ROUND 1 - Announced theme

All the answers are one word and end with the same 3 letters

1.

By what name is Tchaikovsky's final composition, his Symphony Number 6 known today?  It was called the Passionate Symphony by its composer but was mistranslated into French after his death, earning the title it still retains today meaning 'evoking pity'.

2.

Which French word came eventually to mean an extravagant style of art characterized by curving lines, gilt and gold?  It originally meant "of an irregular shape" and was used mostly to refer to pearls.

3.

What 7-letter word has the following dictionary definition:

"Having a slanting position or direction; neither perpendicular nor horizontal; not level or upright; inclined. 2. not straight to the point; not straightforward; indirect"?

4.

Derived from the Italian word for a cave what 9-letter word has the following dictionary definition:

“Odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre”?

5.

Originally meaning nothing more than a chambermaid in a Turkish seraglio what word was spiced up by western usage to at first  describe a harem concubine and eventually to refer to the eroticized artistic genre in which a woman is represented mostly or completely nude in a reclining position, often in the setting of a harem?

6.

From the Spanish word for a rogue or rascal, what word is given to a genre of prose fiction that depicts the adventures of a roguish but appealing hero, usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corrupt society?

7.

Who is the American stand-up comedian and actress who dropped her surname and went on to win various accolades including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 for her role in the film Precious?

8.

What is the surname of the footballer who won a Champions League medal with Manchester United before returning to his native Catalonia the following season and becoming one of only four players to have won the Champions League two years in a row with different clubs?

Sp1

Which island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies was the birthplace of Josephine, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte?

Sp2

Which small private island in the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has built up a reputation since the 1960s of being an exclusive sanctuary for royalty, rock stars, celebrities and heads of industry to relax in anonymity?

Go to Round 1 questions with answers

ROUND 2 - Pairs

1.

“Nothing to be done" is the first line of which iconic 20th century stage play?

2.

Featuring Winnie and her henpecked husband Willie, which 1961 play by Samuel Beckett shares its name with a popular 1970s TV sitcom set in Wisconsin during the 1950s?

3.

What name was given to Europe’s first revolutionary socialist government?  In its brief 72 days of existence in 1871 it managed to put in place a minimum wage, separate church and state and establish equal pay for men and women.

4.

Name any three of the five rising stars of the Tory party who in 2012 put their heads together and, pausing only to berate the British worker for being feckless and idle, bequeathed unto a grateful nation their book Britannia Unchained: Global Lessons for Growth and Prosperity.

5.

Starting at 11am in November 1980 and running for far too many years which Radio 1 DJ read out a sentimental story sent in by a listener over the theme to Franco Zeffirelli's film Romeo and Juliet? It ended with a record chosen by the heart-broken correspondent.

6.

Which former Radio Merseyside presenter became a female DJ at Radio 1 in 1982 having been recommended by Paul Gambaccini?  She proved very popular but made the mistake of having a baby in 1987 and was promptly replaced by a male presenter.  She died aged 66 on Christmas Day 2021.

7.

Which garment, forming for many years an integral part of women's wardrobes, takes its name from a French word meaning 'little body'?

8.

What word originally meant 'little witch' in the Provencal language?  It came to mean any human, animal or object thought to bring good luck, or anything used to represent a group with a public identity.

Sp1

The little known Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 is generally considered to be the shortest war in history.  How long did it last?

Sp2

Which aptly named Football League in the British Isles used to consist of 4 teams before the 1950s but is now only contested by the Woolpack Wanderers and the Garrison Gunners?

Go to Round 2 questions with answers

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

Who is the current manager of Fleetwood Town (as of September 23rd) who played as a midfielder for Brighton among others?

2.

What is the State capital of Alabama?

3.

Which 1965 film featured Sean Connery in a harsh prison camp set in North Africa?

4.

Whose backing band were the Paramount Jazz Band?

5.

Who was the US activist  and whistleblower born in 1987 who released thousands of documents relating to US Defence to Wikileaks.  He was jailed but then pardoned by Obama during his administration.

6.

Which US actor played The Great Leslie in the film The Great Race in 1965?

7.

Which Australian tennis player was recently viciously attacked in a tattoo parlour on the Gold Coast?  (surname will suffice)

8.

Which animal species has the genus Vulpes?

Sp.

An English rock singer who first went under the name Shane Fenton before becoming better known as this.  He died in 2014 at the age of 72.  Who was he?

Go to Round 3 questions with answers

ROUND 4 - Blockbuster Bingo Round on the theme of creatures great and mythical

The theme could be reflected in either the question or the answer

Please choose your question based on the initials of the answer

1.

