This week on "Granite State Challenge," the Bobcats of Oyster River High School take on the Clippers of Portsmouth High School.

Only one team will advance.

Granite State Challenge starts now.

Major funding for the production of Granite State Challenge is provided by Unitil.

Additional funding provided by NEA New Hampshire, Safety Insurance, New Hampshire Lottery, DF Rishard Energy, HRCU, Cognia, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

Get ready.

It's time for New Hampshire high schools to match with in a high-stakes scholastic showdown.

It's time for Granite State Challenge.

Here's your host, John Cannon.

[applause] Hello, everyone, and welcome to Granite State Challenge.

We're so happy for you to join us this week.

We've got two teams ready to do battle this week.

Four teams have already made it to the second round of our tournament.

Let's see which one's going to join them.

First up we have the Bobcats of Oyster River High school.

Hi, I'm Silas Farwell.

I'm a senior at Oyster River.

And one fun fact, sophomore year, I made some soap almost entirely from scratch.

Hi, I'm Christopher.

I'm a freshman at Oyster River.

And I like to ski.

Hi, I'm Travis Savage.

I'm a senior.

And this afternoon I'm going ice fishing.

Hi, I'm Erin.

I'm a freshman.

And I'm a big sports fan.

All right, excellent.

The team is coached by John Monahan, and they are the Bobcats of Oyster River High School.

[applause] Facing off against them this week are the Clippers of Portsmouth High School.

Hi.

I'm Francis.

I'm a junior and I produce music.

Hi.

I'm Rio.

I'm a junior.

And as of this taping, today is my dad's birthday.

Hi.

I'm Josie.

I'm a junior.

And Taylor Swift's best song is "Ivy."

Hi.

I'm Mattock.

I'm a sophomore, and I like jazz.

Excellent.

The team is coached by Hannah Deuel.

The alternate is Nick.

And they are the Clippers of Portsmouth High School.

[applause] Nice to meet you, teams.

One more introduction before we get started.

And that, of course, is our judge.

Back with us again this week is Ann Bollinger.

[applause] All right, teams, introductions are done and out of the way.

Grab those signaling devices because we're going to jump right into the game.

In Granite State Challenge round one, we play 10-point toss-up questions.

So Oyster River, Portsmouth, good luck.

Here we go.

The fungus Phytophthora infestans, which spread through Ireland beginning in 1845, decimated this crop?

Silas of Oyster River?

Potato crop?

Yes.

This folk musician, known by some as the godfather of Irish music, made his home in Dover, New Hampshire.

His name is Tommy Makem.

All right, teams, this suite for orchestra by Ferde Grofé, five-movement tone poem, that celebrates this Arizona landmark.

Francis, of Portsmouth?

The Grand Canyon.

That's it.

This singer, songwriter, and actor played Florence Jackson in the 2017 movie "Mudbound" and co-wrote and performed the song "Mighty River" for the movie soundtrack.

We were looking for Mary J. Blige.

This landlocked country in Africa, once known as Rhodesia, is now known by this name.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Zimbabwe.

That's it.

This English actor played the title character in "Billy Elliot" the musical and Spider-Man in a series of Marvel movies, including "Spider-Man-- Far From Home" and "Spider-Man-- No Way Home."

Francis of Portsmouth?

Tom Holland.

He's the one.

Manchester Central graduate Adam Sandler played the title character in this 1995 movie about a 27-year-old man who, in order to inherit the management of his family's hotel chain, must go back to school and pass each grade in two weeks, starting with kindergarten.

Erin of Oyster River.

"Billy Madison?"

That's it.

All right, teams, you have pen and paper there in case you need it.

Which two one-digit positive integers end four when they are squared.

Francis of Portsmouth.

2 and 8.

That's it.

You got them both.

Well done.

This 2016 movie, featuring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe told the story of Black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the space race.

Silas of Oyster River.

"Hidden Figures?"

That's it.

This Italian early Renaissance painter is known for his painting "Birth of Venus," which features the naked goddess standing on a shell.

Sorry, Silas.

That famous painting was done by Sandro Botticelli.

People who destroy or damage public or private property are often called this term, derived from a group of Germanic people, who sacked Rome in 455.

Silas of Oyster River.

Vandals.

That's it.

This French author wrote the fairy tales "Little Red Riding Hood," "Puss in Boots," and "Sleeping Beauty."

Francis of Portsmouth?

