Next 23 Flashcards
The Hindu deity Rama, central character of the Ramayana, is the king of what city? The
festival Diwali marks the day that Rama returned home to this city.
Ayodhya
The Irish composer John Field was the first to use what name for piano compositions
that used a cantabile melody over an arpeggiated accompaniment in the left hand? This style of composition was further developed by Frédéric Chopin, who wrote 21 such
pieces.
Nocturnes
Who wrote the famous sentence, “Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose” in her 1923 poem
‘Sacred Emily’? In 1903, this American author moved to Paris, where she lived out the
remaining 43 years of her life.
Gertrude Stein
The world’s third largest charitable foundation is the Wellcome Trust, which funds medical research. It was founded by Henry Wellcome, who also founded Wellcome Burroughs, one of the predecessors to which British-based multinational pharmaceutical company? This company developed the world’s first malaria vaccine, but has also been fined for promoting the anti-depressant Paroxetine, or Paxil, to teenagers despite trials showing it is ineffective.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
The Saguaro cactus is native to which very hot desert that spreads across parts of
Arizona, California and Mexico?
Sonoran Desert
After becoming a red giant, the Sun will have around 120 million years left before it
becomes what other kind of star? These much smaller stars are formed from the
carbon-oxygen cores remaining once red giants shed their outer layers, and do not
contain fusion reactions.
White Dwarf
Which character is the main antagonist of the Ramayana? A rakshasa and king of Lanka, he is portrayed as a villainous character despite also being a scholar and a devotee of the god Shiva.
Ravana
What Greek-derived term, coined by Frederic Clements, refers to an area with a shared
regional climate as well as the particular biological community that has formed there?
Sitting above ecosystems and below the biosphere in the hierarchy of life, examples of
these regions include tundra, mangroves and tropical rainforests.
Biome
Rama goes to war against Ravana after Ravana kidnaps which character, Rama’s wife?
An avatar of Vishnu and a form of Lakshmi, she was abducted after stepping out of a
protective circle to help a beggar, who was Ravana in disguise.
Sita
Which composer and pianist published three nocturnes under the title Liebesträume
(‘Dreams of Love’)? The Liebesträum No. 3 in A-flat major was based on the poem ‘O
lieb, so lang du lieben kannst’ (‘Love as long as you can’) by Ferdinand Freiligrath and is
among this composer’s most familiar compositions for the piano
Franz Liszt
Divided by the Swartberg mountains into ‘Great’ and ‘Little’ subregions, what is the
name of the large semi-desert region of South Africa that lies immediately to the
north of the Great Escarpment?
Karoo
Which American pharmaceutical company was the first to mass produce insulin, and
also developed the anti-depressant fluoxetine, which it sold under the brand name
Prozac? The founder of this company also established a charitable foundation that was
once the world’s largest and which funds religious and conservative political causes
rather than medical research.
Eli Lilly
The Ramayana is held to have been written by which Hindu poet? In the final chapter of
the Ramayana, Sita takes refuge in this poet’s ashram and gives birth to Lava and
Kusha, who became this poet’s first disciples
Valmiki
The theory of humourism is sometimes compared to the theory of Dosha, which is
central to which system of alternative medicine practiced in India and Nepal? Its name
translates as “the practice of longevity”.
Ayurveda
The astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky suggested that main-sequence stars became neutron
stars through what explosive events? These can be caused either by the reignition of
fusion in a white dwarf, or a massive star’s core undergoing gravitational collapse.
Supernova
Which Persian philosopher and physician based his hugely influential work al-Qānūn fī
al-Ṭibb (The Canon of Medicine) on the theory of humours? He is also the author of Kitāb
al-Shifāʾ (The Book of Healing).
Ibn Sina / Avicenna
Hebo, the god of the Yellow River, drove a chariot pulled by what mythical creatures,
that were symbolically linked to the Emperor of China? Fáfnir and Níðhöggr [NEETHhogr] are examples of these creatures from Norse mythology, and another mortally
wounds the titular character of Beowulf.
Dragon
Cameron largest city by population
Douala
Which Russian composer’s earliest compositions were heavily influenced by Chopin and included several nocturnes such as his D-flat major nocturne for left hand? His later pieces moved away from tonality, and he is known for including his “mystic chord” in works such as the tone poem Prometey (Poema ognya) (Prometheus: The Poem of Fire).
Alexander Scriabin
Selling brands such as Tylenol, Benadryl and Neutrogena, Kenvue was spun off as a
division of which American pharmaceutical company in 2022? One of the founders of
this company also established a charitable foundation that focuses on access to
healthcare for at-risk communities and other health initiatives such as anti-smoking
campaigns
Johnson & Johnson
By some measures, largest city in Ghana, capital city of the Ashanti Region, in southern Ghana?
Kumasi
Known as Pentecost in Ancient Greek, what Hebrew name is given to the Jewish
festival marking both the wheat harvest and the day God gave the Torah to the nation
of Israel? The festival is commonly known in English as the Feast of Weeks.
Shavuot
What is the name of the large gulf on Tunisia’s east coast that runs between Sfax in
the north and the island of Djerba in the south?
Gulf of Gabes
Widely considered Romania’s most important musician, the 1936 opera Œdipe is the
masterpiece of which composer?
George Enescu
Known as ‘the Versailles of the Jungle’, Gbadolite was built south of the Ubangi River
by which military dictator who ruled his country between 1965 and 1997?
Mobutu Sese Seko
Consisting of an almost-blank piece of paper in a gilded frame, which US artist produced the work Erased de Kooning Drawing in 1953? The artist was given a drawing by the titular artist, which he subsequently rubbed out and exhibited.
Robert Rauschenberg
Consisting of a five-carbon sugar molecule, a nitrogenous base, and one phosphate
group, which organic compounds are the basic structural units of DNA and RNA?
Nucleotides
In signal processing, sampling is used to convert a continuous time-signal to a discrete
time-signal. This process can be done reliably down to a limit named after which
Swedish-American engineer?
Harry Nyquist
Shuaib is the central prophet of which ethnic religion that split from Isma’ilism in the
11th century? Unlike other Abrahamic faiths, adherents of this faith believe in
reincarnation.
Druze
The surrealist work L’Enigme d’Isidore Ducasse, made from a sewing machine wrapped in a blanket and tied up with string, was created by which French artist? An early example of a readymade, the use of a sewing machine was inspired one of Ducasse’s poems, greatly admired by creators like this artist and Marcel Duchamp.
Man Ray
If a signal is digitised at a sample rate below the Nyquist limit, overlapping frequency
components cause a signal distortion known by what name? This effect is typically
avoided in practice with a low-pass filter
ALIASing
Melek Taûs is a central figure in which ethnic religion? He is considered the preeminent figure among seven angels who existed before the creation of the world.
Yazidism
Man Ray took a series of photographs of Marcel Duchamp using what female pseudonym? The name of this pseudonym appears in the title of a readymade sculpture that features a cuttlefish bone in a birdcage
Rrose Selavy
Taking its name from its central sky god, what was the state religion of the Mongol
Empire? It is now a minority religion in Mongolia, but it has undergone a revival in Central Asia following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Tengrism
The theorem which links the signal frequency range and required sample rate to avoid
aliasing is named for Nyquist and which other engineer and computer scientist, known
for his work in information theory?
Claude Shannon
Man Ray took many photographs of which surrealist photographer and poet, who
was also depicted in Picasso’s La Femme qui pleure (The Weeping Woman)?
Dora Maar
The Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem proves that aliasing will not occur above the
Nyquist rate by considering the frequency-domain signal. Converting a continuous time
signal to the frequency domain is achieved with which mathematical operation?
Fourier Transform
Sometimes considered an ethnic religion of Korea, which religion developed from the
Donghak movement in the 19th century? This religion incorporates elements from
traditional Korean Shamanism, and its spread can be seen as a response to Western
influence in Korea.
Cheondoism
Man Ray’s muse, which model, performer and artist appears in his famous
photograph Le Violon d’Ingres? She took her stage name from an area of Paris on the
left bank of the Seine.
Alice Prin or Kiki de Montparnasse
Radio 4 show (2003–), the presenter (was Baddiel now Coren Mitchell) and a panel of guests commit “_______” by challenging people’s most deeply held opinions on a subject
Heresy
News Quiz going backwards from Sandi Toksvig (60-88 series) ONLY CONNECT
Barry Norman
Barry Took
Simon Hoggart
Sandi Toksvig
News Quiz going forwards from Miles Jupp (89-99) ONLY CONNECT
Miles Jupp
Multiple Guests
Nish Kumar
Angela Barnes
Andy Zaltzman
a panel game, based on quotations, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was chaired by its deviser, Nigel Rees, and ran from 4 January 1976 to December 2021.
