Only Connect vs University Challenge

Only Connect vs University Challenge Special

The next step in my night in front of the TV with lashings of quiz shows was on BBC Four with the Only Connect vs University Challenge Special. I have no idea if this is a repeat but I have a feeling it was. Either way it was not advertised as a repeat and the first time I had seen it……University Challenges 2010 winning team from Cambridge took on the most successful Only Connect team “The Crossworders”.

The format was the same, and only getting into Only Connect at the latter half of the previous series that is how I was hoping it would be. Quiz fans will know Ian Bayley as Mastermind champion. I really feared for the chances of the University Challenge side.

The University Challenge team were holding their own early on, taking no time at all to get sued to proceedings in the Only Connect format. The Crossworders did take a 5-3 lead after round one in what Victoria Coren labelled as the toughest quiz ever seen on Tv.

Round 2 was a struggle for both teams early on and a great answer from Mark Grant on rulers of Texas placed the Only Connect Crossworders further in the lead but Cambridge were staying in there with some brilliant Maths and then scoring well on a tough section.  David Stainer even baffled his team mates by getting the next set to give a 10-7 lead before moving onto the highlight of the show………..The Wall.

Crossworders went first and being the Only Connect veterans I fully expected a solid performance and they stormed into the Wall getting two links very quickly before you would have thought they even had time to read them. Brilliant stuff. With over half the time left the solved the Wall with all links and 3 connections an excellent showing.

University Challenge winners Cambridge strode up to the wall for the first time and started really well getting a connection straight away. A very tough wall was looking to get the better of the team with only the one grouping and no real ideas coming from anyone. There was 3 points for the connections which left the University Challenge team 17-11.

For some reason the next round is always the one I am best at with the missing vowels. This was a tough round with the equal to 42 bunch particularly gruesomely hard. It was too tough for the University Challenge team to make the headway they needed and the Only Connect, the undefeated Only Connect veteran should I saw, won 22-17. A respectable showing by the University Challenge team and another enjoyable edition of Only Connect.