ROUND 1

1.

Which broadcaster, who died in 1994, suggested that “Macclesfield was the centre of the universe”?

Brian Redhead

2.

Who was sentenced to death for committing a murder which was recorded by the news media, but died of a pulmonary embolism on January 3^rd 1967 before the sentence could be carried out?

Jack Ruby

3.

Which TV character, created by Johnny Speight, first appeared on our screens in 1964?

Alf Garnett

4.

Who played the female lead in the film Lost in Translation?

Scarlett Johannson

5.

Who was Leeds United’s left-back in their championship-winning team of 1974?

Trevor Cherry

6.

Who “invented medicinal compound”?

Lily the Pink

7.

Which real-life character was played by John Wayne in the 1968 film Hellfighters?

Texas ‘Red’ Adair

8.

Who was the king of England from 978 to 1016?

Ethelred II (the Unreddy)

Theme:  All connected with reddish colours

ROUND 2

1.

By what is the gemstone beryllium aluminium silicate better known?

Emerald

2.

Which album did Sade release on 28 July 1984?

Diamond Life

3.

If Snickers came from Marathon, what did Starburst come from?

Opal Fruits

4.

Who sang Sing Little Birdy in the Eurovision Song Contest?

Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson

5.

Who played the female lead in the 1980 movie Private Benjamin?

Goldie Hawn

6.

From which 1931 movie did Jean Harlow gain her nickname?

Platinum Blonde

7.

What is the first name of Mick and Bianca Jagger’s child?

Jade

8.

In which ITV series (1979 to 1982) did the title characters possess special powers including the ability to communicate telepathically?

Sapphire and Steel

Theme:  All precious metals/stones

ROUND 3

1.

Which trainer has handled four Derby winners including Shergar and North Light?

Michael Stoute

2.

Which novel written by Milan Kundera was turned into a 1988 film directed by Philip Kaufman and starring Daniel Day Lewis and Juliette Binoche?

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

3.

What phrase in the English language derives from the practice of being outside a fence that has been created by knocking pointed staves into the ground?

Beyond the pale (a pale is a pointed stave, also used in impaling)

4.

What was the full name of the character played by Yootha Joyce in 2 classic 1970’s ITV sitcoms?

Mildred Roper

5.

What is the French term meaning ‘ready to wear’?

Pret à Porter

6.

Which district of Rio De Janeiro is located on the southern zone of the city between Leblon and Copacabana?

Ipanema

7.

Name the bird: a thickset heron with all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars - it flies on broad, rounded, bowed wings - the males make a remarkable booming sound in spring.

Bittern

8.

Who is this designer?  Born in 1938, he started his career with Pierre Balmain before moving to Fendi and then to Chloe and finally Chanel.

Karl Lagerfeld

Theme:  All beer related

ROUND 4

1.

What collective term did poet Robert Southey give to Byron, Keats and Shelley?

The Satanic School

2.

What name is given to the period between the death of Alexander the Great, and the accession of the Roman Emperor Augustus, when Greek culture spread throughout the Mediterranean?

The Hellenistic Age

3.

In which novel would you find Ruth, Bobbo and Mary Fisher?

Life and Loves of a She Devil, by Fay Weldon

4.

Born, in 1938 in Butte, Montana, he is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having broken 35 of his bones. There is a river in Arkansas named after him.  Who is he?

Evel Knievel

5.

Having previously managed Glasgow Rangers, who is now in his second spell as the coach of The Netherlands national soccer team?

Dick Advocaat

6.

Which car, produced in the UK by the Rootes Group between 1963 and 1976, was known as the ‘Poor Man’s Porsche’?

The Hillman Imp

7.

Which classic song begins: “Well I stand up next to a mountain, I chop it down with the edge of my hand”?

Voodoo Child, by Jimi Hendrix

8.

Which film features the adventures of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams, and the town of Burkittsville, Maryland?

The Blair Witch Project

Theme:  All devilish

ROUND 5

1.

Who is the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry?

Patricia Hewitt

2.