Quote..Unquote..
Radio 4 show (2007–), game in which contestants deliver a mostly untrue speech and panelists must identify true statements chaired by David Mitchell
The Unbelievable Truth
It follows the exploits of the eccentric crew of the single aeroplane owned by “MJN Air” as they are chartered to take all manner of items, people or animals across the world. The show stars Finnemore, Stephanie Cole, Roger Allam and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Cabin Pressure
especially noted for its musical history and traditions, including some of the earliest and most renowned luthiers, such as Giuseppe Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Rugeri, Vincenzo Rugeri, and several members of the Amati family. Situated in Lombardy.
Cremona
A town in the Kebili Governorate in the south of Tunisia, known as the “gateway to the Sahara”. It has been called the “ultimate palm oasis”, because it has over 500,000 palm trees in the area, and it is a major producer of “diglat noor” dates. Episode title on Cabin Pressure.
Douz
Episode on Cabin Pressure, formerly known as Broughton Island until November 1998 is a community located on Broughton Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. The island is known for Arctic wildlife (ringed seals, polar bears, bowhead whales, narwhals), bird watching at the Qaqulluit National Wildlife Area (qaqulluit is the Inuktitut word for northern fulmar).
Qikiqtarjuaq
A British radio sitcom written by David Spicer and originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from June 2001 to November 2003. There were three series of six episodes each starring David Tennant as Daniel and Elizabeth Carling as Lucy. Comes from acronym DINKY.
Double Income, No Kids Yet
Half-hour magazine radio programme about psychology and psychiatry, broadcast in weekly episodes on Radio 4 and produced by the BBC’s Science Unit. It is currently presented by Claudia Hammond.
All in the Mind
The Infinite Monkey Cage is a BBC Radio 4 comedy and popular science series. Hosted by physicist Brian Cox and which comedian?
Robin Ince
British radio programme that was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on weekdays at 05:58 from Monday to Friday. The original format of an episode is a short programme of 90 seconds, the original series featuring the song or sounds of a British bird, visitor, or bird chorus and a few facts about each bird described by a BBC wildlife presenter.
Tweet of the Day
Moral Maze is a live discussion programme on BBC Radio 4, broadcast since 1990. Since November 2011, it has also been available as a podcast. Hosted by Michael Buerk and created by Rev Ernie Rea in 1990.
Moral Maze
Who is host of Moral Maze and also narrator of Pineapple Dance Studios when it was on? He was awarded the Golden Nymph award at the Monte Carlo festival for his reports on the famine from Korem in Ethiopia, first broadcast on 23 October 1984. Led to Live Aid. The footage of the famine was shot by Mohamed Amin.
Michael Buerk
a daily scripted slot on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 offering “reflections from a faith perspective on issues and people in the news”, broadcast at around 7:45 each Monday to Saturday morning. Lasting 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
Thought for the Day
Who presented In Our Time since 1998?
Melvyn Bragg
Currently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 is a painting by which artist?
Marcel Duchamp
What is the title of the webcomic created by Randall Munroe in 2005? The webcomic’s subject matter varies from statements on life and love to mathematical, programming, and scientific in-jokes.
xkcd
Environmental protesters from which group have thrown pumpkin soup at what Mona Lisa in France in January 2024?
Food Counterattack/Riposte Alimentaire
One of the six types of simple machines, what do you call a wheel that carries a flexible rope, cord, cable, chain, or belt on its rim?
Pulley
What 1930 William Faulkner novel follows the story of the Bundren family in Jefferson, Mississippi?
As I Lay Dying
Which nationalist served as the first president of Indonesia from 1945 to 1967?
Sukarno
Who was Sukarno’s successor? 1968-98
Suharto
Current Indonesia President since 2014
Joko Widodo
Five new countries to join BRICS after Argentina rejected offer
Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirate
The traditional Thai New Year festival, what holiday has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in December 2023?
Songkran
Introduced in 1939 and owned by Diageo since 2000, Crown Royal is a blended whisky brand produced in which western hemisphere country?
Canada
The Andrea M. Bronfman Prize for the Arts is an annual design award given to a decorative artist working in ceramics, glass, textiles, or jewellery in which country?
Israel
Richard Hatch was the first winner of what American reality TV series, achieving the feat in 2000?
Survivor
The 1998 Coen Brothers film The Big Lebowski was loosely inspired by the work of which detective fiction writer?
Raymond Chandler
A former Salesian priest and a proponent of liberation theology, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was the first democratically-elected president of what country?
Haiti
In particle physics, what do you call a type of subatomic particle composed of an equal number of quarks and antiquarks bound together by strong interaction?
Meson
Which politician, who previously served as president of South Africa, was suspended from the African National Congress in January 2024 after forming the party uMkhonto we Sizwe the previous year?
Jacob Zuma
Which influential American rock band has more Gold Album than any other US band, and had UK top 10 singles with Crazy Crazy Nights, and God Gave Rock and Roll to You?
Kiss
In which film of 1979 did Samantha Taylor, played by Julie Andrews, throw a surprise 42nd birthday party for her composer boyfriend George Webber, played by Dudley Moore?
10
Which classification was introduced by the British Board of Film Classification in 1982 to provide a classification for works that do not breach UK law, but exceed what the BBFC considers acceptable in the 18 category?
R18 (Restricted 18)
What expression is used in English law to denote gold or silver, money, plate, or bullion which has been which had been certainly or presumably hidden, and is claimed by the Crown?
Treasure Trove
Which actor played Karla opposite Alec Guinness’ George Smiley in the 1979 BBC version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; King Richard in Robin Hood, Men in Tights; and the Captain of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next generation on TV and in the films?
Patrick Stewart
Which Cabinet Minister, who has served in the cabinet since 2010 under Cameron, May, Johnson, and Sunak, has an adoptive surname which means “to stare idly or vacantly”?
Michael Gove
Which animal has the strongest sense of smell, thought to be up to four times as strong as that of a bloodhound, enabling it to detect water up to 12 miles away?
Elephant
Patented in 1912 by George Sperry and first tested in 1913, to what might “George” in an aircraft cockpit refer?
Autopilot
Why is the internet country code top-level domain for Anguilla currently much in demand?
.ai
What is the name of the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha?
Generation Z
How do we know in English what the French call Le Grand Chelem?
The Grand Slam in Six Nations
In which year did Tetley introduce tea bags and sugar rationing come to an end in the UK?
1953
Which French dessert named after an Offenbach opera about the Trojan Wars is made from pears poached in sugar syrup and served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup?
Poire Belle Helene
First featuring in print in the 1747 recipe book, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse, which side dish was the subject of an Oxford Union debate on whether it should be served with chicken, and celebrates its national day on the first Sunday in February?
Yorkshire Pudding
Featuring in works as diverse as Brideshead Revisited, Rebecca, Kipling’s Puck of Pook’s Hill and The Borrowers, as well as in episodes of Are You Being Served and Porridge, which quintessentially English biscuit was invented in Somerset in 1750 and is still produced today?
Bath Oliver
Which French wine from north of Lyon is released on the third Thursday of November each year?
Beaujolais Nouveau
Which is the only square on the standard London Monopoly board to contain all the letters of the word “MONOPOLY”?
Electric Company
In 2012, a plaque was installed at 23 Heddon Street, near Savile Row, where used to be located a furrier called K. West, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of which album, which in 2013, NME ranked 23rd in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (IMHO, 22 places too low)?
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars by David Bowie
Calling itself an example of European harmonization, what function is served by the organisation Pan European Game Information?
Age rating recommendations for video games
Angora wool is made from the fur of the Angora rabbit, but what name is given to the lustrous fabric made from the hair of the Angora goat?
Mohair
Which EU candidate country has three presidents representing the three principal racial groups in the country on independence in 1995?
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2009 film based on a memoir by Lynn Barber
An Education
The films that he has directed often include musical elements, including the dance films Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) and Step Up 3D (2010), musicals Jem and the Holograms (2015) and In the Heights (2021), and the live concert films Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) and Justin Bieber’s Believe (2013). Crazy Rich Asians director.
Jon M. Chu
She had her first major film role as a poltergeist in Robert Zemeckis’s supernatural thriller What Lies Beneath (2000). She has since appeared in films such as the love interest in Hitch (2005), Transporter 2 (2005), Man About Town (2006), Dead Silence (2007), Gamer (2009), and The Spy Next Door (2010).
