ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers said during a performance "We should build a by-pass over this shithole.".  Which shithole did he have in mind?

2.

Name any of the three headline acts from this year's Glastonbury festival (Pyramid stage only).

3.

In taxonomy, to which class does Homo Sapiens belong?

4.

Similarly, to which order does Homo Sapiens belong?

5.

In terms of winning Sports Personality of the Year (year not specified) which lucky lady was placed between Paul Gascoigne and Nigel Mansell?

6.

In the same competition in another year another lady found herself placed between Princess Anne and Jackie Stewart; who was she?

7.

In which city would you find the Transamerica pyramid?

8.

In which city would you find the Jacques Cartier Bridge?

1.

The eponymous character of which novel is King Rudolf V?

2.

The eponymous character of which novel is Father Lankester Merrin?

3.

Which year saw the deaths of Arthur Lowe, Princess Grace of Monaco and Leonid Brezhnev?

4.

Which year saw the deaths of Tennessee Williams, Karen Carpenter and David Niven?

5.

Who was court painter to Charles IV of Spain?.

6.

Who was court painter to Charles I of Spain (aka Holy Roman Emperor Charles V)?

7.

Marenka is the eponymous heroine of which opera?

8.

Violetta is the eponymous heroine of which opera?

1.

What was the last major trophy won by Newcastle United? (trophy & year required)

2.

In which year did Durham CCC win the county championship for the first time?

3.

Who was theologian who lived at the twin priories of Jarrow and Wearmouth in the 8th century?

4.

The Great Fire of Newcastle claimed many more lives than its London counterpart but in which year did it occur? (allow ten years either way)

5.

Which Newcastle-based band received great critical acclaim, but rather less commercial success, in the 1980s for their albums Swoon, Steve McQueen and Langley Park To Memphis?

6.

Lauren Laverne, the presenter of BBC TV s Culture Show and the Glastonbury coverage (amongst other things) first made her name with which Sunderland-based 'teen punk' band of the 1990s?

7.

The Tyne Bridge was built to a design based on which other world famous bridge?

8.

Who was responsible for the Gateshead Flasher's Erection?

ROUND 4 - Pairs - 'Vive La République or À bas les Aristos'

1.

Who was the tsar of Russia (1598-1605) who inspired an opera by Mussorgsky?

2.

Which composer wrote a score for the Eisenstein film Ivan The Terrible?

3.

Give a year in the life of the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne.

4.

In which year did the Holy Roman Empire finally come to an end? (allow 3 years either way)

5.

Where did Queen Victoria and Prince Albert get married?

6.

Bombay and Tangier formed part of which English Queen's dowry?

7.

Who was the monarch of the Netherlands between 1890 and 1948?

8.

Name either of the two most famous mistresses of King Louis XV of France.

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Which band, founded at University College London in 1996, was once known as Starfish?

2.

What is the name of the band, formed at Abingdon School in 1985, was once known as Only on a Friday?

3.

Which club, after 34 failed attempts, was elected to the Football League in 1987?

4.

Which traditional sweets are made by William Santus & Co. in Wigan?

5.

Which fictional character was described by his creator as 'The Napoleon of Crime'?

6.

What was the name of Sherlock Holmes' 'older and smarter' brother?

7.

What is the name of the dog in Three Men in a Boat (not to forget the Dog)?

8.

What is the name of the raven in Dickens' Barnaby Rudge?

1.

Which actress once said "I used to be Snow White but I drifted"?

2.

Which actress was Bette Davis referring to when she said "She slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie"?

3.

The Dickens' characters Mr Creakle and Mr Headstone followed which profession?

4.

The Dickens' characters Mr Tulkinghorn and Mr Jaggers followed which profession?

5.

Which is the southern-most point of continental India?

6.

Which is the southern-most point of Africa?

7.

Which queen is buried in Peterborough Cathedral?

8.

Phillipa of Hainault was the wife of which king of England?

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Who, at his fifteenth attempt, won his first Grand National in 2010 on Don't Push it?

2.

Who, at his fifteenth attempt, won his first Derby in 2007 on Authorised?

3.

What style of hat gets its name from a play written by French playwright Victorien Sardou in 1882?

4.

What style of hat gets its name from a novel written by George du Maurier in 1894?

5.

Which is the only football club to reach three or more FA Cup Finals only to lose them all?

6.

Which is the last club to win the FA Cup in three consecutive years?

7.

The current £20 note pictures what industrial activity?

8.

The current £10 note picture what type of creature?

