University Challenge: Round Two: East London v. Warwick

East London v. Warwick

East London last night were represented by LAM reader Christopher Ducklin, Kelly Travers, Rachel Evans and their skipper, Jerushah Jardine. Warwick’s team consisted of Sophie Hobbs, Sophie Rudd, Thomas Van and their captain Giles Hutchings.

I think that both teams sat on their buzzers a little with the first question, unable to believe that a question asking which order of mammals a Siberian chipmunk belonged to was as easy as it sounded. It was, and Sophie Rudd took that one. The team ummed and ahhed about questions on St. Peter’s basilica, but they got them all right. It was another buzzer race for the next question where it suddenly became obvious that the answer was the word emoji. It was Sophie Rudd again who took this one. Bonuses on heavenly bodies and elements followed. *LAP OF HONOUR AROUND THE LIVING ROOM WARNING ALERT* - I had a full house, and Warwick two. Respect to Thomas Van for knowing the former name of Donetsk for the next starter. 19^th century light verse promised but little, yet 2 bonuses were quickly snaffled up. Nobody knew about the glottal catch, or stod in the Danish language, and sadly Chris Ducklin lost 5 for an incorrect interruption. Likewise, nobody knew that a chap called Waddington attended the 1878 Berlin peace conference as the Foreign Minister of France. I was surprised that nobody had a pop at tributaries of the Ebro. So three in a row went begging, until Kelly Travers broke East London’s duck, knowing that Sri Lanka begins SRI. It wasn’t as easy as that sounds. The team were unable to convert any of a set of bonuses on Sheila Grant Duff. For the picture starter my latin O level came into its own as I saw Insula Thesauraria and shouted ‘Treasure Island!’ Thanks, Mr. Rose. Giles Hutchings had that one. More latinised book titles gave Warwick a full house, and a fulsome lead at just over 11 minutes, with 90 playing 5.

Cosmic Microwave Background. Nope, no idea myself, but it gave Giles Hutchings another starter. Sewage bonuses brought them two correct answers and one near miss. Sophie Rudd buzzed back into the competition with the categorical imperative. A science thing followed yielded the by now obligatory couple of bonuses. Right – you hear the words ‘Hermes’ and ‘staff’ and you fling caution to the wind and buzz in with Caduceus. Giles Hutchings did. Medieval European history yielded a solitary bonus. Nobody, including me, recognised part of the William Tell Overture. A good sports starter went begging when neither team could answer which city became the first to host both the summer Olympic Games and the FIFA world cup finals – Paris. Giles Hutchings knew that both Alaska and Wyoming are larger than the UK, but have a smaller population than Leeds. One of the music bonuses was taken. Sophie Rudd was the first to recognise a series of definitions of the word meniscus. Words ending in ville added 5 more points.On the cusp of the 20 minute mark the score was 175 – 5 – following a 10 minute shut out. Sorry, but this was game over.

Chris Ducklin tripled his team’s score, and brought up a set of bonuses on literary titles, and these added another 5 points. Nobody knew the Fuggers. (I’ve taught a few in my time – oops, naughty boy, cheap joke, apologies.)Rachel Evans knew some things written by Brecht, and sadly the chemical element bonuses did them no favours at all. Rachel Evans took the picture starter, recognising a self portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds. More paintings brought them a much needed 5 points. Roman philosopher and orator? Cicero’s always worth an early buzz, which is exactly what Kelly Travers did. 10 points. Canterbury Cathedral bonuses yielded 5 more. That was enough for Warwick. Breather over Sophie Rudd buzzed in with the answer the Dominica’s domain code thingy is made up solely of letters that are also roman numerals. 2 bonuses on Japanese fiction followed swiftly. There just wasn’t the time for another starter, and Warwick had won comfortably with 195 to East London’s 55. Hard lines East London. When you get right down to it, this just wasn’t your night – we’ve all had one of those. Well done Warwick.

Jeremy Paxman Watch

He’s Back! The Treasure Island starter led him to grumpily concede “Wasn’t very difficult. Don’t know why it took you so long.” Oh, Jez, I’ve missed the real you.

After Chris Ducklin buzzed in on the music starter after some time, JP offered it to Warwick with the dismissive “you can hear a little more, if there is any left.”

Interesting Fact that I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week

The line “There was a little girl that had a little curl” etc. – oft recited to my granddaughter – was originally written by Henry Longfellow