Amber Valletta
2010 founded Every Mother Counts, documentary No Woman No Cry, married Edward Burns, what supermodel?
Christy Turlington
Which supermodel is in Uptown Girl by Billy Joel?
Christie Brinkley
Which supermodel now has ruined face?
Linda Evangelista
Russian model and television personality. Shayk received international recognition when she appeared as the first Russian model on the cover of the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Cristiano Ronald 2010-15, Bradley Cooper 2015-19. Played Megara alongside The Rock in 2014 Hercules. Appeared in Kanye West video “Power”.
Irina Shayk
Surname gave name to debut album in 2020, second album Hold the Girl is 2022, acting debut in John Wick Chapter 4 2023.
Rina Sawayama
Full name of English model born 2002, Her parents are model Kate Moss and magazine editor Jefferson Hack.
Lila Moss
Half sister full name of Kate Moss, 2021 OnlyFans account.
Lottie Moss
Founder of OnlyFans
Tim Stokely
Majority owner and founder of Gymshark
Ben Francis
she co-starred in the Emmy Award-winning Black Mirror episode “San Junipero” (2016), for which she received acclaim. Her other film roles include Beauty and the Beast (2017), A Wrinkle in Time (2018), Motherless Brooklyn (2019), played Jennifer Hosten in Misbehaviour (2020), and Summerland (2020). She has also acted in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show (2019), and the Disney+ series Loki (2021–present).
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
South African singer and beauty pageant titleholder who was first runner-up in the Miss World beauty contest in the UK in 1970.
Pearl Jansen
Grenadian radio announcer, development worker, diplomat, author, model and beauty queen who won the Miss World 1970 contest, representing Grenada. She became the first black woman and the first woman from her country to win the title. The whole contest had been controversial even before the result had been announced. Portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Misbheaviour 2022
Jennifer Hosten
English TV host and founder of Miss World pageant and Come Dancing programme.
Eric Morley
Her first feature film as an actress was a minor role in Pusher (2012), and she has since appeared in films such as Love, Rosie (2013), The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015), The Bad Batch (2016), Assassination Nation (2018), and Detective Pikachu (2019). Waterhouse portrayed Karen Sirko in the musical drama miniseries Daisy Jones & the Six (2023). She released her debut album I Can’t Let Go and the EP Milk Teeth in 2022.
Suki Waterhouse
American model. She has gained prominence as one of few Black curve models to work with longstanding fashion houses. She has walked for Versace, Moschino, Fendi, and others. In 2023, Lee starred in the music video of “Spin Bout U” by rappers Drake and 21 Savage. From Atlanta 1989.
Precious Lee
Supermodel has two children with her former husband, American musician Jack White. She and White were married in 2005 and divorced in 2013. Born in Oldham. Songwriter too.
Karen Elson
American plus-size model born Camden, London 1992. Discovered on Instagram by makeup artist Pat McGrath. In 2019, she made her screen acting debut in the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems.
Paloma Elsesser
Italian model. Ceretti was discovered in 2012 through the Elite Model Look Model contest. Was dating DiCaprio in 2023 as of Feb 2024 still the case.
Vittoria Ceretti
The youngest model to do the The Big Four of fashion of UK, US, France, Italy Vogue was which Czech model
Karolína Kurková
She was an icon of Swinging London and is considered to be one of the world’s first supermodels. She starred alongside Paul Jones in the film Privilege (1967). Helped launch the miniskirt. Other romances included actor Terence Stamp and photographer Terry O’Neill. Karen Gillan played her.
Jean Shrimpton
She signed a million-dollar contract with Fabergé Inc. as the spokesmodel for Babe perfume. She was the granddaughter of famous writer. Her later years were marred by highly publicized episodes of addiction and depression, before her suicide from a drug overdose on July 1, 1996, at the age of 42.
Margaux Hemingway
German model, part of Big 5, died in January 2023
Tatjana Patitz
She is known for her roles in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton as Kathani “Kate”
Sharma/Bridgerton (2022–present) and comedy-drama Sex Education as Olivia Hanan (2019–2023).
Simone Ashley
a South Sudanese-Australian model. She made her fashion week runway debut as an exclusive in the Saint Laurent S/S 17 show and went on to close both their F/W 17 and S/S 18 shows as an exclusive. In 2018, she was chosen as “Model of the Year” by models.com, an honour which was repeated the next year.
Adut Akech
British fashion model, She is the founder of Gurls Talk, a platform that provides resources and a safe space for young women and girls to discuss Mental Health, related to the Earl of Lonsdale. her first Hollywood role as Lia in the 2017 Hollywood adaptation of the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell. Also Becks in Top Boy.
Adwoa Aboah
Who is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the 1961 James Bond novel Thunderball? Got eyepatch. He appears in the 1965 film adaptation, again as the main antagonist, with Italian actor Adolfo Celi filling the role.
Emilio Largo
In judaism, what word is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations?
Minyan
a sweet bun made of a yeast dough flavoured with dried fruit such as currants, candied peel, and sweet spices. It is made in the city of Bristol, England, and named after a local MP and merchant.
Colston Bun
Who wrote Seven Lamps of Architecture?
John Ruskin
GERD stands for what stomach illness?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Directed by Bennett Miller, Steve Carrell plays John Du Pont in Foxcatcher and trains brothers Mark and David with which surname?
Schultz
Sean Durkin directed film The Iron Claw about which family?
Von Erich (Zac Efron playing Kevin)
a Japanese former professional footballer and holds the record for most goals scored by an Asian in Serie A. He is also known as the first Asian player to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Roma, Palma, Fiorentina, ended career with loan to Bolton.
Hidetoshi Nakata
A 1971 song by The Doors which, in its second verse, references the hitch-hiker killer Billy “Cockeyed” Cook
Riders on the Storm
Featuring in the first verse of the John Masefield poem Cargoes, in which it carries “Sandalwood, Cedarwood and sweet wine wine”, which ancient warship was rowed by oarsmen arranged in groups of five?
Quinquereme
1) A film director and avant garde musician who released the album Big Science in 1982
2)The Northern Irish designer of a sell-out fibreglass pigeon clutchbag, also Loewe creative director.
Laurie and Jonathan ANDERSON
A Canadian rock band fronted by Geddy Lee
Rush
Which endorheic salt lake in Iran, at its greatest extent in 1995 the largest lake in the Middle East, had shrunk to 10% of its former size in 2017 due to drought, damming and groundwater pumping? (picture). Whilst it was subsequently replenished, it is now shrinking again.
Urmia
Subtitled Young and Depressed in America: A Memoir, which 1994 confessional book by the late author and journalist Elizabeth Wurtzel was adapted into a 2001 film starring Christina Ricci? Its two word title contains a brand name for the SSRI anti-depressant Fluoxetine.
Prozac Nation
an Irish writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West. He was born on the Greek island of Lefkada
Lafcadio Hearn
What links
1) A 1903 spy fiction novel by Irish Nationalist Erskine Childers, concerning German preparations for a seaborne invasion of England
2) A late actor and star of A Room with a View and Arachnophobia who disappeared hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains of California in 2023?
Sands (The Riddle of the Sands and Julian Sands)
The birthplace of composer Arvo Part and decathlete Erki Nool, which Baltic state is bordered to the East by Lake Peipus?
Estonia
Which 19th century physician scientist made the groundbreaking discovery that maternal mortality from puerperal fever in Vienna General Hospital could be reduced from 18% to 2% by hand hygiene measures? Stephen Brown’s 2020 play about this doctor premiered at the Bristol Old Vic, starring Mark Rylance.
SEMMELWEIS (Ignaz)
An official court painter of Philip II of Spain and protege of Michelangelo, which Italian Renaissance painter and her four sisters were encouraged in their artistic talents by their father? This painter depicted her sisters in the 1555 work The Game of Chess.
Anguissola (Sofonisba)
A 1941 Agatha Christie novel in which Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of actress Arlena Marshall in Devon
Evil Under the Sun
Inadvisably free of protective gear whilst dissecting, and known also for accurate, vivid descriptions of migraine, what is the name of the Dutch Surgeon and mayor of Amsterdam teaching acolytes in Rembrandt’s 1632 work of art?
Tulp (Nicolaes)
An Ethiopian city in the Tigray region was the first capital of which namesake African Empire between 150 BCE and 960 CE, although its capital city later became Kubar after 800 CE ?
