ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Which radical 16th century theologian railed against female rulers in a treatise entitled First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women?

2.

Which English monarch fulminated against the evils of smoking in a treatise entitled A Counterblast to Tobacco?

3.

Which actor and comedian collapsed on stage on 3rd April whilst playing the lead role in a West End performance of Entertaining Mr Sloane?

4.

Name the 17th century English metaphysical poet amongst whose works was one entitled To His Coy Mistress.

5.

This English actor starred as Lord Alfred Douglas in the 1997 film, Wilde.  He was also nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the 2003 film, Cold Mountain.  Name him.

6.

Two former American presidents died within hours of each other on July 4 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  John Adams was one.  Name the other.

7.

Name the famous old church situated in the Smithfield area of London that was founded as an Augustinian priory in 1123 by a repentant monk called Rahere.

8.

Acclaimed as one of the greatest warriors in Jewish history, he led a successful revolt against the Seleucid Empire from 167 to 160 BC.  What was his name?

ROUND 2

1.

Who played Irish American cop Jim Malone in the 1987 film, The Untouchables?

2.

Martin Riggs is the name of the police officer in which series of films?

3.

After which biblical character is the world’s largest species of spider named?

4.

Which land animal has been known to make the longest recorded migrations?

5.

Name the two Native American tribes which were on the winning side in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876.

6.

To which tribe did  the character, Magua, belong in  James Fenimore Cooper’s  The Last of The Mohicans?

7.

Caesar and Cleo was the original name of which 1960s pop duo?

8.

The Primettes was the original name of which Tamla Motown pop group?

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

What form of drama can be described as employing disjointed, repetitious and meaningless dialogue, purposeless and confusing situations and plots that lack realistic or logical development?

2.

Which philosophical movement included the likes of Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza?

3.

In which London location would you find a statue of Mahatma Gandhi which was erected in 1938?  It is also the location of the headquarters of the British Medical Association.

4.

Who had a worldwide hit in 1974 with the song When Will I See You Again?

5.

Which 1961 novel by Muriel Spark was set at the Marcia Blaine School in Edinburgh?

6.

The creator of which eponymous brand of cosmetics was born in Lodz, Poland during the 1870s before emigrating to the USA and becoming famous as a make-up artist for movie stars?

7.

On which thoroughfare would you find the official residence of the Vice-President of the United States of America?

8.

Which 2007 film is an adaptation of Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials?

ROUND 4

1.

British tennis player Andy Murray lost in the final of the Indian Wells Masters tournament in March.  Who beat him?

2.

Andy Murray then went on to win the final of the Miami Masters tournament in the first week of April.  Who did he beat?

3.

In Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite which planet is ‘The Bringer of Old Age’?

4.

Similarly, which planet was designated by Holst as ‘The Bringer of Peace’?

5.

To which international post has the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Vogh, Rasmussen recently been appointed?

6.

Of which international post is Dominique Strauss-Kahn currently the Director?

7.

Of which ancient empire was the ruler known in the native language as ‘Tlatoani’ meaning ‘Speaker’?

8.

Of which ancient empire was the ruler known as ‘Basileus’ meaning ‘king’ or ‘chieftain’?

ROUND 5 - Picture Round - Hidden theme

1.

Name this city.

2.

Name this city.

3.

Who is she?

4.

Name the ‘big kid’.

5.

Name this town.

6.

In which year did all these men die?

7.

Name this group.

8.

Name this group.

ROUND 6

1.

Which herb is used to flavour Bearnaise sauce?

2.

Which cut of offal is commonly known as lights?

3.

Name the person who represented Canada at the recent G20 summit conference in London.

4.

Name the person who represented China at the recent G20 summit conference in London.

5.

Which well-known product this year celebrates the 100th anniversary of its launch in Britain?  It was originally marketed as ‘The Amazing Oxygen Washer‘?

6.

On 14th April, Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, presented a programme on Classic FM to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the death of which composer?

7.

In which Charles Dickens novel would you find the character Noddy Boffin?

8.

What was the name of the blacksmith in Dickens’ Great Expectations, played wonderfully by Bernard Miles in the 1946 film?

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

Ireland’s largest island, Achill Island, is connected to which county by the Michael Davitt Bridge?

2.

Which group released, The Man Who,  the UK’s top selling album in 1999?

3.

Which Keats poem begins: “My heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains my sense as though of hemlock I have drunk”?

4.

Which Tennessee-born tennis player, famous for his strong left-handed serve, lost a 5-set thriller to Bjorn Borg in the 1979 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final?

5.

Which East Anglian town is the home of the Greene King Brewery?

6.

Specifically, what is drunk by members of The Striding Man Society?

7.

Which West Bromwich based coach-building firm hit the big time in 1935 when Clark Gable asked them to custom build a car for him?  They produced the Interceptor in 1966 but went bankrupt ten years later.

8.

Name the small bakery opened in Waterford in 1881 which, four years later, started producing a flat savoury biscuit based on the Matzo?  It was an instant success and the company expanded rapidly, opening factories in Dublin and Liverpool.  Although no longer independent, the name lives on.

