The Moat

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The Moat is an area of the set. It was also where the first round, also called The Moat, of each episode was played. The Moat is a heated pool of water between the audience and the Steps of Knowledge, and at the side closest to The Steps of Knowledge, six podiums with a button and a light in each is installed. They are referred to as "gongs" by the sound effect they make when activated. Gameplay During The Moat, the six teams have to cross the pool using various methods. In the first season, the Moats usually made use of unique equipment, such as crossing with a cargo net climbing across "monkey-bar style", or pulling themselves across on a raft with a long staff hooked onto an overhead rope. They also involved teamwork; for example, the first player crosses The Moat bringing a rope across to the deck, ties the rope on a pole, and then lets their partner walk across the bottom rope, or - as mentioned above - making the player send the staff back to their partner on a raft that has to be pulled in on a rope. In the later seasons, most Moat crossings had both players cross in the exact same fashion, but were considerably more difficult than the Season 1 Moats in most cases. Season 3 is noted for having many Moats involving one or more cargo nets in several different ways. Once both partners have finished making their way across The Moat, the second partner (or both players) must run over to their gong and slam down on the button to light it up with their own team color. The first four teams to light up their gongs advance to the next round. Moat Types Season 1 King Tut's Staff Each team would have to move themselves across the water by hooking the staff on an overhead knotted rope; when the first player crossed, the second player would reel the raft in and cross in the same way. Also, the second player would need to hold the staff as they ring their team's respective gong. Aztec Footboards Each team would have the first player swim across with the footboard, after which the second player would reel in and cross the water by balancing with the overhead knotted rope. Tightropes Variation 1: Each team would have the first player swim across with the tightrope in hand, proceeding to coil the rope around the base of the opposite pole once and brace themselves so the second player could walk across. Variation 2: Each team would have the first player climb across the water using the overhead knotted rope, and once they were across, the second player would toss them the tightrope; the first player would proceed to coil the rope around the base of the opposite pole once and brace themselves so the second player could walk across. Rafts Variation 1: Each team would individually swim across on a raft, with the second player reeling the raft back towards them so they could successfully cross. Variation 2: Each team would have the first player swim across on a raft while lying on a tightrope, proceeding to coil the rope around the base of the opposite pole once and brace themselves so the second player could walk across. Floating Rings Variation 1: Each team would individually reel themselves across on the floating ring, with the first player tossing it to the other side so the second player could successfully cross. Variation 2: Each team would have the first player climb across the water using the overhead knotted rope, and once they were across, they would toss the floating ring to the other side so the second player could successfully cross. Variation 3: Each team would individually scramble across a bridge of six floating rings. Season 2 Ropes Variation 1: Each team would individually cross the water by holding the overhead rope, and walking on the two intersecting ropes. Variation 2: Each team would have the first player dive into the water, take the rope back to the far side, then proceed to swing across without touching the water; once they were across, they would toss the rope to the second player so they could successfully cross. Rods Variation 1: Each team would build a bridge by laying four boards on top of the two rods spanning the width of the pool, while consistently moving the last board to the very front and crawling forward until the team was successfully across. Variation 2: Each team would individually shimmy across the rod's underside. Variation 3: Each team would individually cross by climbing across an overhead rod while balancing on a floating ring, although they could cross without it if the player's feet came off. Fallen Log Each team would have the first player cross the water as the second player held the log as if it were a balance beam; once the first player was across, they would do the same so the second player could successfully cross. Babylonian Wheels Variation 1: Each team would swing across the three wheels. Variation 2: Each team would individually swing across the seven wheels. Dangling Rings Each team would individually slither through a bridge of seven dangling rings. Season 3 Dangling Steps Each team would traverse the five dangling steps to get across. Rafts Each team would have the first player swim across holding the raft, while the second player stood on it, although they couldn't touch their partner with their hands. Abandoned Fishing Nets Variation 1: Each team would traverse the fishing net to get across, which spanned the width of the pool. Variation 2: Each team would individually swing out to the fishing net with a vine without touching the water, proceeding to climb to the top and jump down to reach the other side. Lilypads Variation 1: Each team would traverse a pair of lilypads using a board to get across. Variation 2: Each team would use five vines and stand on a lilypad to get across, without missing a vine or touching the lilypad with their knees. Slippery Footpaths Each team would individually run towards the footpath to slide far enough and reach the red rope, without grabbing the edges of the footpath or touching the water. Icebergs Each team would individually hop across three floating icebergs to get across, without touching any of them with their hands or knees. Bridge Variation 1: Each team would walk across the bridge, without touching it with their hands or knees. Variation 2: Each team would crawl across the bridge.