ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Which contemporary horror writer has written a series of books in which Frankenstein is still alive?

2.

Whose first novel was An Interview with a Vampires?

3.

Who, together with Vince Clarke, formed the pop duo Kazoo?

4.

Who, together with Vince Clarke, formed the pop duo Erasure?

5.

On a map, what name is given to a line linking places with an equal amount of sunshine?

6.

On a map, what name is given to a line linking places in the sea that are of equal depth?

7.

Astraphobia is a fear of what?

8.

Brontophobia is a fear of what?

1.

ln the Vatican, what is the function of the Institute for Works of Religion?

2.

ln the Vatican, what is the function of the department known as the Cor Unum?

3.

Which tawdry 'heroine' was fought over by Deadeye Dick and Mexican Pete?

4.

Which tawdry 'heroine' is referred to here: "Temples reaching to the stars, international bazaars, chummy little Chinese ladies, drinking at those dinky bars, balmy breezes roam the sea, blossoms in the cherry tree, everything is familiar, but where, oh where, is she?"?

5.

In which Bertolt Brecht play does the character, Tiger Brown, appear?

6.

Which deceitful Bertolt Brecht character lied to his girlfriend by telling her he was "something to do with the railway and nothing to do with the sea"?

7.

What contribution was made by Edward George Honey to Remembrance Day ceremonies?

8.

What contribution was made to Remembrance Day by the Reverend David Railton?

1.

How did Charlotte Brew achieve a sporting first?

2.

How did Sue Brown achieve a sporting first?

3.

ln which book of the Bible does the death of Moses occur?

4.

ln which book of the Bible does the death of Goliath occur?

5.

Which British coin was withdrawn from circulation on 1st January 1970?

6.

Which British coin was withdrawn from circulation on 30 June 1980?

7.

Which famous general was killed on 25 June 1876?

8.

Which famous general was killed on 26 January 1885?

ROUND 4 - Hidden theme

1.

Which explorer was killed by natives in the Philippines in 1521?

2.

Who played Huggy Bear in the TV series Starsky and Hutch?

3.

Who wrote the novel The Prisoner of Zenda?

4.

Who played the part of the Joker in the 1960s TV series Batman?

5.

What is the name of the detective in the book An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P D James?

6.

What was the title of Dire Straits' second Top Ten hit?

7.

In which TV series was there a character called Eddie Hitler?

8.

Who was the 1960 Olympic light heavyweight boxing champion?

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

Who wrote the story of Rip Van Winkle?

2.

Who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Cool Hand Luke?

3.

Which female aviator flew from Croydon to Australia in 19 days in 1930?

4.

What was the name of the character played by Walter Matthau in The Odd Couple?

5.

Which female singer had a 1978 Top Ten hit with the song We're All Alone?

6.

What is the highest mountain in North America?

7.

Which animal cartoon strip was created by Jim Davis?

8.

Which bowler was the first to take 300 test wickets?

1.

Which group released the album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road in 1997?

2.

Which group released the album Evergreen in 1997?

3.

Who, in 2011, has claimed to have "five breathing fists"?

4.

Which martial arts actor is the star of the DVD game Fists of Fire?

5.

Who said in 2010: "Look, work actually helps free people" (with its unfortunate echo of the Nazi slogan Arbeit Macht Frei)?

6.

Who said of England's poor performance in the 2002 World Cup quarter final against Brazil: "We were expecting Winston Churchill and instead we got Ian Duncan Smith"?

7.

According to the song Well, Did You Ever? from High Society, what happened to "poor Mimsy Starr"?

8.

According to the song Well, Did You Ever? what happened to "dear Blanche"?

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Which car maker began life as a weapons manufacturer in 1859?

2.

Which motor cycle maker began life as a weapons manufacturer in 1861?

3.

What word links the titles of a TV Drama by Linda La Plante, a novel by James Elroy and a film scripted by Raymond Chandler?

4.

What phrase links brothel keeper Anna Sage, a film starring Gene Wilder and a song written by Stevie Wonder?

5.

Which Greater Manchester railway station has a platform 0?

6.

Which South Manchester railway station is named in Arabic, Gaelic and Sign Language as well as English?

7.

Who claimed to be fluent in over 6 million forms of communication?

8.

ln which 1927 film did the actress Brigitte Helm memorably play a female robot?

