-Okey dokey.

-OK.

Are you happy to play it again?

-Yeah, I suppose I have to be.

-Off we go.

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

Your game starts now.

-That is 4 on the left...

-Yeah.

-..and 1 on the right.

4 and 1. Is that right?

It is correct, well done. On to the next one.

So how many times have they revolved there?

-I believe 4 on the left and 3 on the right.

-4 and 3.

-Yes, well done. Heading for maximum points.

-Wahey.

-Right, one more.

A bit faster that time, what are you saying?

-Hmm, I believe 5 on the left...

-5.

-..and 6 on the right.

5 and 6.

Is that correct?

-Ooh, what a shame.

-Oh, just one out on the left there. 6 and 6.

-But well done.

-Thank you.

-Well done. You know, you were very nearly

heading for maximum points in that one, weren't you?

-I feel quite proud of myself.

-You did well.

-Thank you.

-Didn't he, Brain?

-Absolutely. I was trying to lull him

into a false sense of security by complimenting him,

-and look what he did.

-Well, it didn't work!

-LAUGHTER

-Will, you added 15 seconds in that zone.

-Hey!

-Lovely.

-This means, Roey Brains,

you have finished with a grand total

of 57 seconds in your Brain Bank.

-That is a good score.

-Thank you ever so much.

Well done, everybody from Roey Brains.

So we've finished the individual zones

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

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

Roey Brains, you've added 57 seconds to your Brain Bank.

It's time now to put it to good use.

You need to answer two questions correctly each

within your 57 seconds to take home our jackpot today of £3,000.

Now, if you take too long,

there's still a chance of winning some money,

because The Brain has given you an extra two minutes

to get the answers required.

But as the seconds slip away, so do the pounds,

and if you run out of time, you run out of money. OK?

Now, Daniel, you've chosen the order in which the team are playing.

What's your thinking behind that?

Well, basically, we kind of all agreed

that the order we stood in didn't really matter,

except no-one wanted to be the last person.

I felt as the captain I had to take one for the team and do it.

So let's get down to business and start today's final.

Over to you, Brain.

Roey Brains, 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 your huge challenge - to beat The Brain.

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

-Yep.

I need two correct answers from you before we can pass on to Will.

You need to get two right, Will, and then down the line

until we get to Daniel. OK?

Good luck, everybody. Let's play the game.

Solve the riddle.

Left?

No.

Find the hidden word.

This dog belongs to Stella, Brad or Mike. Erm...

Pass.

What phrase is it?

Erm...

Pass.

Which line won the game?

A.

Correct.

What is the word?

Historic.

Yes. Will.

Solve the riddle.

The middle.

Yes.

Count the dogs and add the numbers.

That's 2 on the left and 4 on the right.

-No.

-Don't know why I said 4.

Pass.

Where are the oil cans?

Er, 3, 9 and 8?

Incorrect.

-You can pass.

-Pass, please.

How many times past the needle?

2 on the left, 3 on the right.

Right. Jess.

Female seasons?

Nope.

Mixture.

Yes.

D.

Incorrect.

On the left.

Yes. Daniel.

Where are the dummies?

1, 5, 9.

No.

It is 3 on the left, 11 on the right.

Incorrect.

Quickly.

-Sorry, time is up.

-APPLAUSE

The answer was India.

So sorry, Roey Brains,

because you were doing so well at the start of the show.

And then suddenly it all went wrong in the final, didn't it?

-Oh, well.

-What a shame.

-The pressure got to you all.

-Bit gutted, but we did our best.

-Yeah.

-What did you think, Brain?

I beat you, but remember this -

you're all beautiful, you're all young.

Why, Mr Craven has jumpers in his wardrobe older than you are.

Well, thank you for playing the game,

and thank you at home for watching today.

I hope you enjoyed playing along.

But for now, though, it's goodbye from Roey Brains...

-ALL:

-Bye!

-..goodbye from Brain...

-Goodbye.

..and from me. See you next time.

That's how the team got on,

but how did you cope with the questions I give you earlier?

Here they are again with the answers.

What is the phrase or saying?

The answer is...

burn the candle at both ends.

And what about the second one? Solve the riddle.

The answer is...

Chipper is on the right.

Join John and me again for more puzzles,

posers and problems on Beat The Brain.