Aksum
Which French “Space Age” fashion designer founded a fashion house in 1965, producing futuristic minidresses before changing tack to 1970’s “Soft Look” diaphanous peasant dresses? He was infuriated by a disastrous, nipple-tasselled collaboration with Lindsay Lohan in 2010.
Emanuel Ungaro
Italian-born naturalised-French fashion designer. He is known for what were his avant-garde style and Space Age designs. He preferred geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical. He founded his fashion house in 1950 and introduced the “bubble dress” in 1954.
Pierre Cardin
What name links
1) An American choreographer mentored by Balanchine, known for the musicals On the Town and West Side Story and his ballet to Chopin, Dances at a Gathering
2) A bestselling novelist of the Carpetbaggers. described as a writer of “Transatlantic Tripe” by Basil Fawlty in the sitcom Fawlty Towers?
ROBBINS (Jerome and Harold)
large stratovolcano in the department of San Marcos in western Guatemala. It is the highest mountain in Central America at 4,203 metres
Volcan Tajumulco
Which Constructivist Hungarian painter known for his photomontages coined the term Neues Sehen (New Vision), and together with his wife Lucia, also on the Bauhaus teaching faculty, documented the architecture and products of the Bauhaus?
Laszlo Moholy-Nagy
What words link
1) A Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica
2) the nickname of the 66kg slippery former NFL Wide receiver Gerald McNeil of the Cleveland Browns and Houston Oilers
Ice Cube
What animal links
1) Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker, whose collaborative musical group has released the albums Lonerism, Currents and The Slow Rush
2) A medium sized antelope, the only extant member of the genus Aepyceros?
Impala (Tame Impala is musical group)
Made from the red algae genus Pyropia what name is given to dried, edible seaweed sheets used to wrap sushi or onigiri (rice balls)?
Nori
A “Drunk” but allegedly “clean” cosmetics brand, alarmingly coveted by TikTok-watching teens concerned about ageing
Drunk Elephant
What two words link
1) A Southeastern coastal Brazilian state with its capital at Vitoria and its largest city at Serra and
2) The current Nottingham Forest Manager, recruited from the Saudi top flight soccer club Al-Ittihad in 2023, formerly a manager of Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur?
Espirito Santo
Important for assistance in breathing, bending and rotating, what name is given to diagonally arranged “External” and “Internal” abdominal muscles of the trunk which define the shape of the waist and frame the “six-pack” of the rectus abdominis muscles?
Obliques
Imparting notes of peach, apricot and honeysuckle to produce rich, spicy white wines, which grape variety is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone Valley?
Viognier
a 2022 city building survival video game where players control a space station after Earth’s destruction, shares name with greek mythology charactrer
Ixion
Which Russian avant-garde artist invented Rayonism and was a founding member of the Knave of Diamonds art movement with her partner Mikhail Larionov? Her 1913 work Cyclist is considered an archetypal work of Futurism (Picture)
Natalia GONCHAROVA
What four letter word links
1) A striking parallel-banded form of the mineral Chalcedony similar to Agate and
2) A meltwater “river” in Antarctica
Onyx
Barely surviving the An Lushan rebellion and, at one point, sentenced to death before reprieve, which hard-living Tang dynasty poet (701-762) wrote Quiet Night Thought and Waking from Drunkenness on a Spring Day?
Li Bai
What name links
1)The choreographer of geometrically pleasing dance routines in The Gold Diggers of 1933 and 42nd street
2) An 18th century philosopher and bishop of Cloyne in Ireland
3)The place for which element 97 is named and
4) A 1940 song about birdsong in a Mayfair square ?
Berkeley (Busby, George, Berkelium and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square)
Found in the Hepatitis B virus and Retroviruses, what enzyme generates complementary DNA from RNA, violating the “Central Dogma” of the flow of genetic information, namely, “DNA makes RNA makes Protein”?
Reverse transcriptase
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour and filmed in California, which black and white 2014 Persian language film features a Chador-clad skateboarding vigilante vampire who preys upon violent men?
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
1973 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the village of Borgo San Giuliano (situated near the ancient walls of Rimini) in 1930s Fascist Italy. The film’s title is a univerbation.
Amarcord
Which British-italian explorer and prolific travel writer wrote an account of three dangerous treks into the western Iranian wilderness in her 1934 first work, The Valley of the Assassins and Other Persian Travels?
Freya Stark
What Southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan with its capital at Naha is known for its subtropical climate and the world’s largest colony of rare blue coral near Ishigaki island? Its devastation in WW2 is the subject of a graphic history book collection by manga artist Susumu Higa.
Okinawa
Establishing a cosmopolitan court of intellectuals, which Sicilian King crowned in Palermo in 1130 enlarged his Kingdom by capturing Tripoli in 1146 and part of Northeastern Algeria in 1148? These territories were lost by his son William the Bad, who succeeded him in 1154.
Roger (II or the Great)
Involving over 2000 singers and actors, which Bavarian municipality is known for its once a decade production of a Passion Play that was first performed in 1634?
Oberammergau
Which Italian tennis player became the first Italian woman ever to win a Grand Slam singles title when she won the 2010 French Open?
Francesca Schiavone
Which French lawyer proclaimed the third French Republic in 1870 after Napoleon III’s defeat at the battle of Sedan in the Franco-Prussian war and became one of the first members of the Government of National Defense?
Leon Gambetta
Which film director won the Queer Palm and the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes film festival in 2019 for her film Portrait of a Lady on Fire?
Celine Sciamma
Which Scottish clan which gave its name to a Highland regiment - the last to wear kilts on active service?
Cameron
Which glamorous Polish-born actress was best known for her work in the Hammer Horror films
and Where Eagles Dare?
Ingrid Pitt
Coming to the attention of the West during the Boxer Rebellion, what type of elite Chinese
soldier was so named because they were grouped according to different coloured flags?
Bannerman
What was the full name of the former England test cricketer, primarily a pace bowler, who was
a sufferer of Klippel Feil syndrome?
gladstone small
What name was given to an official assigned the task of managing a royal household?
Chamberlain
In Great Expectations, when Pip first encounters the escaped convict Magwitch, he is asked to
acquire brandy, food, and what sort of tool for him?
File
To whom was Martin Chuzzelwit apprenticed as an architect?
Seth Pecksniff
Which was the first London football club to join the Football League?
Woolwich ARSENAL
Founded in 1879, which is the oldest professional football club in London?
Fulham FC
Costive means what medically?
Constipation
What is another name for act of micturition?
Urination
Which player holds the runner up record, for most Grand Slam singles finals lost – 16 in total?
Chris Evert
Who was the last actor to portray James Bond smoking on screen?
Piers Bronsnan Die Another Day
Lake Toma, in Switzerland, is regarded as the source of which river?
Rhine
At 297 square miles, which is Britain’s largest forest?
Galloway Forest (Kielder Forest biggest in England)
How many countries does the equator pass through?
13
How many countries does the prime meridian pass through?
8
Which 1960’s television show featured a talking palomino, who could only be understood by his
owner, Wilbur Post?
Mr Ed
In Discworld, name of Death’s horse?
Binky
First shown in the U.K. in 1968, which children’s television show, with a theme tune sung by
Jackie Lee, centred on the breeding of Lipizzaners?
The White Horses
In the Beatle’s song, ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite’, what was the name of the waltzing horse,
in a production ‘that is second to none’?
Henry
Which model of Ford motorcar became so notorious for catching fire, following even a minor collision, that over 1.5 million of them had to be recalled?
Pinto
During his state visit to Ireland, how did Joe Biden unfortunately refer to the New Zealand
Rugby Team?
Black and Tans
What term is given to the maximum stress that a material can bear before breaking when it is
allowed to be stretched or pulled?
Tensile Strength
What name is given to the electrolytic process for producing oxide coatings, often coloured,
usually on aluminium and its alloys?
Anodising
What name is given to the initiation and propagation of cracks in a material due to cyclic
loading?
Fatigue
Abolished in 1859, although still celebrated as a folk tradition in some counties, how was the
public holiday of May 29th better known?
Oak Apple Day or Royal Apple Day
prompt on “Restoration Day”
Used as piles to support buildings in Venice, due to its durability when submerged underwater,
what is the most commonly found tree in the United Kingdom?
Alder
Founded in Paris, in 1837, as a manufacturer of saddles and equestrian equipment, what is the
world’s oldest fashion house?
