ROUND 1

1.

In which narrative musical work is the hero represented by an oboe?

2.

What name is given to the sign put over the letter ‘n’ in Spanish, giving it a ‘nya’ pronunciation?

3.

In Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop what is the name of the dwarf from whom Little Nell’s grandfather borrows money?

4.

Why did King Baudouin of Belgium abdicate for 24 hours in 1990?

5.

In 1900, Edward Henry published his findings on the identification and classification of what?

6.

Who said: “I can forgive Alfred Nobel for having invented dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize”?

7.

In 1635 which artist produced a triple portrait of Charles I?

8.

Which game has a playing area with maximum dimensions of 19.7 metres long by 1.07 metres wide?

ROUND 2

1.

What is the main theme of the Bethnal Green Museum in London?

2.

Who was stripped of his title as World Chess Champion in 1975, when he refused to defend it against Anatoly Karpov?

3.

Which African republic was a French colony from the 1890s, when it was known as French Sudan, and after a brief federation with Senegal, became completely independent in 1960?

4.

Which musical instrument protected the operatic character Tamino from evil?

5.

In which range of mountains is the Roncesvalles Pass?

6.

Yorkshire was divided into Ridings.  Which Irish county is divided into Ridings?

7.

What are Tebet, Shebat and Adar?

8.

Which religion’s sacred books contain the teachings of Mahavira?

ROUND 3

1.

Which US state capital, situated at 21 degrees N and 157degrees W, has a name that means ‘sheltered bay’?

2.

Which Mediterranean language is the only form of Arabic which is written in a Latin script?

3.

What is measured by a udometer?

4.

Two South American countries are members of OPEC.  Venezuela is one, what is the other?

5.

What is involved in the crime of embracery?

6.

Who danced by the light of the moon on their wedding night, having bought their wedding ring for a shilling?

7.

What was the name of the of oil tanker which ran aground and caused massive ecological damage in the Prince William Sound in Alaska in March 1989?

8.

In 1924 the architect Giles Gilbert Scott won a national competition with a design code-named K2.  What was K2?

ROUND 4

1.

Which mathematician, who became Deputy Director of Computing at the Manchester University Computer Centre in 1945, is seen as the founder of research into Artificial Intelligence?

2.

What Cabinet post did Robert Kennedy hold in his brother JFK’s administration?

3.

What name is given to the only remaining part of the Great Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem?

4.

Which charitable organisation did the reverend Chad Varah found in 1953?

5.

Sir Peter Teazle did it in 1757; Cardinal Beaufort did it in 1505; Captain Cuttle did it in 1922.  It usually takes about 2.5 minutes to accomplish.  What is it?

6.

Who used the pseudonym Ralph Robinson for articles he contributed to Annals of Agriculture?

7.

Which 17 foot tall statue is the most famous work by the sculptor E H Bailey?

8.

Ekistics is the study of what?

ROUND 5

1.

This European republic’s name in its own language is Hravatska.  How do we know it?

2.

In Norse mythology, what was the name of Odin’s 8-legged horse?

3.

In 1494, which Dominican friar led the revolt which expelled the ruling Medici family from Florence?

4.

Which bird appears on the state flag of Western Australia?

5.

Which capital city was originally called Britannia, but was renamed in honour of a British Prime Minister?

6.

Which island was the centre of the Minoan civilisation?

7.

Mexico has borders with three other countries.  One is the USA.  Name either of the others.

8.

What name is given to the cornmeal porridge that is the traditional dish of Northern Italy?

ROUND 6

1.

Which English conductor said of J S Bach’s music “Too much counterpoint - and what is more - Protestant counterpoint”?

2.

Which film star said, while reading the Bible on his death-bed, “I’m looking for loopholes”?

3.

In WWII what name was given to the final German defence line in Italy, running across the country north of Florence?

4.

Which famous writer lived in Abbotsford House?

5.

In Greek mythology, who were Atropos, Clotho and Lachesis?

6.

Who was the last British Prime Minister to lead the govermment as a member of the House of Lords?

7.

Bartolommeo Cristofori is generally credited with the invention of which musical instrument?

8.

Of what are Dutch Yellow Long, Magnum Bonum and Marfona varieties?

ROUND 7

1.

What was the title of Art Garfunkel’s 1979 theme-song for the film Watership Down?

2.

Which Hindu deity has the head of an elephant?

3.

Who played the part of Manuel in Fawlty Towers?

4.

In a suit of armour, what part of the body is protected by a sabaton?

5.

Which English city stands on the site of the roman town of Luguvalium?

6.

Which town is capital of the Orkney Isles?

7.

