# Why on earth do people say 'Pass' on Mastermind?



## moose (Mar 20, 2009)

Are you not allowed to say Rhubarb, or Axolotl or something, if you don't know the answer? Surely they know the number of passes counts against them if there's a tie, so why say it?


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## Donna Ferentes (Mar 20, 2009)

Because if you guess and get it wrong they use time telling you the answer?


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

Donna Ferentes said:


> Because if you guess and get it wrong they use time telling you the answer?



But why would you care? It's not your time that's wasted as they go through the answers when your time's up.


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## Badgers (Mar 20, 2009)

Because if you guess and your answer is incorrect they use time telling you the answer?


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2009)

Like Badgers says - they tell you you're wrong and it takes up your time.


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

But they give the correct answer afterwards!


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## Badgers (Mar 20, 2009)

Because if you guess and your suggested answer is not on the card they use time telling you the answer?


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## Maidmarian (Mar 20, 2009)

Yes --- but that's outside of the time limit

(@ Madusa)


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2009)

Madusa said:


> But they give the correct answer afterwards!



If you say 'pass' they just ask you the next question. If you answer Joe Bloggs when the answer is Bob Hope, they say 'no, it's Bob Hope'. When they get to the end of your 2 minutes, they tell you the answers to the questions you said pass on. 

Honestly Madusa, have you ever watched Mastermind?


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 20, 2009)

Madusa said:


> But why would you care? It's not your time that's wasted as they go through the answers when your time's up.



If you don't say PASS, they tell you the answer while the clock is still ticking (before they move onto the next question). They only give the answers to the questions 'passed' at the end.


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

trashpony said:


> If you say 'pass' they just ask you the next question. If you answer Joe Bloggs when the answer is Bob Hope, they say 'no, it's Bob Hope'. When they get to the end of your 2 minutes, they tell you the answers to the questions you said pass on.
> 
> Honestly Madusa, have you ever watched Mastermind?


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

ALRIGHT! Don't go on! 

Pass.


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## Badgers (Mar 20, 2009)

Because if you are not 100% sure but guess and get it wrong they use time telling you the right answer?


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 20, 2009)

Because they waste your time telling you the answer.


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## sojourner (Mar 20, 2009)

Badgers said:


> Because if you are not 100% sure but guess and get it wrong they use time telling you the right answer?



 say it 3 times and it goes in


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## Melinda (Mar 20, 2009)

Is it so you dont waste your time hearing the answer?


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## Badgers (Mar 20, 2009)

Because if do not say it three times when you are not 100% sure then guess and get it wrong they waste time telling you the correct answer?


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## N_igma (Mar 20, 2009)

I heard it has something to do with peanut butter and jam toasties. You're all wrong!


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## scifisam (Mar 20, 2009)

You also waste time trying to think of an answer.


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## spacemonkey (Mar 20, 2009)

I think Mastermind would be better if every time you said pass, the presenter punched you in the face.


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## Bakunin (Mar 20, 2009)

spacemonkey said:


> I think Mastermind would be better if every time you said pass, the presenter punched you in the face.



That wouldn't be too far from the roots of Mastermind, to be fair.

The chap who came up with the concept for Mastermind was previously an army officer who specialised in interrogating German prisoners of war, and modelled the show on the standard set-up used to conduct interrogations. His name was, IIRC, Bill Wright, who was himself interrogated by the Gestapo during WWII.


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## Augie March (Mar 20, 2009)

I think people saying pass on Mastermind is a bit passé.


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

lol


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## spacemonkey (Mar 20, 2009)

Bakunin said:


> That wouldn't be too far from the roots of Mastermind, to be fair.
> 
> The chap who came up with the concept for Mastermind was previously an army officer who specialised in interrogating German prisoners of war, and modelled the show on the standard set-up used to conduct interrogations. His name was, IIRC, Bill Wright, who was himself interrogated by the Gestapo during WWII.



Good factoid sir, well played. 

He could've chucked in a few more, y'know, 'unorthodox' interrogation techniques into the show. Just to spice it up.


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

Bakunin said:


> That wouldn't be too far from the roots of Mastermind, to be fair.
> 
> The chap who came up with the concept for Mastermind was previously an army officer who specialised in interrogating German prisoners of war, and modelled the show on the standard set-up used to conduct interrogations. His name was, IIRC, Bill Wright, who was himself interrogated by the Gestapo during WWII.



A passifist


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## kained&able (Mar 20, 2009)

thats bad madusa. really bad.

If you mean that as pun anyway. I hope you didn't.


dave


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## Madusa (Mar 20, 2009)

It's bad, but passable.


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## kained&able (Mar 20, 2009)

did the nasty metal music rot your brain?


dave


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## Bakunin (Mar 20, 2009)

spacemonkey said:


> Good factoid sir, well played.
> 
> He could've chucked in a few more, y'know, 'unorthodox' interrogation techniques into the show. Just to spice it up.



Why, thank you.

Although I don't think partial drowning, electric shocks, whippings and a right good kicking would be able to be screened before the watershed.


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## frogwoman (Mar 20, 2009)

spacemonkey said:


> Good factoid sir, well played.
> 
> He could've chucked in a few more, y'know, 'unorthodox' interrogation techniques into the show. Just to spice it up.



waterboarding perhaps?


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## rollinder (Mar 21, 2009)

they don't say pass iirc - just do odd things not really connected to the tv programme involving guessing peg sequences


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## Epico (Mar 21, 2009)

One thing I've always wondered... has the answer to a question ever been 'Pass'? If not, it should be!


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## Bakunin (Mar 21, 2009)

frogwoman said:


> waterboarding perhaps?



I think would mean that Mastermind was catering to the more 'specialist' end of the market. You know, Tory MP's, ex public schoolboys, Formula One bosses, that sort of punter.


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## Barking_Mad (Mar 21, 2009)

i think its because they waste your time not hearing the answer you didnt give.


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## toblerone3 (Mar 21, 2009)

spacemonkey said:


> Good factoid sir, well played.
> 
> He could've chucked in a few more, y'know, 'unorthodox' interrogation techniques into the show. Just to spice it up.



How about some electrodes? Increasingly powerful electric shocks every time you say pass. 

ETA: I didn't read the second page. . Think I guessed which way it was heading though


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## Kaka Tim (Mar 22, 2009)

Specilaised subject - Answering the question before the last one.





Classic sketch form the two ronnies.


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## oneflewover (Mar 22, 2009)

What is it called when you through the ball to a team-mate in rugby?


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## Madusa (Mar 22, 2009)

Kaka Tim said:


> Specilaised subject - Answering the question before the last one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Ha, loved that!


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## bigbry (Mar 23, 2009)

Epico said:


> One thing I've always wondered... has the answer to a question ever been 'Pass'? If not, it should be!



I saw a comedy sketch a long time ago (can't remember who) were they did a spoof Mastermind where *all *the answers were 'PASS'

What is the name for a gap between hills used as a crossing point ? - Pass, ETC.


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