tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post4548013710754889561..comments2024-03-14T13:49:44.863+05:30Comments on Interrobang: Why there are so many chestnuts in quizzesJ Ramanandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700969855424872769noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-50558703980495368472008-02-27T22:33:00.000+05:302008-02-27T22:33:00.000+05:30I don't mind chestnuts as long as they are worded ...I don't mind chestnuts as long as they are worded differently or show up in connects. It becomes a problem when they are Ctrl C-Ctrl V'ed from another quiz or worded similarly. The same answer can provide multiple questions as long as the clues provided change from question to question.<BR/><BR/>@Samrat:<BR/>Don't slag Jaani Dushman. It's the greatest film ever made (or 3rd at least, after Mr.Prime Minister and Goonda).Yash Marathehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232867191040778189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-30868620746840493382008-02-27T19:44:00.000+05:302008-02-27T19:44:00.000+05:30Rishi: true. it's easily possible to start with ke...Rishi: true. it's easily possible to start with kernels of ideas gleaned from one's readings/viewing etc. and then work outwards from it. People will realise it if they throw away the crutches and find out they can indeed run without them (treading into Gump territory here). Pharaonic quizzing: :-))<BR/><BR/>Abhishek: an allied problem of chestnuts is the failure of us to sometimes skip the answer because the most vocal in the audience know the answer. Constant vigilance needed. ChestnutDB may also happen. <BR/><BR/>Harish: I include both (refer post for my inclusion of plain repeats). Asking Heisenberg's grave is a chestnut in any form, unless masked somehow. Once asked in dry form, then visual form, then in sign language, in Braille, it ends, it ends. However, there is a time aspect. Things can be revisited a decade since debut unless kept alive at informal sessions.<BR/><BR/>Samrat: your association with AIT, whose glorious tradition of trying to avoid hanky-panky was commendable, shall save you this time :-)J Ramanandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700969855424872769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-69607115797503862702008-02-26T23:44:00.000+05:302008-02-26T23:44:00.000+05:30Excellent article JR. You brought out so many face...Excellent article JR. You brought out so many facets of the chestnut issues. <BR/>Personally I do not mind seeing a few chestnuts scattered here or there.because <BR/>firstly I dont have a perfect memory with quiz ques, sometimes i do have to work on a chestnut, the "oh i heard it somewhere" syndrome, and on occasions i get it right or maybe wrong. <BR/>secondly one old man's chestnut could be another young man's almond. <BR/>thirdly rather than watch a movie like jaani dushman for the first time, i would prefer watching forrest gump reruns :) <BR/><BR/>harish u r maligning my fair name by suggesting these sort of hanky-pankyies like influencing the QMs :) . reminds me of some interesting shenanigans during my college days. but those things are better taken offline ;)Samrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07040334733593926471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-57884004542029455602008-02-26T10:39:00.000+05:302008-02-26T10:39:00.000+05:30Are we confusing chestnuts with direct repeats?In ...Are we confusing chestnuts with direct repeats?<BR/>In my book, chestnut is a fact which is repeated whereas usually we see the questions being repeated. I remember Samrat sir asking me once to ensure that I have chestnuts in the elims so that the old fogies do get some advantage. I don't go by the 'advantage' reason but I think there should be some standard trivia(not repeat qs) in every elims because people ought to know those facts. Those who miss them get penalized for it because almost everyone would have got those.<BR/>People should not be able to qualify by simply answering the chestnuts.<BR/>I also agree with Rishi's SOP for making questions.Harish Kumarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00431334794143541484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-48877495806926004362008-02-26T06:57:00.000+05:302008-02-26T06:57:00.000+05:30Anonymous: I have deleted your comment because it ...Anonymous: I have deleted your comment because it was a mildly offensive comment made by an anonymous commenter. If you put your name to it, I'll run it back as it was.J Ramanandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700969855424872769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-88236237492997565732008-02-26T00:30:00.000+05:302008-02-26T00:30:00.000+05:30This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-20113678390033970162008-02-23T01:39:00.000+05:302008-02-23T01:39:00.000+05:30I'm totally against rehashing old stuff. Twist/new...I'm totally against rehashing old stuff. Twist/new angle questions on stuff that is famous for being an answer for some other "old chestnut" is unfair to newbies.