ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Topeka is the capital of which American state?

2.

Which American poet, writer and satirist made the following remarks:

“You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think”,

“I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true” and

 “Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes clean to the bone”?

3.

Born in Palermo in 1964 which footballer scored 6 goals in the 1990 World Cup finals, earning him the coveted Golden Boot award?

4.

The Spanish call it 'Espantapajaros', the French call it 'Epouvantail' - what is it called in English?

5.

Born in Seattle in 1939 this singer/songwriter had her biggest hit in 1975 with the song Send in the Clowns.  She also enjoyed success with the songs Someday Soon, Chelsea Morning and Amazing Grace.  Can you name her?

6.

Which stone is regarded as the traditional birthstone for May as well as the traditional gemstone for the astrological sign of Cancer?

7.

The Spanish call it 'Arbol', the French call it 'Arbre' - what do the Germans call it?

8.

First published in 1915, which novel by D H Lawrence follows 3 generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire? 

Sp.

Founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow, what was the first Cistercian foundation in Wales, and only the second in Britain, after Waverley Abbey?

Go to Round 1 questions with answers

ROUND 2 - Announced theme - 'Doctor, Doctor'

Each answer contains a word or name (possibly misspelt) that can follow ‘Doctor’

1.

Which Strictly star, born in South Africa in 1990, became a judge on The Greatest Dancer this year?

2.

What three-word term for confidence in the economy and willingness to spend became popular in the 1990s?

3.

What was the name of the television-shaped witch in TV cartoon Willo the Wisp?

4.

Force equals stiffness multiplied by distance would be an expression of which physical law?

5.

Who wrote the songs Beautiful Dreamer, Camptown Races and My Old Kentucky Home?

6.

Which 1988 film centres on private eye Eddie Valiant?

7.

Which Hip Hop group had a huge international hit with Push It in 1986?

8.

Sp.

Which surname links footballers Jimmy, Micky and Niall?

Go to Round 2 questions with answers

ROUND 3 - '1943'

1.

Which rock star, born in 1943, was arrested on stage in 1967?  These days he gets more than 1000 visitors a day.

2.

Which other rock star, born in 1943, who had brushes with the law, is remembered in tribute songs by Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and the Mamas and the Papas?

3.

Where did Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill meet in December 1943?

4.

Who was appointed Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia in August 1943?  He insisted on being called 'Dickie', though this was not one of his many names.

5.

Operation Gomorrah, which began in July 1943 involved the bombing of which city?

6.

The USAF bomber Memphis Belle returned from its 25th mission in 1943.  What type of aircraft was it?

7.

This 1943 film, starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, was the tenth adaptation of its source novel?  Twelve more have followed since.

8.

The 1943 film Border Patrol was the acting debut of which legend of films noir and Westerns?  He later played Max Cady in Cape Fear.

Go to Round 3 questions with answers

ROUND 4 - Pairs

1.

Which fictional character found himself residing in a dentist's surgery at 22 Wallaby Way, Sydney?

2.

Which fictional characters live at 63 West Wallaby Street, Wigan?

3.

Which company advertises with the slogan ‘We’ll do you proud’?

4.

Which car manufacturer advertises with the slogan ‘Innovation that Excites’?

5.

Who said after his retirement in 1991: "Seven months ago I could give a command and 541,000 people would obey it. Today, I can’t get a plumber to come to my house."?

6.

Who were members of the LAPD filmed battering in 1991?  Riots ensued.

7.

The first of Real Madrid’s Galactico signings was from Barcelona in 2000.  Who was he?

8.

The most recent recognised Galactico to join Real was bought from Monaco after his performances for Colombia in the 2014 World Cup.  Who?

Go to Round 4 questions with answers

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

What is the state capital of Connecticut?

2.

Which musical comedy, first staged in 2011, makes light of certain religious beliefs and practices, but ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service.  The musical includes the songs Baptize Me and Joseph Smith American Moses.

3.

Born in Ohio in 1924 this composer, conductor and arranger won 4 Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and 20 Grammy Awards.  His best known works include Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

4.

Robert Guillaume played which character in the TV series Soap?

5.

