ROUND 1

1.

Who are the current team captains on BBC1’s A Question of Sport?

2.

In the Peanuts cartoon series give the forenames of any two of  the three Van Pelt children.

3.

What was the name of the Royal Family in 1917 before it was changed it to Windsor?

4.

Who was the lead singer of the Sugarcubes from 1986 to 1992?

5.

The chemical element Hafnium is named after which capital city?

6.

Whose lesser known science fiction novels include The Chrysalids and The Kraken Awakes?

7.

Between which two cities did Ermine Street run?

8.

What role does Robert H Tuttle play in public life?

ROUND 2

1.

What role does Sir Augustine O’Donnell play in our nation’s life?

2.

Between which two cities did Fosse Way run?

3.

Whose lesser known horror novels include The Lair of the White Worm and The Jewel of Seven Stars?

4.

The chemical element Lutetium is named after which capital city?

5.

What was the Sugababes first UK No 1 hit in 2002?

6.

Who is Queen Victoria’s eldest surviving great, great, grandchild and currently 465th in line to the throne?

7.

In the Peanuts cartoon series what is the name of Snoopy’s brother who lives with the coyotes?

8.

Who are the current team captains of BBC 2’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks?

ROUND 3

1.

Who played the title role in the Oscar winning 1963 film Tom Jones?

2.

Who is the host and quiz master of the long running radio music quiz Counterpoint?

3.

In the Bible who was the son of Adam and Eve?

4.

What did the 'F' stand for in Robert F Kennedy’s name?

5.

Which 20th century novel opens in the year of Our Ford 632?

6.

Who is the only England footballer to be sent off in two internationals?

7.

Who composed the Four Last Songs first performed by soprano Kirsten Flagstad?

8.

Two English authors died on 22nd November 1963 meaning their obituaries were overshadowed by JFK’s death.  Aldous Huxley was one but who was the other?

ROUND 4

1.

Two English comedians died on Easter weekend 1992.  Name both.

2.

Who composed the Song of the Earth and the Symphony of a Thousand?

3.

Which country finished third in the 2002 Soccer World Cup but failed to qualify for the finals in the 2006 tournament?

4.

Which 19th century novel is mostly set in the year AD 802,701?

5.

George W Bush’s father is former president George H W Bush.  What does the 'H' stand for?

6.

In the Bible who was the son of Hannah who became a great prophet?

7.

Who is the host and quizmaster of the long running radio show Brain of Britain?

8.

Who played the title role in the Oscar winning 1942 film Mrs Miniver?

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

Flora Thompson wrote a semi-autobiographical trilogy Larkrise to … where?

2.

In Thomas Hardy’s novel Far From the Madding Crowd which shepherd eventually won the hand of the heroine Bathsheba Everdene?

3.

Which British Prime Minister was born in Dublin in 1769 and died in London in 1852?  He opened the Liverpool to Manchester railway in 1830 even though he was against railways because he claimed they gave the working classes too much opportunity to travel.

4.

Which British general was born in Woolwich in 1833, trained at Woolwich Academy, became a general in the Chinese army and died in 1885?

5.

Name the Wirral town that is home to Liverpool University Botanical gardens.

6.

Which Tees-side town has a race course and hosted the 2006 Lincoln Handicap when Doncaster race course was closed for refurbishment?

7.

A dictionary definition: "a clog, sandal or overshoe with a raised wooden sole to raise the wearer’s foot above mud".  What is it?

8.

A dictionary definition: "a small ornamental writing desk (English) or a large sofa (American)".  What is it?

ROUND 6

1.

Derived from the Warlpiri aboriginal language what is the name given to a non-returnable boomerang or throwing stick used in hunting?

2.

Which comedian, who died last year, had a number 14 hit in 1961 with My Boomerang Won’t Come Back?

3.

The Thomas Hardy novel Far From the Madding Crowd derives its name from a poem by which author?

4.

London Fields is a novel by Martin Amis but in which real life London borough is London Fields?

5.

The president of which African nation died in a suspicious plane crash on October 19th 1986?

6.

The president of which Asian nation died in a suspicious plane crash on August 17th 1988?

7.

Four US states are commonwealths.  Name two of them.

8.

Four people have won a Nobel Prize on two occasions.  Name two of them.

ROUND 7 - Picture Round

1.

What is the name of this endangered animal?

2.

What is the name of this venomous animal?

3.

This sculpture is in the Walk of Ideas.  In which city is it?

4.

This, at 1667 feet, is the world’s tallest inhabited building (not a tower or a mast!).  In which Asian city is it?

5.

What is the name of this trophy?

