Here's a quick question re writing movie quizzes, as I am attempting to write my first.

When one says "Best Picture of 2011"... does one mean the best film released in 2011, which means it got the Oscar in 2012? Or do you mean the film that won an Oscar in 2011 (which means it was released in 2010.)

There is often much confusion about this, and we have quizzes that use both methods of describing the year. This isn't helped by the fact that some sources use one description and others use the other one.

The best thing to do is to be very specific in writing your quiz. Say which you are using, and if possible refer also to the numbered ceremony. The upcoming awards, awarded in 2013 to honour the films of 2012, are the 85th Annual Academy Awards.

This 'belt and braces' approach leaves no doubt in anyone's mind.

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Spanishliz (Editor in Movies, Geography, Brain Teasers and Crosswords)

I usually phrase it something like "The 2010 film, which won a Best Picture Oscar..." which saves a little clunky wordiness. I think something like this too leaves little doubt

I like to remove all doubt.... And not mention it at all. :P

Thanks for the advice! But what does that phrase mean?

I'm guessing that it means cover your bets. Instead of just relying on a belt or on braces to keep your pants up, use both.
So say what year it was released as well as what year it won the Oscar. That way there is no room for error.

It menas doubling up to be sure. In this case, you could both mention the year in which the film ws released and the number of the Awards ceremony when it won. "Which 2012 film about something or other starred someone famous, who won the award for Best Actress at the 85th Academy Awards?" (Since this year's will be the 85th ones, it is less confusing to refer to them that way than to state their year, and have two different years in the quesiton.) Of course, if you want to write your quiz now, you won't be using this year's winners.

Gracious1, "braces" are what you and I would probably call "suspenders." Wearing both suspenders and a belt is redundant, but it would take a lot for those pants to fall down!

Ohhh... yes, I remember now. Braces are suspenders, and suspenders are garters, etc. etc. etc.

I was picturing "braces" that orthodontists put on a teenagers teeth and somehow with the belt, it was not a pretty sight.

Anyway, I took your advice and doubled up on most questions re the 84th Academy Awards last year. On a few I just couldn't stand the redundancy and didn't, but I think it's clear which is the correct choice. Besides, on all my choices (except for a very few) I only included 2011 releases.

Suspenders are not garters, not in the UK anyway. In the UK suspenders are attached to an item of female under-clothing to hold up stockings, they are normally nylon/plastic and are on elastic, it is usual for there to be two per stocking. Garters are elastic and go around the leg.

Apologies for the confusion Showing my age, perhaps, using that phrase? You understood my meaning, in any case.

Just to compound the confusion, over here, back when we wore such things, those little straps with the fancy hook contraption that suspended from the piece of underwear were called garters. They either came on a garter belt, or were part of the girdle. And a girdle was not a belt, such as the one Puck put 'round the earth in forty minutes, but rather a nasty rubber and elastic thing that made a woman look like she was made of stone from the waist to the knees.

Two nations divided by a common language, indeed.

Those things that hold up stockings generally are called garters here and in the US (but so is the elastic around the leg thing). I'm pleased to report that I just last week figured out how to wear such a contraption

And I am equally pleased to say that I have never worn such a contraption.

You should be pleased, salami, they were murder. I hit nylon stocking age right around the time pantyhose were replacing stockings and garter belt, and was very thankful of that - nowhere near as sexy, but a lot easier to wear and more comfortable.

And nowadays, of course, stockings are barely worn at all, and even pantyhose are considered too fussy and uncomfortable.

Well, I wouldn't dream of wearing them anyway. It would just be... wrong, for a guy to wear a garter. :P

Rocky Horror Picture Show, anyone?

I can proudly say, in the best tradition of British cross-dressing, that I have worn both a garter and suspenders. It will surprise no-one who knows the game to discover that both occasions were at events hosted by a rugby club.

That is all. Please carry on your discussion.

Yikes, I opened a can of worms.

So one thing I did in my quiz was phrase things like "won the Oscar for Category Q in 2012" -- I think it's clear that it means a film that was released in 2011 and won an Oscar in 2012.

But I still wonder what "Best Picture of 2011" means. To me it sounds *clearly* like the film was released in 2011 -- it was the Best Picture of 2011... If I say the best month of 2011 was March, nobody thinks I mean March 2012. But I also understand that it may refer to the year it won the Oscar.

That's exactly why that wording should be avoided! Different people mean/understand the phrase differently. One of the first goals in quiz-writing is avoiding ambiguity and potential confusion for players.

It's clear to me in that example that you mean the film was released in 2011. Best Picture of 2011 to me means it was the best of all 2011 films, even if the award was literally given in another year. To me there's no confusion or ambiguity there. Now if you said instead "It was the Best Picture *in* 2011", that's where I see some confusion. But regardless, it's usually best to spell out exactly what you mean, or phrase differently, or you'll get correction notices.

It is precisely because I have seen so many of these that I have advocated the doubling up approach.

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Spanishliz (Editor in Movies, Geography, Brain Teasers and Crosswords)

Photoquiz please, Snowman.

If I were to do one like that, I'd phrase it by stating that movie X, released in 2011, won Best Picture in 2012, like Liz has suggested, ambiguous as it seems, but it makes it understandable for everyone.

Whatever approach you take, consistency is key.

While this may be clear to you, it won't be to everyone. Trust me, years of dealing with Correction Notes has taught editors that.
Do not assume that everyone taking the quiz has the same interest in/knowledge of award shows or even in movies as you do. They may not reason through the process and think 'okay, we are talking about movies released in 2012'. Then they will fire off a Correction Note to you which you will have to deal with, even if they are wrong.