Hermes
What was the name of the company best known for their porcelain figures of wildlife, farmyard
animals, horses and, later, Beatrix Potter characters?
Beswick
Based in County Fermanagh, what is the name of company best known for their use of super
fine Parian ware, and the recurring use of a shamrock motif?
Belleek
What is the name of the company best known for their Blue Italian and Willow Pattern designs?
Spode
Which boastful, but essentially cowardly soldier, appears in three of Shakespeare’s plays - Henry
IV, The Merrie Wives of Windsor and Henry V?
Ancient PISTOL
What short-lived stretch of motorway, between South Mimms and Potters Bar, was later
incorporated into the M25?
M16
Which British fibreglass bodied sports car was made from 1964 to 1986?
Reliant Scimitar
Which British matinee idol and author later found acclaim in European and art-house films,
including The Damned, The Night Porter and The Servant.
Dirk Bogarde
Which portly American TV detective was played by William Conrad?
Frank Cannon
In terms of electricity generation capacity, what is the name of Britain’s largest power station?
Drax, Yorkshire
Which inventor opened Britain’s first power station in 1882, at Holborn Viaduct?
Thomas Edison
Czechoslovakian gymnast Marie Provaznikova was the first athlete to defect from a Communist
country – at which Olympics did this take place?
London 1948
During the Indian Mutiny 1857, which town became infamous following the discovery of murdered women and children thrown in a well?
Cawnpore
Rapper Post Malone paid $2million in July 2023 for a Lord of the Rings trading card belonging to
which game franchise?
Magic: The Gathering
Died 2008, best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson
Gary Gygax
Who is the Japanese neuroscientist that helped develop, and starred in, the Nintendo Brain Age
and Brain Training games?
Dr Kawashima
Which town is home to the deepest, natural harbour in Britain?
Falmouth
Stretching over 1.3 miles in length, where would you find Britain’s longest pier?
Southend-on-Sea
What was the name given, by the press, to the illicit parties held by former premier Silvio
Berlusconi?
Bunga Bunga
In which city would you find the Lingotto building, famous for its rooftop racetrack?
Turin (car factory)
Which song, a reaction to the 1993 Warrington bombing, was adopted by Ireland fans during
the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
Zombie (The Cranberries)
In 2023, Monster Energy Drink released two signature flavours in honour of their sponsored
motor racing champions – name either drink or driver.
Lewis Hamilton or LH44
Valentino Rossi or VR46
As worn by Sherlock Holmes, what is the name given to an overcoat with an integral half cape?
Ulster
Popularised by Edward VII, what is the name given to a tweed outer garment, single breasted,
with box pleats front and back, and, commonly, worn with a half belt?
Norfolk Jacket
Popularised by Edward VIII, what is the name given to a style of knitwear, made of stranded
knitting, featuring repeated patterns with multiple colours?
Fair Isle
In 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries joined with part of the Department of
Environment, Transport and Regions to form DEFRA. What does DEFRA stand for?
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
What was the name of the historic Staffordshire pub that mysteriously caught fire in August
2023, and later demolished, after being sold to developers?
The Crooked House
In 2023, Hartwig Fischer stepped down as the director of which organisation, following the
discovery of a series of thefts during his tenure?
British Museum
Best known for his portrayals of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, who did actor Michael
Sheard portray in the BBC series Grange Hill?
Mr Bronson
Big Ted, Little Ted, Humpty and Jemima were four of the toys who regularly appeared on
Playschool – what was the name of the fifth, a plastic doll?
Hamble (replaced by Poppy in 1980s)
Which actor provided the narration for the Mr Benn cartoons?
Ray Brooks
Who created Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, Mr Benn and Not Now Bernard?
David McKee
Best known now as the title of a Bob Dylan LP, who, with 42 kills alleged, and 17 kills confirmed,
was considered the deadliest outlaw of the Wild West?
John Wesley Hardin (Harding in Dylan album)
King Harold may have died from an arrow to the face – but which English king, when Prince of
Wales, was struck in the face by an arrow, but survived?
Henry V
Better known for his lockdown duets, with wife Toyah Wilcox, what is the name of the musician
who founded the rock band King Crimson?
Robert Fripp
The Queens district of New York was named to honour Catherine of Braganza who was the
queen consort of which English king?
Charles II
Marie de’ Medici, Henry IV of France parents and Charles I the wife of which queen consort of England?
Henrietta Maria of France
Rising to 1222 feet above sea level, which is Britain’s highest motorway?
M62 (Saddleworth Moor)
Which native of Taff’s Well, wrote the novel The Englishman who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain. The location of the fictional Ffynnon Garw above the writer’s home village suggests that it is the Garth and the mound on which the trigonometrical point stands is a Bronze Age burial mound
Christopher Monger
Name of Scottish Premiership team that is derived from old name of Perth their home city?
St Johnstone
Italian motto Fatti maschi, parole femine meaning Strong Deeds, Gentle Words is which state’s motto?
Maryland
Maine state motto Latin for I Lead
Dirigo
Which state mottos is L’etoile du Nord or french for The star of the North?
Minnesota
Whih state’s motto is Spanish “Oro y plata” meaning Gold and Silver?
Montana
Which US state motto is Equality before the law? Not Wyoming’s Equal Rights?
Nebraska
Which US State motto is Live Free or Die?
New Hampshire
Which US state motto is All For Our Country?
Nevada
New york State motto meaning Ever Upward in Latin?
Excelsior
Rhode Island one word state motto english word?
Hope
Texas one word state motto english word
Friendship
Utah one word state motto english word
Industry
Virginia three word state motto, latin, john wilkes booth said it after capping lincoln?
Sic semper tyrannis
Wisconsin one word english state motto
Forward
Groby, Oadby, Bushby, Thurnby and Glen Parva are suburbs of which city in the
English midlands?
Leicester
2014 was a bad year for UK vel·ologists, as the paper items they collected were
phased out in favour of electronic record-keeping. What items do vel·ologists
collect?
Vehicle Tax Discs
Monkey and Granny are the two dummies most frequently used by which British ventriloquist? She is also known for using moving face masks on audience members.
Nina Conti (daughter of Tom Conti and ____ Wilson)
Which author completed the works The Monkey Grammarian and Eastern Slope
while serving as Mexico’s Ambassador to India? One of his most famous works is
the nine-part essay The Labyrinth of Solitude.
Octavio Paz
What was the surname of the Thai-born conjoined American twins with the
forenames Chang and Eng, who gave rise to the term ‘Siamese twins’?
Bunker
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, which ‘wild man’ serves as the companion of the title character on their journey into the Cedar Forest to slay Humbaba?
Enkidu
Matt Bianco (band fronted by Mark Reilly) was verbally abused during a call-in segment on which 1980s British children’s show whose hosts included Sarah Greene and Mike Read?
Saturday Superstore
British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States from 1912 to 1918, as which he was responsible for the organisation of British efforts to end American neutrality during the First World War, best man at Theodore Roosevelt’s 2nd wedding, wrote poem “I Vow to Thee, My Country”.
Cecil Spring Rice
Which derivative of benzene is also known as carbolic acid and has the chemical formula C6H5OH? First extracted from coal tar, it is used in the production of Bakelite and nylon.
Phenol
Which musical by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, the story of a teenage girl with a rare disease which causes premature ageing, won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Musical?
Kimberly Akimbo
In heraldry what word describes the position of a figure, often a lion, that is depicted in profile standing erect with forepaws raised such as on the banner of Owain Glyndŵr?
Rampant
Thomas Burberry invented which durable, compactly woven twill fabric as a
breathable, waterproof material that became widely used in trench coats and by explorers?
Gabardine
Which active volcano is the highest mountain on the island of Java?
Semeru
A modern means of deploying software to production systems is a CI/CD pipeline. If both Cs stand for ‘continuous’ and the D ‘deployment’ (or ‘delivery’), what does the I stand for?
Integration
Which music genre with an unconventionally spelled name emerged in California
in the 1990s, pioneered by bands like Korn and Papa Roach?
Nu Metal
Devon Malcolm’s 9 for 57 against South Africa in 1994 is fondly remembered by cricket fans. This devastating spell of bowling was prompted by a bouncer delivered to Malcolm by which player? This fast bowler was the last man standing
at the end of the South African innings.
Fanie de Villiers
Which conservative economist is known for books including A Conflict of Visions,
Knowledge and Decisions and Affirmative Action Around The World? A prominent black Conservative, he declined posts in the Reagan administration.