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

What is the name of the road which crosses the Aintree Grand National course?

2.

What links Kelly, Birkin and Alexa?

3.

ln which song do the lyrics "drove my chevy to the levee" appear?

4.

Which poet is buried in St Michael's churchyard, East Coker, Somerset?

5.

How many time zones does China have?

6.

What was the name of Victor Meldrew's wife played by Annette Crosbie, in the TV series One Foot in the Grave?

7.

Which Pacific island state was formerly known as the Gilbert Islands?

8.

Benjamin Briggs was the captain of which famous ship in 1872?

Spares

1.

Which Belgian surrealist painter often used bowler hats in his work?

2.

Who is the vocalist on the album Me and My Shadows?

3.

Which American President patented a device for freeing ships which had run aground?

4.

Which chemical element has the symbol Ga?

5.

Which 20 century American President had the first name Stephen?

6.

Which fictional character said: "Do you want me to sit in the corner and rust or fall apart where l'm standing"?

ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Which contemporary horror writer has written a series of books in which Frankenstein is still alive?

Dean R Koontz

2.

Whose first novel was An Interview with a Vampires?

Ann Rice

3.

Who, together with Vince Clarke, formed the pop duo Kazoo?

Alison Moyet

4.

Who, together with Vince Clarke, formed the pop duo Erasure?

Andy Bell

5.

On a map, what name is given to a line linking places with an equal amount of sunshine?

Isohel

6.

On a map, what name is given to a line linking places in the sea that are of equal depth?

lsobath

7.

Astraphobia is a fear of what?

Lightning

8.

Brontophobia is a fear of what?

Thunder

1.

ln the Vatican, what is the function of the Institute for Works of Religion?

lt is the Vatican Bank

2.

ln the Vatican, what is the function of the department known as the Cor Unum?

lt administers the various charities run by the Church

3.

Which tawdry 'heroine' was fought over by Deadeye Dick and Mexican Pete?

Eskimo Nell

4.

Which tawdry 'heroine' is referred to here: "Temples reaching to the stars, international bazaars, chummy little Chinese ladies, drinking at those dinky bars, balmy breezes roam the sea, blossoms in the cherry tree, everything is familiar, but where, oh where, is she?"?

Shanghai Lil

5.

In which Bertolt Brecht play does the character, Tiger Brown, appear?

The Threepenny Opera

(he is the Chief of Police)

6.

Which deceitful Bertolt Brecht character lied to his girlfriend by telling her he was "something to do with the railway and nothing to do with the sea"?

Surabaya Johnny

7.

What contribution was made by Edward George Honey to Remembrance Day ceremonies?

He suggested the two minute silence

8.

What contribution was made to Remembrance Day by the Reverend David Railton?

The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior

1.

How did Charlotte Brew achieve a sporting first?

She was the first woman to ride in the Grand National

2.

How did Sue Brown achieve a sporting first?

She was the first woman to compete in the University Boat Race

3.

ln which book of the Bible does the death of Moses occur?

Deuteronomy

4.

ln which book of the Bible does the death of Goliath occur?

First Book of Samuel

5.

Which British coin was withdrawn from circulation on 1st January 1970?

Half crown

6.

Which British coin was withdrawn from circulation on 30 June 1980?

Sixpence

7.

Which famous general was killed on 25 June 1876?

George Armstrong Custer

8.

Which famous general was killed on 26 January 1885?

Charles George Gordon

ROUND 4 - Hidden theme

1.

Which explorer was killed by natives in the Philippines in 1521?

Ferdinand Magellan

2.

Who played Huggy Bear in the TV series Starsky and Hutch?

Antonio Fargas

3.

Who wrote the novel The Prisoner of Zenda?

Anthony Hope

4.

Who played the part of the Joker in the 1960s TV series Batman?

Cesar Romero

5.

What is the name of the detective in the book An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P D James?

Cordelia Grey

6.

What was the title of Dire Straits' second Top Ten hit?

Romeo and Juliet

7.

In which TV series was there a character called Eddie Hitler?

Bottom

8.

Who was the 1960 Olympic light heavyweight boxing champion?

Cassius Clay

(not Mohammed AIi)

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a Shakespearean character

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

Who wrote the story of Rip Van Winkle?