Which song by Elvis Costello starts with the following lyrics:

“Oh it’s so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl.  And with the way you look I understand that you are not impressed. But I heard you let that little friend of mine take off your party dress”?

6.

On a UK Monopoly Board what green property is situated between Liverpool Street Station and Community Chest?

7.

Born in Illinois in 1970, which actress was nominated for a 2019 Academy Award in the Best Actress category for her role as Lee Israel in the 2018 film Can You Ever Forgive Me??

8.

Born in Stockport in 1987, which actress is known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and Lance Corporal Georgie Lane in Our Girl?

Sp1

Which 2008 computer animated comedy film was based on the book of the same name by Dr Seuss and featured the voices of Jim Carey and Steve Carell?

Sp2

Which song, recorded by Burl Ives, starts with the following lyrics:

“Once a lonely caterpillar sat and cried, to a sympathetic beetle by his side, 'I’ve got nobody to hug, I’m such an ugly bug' “?

Go to Round 5 questions with answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

What institution, in addition to the Royal Society of Chemistry, can be found in Burlington House on London’s Piccadilly?

2.

Which Greek god was the twin brother of Artemis?

3.

Which mobile network operator is the main commercial brand of Telefonica UK Ltd?

4.

One of the Manchester Murals by Madox Brown, in the Town Hall, concerns the opening of what?

5.

Which alcohol-free lager was advertised by Lawrie McMenemy in the 1980s?

6.

Which of the Seven New Wonders of the World (chosen in 2000 from still-extant monuments) is nearest to Manchester?

7.

Which prisoner was transferred from the Bastille after 10 years, on 4 July 1789?

8.

Which HBO TV series which ran for five seasons from 2010 featured Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson?

Sp.

Which municipal borough of London was combined with Willesden to form the borough of Brent in 1965? 

Go to Round 6 questions with answers

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme - 'First Growth'

1.

Which play won the Antoinette Perry Award in 2000?

2.

Which city is 'always on a bender'?

3.

One June evening Charlotte Lennox held a ball which has since gone down in history.  Where?

4.

Who scored the first ever goal at Wembley in a play-off final?

5.

Who with Karl Liebknecht founded the Spartacus League in Berlin in 1915 and was subsequently summarily executed by Freicorps troops in the 1919 uprising?

6.

Which Arsenal supporting Tamil starred in Just Another Immigrant and presented his home-made vegan chocolate brownies on the Great British Bake Off?

7.

The 'Brawl in Porthcawl' was a foul-strewn boxing contest between Dick Richardson and which second generation British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion?

8.

What prohibits the use of poison gas in warfare?

Sp.

What treaty ended the Seven Years War?

Go to Round 7 questions with answers

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

In the Monty Python sketches the criminal Pyranha Brothers, who terrified London, were themselves terrified of whom?

2.

Who had a hit with The Leader of the Pack?

3.

What was the first hit for the Monkees?

4.

What was bought for 30 pieces of silver?

5.

What is the only fizzy drink in the letters of the NATO International Phonetic Alphabet ?

6.

Which building ceased to be the world’s tallest in 1548?

7.

What do we call what the Romans called Mons Calpe?

8.

Sp

What is the family seat of the Earl Marshall of England?

Go to Round 8 questions with answers

ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Topeka is the capital of which American state?

Kansas

2.

Which American poet, writer and satirist made the following remarks:

“You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think”,

“I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true” and

 “Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes clean to the bone”?

Dorothy Parker

3.

Born in Palermo in 1964 which footballer scored 6 goals in the 1990 World Cup finals, earning him the coveted Golden Boot award?

Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci

4.

The Spanish call it 'Espantapajaros', the French call it 'Epouvantail' - what is it called in English?

Scarecrow

5.

Born in Seattle in 1939 this singer/songwriter had her biggest hit in 1975 with the song Send in the Clowns.  She also enjoyed success with the songs Someday Soon, Chelsea Morning and Amazing Grace.  Can you name her?

Judy Collins

6.

Which stone is regarded as the traditional birthstone for May as well as the traditional gemstone for the astrological sign of Cancer?

Emerald

7.

The Spanish call it 'Arbol', the French call it 'Arbre' - what do the Germans call it?

Baum

8.

First published in 1915, which novel by D H Lawrence follows 3 generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire? 