ROUND 8 - Pairs

1.

Which town situated on the North coast of Cornwall was damaged by the flash flooding of the rivers Valency and Jordan in August 2004 and 2007?

2.

The North Cornish village of Delabole is known worldwide for which commodity?

3.

Shown on road signs what is the English translation of the Welsh word Ysbyty?

4.

Shown on vehicles what is the English translation of Heddlu?

5.

The name of which country translates as 'venerable island'?

6.

Meaning in translation 'cluster of eight', what name did the Ellice Islands adopt on gaining independence in 1978?

7.

Not an island at all, which area of Dorset lies south of Poole Harbour and is home to Corfe Castle and the town of Swanage?

8.

Not an island at all, which area of Scotland lies between the Moray Firth and the Cromarty Firth, and is home to Groam House museum and the town of Fortrose?

Spares

1.

The local name for which geographical feature translates as 'the smoke that thunders'?

2.

What is the name of the tall white hat worn by a chef?

3.

Which author's novels include When Eight Bells ToIl in 1966 and Caravan to Vaccares in 1970?

4.

What headgear is named after a Robert Burns poem?

5.

What was the name of the 1956 film starring Clifton Webb which was a dramatised version of WWII Operation Mincemeat?

6.

How would the English refer what the Welsh call Ynys Mon?

7.

This chess piece is known as a runner (Iaufer) in German, a fool (fou) in French and an elephant (slon) in Russian.  How is it known in English?

8.

Which French writer declined the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964?

ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers said during a performance "We should build a by-pass over this shithole.".  Which shithole did he have in mind?

Glastonbury

2.

Name any of the three headline acts from this year's Glastonbury festival (Pyramid stage only).

(one of)

Beyoncé,

Coldplay,

U2

3.

In taxonomy, to which class does Homo Sapiens belong?

Mammals

4.

Similarly, to which order does Homo Sapiens belong?

Primates

5.

In terms of winning Sports Personality of the Year (year not specified) which lucky lady was placed between Paul Gascoigne and Nigel Mansell?

Liz McColgan

6.

In the same competition in another year another lady found herself placed between Princess Anne and Jackie Stewart; who was she?

Mary Peters

7.

In which city would you find the Transamerica pyramid?

San Francisco

8.

In which city would you find the Jacques Cartier Bridge?

Montreal

1.

The eponymous character of which novel is King Rudolf V?

The Prisoner of Zenda

2.

The eponymous character of which novel is Father Lankester Merrin?

The Exorcist

3.

Which year saw the deaths of Arthur Lowe, Princess Grace of Monaco and Leonid Brezhnev?

1982

4.

Which year saw the deaths of Tennessee Williams, Karen Carpenter and David Niven?

1983

5.

Who was court painter to Charles IV of Spain?.

Goya

6.

Who was court painter to Charles I of Spain (aka Holy Roman Emperor Charles V)?

Titian

7.

Marenka is the eponymous heroine of which opera?

The Bartered Bride

8.

Violetta is the eponymous heroine of which opera?

La Traviata

1.

What was the last major trophy won by Newcastle United? (trophy & year required)

Inter-cities Fairs Cup in 1969

(accept Fairs Cup)

2.

In which year did Durham CCC win the county championship for the first time?

2008

3.

Who was theologian who lived at the twin priories of Jarrow and Wearmouth in the 8th century?

The Venerable Bede

4.

The Great Fire of Newcastle claimed many more lives than its London counterpart but in which year did it occur? (allow ten years either way)

1854

5.

Which Newcastle-based band received great critical acclaim, but rather less commercial success, in the 1980s for their albums Swoon, Steve McQueen and Langley Park To Memphis?

Prefab Sprout

6.

Lauren Laverne, the presenter of BBC TV s Culture Show and the Glastonbury coverage (amongst other things) first made her name with which Sunderland-based 'teen punk' band of the 1990s?

Kenickie

7.

The Tyne Bridge was built to a design based on which other world famous bridge?

Sydney Harbour Bridge

8.

Who was responsible for the Gateshead Flasher's Erection?

Anthony Gormley

(it's an affectionate local nickname for the Angel Of The North)

ROUND 4 - Pairs - 'Vive La République or À bas les Aristos'

1.

Who was the tsar of Russia (1598-1605) who inspired an opera by Mussorgsky?

Boris Godunov

2.

Which composer wrote a score for the Eisenstein film Ivan The Terrible?

Prokofiev

3.

Give a year in the life of the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne.

742 - 814

4.

