ROUND 1 - ‘On This Day’

A round about historic births, events, and deaths on January 7^th

1.

Born 1925
Which naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and TV presenter is perhaps best known for his description of life as a child with his siblings and mother on Corfu from 1935 to 1939?

2.

Born 1970
Who was MP for Leigh from 2001 to 2017? He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2007-2008), Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2008-2009), and Secretary of State for Health (2009-2010).

3.

Event 1610
Who first observed the moons Ganymede and Callisto orbiting Jupiter?

4.

Event 1558
French troops take Calais, often cited as the last continental possession of England - but which continental port did England capture from Spain in 1658, and sell back to France in 1662?

5.

Event 1989
In one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history, which fifth tier team beat top flight Coventry City 2-1?

6.

Event 2015
Two gunmen executed 12 people and wounded 11 others in Paris, giving rise to which slogan?

7.

Died 1932
Which French politician is best known for advocating a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built in the 1930s? Named after him, it became a metaphor for expensive efforts that offer a false sense of security when the Germans bypassed it to north in 1940, invading through the Low Countries

8.

Died 1989
Reigning from 1926 until his death, Emperor Shōwa is the longest-reigning emperor in Japanese history. By what name is he better known?

Sp1

Born 1800
Who became the 13th US President in 1850, after the death of Zachary Taylor?  As a Whig Party member, he was the last president to be neither a Democrat nor a Republican.

Sp2

Died 1943
Born in what is now Croatia, which Serbian engineer and inventor emigrated to the USA, and became known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system? The SI unit of magnetic flux density is named in his honour.

Go to Round 1 questions with answers

ROUND 2 - Hidden theme

1.

Which town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire has been dubbed the ‘Capital of the Peak’ and the ‘Home of Ferodo’, the brake company?

2.

Opened in 2002, the world's only rotating boat lift connects the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal in a half-turn that takes only five minutes! In which town is it?

3.

When he tore his Achilles tendon, Brad Pitt caused significant production delays to which 2004 film?

4.

IMDb is a comprehensive online resource for all things film, TV, and entertainment, offering details on cast, crew, plots, ratings, reviews, and trivia.  What does IMDb stand for?

5.

Which prison island, in the East River in the Bronx, is the site of one of the world's largest correctional institutions and mental institutions, and has been described as New York's best-known jail?

6.

This Vitamin K antagonist is prescribed for conditions such as DVT, pulmonary embolism, and to protect against strokes. Sometimes known as Marevan in the UK, and Coumadin or Jantoven in the US, by what name is this anticoagulant better known?

7.

There is a cathedral in Liverpool, with a red telephone box in it. Who designed both of these?

8.

Walkers leads the overall UK crisp market, but, in the specific crinkle/thick-cut market, which brand outsells the other main contenders: Walkers Max, Seabrook, Mackie's, and Yorkshire Crisps?

Sp1

Who wrote Baby and Child Care? Published in 1946, it is one of the 20th century’s best-selling books. It sold 500,000 copies in its first six months and 50 million by the time the author died in 1998?

Sp2

Who was the inspiration for Professor Calculus in Herge’s Adventures of Tintin? In a balloon, he was one of the first two people to enter the stratosphere. His son was one of the first two people to explore Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the ocean. His grandson initiated and was a pilot of the first round-the-world solar powered flight.

Go to Round 2 questions with answers

ROUND 3 - ‘Do I Detect an Answer?’

All answers in this round involve a fictional detective

1.

Which international photographic cooperative was founded in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger, David ‘Chim’ Seymour, Maria Eisner, and William and Rita Vandivert?

2.

Which organization was founded about 1119, and endorsed by the Catholic church in 1129?  Many of its members were arrested, tortured, and executed in 1307, and it was disbanded by the Pope in 1312.

3.

Nowadays in five-card stud, the term ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is used to describe: an unknown hole card, the 8 of Clubs, the 8 of Spades, the Ace of Clubs, and which other card?

4.

In 1991, this author and philosopher’s second book, Lila: An Inquiry into Morals, developed value-based metaphysics.  What was the title of the same author’s popular 1974 book, exploring the nature of quality?

5.

