ROUND 1

1.

Which England batsman made a debut century against India this month?

2.

The drug herceptin is used to treat which disease?

3.

Aldebaran is a star in which constellation?

4.

Name the author: born Shanghai, 1930; read medicine at Cambridge and flew with the RAF in Canada; wrote a semi-autobiographical novel which became a film directed by Spielberg.

5.

In the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, who played the role of Augustus?

6.

Donna Maddock was fined in court last week.  What did she do wrong?

7.

The 18th amendment to the US constitution deals with what subject?

8.

Which singer’s real name is Declan McManus?

ROUND 2

1.

Who said about an opponent, in Reykyavik in 1972: 

“The guy’s a fish, let’s go bowling.”

2.

Who lived in a huge house at San Simeon, California?

3.

What is the capital of Senegal?

4.

The advance of which people was ended at the battle of Chalons in AD451?

5.

Who was court painter to Philip IV of Spain (1621-1655)?

6.

Who created the detective Maigret?

7.

What links Brian Jones, Percy Shelley and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I?

8.

Which neighbourhood of Manhattan traditionally begins at 110th Street?

ROUND 3

1.

What is the currency of Martinique?

2.

How is the character Jack Griffin known in the title of an 1897 novel?

3.

Name two countries which have staged the summer and winter Olympics in the same year.

4.

Minor characters in which film include: Rocco Lampone, Enzo the baker and Moe Green?

5.

Which country has this month changed its national flag so that the horse is now facing left rather than right, and has added an eighth star to honour the country’s founding father from 1813?

6.

Which group of chemical elements is named from the Greek word meaning ‘salt bearing’?

7.

Which modern (and locally born) poet’s works include:  10 Years in an Open Necked Shirt, Majorca, Psycle Sluts, Kung Fu International and You’ll Never See a Nipple in the Daily Express?

8.

What type of foodstuff is a morrell?

ROUND 4

1.

Last week a plane on the tarmac at Landvetter airport was subjected to a ram raid style burglary.  In which northern European city is the Airport?

2.

What is measured in B and Hs?

3.

From which region of France do Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines originate?

4.

If you walked a total of 1 mile, 1 furlong, 1 chain and 1 link, exactly how many yards will you have walked?

5.

What links the racehorses Crisp, L’Escargot and Churchtown Boy (and no others)?

6.

The death of King William III was celebrated by the Jacobites with a toast to ‘The little gentleman in the Black velvet’ responsible for the King’s death.  Who was he?

7.

Which car manufacturer uses a snake as its logo?

8.

Who wrote the novel A Hundred Year’s of Solitude?

ROUND 5

1.

Which England bowler took the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar on his test debut earlier this month?

2.

The drug Glivec is used to treat which disease?

3.

Betelgeuse is a star in which constellation?

4.

Name the author: born Oxford, 1920; worked in the NHS and the Home Office; a magistrate and governor of the BBC; created the detective Cordelia Gray.

5.

In the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, who played the role of Livia?

6.

Betty Wilbraham, 82 years old, was in trouble in the pub last week.  Why?

7.

The 19th amendment to the US constitution was ratified in 1920.  With what subject does it deal?

8.

Which singer’s real name is Annie Mae Bullock?

ROUND 6

1.

Who said, in an interview in 1971:

“Nothing happened except we all dressed up. The same bastards are in control.  The same people are running everything.  It’s exactly the same.”

2.

Which literary figure lived at Hill Top, Cumbria?

3.

What is the capital of Haiti?

4.

The advance of which people into Europe was ended at the battle of Tours in 732?

5.

Who was court painter to Charles IV of Spain (1788-1808)?

6.

Who created the detective, Mike Hammer?

7.

What was responsible for the deaths of Francis Drake, King John and Henry V?

8.

What Manhattan neighbourhood is essentially made up of Mott St, Mulberry St and Elizabeth St?

ROUND 7

1.

Which country (a World Cup qualifier) has the colon as its currency?

2.

Who wrote the book Paris in the Twentieth Century, first published in 1996, 133 years after it was written?

3.

Name two cities which have staged the winter Olympics twice.

4.

Minor characters in which film include Tom Cassidy and the private detective Mr Arbogast?

5.

Which country’s flag contains the pattern of stars that was visible over the capital when the Republic was declared on November 15th, 1889?

6.

What is the literal translation of the Greek word ‘Planet’?

7.

Which modern artist’s works include: The Boxer, Coming from the Mill, The Straw Hat, The Haywain and The Persistence of Dreams?