In which year did the Holy Roman Empire finally come to an end? (allow 3 years either way)

1806

5.

Where did Queen Victoria and Prince Albert get married?

St James's Palace

6.

Bombay and Tangier formed part of which English Queen's dowry?

Catherine of Braganza

(wife of Charles II)

7.

Who was the monarch of the Netherlands between 1890 and 1948?

Queen Wilhelmina

8.

Name either of the two most famous mistresses of King Louis XV of France.

(either)

Madame de Pompadour

(or)

Madame du Barry

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Which band, founded at University College London in 1996, was once known as Starfish?

Coldplay

2.

What is the name of the band, formed at Abingdon School in 1985, was once known as Only on a Friday?

Radiohead

3.

Which club, after 34 failed attempts, was elected to the Football League in 1987?

Wigan Athletic

4.

Which traditional sweets are made by William Santus & Co. in Wigan?

Uncle Joe's Mint Balls

5.

Which fictional character was described by his creator as 'The Napoleon of Crime'?

Professor James Moriarty

6.

What was the name of Sherlock Holmes' 'older and smarter' brother?

Mycroft

7.

What is the name of the dog in Three Men in a Boat (not to forget the Dog)?

Montmorency

8.

What is the name of the raven in Dickens' Barnaby Rudge?

Grip

1.

Which actress once said "I used to be Snow White but I drifted"?

Mae West

2.

Which actress was Bette Davis referring to when she said "She slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie"?

Joan Crawford

3.

The Dickens' characters Mr Creakle and Mr Headstone followed which profession?

Teaching

4.

The Dickens' characters Mr Tulkinghorn and Mr Jaggers followed which profession?

The Law

5.

Which is the southern-most point of continental India?

Cape Comorin

6.

Which is the southern-most point of Africa?

Cape Agulhas

7.

Which queen is buried in Peterborough Cathedral?

Catherine of Aragon

8.

Phillipa of Hainault was the wife of which king of England?

Edward III

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Who, at his fifteenth attempt, won his first Grand National in 2010 on Don't Push it?

A P (Tony) McCoy

2.

Who, at his fifteenth attempt, won his first Derby in 2007 on Authorised?

Lanfranco (Frankie) Dettori

3.

What style of hat gets its name from a play written by French playwright Victorien Sardou in 1882?

Fedora

4.

What style of hat gets its name from a novel written by George du Maurier in 1894?

Trilby

5.

Which is the only football club to reach three or more FA Cup Finals only to lose them all?

Leicester City

(they've reached 4 finals)

6.

Which is the last club to win the FA Cup in three consecutive years?

Blackburn Rovers

(1884-1886)

7.

The current £20 note pictures what industrial activity?

Pin making

8.

The current £10 note picture what type of creature?

A humming bird

ROUND 8 - Pairs

1.

Which town situated on the North coast of Cornwall was damaged by the flash flooding of the rivers Valency and Jordan in August 2004 and 2007?

Boscastle

2.

The North Cornish village of Delabole is known worldwide for which commodity?

Slate

3.

Shown on road signs what is the English translation of the Welsh word Ysbyty?

Hospital or Hospice

4.

Shown on vehicles what is the English translation of Heddlu?

Police

5.

The name of which country translates as 'venerable island'?

Sri Lanka

6.

Meaning in translation 'cluster of eight', what name did the Ellice Islands adopt on gaining independence in 1978?

Tuvalu

7.

Not an island at all, which area of Dorset lies south of Poole Harbour and is home to Corfe Castle and the town of Swanage?

Isle of Purbeck

8.

Not an island at all, which area of Scotland lies between the Moray Firth and the Cromarty Firth, and is home to Groam House museum and the town of Fortrose?

Black isle

Spares

1.

The local name for which geographical feature translates as 'the smoke that thunders'?

Victoria Falls

2.

What is the name of the tall white hat worn by a chef?

Toque

3.

Which author's novels include When Eight Bells ToIl in 1966 and Caravan to Vaccares in 1970?

Alistair Maclean

4.

What headgear is named after a Robert Burns poem?

Tam O'Shanter

5.

What was the name of the 1956 film starring Clifton Webb which was a dramatised version of WWII Operation Mincemeat?

The Man Who Never Was

6.

How would the English refer what the Welsh call Ynys Mon?

Isle of Anglesey

7.

This chess piece is known as a runner (Iaufer) in German, a fool (fou) in French and an elephant (slon) in Russian.  How is it known in English?

Bishop

8.

Which French writer declined the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964?

Jean-Paul Sartre