Born in 1917, he once said: “The piano ain't got no wrong notes.”  His improvisational style featured dissonances and angular melodic twists.  He made numerous contributions to the jazz repertoire, and is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.  Dying in 1982, who was this US jazz pianist?

6.

What event, from May 4th to May 12th 1926, involved about 1.7 million people in the UK?

7.

Now owned by Waterstones, which bookseller has a chain of seven stores in England, including its flagship store in Charing Cross Road, which - with 30 miles of shelving - was once the world's largest bookshop?

8.

Which New Zealander won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 1994 for The Piano and the Best Director Oscar in 2022 for The Power of The Dog?

Sp1

Which cartoon character is easily recognized by his round head a trademark zigzag patterned shirt, and his catchphrase “Good Grief!”?

Sp2

Of whom did a Judge say: “…you have pleaded guilty to the charges brought by this court, and it is now my duty to pass sentence. You are an habitual criminal, who accepts arrest as an occupational hazard, and presumably accepts imprisonment in the same casual manner. We therefore feel constrained to commit you to the maximum term allowed for these offences; you will go to prison for five years."

Go to Round 3 questions with answers

ROUND 4 - ‘R.I.P. 2025’

A Bingo Round about People who Died Last Year – pick your date from the grid handed out

1.

Jan 30th aged 78:

She began her career in 1964 after attending a party for the Rolling Stones and having a Top 10 hit with As Tears Go By.  Her popularity was enhanced by film roles in I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and Hamlet (1969).

2.

Feb 18th aged 95:

One of the best actors of his generation, he won a Oscars for Best Actor as a police detective in a 1971 action thriller, and a Best Supporting Actor as a villainous sheriff in a 1992 Western.

3.

Mar 1st aged 73:

This Scottish painter, known for his distinctive figurative style, gained international recognition with his 1992 painting The Singing Butler, depicting a couple in evening dress dancing on a beach, with a maid and a butler holding up umbrellas against the weather.

4.

Apr 18th aged 78:

This Northern Irish singer, represented the UK in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest with Jack in the Box, and finished in fourth place.

5.

May 20th aged 85:

This British author, cartoonist and jazz musician, was famous for his work at the magazine Private Eye, where he was the fictitious poet-in-residence E J Thribb, and where he created the fictitious Neasden FC.

6.

Jun 17th aged 94:

This Czech-born pianist, author, and lecturer, moved to London in 1971.  Noted for his performances of Beethoven, Schubert, and Liszt, he was the first pianist to record all Beethoven's works for solo piano.

7.

Jul 24th aged 97:

Famous for her huge vocal range, wide repertoire, and scat-singing, she performed with all the greats, including Frank Sinatra.  She was the first British singer to win a Grammy Award in a jazz category.  Her husband, a well-known jazz saxophonist, composer, and writer of film scores died in 2010.

8.

Aug 10th aged 92:

This television producer was best known for editing BBC Television’s children's magazine show Blue Peter from 1965 to 1988, devising much of the format that is still used today.

9.

Sep 4th aged 91:

Regarded as one of the most influential fashion designers, he gained recognition for his work with Cerruti 1881.  He founded his own fashion house in 1975 and was known for minimalist, deconstructed silhouettes, which are said to have redefined male and female elegance in a modern form.

10.

Oct 5th aged 88:

This English author and journalist was best known for her long-running Rutshire Chronicles series, starting with Riders in 1985, and most recently Tackle! in 2023.  Who was this bonkbuster writer?

11.

Nov 3rd aged 84:

Widely considered to be the most powerful vice president in US history, who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009?

12.

Dec 22nd aged 74:

In 1978, this man’s wife started driving him home from London to Middlesborough in her Austin Mini, as we keep getting reminded every Christmas.  Who was this singer, songwriter, and guitarist?

Go to Round 4 questions with answers

ROUND 5 - ‘Vroom, Vroom!’

A not very Hidden Theme, hinted at by the title

1.

What name links the only Englishman to become pope as Adrian IV, and a similarly named brewery in Henley-on-Thames run by distant relatives from 1779 until its closure in 2002?

2.

With a heat rating of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units, this cultivar of capsicum chinense, native to the Americas, supposedly resembles a tam o’ shanter. What is this variety of chili pepper commonly called?

