Only Connect semi-final sparks Harry Potter debate over disputed Grindelwald clue
A tricky Only Connect question involving Harry Potter characters, Colin Farrell and the city of Bruges has left viewers debating whether the BBC quiz show got its own answer wrong.
The dispute came during a semi-final hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell, when the teams Thrifters and Suncatchers were asked to identify the connection between four seemingly unrelated clues. The eventual answer was Wizarding World actors in Bruges.
For some viewers, however, one part of the connection did not quite add up.
The Harry Potter clues that caused the confusion
The question was built around four clues:
- Grindelwald is the younger of the two main characters.
- Fleur Delacour dates Grindelwald.
- Mad-Eye Moody is the older of the main characters.
- Lord Voldemort is the boss of Grindelwald and Mad-Eye Moody.
The challenge was to work out what linked them. Mitchell eventually revealed the connection as Wizarding World actors in Bruges.
The answer immediately made sense to viewers familiar with the films because Colin Farrell, who appears in the Fantastic Beasts series, is also closely associated with In Bruges.
But that was precisely where some fans began to question the wording of the clue.
Did Colin Farrell actually play Grindelwald?
Several viewers took issue with the suggestion that Farrell played Grindelwald.
Their argument was straightforward: Farrell is credited as Percival Graves in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, while Grindelwald was played by Johnny Depp and later Mads Mikkelsen.
One viewer on X argued that the question was technically incorrect, pointing out that Farrell’s character has a different name and that Grindelwald was portrayed by Depp and Mikkelsen. Another viewer made essentially the same point, saying that Farrell did not technically play Grindelwald.
A further post suggested that the Harry Potter and In Bruges connection would have been clever if Farrell had actually played Grindelwald.
There is, however, an important detail behind the disagreement.
In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Farrell’s Percival Graves is revealed to be Gellert Grindelwald in disguise. Grindelwald assumes Graves’ appearance for much of the film, meaning Farrell portrays the character while Grindelwald is operating under Graves’ identity. Reference material on the film likewise describes Farrell’s role as Graves while noting that Grindelwald spends much of the movie disguised as him.
That distinction explains why viewers could reach different conclusions about the Only Connect clue. Strictly speaking, Farrell is credited as Percival Graves, while the character seen for much of the film is in fact Grindelwald using Graves’ identity.
Viewers were divided
The reaction was not entirely negative.
While some Only Connect fans considered the clue inaccurate, others thought the connection was exactly the kind of clever crossover the programme is known for.
One viewer described it as a potential favourite Only Connect question, praising the crossover between the Wizarding World and In Bruges.
The connection depends on recognizing Farrell’s involvement in both worlds, while also understanding the unusual identity twist in Fantastic Beasts. That made the question particularly susceptible to debate among viewers who knew the films well.
The semi-final came down to a tie-break
The Harry Potter discussion was only one part of an especially close semi-final between the Thrifters and the Suncatchers.
The teams were level on 20 points after the anagram questions, forcing the match into a tie-break. Under the rules, only the team captains were allowed to answer.
The Thrifters ultimately won the tie-break and secured their place in the final. The Suncatchers moved on to the third-place play-off.
The match was the first semi-final of the series, which aired on 8 January 2024. The second semi-final was scheduled for the following week, on 15 January, with the third-place play-off and final following later in the month.
Another classic Only Connect argument
The dispute over the Grindelwald clue highlights exactly why questions on Only Connect can generate so much discussion after the programme ends.
A connection can appear obvious once the answer is revealed, yet the wording of a single clue can be enough to send knowledgeable viewers back over the details. In this case, the distinction between Colin Farrell playing Percival Graves and portraying Grindelwald while disguised as Graves became the focus of the argument.
For some viewers, that made the question technically flawed. For others, it was a particularly inventive connection that rewarded knowledge of both the Wizarding World films and In Bruges.
Either way, the question gave viewers something to debate long after the semi-final had finished.
Only Connect airs on BBC Two at 8pm on Mondays.
