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My 2 cents on the debate on quizzing: I've loved this beautiful mindsport since forever.I've met some great friends through the KQA/ others QCs. There's almost nothing else I'd rather do on a Sunday (across cities).
But yes, there are problems. If not addressed, this sport...
But yes, there are problems. If not addressed, this sport...
will continue to decline. (It already is btw. The participation in every year's KQA college quiz is a clear sign of that).
A lot has been said about how unwelcoming quizzes are to women. IMHO it's all true. Only a handful of women continue to attend quizzes,& fewer male QMs do..
A lot has been said about how unwelcoming quizzes are to women. IMHO it's all true. Only a handful of women continue to attend quizzes,& fewer male QMs do..
something about it.
Regular quizzers can't be all painted with the same brush, but yes, a lot of the familiar faces are destroying the sport. All of us -folks at KQA, other QCs & everyone who hosts quizzes- need to
a)admit that there are problems.
b)actively solve them.
Regular quizzers can't be all painted with the same brush, but yes, a lot of the familiar faces are destroying the sport. All of us -folks at KQA, other QCs & everyone who hosts quizzes- need to
a)admit that there are problems.
b)actively solve them.
Pls don't unnecessarily defend wrong practices.
In my limited capacity as some sort of an expert, here's what I think we could do to improve:
What to stop doing:
1. Hosts, if you've heard the story at a quiz before, don't ask it again. In any form. @debasishmisra taught me...
In my limited capacity as some sort of an expert, here's what I think we could do to improve:
What to stop doing:
1. Hosts, if you've heard the story at a quiz before, don't ask it again. In any form. @debasishmisra taught me...
to have a strict no-peter (repeated questions) format, which ensures that both regulars + non-regulars had an equal chance of getting it right. Simple hack: More current affairs, less old school.
2. As much as possible, get rid of the pounce format or change it somehow.
2. As much as possible, get rid of the pounce format or change it somehow.
It bores the non-regulars. Atleast implement civilised pounce so noone interrupts the question.
3. NO in-jokes: Stop saying shit like "I expected Santosh to get this." If you ask anyone who's quit quizzing, most of them cite in-jokes /insider questions.
3. NO in-jokes: Stop saying shit like "I expected Santosh to get this." If you ask anyone who's quit quizzing, most of them cite in-jokes /insider questions.
E.g. The "Tagore" q's weren't funny the first 200 times.
What to start doing:
1.Get more ruckus formats, follow what @bombayquiz does. KQA has no business being bullied by a few idiots who want to form their superteams.
2. Answers should make sense:
Ask questions that are
What to start doing:
1.Get more ruckus formats, follow what @bombayquiz does. KQA has no business being bullied by a few idiots who want to form their superteams.
2. Answers should make sense:
Ask questions that are
that are guessable. Frame them well. If not guessable, atleast the answer must impresses everyone. If not that, then atleast the answer needs to *make sense* to everyone. (Unless it's a specialist quiz, NO-ONE CARES FOR ALEXANDER PUSHKIN!)
3.Ask questions that include subjects that are beyond the interests of lonely engineering boys (i.e. fashion, food, travel, photography, clothes, Indian trivia, etc.)
4. Ask questions on new stories, not the old ones. We really need to retire nonsensical q's like John Cage' 4:33.
4. Ask questions on new stories, not the old ones. We really need to retire nonsensical q's like John Cage' 4:33.
5. Keep trying new formats. I've tried everything from points for additional facts to telling jokes /puns to MCQ formats. Some work, depending on the crowd. Don't worry if regulars don't like them. Just don't be lazy with clockwise.
E.g. I loved it when KQA had semis & finals
E.g. I loved it when KQA had semis & finals
hosted by the previous winners.
6.Organisers, stick to the schedule. If a QM feels he's entitled to host a quiz beyond the scheduled time, let him host it at his home for his 3 friends. The rest of the schedule shouldn't be altered because someone is poor at time management.
6.Organisers, stick to the schedule. If a QM feels he's entitled to host a quiz beyond the scheduled time, let him host it at his home for his 3 friends. The rest of the schedule shouldn't be altered because someone is poor at time management.
Respect the time of those who turn up.
