Only Connect
Only Connect | |
---|---|
Only Connect logo | |
Format | Game show |
Presented by | Victoria Coren Mitchell |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of series | 8 |
No. of episodes | 130 (inc. 16 specials) |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Presentable |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Broadcast | |
Original channel |
BBC Four (2008-2014) BBC Two (2014-onwards)[1] BBC HD[2] |
Picture format | 16:9 |
Original run | 15 September 2008 – present |
Only Connect is a quiz show programme presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell, first shown on BBC Four on 15 September 2008 until spring 2014, and expected to air on BBC Two from Series 10 (autumn 2014) onwards.[1] In the series, teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Radio Times's listings usually describe it as "a game of patience and lateral thinking".
The phrase "Only connect" was originally used as the epigraph to E. M. Forster's 1910 novel Howards End.
Format
| ||||||||||||||||||
Question labels in hieroglyphs |
---|
Each programme has two teams of three people competing in four rounds of gameplay. In the first three series, clues in Rounds 1 and 2 and the connecting walls in Round 3 were identified by Greek letters. In series 4 Coren announced that this idea had been dropped, ostensibly due to viewer complaints that it was too pretentious, and that henceforth Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs (two reeds, lion, twisted flax, horned viper, water and the eye of Horus) would be used instead. The show's opening sequence continued to display Greek letters until series 5, when they were replaced with the hieroglyphs. In series 7 the "knockout" format was modified to let losing teams compete for second chance places, in a rule change that Coren Mitchell said that even she did not fully understand.
Round 1: Connections
Teams are given up to four clues and must try to figure out the connection between them within 40 seconds. The team is initially shown one clue, and may request the remaining three clues at any time within the 40 seconds (they are not automatically shown). The team may press their buzzer to guess after the first clue for 5 points, the second for 3, the third for 2, or the fourth for 1. If the team guesses incorrectly, or fails to buzz within the time allotted, the question is thrown over to the other team for a bonus point, after being shown any remaining clues. Typically, one of the six puzzles involves pictures, and another uses pieces of music, both classical and contemporary.
Round 2: Sequences
Each set of clues is now a sequence, and teams must try to figure out the fourth item in the sequence (therefore, the team will only be able to see three clues), again as early as possible. They must give the final item in the sequence, and score points even if their theory for the connection is incorrect. As in the previous round, each team will play three sets; again, if one team fails to guess, it is thrown over to the other team, who can see any remaining clues and earn one point by guessing correctly. As in Round 1, one of the sets of clues involves pictures.
For example, sequential clues of "5 C in an N", "2 N in a D" and "2 1/2 D in a Q" would be answered correctly with "4 Q in a D" (the explanation being abbreviations of US coin values, five cents in one nickel, etc.)
Round 3: Connecting Wall
Each team receives a wall of 16 clues and must figure out a perfect solution, consisting of four groups of four connected items. The puzzles are designed to suggest more connections than actually exist, and some clues appear to fit into more than one category. Teams score 1 point for each group found within 2 minutes 30 seconds. They try to create one group at a time, and may make unlimited guesses on the first two groups. Once two groups have been identified, they only have three chances to identify the remaining two groups.
Should the team fail to complete the wall, the missing groupings are shown. Teams can then earn 1 point per group for identifying the connection, regardless of whether they correctly identified the grouping. A team that identifies all four groups and all four connections earns a 2-point bonus, for a total of 10 points. Unlike the previous two rounds, teams have no opportunity to score on their opponents' wall.
On 1 March 2010, an interactive online version of this round was put on the Only Connect website.[3] In the summer of 2011, coinciding with Series 5, the website took online submissions for new Connecting Walls, although a successful submission does not guarantee publication on the site.[citation needed]
Round 4: Missing Vowels
In a final buzzer round, the teams are presented with a series of word puzzles. The category of the puzzles is given prior to them being displayed, and each category contains a maximum of four puzzles. Each puzzle is a word or phrase with the vowels removed and the spaces shifted to disguise the original words. For example, in a category of "Booker Prize-winning novels", a puzzle of "VR NNGDLT TL" would be correctly answered as "Vernon God Little".
