Episode 44 Eggheads

These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together, they make up the Eggheads,

arguably the most formidable quiz team in the country.

The question is, can they be beaten?

Welcome to Eggheads, the show where a team of five challengers

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

Taking on our champions today are On The Arm.

This team know one another from working and socialising

at the Solihull Municipal Club.

Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Nick, I'm 21, and I'm a politics student.

Hi, I'm Peter, I'm 50, and I'm a serving police officer.

Hi, I'm Adam, I'm 31, and I'm a company director.

Hello, I'm Alastair, I'm 37.

I'm a local government enforcement officer.

Hi, I'm Gary, I'm 42, and I'm a customer service manager.

Welcome to you On The Arm.

An original team name. Explain to us what it means.

We generally quiz quite often at various pubs. Nothing too serious.

Myself and Adam have put together a few quizzes, different genres.

We did a World Cup quiz and stuff.

They're free. We don't charge anybody to come in.

What we say as a slang term, "on the arm" means "free",

so we call them on-the-arm quizzes. So, why not have it as a team name?

-This is on the arm.

-Well, yes!

-Potentially, a very big reward at the end.

-We can hope!

-What can be better?

-A small matter of the questions!

There is that in between, yes, between the beginning and the money.

Let's explain to you what's going on so far.

Every day, there's £1,000 up for grabs for our challengers.

But if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the money rolls over.

On The Arm, the Eggheads have won the last five games.

That means £6,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Let's do the in-between bit, that's the quizzing.

Let's start now with our first head-to-head battle.

The subject is Science.

-Who wants to play?

-I've got a bit of GCSE knowledge,

-so I think, er, I'll give that a go.

-Should be enough!

Science. OK. I know you're a politics student.

-Yes.

-We have a Politics category. We don't know what's coming up.

-I'll have to have a go at Science.

-OK. Science it is, then.

-Which Egghead will it be?

-Who do you think?

Daphne? Do you want to take Daphne?

I'll try and take Daphne on.

-OK.

-She likes that, actually!

-She just likes quizzing.

-Programmed to quiz.

-Yes.

OK, well, it's Nick and Daphne playing this one. Science.

Could I ask you both please to take your positions in the Question Room?

Nick, our politics student, playing Science.

First or second?

I'll try and put some pressure on, so I'll go first.

OK, Nick, what name is given to the component

onto which the internal elements of a personal computer are mounted?

I think I know this.

In this era, everyone uses computers and, luckily, I have access to one.

I haven't done any computer science,

but I'm pretty sure it's a motherboard.

Yes, it is. Good start.

He's started putting that pressure on.

Daphne's first question.

What term is used to describe a type of computer network

in which devices are connected to one another in series?

I think that's a daisy chain.

-Not a clover hitch?

-No, that's a knot.

-Is it?

-Yes!

-It is the right answer. Daisy chain.

OK, Nick.

What name is given to a drug or other agent

that increases the rate of urine formation

and, hence, the rate at which water and certain salts

are lost from the body?

Erm... I'm going to have to do a bit of quiz logic here.

I think emollient is normally what you put on your skin,

like moisturiser stuff, I think.

Anabolic, that rings a bell from school.

Er... I don't think it's that one. I think it's...

I can't remember what it's to do with.

So I think it could be diuretic.

Diuretic.

It's the right answer. Diuretic.

OK, Daphne.

The world's first digital watch, called the Pulsar,

complete with glowing red numerals,

first went on sale in April of which year?

No idea. Erm...

19...

..72.

1972. That early. What do you think, other Eggheads?

I think it was much later.

The first calculators with that kind of display came out about that time,

so I would say '72.

She's right, you know. 1972!

I'd say some of you Eggheads have still got yours!

OK, it's all square so far after two questions.

Nick, third question. The US researcher Harry Coover

made which accidental but useful discovery?

Erm... The name doesn't ring any bells, unfortunately.

I can't see why he'd stumble upon a microwave oven.

It's a pretty dangerous game, playing with radiation and stuff.

Erm... So out of the other two,

I'm going to plump for superglue.

You're working well, it's the right answer.

Harry Coover discovered superglue,

which Nick discovered, as well, by a bit of intuition.

Puts you in the lead and means you go through to the Final Round

if Daphne gets this wrong.

The giant oarfish, that can grow to more than 30-feet long,

is also known by which name?

Hm...

I don't know.

It won't be Prince of Whales.

A guess, king of herrings?

-No?

-Yes!

It's the only one I'd heard of.

That's the usually the reason why with you Eggheads.

Playing like an Egghead there, Nick. We go to Sudden Death

because it's all square,

and all square in terms of you both getting them correct.

Just to make it harder, we're going to take away the choices.

I've just got to hear the answer from you.

