Festival Fans v Cat Lovers Only Connect

My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius,

commander of the armies of the north,

general of the Felix legions,

loyal servant of the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

Husband to a murdered wife, father to a murdered son,

and I will have my revenge in this life or the next.

But first, let's meet the teams!

On my right, Ed Dovey,

an accomplished illustrator whose artwork is currently exhibited in Cardiff Castle.

Stewart McCartney,

a genealogy enthusiast who has researched over 1,400 members of his family tree

and their captain, Marianne Fairthorne,

a festival volunteer who once built a stone circle in her family's garden!

They like nothing more than a weekend spent waist-deep in mud.

They are the Festival Fans.

Marianne, you lost against the Francophiles

but won against the General Practitioners.

What have you learnt from those experiences?

-You win some, you lose some!

-You will be facing, on my left,

Roger Johnson, an English graduate,

who's also a published author and former folk club manager.

Jean Upton,

a retired advertising and publicity manager who enjoys yoga and fencing,

and is a descendant of Edward Lear.

And their captain, Jim Crozier,

a philosophy enthusiast who has ambitions to be a voice-over artist.

United by a fondness for felines,

they are the Cat Lovers.

Jim, you beat the Corpuscles in your first heat,

the lost to the Celts. What's the height of your experience so far?

Getting a second bite at the cherry is nice.

But also, there was a fruity Chardonnay in the hotel last night.

That's probably the highlight so far.

What tactics do you plan to employ for this game?

Go with our instincts, I think.

My instinct is that it's time to play Round One.

I want to know what's the connection between four apparently random clues.

Remember, whoever wins tonight goes straight through to the semi-finals.

Whoever loses is going home.

Cat Lovers, you won the toss, but you're putting the Festival Fans in first.

Which hieroglyph would you like?

-Horned viper, please.

-OK.

You'll be seeing picture clues.

What do they have in common?

I don't know who that is.

Next.

-That's California. Does he have the name of a state?

-Don't know.

We should keep going because we don't the name of the first one.

Next.

-Drawing by anybody?

-What the hell is that?

I don't know what that is.

Next.

-Who is he?

-I don't know.

We'll have to make it up.

I think maybe sunshine or something.

-BELL

-Well...

-Well, they wouldn't have state names...

-Sorry, I do need an answer!

I'll just go for sunshine.

Not the answer, I'm afraid. So there's a possible bonus chance for the Cat Lovers.

Spirals.

-It's not spirals, but are you recognising the third clue?

-Yeah.

-What is that?

-It's a Fibonacci spiral.

It's a golden spiral.

Also known as a golden section.

-That boxer - anybody recognise the boxer?

-No.

-I'm sure he's called golden?

-Oscar de la Hoya, "golden boy" of boxing.

California, the golden state.

-Oh!

-Florida is the sunshine state.

And the last one, come on!

Jack Nicklaus, the golden bear.

Jack Nicklaus, the golden bear

of golf.

So no points there. Cat Lovers, your chance to choose a question.

-Water, please.

-Water.

What are the connections between these clues?

Next, please.

Next, please.

-Can you think of anything?

-Nothing.

Next, please.

That helps(!)

Norwegian boys. Sven?

The letter B.

B is not the answer. Festival Fans, do you want to go for a bonus?

No, it's too long. So...

The answer here is "Odd and Even".

Around a roulette wheel you have even chances, odd and even.

Sin(x) and cos(x) are examples of odd and even functions.

Odd and Even, however they're pronounced, are Norwegian names.

And x and x+1, if x is an integer,

then one number must be odd and the other one even.

While you're all kicking yourselves, you may also choose a question.

-Festival Fans?

-Lion, please.

-Lion.

A music question.

What's the connection between these clues? Here's the first.

# Time and time and time again

# I look to me, my only friend... #

I know this song.

-Go for the next one.

-Next.

# It's still you taking me up there

# Pretend to be scared... #

Is this Republican or someone?

OK. Next.

INSTRUMENTAL

That's Wipeout.

So they're all shows, aren't they?

Sale of the Century, Wipeout. They're game shows.

They're game shows.

They are songs that share their names with the titles of game shows.

The last one would have been Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

What did you hear?

We heard Wipeout on three, which I recognised.

We had Sale of the Century on two.

-By, do you know?

-I thought Republic, but apparently not.

-I don't know.

-It's Sleeper.

What about Going for Gold?

-Who did that?

-Shed Seven.

-It is Shed Seven.

-Now you've given me the title.

-Very well done.

You're off the blocks with some points, Festival Fans. Cat Lovers, pick a question.

-Eye of Horus.