6.

What is the name of this trophy?

7.

These two television programmes were set in the same US state.  Which state?

8.

These two television programmes were set in the same US state.  Which state?

ROUND 8

1.

Which Nobel Literature Laureate said “A woman is just a woman but a good cigar is a smoke”?

2.

Which Nobel Literature Laureate said “History will judge me kindly because I intend to write it”?

3.

Who is the present king of Jordan?

4.

Who is the present king of Saudi Arabia?

5.

Give any wind speed from Beaufort Force 7, a near gale, in miles per hour.

6.

If the temperature at sea level is 20 degrees centigrade what is the temperature at 10,000 feet at standard atmospheric conditions?  (you are allowed plus or minus 2 degrees)

7.

Give a year in the life of William Harvey, discoverer of the circulation of blood.

8.

Give a year in the life of  Copernicus, champion of  heliocentric cosmology.

1.

The grandson of actress Dame Gladys Cooper died last week.  Who was he?

2.

What was the maiden name of Prince Philip’s mother?

3.

Carlisle stands on which river?

4.

Which athletics world record is held by Mike Powell?

5.

Who received the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress last week?

6.

Which two countries contested the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473?

7.

What was Matt Monroe’s occupation before becoming a professional singer?

8.

Gurbanguly Malikgulyyewic Berdimuhammedow was elected president of which country last week?

ROUND 1

1.

Who are the current team captains on BBC1’s A Question of Sport?

Allie McCoist and Matt Dawson

2.

In the Peanuts cartoon series give the forenames of any two of  the three Van Pelt children.

(2 of)

Lucy, Linus or Rerun

3.

What was the name of the Royal Family in 1917 before it was changed it to Windsor?

Saxe-Coburg und Gotha

(three names needed but don’t worry unduly about the ‘und’)

4.

Who was the lead singer of the Sugarcubes from 1986 to 1992?

Bjork

(Gudmundsdottir to be exact - but Bjork is enough for two points)

5.

The chemical element Hafnium is named after which capital city?

Copenhagen

6.

Whose lesser known science fiction novels include The Chrysalids and The Kraken Awakes?

John Wyndham

7.

Between which two cities did Ermine Street run?

London and York

8.

What role does Robert H Tuttle play in public life?

US Ambassador to the United Kingdom

(or Court of St James)

ROUND 2

1.

What role does Sir Augustine O’Donnell play in our nation’s life?

Secretary to the Cabinet

(also accept head of home civil service)

2.

Between which two cities did Fosse Way run?

Exeter and Lincoln

3.

Whose lesser known horror novels include The Lair of the White Worm and The Jewel of Seven Stars?

Bram Stoker

4.

The chemical element Lutetium is named after which capital city?

Paris

5.

What was the Sugababes first UK No 1 hit in 2002?

Freak Like Me

6.

Who is Queen Victoria’s eldest surviving great, great, grandchild and currently 465th in line to the throne?

Prince Philip

7.

In the Peanuts cartoon series what is the name of Snoopy’s brother who lives with the coyotes?

Spike

8.

Who are the current team captains of BBC 2’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks?

Phil Jupitus and Bill Bailey

ROUND 3

1.

Who played the title role in the Oscar winning 1963 film Tom Jones?

Albert Finney

2.

Who is the host and quiz master of the long running radio music quiz Counterpoint?

Ned Sherrin

3.

In the Bible who was the son of Adam and Eve?

Seth

4.

What did the 'F' stand for in Robert F Kennedy’s name?

Francis

5.

Which 20th century novel opens in the year of Our Ford 632?

Brave New World

(by Aldous Huxley)

6.

Who is the only England footballer to be sent off in two internationals?

David Beckham

7.

Who composed the Four Last Songs first performed by soprano Kirsten Flagstad?

Richard Strauss

8.

Two English authors died on 22nd November 1963 meaning their obituaries were overshadowed by JFK’s death.  Aldous Huxley was one but who was the other?

C S Lewis

ROUND 4

1.

Two English comedians died on Easter weekend 1992.  Name both.

Benny Hill and Frankie Howerd

2.

Who composed the Song of the Earth and the Symphony of a Thousand?

Gustav Mahler

3.

Which country finished third in the 2002 Soccer World Cup but failed to qualify for the finals in the 2006 tournament?

Turkey

4.

Which 19th century novel is mostly set in the year AD 802,701?

The Time Machine

(by H G Wells)

5.

George W Bush’s father is former president George H W Bush.  What does the 'H' stand for?

Herbert

6.

In the Bible who was the son of Hannah who became a great prophet?

Samuel

7.

