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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Kevin Prather on November 06, 2005, 10:39:25 PM

Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 06, 2005, 10:39:25 PM
What are some of the most difficult Pyramid categories you've seen outside the $100K tournament? Three come to mind for me...

- "Things that are perceived"

This is just plained ludicrous. What do you say for that?

- "Things that are simple"

Keep in mind you couldn't say "John Ritter's Eight Rules" back in the 80s. I've heard stories of Adrienne Barbeau sitting in total silence for 20 seconds pondering this category, followed by an "Oh, wow." from Bob Clayton.

- "Things with a base"

The only legal thing I could think of when I saw this was "Wrigley Field's diamond."

What do you guys think?
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: dale_grass on November 06, 2005, 11:05:36 PM
For Things That Are Simple I came up with "country bumpkins," "first grade arithmetic," and "interest."  All that I had for Things That Are Perceived were "notions" and "power."  For Things With A Base, you could use "pedestal" or "women's makeup."
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: beatlefreak84 on November 06, 2005, 11:28:44 PM
I personally thought Billy Crystal's category "Things That Wilt" from his record-setting "Winner's Circle" was quite difficult as well.  In fact, old flowers was the only thing I could think of with that category.  That just seemed like one of those categories where either you got it right away or you could've been given five minutes up there and you never would have gotten it.

I don't think any other clues could have communicated the essence of that category, anyway.  Somebody care to prove me wrong?  :)

Anthony
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on November 07, 2005, 12:01:07 AM
"Things that are Standard"--the clip featured on Kris Lane's site....the only thing I could think of is "Rockefeller's Oil Company".
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 07, 2005, 12:03:41 AM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Nov 6 2005, 10:01 PM\']"Things that are Standard"
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I forgot that one. "Certain car features" perhaps?
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Adam Nedeff on November 07, 2005, 12:20:17 AM
Quote
"Things that are perceived"

Ideas...Someone else's feelings...Opinions..."Notions" (already given) is probably the best clue for this one.

Quote
"Things that are simple"

Fair-visiting Simon...The wheel and axle...

Quote
"Things with a base"

A ballpark...A litmus test...

Quote
Things that are Standard

Transmission...Old songs...Traditions....
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on November 07, 2005, 01:38:39 AM
Things With A Base

Wrigley Field's Diamond was a good one

How about the Air Force

For simple, I noticed somebody said Fair-visiting Simon...maybe it would be easier to say Simon the Pieman
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: clemon79 on November 07, 2005, 01:43:12 AM
[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' date=\'Nov 6 2005, 10:38 PM\']For simple, I noticed somebody said Fair-visiting Simon...maybe it would be easier to say Simon the Pieman
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Ah, but that would be wrong. He MET a pieman, remember, he was not a pieman himself. :)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on November 07, 2005, 02:15:42 AM
"A nursery rhyme's Simon" was my thought for SIMPLE.

BASE is tricky--by naming a specific baseball field, I think you would mislead a lot of receivers into trying to name something specific to it. How about "a sturdy statuette"?

I really cannot think of any clue for PERCEIVED that zeroes in on that particular word. It's cruel even for a tournament. And everyone's taken the clues I would use for STANDARD.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: clemon79 on November 07, 2005, 02:22:41 AM
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Nov 6 2005, 11:15 PM\']I really cannot think of any clue for PERCEIVED that zeroes in on that particular word.
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Some people's reality. Depth.

And if that doesn't do it, I'd stand up in the Winner's Circle and do a little soft-shoe until the buzzer sounded, because I have no freakin' idea where to go from there. :)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Neumms on November 07, 2005, 05:29:34 PM
The toughest subject I could think of--not that ran, as far as I know--is "things that exist." Any ideas?

"Things that are perceived" does come mighty close.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on November 07, 2005, 06:39:07 PM
[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 05:29 PM\']The toughest subject I could think of--not that ran, as far as I know--is "things that exist." Any ideas?[/quote]

I can think of some that probably wouldn't be much help with your average celebrity partner: "Kierkegaard", "a thinking Descartes". You'd probably be reduced to listing things like "the cosmos" and "all God's creatures" and hope that the right response would come forth.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: musicman on November 07, 2005, 07:40:54 PM
[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 12:20 AM\']
Quote
Things that are Standard

Transmission...Old songs...Traditions....
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Weights...Measures...

The most difficult category I can think of is "Things that are Enshrined".
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Steve McClellan on November 07, 2005, 08:04:49 PM
[quote name=\'musicman\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 04:40 PM\']The most difficult category I can think of is "Things that are Enshrined".[/quote]
Me: A new hall-of-famer.

