Booze Clues

Not even a chilly downpour could keep the Argonaut’s regulars from showing up for Booze Clues, the weekly seven-round trivia contest that occupies the bar’s cozy upstairs. A rotating cast of regulars assume hosting duties for the evening, and the subject matter from the opening general knowledge round can vary from playful — Which two comedians voiced “Saturday Night Live’s” Ambiguously Gay Duo? Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell. What was the name of the Pekingese Best in Show winner from the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show? Malachy — to playfully confounding — Mount Vinson is the highest point of which continent? Antarctica. Which Midwestern state is home to the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School? Michigan.

A visual round is often paired with an audio round, though technical difficulties shortened the latter on a recent outing. And because it was Leap Day, it was the perfect time to learn, for example, that the emperor who introduced the extra calendar date was Julius Caesar and that rapper Ja Rule was born Jeffrey Atkins on Feb. 29, 1976.

The prizes: A $50 gift certificate for first place; the team with the best name wins a bottle of wine.

— Alex Baldinger (March 15, 2012)