University Challenge results, 1972-73
These are the results of the tenth series of University Challenge which ran weekly on ITV, starting in the week of 25 October 1972 and ending on 5 September 1973, running for 39 shows. In Anglia the series was shown on Wednesdays at 17:20, with a running time of 30 minutes.
Once again the first round had a 'winner-stays-on' format, with a team qualifying for the quarter-finals if they won three in a row, and the quarter-finals and semi-finals were single-game knockouts, with the final 'best-of-three'.
For the whole of the Bamber era TV schedules differed between the different ITV regions, and the show was often broadcast at different times and on different days in different parts of the country, and sometimes the regions were even a week or two out of sync with each other. Where the date differed, I try to use the date the show was broadcast in the Anglia region in the tables.
The Christmas special was the usual students vs dons, featuring the most recent series champions University, Oxford. The dons included John Albery and Tom Parker, with the students winning on the final question.
There are many gaps that I've been unable to find, so please do contact me if you can assist.
| First round | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/10/1972 | University, London | Glasgow | ||
| 01/11/1972 | Glasgow | |||
| 08/11/1972 | Glasgow | |||
| 15/11/1972 | Girton, Cambridge | |||
| 22/11/1972 | Girton, Cambridge | St Hugh's, Oxford | ||
| 29/11/1972 | St Hugh's, Oxford | Bedford, London | ||
| 06/12/1972 | St Hugh's, Oxford | Churchill, Cambridge | ||
| 13/12/1972 | UWIST | Brasenose, Oxford | ||
| 20/12/1972 | Brasenose, Oxford | Christ's, Cambridge | ||
| 21/02/1973 | Christ's, Cambridge | |||
| 28/02/1973 | ||||
| 07/03/1973 | ||||
| 14/03/1973 | ||||
| 21/03/1973 | ||||
| 28/03/1973 | ||||
| 04/04/1973 | ||||
| 11/04/1973 | ||||
| 18/04/1973 | ||||
| 25/04/1973 | ||||
| 02/05/1973 | ||||
| 09/05/1973 | ||||
| 16/05/1973 | ||||
| 23/05/1973 | ||||
| 30/05/1973 | ||||
| 06/06/1973 | ||||
| 13/06/1973 | ||||
| 20/06/1973 | ||||
| 27/06/1973 | ||||
| 04/07/1973 | ||||
| Quarter-finals | ||||
| 11/07/1973 | ||||
| 18/07/1973 | ||||
| 25/07/1973 | ||||
| 01/08/1973 | ||||
| Semi-finals | ||||
| 08/08/1973 | ||||
| 15/08/1973 | ||||
| Final | ||||
| 22/08/1973 | ||||
| 29/08/1973 | Fitzwilliam, Cambridge | Gonville and Caius, Cambridge | ||
| 05/09/1973 | Fitzwilliam, Cambridge | Gonville and Caius, Cambridge | ||
| Specials | ||||
| 27/12/1972 | University, Oxford students | University, Oxford dons | ||
The series champions from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge were Philip Bassett (Botany), David Curry (Material Sciences), David Wurtzel (Law), and Michael Halls (English) (with Stephen Tuite as reserve). Their prize was a set of prints of "The Harlot's Progress" by William Hogarth, and are still on display in Fitzwilliam in a corridor near the dining hall.
Other teams appearing on this series include Jesus, Cambridge; Nuffield, Oxford; UMIST; Worcester, Oxford.
Glasgow reached the semi-finals having beaten St Hugh's, Oxford in the quarter-finals. Jesus, Cambridge beat Nuffield, Oxford (200-190) then UMIST (270-75) before losing to Fitzwilliam, Cambridge (180-250). Fitzwilliam also probably beat Worcester, Oxford in one of their first round games. University, London were the same team as in the last series but were invited back after narrowly losing a close game to Keble, Oxford with a disputed question.
Winning teams advancing to the next round are in bold.