ROUND 8 - Miki Bingo

Pick a number 1 to 8

1.

Which fictional character was born in Lithuania, imprisoned in Baltimore, escaped to Florence and was last known to be living in Buenos Aires?

2.

Which High Street retail company is named after a girlfriend of Kim Caborn-Waterfield?

3.

A bit like World Cup winning teams, England has managed to produce only one pope!  Give any year in the papacy of Adrian IV.

4.

Name the volcanic island that noisily emerged from the sea off Iceland in 1963?

5.

What is the only city in England that does not contain any roads in its addresses?

6.

Which future president escaped from Lincoln Prison in 1919 when a key to his cell was smuggled in to him in a cake?

7.

In which country is Costa-Gavras’ compelling 1982 film, Missing, set?

8.

Name three of the four teams currently competing in Group 9 with Scotland to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Spares

1.

What is the subtitle of Dr David Starkey’s current Channel 4 TV series on Henry VIII?

2.

How is the current three-part TV series of the Sci-Fi cult classic Red Dwarf subtitled?

3.

Which pioneer of modern pop music was recently convicted of murdering an actress by the name of Lana Clarkson in his Los Angeles mansion?

4.

Of which former kingdom was Queen Liliuokalani the last ever monarch?

5.

Who said, ”Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses”?

6.

What item of equipment would you use to separate a mixture of liquids into its component parts?

Tiebreakers

1.

According to the National Statistics Office, at what figure did the UK National Debt stand as of December 2008?

2.

What, according to Wikipedia, is the 2007 estimate of the population of the City of Manchester?

ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Which radical 16th century theologian railed against female rulers in a treatise entitled First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women?

John Knox

2.

Which English monarch fulminated against the evils of smoking in a treatise entitled A Counterblast to Tobacco?

James I

(VI of Scotland)

3.

Which actor and comedian collapsed on stage on 3rd April whilst playing the lead role in a West End performance of Entertaining Mr Sloane?

Matthew Horne

4.

Name the 17th century English metaphysical poet amongst whose works was one entitled To His Coy Mistress.

Andrew Marvell

5.

This English actor starred as Lord Alfred Douglas in the 1997 film, Wilde.  He was also nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the 2003 film, Cold Mountain.  Name him.

Jude Law

6.

Two former American presidents died within hours of each other on July 4 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  John Adams was one.  Name the other.

Thomas Jefferson

7.

Name the famous old church situated in the Smithfield area of London that was founded as an Augustinian priory in 1123 by a repentant monk called Rahere.

St Bartholomew

(The Great)

8.

Acclaimed as one of the greatest warriors in Jewish history, he led a successful revolt against the Seleucid Empire from 167 to 160 BC.  What was his name?

Judas Maccabeus

ROUND 2

1.

Who played Irish American cop Jim Malone in the 1987 film, The Untouchables?

Sean Connery

2.

Martin Riggs is the name of the police officer in which series of films?

Lethal Weapon

3.

After which biblical character is the world’s largest species of spider named?

Goliath

4.

Which land animal has been known to make the longest recorded migrations?

Caribou

5.

Name the two Native American tribes which were on the winning side in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876.

(Lakota) Sioux and Cheyenne

6.

To which tribe did  the character, Magua, belong in  James Fenimore Cooper’s  The Last of The Mohicans?

Huron

(NOT Mohawk)

7.

Caesar and Cleo was the original name of which 1960s pop duo?

Sonny and Cher

8.

The Primettes was the original name of which Tamla Motown pop group?

The Supremes

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

What form of drama can be described as employing disjointed, repetitious and meaningless dialogue, purposeless and confusing situations and plots that lack realistic or logical development?

Theatre of the Absurd

2.

Which philosophical movement included the likes of Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza?

The Rationalists

3.

In which London location would you find a statue of Mahatma Gandhi which was erected in 1938?  It is also the location of the headquarters of the British Medical Association.

Tavistock Square

4.

Who had a worldwide hit in 1974 with the song When Will I See You Again?

The Three Degrees

5.

Which 1961 novel by Muriel Spark was set at the Marcia Blaine School in Edinburgh?

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

6.

The creator of which eponymous brand of cosmetics was born in Lodz, Poland during the 1870s before emigrating to the USA and becoming famous as a make-up artist for movie stars?

Max Factor

7.

On which thoroughfare would you find the official residence of the Vice-President of the United States of America?

Observatory Circle

8.

Which 2007 film is an adaptation of Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials?

The Golden Compass

ROUND 4

1.

British tennis player Andy Murray lost in the final of the Indian Wells Masters tournament in March.  Who beat him?

Raphael Nadal

2.

Andy Murray then went on to win the final of the Miami Masters tournament in the first week of April.  Who did he beat?

Novak Djokovic

3.

In Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite which planet is ‘The Bringer of Old Age’?

Saturn

4.

Similarly, which planet was designated by Holst as ‘The Bringer of Peace’?

Venus

5.

To which international post has the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Vogh, Rasmussen recently been appointed?

Secretary General of NATO

6.