Who is the host and quizmaster of the long running radio show Brain of Britain?

Robert Robinson

8.

Who played the title role in the Oscar winning 1942 film Mrs Miniver?

Greer Garson

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1

Flora Thompson wrote a semi-autobiographical trilogy Larkrise to … where?

Candleford

2.

In Thomas Hardy’s novel Far From the Madding Crowd which shepherd eventually won the hand of the heroine Bathsheba Everdene?

Gabriel Oak

3.

Which British Prime Minister was born in Dublin in 1769 and died in London in 1852?  He opened the Liverpool to Manchester railway in 1830 even though he was against railways because he claimed they gave the working classes too much opportunity to travel.

Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

4.

Which British general was born in Woolwich in 1833, trained at Woolwich Academy, became a general in the Chinese army and died in 1885?

General Charles George Gordon

5.

Name the Wirral town that is home to Liverpool University Botanical gardens.

Neston

6.

Which Tees-side town has a race course and hosted the 2006 Lincoln Handicap when Doncaster race course was closed for refurbishment?

Redcar

7.

A dictionary definition: "a clog, sandal or overshoe with a raised wooden sole to raise the wearer’s foot above mud".  What is it?

A patten

8.

A dictionary definition: "a small ornamental writing desk (English) or a large sofa (American)".  What is it?

A davenport

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a thoroughfare in Withington

ROUND 6

1

Derived from the Warlpiri aboriginal language what is the name given to a non-returnable boomerang or throwing stick used in hunting?

A kylie

2.

Which comedian, who died last year, had a number 14 hit in 1961 with My Boomerang Won’t Come Back?

Charlie Drake

3.

The Thomas Hardy novel Far From the Madding Crowd derives its name from a poem by which author?

Thomas Gray

4.

London Fields is a novel by Martin Amis but in which real life London borough is London Fields?

Hackney

5.

The president of which African nation died in a suspicious plane crash on October 19th 1986?

Mozambique

6.

The president of which Asian nation died in a suspicious plane crash on August 17th 1988?

Pakistan

7.

Four US states are commonwealths.  Name two of them.

(2 from)

Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Kentucky

8.

Four people have won a Nobel Prize on two occasions.  Name two of them.

(2 from)

Marie Curie, Linus Pauling, John Bardeen and Frederick Sanger

ROUND 7 - Picture Round

1.

What is the name of this endangered animal?

Axolotl

2.

What is the name of this venomous animal?

Gila monster

3.

This sculpture is in the Walk of Ideas.  In which city is it?

Berlin

4.

This, at 1667 feet, is the world’s tallest inhabited building (not a tower or a mast!).  In which Asian city is it?

Taipei

5.

What is the name of this trophy?

Calcutta Cup

6.

What is the name of this trophy?

America’s Cup

7.

These two television programmes were set in the same US state.  Which state?

Colorado

(the shows are South Park and Mork and Mindy)

8.

These two television programmes were set in the same US state.  Which state?

Wisconsin

(the shows are Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley)

ROUND 8

1.

Which Nobel Literature Laureate said “A woman is just a woman but a good cigar is a smoke”?

Rudyard Kipling

2.

Which Nobel Literature Laureate said “History will judge me kindly because I intend to write it”?

Winston Churchill

3.

Who is the present king of Jordan?

Abdullah

4.

Who is the present king of Saudi Arabia?

Abdullah

5.

Give any wind speed from Beaufort Force 7, a near gale, in miles per hour.

32 to 38 mph

(accept any answer falling in this range)

6.

If the temperature at sea level is 20 degrees centigrade what is the temperature at 10,000 feet at standard atmospheric conditions?  (you are allowed plus or minus 2 degrees)

0 degrees centigrade

(allow -2 to +2 degrees centigrade)

7.

Give a year in the life of William Harvey, discoverer of the circulation of blood.

1578 to 1657

8.

Give a year in the life of  Copernicus, champion of  heliocentric cosmology.

1473 to 1543

1.

The grandson of actress Dame Gladys Cooper died last week.  Who was he?

Sheridan Morley

2.

What was the maiden name of Prince Philip’s mother?

Battenberg

3.

Carlisle stands on which river?

Eden

4.

Which athletics world record is held by Mike Powell?

Long jump

5.

Who received the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress last week?

Tamsin Greig

6.

Which two countries contested the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473?

Transylvania and Flanders

7.

What was Matt Monroe’s occupation before becoming a professional singer?

Bus driver

8.

Gurbanguly Malikgulyyewic Berdimuhammedow was elected president of which country last week?

Turkmenistan

Go back to Spare questions without answers