Quizzing in the Covid Arms

"Which country has the longest coastline?”

“Which television characters are associated with Wimbledon?”

“Sniffled Rotten is an anagram of which famous cartoon character?”

Oh no, you say, not another Quiz!  But be honest – you can’t resist having a guess

You want to be right and you would like to discuss these questions in the pub, preferably with friends and with a drink in hand.   As the playwright James Graham said, "pub quizzes combine our two great loves: drinking and being right”.

But, for the foreseeable, the pub quiz is out of bounds. Trapped at home by the plague, able to communicate only by a videoconferencing app, it seems the British public has quizzes on the brain. In fact I read it is now a global phenomenon and it’s easy to see why in the current covid lockdown era. It encourages us to talk to relatives and friends and interact over a bit of competitive fun without discussing that bloody virus and turning each other suicidal.  Also we usually find a charity to give to at the same time.

Oldies like me, missing family, friends, and the regular Halfway House pub quiz, have learned to use Zoom and Houseparty although this has not been without its problems.  The on- line meet up initially started with “Hi. Are you there? Can you hear me?  Can you see me?” “No, turn your camera on.... and now your microphone”.  It’s the button on the bottom left of your screen....” etc.   Now I can actually host a quiz, manage my participants, change the view and share media. 

However, I have noticed that whether you are hosting or just taking part, it seems to be getting more competitive.  More competitive in thinking up the best questions, being right or giving the most amusing wrong answer, and even coming up with the best team names.  (I love these team names I found on the Interweb: Prince Philip’s Driving Instructor, Kim Jong Not-Ill-At-All,  Livin’ La Vida Lockdown, I get locked down but I get up again, Lockdown Funk You Up, Buena Vista Social Distancing Club, and Lockdown Your Daughters.) 

But we must remember, as my pub landlord says, “It’s just a bit of fun, no googling or you’re only cheating yourself”.  Which reminds me, I still can’t understand how the winning score of the Staythehellin Quiz was 73 when I thought we’d done well with 51?