In search of the cleverest University department

The University Challenge-style Quiz, organised by the University's Quiz Society, was launched to find the “cleverest of the cleverest” from among the University’s departments. The quiz was open to all University academic and administrative departments, with 24, from ASNAC to Zoology, taking part in the first round.

Now, only four remain: the University Library, History, Physics and Pure Mathematics & Mathematical Statistics. Physics will take on the UL in the first semi-final, followed by Pure Maths versus History.

The team from the Department of Physics is the favourite to take the title, having destroyed their opponents thus far with a combined score of 665 points to 195.

‘The competition celebrates the influence the university has had on the world we live in,’ said Simon Sprio, one of the organisers of the competition. ‘Each question is somehow linked to the university, though not explicitly - for example a question about physics may somehow be related to Newton's theories.

‘With over 1,300 questions written so far it really shows just how much Cambridge has to be proud of.’

Host and quizmaster Clive Anderson read law at Selwyn College, and was President of the Cambridge Footlights from 1974 to 1975. He was a practising barrister for 15 years before leaving the legal profession for comedy. He made his name as the host of the improvised comedy programme Whose Line is it Anyway? and has also hosted programmes on Channel 4 and the BBC.

Members of the public are invited to come and cheer on their favourite team, beginning at 8pm in the Union Society debating chamber. The first semi-final match, between physics and the UL, will begin at 8.15, followed by the second semi-final between pure maths and history at 9pm. Refreshments will be available from the Union bar during the interval between the second semi-final and the final.

The final will begin at 10pm, followed by the trophy presentation at 10.30pm.