When it comes to difficult quiz shows on TV, few challenge the brain as much as The 1% Club.
Although we see scholars on University Challenge and quiz experts on Only Connect, the general public is perhaps most tested when it comes to winning The 1% Club.
The notoriously tricky show challenges contestants to advance through steadily harder questions against the clock, much like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, except there is the added pressure of a time limit and other contestants.
Since you can cash out at various different points and leave with what you’ve earned, or potentially even skip a question, there’s never actually been someone who has made it all the way through and claimed the entire prize pot.
That was until a recent episode when school teacher Maccisha made history as the first ever winner of the £100k, thanks to her correct answer on an incredibly difficult question, which maybe not even one percent of the country could actually answer.
Lee Mack was probably in disbelief as she claimed the £100k prize (ITV)
We’ve seen claims about the ‘toughest ever question’ before on the show, which is hosted by Lee Mack, but this one might just take the crown, even though Maccisha was able to somehow come up with the correct answer to the logic-based question in her 30 second time limit.
The question was as follows: “What is the lowest number that replaces the question mark in this sequence?”
The three contestants were then shown the following sequence of numbers:
1+2 = one
2+2 = four
3+2 = three
3+3 = eleven
4+3 = ??
Obviously, the sums make no sense but you might be able to give yourself a clue by the fact that the numbers are all spelled out, even eleven, which every journalist will tell you is an awful crime to write.
To figure this out in 30 seconds takes some doing (ITV)
If you haven’t figured it out yet, then not to worry, I’ll put you out of your misery.
The first number in the sequence is the number of consonants, and the second is the number of vowels. So one is the lowest number with one consonant and two vowels, four is the lowest with two of each, three is the lowest with three consonants and two vowels, and 11 is the lowest with three of each.
So Maccisha must have some brain to have figured out that this was the key to finding the answer, and then to quickly realise that 15 was the correct answer for the lowest number with four consonants and three vowels.
That moment you realise you are the first winner of the full £100k on The 1% Club.#The1PercentClub pic.twitter.com/FDqkvXVGWx
— The 1% Club (@1PercentClubITV) January 10, 2026
Fans of the show were quick to praise her online after she made history with an extremely well-worked out answer.
“Huge congrats Maccisha on winning £100,000 hope you enjoy every penny of that amount,” wrote one on X.
“Yay! The primary school teacher got it! That’s good TV,” said a second.
The 1% Club is available to watch on ITVX.