3.

The Large Hadron Collider, at CERN, uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to very high speeds, and energies to contain them in well-defined beams. The LHC is the world’s largest and highest-energy example of which type of machine?  A two-word answer is expected.

4.

Vera Lynn first recorded this song in 1939, backed by a Hammond Novachord, the world's first commercial polyphonic synthesizer.  What was the song’s title?  It had the same title as her 2009 ‘Best of’ album when, aged 92, she became the oldest living artist to have a British album chart No. 1.

5.

Since its inception in 1985, who has been the sole constant member of the band Guns N’ Roses?

6.

Between 9 and 6, what phrase is missing from this NASA commentary:

“20 seconds and counting; T-15 seconds; guidance is internal; 12, 11, 10, 9, ????, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero; all engines running; LIFTOFF; we have a liftoff; 32 minutes past the hour; liftoff on Apollo 11.”

7.

He was appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout in July 2009.  He held the post until September 2024, becoming the second-longest-serving Chief Scout after Robert Baden-Powell.  Name this British adventurer, TV presenter, and former SAS trooper.

8.

Which sound-alike surnames link an actor best known for his 1972 to 1978 role as Grandpa Zebulon ‘Zeb’ Walton in the TV series The Waltons, and an actor who established himself as a leading man and sex symbol, in his 1980 film role in American Gigolo?

Sp1

Found near Ctesiphon in Iraq, this artifact dates from anywhere between 150 BC and 650 AD.  A terracotta pot about 5 inches tall with a 1½ inch mouth, contains a rolled copper cylinder, which houses an iron rod. Its purpose is unclear, but some suggest it is the earliest example of what item?

Sp2

Following allegations of misconduct, who replaced Gregg Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef in December 2024?

Go to Round 5 questions with answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

The theme word is always the first part of a key word within the answer

1.

Her career ranged from a singing part in the original performance of Brecht’s Threepenny Opera to playing the arch-villain in the second Bond film. In between she was regarded as the main interpreter of her husband, Kurt Weill’s, music.  Who was she?

2.

Written by Milton Ager in the 1920s which standard song was a favourite of the Beatles in their Hamburg days and became the single released by them in the UK between Can’t Buy Me Love and A Hard Day’s Night?

3.

He served as Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington from 2010 to 2022.  He met his future wife, a former Labour Party Deputy Leader on the Grunwick picket line in 1977.  Who was he?

4.

Which film is set on the fictional Isla Nublar near to Costa Rica?

5.

Which Premiership winning footballer has had spells at FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town?  He currently plays for Cremonese in Italy’s Serie A.

6.

In 1936 the GPO film unit produced the celebrated documentary film Night Mail which ended with music by Benjamin Britten and lyrics written by whom?

7.

Who wrote these lines as part of the lyrics to an enduring 1926 popular song (both names required):

“I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?”

8.

Which ubiquitous food product is named after an area of Spain within the autonomous community whose capital is Toledo?

Sp.

Which 2019 TV historical drama series based in Eastern Europe starred Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson, and Paul Ritter?

Go to Round 6 questions with answers

ROUND 7 - ‘The Universe & Everything’

 A not very Hidden Theme, hinted at by the title

1.

In a 1946 essay, George Orwell gives a detailed description of his ideal public house.  Several pubs are named after this fictitious ideal, including over a dozen by Wetherspoons.  What is this pub name?

2.

The Heinkel He 178 in 1939, the Caproni Campini N.1 in 1940, the Gloster E.28/39 in 1941, the Bell XP-59A in 1942.  In 1943, what is next on this list?

3.

In the DC Comic world, Perry White is the editor-in-chief of which newspaper?

4.

Which pilchard-based dish traditionally originates from the Cornish village of Mousehole, and celebrates the efforts of the fisherman Tom Bawcock in braving storms to feed the entire village?

5.

In the 1970s and ‘80s, celebrities such as Brian Clough, Peter Shilton and Ian Botham were 'unable' to eat three Shredded Wheats.  According to a 1980 TV ad, what else couldn’t eat three of these?

6.

Who is missing from this list: Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen?

7.