Which violet-blue variety of quartz was used by the ancient Greeks for making cups and goblets, because it was regarded as a charm against inebriation?

8.

A statue of which king stands in Wantage in Oxfordshire, his birthplace?

ROUND 8

1.

What is the highest mountain on the Isle of Man?

2.

Finn, Soling and Star are categories in which sport?

3.

Which large-leaved houseplant features in the title of a 1936 novel by George Orwell?

4.

By what name was early film comedian Arthur Stanley Jefferson (1890 - 1965) better known?

5.

Which city has a rail transport system named DART?

6.

Which Russian-born aeronautical engineer built the first successful helicopter, the VS300, in 1939-41?

7.

Which composer was married to the cabaret singer Lotte Lenya and wrote the music for Bertolt Brecht’s Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)?

8.

The Roman province of Lusitania corresponds (roughly) with which modern country?

1.

To which group of animals do the cayman and the gavial belong?

2.

Of what is this a definition: 'In chess, the offer of a sacrifice of a piece for the sake of an advantage in timing or position in the opening stages of the game'?

3.

In Japanese traditional dress, what is an obi?

4.

In the 1970s TV series The Wombles, what was the name of the cook?

5.

Who was the first scientist to win 2 Nobel Prizes?

6.

The ‘Footballer of the Year’ award was instituted in 1948.  Who was the first winner?

7.

Which US city has a Spanish name meaning ‘the meadows’?

8.

What was the name of the Swedish Prime Minister assassinated in 1986?

ROUND 1

1.

In which narrative musical work is the hero represented by an oboe?

Peter and the Wolf

2.

What name is given to the sign put over the letter ‘n’ in Spanish, giving it a ‘nya’ pronunciation?

Tilde

3.

In Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop what is the name of the dwarf from whom Little Nell’s grandfather borrows money?

Quilp

4.

Why did King Baudouin of Belgium abdicate for 24 hours in 1990?

To allow the passage of a Bill legalising abortion

(as a devout Catholic he felt he could not personally sign the Bill)

5.

In 1900, Edward Henry published his findings on the identification and classification of what?

Fingerprints

6.

Who said: “I can forgive Alfred Nobel for having invented dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize”?

George Bernard Shaw

7.

In 1635 which artist produced a triple portrait of Charles I?

Van Dyck

8.

Which game has a playing area with maximum dimensions of 19.7 metres long by 1.07 metres wide?

Ten Pin Bowling

ROUND 2

1.

What is the main theme of the Bethnal Green Museum in London?

Childhood

(toys, dolls, etc)

2.

Who was stripped of his title as World Chess Champion in 1975, when he refused to defend it against Anatoly Karpov?

Bobby Fischer

3.

Which African republic was a French colony from the 1890s, when it was known as French Sudan, and after a brief federation with Senegal, became completely independent in 1960?

Mali

4.

Which musical instrument protected the operatic character Tamino from evil?

The Magic Flute

5.

In which range of mountains is the Roncesvalles Pass?

Pyrenees

6.

Yorkshire was divided into Ridings.  Which Irish county is divided into Ridings?

Tipperary

(but being Irish, there are only 2 of them!)

7.

What are Tebet, Shebat and Adar?

Months in the Jewish calendar

8.

Which religion’s sacred books contain the teachings of Mahavira?

Jainism

ROUND 3

1.

Which US state capital, situated at 21 degrees N and 157degrees W, has a name that means ‘sheltered bay’?

Honolulu

(capital of Hawaii)

2.

Which Mediterranean language is the only form of Arabic which is written in a Latin script?

Maltese

3.

What is measured by a udometer?

Rainfall

4.

Two South American countries are members of OPEC.  Venezuela is one, what is the other?

Ecuador

5.

What is involved in the crime of embracery?

Attempted bribery of a juror

6.

Who danced by the light of the moon on their wedding night, having bought their wedding ring for a shilling?

The Owl and the Pussycat

7.

What was the name of the of oil tanker which ran aground and caused massive ecological damage in the Prince William Sound in Alaska in March 1989?

Exxon Valdez

8.

In 1924 the architect Giles Gilbert Scott won a national competition with a design code-named K2.  What was K2?

The Red Phone-Box

ROUND 4

1.

Which mathematician, who became Deputy Director of Computing at the Manchester University Computer Centre in 1945, is seen as the founder of research into Artificial Intelligence?

Alan Turing

2.

What Cabinet post did Robert Kennedy hold in his brother JFK’s administration?

Attorney General

3.

What name is given to the only remaining part of the Great Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem?

Wailing (or Western) Wall

4.

Which charitable organisation did the reverend Chad Varah found in 1953?

The Samaritans

5.

