ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Which iconic novel written in 1797 was originally entitled First Impressions?

2.

Which epic novel published in the 1860’s was originally entitled 1805?

3.

Tom Albanese has recently resigned as Chief Executive of which Footsie 100 Company after the announcement of a £8.7 billion write down of its assets?

4.

After the recent purchase of UK software company Autonomy, which major US Company has written off $8.8 billion because of Autonomy's alleged irregularities?

5.

Herb Robert is used as a remedy for toothache and nosebleeds in traditional herbalism. To which genus of plants does it belong?

6.

Oenothera Biennis is used by herbalists as a remedy for many conditions such as inflammation of the joints and skin complaints. What is its common name?

7.

Andre Breton was a French writer and poet regarded as founder of which artistic movement?

8.

In the 1880’s Georges Seurat and Paul Signac were exponents of which painting technique?

1.

Which female tennis player was born in Canada in 1975, is a citizen of France, Canada, and the United States, and has represented France in the Olympics in team events?  In 1993, she successfully filed for a restraining order against her father, who was known to be verbally abusive to her and her opponents.

2.

Who partnered John McEnroe to 4 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles titles?

3.

Played by Richard Thorp, who is the longest running character in Emmerdale?

4.

Which musician was frequently caricatured on a TV comedy show whose title, Bo' Selecta!, is based on a line from one of his songs, Re-Rewind?

5.

Which British high jumper won gold in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur?

6.

Which plant, whose name refers to 'the flowering top of a cabbage', has  varieties called Calabrese and Sprouting?

7.

Which song on The Beatles’ Abbey Road album was written and performed by Ringo?  The idea for the song came about when Ringo was in Sardinia and ordered fish and chips for lunch, but got squid instead.

8.

What is the name of the world's largest investor-owned electric utility service provider, based in Düsseldorf?  In 2002 it took over Powergen.

Sp.

What is the title of Rhianna’s single, released in September, whose music video features dreamy and surreal scenes of the singer lying  alone in open waters, frantically running from a car on a deserted highway, in a desert with horses running free and in-between a street battle?

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme and Pairs

1.

2.

3.

Which 1963 film set in Kauai Hawaii, starring Lee Marvin, John Wayne and Dorothy Lamour was John Wayne's last with John Ford?

4.

Which 1980 film was about the life of boxer Jake Lamotta?

5.

What is the chief commodity sold by the successful retail chain founded by Lord Harris of Peckham in 1988, which now has over 700 stores?  The chain expanded by taking over the business started by Harold Plotnek on Birmingham market in the 1950s. 

6.

Which famous sporting runner-up has the middle name of Warren?

7.

8.

ROUND 4 - Pot pourri

1.

In Brazil what is a 'favela'?   

2.

Wardley Hall in Worsley contains the so-called screaming skull of St Ambrose Barlow.  Whose official residence is the hall?

3.

Which conductor, born in Hungary in 1912, was awarded an honorary knighthood in 1971?  He was connected for many years with Chicago and was known by orchestra musicians as the 'screaming skull'.

4.

Which United Kingdom office of State is named after the pattern on a tablecloth?

5.

Named after the Minister of food appointed in 1940, what was the vegetarian pie created by the Savoy hotel during the Second World War called?

6.

In which city is the Pergamum museum?

7.

The Marquis of Douro is the heir to which British dukedom?

8.

What is the name of the Linux-based operating system produced by Google for touchscreen devices?

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Who circumnavigated the world in Lively Lady?

2.

In 1949 Lucky Lady II circumnavigated the world.  Why was this a first?

3.

Which professional snooker player is known as the 'Jester from Leicester'? 

4.

Which professional darts player is known as 'silverback'?

5.

Which composer had the nickname 'Il Prete Rosso', the Red Priest?

6.

Who is Master of the Queen's Music?

7.

Give a year in the life of Hannibal.   

8.

Give a year in the life of Constantine the Great.          

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

Nicknamed 'The Brazilian Bombshell', who was famous for her signature fruit hat outfit?

2.

Who has been MP for Sheffield Hallam since 2005?

3.

Which of the Harry Potter characters has parents who are both Muggle dentists?

4.

Which name connects: the character played by Kate Jackson in the TV series Charlie's Angels and a Pokemon character?

5.

What is Charlie’s surname in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

6.

Which organ of the body, part of the immune system, filters your blood,  creates new blood cells and stores platelets?

7.

Which footballer has played for Everton, Bristol City and Norwich City as well as other clubs, and has managed Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Ipswich Town?

8.

Which of Bolton Wanderers' nicknames refers to a local name for a  practical joker?

Sp.

Which EastEnders character murdered Archie Mitchell?

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

What was the name of the athletics track event that took place in Edinburgh every year, in which the contestants were handicapped?  It was one of the few professional events in the days of amateur athletics?

