The Contest

The Contest (or "the game", "the test", "the bet"' or "the quiz" as it is referred to, since there is no official title) is a list of questions that Ross created as a bet between Monica and Rachel and Joey and Chandler in "The One With The Embryos". Each question has something to do with one of the contestants, or something that relates to the contestant. The test has four categories and a bonus "Lightning Round".
==Origin==
The Test began after Joey and Chandler claimed they knew more about Rachel and Monica than they did about them. It originated from Joey and Chandler guessing all the items in Rachel's shopping bag. It escalated into a bet for a hundred dollars and eventually, if Joey and Chandler lose, they have to give up the chick and the duck and if Rachel and Monica lose, they have to give up their apartment.
Ross agreed to be the officiator of the test and created the game board and all the questions.
==Categories==
===Fears & Pet Peeves===
What is Monica's biggest pet peeve?
*Animals dressed as humans (answered by Joey)
According to Chandler, what phenomenon scares the bejesus out of him?
*Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance (answered by Monica)
===Ancient History===
No questions from this category were chosen.
===Literature===
Every week the TV Guide comes to Chandler and Joey's apartment. What name appears on the address label?
* "Chanandler Bong". (This was answered incorrectly by Rachel who said it came for simply "Chandler Bing". Chandler throws in an extra detail, that the name also includes the prefix "Ms.")
===It's All Relative===
Monica and I (Ross) had a grandmother who died. You both went to her funeral. Name that grandmother!
*Althea (Joey) 
What is the name of Chandler's father's Las Vegas all-male burlesque?
*Viva Las Gaygas (Monica)
==Lightning Round==
The rules for the Lightning Round are as follows: "Thirty seconds. All the questions you can answer."
===Questions for the Guys===
What was Monica's nickname when she was a field hockey goalie?
*"Big Fat Goalie" (Joey)
Rachel claims this is her favorite movie... Her actual favorite movie is...
*Dangerous Liaisons, (Chandler) Weekend At Bernie's (Joey)
In what part of her body did Monica get a pencil stuck at age 14?
*Her ear. (Incorrect answer from Chandler, whispered to Ross) 
Monica categorizes her towels. How many categories are there?
*11. (Everyday use, Fancy, Guest, Fancy guest, etc.) (Answered by Joey) 
===Questions for the Girls===
What is Joey's favorite food?
*Sandwiches (Monica)
Chandler was how old when he first touched a girl's breast?
*19 (Incorrect answer of 14 from Rachel)
Joey had an imaginary childhood friend. His name was... His profession was...
*Maurice (Monica), Space cowboy (Rachel)
What is Chandler Bing's job?
*Statistical Analysis and Data Reconfiguration. (Neither Monica nor Rachel can answer this question. It is a running gag that no one knows Chandler's job and Rachel yells out "transponster" as a guess in a moment of haste.)
==Outcome==
Because the girls cannot answer the question about Chandler's job, the guys win their apartment. They stay there for the remainder of the season, until "The One With All The Haste" when, after losing another bet for New York Knicks tickets, Monica and Rachel seize the opportunity to move back into their apartment (and move the guys' stuff back to their old place while they're at the game). When Chandler objects loudly (and the reluctant Joey doesn't want to move everything back) Monica and Rachel offer to kiss each for one minute in return for the apartment. Their ploy works and a very satisfied Joey and Chandler return to their place. 
==Trivia==
*Marta Kauffman claims that she and David Schwimmer were the only people who appreciated that the TV Guide question was listed under "Literature".
*The name of Chandler's father's all-male burlesque changed multiple times before settling on Viva Las Gaygas.
* Joey's imaginary friend Maurice the space cowboy is a reference to the song "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band.
* Although the Lightning Round is supposed to last 30 seconds,  it actually lasts 45 seconds in real time.
* The girls' ninth correct answer isn't marked up by Ross which would show that the main part of the quiz ended in a tie. When the guys start their Lightning Round, the guys score only shows eight correct answers. Either another cut was used for this scene or the mark was knocked off when the stage was reset.
* The contest was inspired by episode writer Seth Kurland. An interview states that he "emerged with the idea of pitting the remaining characters against each other in a trivia contest, inspired by some screenwriter friends, including future Kiss Kiss Bang Bang director Shane Black, who had held a similar competition, which they called the Pad O’ Jeopardy, in their apartment, dubbed the Pad O’ Guys".
Category:Events
Category:Season 4