ROUND 1

1.

With strong language and scenes of drug-taking and adolescent sex, in which city is the Channel 4 drama, Skins, set?

2.

Of the eight kings of England called Henry which had the longest reign?

3.

Who survived assassination attempts by Sarah Jane Moore and Lynette Fromme?

4.

Which is the only square on a Monopoly board to contain all the letters in the word ‘monopoly’?

5.

Who won the 1960 Ebbw Vale by-election following the untimely death of Aneurin Bevan?

6.

Give a year in the life of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels.

7.

Which geographical term is the only anagram of the word ‘sectional’?

8.

Actor Vic Morrow died, along with two Vietnamese children, in a helicopter accident while filming a stunt on the film set of which 1982 movie?

ROUND 2

1.

Actor Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was accidentally shot dead whilst filming a stunt on the film set of which 1993 movie?

2.

Which medical term is the only anagram of the word ‘ruminates’?

3.

Give a year in the life of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress.

4.

Which constituency was won by Eric Lubbock (now Lord Avebury) for the Liberals, with a 22% swing in a sensational by-election of 1962?

5.

Which is the only Scottish League football club not to contain any of the letters in the word ‘football’?

6.

Who survived assassination attempts by Edward Oxford, John Francis, John William Bean, William Hamilton and Robert Pate?

7.

Of the eight post-Conquest kings of England called Edward who had the shortest reign?

8.

With strong language and scenes of drug-taking and adolescent sex, on which fictional Manchester estate is the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless set?

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

What name is given to the subdivisions of Iceland, Gloucestershire, the Swedish province of Jamtland and Tolkien’s fictional Shire?

2.

Which entrepreneur was portrayed by Steve Coogan in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People?

3.

Which member of the shadow cabinet, a former contender for the leadership, is MP for Woodspring?

4.

Which biologist, an expert on the genetics of snails, writes for the Daily Telegraph, and has authored books including The Language of the Genes and Almost Like a Whale?

5.

Which 1880 novel by Henry James was a feature film in 1997 starring Jennifer Jason Leigh (daughter of Vic Morrow) as Catherine Sloper?

6.

Who, in 1975, was the first athlete to run a mile in under 3 minutes 50 seconds?

7.

Who immediately preceded Captain James T Kirk as captain of the USS Enterprise?

8.

Which actor played Jamie McCrimmon, the companion of the second Dr Who between 1966 and 1969, and was later a popular soap star for 22 years until his character was killed off in 1994?

ROUND 4 - Hidden theme

1.

His nickname was ‘Bosie’; his uncle was killed after falling during the descent of the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn.  Who was he?

2.

In 1975 which mountaineer ascended the south-west face of Everest with Dougal Haston?   He also descended the Ogre in 1977 in five days with two broken legs.

3.

Which American artist (1856-1925) painted Madam X in 1884?

4.

Which Dickens novel published in 1838 with a backdrop of the Gordon riots, concerned the love affair between Edwin Chester and Emma Haredale?

5.

Which Shakespearean character sang “Where the bee sucks there suck I, in a cowslip’s bell I lie”?

6.

Which small Cumbrian town is at the junction of the A66 and A685?  Swindale Beck runs through it.

7.

Which mountaineer was on the 1922 and 1924 Everest expeditions ascending to 28,126 feet with Somerville?  He later declared that Everest could be climbed without oxygen. (surname only needed)

8.

Which 1990 film, about the relationship between an artist and his brother, was directed by Robert Altman and starred Tim Roth and Paul Rhys?

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

John Blackthorne is the main character in which 1975 novel by James Clavell?

2.

Cher, Johnny Depp, Elvis and Jimi Hendrix all have ancestry from which Native American tribe?

3.

The ancient Egyptian soul consisted of five parts.  Which part corresponded to the life force?

4.

Which muse, also called ‘the glorious one’ is the muse of history?

5.

The flower class ships, HMS Bluebell, Marigold and Hollyhock, were all World War II examples of which type of ship?

6.

Written in 1810, Bagatelle in A Minor, Work Without Opus Number 59 is more commonly known by what name?

