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(aka Ivo Graham's Taskmaster Wiki)
Obsessively documenting the international Taskmaster franchise. Warning: This site is lousy with spoilers!

Carry cups and saucers through the time portal

Task types:

Solo

Live

Physical

Objective

Single brief

Original

Locations:

Drammen's Theatre

Task brief

The actual text of the task brief is not known. The text below is paraphrased based on information disclosed in the episode:

You will soon be transporting cups and saucers in a tower.

The one with the highest number of cups and saucers wins, but they will be transported into the future.

The biggest cup tower in the future wins.

Yes, you are competing to get into the future.

Bård and I are already in the future.

You must transport as many cups and saucers as possible.

You must have the same number of cups as saucers.

You'll do it one-by-one, and the portal will be adjusted according to your navel.

Task notes

The contestants are lined up on stage, next to a single table stacked with chine cups and saucers.
In front of the containers are what looks like two cardboard boxes covered in aluminium foil.
After Olli describes the goal of the task, the 'time portal' (a square arch, also apparently made from cardboard boxes and aluminium foil, and decorated with a flashing string of fairy lights) is lowered onto the stage, docking with the two shiny boxes on the floor.
While this is happening, Olli also dons a crudely made aluminium foil hat, to demonstrate the fact that he is 'in the future'.
Before each contestant's attempt, they have to stand next to the 'time portal' and point to their belly button, so that the height of the portal can be adjusted to that level.

Task stats

Points

14

Disquals

0

Attempts

Here's a description of the contestants' attempts. Someone's probably working on collecting some images to add later!

Lars volunteers to go first, and tries to claim that his belly button is up on his chest, to get the time portal to be set higher, but this tactic fails. He then alternatively stacks up nine cups and nine saucers, and tries to get through the portal, but drops them all while trying to duck underneath. He is therefore eliminated, and earns joint last place with Karin.
Olli tricks Karin into going second, by posing the contestants some simple mental arithmetic, which she answers first. Karin alternatively stacks eight cups and eight saucers on top of one another, on the table, apparently not having learned from Lars' mistake. However, she fails even earlier than Lars, as the stack topples before she even tries to pick it up. She is therefore eliminated, and earns joint last place with Lars.
Olli chooses Vidar to go third, after no-one volunteers to tell him what letter comes after 'ABC'. Vidar alternatively stacks just four cups and four saucers, and successfully carries them through the time portal. He therefore places third in the task.
Olli chooses Leo to go fourth. Leo alternatively stacks five cups and five saucers, placing the top two sets upside-down. He then very easily carries them through the portal, securing himself second place.
Hani goes last, and stacks six cups and six saucers, but keeps all of the saucers together, with the cups in their own stack on top. Although some of the other contestants protest that this isn't allowed, Hani points out that she has the same number of cups and saucers, and Olli confirms that she is not breaking any rules. Hani kneels down and shuffles through the time portal on her knees, successfully carrying the cups and saucers through, and winning the task.

(Source credit: Karl Craven)