1.

Whose autobiography was called A Life at the Centre?

2.

The Listener magazine is defunct but its crossword lives on once a week in which edition of which publication?

3.

A league table of divorces has recently been published.  In which town do marriages last longest with a 6.5% divorce rate?

4.

…and in which town are there most divorces?

5.

Which political cartoonist has been banned from the Cartoonist of the Year contest because he’s won it too often?

6.

Roy Jenkins wrote biographies of 2 prime ministers.  Which two?

7.

The Tricolor sank after a collision in the Channel on December 14th.  What 3 makes of car was it carrying?

8.

What was the name of the Turkish tanker that hit the wreck of the Tricolor on New Year's day?

1.

What runs from the Gulf of Liaotung to North Kansu?

2.

In what postcode area is Stretford Sports Centre in Longford Park?

3.

Which Shipping Area is marked ‘A’?

4.

What ran from Lashio Myanmar to Chunking?

5.

What ran from Bo-ness nearly as far as Dumbarton?

6.

Which Shipping Area is marked ‘B’?

7.

In what postcode area is Didsbury golf course?

8.

Name the places at each end of Hadrian’s Wall.

1.

Mobile phone msgs have now been around for 10 years.  They use SMS.  What does SMS stand for?

2.

What is the maximum size of a mobile phone msg?

3.

What’s the generic name for symbols like smiley faces that can be produced in an msg?

4.

It was in December 1992 that Vodaphone sent the first msg.  What were its first 2 words?

5.

What species of bird is Erithacus rubecula?

6.

What species of bird is Troglodytes troglodytes?

7.

What comes next in the sequence W, T, F, S,  ...?

8.

What comes next in the sequence M, V, E, M,  ...?

1

O

2

3

4

5

6

7

ACROSS

1. Cryptic clue: Big American birds trick Diana. (7)

5. Cryptic clue: Summarising, bin fire destroyed. (2,5)

6. Cryptic clue: Old TV doctor to murder comic Dan? Sounds like it. (7)

7. Plain clue: Obscene videos. (7)

DOWN

1. Cryptic clue: Cowardly, but smart, Barlow? (7)

2. Plain clue: Gentle bites. (7)

3. Plain clue: Folding art. (7)

4. Plain clue: Tones down. (7)

1.

In 1961 a record aggregate attendance of over 25 million watched the 42 league and 7 cup games of which football league club?

2.

In 1963 who became the only left-handed golfer to win a major (the British Open at Lytham)?

3.

In 1965 Stanley Matthews became the oldest player to play in the football league (in the Stoke City v Fulham game).  How old was he?  (to the nearest month)

4.

Wimbledon’s longest tennis match was Pancho Gonzales v Charlie Pasarell in 1969.  In total how many games were played in the match? (to within 10%)

5.

Arkle won the 1966 Cheltenham Gold Cup by a record distance.  What was it exactly?

6.

Exactly how many runs did Michael Vaughan score in the 2002/03 Ashes series?

7.

Two English football league teams have been champions of all 4 divisions.  Which two?

8.

Only 2 uncapped players have been voted Footballer of the Year – one from Burnley and one from Manchester City.  Name them.

1.

What type of symbols are represented here?

2.

Which zodiac constellation and which planet are symbolised here?

3.

This is a still from which film?

4.

The flag of which European Country is created by rotating Italy’s flag through 90 degrees?

5.

Which zodiac constellation and which planet are symbolised here?

6.

What type of alphabet is represented here?

7.

The flag of which European country is created by rotating France’s flag through 90 degrees?

8.

This is a poster for which film?

1.

Atlantis and Hurdy Gurdy Man were hits for whom?   (first and last names please)

2.

The first performance of which ballet in 1913 resulted in riots between supporters and detractors?

3.

When an orchestra tunes up which instrument plays the first note to which everyone else must tune?

4.

...and what note does this instrument play to which everyone else must tune?

5.

