1 |
In which Shakespeare comedy would you find a Welsh parson named Sir Hugh Evans, a French Doctor named Caius, and a girl named
Anne, known as Nan? |
|
The Merry Wives of Windsor |
2 |
Who was the monarch when the Act of Union between England and Scotland was signed? |
|
Queen Anne (1707) |
3 |
The bandicoot is a marsupial from which country? |
|
Australia |
4 |
In which country are the mountain ranges of the Eastern and Western Ghats? |
|
India |
5 |
Just give the title of the novel from the brief summary: A 1962 novel set in a near–future dystopian society featuring
Alex and his friends, or "droogs" as they are referred to in the novel's Anglo–Russian slang, "Nadsat". |
|
A Clockwork Orange |
6 |
Which sign of the zodiac is not a living creature? |
|
Libra |
7 |
Who replaced John Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons? |
|
Sir Lindsay Hoyle |
8 |
Which prolific baroque composer wrote The Harmonious Blacksmith (as referenced by Dickens in Great Expectations)
and at least 12 organ concertos and 42 operas? He is dubbed the 'Father of the Symphony'. |
|
George Frederick Handel |
9 |
Who (as of 17 February 2020) is the current Secretary of State for Education? |
|
Gavin Williamson |
10 |
Which Australian writer and broadcaster died in November at the age of 80? |
|
Clive James |
11 |
On 12th October 1187 after a 12–day siege, Saladin captured which religiously and culturally important city which had
been under Crusader rule for the previous 88 years? |
|
Jerusalem |
12 |
What is the name of the reservoir in Derbyshire, whose wall partially collapsed in August last year, threatening to flood
nearby villages? |
|
Toddbrook Reservoir |
13 |
Who was recently dubbed 'Wagatha Christie' after accusing another footballer's wife of leaking personal information
to the media? |
|
Coleen Rooney |
14 |
By what name is a polygraph machine better known? |
|
Lie detector |
15 |
Which folk singer had a global hit with a song called Brand New Key in 1971? |
|
Melanie |
16 |
Which French phrase is commonly used in English to mean a feeling of solidarity among members of a group, or morale? |
|
Esprit de corps |
17 |
If food is cooked Veronique, what crucial ingredient will it contain? |
|
Grapes |
18 |
Which county did England Cricket coach Chris Silverwood lead to win the County Championship in 2017? |
|
Essex |
19 |
Which now deceased Irish rock guitarist started with Skid Row before finding fame with Thin Lizzy and then as a solo artist?
|
|
Gary Moore |
20 |
Whose early plays included Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple? |
|
Neil Simon |
21 |
Which actress played Mrs Robinson in the 1967 film The Graduate? |
|
Anne Bancroft |
22 |
Which Birmingham–born rock keyboard artist played with Spencer Davis and Traffic, and the short–lived Blind Faith,
before recording under his own name? |
|
Stevie Winwood |
23 |
Which club was expelled from the Football League in August 2019? |
|
Bury |
24 |
Which expensive foodstuff is obtained from crocus flowers? |
|
Saffron |
25 |
Which French phrase is commonly used in English to mean small ornamental objects, less valuable than antiques? |
|
Bric–à–brac |
26 |
Who sang about Babooshka in 1980? |
|
Kate Bush |
27 |
What is the name of an Asian long–haired ox which also means to talk profusely? |
|
Yak |
28 |
Which fashion designer died, aged 85, in February 2019? |
|
Karl Lagerfeld |
29 |
Now that we are recovering from storms Ciara and Dennis this winter, what will be the name of the next Met Office storm for
2019/20, beginning with the letter E? |
|
Ellen |
30 |
In 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence from which European country? |
|
France |
31 |
Which BBC North West presenter, particularly of the weather, died in January 2019, aged only 51? |
|
Dianne Oxberry |
32 |
Who (as of 17 February 2020) is the current Secretary of State for Defence? |
|
Ben Wallace |
33 |
What Gilbert and Sullivan opera has the alternative title Bunthorne's Bride? |
|
Patience |
34 |
What position in UK politics is held by Adam Price? |
|
Leader of Plaid Cymru |
35 |
Whose slogan was "Pile it high, sell it cheap"? |
|
Sir John (Jack) Cohen (the founder of Tesco) |
36 |
Just give the title of the novel from the brief summary: A 1925 novel, seen as the ultimate mirror to the Jazz Age. The principal
character lives in West Egg, Long Island and pursues the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. |
|
The Great Gatsby |
37 |
On which French Mediterranean island is the airport of Bastia–Poretta? |
|
Corsica |
38 |
What type of creature is a mandrill? |
|
A monkey |
39 |
Which King supposedly died in a hunting accident in AD 1100? |
|
William II (accept William Rufus) |
40 |
In Shakespeare's play, what is the name of Hamlet's mother? |
|
Gertrude |
41 |
In which century did the following happen? St Bartholomew's Hospital is founded in London, Oxford University is created,
and Nicholas Breakspear becomes the only English Pope (Adrian IV). |
|
12th |
42 |
Tiger Woods won the 2019 US Masters, but who was the top–placed Briton in the contest? |
|
Ian Poulter (tied 12th) |
43 |
Whose painting Salvator Mundi is the most expensive ever sold at auction? |
|
Leonardo da Vinci |
44 |