7.

What is the name of the nomadic people inhabiting the shaded region in the picture?  They have operated the trans-Saharan trade route for two millennia.

8.

Identify the name of the encircled islands in the picture whose flag is also portrayed.

ROUND 6 - Picture Round

1.

What is the name of this sculpture near Burnley?  It shares its name with a 1957 East German children’s film which in a Radio Times poll of 2004 was voted Number 20 in the list of Spookiest TV programmes of all time?

2.

What is the name of this piece of art allegedly deriving its name from a comment made by the artist’s mother?

3.

Who painted this portrait of Pope Innocent X which hangs in the Galleria Doria Pamphili in Rome?

4.

Who painted this study, modelled on Velazquez’s portrait of Pope Innocent X, which hangs in the Des Moines Art Center in Iowa?

5.

Who is this emperor who reigned from 1520 to 1566?

6.

Who is this European monarch who reigned from 1762 to 1796?

7.

This sculpture is now displayed in the Louvre, but on which island was it found in 1863?

8.

These carved pieces are now displayed in the British Museum and also in the Royal Museum, Edinburgh, but on which island were they found in 1831?

ROUND 7 - '1958'

A certain Historyman is 50 later this year (and it’s not young David); here are eight questions on other events happening in that year

1.

Faisal II was assassinated in 1958.  Of which country was he monarch?

2.

Which pop star was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16th 1958?

3.

The Soccer World Cup was held in Sweden in 1958 and won by Brazil.  Which team did they defeat 5-2 in the final?

4.

Which popular food product was invented and first marketed in 1958 by Momofuku Ando?

5.

Which electrical component was invented by Jack St Clair Kilby in 1958?

6.

Only three months after the Munich air disaster Manchester United reached the 1958 FA Cup final. Which team beat them 2-0?

7.

Which pop star was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29th 1958?

8.

Imre Nagy was executed in 1958.  Of which country had he been the leader?

ROUND 8

1.

Before their election to the papacy, the 20th century popes Pius X, John XXIII and John Paul I were all Archbishops of which city?

2.

Who is the author of novels including The Ice House, The Scold’s Bridle and The Shape of Snakes?

3.

Who directed the film 1991 The Commitments?  He appeared in a cameo role in his own film and was listed in the credits as ‘eejit record producer’.

4.

Ernst Chain shared a Nobel Prize in 1945.  Name either of his co-winners.

5.

Maurice Wilkins shared a Nobel Prize in 1961.  Name either of his co-winners.

6.

The film The Commitments helped launch the careers of which band who have had albums including Forgiven not Forgotten and In Blue?

7.

Who is the author of novels including Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Case Histories and One Good Turn?

8.

Before their election to the papacy the 20th century popes Pius XI and Paul VI were Archbishops of which city?

Spares

1.

What one word is a brand of milkshake, a 1980s pop duo, and a cotton growing area of Mississippi?

2.

On which island is the language Serquaiais spoken?

3.

In which city is Citadel railway station?

4.

What gift is traditionally given on a tenth wedding anniversary?

5.

Which organ of the body is affected by Hashimoto’s disease?

6.

Name the three Scottish League football teams with a part of the body in their names.

Tiebreakers

1.

In which year were Opal Fruits first marketed in the UK?

2.

How old was Henry VIII when he died?

ROUND 1

1.

With strong language and scenes of drug-taking and adolescent sex, in which city is the Channel 4 drama, Skins, set?

Bristol

2.

Of the eight kings of England called Henry which had the longest reign?

Henry III

3.

Who survived assassination attempts by Sarah Jane Moore and Lynette Fromme?

Gerald Ford

4.

Which is the only square on a Monopoly board to contain all the letters in the word ‘monopoly’?

Electric Company

5.

Who won the 1960 Ebbw Vale by-election following the untimely death of Aneurin Bevan?

Michael Foot

6.

Give a year in the life of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels.

1667 to 1745

7.

Which geographical term is the only anagram of the word ‘sectional’?

Coastline

8.

