Quizzy Mondays 2024-25 Week 10: University Challenge R1M10, Only Connect Elimination Match 2, Mastermind Heat 8

Good evening again my friends, and welcome back to another Quizzy Monday! Coming up, a strong line-up on Brain of Britain (with another due next/later this week), which I'd hoped to provide a more detailed write-up of, but sadly, the finer details I had in mind have since escaped me; I guess that's what happens when you don't write your write-up as it happens, as I do with Mastermind and OC. More on them later too.

We begin, as ever, though with UC, and the second Oxbridge derby of the series. Exeter College Oxford, firstly, making its first appearance on the show since the Gail Trimble series of 08-09, where they were unlucky to lose in the first round, and only their third of the BBC era; their first, in 1996-97, saw them reach the QFs before narrowly losing to eventual runners-up Open. They were represented by:

Edie Allden, from Worcester, studying Biochemistry

Benjamin Gray, from East Devon, studying Maths

Schuyler Colfax, from Austin, Texas, studying PPE

Daniyal Vemuri, from Thatcham in Berkshire, studying PPE

Christ's College Cambridge appeared on six occasions during the Paxo era, with their sixth and last coming in his final series two series ago, where they lost to Southampton in the second round; their best performance was in 01-02, where they reached the semis before narrowly losing to eventual winners Somerville Oxford. Playing for them this year were:

Anniko Firman, from The Hague, studying Classics

Brendan Bethlehem, from North London, studying Linguistics

Captain: Oscar Despard, from Dublin, studying Biochemistry

Linus Luu, from Orpington, studying Maths

Christ's took the first two starters of the game, but had mixed fortunes, taking all of the first set, but none of the second. Exeter kicked off their scoring with the first picture round; two bonuses on that reduced their early deficit to 55-20. Christ's continued to have the better of the buzzers in the next phase, but a somewhat hit and miss record on the bonuses meant they weren't able to pull fully away. Exeter took the music round, after which the gap stood at 105-60.

Another starter took the Oxonians within 25, but Christ's duly reawoke and pulled away again. Back came Exeter back within 20, but a penalty handed Christ's possession again and they pulled further away with two bonuses. They also took the second picture round, after which their lead stood at 155-95. Both sides then lost five on consecutive starters, but neither picked up the other's mistake. Mr Luu took the next starter for Christ's to put them more or less out of sight, and when Mr Bethlehem, who'd had a most productive night already, took the next, their lead was three figures and the game was over. Exeter did at least take one more starter to reach three figures, which they definitely deserved to. At the gong, Christ's won 205-110.

 

An enjoyable contest, a close one until Christ's pulled away in the final minutes. Well done them, and best of luck in the second round! Bad luck Exeter, who definitely didn't disgrace themselves and I suspect would've fared better against another team; thanks for playing!

 

The stats: Mr Bethlehem was easily the best buzzer of the night with seven starters, while Mr Gray was best for Exeter with three. On the bonuses, Exeter managed a good 12 out of 18 and Christ's 19 out of 33, and both sides incurred two penalties each.

Next week's match: St Andrews vs Cardiff

Only Connect moved on to its second elimination match, with the returns of the Harmonics, narrowly beaten by the Cat Cows in the first round, and the Bean Farmers, who were defeated by the Four Opinions.

 

My Dad claims a point for the Future question in the first round, and we jointly claim three points on the ‘vein’ question; the teams were tied on 3-each at the end of the round. We also claimed the same three points on the Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes question as the Harmonics did in the second round, I flat out guessed the car seats question correctly for two points, and we also claim the Circle of Life question plus one other I don’t remember; at the end of the round, the teams were still tied, now on 8-each.

 

It stayed that way after the Walls; two perfect tens, though VCM was maybe a touch lenient to let the Farmers have one of their connection points, so it was as you were, 18-18 going into Missing Vowels. And it was a surprisingly tough round, though I managed to work out probably the trickiest one of the round, ‘BURKINA FASOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR’! The Harmonics just about fared better to win 22-20; well done them, and best of luck in the next round! And thanks Bean Farmers for playing.

 

Mastermind was opened by Richard Saunders, answering on the Culture novels of Iain M Banks, and he scored 6 points. Dave C remarked on LAM last week that the specialist rounds have been noticeably tough this series, and I must agree; the questions have been rather long too, hence a few low scores in recent weeks.

 

Constance Cooper followed Richard into the chair, answering on Alan Partridge, and continued this trend by scoring 7 (and two passes). Rakesh Sharma was next up, answering on actress Madhuri Dixit, and he finally broke the trend with a near perfect round, marred only by a very small mistake late on, and scored 10 points. Fiona Denby concluded the round with English wine in the 21^st century, and matched Constance’s score of 7, but no passes put her into de facto second place.

 

Richard returned for GK first, but sadly his round never really got into gear for him; he nonetheless doubled his score to 12 points. Constance was next, and fared better, scoring 9 for a respectable 16, but with two further passes, it didn’t look like being a winning score. Fiona didn’t quite manage to beat it though; unable to get a run together, she too ended up doubling her score to 14.

 

Rakesh thus needed 6 to win provided he didn’t pass or 7 to win outright. He looked like doing it easily at first, but he too then hit a bad run of questions. He did manage the one more correct answer he needed to get in front eventually though, and then made extra sure by taking one more to end with a score of 17. Well done him, and best of luck in the semis! And thanks to the other for taking part.

 

Brain of Britain was won by Sarah Thornton, a finalist on the last series of Mastermind, for whom a well-timed sprint in the final round proved the difference as she won with 16 points. Andrew Fisher, UC and OC alumnus, led for much of the game before being overtaken by that sprint, but his 13 points nonetheless puts him joint second on the HSNW board and, with five heats left, that gives him a pretty good chance of going through too. Colin Daffern, another OC alumnus, and Charlotte Jeffreys completed the line-up, scoring 8 and 7 respectively.

 

And that's this week done! Thanks once again for reading and if, like last week, I've made any mistakes, do point them out and I'll fix them as soon as I remember to at a time when I'm not busy doing something else! Back again same time same place next week; see you then.