Partner: Things that are inducted; things that are enshrined!!!

[cheers and applause]
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: CarShark on November 07, 2005, 08:10:16 PM
I always cringed whenever "Things that penetrate" showed up. Not because of the sexual connotations, but because it's such a hard concept to get your mind around.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 07, 2005, 09:32:52 PM
[quote name=\'musicman\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 05:40 PM\']The most difficult category I can think of is "Things that are Enshrined".
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I LOVED how Keif Ferrendini played that category though. Starting off with religious relics, then moving on to Hall of Fame books. There's only one thing it can be. Things that are enshrined.

As for perceived, would "Extra-sensory thought" be accepted?
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on November 07, 2005, 10:10:45 PM
[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 09:32 PM\']As for perceived, would "Extra-sensory thought" be accepted?[/quote]

I don't know if you'd get zapped, but in that case, the thought *is* the perception. Extra-sensory information?
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 07, 2005, 10:13:07 PM
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 08:10 PM\'][quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 7 2005, 09:32 PM\']As for perceived, would "Extra-sensory thought" be accepted?[/quote]

I don't know if you'd get zapped, but in that case, the thought *is* the perception. Extra-sensory information?
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Thought is perception, and perception is something that is perceived. Not a synonym, I don't think.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 08, 2005, 11:39:18 PM
Ok, this category wasn't used. We were just talking about it in Palace, but boy, is it a doozy.

+-------------------+
|.......THINGS......|
|.....THAT ARE.....|
|LACKADAISICAL|
+-------------------+

Obscure enough to really struggle on, but common enough where if faced with the word, you'd have at least heard of the word.

Discuss and cuss.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Jay Temple on November 09, 2005, 12:42:41 AM
"A thinking des Cartes" is perfect for THINGS THAT EXIST.
If they buzzed "a Great Lake" for THINGS THAT ARE SUPERIOR--and IMHO they were wrong to do so--they surely would have buzzed "Rockefeller's oil" for THINGS THAT ARE STANDARD.  But how about "a statistician's deviation"?

I know I saw THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE 60'S a couple times, and I don't remember anyone getting it.  My clue was always, "People threw out their 1959 calendars."  If they wanted a really tough one, say for Tournament Week, they could have used THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN 19XX.  (I actually did one with my wife, but it was gettable because the year in question was the year we got married.)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 09, 2005, 12:46:56 AM
[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Nov 8 2005, 10:42 PM\']I know I saw THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE 60'S a couple times, and I don't remember anyone getting it.  My clue was always, "People threw out their 1959 calendars."
[/quote]

And if the judge doesn't shit nickels over that clue, you might be on Donny-mid. :-)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Jay Temple on November 09, 2005, 01:05:13 AM
Are you saying they'd take it or buzz it, or just that they'd have a tough call on their hands?  (I figure I'm okay as long as it just says IN THE 60'S, rather than IN THE 1960'S.)  Is it any different than if I listed a bunch of notable events specifically from 1960?  ("Kennedy beat Nixon.  ...  The World Series ended on a home run.")
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 09, 2005, 01:12:23 AM
I dunno. It seems to me that whenever a person gave that long a clue on a "Things..." category, that they were asking for a buzz, and usually got it.

Then again, maybe not.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on November 09, 2005, 02:02:14 AM
[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Nov 9 2005, 01:05 AM\']The World Series ended on a home run.
[/quote]
Prepositional phrase.  BZZZ!
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: clemon79 on November 09, 2005, 02:34:48 AM
[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 8 2005, 09:46 PM\']And if the judge doesn't shit nickels over that clue, you might be on Donny-mid. :-)
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Maybe it's just because it's late and I'm tired, but the phrases "shit nickels" and "Donny-mid" just strike me as really funny. :)

Well played, Kev. Well played.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 09, 2005, 10:07:40 PM
*takes a bow*
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on November 09, 2005, 10:46:23 PM
From the time I remember seeing it, it was IT HAPPENED IN THE 60s, and the judges were lenient about the list items, as with your WHY and MIGHT SAY categories.

The problem with that one was that the giver's list was mainly comprised of things that happened in the *70s*. Dick shouted "read it again!", but I think the giver read it right and was just not quite an A student in History class.

=====

I think you have to have some limits in coming up with tough Pyramid categories. I could probably think of a dozen really long and rarely-used words to stick after THINGS THAT ARE, none of which would be gettable on the show except through blind luck--but that's not as much fun, I don't think.

(How's about THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED?)