Actor Vic Morrow died, along with two Vietnamese children, in a helicopter accident while filming a stunt on the film set of which 1982 movie?

The Twilight Zone

ROUND 2

1.

Actor Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was accidentally shot dead whilst filming a stunt on the film set of which 1993 movie?

The Crow

2.

Which medical term is the only anagram of the word ‘ruminates’?

Antiserum

3.

Give a year in the life of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress.

1628 to 1688

4.

Which constituency was won by Eric Lubbock (now Lord Avebury) for the Liberals, with a 22% swing in a sensational by-election of 1962?

Orpington

5.

Which is the only Scottish League football club not to contain any of the letters in the word ‘football’?

Dundee

6.

Who survived assassination attempts by Edward Oxford, John Francis, John William Bean, William Hamilton and Robert Pate?

Queen Victoria

7.

Of the eight post-Conquest kings of England called Edward who had the shortest reign?

Edward V

8.

With strong language and scenes of drug-taking and adolescent sex, on which fictional Manchester estate is the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless set?

Chatsworth

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

What name is given to the subdivisions of Iceland, Gloucestershire, the Swedish province of Jamtland and Tolkien’s fictional Shire?

Farthing

2.

Which entrepreneur was portrayed by Steve Coogan in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People?

Anthony Wilson

3.

Which member of the shadow cabinet, a former contender for the leadership, is MP for Woodspring?

Liam Fox

4.

Which biologist, an expert on the genetics of snails, writes for the Daily Telegraph, and has authored books including The Language of the Genes and Almost Like a Whale?

Steve Jones

5.

Which 1880 novel by Henry James was a feature film in 1997 starring Jennifer Jason Leigh (daughter of Vic Morrow) as Catherine Sloper?

Washington Square

6.

Who, in 1975, was the first athlete to run a mile in under 3 minutes 50 seconds?

John Walker

7.

Who immediately preceded Captain James T Kirk as captain of the USS Enterprise?

Captain Christopher Pike

8.

Which actor played Jamie McCrimmon, the companion of the second Dr Who between 1966 and 1969, and was later a popular soap star for 22 years until his character was killed off in 1994?

Frazer Hines

ROUND 4 - Hidden theme

1.

His nickname was ‘Bosie’; his uncle was killed after falling during the descent of the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn.  Who was he?

Lord Alfred Douglas

2.

In 1975 which mountaineer ascended the south-west face of Everest with Dougal Haston?   He also descended the Ogre in 1977 in five days with two broken legs.

Doug Scott

3.

Which American artist (1856-1925) painted Madam X in 1884?

John Singer Sargent

4.

Which Dickens novel published in 1838 with a backdrop of the Gordon riots, concerned the love affair between Edwin Chester and Emma Haredale?

Barnaby Rudge

5.

Which Shakespearean character sang “Where the bee sucks there suck I, in a cowslip’s bell I lie”?

Ariel

(from The Tempest)

6.

Which small Cumbrian town is at the junction of the A66 and A685?  Swindale Beck runs through it.

Brough

7.

Which mountaineer was on the 1922 and 1924 Everest expeditions ascending to 28,126 feet with Somerville?  He later declared that Everest could be climbed without oxygen. (surname only needed)

Colonel E F Norton

8.

Which 1990 film, about the relationship between an artist and his brother, was directed by Robert Altman and starred Tim Roth and Paul Rhys?

Vincent and Theo

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1

John Blackthorne is the main character in which 1975 novel by James Clavell?

Shogun

2.

Cher, Johnny Depp, Elvis and Jimi Hendrix all have ancestry from which Native American tribe?

Cherokee

3.

The ancient Egyptian soul consisted of five parts.  Which part corresponded to the life force?

Ka

4.

Which muse, also called ‘the glorious one’ is the muse of history?

Clio

5.

The flower class ships, HMS Bluebell, Marigold and Hollyhock, were all World War II examples of which type of ship?

Corvette

6.

Written in 1810, Bagatelle in A Minor, Work Without Opus Number 59 is more commonly known by what name?

Für Elise

(For Elise)

7.

