The German 'Wiener' sausage (named after Vienna) is called a Frankfurter in Vienna

Your targets this week:

1+ out of 10: Well done, you beat us!
6+ out of 10: We'd have won with you on our team!

The attendees
1) The statistician
2) The doctor
3) The left-fielder
4) The mac-and-cheese-eater

The ones that got away
1) 5 point question: the word 'laconic' derives from the name of what ancient Greek city state?
2) 2 point question: in English what is the only number spelled alphabetically?
3) 'Devilfish' is an alternative (and rather obsolete) name for what mollusc?
4) How many are in a 'devil's dozen'?
5) In a standard deck of playing cards, the four of what suit is sometimes referred to as the 'devil's bedposts'?

The answers

1) Sparta/Lacedaemon
2) Forty
3) Octopus
4) 13
5) Clubs

My excuses

1) Oof. Quite a lot of points to lose on just one question, almost single-handedly (questionedly?) costing us any hope of winning. We'd not heard this fact before, so were scratching around for 'places in Ancient Greece that sound a bit like laconic'. We toyed with Alexandria for a while ("A-lax...A-lac...A-laconic?") before settling on Macedonia (partly encouraged by the doctor's recollection that "the Ancient Greeks thought that people from the East were a bit stupid, or something?").
2) Oh dear. The two of us who tried to work this out both mis-spelled forty as 'fourty' in our heads, which made things a little more difficult. Still, I thought my idea of "one, because it's still in alphabetical order, just in reverse" was worth a shot.
3) Yes, there was a round on the devil. I don't think any of us knew (or at least remembered) that octopuses were molluscs, and my notes tell me we put 'sea urchin', which Wikipedia tells me is an echinoderm, so...
4) Bah. We thought maybe a devil's dozen was like a rubbish dozen, so 11 instead of 12.
5) Quickly ruling out hearts and diamonds, we were left with a sort-of toss-up between clubs and spades, going for the latter because they look a bit like the devil's tail.

How did you do? Would you have beaten us (1 or more point)? Would you have helped us win (6 or more points)? Let the world know with the poll below, then read on for my alternative questions (loosely) inspired by this week's Ones That Got Away!


Our alternative questions
1) The Hungarian village of Kocs gives rise to what English word for a particular type of multi-person vehicle?
2) Along with forty being in alphabetical order, there are two other somewhat essential bits of trivia relating to numbers and alphabets. For 1 point each, what number comes first alphabetically, and what number comes last alphabetically? (In English, before you get smart.)
3) Octorok is a recurring enemy in what series of video games? The series has sold over 70 million copies worldwide, and even inspired the name of Robin Williams' daughter.
4) What is a baker's dozen baker's dozens minus a gross minus a score?
5) Tempted by a hotel's advertised 'four-poster' beds, you book a night. It turns out that the 'four-poster' refers to four posters above the bed depicting previous famous guests. For 1 point each, name the famous people being clued to. For a fifth point, whose poster was removed from the wall around a year ago? Don't forget: you can click for a bigger version!

Question 5!

The answers

1) Coach
2) Eight and Zero
3) Legend of Zelda ('Zelda' is good enough for the point)
4) 5 (a baker's dozen baker's dozen is 13 times 13, or 169, a gross is a dozen dozen or 144, and a score is 20, so 169 - 144 - 20 = 5)
5) From left to right, top to bottom: Harry Styles (Harry Potter + stiles); Liam Payne (Liam Gallagher + pain); Louis Tomlinson (King Louie + Ricky Tomlinson); Niall Horan (Nile + H + oar + Anne) - the fifth is Zayn Malik

How did you do on my alternative questions? Have another poll!

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