ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Which US author wrote Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little among other children's books?

2.

Which 1887 novel introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes?

3.

Which studio album by The Beatles featured Taxman, Yellow Submarine and Eleanor Rigby?

4.

Frank Thornton played which character on British TV from 1972 to 1985?

5.

First used by opponents of US President Andrew Jackson, what term was used for Harold Wilson's inner circle of advisors in the 1960s?

6.

Which UK Heavy Metal band released the albums Heaven and Hell and Paranoid in the 1970s?

7.

What building, funded by a celebrated philanthropist, is found at 881, 7th Avenue, New York?

8.

Which was the 1992 debut film for director Baz Luhrman?  Its name partly lives on in a TV show.

Sp.

Where did the Embrace the Base event take place in December 1982?

Go to Round 1 questions with answers

ROUND 2 - 'Rhyming pairs'

Each question has two answers which rhyme with each other

1.

Austrian composer known as 'The Father of the Symphony';

the graduate rated 76th out 85 in the class of 1968 at Syracuse Law.

2.

Longest part of the large intestine;

an Athenian statesman and sage who overthrew most of Draco's laws.

3.

Norwegian ship used by Amundsen on his South Pole expedition;

British middle distance runner who broke three world records in the summer of 1985.

4.

President of the ANC from 1967-1991;

French poet who shared a Camden flat with Paul Verlaine in the 1870s.

5.

Surname of a fictional bus inspector at Luxton & District Traction Company;

a favourite food fish in Spain, known there as merluza.

6.

Late romantic composer whose ten symphonies included The Symphony of a Thousand;

Soviet spymaster who features in three Le Carré novels from the 1970s.

7.

Author of Brick Lane (2003);

country with the capital Bamako.

8.

Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow;

original surname of actress Diana Dors.

Sp.

UK author of Coraline (2002), among many novels and graphic novels;

the first word in the name of a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean.

Go to Round 2 questions with answers

ROUND 3 - Pairs

1.

In which of the Five Towns do Port Vale play home games?

2.

In which of the Five Towns would you find a statue of Stanley Matthews?

3.

Which former Army officer wrote two volumes of autobiography, including The Moon's a Balloon in 1971?

4.

Which former RAF pilot wrote three volumes of autobiography, including Going Solo in 1986?

5.

Which Roman emperor was married, sequentially, to Octavia, Poppaea and Messalina?  He also married two males.

6.

Which Roman emperor was married, sequentially, to Claudia, Scribonia and Livia?  No blokes, though.

7.

In South America the Equator crosses Ecuador, Brazil and which other country?

8.

In Africa the Equator crosses Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Somalia and which other country?

Sp.

Reg was the leader of the People's Front of Judea in which film?

Go to Round 3 questions with answers

ROUND 4 - Announced theme

Each answer contains the name of a UK castle (some being sound-alikes)

1.

Which US university boasts 107 Nobel winners among its staff and alumni including Glenn Seaborg and Edward Teller?

2.

The Emergency Banking Act of March 1933 was seen as the first part of what programme of reform in the US?

3.

Which Irish county, with the county seat at Ennis, is the birthplace of jockey Kieren Fallon?

4.

What animal was depicted on the first Canadian postage stamp issued in 1851?

5.

Alan Bennett, Barry Cryer and Chris Moyles were all born in which city?

6.

Name the red dwarf star just under six light years from Earth, named after a US astronomer.

7.

Which 15-year-old left QPR for Liverpool in 2010 because his mother was worried about the gang culture in Wembley, where he lived?

8.

Which pianist, born in Bristol, had 20 UK hits including two number ones between 1957 and 1963?

Sp.

Which actor, unafraid of typecasting, played Sergeant Major Bloomer in Carry on England?

Go to Round 4 questions with answers

ROUND 5 - Classical/Pop Run-ons

Each question has two answers: the name of a classical or romantic-era composer followed by a pop artist or music track title - and they overlap by at least two letters

For example: Vivaldi/Diana Ross, or Schumann/Annie's Song

In some case forenames will be required to make the overlapping letters rule work

1.

Composer, born in Zelazowa Wola in 1810, died in Paris, 1849;

& David Bowie album released in 1973.

2.