DOW

The setting for a momentous meeting in 1521 between Holy Roman emperor, Charles V and rebellious monk Martin Luther at which the latter was condemned as a heretic and officially outlawed.  It was a crucial turning point in the Protestant Reformation.

2.

LOJ

This is one of the titles accorded by Christians to Jesus and is also the title accorded to Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie by his devoted followers, the Rastafarians.

3.

D, R & V

The last 3 surviving dragons in the fantasy series Game Of Thrones were called by these names.

4.

CAMA

Specifically aimed at the Suffragettes, this was the popular name for a 1913 Act of Parliament which allowed for the early release of prisoners whose health was weakened to the point of death by hunger strikes.  They would be recalled to prison when their health improved.

5.

TEOTN

The title of a 1954 historical children's novel by Rosemary Sutcliffe based on the real-life disappearance of a Roman legion sent north to fight the Caledonian tribes.

6.

FBAWTFT

The name of a 2001 book by J K Rowling describing the magical creatures referred to in the Harry Potter series of books.

7.

BA

This is the only creature in the Bible who speaks other than the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  It addresses its master, much to his surprise, to warn him of the dangers of his mission to curse the Israelites on behalf of an enemy king. Give the name of the creature and its master.

8.

M

Described by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder as a creature with the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant and the tail of a wild boar with a black horn in the middle of its forehead.  It is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky on the celestial equator.

9.

WR

This is the largest living creature of this species and the most social. It has the Latin name Ceratotherium Simum.

10.

TSWOF

A title given to the 14th century Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II of England, who conspired with her lover to overthrow Edward and possibly had him murdered in spectacularly horrific fashion involving a red hot poker (best not to dwell on the gory details).

Go to Round 4 questions with answers

ROUND 5 - Reversed pairs

1.

In the Scottish football league, which team are geographically the most Southern club?

2.

Who played Q in the Bond film, You Only Live Twice?

3.

In which modern day country was French queen Marie Antoinette born?

4.

Which playwright's last words were:

“Goodnight my darlings, see you in the morning”?

5.

Which author's last words were, when asked:

"Is there anything you require?"

answered:

"Nothing but death"?

6.

In which modern day country was Simon Bolivar born?

7.

Which actor played Miss Moneypenny in the Bond film, You Only Live Twice?

8.

In the Scottish football league, which side geographically are the most northern based?

Sp.

Catherine Parr was the sixth wife of Henry VIII but he was the third of her four husbands.  Whom did she marry after Henry VIII's death?

Go to Round 5 questions with answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

What city was known to the Romans as Aquae Sulis and was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1987?

2.

Who starred opposite Richard Gere in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman?

3.

Who topped the charts in 1975 with Whispering Grass and starred as Sgt Major Williams in the 1970’s sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum?

4.

Which chocolate bar consists of layers of crisp, crunchy cereal filling with soft, chewy nougat, smothered in Cadbury’s milk chocolate?

5.

Name the 1968 classic science-fiction novel by Philip K. Dick on which the 1982 film Blade Runner was based.

6.

Famous for its food products, what is the second most populous city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna (after Bologna)?

7.

Also known as Racecourse Hill, what at 828 metres is the most elevated point in the eastern part of the Lake District National Park?

8.

Which song by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko, covered by Julie Driscoll and Siouxsie Sioux among others, starts with the lines:

“If your mem’ry serves you well
We were goin’ to meet again and wait."?

Sp.

In 1493 Christopher Columbus met King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to report his discovery of the Americas in which Spanish city?

Go to Round 6 questions with answers

ROUND 7 - Reversed pairs

1.

Who was the first English king, since the Norman conquest, to speak English at his coronation oath?

2.

Which former member of the popular TV series Dragons' Den founded the internet based company Moonpig which deals with, amongst other things, personalised greetings cards.  Apparently it had been the founder's nick-name at school.

3.

Of which former prime minister is actress Helena Bonham Carter the great-granddaughter?

4.

After losing several times to Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon, which former tennis player famously said:

“I'll follow that son-of-a-bitch to the ends of the Earth.  He won't be able to look over his shoulder without seeing my shadow”?

5.

Bjorn Borg is the captain of Team Europe who recently played Team World in the Laver Cup in Vancouver, Canada.  Which other former tennis player is the captain of Team World?

6.

Of which former prime minister is popular TV presenter and historian Dan Snow the great-great grandson?

7.

Which former member of the popular TV series Dragons' Den founded a palletised freight network called Pall-Ex, the third palletised goods distribution network to be launched in the UK and appeared on many reality based TV programmes?  This former Dragon died in 2022.

