1.

Which city on New Zealand's South Island shares its name with a town in Dorset?

2.

Which city on New Zealand's North Island shares its name with a town in Somerset?

3.

Which European city is served by Arlanda airport?

4.

Which European city is served by Kastrup airport?

5.

By what name is Ralph Vaughan Williams's second symphony usually known?

6.

By what name are Joseph Haydn's symphonies number 93 to 104 usually known?

7.

Which England painter's works include The Watering Place and The Harvest Wagon?

8.

Which England painter's works include The Scapegoat and The Hireling Shepherd?

1.

Langley in Virginia is the Head Quarters of which organisation?

2.

What links this year’s Glastonbury headliners with the Greek deity Calliope?

3.

Who was the only person present at Eleanor Rigby’s funeral?

4.

Working backwards from the present day what comes next in this sequence Aston Villa, Raith Rovers, Newcastle United?

5.

Two counties have never won cricket’s County Championship. Name them.

6.

Yellowstone National Park spreads across three states. Name two of them.

7.

After Rangers and Celtic which club, nicknamed the Spiders and currently playing in the Scottish Third Division has won the Scottish Cup the most times?

8.

Who was the longest serving Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 20th Century?

1.

Which 17th-century scientist, architect, inventor of the watch balance-spring and original member of the Royal Society published the scientific law that bears his name in an anagram of the Latin phrase 'Ut tensio, sic vis'?

2.

Who wrote the poem November which starts with the following lines:

"No sun - no moon, No morn - no noon, No dawn - no dusk - No proper time of day, No warmth, No cheerfulness, No proper sense of ease"?

3.

Which is the only club in the Blue Square conference league at the moment to have played top-flight football?

4.

What is the name given to the ridge between the shoulder blades of a horse?

5.

Whose government was deposed in the so-called October Revolution in Russia?

6.

Lee Westwood has taken over from Tiger Woods as the world number one ranking golfer. Who was the number one before Tiger Woods, the first from his country to be so?

7.

The Oxford college that Cardinal Wolsey founded was originally called Cardinal College. This college, which has Tom Tower at his entrance, has produced more British prime ministers than the rest of the Oxford colleges put together and two more than the entire Cambridge University. What is its current name?

8.

Who directed the films One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus?

ROUND 4 - Pairs

1.

The garden plants of the genus crocosmia are usually called by what name?

2.

The garden plants Aster Novae-Belgii and Aster Novaeangliae are usually called by what name?

3.

The landsting is the name given to the Parliament of which country?

4.

What is the name of the Iranian Parliament?

5.

Which prolific American author published seven of his early novels under the name Richard Bachman?

6.

William Sydney Porter wrote under which pen name?

7.

From which plant is tequila made?

8.

Tapioca is made from the roots of which plant?

1.

With roughly 240 million inhabitants which country is the fourth most populous in the world?

2.

Which cricketer took over a hundred wickets and over a thousand runs in his England test career and played first class cricket in five post-war decades?

3.

Jeff Beck replaced whom in the group the Yardbirds?

4.

The current Cabinet contains two former leaders of the Conservative party.  Who was the last party leader to serve in a cabinet under a successor? (Ignore interregnums such as Margaret Beckett's)

5.

In the recently published list of the highest earning women in American show business last year the top places were taken by singers and TV personalities.  The highest earning actress in the list at 56 million dollars appeared in the films The Proposal and The Blind Side in 2009. Who is she?

6.

Which actress recently appeared with acclaim at Nashville singing songs from her forthcoming film?

7.

Which monarch instituted the baronetcy in order to raise money for colonisation purposes by selling off honours?

8.

The collected works of the Dutchman Gerard de Kremer, better known by the latinised form of his name, were published in 1595 with a title which contained for the first time the familiar word by which similar and commonplace collections are known today.  What is the word?

1.

Who comes next in this series: Elizabeth, Mary, vacant, Mary, Audrey......?

2.

Including the incumbent, there are currently 6 British Prime Ministers' spouses alive, all are women. Who are they? (surnames only required)

3.

Including the incumbent there are currently 6 living spouses/partners of Opposition Leaders who have never been PM. All are women. Who are they? (surnames only required)  

4.

Who comes next in this post-war series?  Bess, Mamie, Jacqueline, Lady Bird.......

5.

 Which Radio 4 programme has as its theme music The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson?

6.

Which Radio 4 programme has as its theme music the opening chords of Steady, As she Goes by the Raconteurs?

7.

Which regular relief presenter of Saturday Live used to be half of The Communards, but is now an ordained priest?

8.

Which member of blur was a Parliamentary Candidate in the 2010 General election (for the Cities of London and Westminster constituency)?

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

How much does the Independent cost on a weekday?

2.

How much does Private Eye cost?

3.

What is the name of the popular book originally published as Män som hatar kvinnor – literally 'Men Who Hate Women'?

4.

What is the collective name of the series of books of which The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first?

5.

Which is the nearest league football ground to the river Mersey?

6.

Which is the nearest league football ground to the river Severn?