What is produced by the fermentation of pyrrus communis?

Perry

3.

What is the highest mountain in North America?

Mount McKinley

4.

Which group’s albums included Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition, Brain Salad Surgery and Black Moon?

Emerson, Lake and Palmer

5.

Which large retailing company (Chief Executive: John Coleman) recently took over Jenner’s of Edinburgh?

House of Fraser

6.

Which 1979 film won Oscars for best film, best actor and best director?

Kramer vs Kramer

7.

Who led the Dambusters raid?

Guy Gibson

8.

Whose latest book is entitled The Triumph of the Sun?

Wilbur Smith

Theme:  All Wimbledon champions

ROUND 6 

1.

Which musical instrument is also referred to as a gewgaw, or a trump?

Jew’s harp

2.

Who is the legendary former President of Athletico Madrid who sacked Ron Atkinson among many others?

Jesus Gil

3.

Which steeplechaser has the highest ever Timeform rating of 212, and won 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups?

Arkle

4.

Which 1967 film, featuring the characters Society Red, Loudmouth Steve and Blind Dick, concerns the lives of convicts on a Southern road gang?

Cool Hand Luke

5.

Whose most recent single release is Negotiate with Love?

Rachel Stevens

6.

Published in 2000, what’s the title of Stephen Fry’s first autobiography?

Moab is my Washpot

7.

Who was born in February 1997 and gave birth to a daughter called Bonnie in March 1998?

Dolly the sheep

8.

Who founded Childline?

Esther Rantzen

Theme:  All biblical - though sheep is admittedly stretching it a bit!

ROUND 7

1.

If you leave Victoria heading for Brixton on the Victoria line what is the first stop you come to?

Pimlico

2.

Who played the original Darren in Bewitched?

Dick York

3.

For what Roman construction is the Spanish city of Segovia most famous?

Aqueduct

4.

Which local radio station serves Leeds and its surroundings?

Radio Aire

5.

What is the common name for magnesium sulphate?

Epsom salts

6.

Which was the first stone castle built in the British Isles?

Chepstow

7.

What was The Big Bopper’s biggest hit in the UK?

Chantilly Lace

8.

Which Frenchman won the first of his 6 Grands Prix in Sweden in 1977?

Jacques Laffite

Theme:  All racecourses, or part thereof

ROUND 8

1.

Who is the Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey?

Simon Hughes

2.

Which surname is missing from this list: Orange, Williams, Donald, Barlow?

Owen (members of Take That  - in case the Opsimaths pretend not to know)

3.

Alessandro Farnese became what in 1534?

Pope

4.

Which UK middle distance runner won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics?

Peter Elliott

5.

What was James Dean’s real name?

(James) Byron

6.

Which architect was responsible for, among other projects, the Royal Mews and Haymarket Theatre?

Nash

7.

What is the common name for the bird Apus Apus?

The Swift

8.

Which TV show of the 70s and 80s was derided by Terry Wogan in the following terms: “For one thing, there’s only five of ‘em”?

Blakes 7

Theme:  All poets

SPARES

1.

Only 5 countries have won the Cricket World Cup.  Which are they?

West Indies (1975 & 1979), India (1983), Australia (1987, 1999, 2003), Pakistan (1992) and Sri Lanka (1996)

2.

According to Channel 4 viewers last weekend, what is the greatest album of all time?

O.K. Computer by Radiohead

3.

What was the name and number of the last space mission which actually landed men on the moon?

Apollo 17

4.

The action of which book (whose central character is Leopold Bloom) takes place over 18 hours?

Ulysses

5.

Which metal (atomic number 80) is present in the rare mineral calomel?

Mercury

6.

Which is the world’s oldest rowing club (founded in 1818)?

Leander club

7.

What are the 4 letters that represent the 4 nucleotide bases in the molecule DNA?

A – C – G - T

8.

What was the name of the backing band of 60’s soul god, Curtis Mayfield?

The Impressions

9.

Which brewery brews Landlord beer?

Timothy Taylor

10

Which town/city has the postcode SR?

Sunderland