8.

Who was the last English king not to have English as his native language?

Sp.

Based on a 1987 book by Fanny Flagg, which 1991 Oscar-nominated film is set in Irondale, Alabama and describes the growing friendship between an older and a younger woman?  It starred former Oscar winners Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates.

Go to Round 7 questions with answers

ROUND 8 - Pairs

1.

In the TV series Wire in the Blood (2002-2008), based on Val McDermid’s novels, who was the chief inspector working alongside profiler Dr Tony Hill?

2.

Who created the detective Jackson Brodie in a series of books starting with Case Histories in 2004?

3.

4.

The first in the catalogue is The Crab Nebula - the thirty-first is The Andromeda Galaxy.  Which 18th century astronomer created the catalogue?  (surname will suffice)

5.

Now the site of a supermarket after the closure of the International Harvester factory, where was the Jowett Car Company based?

6.

Started in Coventry in 1919 as TG John & Co Ltd which quality car manufacturer pioneered the use of aluminium engine parts before branching into military vehicles?

7.

In which market town is the North Yorkshire County Council based?

8.

The unitary authority of Wiltshire Council (formerly Wiltshire County Council) is in which market town?

Sp.

Indian ink originated in which country?

Go to Round 8 questions with answers

ROUND 1 - Announced theme

All the answers are one word and end with the same 3 letters

1.

By what name is Tchaikovsky's final composition, his Symphony Number 6 known today?  It was called the Passionate Symphony by its composer but was mistranslated into French after his death, earning the title it still retains today meaning 'evoking pity'.

Pathétique

2.

Which French word came eventually to mean an extravagant style of art characterized by curving lines, gilt and gold?  It originally meant "of an irregular shape" and was used mostly to refer to pearls.

Baroque

3.

What 7-letter word has the following dictionary definition:

"Having a slanting position or direction; neither perpendicular nor horizontal; not level or upright; inclined. 2. not straight to the point; not straightforward; indirect"?

Oblique

4.

Derived from the Italian word for a cave what 9-letter word has the following dictionary definition:

“Odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre”?

Grotesque

5.

Originally meaning nothing more than a chambermaid in a Turkish seraglio what word was spiced up by western usage to at first  describe a harem concubine and eventually to refer to the eroticized artistic genre in which a woman is represented mostly or completely nude in a reclining position, often in the setting of a harem?

 Odalisque

6.

From the Spanish word for a rogue or rascal, what word is given to a genre of prose fiction that depicts the adventures of a roguish but appealing hero, usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corrupt society?

Picaresque

7.

Who is the American stand-up comedian and actress who dropped her surname and went on to win various accolades including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 for her role in the film Precious?

Mo’Nique

8.

What is the surname of the footballer who won a Champions League medal with Manchester United before returning to his native Catalonia the following season and becoming one of only four players to have won the Champions League two years in a row with different clubs?

(Gerard) Piqué

Sp1

Which island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies was the birthplace of Josephine, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte?

Martinique

Sp2

Which small private island in the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has built up a reputation since the 1960s of being an exclusive sanctuary for royalty, rock stars, celebrities and heads of industry to relax in anonymity?

Mustique

ROUND 2 - Pairs

1.

“Nothing to be done" is the first line of which iconic 20th century stage play?

Waiting for Godot

2.

Featuring Winnie and her henpecked husband Willie, which 1961 play by Samuel Beckett shares its name with a popular 1970s TV sitcom set in Wisconsin during the 1950s?

Happy Days

3.

What name was given to Europe’s first revolutionary socialist government?  In its brief 72 days of existence in 1871 it managed to put in place a minimum wage, separate church and state and establish equal pay for men and women.

The Paris Commune

4.

Name any three of the five rising stars of the Tory party who in 2012 put their heads together and, pausing only to berate the British worker for being feckless and idle, bequeathed unto a grateful nation their book Britannia Unchained: Global Lessons for Growth and Prosperity.

Any 3 from:

Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss

5.

Starting at 11am in November 1980 and running for far too many years which Radio 1 DJ read out a sentimental story sent in by a listener over the theme to Franco Zeffirelli's film Romeo and Juliet? It ended with a record chosen by the heart-broken correspondent.

Simon Bates

(the feature was called Our Tune)

6.

Which former Radio Merseyside presenter became a female DJ at Radio 1 in 1982 having been recommended by Paul Gambaccini?  She proved very popular but made the mistake of having a baby in 1987 and was promptly replaced by a male presenter.  She died aged 66 on Christmas Day 2021.

Janice Long

7.

