# University Challenge 2012–13

Series 42 of University Challenge began on 16 July 2012 on BBC Two.
It also marked the 50th anniversary of the show’s formation.

## 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.
* Teams with orange scores must win one more match to return in the next round (current highest scoring 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).
* Teams with 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 | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance | 105 | 185 | University of York | 290 | 16 July 2012 |
| St George's, University of London | 175 | 145 | King's College, Cambridge | 320 | 23 July 2012 |
| Wadham College, Oxford | 105 | 120 | University of Bristol | 225 | 13 August 2012 |
| University of Strathclyde | 70 | 245 | University of Durham | 315 | 20 August 2012 |
| Queen Mary, University of London | 120 | 150 | Jesus College, Oxford | 270 | 27 August 2012 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 205 | 125 | Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge | 330 | 3 September 2012 |
| Lincoln College, Oxford | 175 | 180 | University of Manchester | 355 | 10 September 2012 |
| Imperial College London | 225 | 80 | Jesus College, Cambridge | 305 | 17 September 2012 |
| University of St Andrews | 105 | 125 | Bangor University | 230 | 24 September 2012 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 200 | 140 | University of Lancaster | 340 | 1 October 2012 |
| University of Bath | 125 | 110 | University of Liverpool | 235 | 8 October 2012 |
| University College London | 260 | 85 | University of Exeter | 345 | 15 October 2012 |
| New College, Oxford | 230 | 145 | Homerton College, Cambridge | 375 | 22 October 2012 |
| University of Warwick | 175 | 100 | University of Aberdeen | 275 | 29 October 2012 |

#### Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| Lincoln College, Oxford | 120 | 165 | University of Lancaster | 285 | 5 November 2012 |
| Homerton College, Cambridge | 160 | 205 | King's College, Cambridge | 365 | 12 November 2012 |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 255 | 75 | University of Bath | 330 | 19 November 2012 |
| University of York | 145 | 215 | New College, Oxford | 360 | 26 November 2012 |
| University of Warwick | 160 | 185 | King's College, Cambridge | 345 | 3 December 2012 |
| St George's, University of London | 230 | 140 | University of Lancaster | 370 | 10 December 2012 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 90 | 220 | University of Manchester | 310 | 7 January 2013 |
| University of Bristol | 115 | 245 | Imperial College London | 360 | 14 January 2013 |
| University College London | 215 | 180 | Jesus College, Oxford | 395 | 21 January 2013 |
| Bangor University | 175 | 165 | University of Durham | 340 | 28 January 2013 |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University of Manchester | 185 | 115 | Imperial College London | 300 | 4 February 2013 |
| University College London | 190 | 125 | Bangor University | 315 | 11 February 2013 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 105 | 195 | St George's, University of London | 300 | 18 February 2013 |
| New College, Oxford | 165 | 125 | King's College, Cambridge | 290 | 25 February 2013 |
| University of Manchester | 150 | 230 | University College London | 380 | 4 March 2013 |
| Imperial College London | 120 | 210 | Bangor University | 330 | 11 March 2013 |
| St George's, University of London | 110 | 160 | New College, Oxford | 270 | 18 March 2013 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 135 | 150 | King's College, Cambridge | 285 | 25 March 2013 |
| University of Manchester | 220 | 135 | St George's, University of London | 355 | 1 April 2013 |
| Bangor University | 195 | 70 | King's College, Cambridge | 265 | 8 April 2013 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University College London | 195 | 115 | New College, Oxford | 310 | 15 April 2013 |
| University of Manchester | 160 | 95 | Bangor University | 255 | 22 April 2013 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University College London | 140 | 190 | University of Manchester | 330 | 29 April 2013 |
* The trophy and title were awarded to the Manchester team of David Brice, Adam Barr, Richard Gilbert and Debbie Brown.
* The trophy was presented by the Astronomer Royal Martin Rees.

## Spin-off: Christmas Special 2012

Each year, a Christmas special sequence is aired featuring distinguished alumni. Out of 7 first-round winners, the top 4 highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals. The teams consist of celebrities who represent their alma maters.

### 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.
* Teams with grey scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
* A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Bristol | 135 | 140 | University of Leeds | 275 | 17 December 2012 |
| Newcastle University | 120 | 110 | Loughborough University | 230 | 18 December 2012 |
| New College, Oxford | 240 | 160 | London School of Economics | 400 | 19 December 2012 |
| University of Liverpool | 165 | 140 | Cardiff University | 305 | 20 December 2012 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 155 | 110 | University of Nottingham | 265 | 21 December 2012 |
| University of Exeter | 125 | 165 | University of Glasgow | 290 | 31 December 2012 |
| University of Birmingham | 115 | 195 | University of East Anglia | 310 | 1 January 2013 |

#### Standings for the winners

| Rank | Team | Team captain | Score |
| 1 | New College, Oxford | Kate Mosse | 240 |
| 2 | University of East Anglia | David Grossman | 205 |
| 3= | University of Liverpool | Stephen Bayley | 165 |
| 3= | University of Glasgow | Neil Oliver | 165 |
| 5 | Newnham College, Cambridge | Rosemary Leonard | 155 |
| 6 | University of Leeds | Alistair McGowan | 140 |
| 7 | Newcastle University | Heather McGregor | 120 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| New College, Oxford | 220 | 125 | University of Liverpool | 345 | 2 January 2013 |
| University of Glasgow | 115 | 150 | University of East Anglia | 265 | 3 January 2013 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| New College, Oxford | 205 | 110 | University of East Anglia | 315 | 4 January 2013 |
The New College, Oxford team of Rachel Johnson, Patrick Gale, Kate Mosse and Yan Wong beat the University of East Anglia team of John Boyne, Razia Iqbal, David Grossman and Charlie Higson.