You will have nothing to guess at. Here's your question.

The SI unit of capacitance

is named after which English scientist?

As you can probably guess, I don't actually know.

Just try and have a think.

Erm... The two that stick out are Einstein and Newton,

but I don't think it's any of those. Erm...

My brain's gone empty.

I don't know. I'm just going to plump for...

I'm going to say Isaac Newton. I know that's not the answer.

OK. Isaac Newton, of course, has an SI unit named after him,

but not capacitance.

No, it's not Newton.

Could've been Daphne's question if she'd gone first,

assuming that you both got the opposite set of questions correct.

-Do you know it, Daphne?

-Michael Faraday?

-And the unit in question?

-Farad.

-The farad, yes. Michael Faraday.

Well, OK, it doesn't matter that Daphne knew that.

It has no effect on the end result.

She needs to give me a correct answer.

Who wrote the 2004 book The Naked Woman,

which examined the female body from an evolutionary point of view?

I've got no idea, so I won't waste time.

Desmond Morris?

No!

-It's the right answer!

-DAPHNE GASPS

"I've got no idea."

I was waiting for you to say, "I'll pass."

-It's because he wrote The Naked Ape, isn't it?

-That's why I said it.

-It's the title he uses, I think.

-I've never heard of the book.

The Naked Woman by Desmond Morris takes you though to the Final Round.

Bad luck, Nick. You see what form she's on.

Disappeared a bit in a few recent games,

the ability to guess those, and inspired guesses they all are,

but it seems to have come back to you, Daphne.

No place in the Final Round, Nick. Daphne, you'll be there.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

First victory for the Eggheads.

One member of On The Arm missing from the Final Round, at least.

All the Eggheads are still there at this point.

Our second head-to-head today is Sport.

Who'd like to play this?

We were hoping this round was to come up.

Our resident sport man over there, that'll be Gary.

OK, Gary. Who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

It can't be Daphne. Any of the other four.

-It's got to be Chris.

-Sorry, Chris. We're going to plump for Chris.

-You will be!

-LAUGHTER

OK. Gary and Chris playing this one. It's Sport.

Could I ask you both to go to the Question Room?

OK, well, Nick was pretty unlucky, Gary.

Let's hope the same fate doesn't fall to you.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-First, please.

Good luck, Gary. First question.

In tennis, following a defeat against Lithuania,

who resigned as Great Britain Davis Cup captain in 2010?

OK, I think I know this one.

I know it's not Mark Petchey, I believe he's a commentator.

And I also think Barry Cowan is.

I'm going to go for John Lloyd.

You'd be right to do so. Good start. It's the right answer.

Chris, your first question.

Which team defeated England on penalties

in the 1990 Football World Cup semifinals?

Thinking back to 1990...

There would've been rampaging arguments about the Falklands

if it had been Argentina, so it wasn't them.

Er...

Italy... I think we got knocked out by West Germany in 1990.

-West Germany.

-They did a bit, yes! On penalties!

It's the right answer, yes.

West Germany.

Gary, Tommy Bowe and Jamie Heaslip

have represented which international rugby union team?

OK. I'm not too sure.

I don't think they're Welsh.

OK. 50-50.

I'm going to go for Ireland.

OK. Bit of pressure there.

It's the right answer, yes. Ireland.

Chris, in which decade of the 20th century

did the boxer Henry Cooper take part in his first professional bout?

Now, his real moment of glory

was when he sat Ali on the canvas in '63.

And he'd been a professional for some years then,

so he must've started fighting as a pro in the late 1950s.

Mid 1950s, actually. 1954. It's the right answer.

OK, Gary, the NBA basketball franchise called the Grizzlies

moved from Vancouver to which other city in 2001?

Well, Vancouver's in Canada,

so that would rule out Memphis.

Erm... I think...

..Charlotte's in America or Canada.

Charlotte or Portland. I'm going to go for Charlotte.

-I think that's in Canada.

-OK.

No. You fed the wrong information into your brain.

They're all in the USA. And it is Memphis.

So, Chris, a chance to take the round.

The laws of cricket dictate that a set of wickets is nine-inches wide

and a bat can be a maximum of how many inches wide?

5.75 is five and three-quarter inches, which is too wide.

Er, five is...

What's that? That's about that. That's on the wide side, as well.

It's 4.25 inches. Four and a quarter.

Is this from measuring things up with all your engineering?

Well, yes, I suppose so, yes.

And you've come up with that. It's the right answer!

4.25 inches. Very good.

You will be in the Final Round. No place for Gary.

Please come back and join your teams.

Another one to the Eggheads.

On The Arm have lost two brains. The Eggheads haven't lost any.

Our third head-to-head, this one is Geography.

Who'd like to play this? It can be Peter, Adam or Alastair.