Which garment, forming for many years an integral part of women's wardrobes, takes its name from a French word meaning 'little body'?

Corset

8.

What word originally meant 'little witch' in the Provencal language?  It came to mean any human, animal or object thought to bring good luck, or anything used to represent a group with a public identity.

Mascot

Sp1

The little known Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 is generally considered to be the shortest war in history.  How long did it last?

38 minutes

Sp2

Which aptly named Football League in the British Isles used to consist of 4 teams before the 1950s but is now only contested by the Woolpack Wanderers and the Garrison Gunners?

The Isles of Scilly Football League

Go back to Round 2 questions without answers

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

Who is the current manager of Fleetwood Town (as of September 23rd) who played as a midfielder for Brighton among others?

Lee Johnson

2.

What is the State capital of Alabama?

Montgomery

3.

Which 1965 film featured Sean Connery in a harsh prison camp set in North Africa?

The Hill

4.

Whose backing band were the Paramount Jazz Band?

Acker Bilk

5.

Who was the US activist  and whistleblower born in 1987 who released thousands of documents relating to US Defence to Wikileaks.  He was jailed but then pardoned by Obama during his administration.

Chelsea Manning

6.

Which US actor played The Great Leslie in the film The Great Race in 1965?

Tony Curtis

7.

Which Australian tennis player was recently viciously attacked in a tattoo parlour on the Gold Coast?  (surname will suffice)

Tomic

8.

Which animal species has the genus Vulpes?

Fox

Sp.

An English rock singer who first went under the name Shane Fenton before becoming better known as this.  He died in 2014 at the age of 72.  Who was he?

Alvin Stardust

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a famous Bernard...

Bernard Lee (actor) / Bernard Montgomery (field marshal) / Bernard Hill actor / Bernard Bilk - correct first name / Bernard Manning /

Bernard Schwartz (real name) / Bernard Tomic / Bernard Fox (actor) / Bernard Jewry (real name)

Go back to Round 3 questions without answers

ROUND 4 - Blockbuster Bingo Round on the theme of creatures great and mythical

The theme could be reflected in either the question or the answer

Please choose your question based on the initials of the answer

1.

DOW

The setting for a momentous meeting in 1521 between Holy Roman emperor, Charles V and rebellious monk Martin Luther at which the latter was condemned as a heretic and officially outlawed.  It was a crucial turning point in the Protestant Reformation.

Diet of Worms

2.

LOJ

This is one of the titles accorded by Christians to Jesus and is also the title accorded to Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie by his devoted followers, the Rastafarians.

Lion of Judah

3.

D, R & V

The last 3 surviving dragons in the fantasy series Game Of Thrones were called by these names.

Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion

4.

CAMA

Specifically aimed at the Suffragettes, this was the popular name for a 1913 Act of Parliament which allowed for the early release of prisoners whose health was weakened to the point of death by hunger strikes.  They would be recalled to prison when their health improved.

(The) Cat and Mouse Act

5.

TEOTN

The title of a 1954 historical children's novel by Rosemary Sutcliffe based on the real-life disappearance of a Roman legion sent north to fight the Caledonian tribes.

The Eagle of the Ninth

6.

FBAWTFT

The name of a 2001 book by J K Rowling describing the magical creatures referred to in the Harry Potter series of books.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

7.

BA

This is the only creature in the Bible who speaks other than the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  It addresses its master, much to his surprise, to warn him of the dangers of his mission to curse the Israelites on behalf of an enemy king. Give the name of the creature and its master.

Balaam's Ass

(accept donkey)

8.

M

Described by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder as a creature with the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant and the tail of a wild boar with a black horn in the middle of its forehead.  It is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky on the celestial equator.

Monoceros

9.

WR

This is the largest living creature of this species and the most social. It has the Latin name Ceratotherium Simum.

(The) White Rhinoceros

10.

TSWOF

A title given to the 14th century Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II of England, who conspired with her lover to overthrow Edward and possibly had him murdered in spectacularly horrific fashion involving a red hot poker (best not to dwell on the gory details).

The She Wolf of France

(needless to say she was French)

Go back to Round 4 questions without answers

ROUND 5 - Reversed pairs

1.

In the Scottish football league, which team are geographically the most Southern club?

Annan Athletic

(N.B. post-match research suggest this is wrong and that Stranraer is the correct answer)

2.

Who played Q in the Bond film, You Only Live Twice?

Desmond Llewellyn

3.

In which modern day country was French queen Marie Antoinette born?

Austria

4.

Which playwright's last words were:

“Goodnight my darlings, see you in the morning”?

Noel Coward

5.

