Only Connect leaves viewers amused as Celtic and Rangers spark bizarre quiz connection
Celtic and Rangers unexpectedly became the key to one of Only Connect’s most unusual connections — but it was a Scottish contestant’s blunt response that provided the biggest laugh.
During the BBC Two quiz hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell, players were presented with four clues that initially appeared to have almost nothing in common:
- The Armies of Sauron
- Lord Zedd
- Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo
- Celtic
It was only when the final clue appeared that the bizarre link became clear.
The answer: “enemies of Rangers.”
Celtic gives the game away
As part of the opening round, contestants must identify the connection between four seemingly unrelated clues.
This time, the first three offered little indication of where the puzzle was heading. The Armies of Sauron belonged to the world of The Lord of the Rings, Lord Zedd was a Power Rangers villain, and Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo were linked to the rangers of Jellystone Park.
Then came Celtic.
One contestant quickly recognised that the word “Rangers” could refer to something different in each clue. Victoria confirmed that the team had found the correct connection and asked them to explain it.
When Celtic was discussed, one contestant pointed out that Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers are “VERY sworn enemies” for a number of reasons.
That was enough for Victoria to turn her attention to a member of the opposing team.
“Which one do you support?”
Knowing the contestant was Scottish, Victoria Coren Mitchell asked: “You’re Scottish! Which one do you support?”
The contestant, Steve, refused to choose between the two Glasgow giants.
His answer was short and brutally dismissive:
“Neither. They’re equally terrible.”
The response prompted laughter around the studio and quickly became the comic highlight of the exchange.
The four different Rangers
Behind the joke was a carefully constructed wordplay connection.
The Armies of Sauron are enemies of the Rangers of the North in The Lord of the Rings universe.
Lord Zedd is one of the principal villains faced by the Power Rangers.
Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo regularly come into conflict with the rangers responsible for Jellystone Park.
And then there is Celtic, the Glasgow club and longstanding rival of Rangers.
Each clue therefore points to something that can be described as an enemy of a different kind of “Rangers.”
Another classic Only Connect wordplay puzzle
The question captured exactly the kind of lateral thinking that has made Only Connect one of television’s most challenging quiz shows.
Rather than relying on conventional general knowledge, contestants are regularly asked to spot connections between words, names, characters and ideas that initially seem completely unrelated.
The difficulty here came from the word “Rangers” having a different meaning in each case.
Three clues referred to fictional or occupational rangers, while the final clue shifted the puzzle into Scottish football.
Once the connection was revealed, the answer seemed much more straightforward — but finding it before the clock runs out is another matter.
Steve’s answer steals the moment
The puzzle itself earned the contestants their points, but Steve’s response provided the memorable punchline.
Faced with the choice between Celtic and Rangers, he chose neither and delivered an equally unflattering verdict on both.
For a quiz show built around unexpected connections, it was an appropriately unexpected ending: Celtic and Rangers were united by the puzzle as rivals — while Steve managed to find common ground by declaring that he disliked them both.