Composer, born Lowestoft 1913;

& UK punk band whose biggest hit was Swords of a Thousand Men in 1981.

3.

Composer, born Eisenach 1685, died Leipzig 1750;

& highly successful U2 studio album from 1991,

4.

Russian composer of Peter and the Wolf;

& no. 1 hit for Love Affair in 1968.

5.

Composer of The Enigma Variations and The Dream of Gerontius;

& country singer born 1962, with more album sales than any solo artist in US history.

6.

Russian composer of Swan Lake;

& the only female singer with number one album in the 1980s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.

7.

Composer of Fidelio;

& Spanish singer and son of a perma-tanned music legend.

8.

Composer, born Halle in 1685, died London 1759;

& US singer of 1961 no. 1 hit Runaway.

Sp.

French composer of a famous Bolero;

& influential musician whose real name is Declan McManus.

Go to Round 5 questions with answers

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

What is the alternative name for leprosy, honouring the Norwegian scientist who discovered the causative agent?

2.

What is the name of the congenital neurodegenerative disease from which Woody Guthrie suffered?

3.

Under what alternative name has J K Rowling published seven novels?

4.

Under what alternative name did Ruth Rendell publish fourteen novels?

5.

Which warship was torpedoed by a Fairey Swordfish in May 1941?

6.

Which warship was torpedoed by U81 in November 1941?

7.

Which author and broadcaster wrote Unreliable Memoirs and May Week was in June?

8.

Which author and broadcaster wrote The Cumbrian Trilogy and The Maid of Buttermere?

Sp.

Which Cheshire town was formerly known as Wich Malbank?

Go to Round 6 questions with answers

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

1992 Michael Mann film based on the 1926 novel by James Fennimore Cooper?

2.

TV character who married Pamela Barnes in 1978, causing horror to his family?

3.

College football venue in Pasadena which hosted the 1994 World Cup final in proper football?

4.

The world’s biggest performance arts festival featuring 3,841 shows at 322 different venues in 2019?

5.

Surname of Roy (since 1995) and Hayley (1998-2014) in Coronation Street?

6.

Favourite wife of Jacob in the Bible and mother of Joseph and Benjamin?

7.

Official state nickname for Utah?

8.

Russian city on the Kama river, close to the Urals and former home of Boris Pasternak and Sergei Diaghilev?

Sp.

Entrepreneur who founded the Etruria Works in 1769?

Go to Round 7 questions with answers

ROUND 8 - Alliterative answers

Each question has a two-word answer in which both words start with the same letter - definite articles should be ignored

1.

In which pub did George Cornell meet his end in 1966?

2.

What title was awarded to Imelda Romualdez (later Imelda Marcos) in 1953?

3.

What was first climbed in 1913 and renamed Denali in 2015?

4.

Which Virginian won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919?

5.

Who played his last game for Liverpool in a Cup Final defeat to Manchester United in 1977?

6.

Which London Underground station can be found between Victoria and South Kensington on the Circle/District lines?

7.

Who got a Best Actress Oscar for portraying Loretta Lynn in The Coal Miner’s Daughter in 1980?  She was nominated a further five times including for Carrie in 1976.

8.

Which director ties with John Ford for the most films on the US National Film Registry?  The 11 films registered include The Big Sleep and Rio Bravo.

Sp.

What was the nickname of heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano?

Go to Round 8 questions with answers

ROUND 1 - Hidden theme

1.

Which US author wrote Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little among other children's books?

(E B) White

2.

Which 1887 novel introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes?

A Study in Scarlet

3.

Which studio album by The Beatles featured Taxman, Yellow Submarine and Eleanor Rigby?

Revolver

4.

Frank Thornton played which character on British TV from 1972 to 1985?

Captain Peacock

5.

First used by opponents of US President Andrew Jackson, what term was used for Harold Wilson's inner circle of advisors in the 1960s?

Kitchen Cabinet

6.

Which UK Heavy Metal band released the albums Heaven and Hell and Paranoid in the 1970s?

Black Sabbath

7.

What building, funded by a celebrated philanthropist, is found at 881, 7th Avenue, New York?

Carnegie Hall

8.

Which was the 1992 debut film for director Baz Luhrman?  Its name partly lives on in a TV show.

Strictly Ballroom

Sp.

