Sunday 15th January 2023
Difficulty: Medium

Punting (Quiz #58)

Punts and passengers
Punting in Cambridge. Or is it Oxford? Photo: Jorge Royan (Creative Commons)

A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, propelled by pushing against the river bed with a pole.

1. Punting is popular in both Oxford and Cambridge, but how do they differ in their traditions?

A. In Cambridge the punter stands on the deck ("till"), while in Oxford the punter stands within the boat

B. In Cambridge the punter holds the pole on the right-hand side of the punt, while in Oxford the pole is held on the left

C. In Cambridge the pole is used as a rudder at the end of each stroke, while in Oxford the steering is done by pushing sideways on the river bed with the pole

2. Punt racing in England is governed by the Thames Punting Club. Over what distance are punt races usually held?

A. 880 yards

B. 1,320 yards

C. 1,760 yards

3. There is a stretch of the River Cherwell in Oxford where signs advise ladies to get out of the punt and walk along a path, rejoining the punt later. Why is this?

A. The stretch of the river is notorious for local scallywags who pelt punters with fruit

B. The river goes through a male-only nude bathing area

C. The punt must be manhandled over a set of rollers to get past a weir

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