The three of you in the middle there. Geography.

THEY CONFER

-Yeah?

-I'll do it. Peter.

OK, Peter. Who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

We've had Chris and Daphne. You've got Barry, Pat or CJ.

Take Barry and leave Pat as one of the last ones?

Take Barry on?

Barry, please. We'll try and take Barry on.

Try and take Barry. OK. It's Peter and Barry to play this one.

Could you both please take your positions in the Question Room?

Peter, I think Gary and Nick have both suffered from bad luck

in their head-to-heads.

Let's hope nothing like that happens to you.

-First or second?

-First, please.

Best of luck. Concentrate.

I'll read the question as many times as you like.

What is the only US state to consist entirely of islands?

Erm...

Delaware and Alaska form part of the mainland of North America.

Er, Hawaii is the state that I only know to consist of islands,

so I'll go for Hawaii.

Yes, of course. Good start.

Barry, Vietnam's flag features

a five-pointed golden star on a background of which colour?

-It's red, Dermot.

-Yes, it is. You know that all too well.

It's all square after those first questions. Second to you, Peter.

Mandelieu Airport serves which French city?

Mandelieu. M-A-N-D-E-L-I-E-U.

Right. Erm... Struggling with this one, I must say.

It's not an airport I've heard the name of.

Er, it's going to be a bit of a wild stab on this.

I would go for...

..film festival... Cannes. I'll go for Cannes.

-Cannes.

-Yes.

-Just like the sound of that, do you?

That's it. No more logic than that!

You'll like it even more now it's right!

Mandelieu.

That must be where the film stars arrive in their private jets.

OK. So, Barry,

what term is used to refer to an isolated hill or mountain

that rises abruptly from a plain,

such as Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro?

I believe those are called inselbergs.

They are indeed. Very good.

All square.

Third question, Peter.

The Musandam Peninsula juts out into which strait?

Again, er, struggling with great difficulty here.

Erm...

I've not heard of the peninsula.

-Could you give me it again, please?

-It's the Musandam.

M-U-S-A-N-D-A-M.

The Musandam Peninsula.

I'm inclined to go with Strait of Hormuz.

OK. Gone for it. Why?

Again, it's just a flash of inspiration.

You are inspired! It's the right answer, yes.

Strait of Hormuz.

Well, going really well.

If Barry doesn't get this, you're in the Final Round, Peter.

The Ilemi Triangle, I-L-E-M-I, is a disputed area of territory

claimed by Ethiopia, Kenya and which other African country?

Ah. I've not heard of this one.

I'm going to hope my luck is in as much as my opponent's.

The Ilemi... I can't take anything out of the name.

Ilemi. But it has a vague Arabic ring about it.

So in that case, I shall go for Somalia.

OK. What do you think, other Eggheads? Have you heard of it?

-I'd have a pop at Sudan.

-I'd go for Sudan myself.

They tend to disagree, those that have voiced an opinion.

-And you're wrong, they're right. It's Sudan.

-Ah!

Which means, Peter, your luck and indeed your judgement,

let's be honest about that - lot of judgement in there -

has carried you into the Final Round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Hotting up now. On The Arm sparked into life

and knocked Barry out of the Final Round.

Two of their members have gone. Our last head-to-head approaches.

This one is Music. Adam or Alastair to play it.

We've hopefully got our music buff with us.

We think Alastair. Al's going to be playing.

Al, who do you want to play? Two Eggheads remain - CJ and Pat.

I think we'll take on the newly-crowned

-World Quiz Champion - Pat, please.

-OK.

Pat. Mentioning him winning the World Quiz Championship.

Let's have Alastair and Pat into the Question Room, please.

OK, musical Al, as they called you, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

First question, Al. I'll call you Alastair, I'll be more formal.

First question.

Hanky Panky was a UK number-two single in 1990 for which singer?

I'm fairly certain it's not Cher.

Erm...

I'm not absolutely certain, Dermot, but I'm going to go for Madonna.

OK. It's right answer. Madonna and Hanky Panky.

OK. Pat, which comedian had a UK number-one single in 1975

with D.I.V.O.R.C.E., a parody of Tammy Wynette's earlier hit?

All three of those chaps are comedians

and I think all three have had trips into the charts.

But this song was by Billy Connolly.

Billy Connolly is correct, yes.

D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

And second question, Alastair.

In the song Chattanooga Choo Choo, what follows the line

"Pardon me, boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?"

I haven't got a clue what the tune is.

This will be a pure guess, I'm afraid.

I'm going for my favourite number, which is track 21.

Track 21. Chris?

# Pardon me, boy Is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

# Track 29 Boy, you can gimme a shine #

29.

It's 29! I don't know if you could hear that. Track 29.