Where did the Embrace the Base event take place in December 1982?

Greenham Common

Theme: Each answer contains a weapon, room or character from Cluedo

ROUND 2 - 'Rhyming pairs'

Each question has two answers which rhyme with each other

1.

Austrian composer known as 'The Father of the Symphony';

the graduate rated 76th out 85 in the class of 1968 at Syracuse Law.

Haydn and Biden

2.

Longest part of the large intestine;

an Athenian statesman and sage who overthrew most of Draco's laws.

Colon and Solon

3.

Norwegian ship used by Amundsen on his South Pole expedition;

British middle distance runner who broke three world records in the summer of 1985.

Fram and Cram

4.

President of the ANC from 1967-1991;

French poet who shared a Camden flat with Paul Verlaine in the 1870s.

Tambo and Rimbaud

5.

Surname of a fictional bus inspector at Luxton & District Traction Company;

a favourite food fish in Spain, known there as merluza.

Blake and Hake

6.

Late romantic composer whose ten symphonies included The Symphony of a Thousand;

Soviet spymaster who features in three Le Carré novels from the 1970s.

Mahler and Karla

7.

Author of Brick Lane (2003);

country with the capital Bamako.

All and Mali

8.

Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow;

original surname of actress Diana Dors.

Puck and Fluck

Sp.

UK author of Coraline (2002), among many novels and graphic novels;

the first word in the name of a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean.

Gaiman and Cayman

Go back to Round 2 questions without answers

ROUND 3 - Pairs

1.

In which of the Five Towns do Port Vale play home games?

Burslem

2.

In which of the Five Towns would you find a statue of Stanley Matthews?

Hanley

3.

Which former Army officer wrote two volumes of autobiography, including The Moon's a Balloon in 1971?

David Niven

4.

Which former RAF pilot wrote three volumes of autobiography, including Going Solo in 1986?

Roald Dahl

5.

Which Roman emperor was married, sequentially, to Octavia, Poppaea and Messalina?  He also married two males.

Nero

6.

Which Roman emperor was married, sequentially, to Claudia, Scribonia and Livia?  No blokes, though.

Augustus

7.

In South America the Equator crosses Ecuador, Brazil and which other country?

Colombia

8.

In Africa the Equator crosses Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Somalia and which other country?

Uganda

Sp.

Reg was the leader of the People's Front of Judea in which film?

Life of Brian

Go back to Round 3 questions without answers

ROUND 4 - Announced theme

Each answer contains the name of a UK castle (some being sound-alikes)

1.

Which US university boasts 107 Nobel winners among its staff and alumni including Glenn Seaborg and Edward Teller?

Berkeley

(any answer containing Berkeley is fine)

2.

The Emergency Banking Act of March 1933 was seen as the first part of what programme of reform in the US?

The New Deal

3.

Which Irish county, with the county seat at Ennis, is the birthplace of jockey Kieren Fallon?

Clare

4.

What animal was depicted on the first Canadian postage stamp issued in 1851?

A beaver

5.

Alan Bennett, Barry Cryer and Chris Moyles were all born in which city?

Leeds

6.

Name the red dwarf star just under six light years from Earth, named after a US astronomer.

Barnard's Star

7.

Which 15-year-old left QPR for Liverpool in 2010 because his mother was worried about the gang culture in Wembley, where he lived?

Raheem Sterling

8.

Which pianist, born in Bristol, had 20 UK hits including two number ones between 1957 and 1963?

Russ Conway

Sp.

Which actor, unafraid of typecasting, played Sergeant Major Bloomer in Carry on England?

Windsor Davies

Go back to Round 4 questions without answers

ROUND 5 - Classical/Pop Run-ons

Each question has two answers: the name of a classical or romantic-era composer followed by a pop artist or music track title - and they overlap by at least two letters

For example: Vivaldi/Diana Ross, or Schumann/Annie's Song

In some case forenames will be required to make the overlapping letters rule work

1.

Composer, born in Zelazowa Wola in 1810, died in Paris, 1849;

& David Bowie album released in 1973.

Chopin;

Pin-ups

2.

Composer, born Lowestoft 1913;

& UK punk band whose biggest hit was Swords of a Thousand Men in 1981.