Thomas Sowell
Full Swing, a 1990s BBC Saturday teatime game show based on golf, was presented by which Liverpudlian comic? His daughter currently appears on Radio 2 on Saturday teatime.
Jimmy Tarbuck
Which English architect of the Georgian and Regency eras designed Buckingham Palace? His other works include Marble Arch and the Royal Pavilion at Brighton.
John Nash
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, which Mesopotamian sun god helps the heroes in their battle with Humbaba and convinces Enkidu to turn his curse upon Shamhat into a blessing?
Shamash
One of Sandi Toksvig’s earliest television roles was playing the character Ethel on which Saturday morning children’s programme shown on ITV in the 1980s?
No. 73
Which aromatic hydrocarbon is a derivative of benzene with chemical formula C7H8? It is used in paint thinners, solvents and industrial feedstock.
Toluene
Marion Tinsley is considered the greatest ever player of which board game? He
lost seven matches of this game in the last forty five years of his life, two of those to a computer.
Draughts or Chequers
What is the surname of Welsh twins with forenames June and Jennifer who only
communicated with each other and were institutionalised in Broadmoor Hospital?
Their story was told in the 2022 biographical film The Silent Twins.
Gibbons
Ockbrook, Elvaston, Mickleover, Borrowash and Breadsall are suburbs of which
English city in the English midlands?
Derby
Walter, Peanut and Achmed the Dead Terrorist are dummies used by which
American ventriloquist? Despite his controversial material, he has at times been
the top-grossing stand-up act in America.
Jeff Dunham
Which writer, the son of a Mexican diplomat, published his first novel Where the
Air is Clear in 1958? His 1985 novel The Old Gringo, about the disappearance of
Ambrose Bierce, became the first US best seller written by a Mexican author.
Carlos Fuentes
Which socialist philosopher and activist is known for books including The Future of the Race, Democracy Matters and Race Matters? This African American intellectual is seeking to run in the 2024 Presidential election.
Cornel West
IAC is an acronym used in software development to describe the use of code to control software deployment and configuration rather than manual processes. If AC stands for ‘As Code’ what word is represented by the I?
Infrastructure
The new Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly, is a
member of which political party? Former First Ministers Ian Paisley
was leader of this party.
DUP
Strong fielding from his England team mates aided Devon Malcolm’s 9 for 57 at the
Oval in 1994. Which Worcestershire wicketkeeper caught 3 off Malcolm’s bowling?
One of his victims shared the same surname.
Steve Rhodes (he
caught Jonty Rhodes)
In heraldry what word describes the position of a figure, often a lion, that is depicted
with one forepaw raised and all others on the ground such as that on the Welsh flag?
Passant
The first patented waterproof textile was developed by John Emary, the founder of
which luxury clothing manufacturer? This company supplied officers’ coats in the
Crimean War, and has a Latin-derived name reflecting its use of waterproof material.
Aquascutum
Known for an eruption that caused ‘the year without a summer’ Mount Tambora is an
active volcano on which island, located between Lombok and Flores?
Sumbawa
With music and lyrics by Richard Hawley, which musical about life on a Sheffield
council estate won the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Musical?
Standing at the Sky’s Edge
Organisms which can be described as ‘helico·phagous’ include what kind of mollusc
in their diet? Examples meeting this description include hedgehogs, song thrushes, and a species of kite whose common name is derived from its diet.
Snails
Debut album of The Last Dinner Party released on 2nd February 2024
Prelude to Ecstasy
The Last Dinner Party debut single in April 2023 which was Top 25 hit
Nothing Matters
British girl group from London, consisting of members Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer won BBC Sound of 2023
FLO
He released his debut mixtape titled Send Them to Coventry on 13 November 2020. In January 2020, he released his debut single “Frontline”, which was the most-played track of 2020 on BBC Radio 1Xtra. Performed it on Jimmy Fallon’s The TOnight Show. BBC Sound of 2021 winner.
Pa Salieu
South Korean DJ, singer, songwriter and record producer based in Berlin, Germany. Highest entry in UK charts is “(It Goes Like) Nanana” at #5. BBC Sound of 2024 third place.
Peggy Gou
English neo soul singer She has released one studio album: Messy (2023) and five EPs. In 2021, she was named the breakthrough artist of the year by Amazon Music and, in 2023, she was selected as BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year. Came second in BBC sound of 2024.
Olivia Dean
British-American three-piece band consisting of Jacob Lusk, Ryan Hope and Ari Balouzian. The band formed after meeting in Los Angeles in 2016. They were nominated for BBC Radio 1’s Sound of… for 2023 (fifth).
Gabriels
What medical speciality whose name derives from Latin for ‘midwife’ is the field of
study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period?
Obstetrics
What is the stage name of Jason Richard Hunter, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan?
Less high-profile than colleagues RZA, Method Man, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, he is the second most featured member on their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) with verses on “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’”.
Inspectah Deck
Tudum is the onomatopoeic name of the audio clip that accompanies which streaming service’s logo in the opening credits of its shows? It is also the name of a companion website that goes behind-the-scenes of its productions.
Tudum
Founded by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy in 2015, what online instant
messaging and Voice over IP social platform has attracted controversy for its role in
enabling groups such as Unite the Right to organise pseudonymously?
Discord
In physics, what is the name of a field theory in which the Lagrangian does not change under local transformations? The Yang–Mills theory is a notable example.
Gauge Theory
French street artist Xavier Prou, an early practitioner of stencil graffiti, has a pen
name that refers to what urban dwellers, frequent subjects of his work?
Rats (his art name is
Blek le Rat)
What was the nickname of Eddie Merckx, the Belgian cyclist of the 1960s and 1970s
who won the Tour de France five times?
The Cannibal
First proposed by Håkon Wium Lie in 1994, what cornerstone technology of the World Wide Web is used to specify the presentation and look-and-feel of a web page? Using this technology gives designers more control than using just HTML.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
Christa Luding-Rothenburger is the only athlete to win Olympic medals in the same year at both the Winter and Summer Olympics. Which discipline did she compete in at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary?
Speed Skating
What Swedish company that makes medium format cameras is perhaps best known for being the camera supplier to the Apollo mission? The Blue Marble photograph of Earth was shot with one and eleven of them remain on the moon
today. You can buy an entry level model X2 for a mere $8,100.
Hasselblad
A common component of fertilisers and explosives, what is the name for the
polyatomic ion with the formula NO3-?
Nitrate
What is the Arabic name for the Gospels of Jesus? It is mentioned in the Hadiths and is considered one of the four Islamic holy books.
Injil
From the Ancient Greek for “law” or “district”, which territorial division of ancient Egypt during the Old and Middle Kingdoms had local district governors who levied taxes and administered justice?
Nome
John Logie Baird is regarded in the UK as the inventor of television. In America
who is regarded as the inventor of the television, having been the first person to demonstrate an all-electronic version of one in 1928?
Philo Farnsworth
Which businesswoman and co-founder of Lastminute.com, was ennobled in 2013
as Baroness of Soho? In 2014 she was appointed Chancellor of the Open University.
Martha LANE FOX
Which American jazz composer, pianist, and band leader was an important leader in the free jazz movement and is best known for her jazz opera Escalator Over The Hill?
Carla Bley
Set in the fictional “Poets Estate” in South London and first airing in 1982, which BBC
series created by David Nobbs follows the titular character as he navigates the complexities of middle management at Sunshine Desserts, marital dissatisfaction, and unfulfilled dreams?
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Invented by Brendan Eich in 1995, what cornerstone technology of the World Wide
Web is used to embed dynamic functionality on client-side devices, enabling web pages with interactivity beyond the capability of HTML.
JavaScript (JS)
Which Hollywood leading man, star of Idiot’s Delight and Strange Cargo among others, and arguably the most famous actor of his era, put his career on hold to serve in the 8th Air Force in World War 2, flying five combat missions in a B-17 over Germany?
Clark Gable
What Bristol roundabout and urban space has a name recalling a grim medieval
pastime and has a contemporary connotation with financial markets?
The Bearpit
French street artist Clet Abraham uses vinyl stickers to deface what very common urban objects? Visitors to Florence, where he is based, will see many examples of his work.
Street Signs
Founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Jairaj Sethi, and Hamish McKenzie, what online newsletter publication platform has attracted controversy for enabling white nationalist and Nazi groups to publish hate speech?
Substack
What is the stage name of Jamel Irief (born Elgin Turner), the last member to join the Wu-Tang Clan? Less high-profile than colleagues RZA, Method Man, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, he is noted for his closing verse on “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’”.