7. Hosts, pls encourage guesses from the non-regulars, give clues to *them*. Don't worry if the regulars complain. Half of them are idiots anyway. Pissing them is even more fun ;)
7. Hosts, pls encourage guesses from the non-regulars, give clues to *them*. Don't worry if the regulars complain. Half of them are idiots anyway. Pissing them is even more fun ;)
8. Everyone: Behave!
Be nice to everyone. Quizzes are meant to be fun, it's not a place for brats.
E.g. Couple of my friends attended their first KQA quiz earlier this year simply cos I was hosting it. They ended up teaming with a regular, but they didn't know he was a prick.
Be nice to everyone. Quizzes are meant to be fun, it's not a place for brats.
E.g. Couple of my friends attended their first KQA quiz earlier this year simply cos I was hosting it. They ended up teaming with a regular, but they didn't know he was a prick.
Thru-out the quiz he dismissed their guesses and gave them gyaan on how they should improve their guesses. They left midway.
9. Hosts: It's 2019 and we need to stop pretending that being a QM with a microphone makes you a God. Yes, this year's Askqance had women QMs...
9. Hosts: It's 2019 and we need to stop pretending that being a QM with a microphone makes you a God. Yes, this year's Askqance had women QMs...
but it also famously had one QM mansplaining to his co-QM on how she should use the microphone. Such morons shouldn't be allowed to host again!
Another friend was mansplained at the one quiz she attended, told by the regulars that she shouldn't speak too loudly.
COME ON, men!
Another friend was mansplained at the one quiz she attended, told by the regulars that she shouldn't speak too loudly.
COME ON, men!
Of course it doesn't happen ALL the time, not by ALL regulars but that's like a #Notallmen argument: stupid.
10. Get more new folks to host Quizzes, ideally in groups of 2/3. Adds diversity. Get more non-engineers to host quizzes. More women!
10. Get more new folks to host Quizzes, ideally in groups of 2/3. Adds diversity. Get more non-engineers to host quizzes. More women!
10.b. Being a good quizzer doesn't mean you're a good QM. Many live examples. If a person is a bad QM, not matter how often they win, they shouldn't be allowed to host.
11. Organisers: KQA and the rest of the club's need to vet the quizzes before they're held. Check for length, format, walls of text, esoteric topics, etc.
12. QMs need to rehearse b4 the event. Hosting isn't copy-pasting text on a ppt. You need to prepare beforehand.
12. QMs need to rehearse b4 the event. Hosting isn't copy-pasting text on a ppt. You need to prepare beforehand.
I love quizzing. It's a great cultural thing we own, like a "karaoke for geeks". It's rare to see a diverse set of ppl come together to share facts, discuss & laugh about history, pop culture, food, what not. Learning about kangaroos having 3 vaginas, or how Clark Kent is named
after 2 actors or how the fort Murud Janjira means "water-water" or how Steve Aoki and Devon Aoki are both kids of the founder of Benihana. It's exciting and it's great fun!
It almost hurts to see how many more ppl are willing to attend a stand-up show or a karaoke night, or
It almost hurts to see how many more ppl are willing to attend a stand-up show or a karaoke night, or
to witness board game nights run to packed houses but quizzing doesn't get the same response anymore. It's sad but it's not too late.
To the non-regulars: Don't give up too soon. Like many interest groups, there are good and bad experiences. Pick and choose topics, even QMs.
To the non-regulars: Don't give up too soon. Like many interest groups, there are good and bad experiences. Pick and choose topics, even QMs.
Attend the ones by @bertyashley
@MeghaviGowda @anumccartney Sujata Sharma, Urmila and so many others. They're great!
Keep coming more often, and hopefully with more new faces, things will change sooner than you think.
@MeghaviGowda @anumccartney Sujata Sharma, Urmila and so many others. They're great!
Keep coming more often, and hopefully with more new faces, things will change sooner than you think.
I've been told that this is a pointless exercise, that "the old guard doesn't care to get in more new faces", comparing themselves to Federer and Nadal. Let's assume it's not true. I'd love to hear your thoughts. After all, these are just my views.
*Ruckus = forming new, mixed teams at the quiz.
*impress
