It’s good to see there’s so many clever posters just what like I am.
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Quiz shows are mostly about general knowledge, whereas University Challenge is more specialised.
Which is probably why i rarely answer a question correctly on UC, but manage to do better on shows like The Chase.
Just recently, some of those questions have been a bit tricky as well.
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I enjoy University Challenge because it’s good to see young folk with so much knowledge - being able to answer a question myself is a bonus 
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Yes I noticed that Spitty, probably because they haven’t yet acquired the knowledge you get from being more mature. I’ve also noticed that rocket scientists etc usually perform poorly. They are very clever in their field but don’t have a wide range of knowledge. Usually the most unexpected folk do well.
And finally…Does nobody have a proper job these days? No plumbers, mechanics, electricians, bricklayers…But plenty of University admin and statistical people, bean counters… 
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Fred Housego was a humble cab driver when he won Mastermind.
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Knowing the answers never has been, and never will be a measure of an individuals intelligence, irrelevant of word games, quizzes, tv quizzes, games etc, every one of them is easy if you know the answer, one time you play you could be top of the class, the next, at the bottom
Unlike Mensa or GCHQ etc, which set a system that entails using various methods
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Taking the time to know something is the important thing, the separator, retained knowledge or IQ are just temporary states.
BTW, pseudo intellectuals make the world go round 
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That’s why we love watching quizzes, isn’t it
Huge ego boost when we get one right and know something the contestant doesn’t?
And completely ignoring all the questions where we really wouldn’t have a clue 
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I amaze myself sometimes with the obscure knowledge hidden inside my brain
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Your going to need to get inventive when the Nukes start flying 
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What is being clever? Is it being able to recite things from memory or having the ability to work out problems by oneself. I notice that some people that use their brains are useless at DIY for example . Just because those that are good with their hands doesn’t mean they are not clever in other ways. What for me really annoys is those that have a degree of some sort think they cleverer than those that don’t. There are many reasons why people don’t go to university but can often be a bit brighter brainwise. The real question is do you run with the flock or stand out from the crowd.
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The people with degrees are probably dumber than most of us. On quiz shows they usually do very poorly because their subjects are too specialised, and whereas they might be the best in their field, but don’t have a wide range of general knowledge. I know a couple of lads who graduated from Oxford, Physics or something similar, and they can’t even wire up a plug…
That’s because after Oxford Graduation, they can earn enough in Media or whatever to pay someone to do such tasks Foxy 
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I never met anyone with a degree who was dumb. You need a large dollop of intelligence to be able to achieve that.
Intelligent and clever are two different things.
Education and common sense tend to be two different things with some people.
It was a common saying when I was working when a graduate with lots of shiny honours would be employed who was able to calculate the volume of a cookie jar, but can’t work out how to take the lid off.
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Graham not only an intelligent graduate, but a slim one too! 
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Yes dumb might have been a bit disrespectful, however, I helped many an engineer who knew how to split the atom or the melting point of kryptonite but hadn’t got a clue how to set up a milling machine to cut gears…
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As has already been mentioned, there is an obvious difference between learning a specialist subject and gaining general knowledge, and there are those who can and have achieved both.
The one thing for sure is, no matter what class you were brought up in, everyone has a seat at the University of Life, and every single one of us attend that University every single day until we are no more
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