Sorry, ran out of time.

It is Charles Perrault.

All right, teams, the flag of this country in Western Asia features a lone green cedar tree.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Lebanon.

That's it.

Name for the symbol that represents the word and.

Francis?

Ampersand.

That's it.

This English actor's first movie with sound was the great dictator which satirized Adolf Hitler.

It was Charlie Chaplin.

This astronomer identified Uranus as a comet in his early observations.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Herschel?

Correct.

Teams, what is the name of the trophy, awarded to the NHL playoff winner?

Francis of Portsmouth?

Stanley Cup.

Yes.

In 2018, the American Library Association dropped the name of this children's author from its annual award recognizing a living children's author or Illustrator who has made, quote, "a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children" because her portrayal of Native Americans and Black people in her works.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Newberry.

Sorry, no.

It was a good guess.

It was Laura Ingalls Wilder.

This landscape photographer was given his first camera when he was 12 while on a visit to Yosemite National Park.

One of my favorites, it's Ansel Adams.

This university in Utah is named for the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Brigham Young.

Yes.

This song by The Cranberries is a protest song written in memory of two young boys killed in a 1993 bombing by the provisional Irish Republican Army in Warrington, England.

Francis of Portsmouth.

"Zombie?"

Yes.

All right, teams, our next question is our Unitil power question.

It's worth double the points.

So it's a 20-point toss-up question coming to you on your monitors.

Take a look.

In 1928, Hans Geiger and Walter Mueller created the Geiger counter, an instrument that measures this.

Francis, Portsmouth.

Radiation.

Yes.

Before he became president of the Confederate states, this man served as a US Senator from Mississippi and as the United States Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce.

Francis, Portsmouth?

Jefferson Davis.

Yes.

All right, teams, you have pen and paper there in case you need them.

What fraction will you get if you subtract the square of 1/4 from the square root of 1/4?

Francis of Portsmouth?

7/16.

You got it.

This music genre, which got its start in Louisiana, combines blues, rhythm and blues, and regional Indigenous music.

Prominent artists in this genre include Clifton Chenier, Chris Ardoin, and Buckwheat blank.

I can't say his full name because it includes the name of the genre.

Silas of Oyster River?

Nes?

Sorry, no.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Cajun?

Sorry, no both in the right area.

It's zydeco.

Actor Cleavon Little played Sheriff Bart in this 1974 Mel Brooks comedy.

Francis of Portsmouth?

"Blazing Saddles?"

That's it.

This British street artist confirmed he was the artist behind a 2021 painting of a prisoner escaping from Reading Prison in England in a video that parodies the Bob Ross television show, "The Joy of Painting."

Rio of Oyster.

Banksy.

Say it again?

Banksy.

Yes, correct.

The 1963 Caldecott Medal book by-- [alarm sounding] Well, we're not going to finish that clue.

But after round one, Portsmouth jumping out to an early lead by a score of 160 to 40.

[applause] All right.

Nice work, teams.

We are going to roll right into round two.

In round two, we're going to continue with the toss-up questions.

But we're going to double the point value.

So we're going to play for some 20-point toss-up questions, OK?

Oyster River of Portsmouth, here we go.

This 15th president of the United States served from 1857 to 1861.

He was a proponent of states' rights and is considered by many to be one of the worst presidents for not dealing with the issue of slavery and for stalling Southern states' secession.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Buchanan.

Yes.

In 1807, as Napoleon's army was closing in on Lisbon in the Peninsular War, the Prince Regent moved his court to this South American country.

Silas of Oyster River?

Argentina?

Sorry, no.

Frances, Portsmouth?

Brazil.

That's the one.

This could refer to something that is not first rate or a slang term for the minor leagues in baseball.

Christopher, Oyster River?

Little.

Sorry, no.

We have heard the term bush league.

Oh!

This actor who played Dr. Jack Griffin in the 1933 movie "The Invisible Man" is buried in Red Hill Cemetery in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

His gravestone reads, "all things once are things forever, soul once living lives forever."

That actor's name was Claude Rains.

All right, teams, go ahead and take a look at your monitors at the picture coming to you.

This sculpture, "The Mountain Man," was made by this painter and sculptor who is known for his works depicting the American Old West.

It was made by Frederic Remington.

The classic 1939 children's book "The Story of Ferdinand the Bull" by Munro Leaf tells the story of a bull that preferred doing this to bullfighting.

Josie of Portsmouth?

