University Challenge 2021

I did think the Queen's captain *was* letting it get to her during the first half. Her team did very well to claw their way back though, due in no small part to the guy sitting on the lefthand end. He was the one who would have incurred JP's wrath and been penalised for not answering immediately in the old days.

I think you can tell that they put in questions that suit the degrees being taken. I know they say they balance out, but I don't think so.

There are way more science and maths questions than history or literature.

There's plenty of geography but strangely although they often know the regions of China for instance, they always get caught out by UK geography.

I still manage to get a few questions but they are supposed to be at bachelor level degree despite the fact that the number of masters and PhD students filling up the benches and I think they've let that slip.

I do wonder that it might be because this has become a much more organised thing at unis. Where they audition and go through group stages to get on the team, then have swatting sessions and rehearsals Lots of foreign students are very aware of the competition and want it on their CV. In some unis they don't do this and let the students apply on their own and just go for it. Nothing wrong with prep but it shouldn't be quite as professionally organised as it is in some unis.

I still have the argument I've always had that Oxford and Cambridge shouldn't have all of these different college teams when other large unis like Manchester and Edinburgh only get one. One for each uni, is more than enough and it would let some of the others get some air time.

Yes it is archaic isn't it. Some other universities are much bigger and some of the ex polys are high up in the league tables.

I think it was always a clever quiz for clever participants but it's got so obscure (for at least half), that even clever people watching are not drawn in.

Plus most of us are shouting about the time wasting and people not answering the question quickly.

I can't remember the last time someone lost a point- and there's the jeopardy gone.

I've wondered that too Miranda. I can't see Amol Rajan being as strict as JP was in his heyday. I have a friend who has two university degrees and who held a senior position in a big national company.... so a clever person and very sharp witted. She has stopped watching UC because she says there's no point when she can't even understand many of the questions. I think I am reasonably intelligent and pretty well read and my husband was the same. We used to be able to have a go at answering most of the questions, not always correctly of course but there was fun to be had in trying and competing against each other. There's no point in a quiz programme that can't involve the viewers. Only Connect isn't easy but it's enjoyable if you can get your brain into gear.

Not sure if there is a separate thread for Christmas University Challenge, I couldn't find one.

I'm a bit disappointed in it this year - there seems little difference between this and the student contest though it is of course easier. It used to be fun, with seasonal questions and Christmas-related conundrums. This lot are deadly serious. I recognise fewer of the contestants than in the past, too. Perhaps everyone well known who is a graduate has already taken part.

I prefer the Xmas ones for the same reason!