2.

3.

Which group was founded by Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood and Bev Bevan and produced the album El Dorado, A Symphony?

4.

Which band was formed by John Williams and Herbie Flowers in the 1970s?

5.

Which novel which won the Booker Prize in 1981 is narrated by Saleem Sinai?  The novel has also been awarded the 'Booker of Booker' Prize.

6.

What was the role played by Bette Davis in the 1962 psychological thriller directed by Robert Aldrich in which she co-stars with Joan Crawford?

7.

Which Northamptonshire and England cricket player won the 1975 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for his performances against Australia?

8.

In which kingdom was Catherine the Great of Russia born?

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

Name one of the two people who founded Handmade films in 1978.

2.

Winning the award in 2012 who is the oldest actor to win an Oscar?

3.

What building occupies the site of the former Baltic Exchange?

4.

Name one of the 2 British Warships sunk off Singapore in December 1941.

5.

What is the name given to the investigations into the alleged sexual abuse by Jimmy Saville? 

6.

Three shipping forecast areas have a coastline with Ireland and the mainland of Britain.  Irish Sea is one, name one of the other two.

7.

What is the largest rodent in the world?

8.

Who wrote the autobiography Joseph Anton: a Memoir in 2012?

Spares

1.

David Cameron will host the G8 conference this summer in Northern Ireland.  Where is the venue?

2.

Which country has sovereignty over Easter Island?

3.

For which team did Lance Armstrong ride when he won 6 Tours de France from 1999 to 2004?

4.

How did Richard Hughes gain record fame on 15th October 2012?

5.

Which is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of population and the 8th largest in the world?

ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Which iconic novel written in 1797 was originally entitled First Impressions?

Pride and Prejudice

2.

Which epic novel published in the 1860’s was originally entitled 1805?

War and Peace

3.

Tom Albanese has recently resigned as Chief Executive of which Footsie 100 Company after the announcement of a £8.7 billion write down of its assets?

Rio Tinto

4.

After the recent purchase of UK software company Autonomy, which major US Company has written off $8.8 billion because of Autonomy's alleged irregularities?

Hewlett-Packard

5.

Herb Robert is used as a remedy for toothache and nosebleeds in traditional herbalism. To which genus of plants does it belong?

Geranium

6.

Oenothera Biennis is used by herbalists as a remedy for many conditions such as inflammation of the joints and skin complaints. What is its common name?

Evening Primrose

7.

Andre Breton was a French writer and poet regarded as founder of which artistic movement?

Surrealist Movement

8.

In the 1880’s Georges Seurat and Paul Signac were exponents of which painting technique?

Pointillism

1.

Which female tennis player was born in Canada in 1975, is a citizen of France, Canada, and the United States, and has represented France in the Olympics in team events?  In 1993, she successfully filed for a restraining order against her father, who was known to be verbally abusive to her and her opponents.

Mary Pierce

2.

Who partnered John McEnroe to 4 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles titles?

Peter Fleming

3.

Played by Richard Thorp, who is the longest running character in Emmerdale?

Alan Turner

4.

Which musician was frequently caricatured on a TV comedy show whose title, Bo' Selecta!, is based on a line from one of his songs, Re-Rewind?

Craig David

5.

Which British high jumper won gold in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur?

Dalton Grant

6.

Which plant, whose name refers to 'the flowering top of a cabbage', has  varieties called Calabrese and Sprouting?

Broccoli

7.

Which song on The Beatles’ Abbey Road album was written and performed by Ringo?  The idea for the song came about when Ringo was in Sardinia and ordered fish and chips for lunch, but got squid instead.

Octopus's Garden

8.

What is the name of the world's largest investor-owned electric utility service provider, based in Düsseldorf?  In 2002 it took over Powergen.

e-on

Sp.

What is the title of Rhianna’s single, released in September, whose music video features dreamy and surreal scenes of the singer lying  alone in open waters, frantically running from a car on a deserted highway, in a desert with horses running free and in-between a street battle?

Diamonds

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme and Pairs

1.

2.

3.

Which 1963 film set in Kauai Hawaii, starring Lee Marvin, John Wayne and Dorothy Lamour was John Wayne's last with John Ford?

Donovan's Reef

4.

Which 1980 film was about the life of boxer Jake Lamotta?

5.

What is the chief commodity sold by the successful retail chain founded by Lord Harris of Peckham in 1988, which now has over 700 stores?  The chain expanded by taking over the business started by Harold Plotnek on Birmingham market in the 1950s. 

6.

Which famous sporting runner-up has the middle name of Warren?

7.

Blue

8.

ROUND 4 - Pot pourri

1.

In Brazil what is a 'favela'?   

A shanty town

2.