Sniffing flowers?

Yes.

This Twain novel recalls the adventures of a boy who lives in St. Petersburg, Missouri with his Aunt Polly.

Silas of Oyster River.

Huckleberry Finn?

Sorry, no.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Tom Sawyer?

Yes, that's the one.

In 1986, this Florida politician, who served in the US House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991 and in the US Senate from 2001 to 2019, was a payload specialist on the space shuttle Columbia, making him the second sitting member of Congress to fly in space.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Jeb Bush.

Sorry, no.

Silas of Oyster River, Mark Kelly?

Sorry, no, both good guess.

Bill Nelson was the name of that politician.

Some consider this jazz artist's 1965 album "A Love Supreme" to be his masterpiece.

Mattock of Portsmouth.

John Coltrane?

Yes.

In 1892, this Fall River, Massachusetts maiden was acquitted of killing her father and stepmother with an ax.

Trevor of Oyster River.

Lizzie Borden.

Yes.

This youth baseball organization is located in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Little League.

Little League is right.

In 1821, Peru claimed its independence from this country.

Silas of Oyster River.

Spain?

Yes.

This American modern dancer and choreographer commissioned and choreographed the ballet "Appalachian Spring."

We're looking for Martha Graham.

In addition to writing 66 detective novels, this English author also wrote the play "Mousetrap," which ran in the West End of London from 1952 to 2020.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Arthur Conan Doyle?

Sorry, no.

It was Agatha Christie.

This freckle-faced five-year-old, created by Hank Ketcham, first appeared in comic form in 1951.

Christopher of Oyster River?

Charlie Brown?

Sorry, no.

It's a good guess.

It was Dennis the Menace.

The first recorded use of a symbol representing something like this number is from the third century BC in ancient Babylon.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Zero?

That's right.

This fictional sailor loves spinach and Olive Oil.

Trevor of Oyster River?

Popeye?

Yes.

The capital of Lebanon has been called the Paris of the Middle East.

What is the capital of Lebanon?

Erin of Oyster River?

Beirut?

Yes.

The 19-- [alarm sounding] We are going to stop there.

We will get to that clue in round four.

But after round two, Portsmouth hanging on to its lead by a score of 300 to 120.

[applause] All right, teams, we are going to go into round three, a round that we are calling our three-strikes-and-you're-out round.

So each team will be given a category, each with 10 questions.

We will go down the line, starting with the captain, and each contestant will answer one question, going down the line and then circling back.

We'll give you 10 points for each correct response.

We'll keep going until you either answer all 10 or until you get three strikes, OK?

And our categories this time are J and J, PB and no J, and A to Z and Z to A. Silas, as the captain of Oyster River, you get to choose the category for your team.

PB and no J?

PB and no J, excellent.

So the answers to the following will all be words with the letter P and B in them.

Silas, we'll start with you.

What you call the collection of letters we read and to write with.

Alphabet?

Yes.

Christopher, one of the pieces you play in a chess game?

Pawn?

It's a bishop.

Trevor, what you might carry your books and supplies in?

Backpack?

Correct.

Erin, group of animals that includes frogs, toads, and salamanders.

Reptiles?

It's amphibians.

Silas, a book you write that's all about you.

Notebook?

It's an autobiography.

That is your third strike.

So after your three strikes, two correct responses.

Good job, Oyster River.

Portsmouth, we turn to you.

And Francis, as team captain, you can choose from these two categories, J and J or A to Z and Z to A. I'll go A to Z and Z to A. OK.

In this category, the answers to the following will all be words or names that begin either with the letters A-Z or Z-A.

So those will be the first two letters in the correct responses, A and Z or Z and A. Francis, surname of the man who shot the film of JFK's assassination.

That is the Zapruder film.

Rio, vehicle used to smooth the ice in the skating rink.

Zamboni.

Correct.

Josie, a flowering shrub from the rhododendron family.

It's azalea.

Mattock, the 12th president of the United States.

Sorry, it's Zachary Taylor.

So one correct response in your three-strikes-and-you're-out round.

[applause] Some tough categories there, teams, but no worries.

We're going to roll right into round four.

In round four of Granite State Challenge, we continue with our 20-point toss-up questions.

However, we're going to be deducting 20 points for incorrect responses.

So a lot can shift in this round.

Oyster River, Portsmouth, here we go.

Good luck.

The 1957 teleplay "The Miracle Worker" was about the work teacher Annie Sullivan did with this young girl.

Josie of Portsmouth.

Helen Keller?

Yes.

This multimedia artist and singer songwriter married Beatle John Lennon in 1969.

Christopher of Oyster River?

Yoko Ono?

She's the one.

This cute and furry blue-nosed monster with a-- sorry, blue monster with a pink nose made his first appearance on "Sesame Street" in its second season.

Silas of Oyster River?

Grover?

He's the one, yes.

This actor was born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926 and starred in the films "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "How to Marry a Millionaire."

Rio, of Portsmouth?

Marilyn Monroe?

That's it.

In 19-- sorry, in 1692, she became the first person executed during the Salem witch trials.

It was Bridget Bishop.

Passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party, this group of laws were known collectively as the Coercive Acts in Great Britain and as these acts in the colonies.

Francis of Portsmouth.

The Intolerable Acts?

That's it.

Teams, in what month does winter begin in the southern hemisphere?

Francis of Portsmouth?

June?

That's it.

In 1932, Hattie Caraway became the first woman to be elected to a full term as senator.

What state did she represent?

She represented Arkansas.

This golfer was seriously injured in a single-car crash in 2021.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Tiger Woods.

Yes.

In 2016, this comedian and actor released the memoir "The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo."

That was by Amy Schumer.

This English author wrote the novels "Far From the Madding Crowd" and "Jude the Obscure."

We're looking for Thomas Hardy.

Kathmandu is the capital of this South Asian country, located mostly in the Himalayas.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Nepal.

Nepal is right.

This stand-up comedian and actor, voice to the character George Beard in the 2017 movie "Captain Underpants-- the First Epic Movie."

And the voice of that character was Kevin Hart.

Robert Frost read this poem at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy.

Name of that poem is "The Gift Outright."

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, purchased this newspaper in 2013 for $250 million.

Francis of Portsmouth.

"The Washington Post."

That's it.

This populist politician from Louisiana proposed a share-our-wealth program in 1934 that proposed a wealth tax and wealth redistribution.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Huey Long?

Yes.

In 1903, Jack London sold the rights to this novel to the "Saturday Evening Post" for $750.

He sold the book rights to MacMillan for $2,000.

Silas of Oyster River?

"Call of the Wild?"

You got it.

Over 21 million people live in this city in China that was once known as Peking.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Beijing.

Yes.

This 17.6-mile series of bridges and tunnels first opened to traffic in 1964.

It's the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

This Canadian hockey defenseman may be best known for a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in coffee and donuts.

Trevor of Oyster River?

Horton.

That's it.

This man was the founder of the first leader-- founder and first leader of the Mongol empire.

Trevor of Oyster River.

Genghis Khan?

Yes.

Supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War were sometimes called this because of their closely cropped hair.

Silas of Oyster River.

Tories?

Sorry, no.

They were known as the roundheads.

All right, teams, this tennis player, who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, is on the board of directors for Survey Monkey.

It's Serena Williams.

This boxer known, as Smokin' Joe, was the first boxer to defeat Muhammad Ali.

Francis of Portsmouth.

Joe Frazier.

Yes.

This state, which is actually a commonwealth, is home to Mammoth Cave National Park, the world's longest cave system.

Francis of Portsmouth?

Virginia.

Sorry, no.

Christopher of Oyster River.

Georgia?

Sorry, it is Kentucky.

James Madison, who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817 is often referred to as the father of this.

Erin of Oyster River.

Constitution?

You got it.

This New Hampshire county is named for the last-surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence.

[alarm sounding] And that was Carroll County named for Charles Carroll.

And at the end of the game, it'll be Portsmouth moving on by a score of 490 to 220.

[applause] All right, congratulations, Portsmouth.

Great win.

We look forward to seeing you guys in the second round in a couple of weeks.

Oyster River, thanks so much for playing.

We're glad you were able to make it in here today.

And we hope you had fun watching this week.

We hope you tune in next week as the Lancers of Londonderry High School take on the Astros of Pinkerton Academy.

That's going to do it for us this week.

We hope you enjoyed the show.

I learned a lot, and I hope you did too.

We'll see you next week.

Major funding for the production of "Granite State Challenge" is provided by Unitil.

Additional funding provided by NEA New Hampshire, Safety Insurance, New Hampshire Lottery, DF Rishard Energy, HRCU, Cognia, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

[theme music playing]