The Rainbow

Sp.

Founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow, what was the first Cistercian foundation in Wales, and only the second in Britain, after Waverley Abbey?

Tintern Abbey

Theme: Each answer contains a word linked to The Wizard of Oz

ROUND 2 - Announced theme - 'Doctor, Doctor'

Each answer contains a word or name (possibly misspelt) that can follow ‘Doctor’

1.

Which Strictly star, born in South Africa in 1990, became a judge on The Greatest Dancer this year?

Oti Mabuse

2.

What three-word term for confidence in the economy and willingness to spend became popular in the 1990s?

'The feel-good factor'

3.

What was the name of the television-shaped witch in TV cartoon Willo the Wisp?

Evil Edna

4.

Force equals stiffness multiplied by distance would be an expression of which physical law?

Hooke’s Law

5.

Who wrote the songs Beautiful Dreamer, Camptown Races and My Old Kentucky Home?

Stephen Foster

6.

Which 1988 film centres on private eye Eddie Valiant?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

7.

Which Hip Hop group had a huge international hit with Push It in 1986?

Salt-n-Pepa

8.

Martinique

Sp,

Which surname links footballers Jimmy, Micky and Niall?

Quinn

Go back to Round 2 questions without answers

ROUND 3 - '1943'

1.

Which rock star, born in 1943, was arrested on stage in 1967?  These days he gets more than 1000 visitors a day.

Jim Morrison

2.

Which other rock star, born in 1943, who had brushes with the law, is remembered in tribute songs by Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and the Mamas and the Papas?

Janis Joplin

3.

Where did Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill meet in December 1943?

Tehran

4.

Who was appointed Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia in August 1943?  He insisted on being called 'Dickie', though this was not one of his many names.

Louis Mountbatten

5.

Operation Gomorrah, which began in July 1943 involved the bombing of which city?

Hamburg

6.

The USAF bomber Memphis Belle returned from its 25th mission in 1943.  What type of aircraft was it?

(B17) Flying Fortress

7.

This 1943 film, starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, was the tenth adaptation of its source novel?  Twelve more have followed since.

Jayne Eyre

8.

The 1943 film Border Patrol was the acting debut of which legend of films noir and Westerns?  He later played Max Cady in Cape Fear.

Robert Mitchum

Go back to Round 3 questions without answers

ROUND 4 - Pairs

1.

Which fictional character found himself residing in a dentist's surgery at 22 Wallaby Way, Sydney?

Nemo

2.

Which fictional characters live at 63 West Wallaby Street, Wigan?

Wallace & Gromit

3.

Which company advertises with the slogan ‘We’ll do you proud’?

4.

Which car manufacturer advertises with the slogan ‘Innovation that Excites’?

Nissan

5.

Who said after his retirement in 1991: "Seven months ago I could give a command and 541,000 people would obey it. Today, I can’t get a plumber to come to my house."?

Norman Schwarzkopf

6.

Who were members of the LAPD filmed battering in 1991?  Riots ensued.

Rodney King

7.

The first of Real Madrid’s Galactico signings was from Barcelona in 2000.  Who was he?

Luis Figo

8.

The most recent recognised Galactico to join Real was bought from Monaco after his performances for Colombia in the 2014 World Cup.  Who?

James Rodriguez

Go back to Round 4 questions without answers

ROUND 5 - Hidden theme

1.

What is the state capital of Connecticut?

2.

Which musical comedy, first staged in 2011, makes light of certain religious beliefs and practices, but ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service.  The musical includes the songs Baptize Me and Joseph Smith American Moses.

The Book of Mormon

3.

Born in Ohio in 1924 this composer, conductor and arranger won 4 Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and 20 Grammy Awards.  His best known works include Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Henry Mancini

4.

Robert Guillaume played which character in the TV series Soap?

Benson

5.

Which song by Elvis Costello starts with the following lyrics:

“Oh it’s so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl.  And with the way you look I understand that you are not impressed. But I heard you let that little friend of mine take off your party dress”?

Alison

6.

On a UK Monopoly Board what green property is situated between Liverpool Street Station and Community Chest?

Bond Street

7.

Born in Illinois in 1970, which actress was nominated for a 2019 Academy Award in the Best Actress category for her role as Lee Israel in the 2018 film Can You Ever Forgive Me??