OK, Pat. Which Coldplay song starts with the lyrics

"I used to rule the world

"Seas would rise when I gave the word"?

It's from their recent album. It's Viva La Vida.

Yellow and The Scientist are considerably further back.

Viva La Vida is correct. So you have a lead.

Alarm bells ringing for Alastair. He needs to get this.

Which composer was financially supported by a business woman,

called Nadezhda von Meck, for years

and carried on a regular correspondence with her,

though they never met?

Again, I can only apologise for this, but I've got no idea.

Erm...

I can't even think of a reason why it wouldn't be one of the three.

Er... I'm going to go for Mussorgsky.

OK. Mussorgsky.

It's not. Do you know, Pat?

Tchaikovsky.

It is.

Which means the round is over.

A couple of questions which really were off your radar.

It means you won't be in the Final Round. Pat, you will be.

Would you both come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the Final Round. As always, general knowledge.

I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-heads can't take part.

Nick, Alastair and Gary from On The Arm,

and Barry from the Eggheads,

would you leave the studio now, please?

Peter and Adam, you're playing to win On The Arm £6,000.

CJ, Daphne, Chris and Pat,

you're playing for something which money can't buy -

the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask three questions in turn. You are allowed to confer.

Peter and Adam, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

On The Arm, would you like to go first or second?

We're going to stick with the same game plan and go first.

Good luck, On The Arm. Good luck, Peter and Adam.

The first question.

Viernes is the Spanish name for which day of the week?

V-I-E-R-N-E-S.

Viernes.

OK, thinking of the French,

it's Lundi for Monday, Mercredi for Wednesday and Vendredi.

-So Viernes is a bit like Vendredi.

-Yes. Go with the "V".

-I'm fairly...

A degree of confidence on this one. I think it's Friday.

-Doing it through your French.

-Vendredi, yes.

-And the "V" on the Vendredi. It's the right answer.

-Good logic.

Eggheads, who did the actress Mia Farrow marry in 1966?

Who did the actress Mia Farrow marry in 1966?

All happy with Sinatra?

We think that's Frank Sinatra.

-You don't think it. You know it.

-We know full well that's Sinatra!

It is the right answer, Eggheads. They married in '66.

Second question to On The Arm.

In Anglo-Saxon times, what was the fyrd?

F-Y-R-D? What was it?

I'm trying to think of any derivations there could've been.

-Taxes were around in those times.

-Yes, things like that.

Armed forces...

I mean, I've got...

-My first instinct is parliament.

-Was it formed in Anglo-Saxon times?

-Hm.

-Not an elected parliament.

-There's certainly some old words...

-There's meeting places, the moot.

-Shall we go for parliament?

Shall we go for parliament?

We could talk ourselves in and out of it all day.

OK, it's a bit of a stab, but we'll go for parliament.

OK, for the fyrd...

It was...

..armed forces.

Armed forces. Bad luck.

Any more on that, Eggheads?

They're sometimes, these days, called the feared,

-because they were aggressive.

-OK.

Armed forces, anyway. Not identified by On The Arm.

See how the Eggheads do with their second one.

What is the alternative common name for the plant known as ramsons?

-Wild garlic.

-The alternative common name

for the plant known as ramsons?

-Wild garlic.

-It is.

That is wild garlic.

Wild garlic for ramsons.

It's correct, Eggheads.

So you have a lead.

A gap which has to be closed with this question, On The Arm.

Which device is specifically used for measuring distances on maps?

Which device is specifically used for measuring distances on maps?

-Out of the three...

-Opi... Opi... Vision.

Optimetrics - so you think you would look through that.

-But if you're measuring on a map...

-Idiometer?

You wouldn't have thought that would...

Clinometer rings a bit of a bell. I don't know why.

Out of the three, it's the one that I'm drawn towards, but...

Idiometer. Idiometer.

I can't see anything else, apart from an "idiom" in language,

which doesn't help at all.

Id... I don't know.

I agree. Clinometer.

I think, by process of elimination, we're going to go for clinometer.

OK, clinometer, for a device used for measuring distances on maps.

You need to get it. Sorry to tell you, it's incorrect.

Eggheads, do you know?

Opisometer. It's that little thing you do like that.

Opisometer.

Which means, Eggheads, you've won.

Bad luck, guys. Peter, your touch that you had in the head-to-heads

rather deserted you in the Final Round.

Couple of stinkers there. Turns out the Eggheads knew them.

But they're Eggheads.

You did really, really well in those head-to-heads.

Could've had a better result with a following win, which you didn't get.

Thanks very much for playing today. Not to be.

They have done what comes naturally. Their winning streak continues.

You won't be going home with the £6,000,

which means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

Join us to see if a new team have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£7,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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