ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Who wrote The Last of the Mohicans?

2.

Who wrote The Wealth of Nations?

3.

What is the name of the Private Eye column which features quotes from sports commentators?

4.

After whose death did John Major say “Summers will never be the same”?

5.

Who was hanged at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in 1859?

6.

Who was hanged at Melbourne prison in 1880?

7.

Which film released in 1971 and directed by Sam Peckinpah, starred Dustin Hoffman and Susan George?

8.

Which film released in 1965 and directed by John Schlesinger starred Julie Christie and Dirk Bogarde?

ROUND 2

1.

In which 19th Century Italian opera is the main character a Druid priestess?

2.

Work out the median of this group of numbers 7, 3, 2, 6, 9, 1.

3.

From which 1973 hit do the following lyrics come:

“So you think I got an evil mind, I’ll tell you honey

I don’t know why I don’t know why”?

4.

Which politician was described by Michael Foot as a “semi-house-trained polecat”?

5.

What is the probability of rolling 3 successive 1s with an unbiased die?

6.

In which 19th century Italian opera is the main character a cuckolded clown named Canio?

7.

To whom was Denis Healey referring when he said it was “like being savaged by a dead sheep”?

8.

From which 1975 hit do these lyrics come:

“Shoulda told her that I can’t linger,

There’s a wedding ring on my finger,

She’s got me and I’m not free, so:”

ROUND 3

1.

What distinction, in the UK, is held by the goldcrest (or, possibly, the similar firecrest)?

2.

Which bird, which breeds along the east coast of Britain, is the emblem of the RSPB?

3.

Which chef is associated with bacon and egg ice cream and snail porridge?

4.

Posh chefs, including Heston Blumenthal, have developed a technique of slow cooking food in hot water in vacuum sealed bags. What is this technique called?

5.

To whom does the following refer:

Born in 1808 and graduated from West Point before embarking on a political career.  After capture in 1865 he was tried for treason but not convicted, although he was stripped of eligibility to stand for public office.  This restriction was, helpfully(!), removed in 1978, 89 years after his death?

6.

To whom does the following refer:

Born in 1808, the son of the King and Queen of Holland.  He was subsequently exiled from his country of birth for many years but has the distinction of having been that country’s first titular president and last monarch?

7.

What links Barton, Hickling, Ranworth, Wroxham and Oulton?

8.

The rivers Axe, Brue, Huntspill and Parrett, and the King’s Sedgemoor Drain flow through which area of wetland in the west of England?

ROUND 4

1.

Name either of the singles players representing Great Britain at last week’s Davis Cup tie in Argentina.

2.

Name England’s One Day cricket captain.

3.

Name the current leader of Kenya, controversially re-elected in December 2007.

4.

Name the largest tribe in Kenya, to which the President belongs.

5.

Who was the creator and the usual presenter of the TV show Mr & Mrs?

6.

Who presented the TV show Sale of the Century?

7.

Who was Troy Tempest’s love interest in Stingray?

8.

In Thunderbirds name the Tracey family’s servant who was also the half brother of the evil Hood.

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

... and mostly paired

1.

Whose novels include A History of the World in 10 and a half chapters and Arthur and George?

2.

What is the name of the dance which became popular in the 1930s and which was the subject of a famous song in the musical Me and My Girl?

3.

Which 1967 hit song opens with the lines:

“Dirty old river must you keep rolling, flowing into the night”?

4.

Which 1974 hit song opens with the lines:

“Have you seen the old man, in the closed down market, kicking up the papers with his worn out shoes”?

5.

Which motor company manufactures the Antara and the Signum?

6.

Of which Canadian province is Edmonton the capital?

7.

Of which famous English building is this a description:

Designed by John Francis Bentley, its construction began in 1895.  It is unique for English buildings of its type for being designed in the Byzantine style?

8.

Of which famous English building is this a description:

Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, its construction took place between 1929 and 1939.  It is the largest brick building in Europe?

ROUND 6 - Picture Round

More Photoshopping; this idea was well-received last time we tried it (was it - ED?), so we thought we’d give it another go.  Each photo has been distorted using one or more Photoshop filters.  Jeremy Paxman once asked University Challenge contestants to name the filter used.  This is more straightforward, we hope.

1.

Name the sportsman.

2.

Name the sportsman.

3.

Name the singer.

4.

Name the singer.

5.

Name the building.

6.

Name the building.

7.

Name the film.

8.

Name the film.

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

Whose novels include The Trumpet Major and Desperate Remedies?

2.

What is the real name of Batman?

3.

In the 1959 FA Cup Final one of the Nottingham Forest scorers was carried off with a broken leg.  His nephew is a famous pop star.  Name the nephew.

4.

Who was the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final?

5.

Who played Batman in the 1989 film?

6.

