University CHallenge 2026 - Lincoln v UCL

The Teams

Lincoln

Grace Bloomfield

Laura Bruce

Samuel Orman-Chan (Capt)

John Clayworth

University College, London

Zak Lakota-Baldwin

Alice Lee

Michael Doherty (Capt)

Manny Campion-Dye

Manny Campion-Dye opened the UCL account knowing that Mark Rothko once said ‘that man Turner, he learnt a lot from me.’ Bonuses on the Diablo series of video games provided them with a full house. John Clayworth heard ‘established by Edward III and came straight in with the order of the garter. Physics in 1925 provided one bonus, which was one more than I got. The clarinet gave Manny Campion-Dye a second starter. Public art at Liverpool Street Station brought two correct answers and it was nice to see a shout out for the Kindertransport statue, my favourite of all the works in the station. For the next starter a question whose length was beyond all proportion saw neither team get the word scavenger. Film director Francois Truffaut gave Manny Campion-Dye his and his team’s third starter. Knots from Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys (please insert your preferred joke here) were knot to UCL’s liking and they took just the one. So to the picture starter and Zak Lakota-Baldwin identified the flag of Togo. Other flags with unusual ratios brought the full house – in UC national flags are meat and drink to these guys. On ten minutes then UCL led 80 – 15.

John Clayworth put together the clues and came up with cavalier to take the next starter. Symbolism as a literary movement was not a fruitful bonus set fo Lincoln and they did not add any more points to their score. I’m a bit surprised that nobody got the word helicopter from the name Sikorsky from the next starter. Manny Campion-Dye took starter number 4 with The Castle of Otranto.Limestone brought them a single bonus. None of us knew tycopene for the next starter. Nobody knew pantheism for the next starter. Zak Lakota-Baldwin stopped the rot, recognising clues to the term cybernetics. A full house on African textiles brought us to the music round. None of us recognised the stylings of Young Fathers. Samuel Orman-Chan knew that if the question has Flemish in it then Belgium will always be a useful shout. The music bonuses consisted of three tracks from debut albums that won the Mercury Prize. They took one. I thought haversian canals were in Greater Manchester, but Michael Doherty kindly informed us they are in bones. Islamic pilgrimage destinations brought two bonuses. This meant that UCL led by 130 – 35, and Lincoln looked to have one and a half feet out of the door.

John Clayworth correctly answered Jane Austen for the next starter. Eponymous facial hair styles brought two bonuses. Gawd knows what the next starter meant but Michael Doherty gave the correct answer of Omega – not the renegade Time Lord though. Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant by Shaw brought nothing to the UCL table. For the second picture starter Zak Lakota-Baldwin recognised a photo of Cormac McCarthy, and stills from films of his works brought two more correct answers. Fair play to John Clayworth for knowing FC Copenhagen have a lion on their badge. 2 bonuses on the constellation Centaurus were taken. Nobody could complete a list of Northern Irish cities for the next starter. Increment by one – no, me neither – gave Samuel Orman-Chan the next starter. First time winners of European Football Leagues brought a few points. For the next starter Zak Lakota Baldwin recognised he description of the constellation Cygnus.The pigment vermillion brought two correct answers, but it was purely academic and had been for a while. Manny Campion-Dye recognised Shakespeare’s Cymbeline for the next starter. That was it as far as the point scoring for the match went. UCL won by 190 – 85.

For the record Lincoln achieved a BCR of 38.8% while UCL’s was 58%.

Amol Watch

Little Ms Dynamite is another we can add to the list of Amol’s likes. Her album was the anthem of his first year at university. Telling Sam Orman-Chan that he looked as if he was wearing a Fu Manchu moustache was a little personal for my liking. What was interesting here was that Amol never once tried to offer – lets see if you can get going Lincoln – type encouragement. That’s unusual.

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

The first known use of the word helicopter was in a British patent of 1861.

Baby Elephant Walk Moment

 In chemistry what 9 letter term denotes a reagent added to a system to remove or bind trace components, usually with the aim of preventing unwanted reactions from occurring, an example being the sachets of iron powder and salt commonly added to packaged food (incorrect buzz). . . to absorb oxygen? In zoology this word means an animal that principally feeds on decaying matter or carrion (Thank God the question didn’t carri on.) Dum de dumdum dum dum dum dum dumdum.