Series 39 of University Challenge

University Challenge

University Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC television from 1959 to 1970....

began on 6 July 2009 and aired on BBC Two

BBC Two

BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...

. Below is a list of the matches played with their scores and outcomes.

Schedule

The series comprised 37 matches over five rounds, airing between July 2009 and April 2010.

Round	Dates	Matches	Teams	Change
First Round	6 July 2009 - 26 October 2009	14 + 2	28	28→16
Second Round	2 November 2009 - 21 December 2009	8	16	16→8
Quarter-Finals	4 January 2010 - 15 March 2010	8 + 2	8	8→4
Semi-Finals	22 March 2010 - 29 March 2010	2	4	4→2
Final	5 April 2010	1	2	2→1

Format

The format of the show changed for the first time in many years. The quarter-finals were not a straight knock-out competition but involved a variant on the Swiss pairs

Swiss system tournament

A Swiss-system tournament is a commonly used type of tournament where players or teams need to be paired to face each other for several rounds of competition. This type of tournament was first used in a Zurich chess tournament in 1895, hence the name "Swiss system". The Swiss system is used when...

 format. Each of the eight teams that reached the quarter-final stage played two matches. Any team who won both of these matches progressed immediately to the semi-final; any team losing both were eliminated from the competition. The four remaining teams engaged in an additional play-off round for the other two semi-final places.

Results

• Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
• Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
• Orange scores indicate a further match must be played and won (highest scoring first round losers, teams that won their first quarter final match, teams that won their second quarter final match having lost their first, or teams that won their first quarter final match and lost their second).
• Yellow scores indicate that two further matches must be played and won (teams that lost their first quarter final match).
• A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

First Round

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...	170	200	University of Warwick University of Warwick The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...	6 July 2009
Royal Veterinary College Royal Veterinary College The Royal Veterinary College is a veterinary school located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The RVC was founded in 1791 and joined the University of London in 1949...		235	University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	13 July 2009
Loughborough University Loughborough University Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...	205	175	University College London University College London University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...	20 July 2009
Clare College, Cambridge Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...	165	215	Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...	27 July 2009
University of Nottingham University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...		180	Girton College, Cambridge Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...	3 August 2009
University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...	170		University of Central Lancashire University of Central Lancashire The University of Central Lancashire is a university based in Preston, Lancashire, England.The university has its roots in The Institution For The Diffusion Of Useful Knowledge which was founded in 1828. In 1992 it was granted University status by the Privy Council...	10 August 2009
King's College London King's College London King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...	155		Cardiff University Cardiff University Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...	24 August 2009
Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...	260		University of Sussex University of Sussex The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....	31 August 2009
Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	175		University of Southampton University of Southampton The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...	7 September 2009
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...	270		Durham University Durham University The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...	14 September 2009
Magdalene College, Cambridge Magdalene College, Cambridge Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...		145	St Hugh's College, Oxford St Hugh's College, Oxford St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a fourteen and a half acre site on St Margaret's Road, to the North of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986...	21 September 2009
University of York University of York The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...		200	St George's, University of London St George's, University of London St George's, University of London is a medical school located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...	28 September 2009
University of St Andrews University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...	255		Somerville College, Oxford Somerville College, Oxford Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...	5 October 2009
Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	165	205	Regent's Park College, Oxford Regent's Park College, Oxford Regent's Park College is a Permanent Private Hall in the University of Oxford, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles.The College admits both undergraduate and graduate students to take Oxford degrees in a variety of Arts, Humanities and Social Science subjects...	12 October 2009

Highest Scoring Losers Play-offs

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
University College London University College London University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...	220		Clare College, Cambridge Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...	19 October 2009
Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...		280	Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	26 October 2009

Second Round

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Girton College, Cambridge Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...	170		St George's, University of London St George's, University of London St George's, University of London is a medical school located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...	2 November 2009
Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...		185	University of St Andrews University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...	9 November 2009
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...	220		Loughborough University Loughborough University Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...	16 November 2009
University College London University College London University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...		260	Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	23 November 2009
Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	280		St Hugh's College, Oxford St Hugh's College, Oxford St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a fourteen and a half acre site on St Margaret's Road, to the North of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986...	30 November 2009
Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...	200		University of Warwick University of Warwick The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...	7 December 2009
University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...	170		Regent's Park College, Oxford Regent's Park College, Oxford Regent's Park College is a Permanent Private Hall in the University of Oxford, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles.The College admits both undergraduate and graduate students to take Oxford degrees in a variety of Arts, Humanities and Social Science subjects...	14 December 2009
University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	210		King's College London King's College London King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...	21 December 2009

Quarter-Finals

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...	280	55	Girton College, Cambridge Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...	4 January 2010
University of St Andrews University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...	50	195	University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	11 January 2010
Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	240	110	University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...	18 January 2010
Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...	125	280	Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	25 January 2010
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...	150	140	University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	1 February 2010
Girton College, Cambridge Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...	140		University of St Andrews University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...	8 February 2010
Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	160	275	Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	15 February 2010
University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...	195		Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...	22 February 2010
University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	170		University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...	1 March 2010
Girton College, Cambridge Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...		200	Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	15 March 2010

Semi-finals

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...	260		Imperial College London Imperial College London Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...	22 March 2010
Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	315		University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...	29 March 2010

Final

Team 1	| Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford St John's College, Oxford __FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...		315	Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...	5 April 2010

• The trophy and title were awarded to the Emmanuel team comprising Alexander Guttenplan
  Alexander Guttenplan
  Alexander Guttenplan is a student of natural sciences at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, known as the captain of the team that won University Challenge in 2010, scoring 315 points to 100 against St. John's College, Oxford in the final. His performance in this has been compared with that of Gail...
  
  , Andy Hastings, Jenny Harris and Josh Scott.
• The trophy was presented by Carol Ann Duffy
  Carol Ann Duffy
  Carol Ann Duffy, CBE, FRSL is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in May 2009...
  
  .

External links

• Blanchflower Results Table