Who is the lead singer of The Streets?

7.

Who is the lead singer of The Bluesbreakers?

8.

Which Football League Two team plays at Christie Park?

ROUND 8

1.

What would you be eating in an Indian restaurant if you ordered gurday?

2.

What would you be eating in an Indian restaurant if you ordered mattar?

3.

In darts what is known as ‘Bed and Breakfast’?

4.

In darts what is known as ‘Madhouse’?

5.

In which island group was the prehistoric village of Skara Brae?

6.

In which county was the Sutton Hoo treasure discovered?

7.

During which war were the battles of Malplaquet, Oudenarde and Blenheim fought?

8.

During which war were the battles of Minden, Plessey and Quebec fought?

1.

What is the capital of Honduras?

2.

In which Asian country is Tiger beer brewed?

3.

Which grape variety, originating in South Africa, is a cross between the Pinot Noir and Cinsault varieties?

4.

Who composed On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring?

5.

What is the most northerly of the four main islands of Japan?

6.

In which sport do domestic trophies include the Sheffield Shield, the Currie Cup, and the Shell Shield?

7.

What nationality is Benjani, the scorer of Manchester City’s glorious winner in last Sunday’s derby?

ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Who wrote The Last of the Mohicans?

James Fenimore Cooper

2.

Who wrote The Wealth of Nations?

Adam Smith

3.

What is the name of the Private Eye column which features quotes from sports commentators?

Colemanballs

4.

After whose death did John Major say “Summers will never be the same”?

Brian Johnston

5.

Who was hanged at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in 1859?

John Brown

6.

Who was hanged at Melbourne prison in 1880?

Ned Kelly

7.

Which film released in 1971 and directed by Sam Peckinpah, starred Dustin Hoffman and Susan George?

Straw Dogs

8.

Which film released in 1965 and directed by John Schlesinger starred Julie Christie and Dirk Bogarde?

Darling

Theme: Each answer contains the surname of one of the members of the UK cabinet:

Jack Straw, Alistair Darling, Ed Balls, Alan Johnson, Gordon Brown, Ruth Kelly, Yvette Cooper and Jacqui Smith

ROUND 2

1.

In which 19th Century Italian opera is the main character a Druid priestess?

Norma

(by Bellini)

2.

Work out the median of this group of numbers 7, 3, 2, 6, 9, 1.

4.5

(put the numbers in order and find the middle)

3.

From which 1973 hit do the following lyrics come:

“So you think I got an evil mind, I’ll tell you honey

I don’t know why I don’t know why”?

Cum On Feel the Noize

(by Slade)

4.

Which politician was described by Michael Foot as a “semi-house-trained polecat”?

Norman Tebbit

5.

What is the probability of rolling 3 successive 1s with an unbiased die?

216

(6x6x6)

6.

In which 19th century Italian opera is the main character a cuckolded clown named Canio?

I Pagliacci

(by Leoncavallo)

7.

To whom was Denis Healey referring when he said it was “like being savaged by a dead sheep”?

Geoffrey Howe

8.

From which 1975 hit do these lyrics come:

“Shoulda told her that I can’t linger,

There’s a wedding ring on my finger,

She’s got me and I’m not free, so:”

Bye, Bye Baby

(Bay City Rollers)

ROUND 3

1.

What distinction, in the UK, is held by the goldcrest (or, possibly, the similar firecrest)?

It is Britain’s smallest wild bird

2.

Which bird, which breeds along the east coast of Britain, is the emblem of the RSPB?

Avocet

3.

Which chef is associated with bacon and egg ice cream and snail porridge?

Heston Blumenthal

4.

Posh chefs, including Heston Blumenthal, have developed a technique of slow cooking food in hot water in vacuum sealed bags. What is this technique called?

Sous vide

(French for ‘under vacuum’)

5.

To whom does the following refer:

Born in 1808 and graduated from West Point before embarking on a political career.  After capture in 1865 he was tried for treason but not convicted, although he was stripped of eligibility to stand for public office.  This restriction was, helpfully(!), removed in 1978, 89 years after his death?

Jefferson Davis

(President of the Confederate States of America)

6.

To whom does the following refer:

Born in 1808, the son of the King and Queen of Holland.  He was subsequently exiled from his country of birth for many years but has the distinction of having been that country’s first titular president and last monarch?

Napoleon III of France

(his father, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Louis, had been made king of the French puppet Kingdom of Holland)

7.

What links Barton, Hickling, Ranworth, Wroxham and Oulton?

They are all Norfolk Broads

(strictly Oulton Broad is in Suffolk)

8.

The rivers Axe, Brue, Huntspill and Parrett, and the King’s Sedgemoor Drain flow through which area of wetland in the west of England?

The Somerset Levels

ROUND 4

1.

