tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post1640225761161788160..comments2024-03-12T12:54:32.926-07:00Comments on Life After Mastermind: University Challenge - Quarter Final Play OffLondiniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-53885516418392848162011-03-16T12:49:24.604-07:002011-03-16T12:49:24.604-07:00For what it's worth (not much, I hear you cry)...For what it's worth (not much, I hear you cry), the precise wording was: "The five African countries with the largest land area are contiguous. Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are two; for 10 points name two of the other three."Andrew B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12054400570279868608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-63356401699558649842011-03-16T09:07:32.874-07:002011-03-16T09:07:32.874-07:00Hi everyone, and thanks for your comments
Thanks ...Hi everyone, and thanks for your comments<br /><br />Thanks for defending me, William ! I only put down contiguous because I believed that was the way that the question was worded - apologies if that caused any confusion. <br /><br />As regards the format - well , this format means you get 6 more matches than the old one, so I'm all for it.<br /><br />DaveLondiniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-79469317328351480122011-03-16T07:56:59.220-07:002011-03-16T07:56:59.220-07:00Well, they saved the second best til last! Clemo w...Well, they saved the second best til last! Clemo was certainly on fire, taking full advantage of incorrect buzzes from the Brookes side.<br /><br />I'm still, as a viewer, totally behind the current QF format.<br /><br />As for Manchester, I have no doubt that their team would have done very well had they been accepted last year. ;)doublemmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17426763913811714928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-12130962893577390472011-03-16T04:56:54.243-07:002011-03-16T04:56:54.243-07:00The five African countries are contiguous in the s...The five African countries are contiguous in the same way we talk about the 48 contiguous states of the USA. You can go from DRC to Sudan to Chad to Libya to Algeria without crossing any other countries.William Barretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664263736384991922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-58554641513837291052011-03-15T17:35:19.851-07:002011-03-15T17:35:19.851-07:00If Oxford Brookes had won that match, I'm not ...If Oxford Brookes had won that match, I'm not at all sure how the show would have decided to arrange the semi-final pairings...viking_oneilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00544622635407699225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-63391849902723504542011-03-15T16:45:00.664-07:002011-03-15T16:45:00.664-07:00I think the question about African countries state...I think the question about African countries stated that they form a connected set, not they they're all contiguous with Sudan (Algeria isn't)Andrew B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12054400570279868608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-14769395008033563662011-03-15T16:03:17.148-07:002011-03-15T16:03:17.148-07:00And now, on to the semis.
As we already know, it&...And now, on to the semis.<br /><br />As we already know, it's the first time since 2003/4 that there's no sign of Manchester in them.<br /><br />Cast your mind that far back: George W Bush was still to get a second term, the Dandy comic was yet to undergo the first of seemingly many relaunches (well, three), and KT Tunstall - one of my very favourite singers - was still unheard of.<br /><br />In the game show world, Richard Whiteley was still alive, Pat Gibson had not yet won Millionaire, late nights were still to be polluted by tacky phone-in quizzes - and University Challenge was still using a bright orange set.<br /><br />Just goes to show that an awful lot happens in seven years...<br /><br />Anyway, the line-up has been confirmed, and it'll no doubt please pretty much everyone: Sheffield take on York next Monday, Peterhouse play Magdalen the following week.<br /><br />So that Sheffield v Magdalen dream final is still very much on - but one certainly does not expect either of these two matches to be one-sided. (As long as there are no conspicuous spoilers, that is...)<br /><br />York have played one match more than Tris, Hugh, Andy and Tom, of course - and if Clemo keeps up the form he showed against Bristol and Brookes, it could well go down to the wire. But then, when that occurs, Sheffield are very good at keeping their heads... ;)<br /><br />It wouldn't surprise me at all if Peterhouse v Magdalen turned into a battle on the buzzers between Ben Slingo and Will Cudmore - and, again, it's very likely that the outcome will be in doubt until the very end. But Cudmore does have excellent back-up in Haddad-Fonda and McComish...<br /><br />We ought to be in for a cracking fortnight!Des Elmeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17386363933499184036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-36321636938141555212011-03-15T14:42:32.853-07:002011-03-15T14:42:32.853-07:00Well, I said this match would be a tough one to ca...Well, I said this match would be a tough one to call, and so it proved - but I don't think I expected it to be <i>that</i> dramatic.<br /><br />It was actually remarkably similar to Manchester v Edinburgh just over a year ago. Just like Edinburgh, Oxford Brookes got off to a slow start, but came right back and would have won by five had the contestant who had got a tie-breaker in an earlier match got the last starter right...<br /><br />The only real difference is that the gong didn't go before Sarah Johnson got her guess in, unlike with Andrew Matheson.<br /><br />So, by the narrowest of margins, Brookes miss out on becoming the second 1992 university to reach the semi-finals - Paxo seems to have forgotten about London Metropolitan in 2003/4 being the first, going by his words of consolation.<br /><br />Hard, hard luck OB - but, at the same time, very well done and thank you, too. Not only did you play very well all series, but you gave us some cracking matches along the way - particularly this one and against Cardiff in the first round.<br /><br />And, of course, many congratulations to York. I have to agree entirely with Jack about them being surprise packages - but they certainly are not undeserving of their semi-final place. Especially when Andrew Clemo has been so impressive since that defeat to Peterhouse - and indeed, it's now his turn to lead in the race to be the series' best buzzer.<br /><br />I'll sign off here with the rest of the stats from this match: York answered 20/33 bonuses correctly with three penalties, Brookes 18/30.Des Elmeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17386363933499184036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-61745006679326438182011-03-15T11:12:02.259-07:002011-03-15T11:12:02.259-07:00Wow, that was a fine match. One of the best of the...Wow, that was a fine match. One of the best of the semis. Not as good as Sheffield vs Magdalen, but still a great match.<br /><br />I said last time that it would be a shame if OB didn't make the semis. And now they haven't, it is a shame. But they have certainly done very well to get this far anyway. Sarah Johnson finishes the series their best player with twenty-two starters (excluding the tie-break).<br /><br />As for York, I think they are the surprise packages of the semis, as I'm sure many will have written them off after getting trounced by Peterhouse. For the record, Andrew Clemo got seven starters, and his series total is now thirty-two!<br /><br />However, I should point out that the George Orwell question is actually a repeat question from York's first match (they let the opposition get it). So, one wonders if Mr Clemo remembered that question!<br /><br />So, if you want my opinion, we should be in for some brilliant matches in the semis and the final. I'll save my guesses until you preview them (if you do).Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06254840979557920582noreply@blogger.com