With Magnus Magnusson from the University of Lancaster's Great Hall. Mastermind is back for its 18th series with the first of this year's 64 contenders for the title Mastermind 1990. Who will win the, first place in the semi-finals? Anthony Wilkinson (police officer) Roman conquest of Gaul, 58-50 BC; Arfor Wyn Hughes (art teacher) Impressionist and postimpressionist painting, 1830-1914; Hilary Forrest (teacher) Life in the English country house, 1550-1830; Jack Clark (retired chief copytaker) Diary of Samuel Pepys , 1660-1669.

With Magnus Magnusson from the University of Lancaster. Four contenders from the North of England compete for a place in the semi-finals. Dave Williams (teacher) 'Epic' historical novels of James A. Michener; Peter Castree (computer systems engineer) History of Russia, 980-1613; Robert Barnard (crime writer) Mature operas of Donizetti; Helen Grayson (technical writer) Life and work of Mary Wollstonecraft, 1759-97.

With Magnus Magnusson from the University of Bristol, where four more hopefuls are in the spotlight at the Victoria Rooms. Ian Mallinson (retired schoolmaster) Life and work of Antoine Lavoisier , 1743-94; Graham Sleep (smallholder and part-time farmer) Battles fought on English soil, 1066-1685; Pam Stringer (retired headmistress) Poems of T.S.Eliot; Peter McGowan (building society clerk) History of brass bands.

With Magnus Magnusson. Four contenders from Wales and the west of England compete at the Victoria Rooms, University of Bristol. Margaret Withers (retired architect) The life and work of Sir Edwin Lutyens; Perry Thomas (executive officer) Horror films, 1930-49; Stephen Burgess (leading steward in the Royal Navy) British military campaigns on land, 1688-1763; Chantal Thompson (trainee solicitor) The life and works of James Elroy Flecker.

With Magnus Magnusson. St Andrews University, Scotland's oldest, is the setting for tonight's heat of Mastermind, when four contenders, all living in Scotland, compete for a place in the semi-finals. Hamish Cameron (computer manager), whose specialist subject is the Stewart kingdom of Scotland, 1371-1603; Lydia Skinner (principal teacher) - the lives and writings of Somerville and Ross; David Smith (consultant surgeon) - the life and missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul; David Henderson (part-time college lecturer) - the Para Handy tales and Glasgow stories of Neil Munro.

From the University of St Andrews with Magnus Magnusson. The four contenders are: Philip Atkinson (media director) The life and career of Lyndon Baines Johnson; John Mottram (retired chartered surveyor) Forestry in Great Britain; Alison Bell (public relations officer) The life and writings of Karen Blixen ; Fergus Tickell (forest manager) The life and works of Brian O'Nolan.

Four contenders from London and the south of England compete in the Peel Centre at the Metropolitan Police Cadet School at Hendon for a place in the semi-finals. Julia McAllister (conference producer) The Campion novels of Margery Allingham; Patrick Welch (retired lecturer) The life and times of Sir Robert Peel; Janet Brooman (bookseller) The life and career of Laurence Olivier; James Macrae (project management consultant) The travels of Eric Newby. With Magnus Magnusson.

The Metropolitan Police Cadet school at Hendon is again the venue where four contenders take their chance in the quest for the title 'Mastermind 1990'. Kate Taylor (freelance writer) The life and Swallows and Amazons books of Arthur Ransome; David Coombs (chartered accountant) The geography of Continental USA; Robert Fromow (guide lecturer) The life and works of Thomas Gainsborough; Brian Bibby (civil servant)The life and operas of Verdi. With Magnus Magnusson.

Four contenders from the south of England and the Channel Islands are competing for a place in the semi-finals, in the dramatic setting of the Great Hall at Winchester. Maurice McGrave (reference librarian) The science fiction of Brian Aldiss; Isobel Osmont (wife/mother) The German occupation of the Channel Islands. 1940-5; Brian Sims (retired lecturer) The life and works of Ravel; Paul Bradley (cartographic draughtsman) Geography of Australia. With Magnus Magnusson.

From the Great Hall, Winchester. Four contenders from the south of England and the Channel Islands compete for a place in the semi-finals. Maurice McGrave (reference librarian) The science fiction of Brian Aldiss; Isobel Osmont (wife/mother) The German occupation of the Channel Islands, 1940-5; rian Sims (retired lecturer) The life and works of Ravel; Paul Bradley (cartographic draughtsman) Geography of Australia. With Magnus Magnusson.

Tonight's contenders are: Peter Hooper (immigration officer): British and American musical theatre since 1945; David Edwards (schoolteacher): Life and work of Michael Faraday ; Mary Rattle (housewife): Life and Shropshire novels of Mary Webb; Allan Draycott(part-time lecturer): British politics since 1900. With Magnus Magnusson, from the Great Hall of Aston University.