Wardley Hall in Worsley contains the so-called screaming skull of St Ambrose Barlow.  Whose official residence is the hall?

The Bishop of Salford

3.

Which conductor, born in Hungary in 1912, was awarded an honorary knighthood in 1971?  He was connected for many years with Chicago and was known by orchestra musicians as the 'screaming skull'.

Sir George Solti

4.

Which United Kingdom office of State is named after the pattern on a tablecloth?

(Named after the chequered pattern on the cloth on which the money was counted)

5.

Named after the Minister of food appointed in 1940, what was the vegetarian pie created by the Savoy hotel during the Second World War called?

Woolton Pie

6.

In which city is the Pergamum museum?

Berlin

7.

The Marquis of Douro is the heir to which British dukedom?

Wellington

8.

What is the name of the Linux-based operating system produced by Google for touchscreen devices?

Android

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Who circumnavigated the world in Lively Lady?

(Sir Alec) Rose

2.

In 1949 Lucky Lady II circumnavigated the world.  Why was this a first?

The first non-stop circumnavigation in an aeroplane 

3.

Which professional snooker player is known as the 'Jester from Leicester'? 

Mark Selby

4.

Which professional darts player is known as 'silverback'?

Tony O'Shea  

5.

Which composer had the nickname 'Il Prete Rosso', the Red Priest?

Vivaldi

6.

Who is Master of the Queen's Music?

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

7.

Give a year in the life of Hannibal.   

Any year between 247 BC and 182 BC

8.

Give a year in the life of Constantine the Great.          

Any year between 272 AD and 337 AD

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

Nicknamed 'The Brazilian Bombshell', who was famous for her signature fruit hat outfit?

Carmen Miranda

2.

Who has been MP for Sheffield Hallam since 2005?

Nick Clegg

3.

Which of the Harry Potter characters has parents who are both Muggle dentists?

Hermione Granger

4.

Which name connects: the character played by Kate Jackson in the TV series Charlie's Angels and a Pokemon character?

Sabrina

(the teenage witch)

5.

What is Charlie’s surname in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Bucket

6.

Which organ of the body, part of the immune system, filters your blood,  creates new blood cells and stores platelets?

Spleen

7.

Which footballer has played for Everton, Bristol City and Norwich City as well as other clubs, and has managed Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Ipswich Town?

Joe Royle

8.

Which of Bolton Wanderers' nicknames refers to a local name for a  practical joker?

The Trotters

Sp.

Which EastEnders character murdered Archie Mitchell?

Stacey Slater (or Branning) 

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

What was the name of the athletics track event that took place in Edinburgh every year, in which the contestants were handicapped?  It was one of the few professional events in the days of amateur athletics?

Powderhall

(Sprint)

2.

The Royal Air Force

3.

Which group was founded by Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood and Bev Bevan and produced the album El Dorado, A Symphony?

The Electric Light Orchestra

4.

Which band was formed by John Williams and Herbie Flowers in the 1970s?

Sky

5.

Which novel which won the Booker Prize in 1981 is narrated by Saleem Sinai?  The novel has also been awarded the 'Booker of Booker' Prize.

Midnight's Children

6.

What was the role played by Bette Davis in the 1962 psychological thriller directed by Robert Aldrich in which she co-stars with Joan Crawford?

Baby Jane (Hudson)

7.

Which Northamptonshire and England cricket player won the 1975 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for his performances against Australia?

David Steele

8.

In which kingdom was Catherine the Great of Russia born?

Prussia

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

Name one of the two people who founded Handmade films in 1978.

Denis O'Brien

2.

Winning the award in 2012 who is the oldest actor to win an Oscar?

Christopher Plummer

3.

What building occupies the site of the former Baltic Exchange?

(30, St. Mary's Axe)

4.

Name one of the 2 British Warships sunk off Singapore in December 1941.

Prince of Wales

5.

What is the name given to the investigations into the alleged sexual abuse by Jimmy Saville? 

Operation Yewtree

6.

Three shipping forecast areas have a coastline with Ireland and the mainland of Britain.  Irish Sea is one, name one of the other two.

Lundy or Malin

7.

What is the largest rodent in the world?

Capybara

8.

Who wrote the autobiography Joseph Anton: a Memoir in 2012?

Salman Rushdie

Spares

1.

David Cameron will host the G8 conference this summer in Northern Ireland.  Where is the venue?

Lough Erne

2.

Which country has sovereignty over Easter Island?

Chile

3.

For which team did Lance Armstrong ride when he won 6 Tours de France from 1999 to 2004?

US Postal Service

4.

How did Richard Hughes gain record fame on 15th October 2012?

(at Windsor Race Course to equal Frankie Dettori's record)

5.

Which is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of population and the 8th largest in the world?

Sao Paolo