Who hasn’t watched a British quiz show without thinking: I could win that, no sweat?
Whether it’s screaming at the telly when a Pointless contestant picks the blandest option on the board, or watching in exasperation as a wannabe millionaire phones a friend who proves to be as much use as a five-a-day poster in a chip shop, we all reckon we could do better.
If you’re considering putting your grey matter on the line by applying to something like The Chase, give this question a go from ‘The Menace’ Darragh Ennis.
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Like all great quiz questions, it’s easy to miss the wood for the trees and make a silly mistake.
The Irish quiz master, 43, joined The Chase in November 2020 having previously competed on the show as a civilian in 2017.
He’s got a popular TikTok account too, @bonesgiles, and it’s there that he posed his brain-teasing question.
"Do you want to know a really easy sounding quiz question that almost everybody will get wrong?” he asked his followers in one video.
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"Seriously, about 95% of people will get this wrong, and it sounds so simple.
"Here it is: name a berry."
Anyone who’s watched The Chase will know this question won’t be as simple as it seems.
If you said strawberry, raspberry or blackberry, you’ve fallen for The Menace’s cunning ploy.
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"They are not actually technically berries,” he said. “Berries are a very specific type of fruit.
"They have to come from a single ovary of a single flower and have no stones for seeds. So if you said peach, plum, or cherry, they're not berries either.
"But what are berries? And this is the bit that is absolutely bonkers: they’re things like bananas, aubergines, and watermelons.
"There are some things that are called berries that are actually berries though too, things like cranberries and blueberries are also berries."
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Riveting stuff that evokes a classic scene featuring this brand of trivia.
Ennis continued: "But if you did happen to say Matt Berry, then you are the most devious quizzer in New York City." For those not in the know, this is a reference to Matt Berry's character Laszlo Cravensworth from What We Do In The Shadows.
It’s well worth a watch if you haven’t had the pleasure, incidentally.
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The berry knowledge laid down by Ennis has caused some consternation in the comments.
"I said blackcurrant with so much confidence because I panicked," said one TikTok fan.
Another said: "Every day is a school day!"
"Berry good question," said another who, frankly, should be glad they aren’t within arm’s reach.
"I said banana,” said one clever clogs. “Feel like the teacher's pet."
Another asked: "I said Mary Berry, does that count?"
No, dear reader, it does not.
Topics: TikTok, UK Food, TV and Film
Rachael Davis