7.

Part of the traditional Latin Mass (although it is in fact Greek) what is the literal translation of 'Kyrie Eleison'? (Kir-ee-ay   El-ay-ee-son)

8.

In the Requiem Mass, what is the literal translation of 'Dies Irae'?  (Dee-es  Ear-ay)

ROUND 8 - Pot luck

1.

In which book of the Bible would you find the story of Samson and Delilah? 

2.

Vila Nova de Gaia is a centre for the production of which drink? 

3.

Philip Larkin, Frank Whittle, Ellen Terry and Pete Waterman were all born in which English city?

4.

Where on your body would you find a lunula?

5.

The battles of Heraclea in 280 BC, and Asculum in 279 BC, were the original what? 

6.

How was Vyacheslav Scriabin better known?

7.

Who was Akhenaten’s celebrated wife?

8.

Where in East Anglia is the Headquarters of the Greene King Brewery?

Spares

1.

Pocahontas was married to which Englishman?

2.

In what year did Rex Harrison win an Oscar and Malcolm X get assassinated?

3.

The mid-18th century architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli is best known for his sumptuous buildings in which European city?

4.

Which Greek philosopher, who shares his name with an international aerospace, defence and electronics company, created a sensation by predicting a total solar eclipse that took place in BC 585?

5.

In which year was the first heart pacemaker fitted, Gatwick airport opened, and CND founded?

1.

Which city on New Zealand's South Island shares its name with a town in Dorset?

Christchurch

2.

Which city on New Zealand's North Island shares its name with a town in Somerset?

Wellington

3.

Which European city is served by Arlanda airport?

Stockholm

4.

Which European city is served by Kastrup airport?

Copenhagen

5.

By what name is Ralph Vaughan Williams's second symphony usually known?

London Symphony

6.

By what name are Joseph Haydn's symphonies number 93 to 104 usually known?

The London Symphonies

7.

Which England painter's works include The Watering Place and The Harvest Wagon?

Gainsborough

8.

Which England painter's works include The Scapegoat and The Hireling Shepherd?

Holman Hunt

1.

Langley in Virginia is the Head Quarters of which organisation?

CIA

2.

What links this year’s Glastonbury headliners with the Greek deity Calliope?

Muse

(Name of rock band and Caliope is one of the Greek Muses)

3.

Who was the only person present at Eleanor Rigby’s funeral?

Father McKenzie

4.

Working backwards from the present day what comes next in this sequence Aston Villa, Raith Rovers, Newcastle United?
 

Chelsea

(Names of the teams supported by recent Prime Ministers - John Major is the next in line)

5.

Two counties have never won cricket’s County Championship. Name them.

Somerset, Northamptonshire

6.

Yellowstone National Park spreads across three states. Name two of them.

(2 from)

Montana, Idaho and Wyoming

7.

After Rangers and Celtic which club, nicknamed the Spiders and currently playing in the Scottish Third Division has won the Scottish Cup the most times?

Queens Park

8.

Who was the longest serving Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 20th Century?

David Lloyd George

1.

Which 17th-century scientist, architect, inventor of the watch balance-spring and original member of the Royal Society published the scientific law that bears his name in an anagram of the Latin phrase 'Ut tensio, sic vis'?

(Robert) Hooke

2.

Who wrote the poem November which starts with the following lines:

"No sun - no moon, No morn - no noon, No dawn - no dusk - No proper time of day, No warmth, No cheerfulness, No proper sense of ease"?

Thomas Hood

3.

Which is the only club in the Blue Square conference league at the moment to have played top-flight football?

Luton Town

4.

What is the name given to the ridge between the shoulder blades of a horse?

Withers

5.

Whose government was deposed in the so-called October Revolution in Russia?

Kerensky

6.

Lee Westwood has taken over from Tiger Woods as the world number one ranking golfer. Who was the number one before Tiger Woods, the first from his country to be so?

Vijay Singh

(in 2004)

7.

The Oxford college that Cardinal Wolsey founded was originally called Cardinal College. This college, which has Tom Tower at his entrance, has produced more British prime ministers than the rest of the Oxford colleges put together and two more than the entire Cambridge University. What is its current name?

Christchurch

8.

Who directed the films One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus?

Milos Forman

ROUND 4 - Pairs

1.

The garden plants of the genus crocosmia are usually called by what name?

2.

The garden plants Aster Novae-Belgii and Aster Novaeangliae are usually called by what name?

3.

The landsting is the name given to the Parliament of which country?

4.

What is the name of the Iranian Parliament?

Majilis

5.

Which prolific American author published seven of his early novels under the name Richard Bachman?

6.

William Sydney Porter wrote under which pen name?

7.

From which plant is tequila made?

8.

Tapioca is made from the roots of which plant?

1.

With roughly 240 million inhabitants which country is the fourth most populous in the world?

Indonesia

2.

Which cricketer took over a hundred wickets and over a thousand runs in his England test career and played first class cricket in five post-war decades?

(Freddie) Titmus

3.