Teams answer simultaneously using buzzers, and score 1 point for each puzzle they solve, but lose 1 point for guessing incorrectly.
The round lasts for two minutes. The team with the most points at the end of the game advances in the tournament. If teams are tied, then a single sudden-death puzzle is given to the captains of each team with no category given. If a captain correctly buzzes in with the correct answer first then their team wins, but an incorrect answer automatically forfeits the game.
Transmissions
Original series
Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Ratings
Series 1
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 September 2008 | N/A | N/A |
2 | 22 September 2008 | 256,000 | 6 |
3 | 29 September 2008 | 285,000 | 7 |
4 | 6 October 2008 | 217,000 | 10 |
5 | 13 October 2008 | N/A | N/A |
6 | 20 October 2008 | N/A | N/A |
7 | 27 October 2008 | N/A | N/A |
8 | 3 November 2008 | N/A | N/A |
9 | 10 November 2008 | N/A | N/A |
10 | 17 November 2008 | N/A | N/A |
11 | 24 November 2008 | N/A | N/A |
12 | 1 December 2008 | 258,000 | 6 |
13 | 8 December 2008 | 191,000 | 10 |
14 | 15 December 2008 | N/A | N/A |
15 | 22 December 2008 | N/A | N/A |
Series 2
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 July 2009 | 272,000 | 5 |
2 | 20 July 2009 | 230,000 | 4 |
3 | 27 July 2009 | N/A | N/A |
4 | 3 August 2009 | 202,000 | 7 |
5 | 10 August 2009 | 262,000 | 4 |
6 | 17 August 2009 | N/A | N/A |
7 | 24 August 2009 | 261,000 | 4 |
8 | 31 August 2009 | 267,000 | 10 |
Series 3
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 January 2010 | 369,000 | 9 |
2 | 11 January 2010 | 388,000 | 4 |
3 | 18 January 2010 | 422,000 | 3 |
4 | 25 January 2010 | N/A | N/A |
5 | 1 February 2010 | 371,000 | 4 |
6 | 8 February 2010 | 338,000 | 6 |
7 | 15 February 2010 | 277,000 | 9 |
8 | 22 February 2010 | 336,000 | 8 |
9 | 1 March 2010 | 432,000 | 3 |
10 | 8 March 2010 | 308,000 | 6 |
11 | 15 March 2010 | 464,000 | 1 |
12 | 22 March 2010 | 506,000 | 2 |
13 | 29 March 2010 | 507,000 | 4 |
14 | 5 April 2010 | 442,000 | 4 |
15 | 12 April 2010 | 376,000 | 4 |
Series 4
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 September 2010 | 507,000 | 1 |
2 | 13 September 2010 | 428,000 | 6 |
3 | 20 September 2010 | 450,000 | 4 |
4 | 27 September 2010 | 572,000 | 1 |
5 | 4 October 2010 | 480,000 | 1 |
6 | 11 October 2010 | 524,000 | 2 |
7 | 18 October 2010 | 609,000 | 2 |
8 | 25 October 2010 | 656,000 | 2 |
9 | 1 November 2010 | 684,000 | 1 |
10 | 8 November 2010 | 633,000 | 1 |
11 | 22 November 2010 | 586,000 | 1 |
12 | 29 November 2010 | 640,000 | 1 |
13 | 6 December 2010 | 586,000 | 1 |
14 | 13 December 2010 | 628,000 | 2 |
15 | 20 December 2010 | 664,000 | 1 |
16 | 27 December 2010 | 452,000 | 7 |
Series 5
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 August 2011 | 650,000 | 1 |
2 | 22 August 2011 | 623,000 | 2 |
3 | 29 August 2011 | 635,000 | 2 |
4 | 5 September 2011 | 707,000 | 2 |
5 | 12 September 2011 | 635,000 | 1 |
6 | 19 September 2011 | 646,000 | 1 |
7 | 26 September 2011 | 583,000 | 1 |