Where would you find the Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Maud mountain ranges? |
|
Antarctica |
45 |
What was the last recording made by Janis Joplin before her death in 1970 – in which she asks the Lord to buy her a
car of a particular make? |
|
Mercedes Benz |
46 |
First aired at the start of December 2019, which BBC presenter interviewed Prince Andrew about his behaviour related to
Jeffrey Epstein? |
|
Emily Maitlis |
47 |
Which dish is made with chicken breasts stuffed with garlic, herbs and butter? |
|
Chicken Kiev |
48 |
Which sci–fi TV series ran from 1979 to 1982, and starred Joanna Lumley and David McCallum? |
|
Sapphire & Steel |
49 |
Which British author wrote the 1980 Booker Prize winning novel Rites of Passage? |
|
William Golding |
50 |
What name is mainly used for a stoat in its white winter coat? |
|
Ermine |
51 |
What was the nickname of the armed robber and murderer Donald Neilson? |
|
The Black Panther |
52 |
Name either of the two African countries whose names begin with D. |
|
Djibouti or Democratic Republic of Congo |
53 |
Which TV puppet first appeared on ITV's TV–am in 1983 and was largely hailed as its saviour at the time? |
|
Roland Rat |
54 |
Which is the only word that sounds exactly the same if you remove the last four letters from it? |
|
Q(ueue) |
55 |
The MOBO Awards were held in Liverpool in 2012, for the first time. Winners included Emilie Sande and Plan B. What does the B
stand for in MOBO? |
|
Black (Music of Black Origin) |
56 |
Which political activist said, in November 1913: "We won't do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position
where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death"? |
|
Emmeline Pankhurst |
57 |
What was the name of Ghana before 1957? |
|
The Gold Coast |
58 |
Which body of water separates Cape Horn from Antarctica? |
|
The Drake Passage |
59 |
Which famous annual 'Roman numeralled' sporting event is contested between AFC and NFC teams? |
|
The Super Bowl |
60 |
Which American actor's big screen roles include Rick Deckard, Dr. Richard Kimble, Dr. Henry Jones Jr. and Jack Ryan? |
|
Harrison Ford |
61 |
Who created Roger Moore's character, The Saint? |
|
Leslie Charteris |
62 |
Real Madrid have won the Champions League (previously the European Cup) thirteen times – more than any other club. Which
team is next in the list of winners with seven wins? |
|
AC Milan |
63 |
Tagalog is the principal native language of which country? |
|
The Philippines |
64 |
What is the name of the island in the middle of Niagara Falls? |
|
Goat Island |
65 |
Who said in February 1960, "The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and, whether we like it or not, this
growth of national consciousness is a political fact"? |
|
Harold Macmillan |
66 |
Which programming language, developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995, shares its name with an
Indonesian island? |
|
Java |
67 |
What is the game of Noughts and Crosses known as in America? |
|
Tic Tac Toe |
68 |
In the late–1960s children's animated TV series The Herbs, what kind of animal was Parsley? |
|
Lion |
69 |
Two princes were allegedly murdered in the Tower of London, on the orders of King Richard III, around 1483. Name either.
|
|
Edward or Richard |
70 |
Which actress married Ringo Starr in 1981? |
|
Barbara Bach |
71 |
Red Admiral and Cabbage White are types of what? |
|
Butterfly |
72 |
In which novel set in the near future, is there a country called Gilead, roughly where New England now is?
|
|
The Handmaid's Tale (by Margaret Atwood) |
73 |
What was the name of the main family featured in the Carla Lane TV series Bread? |
|
Boswell |
74 |
What was the previous name of the sweets now known as Starburst? |
|
Opal Fruits |
75 |
Maximus Decimus Meridius was the title character in which Oscar–winning film, directed by Ridley Scott? |
|
Gladiator |
76 |
Which New York skyscraper was the world's tallest, before the Empire State Building was completed? |
|
The Chrysler Building |
77 |
24 Sussex Drive, and Harrington Lake in Gatineau Park are the official prime ministerial residences of which nation? |
|
Canada |
78 |
Which British conductor, organist and composer was known as Flash Harry? |
|
Sir Malcolm Sargent |
79 |
Which horse won the Grand National last year (2019) for the second successive year? |
|
Tiger Roll |
80 |
In which century did the following happen? Joan of Arc is burned at the stake in Rouen, Vasco de Gama lands in India having
rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and Vlad the Impaler is born and dies. |
|
15th |
81 |
At which Open Championship venue golf course is there a hole called The Postage Stamp? |
|
Troon (it's the 8th hole) |
82 |
Two of Queen Henrietta Maria's sons became kings of England. Name either. |
|
Charles II or James II |
83 |
Which 1980 film, starring The Who's Roger Daltrey, is initially set in Durham Prison and then in London after he escapes? |
|
McVicar |
84 |
Which 1984 Madonna hit starts with the line, "I made it through the wilderness"? |
|
Like a Virgin |
85 |
Longbows were traditionally made from which wood? |
|
Yew |
86 |
Which Scotland manager died shortly after the end of a World Cup qualifying game against Wales in 1985?