Jeff Beck replaced whom in the group the Yardbirds?

Eric Clapton

4.

The current Cabinet contains two former leaders of the Conservative party.  Who was the last party leader to serve in a cabinet under a successor? (Ignore interregnums such as Margaret Beckett's)

Sir Alex Douglas-Home

(Foreign Secretary in 1970)

5.

In the recently published list of the highest earning women in American show business last year the top places were taken by singers and TV personalities.  The highest earning actress in the list at 56 million dollars appeared in the films The Proposal and The Blind Side in 2009. Who is she?

Sandra Bullock

6.

Which actress recently appeared with acclaim at Nashville singing songs from her forthcoming film?

Gwyneth Paltrow

(Country Strong)

7.

Which monarch instituted the baronetcy in order to raise money for colonisation purposes by selling off honours?

King James I

8.

The collected works of the Dutchman Gerard de Kremer, better known by the latinised form of his name, were published in 1595 with a title which contained for the first time the familiar word by which similar and commonplace collections are known today.  What is the word?

Atlas

(he is known as Mercator)

1.

Who comes next in this series: Elizabeth, Mary, vacant, Mary, Audrey......?

Denis

(Thatcher - Prime Ministers' spouses)

2.

Including the incumbent, there are currently 6 British Prime Ministers' spouses alive, all are women. Who are they? (surnames only required)

Samantha Cameron (b 1971),

Sarah Brown (b 1963),

Cherie Blair (b 1954), Dame Norma Major (b 1942),

Mary Wilson (b 1916)

Clarissa Eden (b 1920)

(Anthony Eden, the only PM to have ever divorced, married the much younger Clarissa in 1952; she is a Conservative peer, and very much alive and well)

3.

Including the incumbent there are currently 6 living spouses/partners of Opposition Leaders who have never been PM. All are women. Who are they? (surnames only required)  

Justine Thornton (Miliband),

Sandra Howard,

Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Duncan Smith,

Ffion Hague,

Elizabeth Smith,

Glenys Kinnock

4.

Who comes next in this post-war series?  Bess, Mamie, Jacqueline, Lady Bird.......

Pat (Nixon)

(first Ladies of US )

5.

 Which Radio 4 programme has as its theme music The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson?

The News Quiz

6.

Which Radio 4 programme has as its theme music the opening chords of Steady, As she Goes by the Raconteurs?

Saturday Live

7.

Which regular relief presenter of Saturday Live used to be half of The Communards, but is now an ordained priest?

Richard Coles

8.

Which member of blur was a Parliamentary Candidate in the 2010 General election (for the Cities of London and Westminster constituency)?

Dave Rowntree

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

How much does the Independent cost on a weekday?

£1

2.

How much does Private Eye cost?

£1.50

3.

What is the name of the popular book originally published as Män som hatar kvinnor – literally 'Men Who Hate Women'?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

(by Steig Larsson)

4.

What is the collective name of the series of books of which The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first?

The Millennium Trilogy

(highly recommended according to the setters)

5.

Which is the nearest league football ground to the river Mersey?

Edgeley Park

(Stockport County FC - accept club name)

6.

Which is the nearest league football ground to the river Severn?

Greenhouse Meadow or The New Meadow (Shrewsbury Town FC - accept club name)

7.

Part of the traditional Latin Mass (although it is in fact Greek) what is the literal translation of 'Kyrie Eleison'? (Kir-ee-ay   El-ay-ee-son)

'Lord Have Mercy'

8.

In the Requiem Mass, what is the literal translation of 'Dies Irae'?  (Dee-es  Ear-ay)

'Day of Wrath'

(not 'Judgement Day' which is Terminator II)

ROUND 8 - Pot luck

1.

In which book of the Bible would you find the story of Samson and Delilah? 

Judges

2.

Vila Nova de Gaia is a centre for the production of which drink? 

Port

3.

Philip Larkin, Frank Whittle, Ellen Terry and Pete Waterman were all born in which English city?

Coventry

4.

Where on your body would you find a lunula?

On your nail

(it is the half moon shape on the nail bed)

5.

The battles of Heraclea in 280 BC, and Asculum in 279 BC, were the original what? 

Pyrrhic victories

6.

How was Vyacheslav Scriabin better known?

Molotov

7.

Who was Akhenaten’s celebrated wife?

Nefertiti

8.

Where in East Anglia is the Headquarters of the Greene King Brewery?

Bury St Edmunds

Spares

1.

Pocahontas was married to which Englishman?

John Rolfe

2.

In what year did Rex Harrison win an Oscar and Malcolm X get assassinated?

1965

3.

The mid-18th century architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli is best known for his sumptuous buildings in which European city?

St Petersburg

(among his buildings is the Winter Palace)

4.

Which Greek philosopher, who shares his name with an international aerospace, defence and electronics company, created a sensation by predicting a total solar eclipse that took place in BC 585?

Thales

5.

In which year was the first heart pacemaker fitted, Gatwick airport opened, and CND founded?

1958