-Eye of Horus. What is the connection between these clues?

Next, please.

INDISTINCT

-Go for the next.

-Next, please.

-Yes.

-Rhyming names.

-Rhyming nicknames.

They have rhyming nicknames.

You should have gambled after two clues.

-Rhyming nicknames. England cricket supporters, known as...

-Barmy Army.

Right. And what about the three you did see?

-Trolly dolly.

-Spruce Goose.

-And Ally Pally.

Yes, they all have rhyming nicknames. Well done. Two points.

-Back to the Fans.

-Two reeds, please.

OK. What is the connection between these clues?

Chagos Archipelago.

That's where they expelled all the population to build an airbase.

Do you want to go for the next one?

Next.

20 degrees west.

INDISTINCT

Next.

All British overseas territories.

-Do you want to say it?

-I'm not sure.

Next.

-Three seconds.

-British overseas territories.

Well, now.

Are you completely happy with that answer?

Um...

They're all British overseas territories

disputed by other people.

That's it. I have to accept British overseas territories

cos I don't want to get letters from furious people

who feel that very strongly.

But to go a little wider,

they are all UK overseas territories that are in dispute

from other nations.

Well done. You get the points.

Cat Lovers, back to you. The final question is the twisted flax.

What is the connection between these clues? Here's the first.

Next, please.

Next, please.

They tend not to be used in those languages?

Next, please.

Top-scoring tiles in Scrabble.

Now, I think I will accept it,

but would you like to be any more specific?

Ten point letters in Scrabble.

That's what it is.

They are the top-scoring tiles,

but all ten-point scorers

in those respective languages.

At the end of Round One, speaking of scores...

Round Two, I'm sure the teams will remember, is the sequences round.

They may see up to three clues before telling me what comes fourth.

Festival Fans, you're first again.

Which hieroglyph would you like?

-Lion, please.

-OK.

What would be the fourth in this sequence?

Lazio is a football team.

Next.

It's somebody playing for a club.

I think it could be somebody who went from Lazio to Middlesbrough.

-Try the third one.

-Next.

Or they went from Middlesbrough to Real Madrid.

You know how little I know about football.

So what club do you want?

We're running out of time. Guess, I suppose.

Three seconds.

Ronaldinho.

-That is not the answer I was looking for.

-That's not a club!

Not the answer. So a possible bonus for the Cat Lovers.

Barcelona.

That's not it, either.

I'm going to tell you the answer first - West Bromwich Albion.

I'll tell you who once managed West Bromwich Albion.

Roy Hodgson.

Manager of Real Madrid was Fabio Capello.

A previous manager of Middlesbrough,

Steve McClaren, of Lazio, Sven-Goran Eriksson.

-What is the connection?

-All England managers.

They are the teams managed by people before they went on to manage the England team.

We're not sports fans here today.

Let's hope that doesn't come up again!

Comes as no surprise to anyone!

Cat Lovers, back to you to choose a question.

-Two reeds, please.

-Two reeds.

What is the fourth in this sequence?

Next, please.

-We need the next one.

-Next, please.

Ice cream sandwich is reminding me of something.

I can't for the life of me see what.

Three seconds.

Yes?

-Ginger nuts.

-Not the answer, I'm afraid.

Festival Fans, do you want to have a go for a bonus?

Battenberg cake.

No. Delicious suggestions from both of you.

I'm interested that neither side have noticed

that apart from anything else,

it goes alphabetically.

G for gingerbread, H for Honeycomb, I for ice cream sandwich.

-Jaffa cakes?

-I expected someone to guess a food beginning with J.

But what I needed to hear was Jelly Bean.

Because these are versions of the Android operating system.

Yum, yum. Back to you, Festival Fans. What would you like?

Twisted flax.

What would be the fourth in this sequence?

Next.

So, OK, but then what's...

-Ten, five...

-But how does it go smaller than one?

Next.

So it's just got to be one, and The White House, maybe?

-Try that?

-Go for it.

-Can't think of a better idea.

One and The White House.

Not the answer. So a possible bonus to the Cat Lovers.

One, Independence Hall.

Not it, either.

You probably both know that these are the reverse of American bank notes.

You were fooled temporarily by clue two.

There is a two-dollar bill. You don't see it very often.

With the signing of the Declaration of Independence on it.

On the back of the one dollar bill, the Great Seal of America.

Great seal of the USA. Jean, you're an American!

I haven't lived there for 21 years!

I assumed you were doing so well in life, you didn't bother with the one dollar bills!

The hundred you'd have known!

Great Seal of the USA is what I wanted to hear.

Cat Lovers, pick a question.