Washington Irvine

2.

Who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Cool Hand Luke?

George Kennedy

3.

Which female aviator flew from Croydon to Australia in 19 days in 1930?

Amy Johnson

4.

What was the name of the character played by Walter Matthau in The Odd Couple?

Oscar Madison

5.

Which female singer had a 1978 Top Ten hit with the song We're All Alone?

Rita Coolidge

6.

What is the highest mountain in North America?

Mount McKinley

7.

Which animal cartoon strip was created by Jim Davis?

Garfield the Cat

8.

Which bowler was the first to take 300 test wickets?

Fred Trueman

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a US President

1.

Which group released the album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road in 1997?

Half Man Half Biscuit

2.

Which group released the album Evergreen in 1997?

Echo and the Bunnymen

3.

Who, in 2011, has claimed to have "five breathing fists"?

Charlie Sheen

4.

Which martial arts actor is the star of the DVD game Fists of Fire?

Jackie Chan

5.

Who said in 2010: "Look, work actually helps free people" (with its unfortunate echo of the Nazi slogan Arbeit Macht Frei)?

Ian Duncan Smith

6.

Who said of England's poor performance in the 2002 World Cup quarter final against Brazil: "We were expecting Winston Churchill and instead we got Ian Duncan Smith"?

Gareth Southgate

(commenting on Sven Goran Eriksson's style of management)

7.

According to the song Well, Did You Ever? from High Society, what happened to "poor Mimsy Starr"?

"She got pinched in the Astor Bar"

8.

According to the song Well, Did You Ever? what happened to "dear Blanche"?

"She got run down by an avalanche"

("She's a game girl, y'know, got up and finished fourth")

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Which car maker began life as a weapons manufacturer in 1859?

Skoda

2.

Which motor cycle maker began life as a weapons manufacturer in 1861?

BSA

(Birmingham Small Arms)

3.

What word links the titles of a TV Drama by Linda La Plante, a novel by James Elroy and a film scripted by Raymond Chandler?

Dahlia

(The Red Dahlia by La Plante; The Black Dahlia by Elroy; and The Blue Dahlia by Chandler)

4.

What phrase links brothel keeper Anna Sage, a film starring Gene Wilder and a song written by Stevie Wonder?

Woman in Red

(Sage was nicknamed 'The Woman In Red' when she was present when John Dillinger was shot - although the dress was in fact orange; Gene Wilder starred in the film Woman in Red; and Stevie Wonder wrote the lyrics for the song Woman in Red)

5.

Which Greater Manchester railway station has a platform 0?

Stockport

6.

Which South Manchester railway station is named in Arabic, Gaelic and Sign Language as well as English?

Levenshulme

7.

Who claimed to be fluent in over 6 million forms of communication?

C-3 PO

8.

ln which 1927 film did the actress Brigitte Helm memorably play a female robot?

Metropolis

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

What is the name of the road which crosses the Aintree Grand National course?

Melling Road

2.

What links Kelly, Birkin and Alexa?

They are all styles of handbags

(named after Grace Kelly, Jane Birkin and Alexa Chung)

3.

ln which song do the lyrics "drove my chevy to the levee" appear?

American Pie

(by Don McLean)

4.

Which poet is buried in St Michael's churchyard, East Coker, Somerset?

T S Eliot

5.

How many time zones does China have?

One

(GMT+8)

6.

What was the name of Victor Meldrew's wife played by Annette Crosbie, in the TV series One Foot in the Grave?

Margaret

7.

Which Pacific island state was formerly known as the Gilbert Islands?

Kiribati

8.

Benjamin Briggs was the captain of which famous ship in 1872?

Mary Celeste

(accept Marie Celeste which was the fictitious name given by Conan Doyle and others)

Spares

1.

Which Belgian surrealist painter often used bowler hats in his work?

René Magritte

2.

Who is the vocalist on the album Me and My Shadows?

Cliff Richard

3.

Which American President patented a device for freeing ships which had run aground?

Abraham Lincoln

4.

Which chemical element has the symbol Ga?

Gallium

5.

Which 20 century American President had the first name Stephen?

Stephen Woodrow Wilson

6.

Which fictional character said: "Do you want me to sit in the corner and rust or fall apart where l'm standing"?

Marvin the Paranoid Android

(in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)