|
|
Jock Stein |
87 |
Which lover of Lord Byron called him "mad, bad and dangerous to know"? |
|
Lady Caroline Lamb |
88 |
Which album by Fairport Convention is named after a popular instant pudding? |
|
Angel Delight |
89 |
Comedian Chris Sievey, who died in 2010, was best known for creating which character, an aspiring singer–songwriter from
Timperley, South Manchester? |
|
Frank Sidebottom |
90 |
In which fractious British colony did Bishop Abel Muzorewa win the first multicultural election in 1979? |
|
Rhodesia (also accept Southern Rhodesia or
Zimbabwe) |
91 |
In which castle was Edward II murdered in 1327? |
|
Berkeley |
92 |
Which popular children's cartoon character was created by Keith Chapman? |
|
Bob the Builder |
93 |
Name one of the two English poets who went to live in Florence after marrying secretly in 1846. |
|
Robert Browning or Elizabeth Barrett |
94 |
The tune Westminster Quarters, played by Big Ben, is possibly based in part on the tune I Know that My Redeemer
Liveth, a piece by which composer? |
|
Handel |
95 |
Who was the first Astronomer Royal? |
|
John Flamsteed (1675–1719) |
96 |
Who did not seek re–election as Austrian President in 1991 after revelations about his activities in World War II? |
|
Kurt Waldheim |
97 |
Which US comedy programme is set in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company? |
|
The Office (the US version) |
98 |
Which physician gave his name to the disease of paralysis agitans in the nineteenth century? |
|
James Parkinson |
99 |
Which country lies due north of Uruguay? |
|
Brazil |
100 |
Which group was fronted by David Lee Roth, until his departure in 1985, before he returned again in 2006? |
|
Van Halen |
101 |
Which insect gave Michael Balzary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers his stage nickname? |
|
Flea |
102 |
The Negev Desert lies mainly in which country? |
|
Israel |
103 |
What does a limnologist study? |
|
Lakes |
104 |
Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie often bill themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular folk parody
duo". What is the name of both their act and TV Series? |
|
Flight of the Conchords |
105 |
Who preceded Robert Mugabe as President of Zimbabwe, serving in the office between 1980 and 1987? |
|
Canaan Banana |
106 |
Who was the first official Poet Laureate? |
|
John Dryden (1668–1688) |
107 |
The oil painting The Young Anthony, incorrectly attributed to Rubens, is actually thought to have been a
self–portrait by which of Rubens's pupils? |
|
Anthony van Dyck |
108 |
Which major Italian poet of the late Middle Ages was profoundly inspired as a nine–year–old by the beauty of an
eight–year–old girl in thirteenth century Florence? |
|
Dante (Dante Alighieri inspired by Beatrice, c.1274) |
109 |
Which fictional schoolboy attended the Neil Armstrong Comprehensive School? |
|
Adrian Mole |
110 |
In which English cathedral are the bones of King Canute? |
|
Winchester |
111 |
Who was the first President of Cyprus, after it gained independence in 1960? |
|
Archbishop Makarios III (accept Makarios) |
112 |
Which BAFTA Fellow provides the 'voice over' commentary at the beginning and end of the BBC series Call the
Midwife? |
|
Vanessa Redgrave |
113 |
According to 10cc, love is a fire of flaming brandy upon which French dessert? |
|
Crêpe suzette |
114 |
Queen Victoria appointed Benjamin Disraeli as the Earl of where, in 1876? |
|
Beaconsfield |
115 |
Which Chicago Bulls basketball player starred in the 1996 film Space Jam? |
|
Michael Jordan |
116 |
Which son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba abducted Helen of Troy? |
|
Paris |
117 |
Which 1997 Robbie Williams song starts with the line, "I sit and wait"? |
|
Angels |
118 |
Which Taiwanese film director directed the films Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi? |
|
Ang Lee |
119 |
Two of Queen Mary (of Teck)'s sons became kings of England. Name either. |
|
Edward VIII or George VI |
120 |
In which Australian city is the cricket ground popularly known as 'the Gabba'? |
|
Brisbane |
1 |
At which country's Grand Prix did Lewis Hamilton clinch his sixth world title? |
|
USA |
2 |
Which theatrical manager brought Gilbert and Sullivan together? |
|
Richard D'Oyly Carte |
3 |
Which British independent school, founded in 1934, has the motto Plus est en Vous (there is more in you)? |
|
Gordonstoun |
4 |
Who is the Prime Minister of Australia? |
|
Scott Morrison |
5 |
In a tradition that pre–dates the film of the same name by at least 150 years, what day is celebrated in the USA and
Canada on the 2nd of February each year? |
|
Groundhog Day |
6 |
Which golf course, overlooking the Firth of Forth, is home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh golfers? |
|
Muirfield |
7 |
At 5642 metres (over 800 metres higher than Mont Blanc), which Russian peak is the highest mountain in Europe? |
|
Elbrus |
8 |
There are three active volcanoes in Italy. Etna and Vesuvius are two of them; what's the other one called? |
|
Stromboli |