Tonight's contenders are: James Alexander (student psychiatric nurse) 20th-century European drama; Margaret Thomas (housewife) The life and reign of Queen Victoria; Alan Drury (salesman) History of London and South Western Railway, 1838-1923; Bruce Watson (restorer of antique furniture) History of English furniture, 1660-1830. From Aston University in Birmingham, with Magnus Magnusson.

The contenders tonight are: Bernard Howell (civil servant) Life and music of Frederick Delius; James Palmer (retired university lecturer) History of British aviation, 1909-60; Elizabeth Mailer (university librarian) The women's suffrage movement in Britain, 1867-1918; Frank Rogers (teacher) 19th-century Irish history. The Institution of Electrical Engineers on Savoy Hill in London is the setting for this week's programme, in the building in which the BBC established regular broadcasting in 1923. With Magnus Magnusson.

Tonight's contenders are: John Flashman (civil servant) Life and works of John Constable; Gavin Hyde (lock keeper) Life and works of Henry Williamson; Paul Webbewood (civil servant) History of the British Labour Party from 1900; John Lloyd (conference interpreter) Russian History, 1861-1917. With Magnus Magnusson , from the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Savoy Hill , London.

The contenders tonight are: Dave Ross (welfare rights worker) History of British football from 1863; Josephine Levine (cosmetic consultant) The novels of Evelyn Waugh; Kenneth Goodridge (retired bank official) Life and work of George Stephenson; Mike Humphrey (publicity co-ordinator) Life and times of Thomas Paine. Magnus Magnusson interrogates them on their specialised subjects and general knowledge at the Firth Hall at the University of Sheffield.

The contenders tonight are: James Moore (freelance writer) British-American musical theatre, 1915-35; Andrew Pantin (civil servant) Life and works of Christopher Isherwood; Brian Daugherty (post-graduate student) History of 20th-century astronomy; David Steele (local government accountant) Life and career of David Lloyd George. The last place in the semi-finals is at stake. With Magnus Magnusson from the Firth Hall at the University of Sheffield.

The contenders in tonight's semi-final are: Chantal Thompson (trainee solicitor) Life and career of Montrose 1612-50; Hamish Cameron (computer manager) Life and times of Edward IV; Ian Mallinson (retired schoolmaster) Life and reign of Akbar 1542-1605; Hilary Forrest (teacher) Archaeology of Wessex 2500 BC-AD 43. With Magnus Magnusson from Whitworth Hall at the University of Manchester.

The contenders in tonight's second semi-final are: Brian Bibby (civil servant) History of the Belgian Royal Family; Isobel Osmont (wife and mother) Life and times of Simon Bolivar; Patrick Welch (retired lecturer) Life and times of H H Asquith; Philip Atkinson (media director) The Dance to the Music of Time novels of Anthony Powell. With Magnus Magnusson from the Whitworth Hall at the University of Manchester.

The contenders in tonight's third semi-final are: Bruce Watson (antique furniture restorer) Life and works of James Brindley; Helen Grayson (technical writer) Novels of Kurt Vonnegut; Michael Clark (plant and tool assistant) Life and reign of Louis XIV (1638-1715); Allan Draycott (part-time lecturer) History of test cricket since 1877. With Magnus Magnusson from the Whitworth Hall at the University of Manchester.

In tonight's fourth semi-final are David Steele (local government accountant) on the life and career of President Truman; Paul Webbewood (civil servant) on the life and career of Oliver Cromwell , 1599-1658; Dave Ross (welfare rights worker) on European political history, 1870-1945; Bernard Howell (civil servant) on the novels of William Golding. With Magnus Magnusson at the University of Essex, Colchester.

The last semi-final is for the four highest-scoring losers. Tonight's contenders: Stephen Burgess (leading steward. Royal Navy) on the history of the Royal Navy, 1756-1815; Mary Rattle (housewife) on the life and works of Beethoven;Frank Rogers (teacher) on 15thand 16th-century voyages of discovery; David Edwards (teacher) on the life and work of Benjamin Thompson , Count Rumford. With Magnus Magnusson from the University of Essex, Colchester.

The climax of the 1990 series from the City Chambers, Glasgow, when the winner will receive the coveted Mastermind trophy from Jonathan Powell , Controller BBC1. The finalists are: Brian Bibby (civil servant) on the life and operas of Verdi; Helen Grayson (technical writer) on the life and works of Mary Wollstonecraft ; David Edwards (teacher) on the life and works of James Clerk Maxwell ; Paul Webbewood (civil servant) on the history of the British Labour Party since 1900; Chantal Thompson (trainee solicitor) on the life and works of Marcus Tullius Cicero. Presented by Magnus Magnusson.