Andre Elpedes: October 2022

On this day (October 16, 2016), the Stand Up To Cancer (aka SU2C) 2016 Special of "The Crystal Maze" aired hosted by Stephen Merchant. It was filmed not in the old Aces High Studio, North Weald Airfield but in The Crystal Maze Live Experience London instead which opened in March 2016.

The contestants were:

1. Josh Widdicombe/Stand-up comedian/Devon

2. Rio Ferdinand/Ex-footballer/South London (Team Captain)

3. Michelle Keegan/Actress/Stockport

4. Sara Cox/DJ and Broadcaster/Bolton (Team Vice Captain)

5. Jonnie Peacock/Runner/Cambridge

One of the few games used in the SU2C 2016 Special was used in the past seasons/series of The Crystal Maze, here are some comparisons of the Original and the SU2C 2016 Special:

GAMES COMPARISONS:

LEGEND:

#1. SQUARE TO RECTANGLE

The game was introduced in Series 1 (1990), Episode 1.

Original Version:

Zone: Aztec/Time: 2:00/Category: Mystery/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “Presented with four large puzzle pieces in the shape of a square, the player had to reorganise them into the shape of a rectangle. Occassionally, the shapes were reversed, with the objective being to turn a rectangle into a square. Often, the player would succeed in unwittingly rebuilding the shape they were initially presented with (from a 90 degree perspective!) and jumping up with glee and anticipation of the crystal's release.”

- crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Aztec/Time: 2:00/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/Contestant: Sara Cox(Win)

NOTES:

• Category is changed to MENTAL.

• Time is still the same (2:00).

#2. WRECKING BALL

The game was introduced in Series 4 (1993), Episode 3.

Original Version:

Zone: Aztec/Time: 2:00-2:30/Category: Skill/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “Three structures had to be demolished by slinging a demolition ball, suspended from a number of ropes hanging from the ceiling. With each structure that was destroyed, the crystal would roll down a further piece of guttering.” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Aztec/Time: 3:00/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Michelle Keegan(Lose)

NOTES:

• TIME: 3:00.

#3. WIRE THE DOORBELL

The game was introduced in Series 2 (1991), Episode 1.

Original Version:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 2:00/Category: Physical/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “The contestant would have to wire up a doorbell to a giant battery. The positive and negative wires had to be connected to the correct parts of the battery, before being tightened with a giant spanner. When done, the contestant jumped on the button, and the crystal dropped out of the bottom of the chime. Sloppy workmanship was not acceptable, as Richard insisted that Mumsey could be electrocuted!” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 3:00/Category: Skill/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Rio Ferdinand(Lose)

NOTES:

• Category is changed to SKILL.

• TIME: 3:00.

• Nothing like the original: metal nuts are already screwed, no matchbox and screwdriver are needed; they’re a series of cables with different sizes and colors (blue and red), they must put the negative (BLUE) to negative and positive (RED) to positive.

#4. SPIDER’S WEB ONE

The game was introduced in Series 1 (1990), Episode 6.

Original Version:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 3:00/Category: Physical/

Automatic Lock-In: Yes/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “The contestant had to climb toward the spider using the web of ropes provided (and not the scaffolding they were attached to) without ringing the bells hanging from the ropes. Three rings bought you an extended stay. After collecting the crystal from the spider, the contestant would have to extricate themselves from the web, again without ringing the bells. The game would be brought back for series two.” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

NOTE:

• If the bell rings rang three times, it’s an automatic lock-in

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 2:00/Category: Physical/

Automatic Lock-In: Yes/

Contestant: Jonnie Peacock(Win)

NOTES:

• TIME: 2:00.

• Same rules applied from the Original Format: 3 BELL RINGS = AUTOMATIC LOCK-IN.

#5. MATHS SAFE

The game was introduced in the Children’s Special 1991.

Original Version:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 2:30/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “The safe containing the crystal (and other valuables) was opened by correctly solving five calculations.”

- crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Industrial/Time: 3:00/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Josh Widdicombe(Win)

NOTES:

• TIME: 3:00.

• It’s a “pop culture” themed Maths Safe game.

#6. PUB SIGNS

The game was introduced in Series 6 (1995), Episode 2.

Original Version:

Zone: Medieval/Time: 2:00/Category: Mystery/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Edward "Ed" Tudor-Pole

The Objective of the Game: “The contestant was presented with a number of pub (or should that be inn) signs which needed to be hung in pairs to spell out traditional pub names (Horse & Hound etc...)” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Medieval/Time: 2:00/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Michelle Keegan(Win)

NOTES:

• Category is changed to MENTAL.

• Time is still the same (2:00).

• In this game instead of putting the pub sign words in the “&” like/example: “HORSE & HOUND”, the pub signs represent “timeline events” (example: “BATTLE OF HASTINGS”), and the “&” is replaced by “years” (example: 1066); they must put the pub signs that represent the timeline events in the chronological order.

