Evening all. We're back after another week off, but don't get too comfortable, as I have a feeling they'll be another sooner rather than later (Autumnwatch is likely not far off). For now, though, it's back to business as usual as far as Quizzy Mondays are concerned, and tonight we'd start learning the play-off teams for UC. For the two competing tonight, 155 or more would bring them back win or lose.
The Open University recently celebrated its 50th birthday, having been founded by the Wilson government in 1969; noted alumni include actresses Sheila Hancock and Julie Christie, comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry and the former Scotland boss Craig Brown, while former PM Gordon Brown has taught for it, as has an old friend of my parents. It has won UC twice, 1984 and 1998-99, though it has rarely appeared since the latter win, most recently in 2016-17. This year's foursome were:
David Holmes, from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, studying PPE
Liz Haywood, from Lancing in West Sussex, studying English Literature and Language
Captain: Bill Woodbridge, from Woodbridge in Suffolk, studying Maths
Michela O'Brien, from Hampshire (originally Milan), studying Humanities with Art History and Classical Studies
Huddersfield University traces its origins to the Young Men's Mental Improvement Society of 1841; it eventually became a polytechnic, and then a university in 1992. Alumni include BBC presenter Sally Nugent, comedy performer Adil Ray and Tory peer Baroness Williams. Making its UC debut tonight, its first ever team were:
Sean Fisher, from Huddersfield, studying History
Rebecca Wilson, from Leeds, studying Chemistry
Captain: Andy Cook, from Walsall, studying History
Aaron Cahill, from Norwich, studying Drama
Off we set again then, and Mr Cook quickly provided Huddersfield's first ever UC correct answer with 'splice', and their first ever UC bonus set, on satire, provided them with two correct answers. Mr Woodbridge quickly took his side off in pursuit, identifying Attlee as the PM sought as soon as Paxo said the trigger words 'Churchill' and 'deputy'; Open fared a tad poorer with their first bonuses, just the one. Mr Cahill tripled his side's lead with 'Vancouver', but the side got nothing from the resulting bonuses. The first picture round, on carbon dioxide phase diagrams, went to Open, who took the one bonus they needed to level the scores, 30-each.
Mr Cook gave his side the lead back by identifying Donna Strickland as the first woman in 55 years to win the Nobel Prize for Physics; the Terriers duly took two bonus. Open then lost five on the next starter, allowing Mr Cook to pull his side even further ahead; again, a pair of bonuses followed. The bit firmly between his teeth, the Huddersfield captain took a third starter in a row with 'poetry'; just the one bonus, on nightingales, followed this time. Mr Woodbridge got his side going again, and bonuses on the deaths of saints gave them two correct answers.
The music round, on 1994 Britpop singles, went to Open, who took a full set and closed the gap to 85-70. It increased when Mr Woodbridge dropped five on the next five, and Mr Cook duly claimed the points; words made by adding to the names of a shipping forecast area was a classic UC bonus set, but Huddersfield got nothing from it. Mr Woodbridge took back the lost points by identifying a list of albums by Joni Mitchell; one bonus followed. A second starter in a row put Open within five, and one bonus on rivers with three letter names put the teams on level pegging.
The second picture round, on endangered animals preserved by DEFRA's biodiversity action plan, went to Huddersfield, who took one bonus via, what looked like, an educated guess, taking their lead to 110-95. Still either team's game, but Mr Cook kept the game in his side's hands by taking the next starter; one bonus followed.
Back came Open though thanks to Mr Holmes' answer of 'idiocracy'; bonuses on events that occurred the same years as Olympic games, with the host city required, gave them two bonuses and took them within five. Mr Woodbridge put his side on level pegging with 'bile', but the side couldn't manage the one bonus needed to give them the lead. Next starter might just win it, and Mr Cook swept in to give the Terriers back the lead; two bonuses followed, but one more starter would make it safe. The next starter was dropped though, and the one after, and the one after that was gonged out. Huddersfield won 145-125.
Another low scoring match, but a close and enjoyable one, thanks very much both teams. Unlucky Open, but a respectable performance, thanks very much for playing. Well done Huddersfield though, and best of luck in the next round!
The stats: Mr Cook was comfortably the best buzzer of the night with eight starters, while Mr Woodbridge was best for Open with five. On the bonuses, Open converted 11 out of 24 (with two penalties), while Huddersfield managed 11 out of 27, so it was a game won on the buzzer in more ways than one.
Next week's match: Wolfson College Oxford vs Sheffield
Only Connect returned as well, as the Eggchasers played the 007s; a good, close, high scoring contest followed, with the latter winning 26-23, and both teams totally deserve a second match.
This result confirms York's repechage place, with only 3 first-round matches remaining.
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