8 | 3 October 2011 | 759,000 | 1 |
9 | 10 October 2011 | 673,000 | 1 |
10 | 17 October 2011 | 807,000 | 2 |
11 | 24 October 2011 | 737,000 | 2 |
12 | 31 October 2011 | 697,000 | 1 |
13 | 7 November 2011 | 745,000 | 1 |
14 | 21 November 2011 | 712,000 | 3 |
15 | 28 November 2011 | 853,000 | 3 |
16 | 5 December 2011 | 762,000 | 3 |
Series 6
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 27 August 2012 | 967,000 | 1 |
2 | 3 September 2012 | 854,000 | 1 |
3 | 10 September 2012 | 942,000 | 1 |
4 | 17 September 2012 | 802,000 | 2 |
5 | 24 September 2012 | 894,000 | 1 |
6 | 1 October 2012 | 888,000 | 1 |
7 | 8 October 2012 | 988,000 | 1 |
8 | 15 October 2012 | 936,000 | 1 |
9 | 22 October 2012 | 1,018,000 | 1 |
10 | 29 October 2012 | 1,006,000 | 1 |
11 | 5 November 2012 | 1,004,000 | 1 |
12 | 19 November 2012 | 913,000 | 3 |
13 | 26 November 2012 | 1,160,000 | 1 |
14 | 3 December 2012 | 918,000 | 3 |
15 | 10 December 2012 | 886,000 | 3 |
16 | 17 December 2012 | 1,078,000 | 1 |
Series 7
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 May 2013 | 787,000 | 3 |
2 | 20 May 2013 | 728,000 | 1 |
3 | 27 May 2013 | 894,000 | 1 |
4 | 3 June 2013 | 720,000 | 1 |
5 | 10 June 2013 | 669,000 | 2 |
6 | 17 June 2013 | 804,000 | 1 |
7 | 24 June 2013 | 850,000 | 1 |
8 | 1 July 2013 | 775,000 | 1 |
9 | 8 July 2013 | 706,000 | 2 |
10 | 15 July 2013 | 963,000 | 1 |
11 | 22 July 2013 | 991,000 | 2 |
12 | 29 July 2013 | 1,182,000♦ | 1 |
13 | 5 August 2013 | 1,080,000 | 1 |
♦ Highest rated edition to date (first showing on BBC Four)
Series 8
Episode No. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Four Weekly Ranking |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 23 September 2013 | 786,000 | 3 |
2 | 30 September 2013 | 958,000 | 1 |
3 | 7 October 2013 | 1,031,000 | 1 |
4 | 14 October 2013 | 907,000 | 2 |
5 | 21 October 2013 | 859,000 | 2 |
6 | 28 October 2013 | 898,000 | 2 |
7 | 4 November 2013 | 920,000 | 2 |
8 | 18 November 2013 | 888,000 | 1 |
9 | 25 November 2013 | 947,000 | 1 |
10 | 2 December 2013 | 913,000 | 1 |
11 | 9 December 2013 | 940,000 | 1 |
12 | 16 December 2013 | 1,000,000 | 1 |
13 | 23 December 2013 | 945,000 | 2 |
Specials
Date | Title | Viewers | BBC Four weekly ranking |
---|---|---|---|
21 December 2009 | Series 1 & 2 Champions Special | N/A | N/A |
15 November 2010 | Children in Need Special: Wheelmen vs. Larks | 599,000 | 1 |
10 January 2011 | Series 3 & 4 Champions Special | 558,000 | 1 |
17 January 2011 | Crossworders vs. University Challengers[4] | 615,000 | 3 |
14 March 2011 | Comic Relief Special: Treesome vs. Larks | 468,000 | 4 |
14 November 2011 | Children in Need Special: Great Believers vs. Free Speakers | 794,000 | 3 |
12 December 2011 | Wall Night Special | 673,000 | 3 |
523,000 | 5 | ||
2 January 2012 | Champion of Champions: Crossworders vs. Epicureans[5] | 761,000 | 6 |
9 January 2012 | Crossworders vs. Mastermind Champions[5] | 650,000 | 4 |
31 January 2012 | Wall Night Special 2 | 634,000 | 5 |
N/A | N/A | ||
19 March 2012 | Sport Relief Special: Cutters vs. Backhanders | 706,000 | 2 |