The 102 MHz frequency in Manchester was originally used by Sunset 102.  In 1994, it became Kiss 102.  What was the station’s name between 1997 and 2011, before it was rebranded as Capital Manchester?

8.

Which awards by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association go to the best science fiction or fantasy works published in the USA in the previous calendar year?  The first novel to win was Dune by Frank Herbert in 1966.  Last year’s winner was Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell.

Sp1

What brand name was given to a small Chevrolet car from 1962 to 1979, and from 1985 to 1988; to an Opel Corsa ‘A’ supermini car from 1983 to 1993, when it was rebadged for the UK as a Vauxhall; and to a subcompact/supermini car manufactured by Dacia from 1995 to 2000?

Sp2

Which two-word term applies to a police attack on August 31st 1913, where two workers in Dublin died and hundreds were injured; to the violence in Dublin on November 21st 1920, where 30+ people were killed; to the violence in Belfast on July 10th 1921, where 17 people were killed, and 100+ were wounded; and to the incident when British soldiers shot 26 civilians in Derry on January 30th 1972, killing 13 outright?

Go to Round 7 questions with answers

ROUND 8 - ‘Spiller over London’

Each question provides two clues to a district within London.

First a straight clue and then a ‘punny’ clue (as pioneered by Greg Spiller of the Ethel Rodin team).

1.

Home to one of the earliest BBC buildings, used for the BBC World War II News services as well as more recently the BBC Radiophonic Workshop,
&
Declaration of the founder of the football league club based in Burslem

2.

Setting for the 3rd movement of Eric Coates’ London Suite and location of a 1980 embassy siege,
&
Piece of solo singing between the Pips

3.

Home to the last of London’s mainline termini to be built,
&
What Yasmin Parvaneh did in 1985

4.

An ancient Thames-side town that straddles the river Roding,
&
Could be a setter’s cry

5.

West London suburb with more railway stations bearing its name (7) than any other place in the UK,
&
Instruction given to David Tennant (say) after a break at the National

6.

District that is home to a number of squares including one made famous by a 1940 song by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin,
&
Meal eaten by a recent PM

7.

Setting for BBC’s drama Call the Midwife,
&
Cynophile

8.

Home to the Museum of London and a cluster of Grade II listed buildings in the Brutalist style,
&
When Ken finds it impossible ….

Sp.

Scene of 1987 fire in which 31 people died,
&
Yul Brynner’s character is angry

Go to Round 8 questions with answers

ROUND 1 - 

1.

Born 1925
Which naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and TV presenter is perhaps best known for his description of life as a child with his siblings and mother on Corfu from 1935 to 1939?

Gerald Durrell

2.

Born 1970
Who was MP for Leigh from 2001 to 2017? He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2007-2008), Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2008-2009), and Secretary of State for Health (2009-2010).

Andy Burnham

3.

Event 1610
Who first observed the moons Ganymede and Callisto orbiting Jupiter?

Galileo

4.

Event 1558
French troops take Calais, often cited as the last continental possession of England - but which continental port did England capture from Spain in 1658, and sell back to France in 1662?

Dunkirk

5.

Event 1989
In one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history, which fifth tier team beat top flight Coventry City 2-1?

Sutton United

6.

Event 2015
Two gunmen executed 12 people and wounded 11 others in Paris, giving rise to which slogan?

‘Je suis Charlie’

(accept also ‘I am Charlie’ - adopted by supporters of Charlie Hebdo)

7.

Died 1932
Which French politician is best known for advocating a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built in the 1930s? Named after him, it became a metaphor for expensive efforts that offer a false sense of security when the Germans bypassed it to north in 1940, invading through the Low Countries

(André) Maginot

8.

Died 1989
Reigning from 1926 until his death, Emperor Shōwa is the longest-reigning emperor in Japanese history. By what name is he better known?

Hirohito

Sp1

Born 1800
Who became the 13th US President in 1850, after the death of Zachary Taylor?  As a Whig Party member, he was the last president to be neither a Democrat nor a Republican.

Millard Fillmore

Sp2

Died 1943
Born in what is now Croatia, which Serbian engineer and inventor emigrated to the USA, and became known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system? The SI unit of magnetic flux density is named in his honour.

Nikola Tesla

ROUND 2 - Hidden theme

1.