=====

I think "a Great Lake" got buzzed for THINGS THAT ARE SUPERIOR because the "there's a word connection here" aspect of the clue overshadowed the "this is a valid item on a list of things that are superior" aspect, in the judge's opinion. I agree that the judge's opinion is wrong, though--the lake was named that due to its being superior in size to its companions (I'm assuming).

(THINGS THAT ARE EERIE?)

=====

I think the only way you were going to win money on Donny-mid some days was if the judge *did* have some spare change disagreeing with his stomach.

(INTERNET ACRONYMS THAT ABBREVIATE PROFANITY)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 09, 2005, 10:50:08 PM
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Nov 9 2005, 08:46 PM\']
I think "a Great Lake" got buzzed for THINGS THAT ARE SUPERIOR because the "there's a word connection here" aspect of the clue overshadowed the "this is a valid item on a list of things that are superior" aspect, in the judge's opinion. [/quote]

Such as "Betty" for "Things that are white," or "Mayim Bialik" for "Things that blossom."
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Fedya on November 09, 2005, 11:20:32 PM
Robert Hutchison asked:

Quote
(How's about THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED?)

A door-to-door salesman's vacuum cleaner?  :-)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: CarbonCpy on November 10, 2005, 01:55:23 AM
[quote name=\'Fedya\' date=\'Nov 9 2005, 11:20 PM\']Robert Hutchison asked:

Quote
(How's about THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED?)

A door-to-door salesman's vacuum cleaner?  :-)
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A new washing detergent?  A hippy's opinion?  An animal testing facility?

(EDIT:  Every time a thread like this comes up, I'm reminded of Mad Magazine's "Really Tough Categories We'd Like to See on The $100,000 Pyramid."  The premise being that they thought it was too easy.

"Differences between Rambos I, II, and III"  being the one that immediately springs to mind.)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on November 10, 2005, 04:13:28 AM
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Nov 9 2005, 10:46 PM\'](How's about THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED?)
[/quote]
Infomercial ovens.  Pizza samples.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: BrandonFG on November 10, 2005, 05:08:10 AM
Protest rallies.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: HYHYBT on November 10, 2005, 09:24:20 AM
I think the Great Lake/ Superior problem would be that 'great' and 'superior' are synonyms, or at least as close to being as some others they've buzzed.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: CarbonCpy on November 10, 2005, 11:52:20 AM
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 05:08 AM\']Protest rallies.
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I may be speaking ex-rectum here, but if a judge was feeling particularly snarky, couldn't he rule that 'protest' was synonymous with 'demonstrate?'
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Neumms on November 10, 2005, 12:05:16 PM
[quote name=\'CarbonCpy\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 11:52 AM\']I may be speaking ex-rectum here, but if a judge was feeling particularly snarky, couldn't he rule that 'protest' was synonymous with 'demonstrate?'
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One doesn't demonstrate a protest rally--a protest rally IS a demonstration. Could they buzz it because it doesn't fit the subject?
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: clemon79 on November 10, 2005, 12:44:43 PM
[quote name=\'CarbonCpy\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 08:52 AM\']I may be speaking ex-rectum here, but if a judge was feeling particularly snarky, couldn't he rule that 'protest' was synonymous with 'demonstrate?'
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 09:05 AM\']One doesn't demonstrate a protest rally--a protest rally IS a demonstration. Could they buzz it because it doesn't fit the subject?
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I think either of these reasons are fine ones for sounding the buzzer.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 10, 2005, 07:28:36 PM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 02:13 AM\'][quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Nov 9 2005, 10:46 PM\'](How's about THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED?)
[/quote]
Infomercial ovens.
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Is this legal? "Infomercial oven" sounds like a coined phrase. Maybe "an infomercial's oven"?

Or heck. Just say "Ron Popeil's appliances" and be done with it. ;-)
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: clemon79 on November 10, 2005, 07:55:20 PM
[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 10 2005, 04:28 PM\']Is this legal? "Infomercial oven" sounds like a coined phrase. Maybe "an infomercial's oven"?
[/quote]
It would float, I think. One is more grammatically correct than the other, but they both basically convey the same idea: the type of oven you would see on an infomercial, as opposed to the one you go down to an appliance store to buy.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on November 11, 2005, 08:38:02 AM
I don't think "great" and "superior" are close enough to be synonymous. The latter is a comparison to something else, the former, a general description of magnitude.
Title: Difficult Pyramid categories?
Post by: Kevin Prather on November 11, 2005, 01:18:25 PM
Also, superior means best. Great is not necessarily best, especially not in this usage.

It'd be like if I said "A growing jackpot" for "Things that are progressive."