Of which international post is Dominique Strauss-Kahn currently the Director?

International Monetary Fund

7.

Of which ancient empire was the ruler known in the native language as ‘Tlatoani’ meaning ‘Speaker’?

Aztec

8.

Of which ancient empire was the ruler known as ‘Basileus’ meaning ‘king’ or ‘chieftain’?

Byzantine

ROUND 5 - Picture Round - Hidden theme

1

Name this city.

Derry

(sorry, no points for Ivor if he says “Londonderry”)

2.

Name this city.

Armagh

3.

Who is she?

Mary Peters

4.

Name the ‘big kid’.

Pat Jennings

5.

Name this town.

Enniskillen

6.

In which year did all these men die?

1981

(they were the IRA hunger strikers)

7.

Name this group.

The Undertones

(the lead singer front left is Feargal Sharkey)

8.

Name this group.

Them

(the lead singer standing at the back with the sunglasses is Van Morrison)

ROUND 6

1

Which herb is used to flavour Bearnaise sauce?

Tarragon

2.

Which cut of offal is commonly known as lights?

Lungs

3.

Name the person who represented Canada at the recent G20 summit conference in London.

Stephen Harper

(the Canadian Prime Minister)

4.

Name the person who represented China at the recent G20 summit conference in London.

Hu Jintao

(the Chinese President)

5.

Which well-known product this year celebrates the 100th anniversary of its launch in Britain?  It was originally marketed as ‘The Amazing Oxygen Washer‘?

Persil

6.

On 14th April, Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, presented a programme on Classic FM to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the death of which composer?

George Friederich Handel

7.

In which Charles Dickens novel would you find the character Noddy Boffin?

Our Mutual Friend

8.

What was the name of the blacksmith in Dickens’ Great Expectations, played wonderfully by Bernard Miles in the 1946 film?

Joe Gargery

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

Ireland’s largest island, Achill Island, is connected to which county by the Michael Davitt Bridge?

Mayo

2.

Which group released, The Man Who,  the UK’s top selling album in 1999?

Travis

3.

Which Keats poem begins: “My heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains my sense as though of hemlock I have drunk”?

Ode to a Nightingale

4.

Which Tennessee-born tennis player, famous for his strong left-handed serve, lost a 5-set thriller to Bjorn Borg in the 1979 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final?

Roscoe Tanner

5.

Which East Anglian town is the home of the Greene King Brewery?

Bury St Edmonds

6.

Specifically, what is drunk by members of The Striding Man Society?

Johnnie Walker

(the official fan club is named after the label)

7.

Which West Bromwich based coach-building firm hit the big time in 1935 when Clark Gable asked them to custom build a car for him?  They produced the Interceptor in 1966 but went bankrupt ten years later.

Jensen

8.

Name the small bakery opened in Waterford in 1881 which, four years later, started producing a flat savoury biscuit based on the Matzo?  It was an instant success and the company expanded rapidly, opening factories in Dublin and Liverpool.  Although no longer independent, the name lives on.

Jacobs

ROUND 8 - Mini Bingo

Pick a number 1-8

1.

Which fictional character was born in Lithuania, imprisoned in Baltimore, escaped to Florence and was last known to be living in Buenos Aires?

Hannibal Lecter

2.

Which High Street retail company is named after a girlfriend of Kim Caborn-Waterfield?

Ann Summers

3.

A bit like World Cup winning teams, England has managed to produce only one pope!  Give any year in the papacy of Adrian IV.

Any year between 1154 and 1159

4.

Name the volcanic island that noisily emerged from the sea off Iceland in 1963?

Surtsey

5.

What is the only city in England that does not contain any roads in its addresses?

City of London

(must be specific - London alone will NOT suffice)

6.

Which future president escaped from Lincoln Prison in 1919 when a key to his cell was smuggled in to him in a cake?

Eamonn De Valera

7.

In which country is Costa-Gavras’ compelling 1982 film, Missing, set?

Chile

8.

Name three of the four teams currently competing in Group 9 with Scotland to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

(three from)

Holland, Norway, FYR Macedonia and Iceland

1.

What is the subtitle of Dr David Starkey’s current Channel 4 TV series on Henry VIII?

Mind of a Tyrant

2.

How is the current three-part TV series of the Sci-Fi cult classic Red Dwarf subtitled?

Back to Earth

3.

Which pioneer of modern pop music was recently convicted of murdering an actress by the name of Lana Clarkson in his Los Angeles mansion?

Phil Spector

4.

Of which former kingdom was Queen Liliuokalani the last ever monarch?

Hawaii

5.

Who said, ”Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses”?

Dorothy Parker

6.

What item of equipment would you use to separate a mixture of liquids into its component parts?

A fractionating column

Go back to Spare questions without answers

1.

According to the National Statistics Office, at what figure did the UK National Debt stand as of December 2008?

£750.3 billion

(equivalent to 52.0% of GDP)

2.

What, according to Wikipedia, is the 2007 estimate of the population of the City of Manchester?

458,100

Go back to Tiebreaker questions without answers