8.

What type of foodstuff is a habanero?

1.

What is Norway’s second most populous city?

2.

Talc = 1, and Diamond = 10, on what scale of mineral hardness?

3.

Which grape variety is used to produce Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines?

4.

If you bought land equivalent to 1 Acre and 1 Rood, how many square yards have you bought?

5.

What happened to the racehorses Wall St, Diffident, Mark of Esteem, Decorated Hero, Fatefully, Lochangel, and Fujiyama Crest in September 1996?

6.

Which English Civil War general first went to Leyden University at the age of ten?

7.

Which car manufacturer has a trident as its logo?

8.

Who wrote the novel Tropic of Cancer?

1.

What is the name of the Prince of Wales’ official London residence?

2.

During which decade was Clarence House built?

3.

What is the name commonly used to describe the zone in the southern hemisphere where the north-westerly winds are at their strongest?

4.

In Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne, which capital city is near to the start of the subterranean journey?

5.

During which year was the battle of Dien Bien Fu?

6.

In which 1997 film did an author, played by Jack Nicholson, say that he characterised women, thus:

“I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability”?

7.

Which surname links footballers Michael and Barry, and actors Jeff and Lloyd?

8.

Only one of the bridges crossing the course of the Boat Race is a road bridge.  Which one?

ROUND 1

1.

Which England batsman made a debut century against India this month?

Alastair Cooke

2.

The drug herceptin is used to treat which disease?

Breast Cancer

3.

Aldebaran is a star in which constellation?

Taurus

4.

Name the author: born Shanghai, 1930; read medicine at Cambridge and flew with the RAF in Canada; wrote a semi-autobiographical novel which became a film directed by Spielberg.

J G Ballard

5.

In the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, who played the role of Augustus?

Brian Blessed

6.

Donna Maddock was fined in court last week.  What did she do wrong?

Put on her make-up while driving

(at 30 mph)

7.

The 18th amendment to the US constitution deals with what subject?

Prohibition of alcohol

8.

Which singer’s real name is Declan McManus?

Elvis Costello

ROUND 2

1.

Who said about an opponent, in Reykyavik in 1972: 

“The guy’s a fish, let’s go bowling.”

Bobby Fisher

2.

Who lived in a huge house at San Simeon, California?

William Randolph Hearst

3.

What is the capital of Senegal?

Dakar

4.

The advance of which people was ended at the battle of Chalons in AD451?

The Huns

5.

Who was court painter to Philip IV of Spain (1621-1655)?

Velasquez

6.

Who created the detective Maigret?

George Simenon

7.

What links Brian Jones, Percy Shelley and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I?

They were all drowned

(I don’t think there is any other sensible answer to this one)

8.

Which neighbourhood of Manhattan traditionally begins at 110th Street?

Harlem

ROUND 3

1.

What is the currency of Martinique?

The Euro

2.

How is the character Jack Griffin known in the title of an 1897 novel?

The Invisible Man

3.

Name two countries which have staged the summer and winter Olympics in the same year.

(any two from)

France, USA and Germany

4.

Minor characters in which film include: Rocco Lampone, Enzo the baker and Moe Green?

The Godfather

5.

Which country has this month changed its national flag so that the horse is now facing left rather than right, and has added an eighth star to honour the country’s founding father from 1813?

Venezuala

6.

Which group of chemical elements is named from the Greek word meaning ‘salt bearing’?

Halogens

7.

Which modern (and locally born) poet’s works include:  10 Years in an Open Necked Shirt, Majorca, Psycle Sluts, Kung Fu International and You’ll Never See a Nipple in the Daily Express?

John Cooper Clark

8.

What type of foodstuff is a morrell?

A mushroom

ROUND 4

1.

Last week a plane on the tarmac at Landvetter airport was subjected to a ram raid style burglary.  In which northern European city is the Airport?

Gothenburg

2.

What is measured in B and Hs?

Pencil Hardness

3.

From which region of France do Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines originate?

The Loire valley

4.

If you walked a total of 1 mile, 1 furlong, 1 chain and 1 link, exactly how many yards will you have walked?

2002.22

(i.e. 1760 + 220 + 22 + 0.22)

5.

What links the racehorses Crisp, L’Escargot and Churchtown Boy (and no others)?

Finished second to Red Rum in Grand Nationals

6.

The death of King William III was celebrated by the Jacobites with a toast to ‘The little gentleman in the Black velvet’ responsible for the King’s death.  Who was he?

