Began after scores had begun to settle in the second half, about 4:30 or 5 AM. The top 5, or 6, or 7 teams (the number depended on the scores, and which teams were yet in the thick of things) were given the opportunity to ask a trivia question of their own devising to the running team, in this case, Alphabet Soup. Up to 5 points were available.
Telephone lines between each team and WCFM were hooked up. The questions were asked on the air by the playing teams, and answered more or less immediately by the host (or not). Depending on the difficulty and elegance of the question, points were awarded on a sliding 5-point scale.
Both factors were important; while no team could expect a 5 without stumping the hosts, it was not considered a true challenge simply to ask about some fact so esoteric that the running team could never answer correctly. Style counted. This subjective factor ensured that on-air bickering, points negotiations and gamesmanship between the teams was routine.
Challenge #1:
BOMO's question: From the realm of Sports, the 1967 St. Louis Cardinals outfield was composed of three men who made baseball history. Now, we don't want to know that left fielder Lou Brock broke the record for lifetime stolen bases, that centerfielder Curt Flood challenged baseball's reserve clause in court, or that right fielder Roger Maris set the single-season home run record. We want to know which clubs these three players each broke into the major leagues with.
Alphabet Soup's guess: Brock-- Cubs; Flood-- Detroit; Maris-- Yankees.
BOMO's answer: Brock-- Cubs; Flood-- Reds; Maris-- Indians.
BOMO is awarded 4 out of 5 points for their question.
Challenge #2:
Maximus Drott's question: In "Cool Hand Luke," Paul Newman got the nickname "Cool Hand Luke" in a poker game. Which actor was dealing?
Alphabet Soup's guess: None.
Maximus Drott's answer: Wayne Rogers.
Maximus Drott is awarded 4 out of 5 points for their question.
(NOTE: Maximus Drott's first attempt at a question, "From the realm of Advertising, we would like to know who wrote the "Heaven Sent jingle," was shouted down as "minutiae," despite having Paul Simon as its answer.)
Challenge #3:
The Knights of Ni's question: From the film "Silent Running" starring Bruce Dern, what are the three robots names, what are the three space freighters' names, and who owns them?
Alphabet Soup's guess: The robots are Huey, Dewey & Louie; no guess on the freighters; American Airlines.
The Knights of Ni's answer: Huey-Dewey-Louie and American Airlines are correct; and the freighters are the Valley Forge, the Sequoia, and the Berkshire.
The Knights of Ni are awarded 3 out of 5 points for their question.
Challenge #4:
Buda Bear's question: Buda Bear's all-time favorite movie is "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." IN "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," Sudelis tells of a terrible plague in Crete. What is the fate of a person with that plague?
Alphabet Soup's guess: He laughs to death; he dies immediately.
Buda Bear's answer: "He dies, but with a BIG smile on his face."
Buda Bear is awarded 5 out of 5 points for their question. (Alphabet Soup seemed evenly divided between awarding a 4 or 5, but figured that with less than two hours to go, Buda Bear was too far back anyway.)
Challenge #5:
Twelve O'Clock High's question: From the realm of television, we have a series of street addresses associated with well-known series. Please name the show. 328 Chauncey, New York; 623 East 68th Street, New York; 704 Howser Street, New York; 123 Main Street, Washington D.C.; and 822 Sycamore Road, Hillsdale, California.
Alphabet Soup's guess: 623 E.68th-- Family Affair, Ricky Ricardo's house; 123 Main St.-- That's My Mama, Julia; no other guesses
Twelve O'Clock High's answer: 623 E. 68th is indeed "I Love Lucy." The others: 328 Chauncey: "Honeymooners"; 704 Howser: "All in the Family"; 123 Main St.: CONTROL headquarters on "Get Smart"; 822 Sycamore Rd: "Ozzie and Harriet."
Twelve O'Clock High is awarded 3 out of 5 points for their question.
Challenge #6:
Alpha Delta Phi's question: From the realm of musical theater, Mel Brooks was involved in the writing of a Broadway musical. The musical concened activities of the collegiate community. What is the name of the musical, and who are the songwriters?
Alphabet Soup's guess: Some Like It Hot; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
Alpha Delta Phi's answer: "All American" and Strauss & Adams.
Alpha Delta Phi is awarded 2 out of 5 points for their question, after initially receiving 1.
(NOTE: Alpha Delta Phi's first attempt at a question, involving a pet phrase used by one of Williams' organic chemistry professors, was jeered into ovlivion.)
Challenge #7:
Moe, Larry and Curly's question: From the realm of sports. Earlier tonight, you gave us a really good 1-pointer about the Outland Trophy and Heisman Trophy winners from Nebraska. That same year, they lost a Thanksgiving game to Oklahoma, 35-28. The basic reason they lost is that Oklahoma, a team that NEVER passed the ball, completed a series of crucial passes in the fourth quarter to a sp ùlit end who never caught passes. What we want to know is the name of that split end who caught passes from Jack Mildred, and if you really need it, tell us who his brother is, too.
Alphabet Soup's guess: Tinker Owen; the brother is Steve Owen.
Moe, Larry and Curly's answer: The same.
Moe, Larry and Curly is awarded 3 out of 5 points for their question.
Challenge #8:
Cheesy Moose's question: From the realms of movies, popular culture and everything else. It's about Bob Dylan, everyone's hero. We know that he played in one commercially-released movie in his life, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid." What was the name of the role he played in that movie, and what was the only real acting function he had?
Alphabet Soup's guess: None.
Cheesy Moose's answer: The character's name was "Alias." To count cans of beans while his buddy was being held up.
Cheesy Moose is awarded a meager 1 out of 5 points for their question.