Jump directly to the content
UNTHINKABLE

University Challenge fans’ stumped by mind-boggling question – you’re a genius if you can get it right

UNIVERSITY Challenge fans' have been left scratching their head by a mind-blowing question - can you work it out?

Some of the country's sharpest brains have been put to the test on the BBC quiz show, but one question left them stumped.

Jeremy Paxman hosted University Challenge from 1994 to May 2023
2
Jeremy Paxman hosted University Challenge from 1994 to May 2023Credit: BBC
We've found the most difficult question from show - can you work it out?
2
We've found the most difficult question from show - can you work it out?Credit: bbc

Jeremy Paxman hosted the renowned show from 1994 to May 2023.

We've included one of his most difficult questions from the show below.

He asked this during the University Challenge series 46 final between Wolfson College in Cambridge and Balliol College in Oxford.

The legendary quiz master put the contestants' mental maths skills to the test.

Read more on UC

Before team member Yang from Wolfson, Cambridge, questioned whether the answer was 31, Goldman from Balliol, Oxford, responded with 37.

So, can you answer one of his most baffling questions?

Q: The atomic number of sulfur is 16, what is the sum of the atomic numbers of the four elements whose symbols spell the word snob?

We can understand why this has been called one of the most challenging questions from the programme.

Take a minute to think about it, because it's a hard one.

Are you ready to find out the answer?

The correct answer is 36 because the atomic numbers for each element are 16, 7, 8, 5, and 16.

Topics