A political writer, a technical translator, a local government officer and an hotelier take up the challenge tonight of this 1979

Mastermind competition. The subjects upon which they will concentrate are British History, the Life and Works of Solzhenitsyn, the Broadway Musical and the Life and Works of Chopin.

This second heat in the series comes from York University. The contenders are:

Tony Broadbent (political writer), British History, 1870-1945

Paul Granville Jackson (technical translator), Life and Works of Alexander Solzhenitsyn

James Martin (local government officer), The Broadway Musical, 1945-1970 Roy Scott (hotelier), Life and Works of Chopin

The Royal Military Academy of. Sandhurst is host to tonight's programme. An appropriate venue. as many of the questions required for our military subjects emanate from the experts who are stationed here.

Mastermind is also a most popular programme among the forces, particularly with the army stationed in Germany.

The contenders are: Sarah Catling

(veterinary haematologist), History of the English Derby Aylwin Fletcher (tutor and GCE examiner), Life and Works of Max Beerbohm Keith Pierce (police sergeant), History of Hastings and St Leonards

Sir Peter Hayman (ex-diplomatist), Marshals of Napoleon I

Many and varied are the specialised subjects tackled by Mastermind contestants.

The contenders are:

Ronald Graham-Carter (university administrator): Winston Churchill

Peter Owen (chartered surveyor): Life and Works of Arthur Ransome Jean Wilson (part-time teacher): English Literature 1550-1900 Paul Wood (local government officer): The Reign of George III

The first of the two Scottish groups taking part turns out to be something of a mini International, with THOMAS BLAHA working in Aberdeen, but who is from Cleveland, USA; LAI-NGAU PAUSON living in Glasgow, but originating from Seattle, Washington; STEPHEN SENN living in Fife, but a Swiss national by birth; and JOE WEST, a pilot stationed on Shetland, hailing from Bournemouth.

The venue. for this interesting match is Dundee University

Thomas Blaha (teacher): US Government and Politics Lai-ngau Pauson (editor): History of Printing to 1860 Stephen Senn (lecturer): The History and Geography of Dartmoor

Joe West (helicopter pilot): World War I

In this second visit to Dundee University, the four aspiring Scottish Masterminds are from Edinburgh, Forfar, Dumbarton and Crieff. The contenders are: Iain Campbell (student): Byzantine History AD 610-867 Elizabeth Compton (farmer): Elizabeth of Austria 1837-1898 James Davis (teacher): European History 1945-1979

Max Todd (teacher): World War I

This, the Welsh contribution to this year's Mastermind, takes place in mid-Wales at Aberystwyth University.

The contenders are:

Catherine Mason (teacher): Louis XIV of France

Ralph Handscomb (driver): The 'James Bond' novels of Ian Fleming

Barry Jones (fitter): The Modern Summer Olympics

Philip Jenkins (research assistant): The Development of Christianity CAD 30-150

Tonight, the contestants hail from Oswestry, Northampton, Coventry and Redditch, and seek, in this eighth heat, to gain a place in the next semi-final round.

They are:

Robert Ingle (political agent): The Life of Benjamin Disraeli

Deborah Hill-Trevor (farmer's wife): English Life and Times 1780-1815

John McLeod (local government officer): The Career of Oliver Cromwell

Gerald Sparrow (teacher): Geology

The chief shoe manufacturing centre of England provides the location for tonight's heat, which takes place in Nene College, Northampton. The contenders are: William Rayner (oilfield technician): Emperor Charles V

Caroline Hurlstone (housewife): Plays of Tom Stoppard John Old (teacher): The Moomin Saga of Tove Jansson John Shepherd (air traffic controller): Island of Sark

In this tenth heat four more people seek to obtain a place in the semi-final round.

The contenders are:

John Weller (bricklayer): British Birds

Christopher Budd (Army officer): The Waterloo Campaign Robert Wall (engineer): North Atlantic Ocean Liners

Adam Gielgud (NHS ancillary): History of Poland 1900-1945

Tonight sees the start of an All Ireland' contribution to Mastermind with contenders from Rathdrum, Rathmines, Dun Laog haire, Stillorgan, Londonderry,

Whitehead, Belfast and Carnckfergus...

The first group are from the Irish Republic and for this, and the Northern Ireland group, the historic Trinity College in Dublin is providing the setting. The contenders are:

Mary Grogan (librarian): Ballet in Britain 1900-1960 Con Cashman (farmer): Agriculture

Beatrice Syms (art teacher): The 'Dragon' books of Anne McCaffrey

John Egan (transport supervisor): The Life and Works of James Joyce

Tonight's Northern Ireland match completes the 12 heats of the first round.

The winner moves on to join the other 11 semi-finalists, which leaves four places to be filled by the best runners-up.

The contenders are:

Edward Kennedy (retired naval rating): West Malaysia

Martin Bradley (mature student): The Films of Steve McQueen

James Nesbitt (civil servant): European History 1914-1945

Jane Morton (local government officer): France since 1814

The 'Bute Hall' in Glasgow University is the setting for the start of the semi-final round, and in this section the contenders are required to offer a new specialist subject.

The first four contenders are: Iain Campbell (student): The Works of Evelyn Waugh

Sir Peter Hayman (ex-diplomatist): The Life of King George V Robert Wall (engineer): The Spanish Civil War

Joe West (helicopter pilot): The Life of Horatio Nelson

This crucial match, which comes from the Bute Hall in Glasgow University, will establish which of tonight's four contenders will move forward to the final round. The contenders are:

Richard Green (zoo keeper): History of the Isle of Man

John McLeod (local government officer): Sir Arthur Sullivan and his Contemporary Composers John Old (teacher): The Texan Revolution 1835-1836 Peter Owen (chartered surveyor): Life and Works of Beatrix Potter

On this occasion, Mastermind visits Northern Ireland for the first time. The New University of Ulster in Coleraine are the hosts to this third semi-final group of contenders seeking to win through to the Final. They are:

Tony Broadbent (political writer): English Poetry

Martin Bradley (mature student): Life and Work of Billie Holiday

John Egan (transport supervisor): Life of Leon Trotsky

Philip Jenkins (research assistant): Vikings in Scotland and Ireland 800-1150

This, the Best of the Runners-up semi-final, is being staged at the New University of Ulster in Coleraine, and by sheer coincidence includes an Englishman, an Irish-woman, a Scot and a Welshman.

Tonight's winner will fill the last place in the Final line-up. The contenders are:

Barry Jones (fitter) - British Prime Ministers

John Shepherd (air traffic controller) - Life and Works of George Borrow Beatrice Syms (art teacher) - Life and Works of Jane Austen

James Davis (teacher) - The Mountains of Scotland

'The Painted Hall' of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, provides the historic setting for this year's Mastermind Final. The finalists are: Joe West (helicopter pilot): Royal Navy History 1794-1805

John McLeod (local government officer): Career of Oliver Cromwell Philip Jenkins (research assistant): History of Wales AD 400-1100 Best Runner-up