<BR/><BR/>And yeah, we need a chestnutDB. But the whole problem stems from intellectual property and unwillingness/laziness to share questions. I think, Open Source Quizzing is yet to arrive ;)Abhishekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01947833606598158201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-74410782436566598832008-02-23T01:07:00.000+05:302008-02-23T01:07:00.000+05:30Partly relating to point 5 & 6(and 4, of course):A...Partly relating to point 5 & 6(and 4, of course):<BR/><BR/>A conscious policy/unconscious trend (as the case may be) to come up with "new" questions by linking old fundas. Remixing is fine, but it shouldn't become the dominant/a major method of question setting. Remixing is also a major source of what I like to call Pharaonic quizzing. I refer you to ancient Egyptian views on royalty and need to maintain the purity of bloodlines.<BR/><BR/>Imho the toughest, but possibly most fruitful(in terms of originality), method is to simply sit back(with your broadband connection switched OFF), develop a concept for a question, switch the net back on and then google/wiki/youtube away. "Repeats" are the bane of every quizzing circuit, but I do believe it *is* possible to set original, good quizzes- and I've seen many such in the last year or so. Sadly, I missed Niranjan's quiz last year, but the last Odyssey was a very good example of a challenging, original (for decrepit veteran quizzers) but audience-friendly quiz.<BR/><BR/>As for cribbage- guilty as charged.<BR/><BR/>-rishiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-6465444049451114242008-02-22T19:24:00.000+05:302008-02-22T19:24:00.000+05:30i knw the placement of my comment is wrong...But i...i knw the placement of my comment is wrong...But it is one of those non_question related issues....<BR/>and connected to new QM's..<BR/>Hell even older ones for that matter...<BR/>And BTW i assume i hav also screwed up the O My Darling Clementine angl now,, :)<BR/><BR/><BR/>And the chestnut saga continues--<BR/>We were asked a question about the non flying dutchman today at MIT...<BR/>4 th time i am answering the same question...<BR/>And again kinda wrong placement but there was this unbelievable question(this is for everyone)<BR/>A 10 pt direct<BR/>We are given an ans and we have to give the question. <BR/>our answer was "Cheryl Tweedy" ... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-971185672684404342008-02-22T06:27:00.000+05:302008-02-22T06:27:00.000+05:30Yasho:ESOTSM effect: have been harsh on you on th...Yasho:<BR/>ESOTSM effect: have been harsh on you on that :-). BTW, though valid in a general sense, why the presentation point in an article about repeats? How does that cause repeats?<BR/><BR/>Kunal: decades of quizzing, I meant to say. Not mere rings on the trunk.J Ramanandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700969855424872769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-11962827214199533422008-02-22T01:08:00.000+05:302008-02-22T01:08:00.000+05:30Pt. 4 is spot on, I have been guilty of that for a...Pt. 4 is spot on, I have been guilty of that for all my quizzes save Inquizzition V.<BR/><BR/>Pt. 5 is universally true, I see this kind of thing even at NYU College Bowl. The guys here all watch college football, see the same movies, listen to the same music and read the same books. Its crazy how many questions on obscure questions on Indiana University football coaches from the 70s get smacked down as too easy. Of course, since these guys outsource their questions, chestnuts are a problem no one has control over.Kunalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145197090585110100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-42999122866329787732008-02-22T01:01:00.000+05:302008-02-22T01:01:00.000+05:30Minor nitpick:>>some are into their 2nd or 3rd dec...Minor nitpick:<BR/><BR/>>>some are into their 2nd or 3rd decade<BR/><BR/>Quizzers in their 2nd and third decade is the natural scheme of things. I think you mean 3rd or 4th decade.Kunalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145197090585110100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301203.post-1163459422122044692008-02-22T00:09:00.000+05:302008-02-22T00:09:00.000+05:30Pt 9. refers to the ESOTSM effect , eh!I would als...Pt 9. refers to the ESOTSM effect , eh!<BR/>I would also like to add the issue about proper presentation. This is a result of a personal experience.<BR/>Me and Aniket had gone to PVG for a quiz.<BR/>The questions for both the written elimination round contained quite a few chestnuts. Still, decent questions.<BR/>The finals were another story though...won't go into details about questions.<BR/>They had no monitor and had connected the projector directly to the CPU.<BR/>This created a huge problem in the audio round where they were playing clips with the file name on the taskbar..<BR/>Also no hyperlinking in Powerpoint meant that they went through unasked questions...and alas! also through there answers. <BR/>This are issues that happen at various places...<BR/>And these can be controlled..unlike the notorious "Finger Of God"..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com