ROUND 1

1.

In literature who was imprisoned on the Chateau d’If?

The Count of Monte Cristo (Edmond Dantes)

2.

What is the family name of the Dukes of Westminster?

Grosvenor

3.

Ben Lomand and Baldwin are types of which fruit?

Blackberry

4.

Name the 4 countries that border Lake Chad.

Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger

5.

Who presents Moneybox Live on Radio 4?

Vincent Duggleby

6.

If dog is canine, cat is feline and horse is equine, what is bear?

Ursine

7.

Which element has the atomic number 25 and the symbol Mn?

Manganese

8.

Who wrote the orchestral suite Scheherezade, and, amongst many operas, The Golden Cockerel?

Rimsky Korsakov

ROUND 2

1.

What did Curtis Weston achieve last weekend?

Became youngest player to appear in an FA Cup Final (for Millwall, at 17 yrs. 119 days)

2.

What is significant about The National Trust’s property at 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool?

It was the home of Paul McCartney where the Beatles met and rehearsed

3.

Who wrote the book Corridors of Power?

C P Snow

4.

Who kept Oasis and Wonderwall off the number one spot?

Robson & Jerome

5.

What was Shakespeare’s first comedy?

Two Gentlemen of Verona

6.

On which river does Melbourne stand?

Yarra

7.

Which Side are You On? is the recently published biography of which film director?

Ken Loach

8.

Who is the only British PM to have held all four great offices of state: Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary?

James Callaghan

ROUND 3

1.

What is the state capital of New Hampshire?

Concord

2.

Which 1990 film stars Angelica Huston, John Cusack and Anette Bening as a group of con artists?

The Grifters

3.

In Word War One, how was the third battle of Ypres also known?

Passchendale

4.

Who wrote Travels with my Aunt?

Graham Greene

5.

In last week’s first Test against New Zealand, Chris Cairns first innings score of 82 was significant in giving him which Test Match record?

Most sixes scored in a Test match career (86)

6.

Which private railway runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth?

Severn Valley Railway

7.

Name the 5 states in the USA, which border the Gulf of Mexico.

Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida

8.

Which American rock band’s hit albums include: 7800° Fahrenheit, Slippery When Wet, and New Jersey?

Bon Jovi

ROUND 4

1.

Which 3 words appearing consecutively in the dictionary mean:

·    to walk in an elated manner

·    of dinner or lunch

·    to crash or damage a motor vehicle?

Prance – Prandial - Prang

2.

In astronomy what is the principal characteristic of a moon with either a waxing gibbous or a waning gibbous?

The bright part is greater than a semi-circle (half ­moon) but less than a full moon (as distinct from a waxing or waning crescent)

3.

Which spice do Americans call cilantro?

Coriander

4.

In which US state did the Pilgrim Fathers land?

Massachusetts

5.

Besides Pompeii which other ancient city was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79?

Herculaneum

6.

Justin Hawkins is the lead singer of the group that had last year’s Christmas number one single.  Who are they?

The Darkness

7.

What is the capital of the German region of Saxony?

Dresden

8.

Which English county has the shortest coastline?

Durham

ROUND 5

1.

Who was kidnapped in R L Stevenson’s 1886 novel Kidnapped?

David Balfour

2.

What is the family name of the Dukes of Devonshire?

Cavendish

3.

Which two cheeses are layered in a Huntsman cheese?

Double Gloucester & Stilton

4.

Name the 3 countries that border Lake Victoria.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

5.

Who presents From Our Own Correspondent on Radio 4?

Kate Adie

6.

If Elizabeth = Elizabethan, George = Georgian and James = Jacobean, what does Charles equal?

Caroline or Carolingian

7.

Which element has the atomic number 42 and the symbol Mo?

Molybdenum

8.

Who wrote the opera The Pearl Fishers?

Bizet

ROUND 6 

1.

Before Arsenal, which is the only other team to go through an entire top flight league season in England undefeated?

Preston North End

2.

In which Cumbrian Village is The National Trust’s Beatrix Potter Gallery?

Hawkshead

3.

Who wrote the book The Napoleon of Notting Hill?

G K Chesterton

4.

Who kept Ultravox and Vienna off the number one spot?

Joe Dolce

5.

What was Shakespeare’s first tragedy?

Titus Andronicus

6.

On which river does Perth, Australia stand?

Swan

7.

Beautiful & Damned is the West end musical based on a love story involving which celebrated American novelist?

Scott Fitzgerald

8.

Who served as Prime Minister for the shortest length of time in the 20th century?

Andrew Bonar Law

ROUND 7

1.

What is the state capital of New Jersey?

Trenton

2.

Which actress plays the part of the female police officer in Fargo?

Frances McDormand

3.

In Word War One, who made up the Triple Entente?

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey

4.

Who wrote Portnoy’s Complaint?

Philip Roth

5.

Who became the first English Test cricketer since 1969 to score a century on his debut innings last week?

Andrew Strauss

6.

Which private railway runs from Sheffield Park to Kingscote in Sussex?

Bluebell Railway

7.

Name the 4 states in the USA which border Lake Michigan.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana

8.

Which American rock band’s hit albums include: Appetite for Destruction and Use your Illusion I & II?

Guns n’ Roses

ROUND 8

1.

Which 3 words appearing consecutively in the dictionary mean:

·    a political functionary

·    equipment

·    clothing or dress?

Apparatchik - Apparatus - Apparel

2.

Which planet has the widest range of average temperatures by day (350°C) and night (-170°C)?

Mercury

3.

If you choose granola from an American breakfast menu, what would you be eating?

Muesli

4.

Which US state incorporates the Union Jack in its flag?

Hawaii

5.

Which European country was known to the Romans as Lusitania?

Portugal

6.

Whose latest album is entitled You are the Quarry?

Morissey

7.

On what river does Amsterdam stand?

Amstel

8.

Where in the British Isles would you find Flat Holm and Sweep Holm?

Bristol Channel

SPARES

1.

Ochlophobia is the fear of what?

Crowds

2.

In the 1960s, who replaced Gateshead in the Football League?

Peterborough United

3.

Smart cars are produced by which car manufacturer?

Daimler Chrysler (accept either name)

4.

In which city is The National Lifeboat Museum?

Bristol

5.

Whose response to an admirer’s question “May I shake the hand of the greatest living Englishman?” was “I’m Irish - fuck off”?

Spike Milligan

6.

Who has just been approved as the BBC’s new Director General?

Mark Thompson

7.

The exhibition called A City’s Pride at the Lowry features the works of which artist?

L S Lowry

8.

Who was the referee in Saturday’s FA Cup Final?

Jeff Winter