How to build a University Challenge team

Starter for 10: how do Imperial students answer arts questions? 

A question that’s often asked is how do students from a university orientated towards maths and science answer questions on the arts and humanities? Justin Lee’s teammate has a theory: “Adam Jones, who sits next to me in the team, thinks it's easier to pick up humanities if you're a scientist than the reverse. Like, for me it’s easy to pick up a book, but it’s not so easy for an English Literature student to write a computer programme.”  

Gregor thinks that being an institution with an emphasis on science can be advantage. “I think the supposed disadvantage is actually good, because it means we preselect for people who have a bit of knowledge of humanities, as well as science.”  

Sourajit, from this year's team, recalls an instance where his team mate Adam's interest in art came in handy. "Adam Jones was wearing a Basquiat t-shirt during one of our matches, and the answer to one of the questions turned out to be Basquiat. Adam is usually stoic on camera, but that got a smile out of him."

Studying a science subject is also no guarantee of success in that subject area. Fatima explains, “I wouldn't say that we're particularly good at science questions. I'm a biologist, but it will take me a couple of seconds to remember the biology answers, because I'm dredging up a memory from ages ago, as opposed to something I just Googled recently.”  

Doing your homework 

Regular watchers of University Challenge may have spotted certain types of question that come up again and again. “The main University Challenge homework,” according to Fatima, “is knowing your Nobel Prize winners”. A task Justin is not so keen on: “I'm not happy having to cram Chemistry Nobel Prize winners. And it's funny how every single Imperial team over the years has collectively decided not to memorise all the Economics Nobel Prize winners.” 

It seems you can get away with not knowing Economics Prize winners though, as Fatima explains. “If you feel that your team is strong enough, you can let some things slide. For example, all of sports! We got a bonus set of questions on football, and we had no idea. Some of the smartest people you ever knew can't answer those questions that the average person on the street can answer.” 

The pain of memorising facts can be shared, says Fatima. “We usually sit down with the new team and say here is our spreadsheet of things that are considered canon and someone needs to learn. So, Shakespeare plays, for example: in my team I did the comedies, Michael Mays did the tragedies and Gilbert Jackon did the history plays.”  

The new look University Challenge 

This year, Imperial became the first winners of the new look University Challenge, with new presenter Amol Rajan. What do the Quiz Soc supremos think of the new look? Fatima misses part of the old set. “There was a funky little sphere in the middle of the set, and they got rid of. I used to stare at that when I was stressed.” “I kind of wish they changed the theme tune” suggests Justin. “To drum and bass!” replies Gregor*.

Fatima has also noticed a shift in the question topics. “In terms of the content, I don't think there's less classic content, but it's more balanced with popular culture. Like video games that have won awards, and vampire films.”

There also seem to be more questions on important female figures, which suits Fatima. “It’s good because the only history I learned for the show was women's history. I left the rest to the others! Credit to Justin for my favourite moment from the trials. We asked a question about the fashion designer Edith Head, and he was the only person who knew who she was. And it's because he Googled her when he was perfecting his Edna Mode impression (from the film The Incredibles).” 

* A clip from this year's competition of the University of Aberdeen's team being corrected after identifying a clip of jungle music as drum and bass went viral and resulted in a remix craze.