Quiz of Arda

[Marky Lazer]

Well, the questions are about knowledge AND interpretation I think. I don't mean to trick everyone, but I do try to come up with questions that aren't too straight-forward.

[GOLLUM]

That's true but there's such a thing as clearly vs. unclearly stated questions.

I don't wish to lecture you but I perfom editing and writing tasks on a daily basis as part of my profession so I have some idea how to make a question unambigious.

There's also a myriad number of ways to interpret a question, so there's nothing to say that my answer is any more or less correct than any other members when you analyze these things.

Anyway we're having an electrical storm here so I must log off.

Bye for now and good luck.

[Teresa Edgerton]

It took me all day to come up with that answer, and even so I was paging through LOTR pursuing a different line of inquiry altogether when I flipped past Bill and his pony and thought, "Could it be ...?" On the one hand it seemed too obvious, and on the other it had never occurred to me until that moment to consider the pony part of the Fellowship.

But after the Tulkas question, I figured that Marky's mind did run along devious lines, and as it was bedtime and I wasn't going to have any other brilliant ideas I took a chance. (Also, I could feel Mr. G breathing down my neck. I was sure he would come up with something.)

Like most tests, I think, it's necessary to figure out the person asking the questions if you want to do well.

But boy did I waste a lot of time looking for alternate names for Aragorn and Gandalf (since they both have an assortment of aliases, I figured there was a good chance it was one of them), and searching out obscure notations on the original versions of the translated hobbit names (which Tolkien kept changing), and following up a host of other dead ends.

So since I am currently in the lead, let it come from me: the test is wonderful, Marky, and I'm having a great time, but it is very time-consuming. Maybe starting tomorrow you could make the answers a little less challenging? That way, more people might be able to participate.

Either way, though, thank you very much for doing this. I'm sure it's taking a lot of your time too.

[GOLLUM]

Yeh well sorry about that folks, I got a little excited yesterday.

Now just to set the record straight Marky agreed with me in another post that everyone's answer of Smeagol was just as valid as Kelpie's reply, so they should all be awarded 1 point to be fair. I'm not bothered about it because I'm no longer part of the quiz but I think to be fair and reasonable to other members they should be awarded a point for this. It will still see Keplie 1 point ahead of other members, so she wouldn't be disavantaged too much.

Yes I see what you mean Kelpie about Marky haivng a devious mind. Unfortunately I too noted the 2 Bills but as I tend to be a student of accuracy I don't personally believe any points should have been awarded to any member for that question on the basis that Bill the pony accompanied the fellowship but was never recognised as an official part of it. Big differerence in my mind.

If Marky needs help in constructing the Quiz questions in order to reduce ambiguity so that a greater degree of fairness prevails I'd be happy to help.

Also as a matter of philosophy I would've contructed a quiz where no points were awarded. This way it would have been more of a fun event without the hostile competition that can often mar such events.

Anyways I hope you all enjoy your quiz, I'm off to greener pastures....

[Raynor]

Smeagol was mentioned several times while Trahald only once, in appendixes (and nowhere else, afaik). The fellowship was formed at the council of Elrond, and it was later dimminished, not increased in membership. I think all this ambiguity in the quizes amuses only one person .

[Teresa Edgerton]

I certainly won't complain if you award people points for the Sméagol answer -- I honestly thought that would be sufficient, too.

[Lacedaemonian]

Take it easy on here. This quiz is obviously fraught with pit falls. I understand that some of the questions could have multiple answers - which is something that you are going to have consider Marky when phrasing your questions. Also I ask all participants of the quiz to try and give Marky a bit lee way. So far the quiz looks great and I have been tempted to join in myself.

Please, please don't let this get out of hand and remember the joys of trivia.

[dwndrgn]

I just wanted to add that as the administrator of the quiz, Marky is allowed to formulate the questions as he wishes and grant that certain interpretations may also be correct even if he was originally looking for a different answer.

Additionally, since all the questions have been answerable (if one person gets the correct answer, the questions are answerable) I see no need for Marky to change the way he words his questions. It just makes it more fun for the rest as you attempt to see all parts of the question and imagine in which direction he's looking for the answer.

Above all, have fun!

[GOLLUM]

That's OK, Marky is the boss of the Quiz so I guess what he says goes. I just didn't personally feel the Quiz was carrying as much intergrity as it could have and felt obliged to point that out but I'll refrain from any further comment.

I'm planning on starting up another Quiz though which will cover questions more across the fantasy Genre per se, so I'll need to choose my questions quite carefully.

Good luck to everynone involved in the Arda quiz and like Dwndrgn says have fun!!!!....

Over and out...

[Marky Lazer]

Who was Aragorn Elessar's wife?

[Raynor]

PM-ed

It just makes it more fun for the rest as you attempt to see all parts of the question and imagine in which direction he's looking for the answer.

Then this thread is wrongly named

[I, Brian]

It can certainly be helpful to alert forum staff when raising a quiz - as we're normally the people who set and administrate on rules.

As for concerns about the quiz - it would be great to set it out more for the enjoyment of the audience - claiming that Bill the Pony was part of the Fellowship is a stretch too far, in my opinion.

[Teresa Edgerton]

I would hate to see that question and answer disallowed, however -- it's the first time I've ever bet on a horse and won!

[GOLLUM]

Well I said I wasn't going to comment on this Quiz again but if Marky wants my help I'm more than happy in assisting him formulate the questions as I'm no longer part of the Quiz.

HMM.. just think if Kelpie's answer was disallowed and everyone got a point for Semagol we'ld be on even terms again MUWAHA!!!...

[Marky Lazer]

Originally Posted by GOLLUM

Well I said I wasn't going to comment on this Quiz again but if Marky wants my help I'm more than happy in assisting him formulate the questions as I'm no longer part of the Quiz.

HMM.. just think if Kelpie's answer was disallowed and everyone got a point for Semagol we'ld be on even terms again MUWAHA!!!...

Or you could just run this quiz, because you know so well.