A mole

(the mole that built the molehill which caused the King’s horse to stumble)

7.

Which car manufacturer uses a snake as its logo?

Alfa Romeo

8.

Who wrote the novel A Hundred Year’s of Solitude?

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

ROUND 5

1

Which England bowler took the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar on his test debut earlier this month?

Monty Panesar

2.

The drug Glivec is used to treat which disease?

Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

(accept just leukaemia)

3.

Betelgeuse is a star in which constellation?

Orion

4.

Name the author: born Oxford, 1920; worked in the NHS and the Home Office; a magistrate and governor of the BBC; created the detective Cordelia Gray.

P D James

5.

In the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, who played the role of Livia?

Sian Phillips

6.

Betty Wilbraham, 82 years old, was in trouble in the pub last week.  Why?

Her hat was believed to constitute a security risk

7.

The 19th amendment to the US constitution was ratified in 1920.  With what subject does it deal?

Equality of the sexes/votes for women

8.

Which singer’s real name is Annie Mae Bullock?

Tina Turner

ROUND 6

1

Who said, in an interview in 1971:

“Nothing happened except we all dressed up. The same bastards are in control.  The same people are running everything.  It’s exactly the same.”

John Lennon

2.

Which literary figure lived at Hill Top, Cumbria?

Beatrix Potter

3.

What is the capital of Haiti?

Port-au-Prince

4.

The advance of which people into Europe was ended at the battle of Tours in 732?

The Arabs

(Moslems or Moors also acceptable)

5.

Who was court painter to Charles IV of Spain (1788-1808)?

Goya

6.

Who created the detective, Mike Hammer?

Mickey Spillane

7.

What was responsible for the deaths of Francis Drake, King John and Henry V?

Dysentery

8.

What Manhattan neighbourhood is essentially made up of Mott St, Mulberry St and Elizabeth St?

Little Italy

ROUND 7

1.

Which country (a World Cup qualifier) has the colon as its currency?

Costa Rica

2.

Who wrote the book Paris in the Twentieth Century, first published in 1996, 133 years after it was written?

Jules Verne

3.

Name two cities which have staged the winter Olympics twice.

(any two from)

Lake Placid, Innsbruck and St Moritz

4.

Minor characters in which film include Tom Cassidy and the private detective Mr Arbogast?

Psycho

5.

Which country’s flag contains the pattern of stars that was visible over the capital when the Republic was declared on November 15th, 1889?

Brazil

6.

What is the literal translation of the Greek word ‘Planet’?

Wanderer or Nomad

7.

Which modern artist’s works include: The Boxer, Coming from the Mill, The Straw Hat, The Haywain and The Persistence of Dreams?

Rolf Harris

8.

What type of foodstuff is a habanero?

A chili pepper

(accept chili, or pepper)

1.

What is Norway’s second most populous city?

Bergen

2.

Talc = 1, and Diamond = 10, on what scale of mineral hardness?

The Mohs scale

3.

Which grape variety is used to produce Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines?

Sauvignon Blanc

4.

If you bought land equivalent to 1 Acre and 1 Rood, how many square yards have you bought?

6050

(i.e. 4840 +1210)

5.

What happened to the racehorses Wall St, Diffident, Mark of Esteem, Decorated Hero, Fatefully, Lochangel, and Fujiyama Crest in September 1996?

They were winners on the same card for Frankie Dettori

(known as the Magnificent Seven)

6.

Which English Civil War general first went to Leyden University at the age of ten?

Prince Rupert

7.

Which car manufacturer has a trident as its logo?

Maserati

8.

Who wrote the novel Tropic of Cancer?

Henry Miller

1.

What is the name of the Prince of Wales’ official London residence?

Clarence House

2.

During which decade was Clarence House built?

The 1820s

3.

What is the name commonly used to describe the zone in the southern hemisphere where the north-westerly winds are at their strongest?

The Roaring Forties

(near the 40th parallel of latitude)

4.

In Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne, which capital city is near to the start of the subterranean journey?

Reykjavik

(Iceland)

5.

During which year was the battle of Dien Bien Fu?

1954

6.

In which 1997 film did an author, played by Jack Nicholson, say that he characterised women, thus:

“I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability”?

As Good As It Gets

7.

Which surname links footballers Michael and Barry, and actors Jeff and Lloyd?

Bridges

8.

Only one of the bridges crossing the course of the Boat Race is a road bridge.  Which one?

Hammersmith

Go back to Spare questions without answers