Which town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire has been dubbed the ‘Capital of the Peak’ and the ‘Home of Ferodo’, the brake company?

Chapel-en-le-Frith

2.

Opened in 2002, the world's only rotating boat lift connects the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal in a half-turn that takes only five minutes! In which town is it?

Falkirk

(The Falkirk Wheel)

3.

When he tore his Achilles tendon, Brad Pitt caused significant production delays to which 2004 film?

Troy

(Ironically Brad Pitt was playing Achilles)

4.

IMDb is a comprehensive online resource for all things film, TV, and entertainment, offering details on cast, crew, plots, ratings, reviews, and trivia.  What does IMDb stand for?

Internet Movie Database

5.

Which prison island, in the East River in the Bronx, is the site of one of the world's largest correctional institutions and mental institutions, and has been described as New York's best-known jail?

Rikers Island

6.

This Vitamin K antagonist is prescribed for conditions such as DVT, pulmonary embolism, and to protect against strokes. Sometimes known as Marevan in the UK, and Coumadin or Jantoven in the US, by what name is this anticoagulant better known?

Warfarin

7.

There is a cathedral in Liverpool, with a red telephone box in it. Who designed both of these?

(Sir Giles Gilbert) Scott

8.

Walkers leads the overall UK crisp market, but, in the specific crinkle/thick-cut market, which brand outsells the other main contenders: Walkers Max, Seabrook, Mackie's, and Yorkshire Crisps?

McCoys

Sp1

Who wrote Baby and Child Care? Published in 1946, it is one of the 20th century’s best-selling books. It sold 500,000 copies in its first six months and 50 million by the time the author died in 1998?

Dr (Benjamin) Spock

Sp2

Who was the inspiration for Professor Calculus in Herge’s Adventures of Tintin? In a balloon, he was one of the first two people to enter the stratosphere. His son was one of the first two people to explore Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the ocean. His grandson initiated and was a pilot of the first round-the-world solar powered flight.

(Auguste) Piccard

(son Jacques, grandson Bertrand)

Theme: Each answer contains names of the crew members of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation ...

Startrek: Nurse Chapel; Captain Kirk; Chief Engineer Scott; Dr. McCoy; Science Officer Spock
Startrek: The Next Generation: Ship’s Counsellor Troi; Second Officer Data, Commander Riker; Lieutenant Worf; Captain Picard

Go back to Round 2 questions without answers

ROUND 3 - ‘Do I Detect an Answer?’

All answers in this round involve a fictional detective

1.

Which international photographic cooperative was founded in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger, David ‘Chim’ Seymour, Maria Eisner, and William and Rita Vandivert?

Magnum

(Photos)

2.

Which organization was founded about 1119, and endorsed by the Catholic church in 1129?  Many of its members were arrested, tortured, and executed in 1307, and it was disbanded by the Pope in 1312.

The Knights’ Templar

3.

Nowadays in five-card stud, the term ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is used to describe: an unknown hole card, the 8 of Clubs, the 8 of Spades, the Ace of Clubs, and which other card?

Ace of Spades

4.

In 1991, this author and philosopher’s second book, Lila: An Inquiry into Morals, developed value-based metaphysics.  What was the title of the same author’s popular 1974 book, exploring the nature of quality?

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

(by Robert M. Pirsig)

5.

Born in 1917, he once said: “The piano ain't got no wrong notes.”  His improvisational style featured dissonances and angular melodic twists.  He made numerous contributions to the jazz repertoire, and is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.  Dying in 1982, who was this US jazz pianist?

Thelonious Monk

6.

What event, from May 4th to May 12th 1926, involved about 1.7 million people in the UK?

The General Strike

7.

Now owned by Waterstones, which bookseller has a chain of seven stores in England, including its flagship store in Charing Cross Road, which - with 30 miles of shelving - was once the world's largest bookshop?

Foyles

8.

Which New Zealander won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 1994 for The Piano and the Best Director Oscar in 2022 for The Power of The Dog?

Jane Campion

Sp1

Which cartoon character is easily recognized by his round head a trademark zigzag patterned shirt, and his catchphrase “Good Grief!”?

Charlie Brown

Sp2

Of whom did a Judge say: “…you have pleaded guilty to the charges brought by this court, and it is now my duty to pass sentence. You are an habitual criminal, who accepts arrest as an occupational hazard, and presumably accepts imprisonment in the same casual manner. We therefore feel constrained to commit you to the maximum term allowed for these offences; you will go to prison for five years."

(Norman Stanley) Fletcher

(in the TV series Porridge)

Featured Detectives:

Thomas Magnum, Simon Templar, Sam Spade, Aurelio Zen, Adrian Monk, Cormoran Strike, Christopher Foyle, Albert Campion, Father Brown and Jessica Fletcher

Go back to Round 3 questions without answers

ROUND 4 - ‘R.I.P. 2025’

A Bingo Round about People who Died Last Year – pick your date from the grid handed out

1.

Jan 30th aged 78:

She began her career in 1964 after attending a party for the Rolling Stones and having a Top 10 hit with As Tears Go By.  Her popularity was enhanced by film roles in I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and Hamlet (1969).

Marianne Faithfull

2.

Feb 18th aged 95:

One of the best actors of his generation, he won a Oscars for Best Actor as a police detective in a 1971 action thriller, and a Best Supporting Actor as a villainous sheriff in a 1992 Western.

Gene Hackman

3.

Mar 1st aged 73:

This Scottish painter, known for his distinctive figurative style, gained international recognition with his 1992 painting The Singing Butler, depicting a couple in evening dress dancing on a beach, with a maid and a butler holding up umbrellas against the weather.

Jack Vettriano

4.

Apr 18th aged 78:

This Northern Irish singer, represented the UK in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest with Jack in the Box, and finished in fourth place.

Clodagh Rodgers

5.

May 20th aged 85:

This British author, cartoonist and jazz musician, was famous for his work at the magazine Private Eye, where he was the fictitious poet-in-residence E J Thribb, and where he created the fictitious Neasden FC.

Barry Fantoni

6.

Jun 17th aged 94:

This Czech-born pianist, author, and lecturer, moved to London in 1971.  Noted for his performances of Beethoven, Schubert, and Liszt, he was the first pianist to record all Beethoven's works for solo piano.

Alfred Brendel

7.

Jul 24th aged 97:

Famous for her huge vocal range, wide repertoire, and scat-singing, she performed with all the greats, including Frank Sinatra.  She was the first British singer to win a Grammy Award in a jazz category.  Her husband, a well-known jazz saxophonist, composer, and writer of film scores died in 2010.

Cleo Laine

(her husband was John Dankworth)

8.

Aug 10th aged 92:

This television producer was best known for editing BBC Television’s children's magazine show Blue Peter from 1965 to 1988, devising much of the format that is still used today.

Joan Baxter

(accept ‘Biddy’ Baxter)

9.

Sep 4th aged 91:

Regarded as one of the most influential fashion designers, he gained recognition for his work with Cerruti 1881.  He founded his own fashion house in 1975 and was known for minimalist, deconstructed silhouettes, which are said to have redefined male and female elegance in a modern form.

Giorgio Armani

10.

Oct 5th aged 88:

This English author and journalist was best known for her long-running Rutshire Chronicles series, starting with Riders in 1985, and most recently Tackle! in 2023.  Who was this bonkbuster writer?

Jilly Cooper

(accept Jill Sallitt)

11.

Nov 3rd aged 84:

Widely considered to be the most powerful vice president in US history, who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009?

Dick Cheney

12.

Dec 22nd aged 74:

In 1978, this man’s wife started driving him home from London to Middlesborough in her Austin Mini, as we keep getting reminded every Christmas.  Who was this singer, songwriter, and guitarist?

Chris Rea

(as in the song Driving Home for Christmas)

Go back to Round 4 questions without answers

ROUND 5 - ‘Vroom, Vroom!’

A not very Hidden Theme, hinted at by the title

1.

What name links the only Englishman to become pope as Adrian IV, and a similarly named brewery in Henley-on-Thames run by distant relatives from 1779 until its closure in 2002?

(Nicholas) Breakspear

(Pope 1154-1159 - & Robert Brakspear, and his successors)

2.

