University Challenge 2022 - Semi Final 1 - Imperial v. Emmanuel, Cambridge

The Teams

Imperial

Max Zeng

Fatima Sheriff

Michael Mays (capt.)

Gilbert Jackson

Emmanuel, Cambridge

Nicole Pullinger

Nicholas Thatte

Cara Malcolm (capt.)

James Wrathall

Blimey, it’s getting serious now, isn’t it, dearly beloved? Semi final time, and from here on, the banker only pays out for wins. Which looked fine for Imperial, as that’s all they’ve delivered so far. Emmanuel, though, are the battle hardened survivors of the series, twice losers and yet still battling. You wouldn’t necessarily have bet against Imperial, but if an upset was going to happen, this could be it.

I do understand why Nicole Pullinger answered Odysseus to the first starter, which asked for the hero of an epic poem who visits the Underworld, but the famous visit to the Underworld was in the Aeneid, and undertaken by Aeneas, which Michael Mays was happy to supply as the answer. Bonuses on Times Square in New York City brought us both just the one correct answer. Cara Malcolm opened Emmanuel’s account, recognising several words ending in amen – stamen gave it to me. Titles of Shakespeare plays which all feature in the titles of academic papers seemed not exactly the most toothsome set of bonuses, but they managed two bonuses to level the scores. Nicholas Thatte knew that iron and carbon are the two main constituents of austenite to take the next starter and the lead. Curvilinear scripts and languages were all brilliantly fielded by James Wrathall to give a full house. Now, for the picture starter, we saw an extract of Dante’s Divine Comedy in the original Italian. It’s rarely a bad idea to go with Beatrice for Dante, and it worked beautifully here for Nicole Pullinger. More of Dante’s greatest hits saw them take one bonus, but the others were gettable. Nonetheless, as we approached ten minute, Emmanuel had carved out a lead of 55 to 15.

Now, when the nest starter asked for the largest city of Japan’s Chugoku region I thought – here comes Max Zeng. And he did, too, with the correct answer of Hiroshima. Game theories provided a couple of bonuses to get the Imperial train moving again. Now, in one of those moments that can turn out to be critical, Fatima Sheriff knew that Andrea Levy wrote Small Island. The question asked for the given name – which we used to call the first name, but she gave the surname, Levy, instead of the given name, Andrea. This allowed Cara Malcolm in with the right answer, which brought Emmanuel bonuses on French terms in literary criticisms. Tough set. They got one, which was one more than I did. Michael Mays played a captain’s innings to come in very early for the next starter, identifying the word lamina as originating in the latin for thin sheets. Bonuses on something to do with proteins which I don’t pretend to understand cut the deficit to 20. Nobody knew that painter Tom Roberts was Australian. Now, the next starter, another of these interminable chemistry/biology things, absolutely begged the contenders to buzz in early and lose five, and it was Nicholas Tatte whose nerve gave first. Given the whole question Max Zeng buzzed in with trypsin, the correct answer. Eponymous Incidents in Chinese history brought a full house to Imperial, and one sensed that they were starting to find their composure, having taken back the lead. For the music starter nobody recognised Liszt. The next question called for an author, and once JP said he married, in 1797, a prominent feminist author, both Fatima Sheriff and I identified William Godwin. Music bonuses, inspired by the folkloric Wild Hunt, brought us all a big fat zero. Nobody knew that Egypt are the most successful team in the African Cup of Nations. I didn’t either. I did know that the River Waveney forms part of the border between Norfolk and Suffolk, and that man Max Zeng did too. Deponents in Latin brought two bonuses. So at the 20 minute mark Imperial led by 105 to 65. The contest was still very much alive, but it was starting to look serious for Emmanuel.

I considered awarding myself a lap of honour for knowing that the father of the Soviet space program was Sergei Korolev, but inertia won. I did award myself one for getting the next starter. Basically – Serbia is beryllium. Finland is Helium. Think of abbreviations for their capitals. So by that logic, Albania is Titanium. Max Xeng knew that one. He was having another very good night. Bonuses on Claudius Ptolemy’s Map of Ireland were meat and drink to him, and a full house extended Imperial’s lead. Gawd knows why, but the moment JP said cupric carbonate for the next starter, the word Verdigris sprang to my lips. It sprang to Michael May’s as well, and we were both right. Although I hadn’t seen all of the films referenced I did manage a full house on Wim Wenders films, although they all passed by Imperial. For the second picture starter we saw a photo of a building which I didn’t recognise and the position of a borough of London on a map that I did recognise as Southwark. Hmm Geography. Would that be a Max Zeng question? Silly question. Of course he buzzed in with the correct answer. Other buildings designed by Jane Drew Prize winners provided no more points. Didn’t matter, the clock was running down, and the gap between the teams was a wide one. Now look – if it’ a book called Junkie, written in the 50s, you go for William S. Burroughs whether you’ve ever heard of it or not. Especially if the question goes on to reference The Naked Lunch. All was still, then there was a sudden buzzer race won by Fatima Sheriff. Astronomical terms starting with – a – and ending in tion brought a couple more bonuses. It was all over, bar the gonging and that even followed before the end of the next starter. In the end Imperial were comfortable winners by 170 – 65.

Except that it didn’t look at all comfortable until the last 10 minutes. Up to that point Emmanuel were giving pretty much as good as they got. But in the end, Imperial were just too good for them. No shame in that – Emmanuel have done well. As for Imperial, well, they’ve looked like potential finalists for the whole competition. Now they are actual finalists. They look like potential champions . . .

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

Sorry but it’s one of those rare occasions when nothing in particular stuck out.