University Challenge 2023 - Semi Final 2 - Bristol v. Southampton

The Teams

Bristol

Sam Kehler

Jacob McLaughlin

Tess Richardson (capt.)

Alejandro Ortega

Southampton

Ethan Lyon

Magda Steele

Dom Belcher (capt.)

Elliot Miles

Well, dearly beloved, just two more shows to go this season. Last week we saw Durham secure their place in the final. By a quirk of fate both of last night’s teams incurred their only loss to Durham. Also, JP pointed out that whichever of these teams won would be making their first appearance in the final. My gut feeling was that Bristol were the stronger team and the more likely finalists.

For the first starter Bristol’s superbuzzer, Jacob McLaughlin identified a couple of Hamiltons. Classical music and riots seemed an unusual subject for bonuses, and Bristol managed to answer one of them correctly. Ethan Lyon struck back for Southampton recognising several quotes all referring to Love. Literary terms with Greek origins brought a couple of bonuses and the lead. Jacob McLaughlin struck a second time, recognising quickly a series of words beginning with a-z. Now, if I said I had the tiniest understanding of any of the three bonuses on cell biology, you’d know I was lying, but as it happened Bristol didn’t manage to answer any of them either. Nobody identified the wheel of Dharma symbol for the picture starter. Jacob McLaughlin came in early for his third starter with the Sinatra Doctrine – which surely was make them an offer they can’t refuse, wasn’t it? Three more symbols from religions originating in India provided two correct answers. I can’t say that I really understood the next starter, but Ethan Lyon knew that the answer was Blast. The pioneering sculptor Edmonia Lewis provided a couple of bonuses which meant that the score at just past the ten minute mark stood at 45 – 35 to Bristol.

Tess Richardson opened her personal account with the next starter, with the Battle of Bosworth. A UC special set, on words whose first three letters are repeated, brought a useful full house. Jacob McLaughlin took his fourth starter, knowing that the capital city of Turkey ends in a-r-a. AT the risk of sounding like a stuck record, I did not understand any of the questions on Vector Geometry, but they brought Bristol a second consecutive full house. Asked for the two word name of a religious book, as soon as JP said Oppenheimer I said Bhagavad Gita, at the same time as Sam Kehler buzzed in with the same answer. This took Bristol into triple figures, and took Southampton into the doodoo. Horace’s Ars Poetica brought a single bonus. This then led to the music starter. None of us recognised Faure’s Pavane. Jacob McLaughlin took starter number  knowing of the travels of Ibn Battuta which brought Bristol the dubious benefit of the music bonuses. They took one. Jacob McLaughlin took his sixth starter by working out that Ajaz Patel of New Zealand became only the third cricketer to take ten wickets in an innings of a test match. English towns ending with -bury brought a single bonus. Sam Kehler came n too quickly for the next starter, allowing Elliot Miles to answer that the capital city taking its name from the Greek for wisdom is Sofia. Polish History provided Southampton with one bonus. This slightly ameliorated Southampton’s position, but they had a real mountain to climb, trailing 135 – 50.

Jacob McLaughlin took his 7tth starter, knowing that Guy de Maupassant was the ‘father of the short story’. Actresses of the silent film era whose surnames began with the letter B all passed Bristol by, but such was their lead that this was only a minor impediment to their progress. Nobody recognised a photograph of Andre Breton for the second picture starter. That man McLaughlin took an 8^th starter , on some Maths thing. This earned the picture bonuses on photo montages which brought two bonuses. Sam Kehler recognised the names of two of the ruling houses of Sparta. Two bonuses on the Africa Cup of Nations pushed them closer to 200. Elliot Miles knew that the year 1660 fell during the lifetime of Matsuo Basho. Works in French brought them a single bonus. Jacob McLaughlin earned a 9^th starter knowing that Margarita Cansino was better known as Rita Hayworth. The Nilotic Language Group of Eastern and Central Africa took the Bristol score to the magical 200. The next starter mentioned N People – search for the hero inside yourself? – and the answer, which Dom Belcher provided was 23. No, me neither. The International Space Hall of Fame brought no points and the contest was gonged. Bristol ran out comfortable winners by 200 – 70.

Hard lines to Southampton. Congratulations on reaching the semi final in a pretty competitive series, though. Many congratulations to Bristol. This gives us a final with Durham. Thus the last match of the series turns out to be a replay of the very first match of the series. That’s a pleasing irony. Will the result turn out to be the same? Well, it was a very close run thing first time round, and it will take a braver man than me to call a winner. I will post a few observations ahead of the final, though.

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

Ajaz Patel of New Zealand became only the third cricketer to take ten wickets in an innings of a test match.