It was a great quest by the way. Very entertaining, particularly level 3!

I think we just watched it together when it was first transmitted.

Hi Mindless Automartum,

Tim just wanted us to throw the spanner down the corridor; he said "Haven't you heard the phrase 'throw a spanner in the works?' " and noted that I had said it ('throw the spanner down the corridor!'). (He also said "you're a bright team. Listen to your team captain!" and they arranged for us to see Back to the Future 3 at the cinema that evening to chill out.

The problem was I/we were looking for some 'works' into which to throw the spanner, e.g. an opening showing some actual machinery. When Giles threw the spanner, we had passed all the doors and it went 'pitch black' as I said (see Season 4 episode 2). Before Giles went into the darkness, they rewound the animation slightly to try and find us a door!

I think Giles' recollection of being pulled up by the producer related to 'throwing a spanner in the works' when he lobbed the spanner across the studio at the last minute, as we were looking for the 'works' into which to throw the spanner. That's when the producer said they always allow one 'Level one boo-boo'.

Why was that considered a mistake? I can’t think of anything else you could have reasonably done with the spanner.

"It would be interesting to hear how your team's second chance came about, if you had one!"

I fell off the turn table in the first room. it was nerves really. I stepped on,lost my footing and went off. We went back into the "green room" area and as you can imagine the rest of the team weren't too happy with me. Then the director came in and told us everyone got a second chance and it wouldn't be good viewing if everyone died on the first level!

I'd forgotten about your later post in the same thread, clarifying what happened:

I don't remember Giles falling off the Spindizzy, although it took around 5 minutes including Treguard's introduction and was drastically cut due to the timing on episode 14; I think Giles' recollection of being pulled up by the producer related to 'throwing a spanner in the works' when he lobbed the spanner across the studio at the last minute, as we were looking for the 'works' into which to throw the spanner. That's when the producer said they always allow one 'Level one boo-boo'. But on neither occasion were the rest of the team annoyed with Giles, or indeed at any other time.

Do you and Giles ever rewatch your quest together, or does it tend to be in your own time?

Cheers,

Brett

By my count, it was used six times in Series 3 and eight times in Series 4. Or nine times if we include your team's second chance, Brett.