With a heat rating of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units, this cultivar of capsicum chinense, native to the Americas, supposedly resembles a tam o’ shanter. What is this variety of chili pepper commonly called?

Scotch Bonnet

(accept Bonney pepper, or Caribbean red pepper, but say they do not fit the theme)

3.

The Large Hadron Collider, at CERN, uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to very high speeds, and energies to contain them in well-defined beams. The LHC is the world’s largest and highest-energy example of which type of machine?  A two-word answer is expected.

Particle Accelerator or Collider Accelerator

4.

Vera Lynn first recorded this song in 1939, backed by a Hammond Novachord, the world's first commercial polyphonic synthesizer.  What was the song’s title?  It had the same title as her 2009 ‘Best of’ album when, aged 92, she became the oldest living artist to have a British album chart No. 1.

We'll Meet Again

5.

Since its inception in 1985, who has been the sole constant member of the band Guns N’ Roses?

Axl Rose

(accept William Bruce Rose Jr but point out this does not fit with the theme)

6.

Between 9 and 6, what phrase is missing from this NASA commentary:

“20 seconds and counting; T-15 seconds; guidance is internal; 12, 11, 10, 9, ????, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero; all engines running; LIFTOFF; we have a liftoff; 32 minutes past the hour; liftoff on Apollo 11.”

Ignition sequence starts

(accept any phrase that mentions Ignition)

7.

He was appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout in July 2009.  He held the post until September 2024, becoming the second-longest-serving Chief Scout after Robert Baden-Powell.  Name this British adventurer, TV presenter, and former SAS trooper.

(Edward) ‘Bear’ Grylls

8.

Which sound-alike surnames link an actor best known for his 1972 to 1978 role as Grandpa Zebulon ‘Zeb’ Walton in the TV series The Waltons, and an actor who established himself as a leading man and sex symbol, in his 1980 film role in American Gigolo?

Geer/Gere

(Will Geer & Richard Gere)

Sp1

Found near Ctesiphon in Iraq, this artifact dates from anywhere between 150 BC and 650 AD.  A terracotta pot about 5 inches tall with a 1½ inch mouth, contains a rolled copper cylinder, which houses an iron rod. Its purpose is unclear, but some suggest it is the earliest example of what item?

A Battery or Galvanic Cell

(known as the Baghdad Battery or Parthian Battery)

Sp2

Following allegations of misconduct, who replaced Gregg Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef in December 2024?

Grace Dent

Go back to Round 5 questions without answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

The theme word is always the first part of a key word within the answer

1.

Her career ranged from a singing part in the original performance of Brecht’s Threepenny Opera to playing the arch-villain in the second Bond film. In between she was regarded as the main interpreter of her husband, Kurt Weill’s, music.  Who was she?

Lotte Lenya

2.

Written by Milton Ager in the 1920s which standard song was a favourite of the Beatles in their Hamburg days and became the single released by them in the UK between Can’t Buy Me Love and A Hard Day’s Night?

Ain’t She Sweet

3.

He served as Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington from 2010 to 2022.  He met his future wife, a former Labour Party Deputy Leader on the Grunwick picket line in 1977.  Who was he?

Jack Dromey

4.

Which film is set on the fictional Isla Nublar near to Costa Rica?

Jurassic Park

5.

Which Premiership winning footballer has had spells at FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town?  He currently plays for Cremonese in Italy’s Serie A.

Jamie Vardy

6.

In 1936 the GPO film unit produced the celebrated documentary film Night Mail which ended with music by Benjamin Britten and lyrics written by whom?

W H Auden

7.

Who wrote these lines as part of the lyrics to an enduring 1926 popular song (both names required):

“I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?”

Ira Gershwin

(the song is Someone to Watch Over Me with music by George Gershwin)

8.

Which ubiquitous food product is named after an area of Spain within the autonomous community whose capital is Toledo?

Manchego

(La Mancha in Castillia-La Mancha)

Sp.

Which 2019 TV historical drama series based in Eastern Europe starred Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson, and Paul Ritter?

Chernobyl

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a French Department ...

Lot, Ain, Drome, Jura, Var, Aude, Gers, Manche, Cher

Go back to Round 6 questions without answers

ROUND 7 - ‘The Universe & Everything’

A not very Hidden Theme, hinted at by the title

1.