Beethoven’s 3rd symphony, The Eroica, was originally dedicated to whom?

6.

Brand New Key and Ruby Tuesday were hits for whom?  (first and last names please)

7.

The pop song Save Your Love was number one exactly 20 years ago – for whom?

8.

What was Jimmy Osmond’s number one pop song exactly 30 years ago?

1.

What was the name of The Famous Five’s dog?

2.

What was the name of the house in Jane Eyre?

3.

Which Dickens work, first published in 20 monthly parts from April 1836 to November 1837, became his first complete novel?

4.

Which Dickens work, first published in monthly parts from May 1864 to November 1865, became his last completed novel?

5.

Which film was advertised thus: 'When the hands point straight up the excitement starts'?

6.

What was the name of The Secret Seven’s dog?

7.

What was the name of Tom's wife in Tom Jones?

8.

Which film was advertised thus: 'If a woman answers, hang on for dear life'?

1.

Which children’s author was shortlisted for the Booker prize for The Amber Spyglass?

2.

What was the name of Gary Numan's backing group?

3.

During the 1986 World Cup finals Gary Lineker scored all but one of England’s goals.  Who scored the other one?

4.

What's Dr Zhivago’s first name?

5.

The Moon of Gomrath and Elidor were written by whom?

6.

What's Mr Magoo’s first name?

7.

What was Graham Parker’s backing group?

8.

Which football team plays their home league games in the main stadium of the 1992 Olympics?

1.

Whose autobiography was called A Life at the Centre?

Roy Jenkins

(Lord Jenkins of Hillhead who died on Sunday)

2.

The Listener magazine is defunct but its crossword lives on once a week in which edition of which publication?

The Times on Saturday

3.

A league table of divorces has recently been published.  In which town do marriages last longest with a 6.5% divorce rate?

Sevenoaks

4.

…and in which town are there most divorces?

Birkenhead

(not Liverpool!)

5.

Which political cartoonist has been banned from the Cartoonist of the Year contest because he’s won it too often?

Steve Bell

(Guardian)

6.

Roy Jenkins wrote biographies of 2 prime ministers.  Which two?

Gladstone (1995)

Churchill (2001)

7.

The Tricolor sank after a collision in the Channel on December 14th.  What 3 makes of car was it carrying?

Saab, BMW, Volvo

8.

What was the name of the Turkish tanker that hit the wreck of the Tricolor on New Year's day?

(The) Vicky

1.

What runs from the Gulf of Liaotung to North Kansu?

The Great Wall (of China)

2.

In what postcode area is Stretford Sports Centre in Longford Park?

M21

(it’s just in Chorlton)

3.

Which Shipping Area is marked ‘A’?

Rockall

4.

What ran from Lashio Myanmar to Chunking?

The Burma Road

5.

What ran from Bo-ness nearly as far as Dumbarton?

The Antonine Wall

6.

Which Shipping Area is marked ‘B’?

Forties

7.

In what postcode area is Didsbury golf course?

M22

(the river Mersey is the boundary)

8.

Name the places at each end of Hadrian’s Wall.

Bowness (on Solway), Wallsend

1.

Mobile phone msgs have now been around for 10 years.  They use SMS.  What does SMS stand for?

Short Message Service(s)

2.

What is the maximum size of a mobile phone msg?

160 characters

3.

What’s the generic name for symbols like smiley faces that can be produced in an msg?

Emoticon(s)

4.

It was in December 1992 that Vodaphone sent the first msg.  What were its first 2 words?

"Merry Christmas"

5.

What species of bird is Erithacus rubecula?

The Robin (or Redbreast)

6.

What species of bird is Troglodytes troglodytes?

The Wren

(the British subspecies is actually Troglodytes troglodytes troglodytes)

7.

What comes next in the sequence W, T, F, S,  ...?

‘S’

(Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

8.

What comes next in the sequence M, V, E, M,  ...?

‘J’

(Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter)