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    University Challenge

    We've had threads on Pointless, Mastermind and Only Connect, and diverting as they all undoubdtedly are, in our heart of hearts we all know there's only one quiz show that's worth bothering about.

    I've often wondered why we haven't had a rolling thread about it before, but I suppose the problem is discussing it without massive spoilers. Still, if anyone's interested, here it is, the 2013/14 UC thread.

    #2
    University Challenge

    Trinity, Cambridge seemed machine-like in their first-round match, the only team so far to breach the 300 mark.

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      #3
      University Challenge

      Alderman Barnes wrote: We've had threads on Pointless, Mastermind and Only Connect, and diverting as they all undoubdtedly are, in our heart of hearts we all know there's only one quiz show that's worth bothering about.
      Shooting Stars?

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        #4
        University Challenge

        Sits With Remote wrote:
        Originally posted by Alderman Barnes
        We've had threads on Pointless, Mastermind and Only Connect, and diverting as they all undoubdtedly are, in our heart of hearts we all know there's only one quiz show that's worth bothering about.
        Shooting Stars?
        I was thinking more Do I Not Know That on the ITV Sport Channel, presented by former Brookside man Simon O'Brien, in which I represented Bury.

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          #5
          University Challenge

          Missed it yesterday evening but I was very impressed by the SOAS team the other week.

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            #6
            University Challenge

            ...former Brookside man Simon O'Brien...
            Also presenter of Standing Room Only, the early '90s show which was an attempt at a TV version of WSC.

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              #7
              University Challenge

              There seems to have been higher scores than usual amongst losing teams so far this series. Usually about 140-150 would be enough to get into the play-off but it looks like 170-180 could be needed this time.

              Whether this means the standard's higher or teams are just more evenly matched I don't know.

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                #8
                University Challenge

                The should have kept the old version of the University Challenge theme music.

                And BBC cancelling Shooting Stars was unforgivable.

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                  #9
                  University Challenge

                  Yes, I much prefer the old version of the theme tune to the new one.

                  But not half as much as I prefer Bamber G to Jeremy P. I can't decide which aspect of his performance in the QM role I dislike more: his appalling inability to pronounce non-English names or words correctly (to the point where it becomes a serious impediment to comprehension in relation to many German instances), or his sneering disbelief at shocking (to him) gaps in contestants' cultural knowledge (as to which, unsurprisingly, he is also a crass example of the ridiculous arts-science cultural norm mismatch which CP Snow pointed out decades ago).

                  I don't watch the programme these days, mainly because Paxman is so bad.

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                    #10
                    University Challenge

                    Warming to my theme, I reckon Paxman should be forced to watch dozens of Pointless episodes, to learn the correct way to deal with contestant incompetence. Pointless - there's a show which has a great format anyway, but which the charming and witty co-hosts make ten times better than it would be without them.

                    Possibly the worst QM/host choice since somebody reckoned Des Lynam was up to stepping into Richard Whiteley's shoes on Countdown.

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                      #11
                      University Challenge

                      Alderman Barnes wrote: We've had threads on Pointless, Mastermind and Only Connect, and diverting as they all undoubdtedly are, in our heart of hearts we all know there's only one quiz show that's worth bothering about.
                      Quizball

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                        #12
                        University Challenge

                        University Challenge Hip-Hop.

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                          #13
                          University Challenge

                          I instantly take a dislike to any team containing mature students.

                          University Challenge should be two teams of early-twentysomethings competing with each other, on a fairly equal footing. Having a 51 yr old participating puts him/her at an instant advantage over their younger competitors, merely through their greater life experience. For example, it'll be easier for them to answer questions about Reagan's presidency, being as they lived through it.

                          I'd like to see over 25 yr olds barred!

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                            #14
                            University Challenge

                            At the risk of derailing, I seem to recall Bamber Gascoigne once making a rather outrageous swearword pun (in the context of the era) that might have gotten him into trouble in tighter watchdog days. Can anyone recall this?

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                              #15
                              University Challenge

                              Ten years ago I was in the Leeds team. Unfortunately we didn't it make it through the audition stage, which involved a written quiz completed by each of the team members individually. On the plus side we did get the highest score ever in the Headingley Taps pub quiz a couple of days earlier.

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                                #16
                                University Challenge

                                11.30 from Paddington wrote: I instantly take a dislike to any team containing mature students.

                                University Challenge should be two teams of early-twentysomethings competing with each other, on a fairly equal footing. Having a 51 yr old participating puts him/her at an instant advantage over their younger competitors, merely through their greater life experience
                                I haven't noticed the teams containing mature students doing significantly better than their more youthful counterparts. On the contrary, it seems that a team containing an irritating prodigy generally wins.

                                Don't forget that with age comes a reduced reaction time when it comes to buzzing in for those starter questions. Also, though there may well be more knowledge up there where older competitors are concerned, I would imagine it takes longer for them to retrieve and process that knowledge into an answer.

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                                  #17
                                  University Challenge

                                  Aye, it's bad enough trying to get in first when you're watching on telly...

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                                    #18
                                    University Challenge

                                    Jesus!

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                                      #19
                                      University Challenge

                                      The shouting man loves saying "Trinity, Drnovšek Zorko!"

                                      Anyone got a diagram of how these QFs will work?

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                                        #20
                                        University Challenge

                                        Gangster Octopus wrote: Aye, it's bad enough trying to get in first when you're watching on telly...
                                        Although these Christmas ones give me a better chance. Even though I'm still older than the majority of contestants...

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                                          #21
                                          University Challenge

                                          The alumni version is quite funny. The competitors are used to things generally going their way in life and it is entertaining watching them trying to suppress their fury when they get questions wrong or draw a blank on something that they feel that they ought to know.

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                                            #22
                                            University Challenge

                                            I was in our team that was in the "Intellect" quiz. It ran for one season non BsB. We lost in the first round to the LSE.

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                                              #23
                                              Really enjoyed the last UC, Goldsmiths vs Glasgow, which I’ve just watched: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...819-episode-21

                                              There was a question on ursus arctos! (at 22’33)

                                              And at 13’15, spot the spliff smoker… (question on good old Charlie – Baudelaire – I loved that one bien sûr).

                                              Defo a game of two halves this one.

                                              18 minutes in and Glasgow was leading 120 to -15 (yes, minus 15), with only 9 mns to go, total washout for the Londoners who looked a complete goner. Surely, with only 9 mns left the Glaswegians were home and hosed.

                                              Then, in the 18th minute, totally agst the run of play Goldsmiths scored their first goal on a counter, via their funny American captain Issokson. 10 pts in the bag, so 120 to -5. Then, they were on a roll. Goldsmiths smashed Glasgow to pieces for the next 8 minutes and 50 seconds.

                                              40 seconds to go: Glasgow: 135, Goldsmiths 105.

                                              Literature question, with a 3-question bonus series at stake, therefore vital to get it, whoever answers this one has a good chance of winning. The Q is: “Intended by its author to act as a little bridge of sympathy between East and West, which novel of 1924 is set largely in the fictional…

                                              Their Indian winger Guha buzzes in: “A passage to India”… Correct! 10 pts.

                                              Glasgow: 135, Goldsmiths 115.

                                              30 seconds left. Bonus series on Africa...

                                              1st question… Goldsmiths answers correctly. Glasgow: 135, Goldsmiths 120.

                                              2nd Q… Goldsmiths answers correctly. Glasgow: 135, Goldsmiths 125.

                                              3rd Q… “Which country takes its name from a major river that reaches the Indian Ocean in neighbouring Mozambique?

                                              Goldsmiths answers Congo... Wrong (it’s Zambia).

                                              Only about 10 seconds to go, Goldsmiths can still do it and you can see the fear on the Glaswegian’s faces…

                                              Sometimes used as a fuel in nuclear reactors, what compound has the chemical formula UC?

                                              Gong goes before anyone can answer… Very cruel on Goldsmiths but what a stonking comeback from them.

                                              Glasgow: 135, Goldsmiths 125.

                                              Phew, massive sigh of relief in the Glaswegians' ranks, they just didn’t turn up in the second half and win by the skin of their teeth (how do you say "jammy bastards" in Glaswegian?)

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                                                #24
                                                Spawny feckers?

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                                                  #25
                                                  Good guess, we use "spawny" in the north of the North East too (north North East-Glasgow, it’s almost the same isn’t it? Berwick=>The Borders=>Glasgow).

                                                  Anyway OFTers, this is my last post on OFT, I’m toddling off from these boards. Blame the mercurial side of my personality, unstable and excessive. My life is changing direction, faster than I had anticipated, taking unexpected turns et toussa. It’s been nice exchanging with you all these last few years. So it's goodbye from me – goodbye!

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