Melissa McCarthy

8.

Born in Stockport in 1987, which actress is known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and Lance Corporal Georgie Lane in Our Girl?

Michelle Keegan

Sp1

Which 2008 computer animated comedy film was based on the book of the same name by Dr Seuss and featured the voices of Jim Carey and Steve Carell?

Horton Hears a Who!

Sp2

Which song, recorded by Burl Ives, starts with the following lyrics:

“Once a lonely caterpillar sat and cried, to a sympathetic beetle by his side, 'I’ve got nobody to hug, I’m such an ugly bug' “?

Summer Magic: The Ugly Bug Ball

(accept The Ugly Bug Ball)

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a former Manchester City manager

(though subsequently it has been confirmed that Mick McCarthy was never actually a City manager)

Go back to Round 5 questions without answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

What institution, in addition to the Royal Society of Chemistry, can be found in Burlington House on London’s Piccadilly?

The Royal Academy

(of Art)

2.

Which Greek god was the twin brother of Artemis?

Apollo

3.

Which mobile network operator is the main commercial brand of Telefonica UK Ltd?

O2

4.

One of the Manchester Murals by Madox Brown, in the Town Hall, concerns the opening of what?

The Bridgewater Canal

5.

Which alcohol-free lager was advertised by Lawrie McMenemy in the 1980s?

Barbican

6.

Which of the Seven New Wonders of the World (chosen in 2000 from still-extant monuments) is nearest to Manchester?

The Colosseum

(of Rome)

7.

Which prisoner was transferred from the Bastille after 10 years, on 4 July 1789?

Marquis de Sade

8.

Which HBO TV series which ran for five seasons from 2010 featured Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson?

Boardwalk Empire

Sp.

Which municipal borough of London was combined with Willesden to form the borough of Brent in 1965? 

Wembley

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a Manchester or London music venue - classical or rock

Go back to Round 6 questions without answers

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme - 'First Growth'

1.

Which play won the Antoinette Perry Award in 2000?

Copenhagen

2.

Which city is 'always on a bender'?

Berlin

(is on the Spree - ha! ha!)

3.

One June evening Charlotte Lennox held a ball which has since gone down in history.  Where?

Brussels

(she was the Duchess of Richmond – she held a ball the eve of the Battle of Waterloo)

4.

Who scored the first ever goal at Wembley in a play-off final?

Dion Dublin

(for Cambridge United in a League 2 play-off match)

5.

Who with Karl Liebknecht founded the Spartacus League in Berlin in 1915 and was subsequently summarily executed by Freicorps troops in the 1919 uprising?

Rosa Luxembourg

6.

Which Arsenal supporting Tamil starred in Just Another Immigrant and presented his home-made vegan chocolate brownies on the Great British Bake Off?

Romesh Ranganathan

7.

The 'Brawl in Porthcawl' was a foul-strewn boxing contest between Dick Richardson and which second generation British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion?

Brian London

8.

What prohibits the use of poison gas in warfare?

The Hague Convention

Sp.

What treaty ended the Seven Years War?

The Treaty of Paris

Theme: Each answer contains the name of the capital city of an EU country after the EU's first expansion

Go back to Round 7 questions without answers

ROUND 8 - Pot pourri

1.

In the Monty Python sketches the criminal Pyranha Brothers, who terrified London, were themselves terrified of whom?

Spiny Norman the Giant Hedgehog

2.

Who had a hit with The Leader of the Pack?

The Shangri Las

3.

What was the first hit for the Monkees?

Last Train to Clarksville

4.

What was bought for 30 pieces of silver?

The Potter’s Field

(Judas tried to return his bribe and the Elders of the Temple used the money to make the purchase)

5.

What is the only fizzy drink in the letters of the NATO International Phonetic Alphabet ?

Tango

6.

Which building ceased to be the world’s tallest in 1548?

Lincoln Cathedral

(in that year the spire collapsed)

7.

What do we call what the Romans called Mons Calpe?

Rock of Gibraltar

8.

Liverpool

Sp.

What is the family seat of the Earl Marshall of England?

Arundel Castle

Go back to Round 8 questions without answers