12 November 2012 | Children in Need Special: Goldfingers vs. Fowls | 1,078,000 | 3 |
7 January 2013 | Series 5 & 6 Champions Special | 982,000 | 1 |
14 January 2013 | Eggheads vs. Davids | 1,173,000 | 1 |
11 March 2013 | Comic Relief Special: Neuromantics vs. Muppets | 999,000 | 1 |
11 November 2013 | Children in Need Special: Scrabblers vs. The Balding Team | 967,000 | 2 |
- Wheelmen: Adam Hart-Davis, Rev Richard Coles and Grub Smith
- Larks: Sir Andrew Motion, Michael Bywater and Stuart Maconie
- University Challengers: Alex Guttenplan, Jenny Harris and Josh Scott
- Treesome: Adam Hart-Davis, Brian Sewell and Grub Smith
- Great Believers: Nick Hornby, Joan Bakewell and John Lloyd
- Free Speakers: Ian Hislop, Simon Singh and John Sessions
- Cutters: Nick Hornby, Mark Gatiss and Samira Ahmed
- Backhanders: Ian Hislop, Allison Pearson and Stephen Mangan
- Goldfingers: Charlie Higson, Daisy Goodwin and Matthew Parris
- Fowls: Rosie Boycott, Richard Osman and Clarke Carlisle
- Eggheads: Chris Hughes, Pat Gibson and Barry Simmons
- Davids: David Stainer, David Bill and David Lea
- Neuromantics: Charlie Higson, Rufus Hound, Baroness Susan Greenfield
- Muppets: Rosie Boycott, Bill Turnbull, David Mitchell
- Scrabblers: Alice Arnold, Konnie Huq, John Finnemore
- The Balding Team: Clare Balding, Clive Anderson, Sir Simon Jenkins
Names in bold indicate the captains of the celebrity teams.
Champions
- Series 1: Crossworders (Mark Grant, David Stainer, Ian Bayley)
- Series 2: Rugby Boys (Richard Parnell, Gary Dermody, Mark Labbett)
- Series 3: Gamblers (Jenny Ryan, Dave Bill, Alan Gibbs)
- Series 4: Epicureans (David Brewis, Katie Bramall-Stainer, Aaron Bell)
- Series 5: Analysts (Paul Steeples, David Lea, William De Ath)
- Series 6: Scribes (Holly Pattenden, Dom Tait, Gareth Price)
- Series 7: Francophiles (Ian Clark, Mark Walton, Sam Goodyear)
- Series 8: Board Gamers (Hywel Carver, Jamie Karran, Michael Wallace)
- Series 1 vs. Series 2: Crossworders
- Series 3 vs. Series 4: Epicureans
- Champion of Champions (Series 1/2 winner vs. Series 3/4 winner): Crossworders
- Series 5 vs. Series 6: Scribes
- Wall Night 1: Technologists
- Wall Night 2: Inorganic Chemists
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Victoria Coren Mitchell (2013-10-18). "Media Centre - Only Connect moves to BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
- ↑ "BBC Four – Only Connect, Series 5, Fantasy Footballers vs Antiquarians". Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ↑ "Play Only Connect". BBC Four. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ↑ "University Challenge Special". BBC Four. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 David Crawford (30 November 2011). "Victoria Coren: "We should respect Christopher Biggins more than Daniel Day-Lewis"". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
External links
- Only Connect at BBC Programmes
- Only Connect at the Internet Movie Database
- Only Connect at TV.com
- Only Connect at UKGameshows.com
- PuzzGrid Unofficial, open game based on Only Connect