In a 1946 essay, George Orwell gives a detailed description of his ideal public house.  Several pubs are named after this fictitious ideal, including over a dozen by Wetherspoons.  What is this pub name?

The Moon Under Water

2.

The Heinkel He 178 in 1939, the Caproni Campini N.1 in 1940, the Gloster E.28/39 in 1941, the Bell XP-59A in 1942.  In 1943, what is next on this list?

Gloster Meteor

(first jet aircraft)

3.

In the DC Comic world, Perry White is the editor-in-chief of which newspaper?

Daily Planet

(the paper in Metropolis that employs Clark Kent)

4.

Which pilchard-based dish traditionally originates from the Cornish village of Mousehole, and celebrates the efforts of the fisherman Tom Bawcock in braving storms to feed the entire village?

Stargazy pie

(accept starrey gazey pie, stargazey pie or any other reasonable variants)

5.

In the 1970s and ‘80s, celebrities such as Brian Clough, Peter Shilton and Ian Botham were 'unable' to eat three Shredded Wheats.  According to a 1980 TV ad, what else couldn’t eat three of these?

A Black Hole

6.

Who is missing from this list: Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen?

Comet

(Santa’s reindeer)

7.

The 102 MHz frequency in Manchester was originally used by Sunset 102.  In 1994, it became Kiss 102.  What was the station’s name between 1997 and 2011, before it was rebranded as Capital Manchester?

Galaxy (102)

8.

Which awards by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association go to the best science fiction or fantasy works published in the USA in the previous calendar year?  The first novel to win was Dune by Frank Herbert in 1966.  Last year’s winner was Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell.

The Nebula Awards

Sp1

What brand name was given to a small Chevrolet car from 1962 to 1979, and from 1985 to 1988; to an Opel Corsa ‘A’ supermini car from 1983 to 1993, when it was rebadged for the UK as a Vauxhall; and to a subcompact/supermini car manufactured by Dacia from 1995 to 2000?

Nova

Sp2

Which two-word term applies to a police attack on August 31st 1913, where two workers in Dublin died and hundreds were injured; to the violence in Dublin on November 21st 1920, where 30+ people were killed; to the violence in Belfast on July 10th 1921, where 17 people were killed, and 100+ were wounded; and to the incident when British soldiers shot 26 civilians in Derry on January 30th 1972, killing 13 outright?

Bloody Sunday

Theme: Each answer contains the name of aa astronomical body

Go back to Round 7 questions without answers

ROUND 8 - ‘Spiller over London’

Each question provides two clues to a district within London.

1.

Home to one of the earliest BBC buildings, used for the BBC World War II News services as well as more recently the BBC Radiophonic Workshop,
&
Declaration of the founder of the football league club based in Burslem

Maida Vale

& “Made a (Port) Vale”

2.

Setting for the 3rd movement of Eric Coates’ London Suite and location of a 1980 embassy siege,
&
Piece of solo singing between the Pips

Knightsbridge

& (Gladys) Knight’s bridge (ref GK and the Pips)

3.

Home to the last of London’s mainline termini to be built,
&
What Yasmin Parvaneh did in 1985

Marylebone

& Marry (Simon) Le Bon (of Duran Duran)

4.

An ancient Thames-side town that straddles the river Roding,
&
Could be a setter’s cry

Barking

& Barking

5.

West London suburb with more railway stations bearing its name (7) than any other place in the UK,
&
Instruction given to David Tennant (say) after a break at the National

Acton

& Act on

6.

District that is home to a number of squares including one made famous by a 1940 song by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin,
&
Meal eaten by a recent PM

Mayfair

(ref: Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square)

& (Theresa) May fare

7.

Setting for BBC’s drama Call the Midwife,
&
Cynophile

Isle of Dogs

& I love dogs

8.

Home to the Museum of London and a cluster of Grade II listed buildings in the Brutalist style,
&
When Ken finds it impossible ….

Barbican

& “Barbie can”

Sp.

Scene of 1987 fire in which 31 people died,
&
Yul Brynner’s character is angry

King’s Cross

& King (& I) cross

Go back to Round 8 questions without answers