Masta Killa
Deep Note is the name of the audio clip that accompanies which cinematic audio technology company’s logo, consisting of a three-letter initialism, in certain high-end cinemas? It made its debut at the LA premier of The Return of the Jedi.
THX
Which American jazz composer and pianist, a collaborator with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman and mentor to Thelonious Monk had the childhood nickname “The Little Piano Girl”?
Mary Lou Williams
The Inca Empire was divided into four regional quarters which met at Cusco and were given what name? This name is found following “Tawantin” in another name for the Empire.
Suyu
In Italian cuisine, what is the name for a mixture of diced onions, carrots, and celery, cooked in fat for a long time without colouring or browning. It is the flavour base for a wide variety of dishes.
Soffrito
Thomas Edison is regarded in the US as the inventor of the microphone. In reality its inventor was which London-based German engineer? A fifteen-year legal battle over its patent ensued.
Emile Berliner
Which businesswoman, who stepped down as CEO of BenevolentAI in 2023, was ennobled in 2014 as Baroness of Maida Vale? She founded the WeProtect initiative aimed at combatting online child abuse.
Joanna Shields
Widely used in industrial applications, what is the name for the polyatomic ion
with the formula SO4^2-?
Sulphate
What is the Arabic name for the Psalms of David? Another of the four Islamic
holy books, its name derives from the Arabic for “book” or “inscription”.
Zabur
Christa Luding-Rothenburger is the only athlete to win Olympic medals in the
same year at both the Winter and Summer Olympics. Which discipline did she compete in at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul?
Track CYCLING
What German company that makes rangefinder cameras is perhaps best known for being used to shoot Alberto Korda’s Portrait of Che Guevara and Nick Ut’s The Napalm Girl? You can buy an entry level model Q2 for a mere $5,800.
Leica
Which Spanish sailor, a lookout for Christopher Colombus, is believed to be the
first European from the Age of Exploration to see the Americas?
Rodrigo de Triana
Tied with Kevin de Bruyne, which striker holds the record for number of assists in
a single season in the Premier League, with 20?
Thierry Henry
Subsequently adapted into a critically panned Hollywood film, which 1991 novel by Ira Levin centred on a property developer who built an apartment block in New York City with a state-of-the-art surveillance system, with the
purpose of spying on his tenants?
Sliver
Le Voyeur is the most critically acclaimed novel by which French author, the key figure of the ‘New Novel’ movement, who went on to achieve fame as a scriptwriter of films in the French New Wave?
Alain ROBBE-GRILLET
Lablabi is a soup often sold by street vendors all day, but most popular in the mornings. With principal ingredients of chick peas, harissa
and olive oil, it originates in which North African country?
Tunisia
John’s Gospel differs substantially in theology, style and events recounted
from the other three Gospels, which are similar to each other in all those areas. What term is used to refer to those three collectively?
Synoptic Gospels
Which Spanish female forename is also the word for pigeon, and (more probably the intention) dove? It was made famous in the UK in a 1970s single by a Dutch artist.
Paloma
Which legendary Australian cricketer was nicknamed Pigeon throughout
his career, a reference to his extremely thin legs as a youngster?
Glenn McGrath
Black Wednesday, when sterling was forced to withdraw from the Exchange Rate Mechanism, following a failed government attempt to prop
up its value, occurred in September 1992, and discredited the chancellorship of which politician?
Norman Lamont
Which Welsh goalkeeper of the 1980s and 90s, considered by some to be his country’s greatest ever player, supplemented his early-career income with shifts on Llandudno council’s bin lorries? This provided great amusement to opposition fans, who loved to mock his occasionally dishevelled appearance?
Neville Southall
Running from 1994-97 and with an ensemble cast featuring Edward Woodward, Roy Hudd and Tim Healy, which BBC comedy drama centred on a crew of binmen? In the first series they are fearing for their jobs amid a council privatisation plan, in the second they have all been made redundant and are exploring other careers, with hilarious consequences.
Common as Muck
Who is the current Crown Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds? A co-author of Tory headbanger manifesto Britannia Unchained, he resigned his seat in January 2024 in protest at the government’s decision to open a new
round of offshore petroleum licensing, having earlier been Minister of State for Net Zero?
Chris Skidmore
Which thought problem in epistemology stems from a rejection of any certainty in knowledge, because any belief must have support, and that
support must itself be justified, and so on. Alternative names credit a Pyrrhonist philosopher or a fictional character.
Regress Argument (Agrippa’s or Munchhausen’s trilemma)
Which school of epistemology focuses on the role of experience in acquiring knowledge, and is particularly associated with successive
generations of British philosophers, including Locke, Hume, Mill and Russell?
Empiricism
The wall between the left and right sides of the heart is given which name,
perhaps more familiar from another body part?
Septum
The heart’s main electrical impulse is generated in which oval-shaped region of special cardiac muscle in the back wall of the right atrium?
Sinoatrial Node
Also known as the bicuspid valve, what is the more common name of the valve between the two chambers on the left of the heart, after its supposed resemblance to a certain form of status-denoting headgear?
Mitral Valve
Frank Bruno challenged for versions of the World Heavyweight Championship four times. He lost to Mike Tyson in 1989, but in the first of
these fights in 1986, he lost to which American fighter, being comfortably ahead on points but exhausted when stopped in Round 11?
Tim Witherspoon
After the aforementioned loss against Tyson and another failure against Lennox Lewis, Bruno eventually won a world title in September 1995,
defeating which US fighter for the WBC title? It would be his penultimate fight, with his first defence resulting in another battering by Tyson and enforced retirement.
Oliver McCall
In which of London’s parks was the 2011 incident whereby Fenton the dog
disturbed the four-legged inhabitants, much to the exasperation of his
owner, captured on camera?
Richmond Park
Which of London’s parks, giving its name to a nearby Tube station, is
home to a flock of peafowl, who can usually be found hanging out in its Kyoto Garden?
Holland Park
In every land/I saw, wherever light illumineth/Beauty and anguish walking
hand in hand/The downward slope to death is a cheery excerpt from A Dream of Fair Women, a Chaucer-inspired work by which 19th century
Poet Laureate?
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
While the British anti-apartheid movement (and the students of Wadham College) chose The Special AKA’s Free Nelson Mandela as their anthem, in South Africa and worldwide, the song Bring Him Back Home, with its lyric ‘I want to see him hand in hand with Winnie Mandela’, gained similar status following its release by which legendary musician in 1987?
Hugh Masekala
What name is given to the apparent force on an object in rotation, pushing it away from the axis around which the rotation is occurring?
Centrifugal
A familiar face on TV from the mid-20th century almost until his death in 2020, who was the voice of the original Vorsprung Durch Technik TV ad
campaign for Audi? While he had many lead roles (including in a BBC comedy that ran for nine series over 13 years), many remember him for single-episode cameos in two of the top five in Britain’s Best Sitcom.
Geoffrey Palmer
Having eschewed Formula 1 for decades, claiming that the benefits to road car production were ‘limited and distant’, Audi has had a change of heart since the advent of hybrid power units. Which current down-grid team will race under the Audi brand from 2026?
Sauber
Audi dominated the World Rally Championship in its relatively brief period competing (1980-87), largely owing to its four-wheel drive system. The
cars using it, and more recently the system itself, bore what name?
Quattro
Which author, whose novels have been translated into more than 50
languages, including English, wrote What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, a 2007 collection of essays about his experience as a longdistance runner?
Haruki Murakami
It remains the fastest marathon time recorded by a sitting MP, and is believed to be the fastest by a parliamentarian anywhere in the world:
which man finished the London Marathon in 2 hours 32 minutes in 1985, giving up running immediately thereafter, and politics not long after that? He has since been a columnist and presenter.
Matthew Parris
Stuart Murdoch completed his hometown marathon in Glasgow in 2 hours 50 minutes, aged just 18 in 1986. A prolonged struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome followed, and part of his recovery was the formation of which twee/art-pop band, who released their first album Tigermilk in 1996 and remain active today?
Belle and Sebastian
literally “commerce paper” in English, what is a German-language business newspaper founded 1946?
Handelsblatt
a long, narrow canoe made from a single tree trunk, especially in Central America and the Caribbean. P
Pirogue
traditional dish from the Scottish Borders. The main ingredients are potato, cabbage and onion. Similar to Irish colcannon and English bubble and squeak
Rumbledethumps
P: Swedish dish related to kroppkakor or meat-filled dumplings
Pitepalt
Which herb is generally used to flavour the tomato–based sauce on a Marinara pizza?