Which author's last words were, when asked:

"Is there anything you require?"

answered:

"Nothing but death"?

Jane Austen

6.

In which modern day country was Simon Bolivar born?

Venezuela

7.

Which actor played Miss Moneypenny in the Bond film, You Only Live Twice?

Lois Maxwell

8.

In the Scottish football league, which side geographically are the most northern based?

Ross County

(N.B. post-match research suggest this is wrong and that Elgin City is the correct answer)

Sp.

Catherine Parr was the sixth wife of Henry VIII but he was the third of her four husbands.  Whom did she marry after Henry VIII's death?

Thomas Seymour

(the brother of Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour)

Go back to Round 5 questions without answers

ROUND 6 - Hidden theme

1.

What city was known to the Romans as Aquae Sulis and was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1987?

Bath

2.

Who starred opposite Richard Gere in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman?

Debra Winger

3.

Who topped the charts in 1975 with Whispering Grass and starred as Sgt Major Williams in the 1970’s sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum?

Windsor Davies

4.

Which chocolate bar consists of layers of crisp, crunchy cereal filling with soft, chewy nougat, smothered in Cadbury’s milk chocolate?

Double Decker

5.

Name the 1968 classic science-fiction novel by Philip K. Dick on which the 1982 film Blade Runner was based.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

6.

Famous for its food products, what is the second most populous city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna (after Bologna)?

Parma

7.

Also known as Racecourse Hill, what at 828 metres is the most elevated point in the eastern part of the Lake District National Park?

High Street

8.

Which song by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko, covered by Julie Driscoll and Siouxsie Sioux among others, starts with the lines:

“If your mem’ry serves you well
We were goin’ to meet again and wait."?

This Wheel’s on Fire

Sp.

In 1493 Christopher Columbus met King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to report his discovery of the Americas in which Spanish city?

Barcelona

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a type of chair

Go back to Round 6 questions without answers

ROUND 7 - Reversed pairs

1.

Who was the first English king, since the Norman conquest, to speak English at his coronation oath?

Henry IV

(in 1399)

2.

Which former member of the popular TV series Dragons' Den founded the internet based company Moonpig which deals with, amongst other things, personalised greetings cards.  Apparently it had been the founder's nick-name at school.

Nick Jenkins

3.

Of which former prime minister is actress Helena Bonham Carter the great-granddaughter?

(Herbert) Asquith

4.

After losing several times to Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon, which former tennis player famously said:

“I'll follow that son-of-a-bitch to the ends of the Earth.  He won't be able to look over his shoulder without seeing my shadow”?

Jimmy Connors

5.

Bjorn Borg is the captain of Team Europe who recently played Team World in the Laver Cup in Vancouver, Canada.  Which other former tennis player is the captain of Team World?

John McEnroe

6.

Of which former prime minister is popular TV presenter and historian Dan Snow the great-great grandson?

(David) Lloyd George

7.

Which former member of the popular TV series Dragons' Den founded a palletised freight network called Pall-Ex, the third palletised goods distribution network to be launched in the UK and appeared on many reality based TV programmes?  This former Dragon died in 2022.

Hilary Devey

8.

Who was the last English king not to have English as his native language?

George II

(a native German speaker)

Sp.

Based on a 1987 book by Fanny Flagg, which 1991 Oscar-nominated film is set in Irondale, Alabama and describes the growing friendship between an older and a younger woman?  It starred former Oscar winners Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

(accept Fried Green Tomatoes)

Go back to Round 7 questions without answers

ROUND 8 - Pairs

1.

In the TV series Wire in the Blood (2002-2008), based on Val McDermid’s novels, who was the chief inspector working alongside profiler Dr Tony Hill?

Carol Jordan

2.

Who created the detective Jackson Brodie in a series of books starting with Case Histories in 2004?

Kate Atkinson

3.

Dinosaur

4.

The first in the catalogue is The Crab Nebula - the thirty-first is The Andromeda Galaxy.  Which 18th century astronomer created the catalogue?  (surname will suffice)

(Charles) Messier

5.

Now the site of a supermarket after the closure of the International Harvester factory, where was the Jowett Car Company based?

Bradford

6.

Started in Coventry in 1919 as TG John & Co Ltd which quality car manufacturer pioneered the use of aluminium engine parts before branching into military vehicles?

Alvis

7.

In which market town is the North Yorkshire County Council based?

Northallerton

8.

The unitary authority of Wiltshire Council (formerly Wiltshire County Council) is in which market town?

Trowbridge

Sp.

Indian ink originated in which country?

China

Go back to Round 8 questions without answers