What is the name of the nomadic people inhabiting the shaded region in the picture?  They have operated the trans-Saharan trade route for two millennia.

Tuareg 

8.

Identify the name of the encircled islands in the picture whose flag is also portrayed.

Cayman Islands

ROUND 6 - Picture Round

1

What is the name of this sculpture near Burnley?  It shares its name with a 1957 East German children’s film which in a Radio Times poll of 2004 was voted Number 20 in the list of Spookiest TV programmes of all time?

The Singing Ringing Tree

2.

What is the name of this piece of art allegedly deriving its name from a comment made by the artist’s mother?

For The Love of God

3.

Who painted this portrait of Pope Innocent X which hangs in the Galleria Doria Pamphili in Rome?

Diego Velazquez

4.

Who painted this study, modelled on Velazquez’s portrait of Pope Innocent X, which hangs in the Des Moines Art Center in Iowa?

Francis Bacon

5.

Who is this emperor who reigned from 1520 to 1566?

Suleiman the Magnificent

6.

Who is this European monarch who reigned from 1762 to 1796?

Catherine the Great

7.

This sculpture is now displayed in the Louvre, but on which island was it found in 1863?

Samothrace

8.

These carved pieces are now displayed in the British Museum and also in the Royal Museum, Edinburgh, but on which island were they found in 1831?

Lewis

ROUND 7 - '1958'

A certain Historyman is 50 later this year (and it’s not young David); here are eight questions on other events happening in that year

1.

Faisal II was assassinated in 1958.  Of which country was he monarch?

Iraq

2.

Which pop star was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16th 1958?

Madonna

3.

The Soccer World Cup was held in Sweden in 1958 and won by Brazil.  Which team did they defeat 5-2 in the final?

Sweden

4.

Which popular food product was invented and first marketed in 1958 by Momofuku Ando?

Pot noodles

(accept cup noodles or instant noodles)

5.

Which electrical component was invented by Jack St Clair Kilby in 1958?

Integrated circuit

(accept microprocessor or silicon chip or microchip)

6.

Only three months after the Munich air disaster Manchester United reached the 1958 FA Cup final. Which team beat them 2-0?

Bolton Wanderers

7.

Which pop star was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29th 1958?

Michael Jackson

8.

Imre Nagy was executed in 1958.  Of which country had he been the leader?

Hungary

ROUND 8

1.

Before their election to the papacy, the 20th century popes Pius X, John XXIII and John Paul I were all Archbishops of which city?

Venice

2.

Who is the author of novels including The Ice House, The Scold’s Bridle and The Shape of Snakes?

Minette Walters

3.

Who directed the film 1991 The Commitments?  He appeared in a cameo role in his own film and was listed in the credits as ‘eejit record producer’.

Alan Parker

4.

Ernst Chain shared a Nobel Prize in 1945.  Name either of his co-winners.

(one from)

Howard Florey and Alexander Fleming

5.

Maurice Wilkins shared a Nobel Prize in 1961.  Name either of his co-winners.

(one from)

James Watson and Francis Crick

6.

The film The Commitments helped launch the careers of which band who have had albums including Forgiven not Forgotten and In Blue?

The Corrs

7.

Who is the author of novels including Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Case Histories and One Good Turn?

Kate Atkinson

8.

Before their election to the papacy the 20th century popes Pius XI and Paul VI were Archbishops of which city?

Milan

1.

What one word is a brand of milkshake, a 1980s pop duo, and a cotton growing area of Mississippi?

Yazoo

2.

On which island is the language Serquaiais spoken?

Sark

3.

In which city is Citadel railway station?

Carlisle

4.

What gift is traditionally given on a tenth wedding anniversary?

Tin

5.

Which organ of the body is affected by Hashimoto’s disease?

Thyroid gland

6.

Name the three Scottish League football teams with a part of the body in their names.

Heart of Midlothian;

Peterhead;

Brechin

Go back to Spare questions without answers

1.

In which year were Opal Fruits first marketed in the UK?

1960

2.

How old was Henry VIII when he died?

55

Go back to Tiebreaker questions without answers