Oregano
UHT is a food processing technology for liquids. What does the H stand for in UHT?
Ultra HEAT Treatment
In which decade was Guinness first brewed St James Gate, Dublin?
1750s (1759, now brewed in over 50 countries)
How is the herb arugula better known in the UK?
Rocket
The eye’s ability to adjust its focus to see objects clearly at different distances is called what?
Accommodation
Opened in September 2023, in which town is Ferrari’s Grand Prix design centre based?
Maranello
Five players have scored goals in four different World Cup Finals tournaments. One of them is Pelé; name one of the other four.
Uwe Seeler (West Germany), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), or Miroslav Klose (Germany)
How many laps must be completed to win a Speedway race?
Four
Which former England goalkeeper came out of retirement in 2023 to join Wrexham at the request of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney?
Ben Foster
Where is Napoleon buried?
Hôtel des Invalides
Where is Princess Diana buried?
Althorp, Northamptonshire
Where is William Wordsworth buried?
St Oswald’s church, Grasmere
Where is Bonnie Prince Charles buried?
St Peters Basilica, Vatican City
What was the name of the pleasure boat that sank in the River Thames in 1989 after a collision with the dredger Bowbelle and caused the death of 51 people?
The Marchioness
Henry VIII’s warship Mary Rose sank in the Solent in 1545. In which year was she finally brought to the surface?
1982
What was the name of James Onedin’s first ship in The Onedin Line?
Charlotte Rhodes
In the film Jaws, what was the name of the boat that Quint used to hunt for the shark?
Orca
From which river did the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine draw its cooling water?
Pripyat
Torness is the name of a nuclear power facility sited approximately 30 miles east of Edinburgh. In which Scottish county is Torness?
East Lothian
In 2011, a tsunami overwhelmed the cooling systems for a nuclear power station in Japan. What was the name of that facility?
Fukushima
There are two operational nuclear power stations located less than 5 miles south of Morecambe, UK. Name either of them.
Heysham 1 or Heysham 2
There are currently two nuclear power stations at Sizewell on the English coast, and a third is being planned). In which English county is Sizewell?
Suffolk
Which librettist won 8 Tony Awards and 2 Academy Awards, and collaborated with Jerome Kern on the musical Show Boat?
Oscar Hammerstein II (accept Hammerstein)
Which Canadian jazz pianist won eight Grammy awards and was referred to by Duke Ellington as ‘the Maharaja of the keyboard’? He died in 2007.
Oscar Petersen
Who was proclaimed Roman Emperor in York in 306 AD and became the first Christian Emperor?
Constantine the Great
Which English monarch was said have had Calais written on their heart?
Mary I – accept Mary Tudor (after the loss of Calais, England’s last possession in France)
What was the name of the build–up of coalition forces from August 1990 to January 1991 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait?
Operation Desert Shield (Desert Storm was Jan - Feb 1991)
Where was the first permanent English settlement on the mainland of what is now the USA?
Jamestown in Virginia
Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in what is now the contiguous United States.
St Augustine, Florida
Simnel cake was traditionally eaten during, and associated with, which religious period?
Lent
Dyce is the major international airport that serves which city?
Aberdeen
What is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the World?Which folk–punk singer songwriter was born on Christmas day 1958 and died in December last year?
Damascus
Which folk–punk singer songwriter was born on Christmas day 1958 and died in December last year?
Shane MacGowan
On which small Scottish Island is the UK’s first Space Port being built?
Unst
There are how many congressman in the House of Representatives?
435 (with 100 in Senate so 535 altogether)
How is the organisation officially known as Ansar Allah, whose name translates as Supporters of God or Party of God, better known?
Houthi Movement
In Hinduism and Buddhism, what term refers to having things in harmony with order, custom, and moral duties?
Dharma
By what performing name is the musician and singer Annie Clark better known?
St Vincent
As of 24 January 2024, who is the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport?
Lucy Frazer
Which is the only university in England with its own railway station?
Birmingham
SAGE is the Scientific Advisory Group for what?
Emergencies
Which member of the British royal family competed at Wimbledon in 1926?
Prince Albert (King George VI who competed in doubles)
Whose second symphony is known as the Little Russian?
Tchaikovsky
Who succeeded David Lloyd George as UK Prime Minister in 1922?
Andrew Bonar Law
TV gardener Joe Swift is the son of which female novelist and biographer, born 1939 in Sheffield?
Margaret Drabble
Which shipping line owned RMS Lusitania, which was sunk by a German submarine in 1915 off the southern coast of Ireland?
Cunard
Which novel, written by Christopher Isherwood, was the basis of the 1972 film Cabaret?
Goodbye to Berlin
Which geological process takes place when an oceanic plate runs into a continental plate and slides beneath it?
Subduction (is the motion, this is called convergent plates - divergent is when they move away and transform is when they slide by side by side)
Which world–famous tenor, born in Barcelona in 1946 and best known for roles in the operas of Verdi and Puccini, was diagnosed with leukaemia in the 1980s but recovered and continued performing?
Jose Carreras (Placido Domingo was 1941 Madrid)
Of which Southern Rock band was Lowell George the lead vocalist and guitarist?
Little Feat
The ‘Cruyff turn’ is an evasive dribbling move used in football, named after Dutch player Johan Cruyff and used in his only World Cup appearance – in which year?
1974
Smoking in enclosed spaces was banned in England from July 1st in which year?
2007
Currently, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially classifies five celestial bodies in our solar system as dwarf planets: Pluto, Eris, Makemake, and Haumea and which other?
Ceres
Two Native American leaders led their warriors against Custer’s troops in the Battle of Little Bighorn. Sitting Bull was one; who was the other?
Crazy Horse
How old (in years) was Queen Elizabeth II when she was crowned in 1953?
27
Who wrote the 1963 novel The Girls of Slender Means?
Muriel Spark
What was the name of the cruise ship in the film Carry On Cruising?
SS Happy Wanderer
At the Cannes Film Festival, what is the name of the award given for the best canine performance in films that year?
Palm Dog Award
British film director and screenwriter. She made her directorial and screenwriting feature film debut in 2007 with Unrelated followed by Archipelago (2010), Exhibition (2013), The Souvenir (2019), The Souvenir Part II (2021), and The Eternal Daughter (2022).
Joanna Hogg
Iranian and French actress. She is known for her performances in M for Mother (2006), Body of Lies (2008), About Elly (2009), The Patience Stone (2012), Paterson (2016), Girls of the Sun (2018), Extraction (2020) and its sequel Extraction 2 (2023), and Invasion (2021–present).
Golshifteh Farahani
trained Parson Russell Terrier famous for his roles in Water for Elephants and The Artist, won the Palm Dog for the Artist at Cannes.
Uggie
variant of the robe or tunic. Originating in Asia, it has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years.
Kaftan
What type of firearm is mentioned in the title of a 1979 hit for The Jam?
(Eton) Rifles
Which geological term denotes an arch-like fold of rocks where the oldest beds of rock are found towards the centre of the fold? This landform contrasts with a syncline, where the youngest rocks are found at the centre
Anticline
Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner, in what is now which US State, where the Kid had earlier taken part in the conflict known as the Lincoln County War?
New Mexico
The now defunct Boddington’s Brewery was founded in which large northern city
in 1778?
Manchester
Which one of the eight classic schools of magic in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons specialises in death and the undead? This term more generally refers to the practice of black magic to communicate with the dead.
Necromancy
Which of eight classic schools of magic in D&D: This school is focused on protective spells, as well as spells which cancel or interfere with other spells, magical effects or supernatural abilities.?
Abjuration
Which of the eight classic schools of magic in D&D: This school is focused on instantaneous transportation, creating manifestations of creatures, energy or objects, and object creation
Conjuration
Which one of the eight classic schools of magic in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons specialises in the power of prophecy to acquire
information? This term, more generally referring to predicting the future via occult processes, is also the name of a subject at Hogwarts.
Divination
Which of the eight classic schools of magic in D&D: This school is focused on affecting “the minds of others” including “influencing or controlling their behavior”.?
Enchantment
Which of the eight classic schools of magic in D&D: This school pertains to “creating matter and energy, called up out of nothing […] The classic spells magic missile and burning hands, both of which call up destructive energy with which to attack enemies?
Evocation
Which of the eight classic schools of magic in D&D: This school “involves the ability to change the appearance of something, by creating a phantasm”.?
Illusion
