LearnedLeague 95 Match Day 18 Recap
Vampire homelands and Vampire Weekend highlight this question set. No garlic allowed!
Match Day 18
1. The first major work of a certain 17th-century French architect, an innovator of a simplified Baroque style, was the north wing of the Château Royal de Blois, which featured the double-angled, high-pitched roof style named after him. What is that style?
Pre-answer thoughts: After getting an art question right on Friday, I am stumped on this one. A-Frame seems like a much more modern style of architecture, but it’s my only guess here. Maybe it’s named after someone whose last name starts with A?
Correct answer: Mansard
Was I correct? No.
How much of LL got it right? 23%
Points assigned to opponent: 3 — it’s the dreaded art question. Unless someone is good at this topic, I usually go for 3 on the art, and it’s his worst LL subject.
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 3
Current score: No score
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 3 — same logic as above.
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 3
Current score: No score
Post-answer thoughts: After seeing this answer, I was disappointed in myself because I’m a huge fan of the band Vampire Weekend, whose opening track to their debut album is called “Mansard Roof.”
2. Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop, the founder of the Dunlop Rubber Company, invented the pneumatic tire in 1888. What other man, namesake of another prominent (and competing) company, discovered the process for the vulcanization of rubber around 50 years prior?
Pre-answer thoughts: I think this has to be either Goodyear or Firestone, considering these are two longtime tire companies. Was Goodyear around that long ago? I’m not sure. I’ll guess Firestone here.
Correct answer: Charles Goodyear
Was I correct? No.
How much of LL got it right? 60%
Points assigned to opponent: 2 — I’m not sure how hard this will play since there are two very possible answers I can think of.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 0(0)-2(1)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 2 — likewise, there are others I think he’ll get today.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 0(0)-2(1)
Post-answer thoughts: There is a concept in LL parlance called the Kosman Koin. It’s named after longtime LLama KosmanJ, who first came up with it. The idea behind it is whenever the answer seems like a coin-flip, you always pick the wrong one. That’s what happened to me here. Turns out there was another wrong choice — Michelin was most common wrong answer at 21%.
3. The first two releases by the Criterion Collection, which publishes "important classic and contemporary films from around the world", were LaserDisc releases in 1984 of legendary American films from 1941 and 1933. Name either of these films, both of which chronicle the downfall of their larger-than-life main characters.
Pre-answer thoughts: When I first read the question, I thought it was asking for both movies. I figured Citizen Kane was the film from 1941, but I had no clue on the one from 1933. But then I re-read the question, saw it was only asking for one of them, and confidently put down Citizen Kane.
Correct answer: Citizen Kane, King Kong
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 78%
Points assigned to opponent: 0 — he’s good at film and Citizen Kane is a cinematic classic.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 0
Current score: 0(1)-2(2)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 0 — film is one of his best subjects.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 2(1)-2(2)
Post-answer thoughts: I don’t think I would’ve come up with King Kong, but the “larger-than-life” clue definitely applies there. I re-watched Citizen Kane a couple years ago — over 80 years later, the film still holds up.
4. Bandit, Chilli, and Bingo are the parents and younger sister of what colorful puppy, who is the title character of a popular Australian children's television series available in the United States on the Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+?
Pre-answer thoughts: My daughter isn’t old enough for this show yet, but I imagine she soon will be. However, I have heard parents of older kids discuss a show that seems to fit the descriptions here. It’s called Bluey and it’s extremely popular with preschool age kids these days. I’ll guess that.
Correct answer: Bluey
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 52%
Points assigned to opponent: 1 — children’s TV is always tougher to gauge but TV is also one of his best subjects (in fact, his LL avatar is the “city champs” photo from the all-time Simpsons classic “Homer at the Bat”).
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 2(2)-3(3)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 1 — TV is his second-best subject and while I know Scott doesn’t have any kids I’ll guess he’s heard of this one.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 3(2)-3(3)
Post-answer thoughts: The most common wrong answer here at 11% was “Blue,” but I think that’s different enough not to be counted, especially because Blue was a different TV dog on the longtime Nickeolodeon series Blue’s Clues.
5. While its contemporary German name is Siebenbürgen (for the "seven towns" that existed at its founding), in medieval times, a historical region in Eastern Europe was known in German as Überwald. Correspondingly, by what English (and for that matter, Latin) name is this famous geographic and literary region known?
Pre-answer thoughts: My first thought here was Prussia, but I don’t think that was Eastern Europe necessarily. Then I considered Königsberg, but that’s known for seven bridges, not seven towns, and it doesn’t have a Latin-ish name. “Geographic and literary” seems to be a clue here — what could that mean? Oh right, “Transylvania” is part of Romania and definitely has a Latinized name, I think it has to be that.
Correct answer: Transylvania
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? Yes.
Points assigned to opponent: 2 — geography is one of his better subjects but I’m not sure how hard this question will play.
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 3(3)-3(3)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 2 — I think there are other questions he’ll get today, this one could be a little tough.
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 5(3)-3(3)
Post-answer thoughts: I’m glad for the “literary” clue here, because Transylvania means “across the forests” in English, so I wouldn’t have gotten from trying to translate “seven towns.”
6. Bitter herbs; a roasted lamb or chicken bone; a roasted egg; a vegetable; and a honey, apple, almond, and wine paste are foods prescribed to be served at a meal known by what name?
Pre-answer thoughts: Half my family is Jewish and my wife’s whole family is, so if I miss this one I might not be invited to any future family gatherings. But we eat this meal every year and even got a special plate for it as a wedding gift — this is the Seder at Passover.
Correct answer: (Passover) Seder
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 64%
Points assigned to opponent: 1 — This could be a YEKIOYD depending on if you have been to a Seder dinner or not, but he’s also good at both food/drink and lifestyle categories.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 1 — I think he’ll know this.
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 0
Post-answer thoughts: I like how Thorsten will occasionally mix questions in like this one about holidays/occasions that happen during other times of the year.
Result: Win over SpolanskyB, 5(4)-4(4)
Current Standings in Rundle B Byzantium: 7th of 30 (9-7-2)
Private Rundle Result: Win over AefskySA, 5(4)-4(4)
Current Standings in Private Rundle: 1st of 8 (12-2-4)
Overall thoughts: After an early season slump in Rundle B Byzantium, I’m now up to 7th place and in striking distance of promotion. And my defense has gotten better this season too, as I won today on purely on defense since my opponent and I both got 4 right. We’ll see if this can last, as there are only 7 days left in the season!