#7. MUMSIE’S QUESTIONS

The game was introduced in Series 1 (1990), Episode 3.

Original Version:

Zone: Medieval/Time: 2:00-3:00/Category: Mental/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “The player would cross Mumsie's palm with the three pieces of silver that Richard gave them before they entered the cell. Mumsie would them read out up to three brainteaster style questions. If the player answered a question correctly, the crystal would ascend into the space occupied by a crystal ball.” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Medieval/Time: NO TIME LIMIT/

Category: Mystery/Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Josh Widdicombe(Win)

NOTES:

• Category is changed to MYSTERY.

• There is no time limit in this game (would later use for the Richard Ayoade series with “Jarhead” and the “Hooded jailor” for questions or riddles).

• In this game, the contestant must answer 2 out of 3 (2/3) questions instead of 1 out of 3 (1/3).

• In the original TCM: Mumsie is played by Sandra Caron; while in the 2016 SU2C Special: Mumsie is played by Maureen Lipman.

#8. COGS and CANDLES

The game was introduced in Series 1 (1990), Episode 1.

Original Version:

Zone: Medieval/Time: 3:00/Category: Physical/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “After mounting a number of cogs and a handle onto the wall, the contestant could turn the handle and draw a candle closer to the string from which the crystal was suspended. After the candle had burned through the string, the crystal would fall and the contestant would be free to collect it.” -crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Medieval/Time: 3:00/

Category: Physical/Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Rio Ferdinand(Win)

NOTES:

• Time is still the same (3:00).

• There is no candle in this game instead it was replaced with an axe.

#9. BALANCE THE CRYSTAL WEIGHT

The game was introduced in Series 3 (1992), Episode 1.

Original Version:

Zone: Futuristic/Time: 2:00&3:00/

Category: Mystery/

Automatic Lock-In: No/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “Once again making use of the incubator, here the contestant had to match the weight of the crystal by placing a number of coloured balls onto a tray. When the scales matched, these balls had to be passed through the construct and the crystal was released.” - crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Future/Time: 2:00/

Category: Mystery/Automatic Lock-In: No/

Contestant: Jonnie Peacock(Lose)

NOTES:

• TIME: 2:00.

• In the original Crystal Maze game: the balls must weigh 182g,

but in the SU2C 2016 Special: the balls must weigh 100g.

#10. LASER BEAMS

The game was introduced in Series 2 (1991), Episode 6.

Original Version:

Zone: Futuristic/Time: 2:00/Category: Skill/

Automatic Lock-In: Yes/

Maze Master: Richard O’Brien

The Objective of the Game: “This game mimicked a hi-tech security system guarding the crystal. The contestant had to cross the room, stepping over and ducking under the lasers (luminous ropes - this was 1991!) After three mistakes, the crystal would become unavailable and the contestant would be locked in.”

- crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com

SU2C (2016) Revival:

Zone: Future/Time: 2:00/

Category: Physical/Automatic Lock-In: Yes/

Contestant: Sara Cox(Locked-In)

NOTES:

• Category is changed to PHYSICAL.

• Time is still the same (2:00).

• The Automatic Lock-In rules are still the same: HIT THE LASERS 3x = AUTOMATIC LOCK-IN.

• Instead of luminous ropes, it’s actual real laser beams (I’m not sure if it’s actually really real

lazer beams or maybe it’s luminous ropes, what do you think? Leave in the comments below).

• This is the first time in the “Laser Beams” game that a contestant got locked-in, which has never

been done before in Series 2 in 1991 (the contestants who’d never got locked-in from Series 2 in 1991

in the game “Laser Beams” were Julia Green in Episode 6, Mark McCarthy in Episode 11 and Nick Southan in Episode 13).

EXTRAS/BONUS:

Here are some bonus extras compassions of the map, zones, and clock timers from the Original Series and the SU2C 2016 Special.

MAP:

ZONES:

#1. AZTEC

#2. INDUSTRIAL

#3. MEDIEVAL

#4. FUTURE

*NOTE: Would later change to “Futuristic” instead of “Future” in the 2017-2020 series.

#5. THE CRYSTAL DOME

CLOCK TIMERS:

#1. AZTEC CLOCK TIMER (Water Clock)

#2. INDUSTRIAL CLOCK TIMER (Analogue Clock)

#3. MEDIEVAL CLOCK TIMER (Hourglass)

#4. FUTURE CLOCK TIMER (Digital Clock)

#5. THE CRYSTAL DOME CLOCK TIMER (Time Crystals)

*****

TAGS: the crystal maze su2c special ALIS alis Mental Physical Skill Mystery mental physical skill mystery sara cox josh widdicombe jonnie peacock michelle keegan rio ferdinand stephen merchant live experience richard o’brien ed edward tudor-pole london aztec industrial medieval future futuristic zone zones sandra caron maureen lipman mumsie

Andre Elpedes

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