Don’t Hesitate

I’m three blogs behind and don’t have a laptop so am having to write this on my phone. Oh, look at me, the poor fellow is having to type with his thumbs.

Anyway, this issue means that I am not going to be able to finish the bit I was running throughout the quarter finals. Actually, I suppose I could still do it, but it would take too long since I have three to catch up on and only have the length of this train ride to Madrid to get it done.

So instead I’ll tell you how I was going to end it. For the uninitiated, what I’d been doing was going back through my archives looking for references to complicated nature of the quarter finals format from previous years. Not the most exciting concept, but there you go.

As I came to the end of the ten-match quarter finals I was going to run out of old series to reference, so I was going to have to start referencing the current series, creating a circular meta-narrative like the autobiography of an ouroboros. I’m not sure how I was going to work that one out, so a part of me is glad I’m not going to have to do it.

Then for the last quarter final I was going to make up some things from the future. Some quotes from next years quarter finals. There’d have probably been a lot of references to Trump’s tariffs and some wildly economically illiterate projections for what might have happened between now and then.

Instead, you’ll have to make do with a triple-header review, the likes of which hasn’t been seen for some time, since my uni days when I had to prioritise my dissertation. As a university challenge blogger, you might say it was irresponsible of me to go on holiday for a month at the most important time of the season, and to that I’d say you’re probably right. But here’s your first starter for ten…

There’s no WiFi on the train and I’ve lost signal, so maybe I’m going to have to make up some economic facts after all because I can’t remember what happened in the episodes.

The last one was Bristol vs Queen’s
The one before that was Open vs UCL?
Nope, it was UCL vs Warwick, which means we’re going to start with UCL vs Open today.

Captain Westermann got Open off to a good start before an incorrect buzz from her opposite number Holtermann Entwhistle (both captains have a double N’d Mann in their names, which is fun). UCL got off the mark through Prabhakar before a few more from Open gave them a 60-25 lead. This was as good as it would get for them, however, with UCL going on a 65-0 run to take over.

Maving took the music starter and Westermann continued her excellent buzzer form, so they did manage to squeak back level but UCL closed with a 145-10 streak to crush their semi-final hopes.

They were a fine team, and Westermann’s bob swinging back and forth as she consulted her teammates was always fun to watch.

UCL 245 - 105 Open

Another UCL match now, as they faced Warwick for a spot in the final 4.

A quick update on the train, which is playing The Wild Robot on a tiny screen at the end of the carriage without sound. Reminds me of watching Boss Baby on a ferry to a Thai island, only I’m feeling less sea sick.

Watson and Hart get Warwick off to the perfect start, with 6/6 bonuses giving them a 50 point lead very quickly.

UCL hit back though, and managed to tie the game at 70-apiece, at which point Hart turned up the heat. He would end with a very impressive 8 starters as Warwick finished comfortable winners.

UCL managed to tick up to 125 points, but could never manage more than one starter in a row which stymied their attempts at a comeback. And with that Warwick become the first non-Cambridge side in the semis.

Warwick 220-125 UCL

A lot has happened in the Wild Robot since I last looked up. Will I finish this blog before the end of the film? Let’s find out as Bristol took on Queen’s for the final semi final spot.

The answer is no, and it’s now five days later. I am at a picnic table in a French campsite, having left Madrid intending to go to Switzerland. The trains to Switzerland were all full though, so we had to make a detour to the Pyrenees.

Anyway, I don’t think I’m going to get enough internet to watch the whole episode again so it’s going to be even more snippety than usual.

Rankin kicks things off for Queen’s but Warner hits back immediately for Bristol who take the lead. He grabs a second starter with his patented ‘oh, was that the right answer? I really wasn’t sure’ face.

No one takes the picture starter, on stage directions from a play, and Flanagan wins the bonuses for Bristol with the replacement starter on Lemaitre. They don’t manage any, because theatre seems to be a subject even University Challenge contestants always struggle on (unless of course it’s Shakespeare because they’ve all revised for that).

Another for Flanagan gives Bristol a comfortable lead. Rankin takes a couple more starters to cut into this, but Queen’s are struggling on the bonuses and can’t really make any inroads.

No one knows Erykah Badu on the music starter, much to Rajan’s chagrin. Based on his reactions every time the contestants miss a popular music starter, he must have the coolest, most eclectic music taste this side of Anthony Fantano…

Watts and Warner rack up a few more starters for Bristol, who now occupied a very commanding position. When Queen’s manage to win the buzzer race, most often through Rankin, they have a great time conferring on the bonuses, though they know at this stage that the jig is up. Make the most of it while you can, eh?

Queen’s 65 - 200 Bristol

Woof, what a needlessly convoluted effort that was, and all for what? A sense of satisfaction as I listen to the birds in the trees around me, as I feel the sun on my arms and the wind on my face? A sense of a job done. Not necessarily well done, but done.

And just in time for the first semi final, which is between Christ’s and Bristol!