Britten;

Tenpole Tudor

3.

Composer, born Eisenach 1685, died Leipzig 1750;

& highly successful U2 studio album from 1991,

Bach;

Achtung Baby

4.

Russian composer of Peter and the Wolf;

& no. 1 hit for Love Affair in 1968.

Prokofiev;

Everlasting Love

5.

Composer of The Enigma Variations and The Dream of Gerontius;

& country singer born 1962, with more album sales than any solo artist in US history.

Elgar;

Garth Brooks

6.

Russian composer of Swan Lake;

& the only female singer with number one album in the 1980s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.

Tchaikovsky;

Kylie Minogue

7.

Composer of Fidelio;

& Spanish singer and son of a perma-tanned music legend.

Beethoven;

Enrique Iglesias

8.

Composer, born Halle in 1685, died London 1759;

& US singer of 1961 no. 1 hit Runaway.

Handel;

Del Shannon

Sp.

French composer of a famous Bolero;

& influential musician whose real name is Declan McManus.

Ravel;

Elvis Costello

Go back to Round 5 questions without answers

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

What is the alternative name for leprosy, honouring the Norwegian scientist who discovered the causative agent?

Hansen’s disease

2.

What is the name of the congenital neurodegenerative disease from which Woody Guthrie suffered?

Huntington’s disease

(or Huntington’s chorea)

3.

Under what alternative name has J K Rowling published seven novels?

(Robert) Galbraith

4.

Under what alternative name did Ruth Rendell publish fourteen novels?

Barbara Vine

5.

Which warship was torpedoed by a Fairey Swordfish in May 1941?

Bismarck

6.

Which warship was torpedoed by U81 in November 1941?

Ark Royal

7.

Which author and broadcaster wrote Unreliable Memoirs and May Week was in June?

Clive James

8.

Which author and broadcaster wrote The Cumbrian Trilogy and The Maid of Buttermere?

Melvyn Bragg

Sp.

Which Cheshire town was formerly known as Wich Malbank?

Nantwich

Go back to Round 6 questions without answers

ROUND 7 - Hidden theme

1.

1992 Michael Mann film based on the 1926 novel by James Fennimore Cooper?

Last of the Mohicans

2.

TV character who married Pamela Barnes in 1978, causing horror to his family?

Bobby Ewing

3.

College football venue in Pasadena which hosted the 1994 World Cup final in proper football?

Rose Bowl

4.

The world’s biggest performance arts festival featuring 3,841 shows at 322 different venues in 2019?

Edinburgh (Festival) Fringe

5.

Surname of Roy (since 1995) and Hayley (1998-2014) in Coronation Street?

Cropper

6.

Favourite wife of Jacob in the Bible and mother of Joseph and Benjamin?

Rachel

7.

Official state nickname for Utah?

The Beehive State

8.

Russian city on the Kama river, close to the Urals and former home of Boris Pasternak and Sergei Diaghilev?

Perm

Sp.

Entrepreneur who founded the Etruria Works in 1769?

Wedgwood

Theme: Each answer contains the name of a hairstyle

Go back to Round 7 questions without answers

ROUND 8 - Alliterative answers

Each question has a two-word answer in which both words start with the same letter - definite articles should be ignored

1.

In which pub did George Cornell meet his end in 1966?

Blind Beggar

2.

What title was awarded to Imelda Romualdez (later Imelda Marcos) in 1953?

Miss Manila

3.

What was first climbed in 1913 and renamed Denali in 2015?

Mount McKinley

4.

Which Virginian won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919?

Woodrow Wilson

5.

Who played his last game for Liverpool in a Cup Final defeat to Manchester United in 1977?

Kevin Keegan

6.

Which London Underground station can be found between Victoria and South Kensington on the Circle/District lines?

Sloane Square

7.

Who got a Best Actress Oscar for portraying Loretta Lynn in The Coal Miner’s Daughter in 1980?  She was nominated a further five times including for Carrie in 1976.

Sissy Spacek

8.

Which director ties with John Ford for the most films on the US National Film Registry?  The 11 films registered include The Big Sleep and Rio Bravo.

Howard Hawks

Sp.

What was the nickname of heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano?

Brockton Blockbuster

Go back to Round 8 questions without answers