For years the pub quiz has offered merriment and a test of wit, or knowledge of current affairs. But now, apart from agonising over the creation a witty team name, the only thing being tested seems to be slyness and thumb dexterity over the keys.
Everybody has done it. A tricky question pops up, or an answer that is on the tip of the tongue won't quite take form. Then an answer is found - take out the mobile phone, surreptitiously text a friend or family member, or even access mobile internet and Google the answer.
Cheating is becoming an artform, and people are finding new depths of ingenuity when it comes to passing tests.
With most pubs offering prizes for the winners of the quiz, controversy can mount if cheating is suspected, as their are those whose competitive spirit will get in the way of merely enjoying a night out. But if a prize is a particularly juicy one, who is to say they are out of order for challenging any subterfuge?
Aside from that, the pub, bar or whatever venue it is held at, isn't really affected by the cheating on a monetary level. They still get the increased custom from people who only attend to take the quiz, and the entry fees from quizzers. So venues themselves aren't really losing out on anything financially.
Quizmasters are obviously aware of the problems facing them, when it comes to the use of mobile phones, and some methods have been tried to make them ineffectual.
One Quizmaster of the Quizimodo team at Manchester bar Odder, on Oxford Road, has experimented with a couple of themes to weed out the use of mobile phones, "We once made a round where we made it stupid hard and allowed people to use their mobile phones to find the answers." Did it go well? "It did not go down well, not at all."
But a couple of rounds have proved a success, he continues, "We do a quickfire round, where teams only get 30 seconds to answer a question before they have to move on, so they don't have time to use their phones. That usually works quite well." he adds, "And there's always the picture round. You can't use Google to search for the name of some guy's face you've never even seen."
Some venues have even gone as far as having members of staff supervise teams, making sure they don't use their mobiles, disqualifying them if they do.
Another extreme method that has been reported, was when one pub landlord was so sick of people cheating, he connected an FM radio tuner to the public address system. The concept simple - any incoming or outgoing signals from any mobile phones would instantly set off that irritating crackle of interference on the radio tuner.
The short answer is, no. The point of the pub quiz has always been to have fun, supplemented by a few drinks. Teams that resort to cheating have probably lost the spirit of the game, and constantly checking screens for a reply from dad, or referring to Wikianswers, surely only replaces the fun with tension.
And so goes the age-old adage that the cheaters are only cheating themselves. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the quiz.
Everybody has done it. A tricky question pops up, or an answer that is on the tip of the tongue won't quite take form. Then an answer is found - take out the mobile phone, surreptitiously text a friend or family member, or even access mobile internet and Google the answer.
Cheating is becoming an artform, and people are finding new depths of ingenuity when it comes to passing tests.
Is it a Big Problem for the Industry?
With most pubs offering prizes for the winners of the quiz, controversy can mount if cheating is suspected, as their are those whose competitive spirit will get in the way of merely enjoying a night out. But if a prize is a particularly juicy one, who is to say they are out of order for challenging any subterfuge?
Aside from that, the pub, bar or whatever venue it is held at, isn't really affected by the cheating on a monetary level. They still get the increased custom from people who only attend to take the quiz, and the entry fees from quizzers. So venues themselves aren't really losing out on anything financially.
What Are the Possible Solutions?
Quizmasters are obviously aware of the problems facing them, when it comes to the use of mobile phones, and some methods have been tried to make them ineffectual.
One Quizmaster of the Quizimodo team at Manchester bar Odder, on Oxford Road, has experimented with a couple of themes to weed out the use of mobile phones, "We once made a round where we made it stupid hard and allowed people to use their mobile phones to find the answers." Did it go well? "It did not go down well, not at all."
But a couple of rounds have proved a success, he continues, "We do a quickfire round, where teams only get 30 seconds to answer a question before they have to move on, so they don't have time to use their phones. That usually works quite well." he adds, "And there's always the picture round. You can't use Google to search for the name of some guy's face you've never even seen."
Some venues have even gone as far as having members of staff supervise teams, making sure they don't use their mobiles, disqualifying them if they do.
Another extreme method that has been reported, was when one pub landlord was so sick of people cheating, he connected an FM radio tuner to the public address system. The concept simple - any incoming or outgoing signals from any mobile phones would instantly set off that irritating crackle of interference on the radio tuner.
Has the Pub Quiz Been Ruined Once and For All?
The short answer is, no. The point of the pub quiz has always been to have fun, supplemented by a few drinks. Teams that resort to cheating have probably lost the spirit of the game, and constantly checking screens for a reply from dad, or referring to Wikianswers, surely only replaces the fun with tension.
And so goes the age-old adage that the cheaters are only cheating themselves. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the quiz.
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