Name either of the singles players representing Great Britain at last week’s Davis Cup tie in Argentina.

(either)

Jamie Baker

(or)

Alex Bogdanovich

2.

Name England’s One Day cricket captain.

Paul Collingwood

3.

Name the current leader of Kenya, controversially re-elected in December 2007.

Mwai Kibake

4.

Name the largest tribe in Kenya, to which the President belongs.

Kikuyu

5.

Who was the creator and the usual presenter of the TV show Mr & Mrs?

Derek Batey

6.

Who presented the TV show Sale of the Century?

Nicholas Parsons

7.

Who was Troy Tempest’s love interest in Stingray?

Acqua Marina

8.

In Thunderbirds name the Tracey family’s servant who was also the half brother of the evil Hood.

Kirano

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

... and mostly paired

1

Whose novels include A History of the World in 10 and a half chapters and Arthur and George?

Julian Barnes

2.

What is the name of the dance which became popular in the 1930s and which was the subject of a famous song in the musical Me and My Girl?

The Lambeth Walk

3.

Which 1967 hit song opens with the lines:

“Dirty old river must you keep rolling, flowing into the night”?

Waterloo Sunset

(by The Kinks)

4.

Which 1974 hit song opens with the lines:

“Have you seen the old man, in the closed down market, kicking up the papers with his worn out shoes”?

The Streets of London

(by Ralph McTell)

5.

Which motor company manufactures the Antara and the Signum?

Vauxhall

6.

Of which Canadian province is Edmonton the capital?

Alberta

7.

Of which famous English building is this a description:

Designed by John Francis Bentley, its construction began in 1895.  It is unique for English buildings of its type for being designed in the Byzantine style?

Westminster Cathedral

8.

Of which famous English building is this a description:

Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, its construction took place between 1929 and 1939.  It is the largest brick building in Europe?

Battersea Power Station

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a bridge over the Thames:

Barnes, Lambeth, Waterloo, London, Vauxhall, Albert, Westminster and Battersea

ROUND 6 - Picture Round

More Photoshopping; this idea was well-received last time we tried it (was it - ED?), so we thought we’d give it another go.  Each photo has been distorted using one or more Photoshop filters.  Jeremy Paxman once asked University Challenge contestants to name the filter used.  This is more straightforward, we hope.

1

Name the sportsman.

Tiger Woods

2.

Name the sportsman.

Andrew Flintoff

3.

Name the singer.

David Bowie

4.

Name the singer.

Amy Winehouse

5.

Name the building.

The Taj Mahal

6.

Name the building.

Sydney Opera House

7.

Name the film.

ET

8.

Name the film.

The Shining

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

Whose novels include The Trumpet Major and Desperate Remedies?

Thomas Hardy

2.

What is the real name of Batman?

Bruce Wayne

3.

In the 1959 FA Cup Final one of the Nottingham Forest scorers was carried off with a broken leg.  His nephew is a famous pop star.  Name the nephew.

Elton John

(the player was Roy Dwight)

4.

Who was the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final?

Kevin Moran

5.

Who played Batman in the 1989 film?

Michael Keaton

6.

Who is the lead singer of The Streets?

Mike Skinner

7.

Who is the lead singer of The Bluesbreakers?

John Mayall

8.

Which Football League Two team plays at Christie Park?

Morecambe

Theme: Each answer contains the surname of a comedian or comic actor

ROUND 8

1.

What would you be eating in an Indian restaurant if you ordered gurday?

Kidneys

2.

What would you be eating in an Indian restaurant if you ordered mattar?

Peas

3.

In darts what is known as ‘Bed and Breakfast’?

Three darts scoring 20, 1 and 5 adding up to 26

(2 shillings and 6 pence)

4.

In darts what is known as ‘Madhouse’?

Having to score double 1 to win

5.

In which island group was the prehistoric village of Skara Brae?

Orkneys

6.

In which county was the Sutton Hoo treasure discovered?

Suffolk

7.

During which war were the battles of Malplaquet, Oudenarde and Blenheim fought?

War of the Spanish Succession

8.

During which war were the battles of Minden, Plessey and Quebec fought?

Seven Years’ War

1.

What is the capital of Honduras?

Tegucigalpa

2.

In which Asian country is Tiger beer brewed?

Singapore

3.

Which grape variety, originating in South Africa, is a cross between the Pinot Noir and Cinsault varieties?

Pinotage

4.

Who composed On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring?

Delius

5.

What is the most northerly of the four main islands of Japan?

Hokkaido

6.

In which sport do domestic trophies include the Sheffield Shield, the Currie Cup, and the Shell Shield?

Cricket

(in Australia, South Africa and West Indies respectively)

7.

What nationality is Benjani, the scorer of Manchester City’s glorious winner in last Sunday’s derby?

Zimbabwean

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