The much-anticipated “Battle of the Saints” contest of the 2025 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) lived up to its hype, as St John’s School faced off against their long-time “wives,” Archbishop Porter Girls’ SHS, and St Mary’s SHS in an academic showdown.

Right from Round One, the contest was tight. The “husband and wife” pair — St John’s and Porter Girls — went head-to-head, leaving the audience at the edge of their seats. At the end of the round, Archbishop Porter Girls led narrowly with 21 points, followed closely by St John’s with 20 points, while St Mary’s managed 14 points.

The Speed Race in Round Two turned the tables. St John’s dominated the buzzer, picking most of the questions to lead with 34 points. Porter Girls followed with 24 points, and St Mary’s trailed with 19 points.

Then came the Problem of the Day — and what a spectacle it was! Archbishop Porter Girls achieved a rare perfect score of 10/10, earning them the NSMQ Star Prize. St Mary’s impressed with 9/10, and St John’s managed 6/10, but the boys still held their lead thanks to their earlier advantage.

In Round Four, the True or False round, St John’s made no mistakes, stretching their lead to 56 points, ahead of Porter Girls with 47 and St Mary’s with 36.

The final riddles sealed the victory. St Mary’s rang first and answered correctly, but the Saints from St John’s claimed the next three riddles with confidence, securing their place in the quarterfinals and successfully keeping their seed.

Though Archbishop Porter Girls fell to their “husbands,” they walked away with pride — and a prize — for their flawless performance in the Problem of the Day.