Good evening my friends, and welcome to the second Quizzy Monday of 2026! Once again, we're on a truncated line-up because Mastermind is still on celeb editions, and will probably be so for the next two weeks as well, so, as that's when OC ends, means we probably won't get another line-up of all new regular editions of all three shows again this season. So, let's make the most of having new UC and OC while we do then, shall we? Let's start with tonight's UC, and the first QF...
Manchester reached the QFs via narrow wins over New College of Oxford in the first round, and L.S.E. in the second, largely thanks to their captain's excellent performances on the buzzer, 18 so far, the most of the 36 players in the QFs. They were unchanged from those two previous matches:
Ray Power, from Bangkok, studying Film and English Literature
Kirsty Dickson, from Morley Green in Cheshire, studying Medicine
Captain: Kai Madgwick, from Fowey in Cornwall, studying AI and Astrophysics
Rob Faulkner, from Norwich, studying Physics with Astrophysics
Edinburgh have gone somewhat under the radar so far, their first round win over Newcastle being overshadowed (for me anyway) by the unseasonably strong wind we had here that day, before beating Trinity of Cambridge in the second round; both solid wins and performances, but not as noticeable as some of the other quarter-finalists. They were also the same quartet as the first two times around:
Parthav Easwar, from Portland, Oregon, studying Sustainable Lands and Cities
Johnny Richards, from Los Angeles, studying Ancient DNA
Captain: Alice Leonard, from Portsmouth, studying Environment, Culture and Society
Rayhana Amjad, from Dublin and Glasgow, studying Computer Science
Edinburgh got off to the stronger start, Ms Amjad and Mr Richards taking the first four starters of the game between the two of them as the Scots side raced into an early lead. Manchester got off the mark with the first picture round, and duly took all three bonuses, which cut the gap to 70-25. It proved a brief blip though, as Edinburgh resumed their dominance, and their lead just kept increasing until they suddenly had a 100-point lead. Manchester got going again with the music round, which they took one bonus from, but their deficit now stood at 135-35.
Manchester finally got some momentum together as their impressive captain Mr Madgwick took a further two starters in a row and soon they had nearly halved the deficit. But a penalty halted this run, and Edinburgh duly reawoke and pulled further ahead again. They also took the second picture round, after which they led 175-60. It was now a question of how far both teams could go; Edinburgh took another couple of starters, but they didn't get any of the bonuses, not that it really mattered. Manchester did get another starter to reach a more respectable score, but didn't make it to three figures. At the gong, Edinburgh won 195-80.
A low(ish) scoring start to the QFs, but played in good spirits by two decent teams. Well done Edinburgh, another solid performance and win; best of luck to them in the qualifying matches! Hard lines to Manchester, but they're not out of it yet, especially if their captain picks their earlier form back up in the eliminators; best of luck to them then!
The stats: Mr Richards was the best buzzer of the night with seven, while Mr Madgwick was best, again, for Manchester with five (all five of their starters in fact), taking their series total so far to 23. On the bonuses, Manchester managed 8 out of 15 (with two penalties) and Edinburgh 15 out of 36.
Next week's match: don't know yet, but I would have to guess U.C.L. vs Merton
Only Connect’s second semi-final
was a rematch between the Pitchers, who got here unbeaten with wins over the
Benchwarmers, their opponents tonight and the Sorcerers, and the Worker Bees,
who defeated the Scanners, the Benchwarmers and the Doctors Matthews alongside
their loss to their opponents tonight.
My Mum and I claim two points on
the women who married two brothers question; the Pitchers led 5-2 at the end of
that first round. I don’t think we got any questions fully right in the second
round, but I was pleased to spot the cricket question was something to do with
cricket; the Pitchers led 12-2 after that.
The Bees went first on the Walls
in need of a good result, and did indeed get one, working out all four groups
and all four connections, for a full ten. The Pitchers also worked out all four
groups, in roughly the same amount of time, but only got three connections;
seven points, which meant their lead had narrowed to 19-12 going into Missing Vowels.
And they maintained and improved on that lead there to win the game 27-14. Well
done them, and best of luck in the final! And best of luck to the Bees in the
third place play-off next week!
Next week's match: the Metrophiles vs the Worker Bees in that third place play-off
And that's it for another week! You know, as much as I disapprove of Mastermind still being on celeb editions, it's actually good that I'm not writing as much at the moment after a rather exhausting last few weeks of last year, and first couple of this year as well as it happens. But that's another story, and possibly another blog at some point later this year. Anyway, thanks as ever for reading; back same time same place next Monday with my usual write-ups, so, see yous then I guess...
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