Sir Peter Teazle did it in 1757; Cardinal Beaufort did it in 1505; Captain Cuttle did it in 1922.  It usually takes about 2.5 minutes to accomplish.  What is it?

Winning the Derby

(the names are of horses not jockeys!)

6.

Who used the pseudonym Ralph Robinson for articles he contributed to Annals of Agriculture?

King George III

7.

Which 17 foot tall statue is the most famous work by the sculptor E H Bailey?

Nelson

(in Trafalgar Square)

8.

Ekistics is the study of what?

The nature and development of human settlements

ROUND 5

1

This European republic’s name in its own language is Hravatska.  How do we know it?

Croatia

2.

In Norse mythology, what was the name of Odin’s 8-legged horse?

Sleipnir

3.

In 1494, which Dominican friar led the revolt which expelled the ruling Medici family from Florence?

Savonarola

4.

Which bird appears on the state flag of Western Australia?

Black Swan

5.

Which capital city was originally called Britannia, but was renamed in honour of a British Prime Minister?

Wellington

6.

Which island was the centre of the Minoan civilisation?

Crete

7.

Mexico has borders with three other countries.  One is the USA.  Name either of the others.

(one of)

Guatemala or Belize

8.

What name is given to the cornmeal porridge that is the traditional dish of Northern Italy?

Polenta

ROUND 6

1

Which English conductor said of J S Bach’s music “Too much counterpoint - and what is more - Protestant counterpoint”?

Sir Thomas Beecham

2.

Which film star said, while reading the Bible on his death-bed, “I’m looking for loopholes”?

W C Fields

3.

In WWII what name was given to the final German defence line in Italy, running across the country north of Florence?

The Gothic Line

4.

Which famous writer lived in Abbotsford House?

Sir Walter Scott

5.

In Greek mythology, who were Atropos, Clotho and Lachesis?

The Fates

6.

Who was the last British Prime Minister to lead the govermment as a member of the House of Lords?

The Marquess of Salisbury

7.

Bartolommeo Cristofori is generally credited with the invention of which musical instrument?

(Forte) Piano

8.

Of what are Dutch Yellow Long, Magnum Bonum and Marfona varieties?

Potatoes

ROUND 7

1.

What was the title of Art Garfunkel’s 1979 theme-song for the film Watership Down?

Bright Eyes

2.

Which Hindu deity has the head of an elephant?

Ganesh(a)

3.

Who played the part of Manuel in Fawlty Towers?

Andrew Sachs

4.

In a suit of armour, what part of the body is protected by a sabaton?

Foot

5.

Which English city stands on the site of the roman town of Luguvalium?

Carlisle

6.

Which town is capital of the Orkney Isles?

Kirkwall

7.

Which violet-blue variety of quartz was used by the ancient Greeks for making cups and goblets, because it was regarded as a charm against inebriation?

Amethyst

8.

A statue of which king stands in Wantage in Oxfordshire, his birthplace?

Alfred the Great

ROUND 8

1.

What is the highest mountain on the Isle of Man?

Snaefell

2.

Finn, Soling and Star are categories in which sport?

Yachting

3.

Which large-leaved houseplant features in the title of a 1936 novel by George Orwell?

Aspidistra

(Keep the Aspidistra Flying)

4.

By what name was early film comedian Arthur Stanley Jefferson (1890 - 1965) better known?

Stan Laurel

5.

Which city has a rail transport system named DART?

Dublin

6.

Which Russian-born aeronautical engineer built the first successful helicopter, the VS300, in 1939-41?

Igor Sikorski

7.

Which composer was married to the cabaret singer Lotte Lenya and wrote the music for Bertolt Brecht’s Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)?

Kurt Weill

8.

The Roman province of Lusitania corresponds (roughly) with which modern country?

Portugal

1.

To which group of animals do the cayman and the gavial belong?

Crocodiles

2.

Of what is this a definition: 'In chess, the offer of a sacrifice of a piece for the sake of an advantage in timing or position in the opening stages of the game'?

Gambit

3.

In Japanese traditional dress, what is an obi?

A wide belt or sash

4.

In the 1970s TV series The Wombles, what was the name of the cook?

Mme Cholet

5.

Who was the first scientist to win 2 Nobel Prizes?

Marie Curie

(Physics 1903; Chemistry 1911)

6.

The ‘Footballer of the Year’ award was instituted in 1948.  Who was the first winner?

Stanley Matthews

7.

Which US city has a Spanish name meaning ‘the meadows’?

Las Vegas

8.

What was the name of the Swedish Prime Minister assassinated in 1986?

Olaf Palme

Go back to Spare questions without answers