Horned viper, please.

Horned viper. These are pictures. What would you expect to see in the fourth picture?

Farm animals.

Next, please.

Why does it say 11 there?

-And there's a ten at the top.

-10, 11.

The next might be 13. Next, please.

A mine.

It's mining, or something.

Five seconds.

-Yes?

-13, a construction site.

I can't take it. That's not the answer.

A bonus chance for the Festival Fans.

-Retail.

-OK.

13, retail.

No. Though had you said a shop selling nuclear weapons, I would have taken it.

No. These are districts in The Hunger Games, book and film.

That's what the numbers mean. Tenth district, Livestock.

11th, agriculture, 12th mining,

and the 13th, nuclear.

I might have taken graphite mining, which is what they pretend to be doing when they're making weapons.

I might have taken underground dwellings which they also have.

-But shops, no. What was your answer?

-Construction site.

Construction site. Not the answer.

Festival Fans, you choose a question.

-Eye of Horus, please.

-Eye of Horus.

What would be the fourth in this sequence?

Next, please.

So you've got three and five, five and seven.

Seven and 11 and 11 and 13, maybe?

Maybe consecutive primes.

But I think it would be safe to try another one.

So let's try the next one.

Ah. So they're primes that are two apart, aren't they?

So then that would be 17 and 19.

17 and 19.

Not just ordinary primes, but twin primes.

The next two would be 17 and 19.

Right. Prime numbers that are two apart. Well done.

Cat Lovers, back to you with a water question.

What is the fourth in this sequence?

Next, please.

They're presidents of Egypt.

OK. In what order?

-Backwards?

-No, going forwards.

Next, please.

It's Morsi.

-Morsi.

-Sure? You're on your own with this one.

-Mr Dawson?

-Morsi.

Good current affairs. Mohammed Morsi is the next president of Egypt

in chronological order. Well done.

I'm glad, as we came to the end of the round, both of you got points!

Looking a little low-scoring there!

Could have been embarrassing. But we're all right.

At the end of Round Two...

Time for the Connecting Wall. You're all familiar with this.

Cat Lovers, time for you to choose Lion. Sorry, for you to have the choice!

Lion or water?

I'm going to surprise you. We'll go for the lion!

You have chosen lion every time.

I hope it suits you this time.

Two-and-a-half minutes to solve it,

starting now.

I wonder what that word means?

That's the capital of Madagascar.

What about Port Natal?

We have nosegay and garland.

-Festoon and corsage. What do you reckon?

-Try them.

BUZZ

-Is there another one?

-Ah, capitals that have changed their names.

Salisbury, Rangoon...

Tananarive.

Or capital cities that have changed their name. Bombay. No.

INDISTINCT

Assemble, Corral, Muster, Convene.

Three strikes and you're out now.

You're talking about cities that have changed names.

Yes. I suspect that Port Natal...

What do we think... What's Corsage if it's not...

Sage, goon...

Chives...

-Ah.

-Chives, sage...

-Chives, sage, bay.

Bay, chives, sage.

I'll make it a little easier.

This one looks like the one most likely to contain another word.

-Anise...

-Anise.

There you go. You've solved the Wall. Four points immediately for the groups.

Let's look for the connections.

Festoon, nosegay, buttonhole, garland.

Floral arrangements.

A floral bouquet. Quite right.

Corral, assemble, muster, convene.

All names "to bring together".

Gather people together. Right.

What about this one? Corsage, archives, Bombay, Organise?

They contain the names of herbs.

You spotted it just near the end.

They end with the names of herbs.

Sage, chives, bay and anise,

hidden in the end of those words.

And the last one. Rangoon, Salisbury, Tananarive, Port Natal.

I think they're all cities whose names have been changed.

Correct. They're the old colonial names of cities.

What are they known as now?

-Salisbury is Harare.

-Uh-huh.

Tananarive I think is Antananarivo.

Yes, capital of Madagascar.

I can't remember what Rangoon is,

and I don't know what Port Natal is.

Rangoon is now known as Yangon,

and Port Natal as Durban,

-in South Africa.

-Right!

All colonial names of cities that are now known as something else.

So that is four points for the groups you found

four points for the connections.

The bonus two points for getting them all right, is a total of ten.

That's pulled you out of the mud!

Time to bring back the Festival Fans,

give them a Connecting Wall, 16 fresh jumbled up clues need sorting

into four connected groups of four.

Festival Fans, you get the water wall. The lion's been taken.

Two-and-a-half minutes to sort it, starting now.

Billy Budd's an opera.

Friday I'm In Love is a song by The Cure.

-Lovecats?

-Yes. So try Lovecats,

Friday I'm In Love, Lullaby.

Lovecats, Friday I'm In Love.

What's the fourth one?

Hanging Garden?

Try Hanging Garden.

BUZZ

We've got doors - we've got jamb, panel, frame, catch, all door.

-What else is there?

-Threshold.

-Threshold.

OK.

The Castle...

Fire escape, fire extinguisher, fire alarm and a fire watch, maybe?

-Got it.

-OK.

-Another three strikes and you're out. Plenty of time.

OK, so we've got The Cure.

What else? Billy Budd... Fisherman?

Billy Budd is an opera.

-He's also a sailor.

-Is Catch to do with fishing?

I don't know.

I think Lovecats, Friday I'm In Love and Lullaby.

But it's the fourth.

I think we'll go The Castle.

But what would be Whistle, Lullaby,

Whistle, Billy Budd, Catch and The Hanging Garden?

We have these operas.

I don't know what Whistle is about.

Let's try some Cures.

The Lovecats, Friday I'm In Love,

Lullaby, and try Catch.

That's it. You've solved The Wall.

Very well done. Four points for the groups. Let's look for the connections.

Jamb, panel, threshold, frame.

They're parts of a door.

Sections of a doorway. Right.

Next, extinguisher, watch, alarm, escape.

-Fire.

-Fire? What's fire watch?

It's a thing in the Second World War, to keep an eye on when bombs are coming down.

That's it. Looked out over London during The Blitz.

And Lullaby, The Love Cats,

Catch and Friday I'm In Love.

-Cure songs.

-Songs by The Cure.

Catch you didn't know. That's one of theirs.

And the last one, Whistle, The Hanging Garden,

The Castle, Billy Budd.

I think we've got to go for they're all operas.

I can't see another connection.

Um, they might be operas based on...

The Castle, I assume it might be a Kafka thing.

-No, no.

-OK, operas, then.

I'm afraid they're not operas.

Billy Budd may be an opera.

It's also an unfinished novel by Herman Melville.

The Castle is Kafka,

but an unfinished Kafka.

The Hanging Garden by Patrick White,

Whistle, James Jones's war trilogy,

they're all unfinished novels.

But four points for the groups that you found. Three bonus points for the connections.

That is a total of seven.

Let's see what that does for the scores going into Round Four.

If you want to have a go at a Connecting Wall:

And you can also write your own.

But we're going to decide who's through to the semi-final and who's going home

by missing vowel.

You know the rules, so fingers on buzzers, teams.

The first group are all food additives.

-Fans?

-Monosodium Glutamate.

-Correct.

-Fans?

-Xanthan Gum.

-Correct.

-Fans?

-Potassium Benzoate.

-Correct.

-Fans?

-Caramel.

-Yes, it is.

Next category:

-Lovers?

-Irving Berlin.

-Correct.

-Lord Denning.

-Correct.

-Fans?

-Leni Riefenstahl.

-Correct.

-Fans?

-The Queen Mother.

-Yes.

Next category:

Don't know this one. It's Naturopathy.

Next clue.

Cat Lovers?

-Aromatherapy.

-Correct.

-Lovers?

-Acupuncture.

-Correct.

-Cat Lovers?

-Ear Candling.

-It is.

Next category:

-Fans.

-A Few Good Men.

-Yes, it is.

-Fans?

-Duck Soup.

-Yes.

-Cat Lovers?

-END OF ROUND JINGLE

Oh, my goodness. The bell's gone off, ending the quiz.

No time to say Inherit the Wind, if that's what you would have said.

And I'm afraid I have to tell you

that the Festival Fans finished on 20 points

and the Cat Lovers have 20 points!

It's a tie-break!

The way this works, if you haven't noticed before,

is it's captains only.

There is going to be one clue,

I'm not going to tell you the category.

If you buzz in and give me the wrong answer,

you are immediately eliminated, and the other team wins by default.

But if you are correct,

you're through to the semi-final,

sending the others home.

Captains, fingers on buzzers.

Your decisive tie-break clue is coming up now.

Festival Fans?

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

That is the right answer.

Well played, Marianne. You take your team through to the semi-final.

And Cat Lovers, it's as close as it could possibly be.

By a whisker - an analogy I'm sure you'll appreciate!

You are out and going home,

but you played brilliantly. Thank you very much for coming.

Festival Fans, we will be seeing you again.

So, as the competition hots up,

join me next time for an episode that will be a bitter, determined fight to the death!

But at the same time, a bit of fun for all the family to enjoy!

Imagine the Battle of Stalingrad settled by Scrabble!

Goodbye!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd