This week on Granite State Challenge, the Tomahawks of Merrimack High School take on the Bobcats of Plymouth Regional 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, D.F.

Richard Energy, HRCU, Cognia, and viewers like you.

Thank you Get ready, it's time for New Hampshire high schools to match wits in a high stakes scholastic showdown.

It's time for Granite State Challenge.

Here's your host, Jon Cannon.

Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for joining us for this second game of our quarterfinal round.

We've got two teams with us here to do battle to see who is going to punch their ticket to the semifinals.

Let's introduce them to you.

First up, we have the Tomahawks of Merrimack High School.

Hi, I'm Nick.

I'm a senior, and I keep a wet floor sign in my car, just in case.

Hi, I'm Michael.

I'm a senior, and I'm currently playing Claudio and my school's production of "Much Ado About Nothing."

Hi, I'm Aiden.

I'm a senior, and I keep a book on me at all times.

Hi, I'm Jack.

I'm a sophomore, and I have a lucky periodic table.

Excellent.

The team alternates are [?

aris ?]

and [?

ali.

?]

The team is coached by Sara Campbell, and they are the Tomahawks of Merrimack High School.

Ready to take them on are the Bobcats of Plymouth Regional High School.

Hi, I'm Mason.

I'm a senior, and I just turned 18.

Hi, I'm Khalil and I played a cab driver in my school's production of "Harvey the Rabbit."

Hi, my name's Catherine.

I'm a junior, and I've been running track and field competitively for eight years.

Hi, I'm Natalie.

I'm a sophomore, and I've been running cross-country for four years.

Excellent.

The alternates are Connie and Dash.

The team is coached by Jay Fogarty, and they are the Bobcats of Plymouth Regional High School.

And one more introduction for you, before we jump into the game, and that is, of course, our judge.

Back with us, again, is Ann Boulanger.

All right, teams.

Introductions are done and out of the way.

Go ahead and grab those signaling devices, because we're going to play Granite State Challenge.

We're going to start, in round one, with 10 point toss-up questions.

Merrimack, Plymouth, good luck.

Here we go.

This blues song, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952, and was a hit for Elvis Presley in 1956.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

"Jailhouse Rock."

Sorry, no.

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

"Ain't Nothing but a Hound Dog."

Yeah, we'll give you that.

It is "Hound Dog."

We'll give you that.

This seventh President of the United States was a favorite of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.

[buzzer] Catherine of Plymouth.

Andrew Jackson.

Correct.

This author wrote the novels "Maggie, a Girl of the Streets" and "The Red Badge of Courage."

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Stephen Conrad.

Sorry, no.

Natalie of Plymouth.

Stephen Crane.

That's the one.

This Australian actress and singer has appeared in the movies "Bridesmaids" and the "Pitch Perfect" films.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Rebel Wilson.

Correct.

This British soldier and member of Parliament founded the Colony of Georgia.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Oglethorpe.

He's the one.

In Hinduism, this supreme being is known as the preserver, and creates and protects the universe.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Shiva.

Sorry, no.

Khalil of Plymouth.

Brahma.

Sorry, it is Vishnu.

This series of altercations in 1943 between servicemen and Latino and Mexican residents are known as these riots.

[buzzer] Catherine of Plymouth.

The Zoot Suit Riots.

That's it.

Short story writer William Sydney Porter, better known by this pen name, wrote the story "The Gift of the Magi."

[buzzer] Aiden of Merrimack.

O. Henry.

Correct.

In the 1925 Scopes Trial, Clarence Darrow represented the defense and this three-time presidential candidate.

Former Secretary of State and anti-evolution activist argued for the prosecution.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

William Jennings Bryan.

Correct.

Unfortunately, for King Edward Confessor, who had this Abbey built to be his eventual resting place, he was too sick to attend its consecration in 1065, but he did have the honor of being entombed in front of the high altar.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Westminster Abbey.

That's it.

Jerry Stiller played Frank Costanza on the sitcom "Seinfeld," where his character is famous for the creation of this December 23rd holiday that features an aluminum pole, the airing of grievances, and feats of strength.

The holiday was, in reality, created by author and editor Daniel O'Keefe, who was the father of "Seinfeld" writer Dan O'Keefe.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Festivus.

For the rest of us.

President Joe Biden placed a bust of this labor leader behind his desk in the Oval Office.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Chavez.

Correct.

This disease-- Sorry, the disease pertussis is more commonly known by this more descriptive name.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Whooping cough.

Correct.

Teams, in what state will you find the Black Hills and the Badlands?

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

South Dakota.

Correct.

This pachyderm was the main character in a series of children's books by French author Jean de Brunhoff.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

"The Little Prince."

Sorry, no.

Michael of Merrimack.

"Dumbo."

Sorry, it's Babar.

Libraries use this classification system that uses the numbers 000 to 999 to organize books.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Dewey decimal system.

That's it.

Teams, what does the acronym NATO stand for?

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

That's correct.

This woman was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize.

She won the 1950 prize for poetry for "Annie Allen," which tells the story, in poetry, of Annie Allen, a Black girl growing to adulthood.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Toni Morrison.

Sorry, no.

Natalie of Plymouth.

Maya Angelou.

Sorry, it's Gwendolyn Brooks.

This actor was the first person, born in the 1980s, to win an Oscar.

She won for her role in the 2010 movie "Black Swan."

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

Smith.

Sorry, no.

[timer] It is Natalie Portman.

Teams, the city of Manchester, New Hampshire sits on both sides of this river.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

The Merrimack River.

You got it.

This man served as Governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and from 2011 to 2019.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Brown.

Jerry Brown is correct.

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

It is worth double the points, so it's a 20 point toss-up question, coming to you on your monitors.

Take a look.

This city, which will host the Summer Olympics in 2024, previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1924.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Tokyo.

Sorry, no.

Catherine of Plymouth.

L.A.

Sorry, it is Paris.

In the 1968 Summer Olympics, in Mexico City, US athlete Tommie Smith won the 200-meter sprint gold medal, and his teammate, John Carlos, won the bronze.

When they were on the awards podium, both men did this gesture to protest racism in the United States.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

Kneel.

Sorry, no.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Give a peace sign.

Sorry, no.

They raised their fists in the air.

This is the favorite food of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

Pizza.

Yes.

This American author wrote the novels "The Portrait of a Lady," "The Ambassadors," "The Wings of the Dove," and the horror novella "The Turn of the Screw."

[buzzer] Natalie of Plymouth.

Henry Fielding.

Sorry, no.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Edgar Allan Poe.

No, it was Henry James.

Henry James.

What newspaper uses the slogan, "All the news that's fit to print," on its masthead?

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

The New York Times.

That's it.

In 1981, she became the first woman to be seated on the United States Supreme Court.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Sandra Day O'Connor.

Correct.

This could be the name of an American science fiction television series, or the movement of an electron from one orbit in an atom to another.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

[?

oit ?]

Sorry, no.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

[timer] Jumping.

Go ahead.

Jumping.

Nope, it is a quantum leap is what we were looking for, but that sound ends round one.

And after round one, Merrimack out to a bit of a lead by a score of 140 to 60.

All right, teams, good job.

Keep it up.

We're going to go right into round two.

In round two, we'll continue with the toss-up questions, but we're going to double the point value.

So we're playing for 20 point toss-up questions.

Merrimack, Plymouth, good luck.

Here we go.

This American artist, whose works include the 1812 painting "Declaration of Independence," is known as the Painter of the Revolution.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Trumbull.

John Trumbull is right.

This 18th-century political leader of the French Revolution was the head of the French government during the Reign of Terror.

[buzzer] Aiden of Merrimack.

Robespierre.

Yes.

In 2020, this tight end signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to join his old teammate Tom Brady.

[buzzer] Aiden of Merrimack.

Rob Gronkowski.

Yes.

Teams, during what war did the Naval Battle of Midway occur?

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

World War Two.

Yes.

All right, teams, for this next question go ahead and take a look at your monitors.

You are looking at the painting, "The Boating Party," by this American artist known for her depictions of women and children.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Cassatt.

Correct.

This painter, known for his portrayal of Black historical figures and contemporary life, has one of his paintings, "The Builders," hanging in the White House.

[timer] Looking for Jacob Lawrence.

Known as the Iron Lady, she was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Margaret Thatcher.

Yes.

A 2016 video version of this song, by the South Korean company Pink Frog, took the toddler world by storm and drove their parents crazy.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

"Baby Shark."

That's it.

All right, team, in case you need it, so you have pen and paper right there next to you.

If a rectangle has a width of 8 and a diagonal of 17, what is its area?

[buzzer] Catherine of Plymouth.

136.

Sorry, no.

[timer] It was close.

120 was what we were looking for.

All right, teams.

This British mathematician, considered by many to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence, was played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2014 movie "The Imitation Game."

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

Turing.

Alan Turing is right.

English actress Sarah Siddons was dubbed by critic William Hazlitt as tragedy personified, and was portrayed by artist Sir Joshua Reynolds in the 1754 painting "Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse."

She was most famous for her portrayal as this lead character from a Shakespearean tragedy.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

Juliet.

Sorry, no.

[timer] Plymouth?

We're looking for Lady Macbeth.

This former slave of George Washington fled to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she was recognized on the street by Elizabeth Langdon, the teenage daughter of Senator John Langdon, but plans to return her to Washington were rejected by local officials and she remained in New Hampshire, where she married and raised a family.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Judge.

Yes.

Ona Judge is right.

This country, in Southeast Asia, was once known as Siam.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Thailand.

Yes.

In the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," this character, played by actor Alfonso Ribeiro, dances to the 1965 song "It's Not Unusual" by the Welsh singer Tom Jones.

In 2014, Alfonso Ribeiro recreated the dance on the show "Dancing with the Stars."

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Carlton.

Carlton Banks is right.

This jazz saxophonist was known as The Sound, because of the warm tone of his playing.

His band's recording of the Bossa Nova song, "The Girl from Ipanema," was a huge hit in 1964.

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

Getz.

Stan Getz is right.

All right, teams, finish this proverb.

Marry in haste, repent at blank.

[buzzer] Khalil Plymouth.

Will.

Sorry, no.

[timer] Repent at leisure.

Sorry, Michael, not quite in time.

This ancient Greek historian was called the father of history by 1st century BC Roman orator Cicero.

[buzzer] Nick of Plymouth.

Herodotus.

Correct.

Teams, in what country-- [timer] Well, we're going to save that question for round four, and after two rounds, Merrimack hanging on to their lead by a score of 320 to 140.

All right, nice work teams.

We are going to go into our third round, our three strikes and you're out round.

Each team will get a category with 10 questions.

We will go through, one by one, down each team member, asking one question each until we either run out of questions or until you get three strikes and you're out.

Plymouth, as the team trailing, you get to pick from the categories first.

And Mason, as the team captain, here are your choices.

J&J, State of Play, and All the Neals.

Let's go All the Neals.

All the Neals.

OK, for this category, identify all the following famous Neals.

OK. Mason, he has played kid doctor Doogie Howser, ladies' man Barney Stinson on "How I Met Your Mother," and Count Olaf in "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

[timer] It is Neil Patrick Harris.

Khalil, he is the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Motley Crue.

Neil Young.

Sorry, it is Vince Neil.

Katherine, he was the first person to walk on the moon.

Neil Armstrong.

Correct.

Natalie, he is the author of "The Sandman," "American Gods," and "Coraline."

Neil Gaiman.

Correct.

Mason, this astrophysicist often explains space to the layman.

[timer] It is Neil Degrasse Tyson.

And after three strikes, two correct responses.

All right, Merrimack, we turn to you.

And Nick, you can choose from the categories J&J and State of Play We'll choose J&J.

J&J it is.

So in this category, the answers to the following will all be people whose first and last name start with the letter J. OK. Nick, singer known for songs like "Nasty," "Rhythm Nation," and "That's the Way Love Goes."

John Jay.

It is Janet Jackson.

Michael, Irish author of "Dubliners" and "Finnegan's Wake."

James Joyce.

Correct.

Aiden, daughter of a cartoon family from the future [timer] It is Judy Jetson.

Jack, he was a notorious bank and train robber.

John Dillinger.

Sorry, it was Jesse James.

So that's three strikes.

One correct response on your three strikes round.

All right, teams, so that ends round three.

We're going to go into round four, where we continue with the 20 point toss-up questions with adding the wrinkle that will be deducting 20 points for any incorrect responses.

So play smart and strategic.

Merrimack and Plymouth, here we go.

Good luck.

Teams, in what country will you find the city of Timbuktu?

[timer] It is Mali.

The clocks were striking 13 in the opening line of this dystopian novel.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

"1984."

Correct.

Located in the Western Pacific Ocean, this is the deepest oceanic trench on Earth.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Mariana Trench.

Yes.

This could be a river that divides Earth and the underworld, or an American rock band known for the songs "Lady" and "Come Sail Away."

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

Styx.

Yes.

On June 5th, 1968 this man assassinated Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Sirhan Sirhan.

Yes.

This American composer and lyricist wrote the songs "White Christmas," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," and "Puttin' on the Ritz."

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

Berlin.

Yes, Irving Berlin is right.

This 20th-century English economist broke with conventional economic thinking and advocated for vast government spending during recessions, even if it led to budget deficits.

[buzzer] Locked out there.

Khalil of Plymouth.

Keynes.

John Maynard Keynes is right.

One of singer Dean Martin's biggest hits, "That's Amore," compares love to the moon hitting you in the eye like one of these.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

A big pizza pie.

That's right.

This actor played Stefon Meyers on "Saturday Night Live" and hit man Barry Berkman on the HBO series "Barry."

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Bill Hader.

Yes.

Folk artist Anna Mary Robertson, who began painting when she was 78, is best known by this name.

[buzzer] Catherine of Plymouth.

Mother Teresa.

Sorry, no.

Michael of Merrimack.

Mother Moses.

Sorry, it is Grandma Moses.

Teams, who is the protagonist in the Jules Verne novel "Around the World in 80 Days?"

[buzzer] Mason of Plymouth.

Phineas Fogg.

Yep, we'll give you that.

Composed between 1822 and 1824, this was Beethoven's last complete symphony.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

The Eighth Symphony.

No, sorry.

[buzzer] [buzzer] Who on Plymouth rang in?

Mason?

The Ninth Symphony.

Ninth Symphony is correct.

All right, teams, this Italian mathematician has a sequence named for him.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Fibonacci.

Yes.

This Mexican revolutionary general was the provisional governor of Chihuahua from 1913 to 1914, and was known as the Centaur from the North.

[timer] We were looking for Poncho Via.

This author created the character V.I.

Warshawski, the protagonist in her contemporary detective novels.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

Agatha Christie.

Sorry, no.

[timer] Looking for Sara Paretsky.

Andrew Jackson called this industrialist the Father of the American Industrial Revolution.

In the UK, he was called a traitor, for taking textile factory machinery designs from the UK to the United States.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

Eli Whitney.

Sorry, no.

[timer] Samuel Slater.

This is the largest part of the brain and is divided into the left and right hemispheres.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

The prefrontal cortex.

Sorry, no.

[timer] Looking for the cerebrum on that.

The June 6, 1944 allied invasion of Normandy in World War Two was code named Operation Neptune, and was the largest seaborne invasion in history.

You may know it as this.

[buzzer] Khalil of Plymouth.

D-Day.

Yes.

This college basketball announcer, known by the nickname Dickie V, is known for the phrase, "This is awesome, baby."

[timer] Dick Vitale.

This Greek mathematician and scientist is said to have shouted, "Eureka," when he stepped into his bath and figured out that you could calculate the volume of an object by the amount of water it displaces.

[buzzer] Nick of Merrimack.

Archimedes.

Correct.

This 1984 film tells the story of a teenager whose dad gives him a mogwai, named Gizmo, as a pet, and is warned to never let it get wet or feed it after midnight.

[buzzer] Michael of Merrimack.

"Gremlins."

Correct.

Ulan Bator is the capital of this landlocked Asian country.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Mongolia.

That's it.

This founding father from Virginia is associated with the phrase, "Give me liberty, or give me death," from a speech that he gave to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775.

[buzzer] Jack of Merrimack.

Paine.

Sorry, no.

Catherine of Plymouth.

Patrick Henry.

That's the one.

This actor played Alex Keaton on the TV sitcom "Family Ties" and Marty McFly in the three "Back to the Future" movies.

[buzzer] Aiden of Merrimack.

Michael J.

Fox.

Yes.

This term for humorously confusing words that sound similar was taken from a character's name in the Richard Sheridan 1775 play "The Rivals."

[timer] That term is malapropism.

This man served as the first Prime Minister of Canada from 1878 to 1891.

[timer] It was John A. MacDonald.

[timer] We're going to save that question for the next match, and at the end of the game, by a score of 430 to 260, Merrimack will be moving on to the semifinals.

Congratulations, Merrimack.

We will see you in a few weeks, when you take on the Little Green of Manchester Central High School.

Plymouth, great job this week.

Great job in your first round.

Thanks so much for playing with us.

We hope you had fun.

We hope you had fun, as well, at home.

And we hope you join us next time when the team from Portsmouth High School takes on the team from Londonderry High School.

That'll do it for us this week.

I learned a lot.

I hope you did too.

We'll see you next time.

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, D.F.

Richard Energy, HRCU, Cognia, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

[music playing]