Episodes 27

1 Cluesmiths v Operational Researchers

July 13, 2015

29m

Three crossword compilers take on a trio of operational researchers in the first of the eleventh series. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Quintuple Troth, Distress Signal, 1963 Lincoln Memorial Speech and 1815 Belgian Battle.

2 Polyglots v Yorkers

July 20, 2015

29m

A team of linguists take on three York University students in this show. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Monstroso, Any Human Heart, Birdsong and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

3 Spaghetti Westerners v Mixologists

July 27, 2015

29m

A team of film buffs take on three cocktail aficionados. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Daddy Warbucks, Ellen Ripley, Sherlock Holmes and Bobby Ewing.

4 Collectors v Railwaymen

August 3, 2015

29m

A team of collectors take on three railway enthusiasts. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Llanelli RFC, A for adultery, Sir Percy Blakeney and Sherlock Holmes debut.

5 Wayfarers v Bookworms

August 10, 2015

29m

A team of travel enthusiasts take on a trio of bibliophiles. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects a song in High Society, a Whiskas slogan, Kenneth Wolstenholme commentary and an EM Forster epigram.

6 String Section v Headliners

August 17, 2015

29m

A team of musicians take on three publishers in this edition. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects the flag of Vietnam, Google Os, the MCC tie and Rupert Bear's clothes.

7 Road Trippers v Athenians

August 24, 2015

29m

A trio of road trippers take on three fans of Greece in this edition. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Elizabeth and James, Menace II Society, Harvard Connection and I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles).

8 Scientists v Builders

August 31, 2015

29m

A team of scientists square up to a team of builders in the last of the heats. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects The Raven, Little Weed, Seagulls in Finding Nemo and Hodor.

9 Polyglots v Operational Researchers

September 7, 2015

29m

A team of linguists battle it out against a team of operational researchers for a place in the next phase of the competition. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects the Pirate Planet, Starship Titanic, Last Chance to See and h2g2.

10 Collectors v Mixologists

September 14, 2015

29m

Two teams who lost their first heats return for one last chance to make it to the quarter finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Darkness Visible, the Dementors, a bell jar and a black dog.

11 Headliners v Bookworms

September 21, 2015

29m

Two teams who lost their first heats return for one last chance to make it to the quarter finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects the starting position in Shogi, The Times crossword grid, the flag of Georgia and S.

12 Road Trippers v Builders

September 28, 2015

29m

Two teams who lost their first heats return for one last chance to make it to the quarter finals. The Road Trippers and the Builders compete to draw together the connections between things which, at first glance, seem utterly random. What links seven consonants, two vowels, three syllables and seven letters?

13 Cluesmiths v Yorkers

October 5, 2015

29m

The Cluesmiths take on the Yorkers. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Seborga, Forvik, Christiania and Sealand.

14 Spaghetti Westerners v Railwaymen

October 12, 2015

29m

Two winning teams return in the hope of securing a place in the quarter-finals: The Spaghetti Westerners and the Railwaymen. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects a set of decimal coins, a set of badges, a 1970 annual and a photograph of Valerie Singleton.

15 Wayfarers v String Section

October 19, 2015

29m

A team of Wayfarers take on a trio of musicians. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects numbat, echidna, pangolin and aardvark.

16 Scientists v Athenians

October 26, 2015

29m

Three scientists take on a team of Athenians. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Einsteinium, names of Allah, 1974 Lions call and Luftballons.

17 Cluesmiths v Mixologists

November 2, 2015

29m

The Cluesmiths and Mixologists return for a last chance to earn a place in the quarter-finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Matthew Bannister's show BBC World Service, an entry in a dictionary, your flexible friend and the venue for London 2012 boxing.

18 Spaghetti Westerners v Operational Researchers

November 16, 2015

29m

A trio of film buffs and three operational researchers return for a last chance to make it to the quarter-finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects a painful sports 'hernia', stars hollow, captain James Onedin and Happy Sandler.

19 Wayfarers v Builders

November 23, 2015

29m

A team of wayfarers and three builders return for a last chance to make it to the quarter-finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Medelsvensson [Sweden], Max Mustermann [Germany], Jan Modaal [Netherlands] and Joe Blow [Australia].

20 Athenians v Bookworms

November 30, 2015

29m

The Athenians and Bookworms return for a last chance to make it to the quarter-finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects The Cradle Will Rock, The Pilgrim's Progress, the New Statesman and the Mr Men.

21 Scientists v String Section

December 7, 2015

29m

The Scientists and the String Section return in the first of the quarter-finals. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Memoir: My Life, Song: Your Life, Film: September and Novella: The Life of Ivan Denisovich.

22 Yorkers v Operational Researchers

December 14, 2015

29m

The Yorkers and the Operational Researchers return in the second quarter-final. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Rebecca, Cold, Western and Judean People's Front.

23 Cluesmiths v Railwaymen

December 21, 2015

29m

The Cluesmiths and Railwaymen return for a quarter-final match. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects ADN, TVA, SIDA and OTAN.

24 Wayfarers v Bookworms

December 28, 2015

29m

The Wayfarers and Bookworms return for a quarter-final match. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects General Tom Thumb, 'Sonny' Liston, Chuck Berry and Lewis Carroll.

25 Semi-Final

January 4, 2016

29m

The first of the semi-finals and the 200th episode. Two returning teams compete for a place in the grand final. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Bird, Little Dyer, Angelic Brother and Little Barrel.

26 Semi-Final 2

January 11, 2016

29m

In the second semi-final, two returning teams compete for a place in the grand final. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects 'blending', 'changing', 'like smoke' and light-dark'.

27 The Final

January 18, 2016

29m

In the grand final, two teams battle it out to be named Only Connect series champions. So join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects Foke, Hombay, Egantic and Leakfast.

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