Season 4 - Week 1

Question 1

Which four-letter acronym is used to describe a genre of online videos that feature gentle, relaxing noises, such as quiet speech, pages turning, or pens scratching on paper? This term was coined in 2010, and YouTube now hosts more than 13 million examples of such videos.

Answer 1

ASMR (accept AUTONOMOUS SENSORY MERIDIAN RESPONSE)

Question 2

A popular internet fan theory contends that which fictional factory owner is actually a serial killer? This industrialist is believed to lure children to his premises with Golden Tickets found in chocolate bars before sacrificing them.

Answer 2

Willy WONKA

Question 3

The television series American Horror Story gives each of its seasons a unique subtitle. What is the name of the second season that follows the story of the staff and patients who reside at Briarcliff Manor? Jessica Lange’s Sister Jude keeps a watchful eye over the premises, which is subject to supernatural activities.

Answer 3

ASYLUM

Question 4

Which type of fruit spread often serves as an accompaniment to a traditional cheeseboard? With a name deriving from Hindi, the mango version of this product is a mainstay of Anglo-Indian cuisine, although Western styles served with cheese typically contain other types of fruit.

Answer 4

CHUTNEY

Question 5

Which science fiction author, who died in 2018, wrote the novels A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness?

Answer 5

Ursula K(roeber) Le GUIN

Question 6

Many European football leagues seem to have an equivalent to Everton, namely a club that is perennially in the top flight but never really does anything of note. Which German club has never won the Bundesliga despite being in the top division since 1980? This team, which traditionally plays in red and black striped shirts, lost the 2002 Champions League final to Real Madrid.

Answer 6

Bayer 04 LEVERKUSEN

Question 7

In 2020, which 99-year-old became the oldest person to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart when he featured on a cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone in aid of NHS Charities Together? He rose to fame during the UK’s 2020 COVID lockdowns, but would die the following year.

Answer 7

Captain Sir Tom MOORE (accept CAPTAIN TOM)

Question 8

Which 2014 British film won the Queer Palm award? Based on a true story, the film depicts a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to help a Welsh village during the British miners’ strike in 1984.

Answer 8

PRIDE

Question 9

Gwyneth Paltrow’s company Goop has a range of weird and wonderful products for sale. For £28, you can buy a spray which repels what type of beings? Apparently, the word refers in this context to people who suck your soul, and not your blood.

Answer 9

VAMPIREs

Question 10

Which actor was Oscar nominated for his lead role in the 1992 film biopic Malcolm X? He would lose out at the awards to Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman.

Answer 10

Denzel WASHINGTON

Question 11

Which track and road cyclist is the most successful British female athlete in Olympic history? She won gold medals in the team pursuit and omnium at the 2012 and ‘16 Olympics, and also in the Madison at Tokyo 2020.

Answer 11

Laura KENNY (accept Laura TROTT)

Question 12

Which game was the only one to be featured on the first version of Microsoft Windows? This game involves placing coloured discs on an 8x8 board, and was a precursor of the modern game Othello.

Answer 12

REVERSI

Question 13

Which glamour model appeared on The Sun’s Page 3 between 1983 and ‘86? In the latter year, she released her first single Touch Me (I Want Your Body), which was number one in eight countries.

Answer 13

Samantha FOX

Question 14

Which fruit, that comes in green and black varieties and is cured before eating to remove its bitter taste, can be eaten with cheese? This foodstuff is chopped with capers and anchovies in the French condiment tapenade.

Answer 14

OLIVE

Question 15

Which 2013 Steven Soderbergh film is a biopic of Liberace and his relationship with Scott Thorson? Starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, it was nominated for the Queer Palm as well as the Palme d’Or.

Answer 15

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

Question 16

Although widely-known in the UK for a Levi’s 501s advert, the song Wonderful World was a 1960 hit for co-writer Sam Cooke and also a transatlantic top ten single for which British band five years later?

Answer 16

HERMAN’S HERMITS

Question 17

What word is used for YouTube videos in which the subject is recorded receiving and opening products, commonly either high-value technology or ‘mystery’ packages?

Answer 17

UNBOXING

Question 18

Yours for a mere £178, Goop has also offered for sale a mangle-like device which squeezes what bathroom substance out of its container? Apparently, this device “does all the hard work for you, so you can focus on brushing”.

Answer 18

TOOTHPASTE

Question 19

Film roles for Bernard Cribbins, who died in July 2022 aged 93, include Midshipman Albert Poop-Decker in …Jack, Harold Crump in …Spying and Mordecai Mendoza in …Columbus - all entries in which British comedy film series, which also starred the likes of Sid James and Kenneth Williams?

Answer 19

CARRY ON

Question 20

Who was praised for his depiction of Jim Morrison in the 1991 film biopic The Doors, despite the film in general receiving less favourable reviews?

Answer 20

Val KILMER

Question 21

In 2015, J.J. Abrams commented on a fan theory which suggested that the character Jar Jar Binks is not, in fact, a bumbling idiot, but instead a sinister Sith genius who controls the universe, in the first part of which science fiction film franchise?

Answer 21

STAR WARS

Question 22

What is the subtitle of the third season of American Horror Story? This season features supernaturally-gifted descendants of women who survived the Salem Witch Trials. These modern-day witches attend an all-girls boarding school, and compete to see who will replace Jessica Lange’s Fiona Goode as Supreme witch.

Answer 22

COVEN

Question 23

Which science fiction author wrote the novels Starship Troopers and Stranger in a Strange Land?

Answer 23

Robert A(nton) HEINLEIN

Question 24

Which Italian side, known for their black and white kits, were founded in 1896 and have never managed to win Serie A? The club has been in Serie A every year since 1995, during which time Antonio Di Natale has scored 191 goals for them.

Answer 24

UDINESE Calcio

Question 25

Who was almost universally praised for his role as comedian Andy Kaufman in the 1999 biopic Man On The Moon, despite the film recording a significant loss at the box office?

Answer 25

Jim CARREY

Question 26

As well as being a UK top ten single for its writer Sam Cooke in 1961, which American group had a transatlantic top ten hit in 1980 with a cover of Cupid? It was released as a medley with I’ve Loved You For A Long Time.

Answer 26

Detroit SPINNERS

Question 27

Who became the eighth-oldest person to reach number one in the UK Singles Charts when he sang with Captain Sir Tom Moore on the charity single You’ll Never Walk Alone? Prior to this hit, his previous highest chart performance was 1989’s Love Changes Everything, which peaked at number two.

Answer 27

Michael BALL

Question 28

Which British track cyclist won gold in the sprint in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in the Keirin at the 2012 London Olympics? After retiring from cycling, she briefly became a jockey, winning a race at Wincanton on board Pacha Du Polder.

Answer 28

Victoria PENDLETON

Question 29

Which glamour model appeared on The Sun’s Page 3 between 1976 and ‘88, before acting in series such as The Bill and Emmerdale, playing Carrie Nicholls in the latter from 2007 to ‘08? She also briefly appeared as herself in Detectorists.

Answer 29

Linda LUSARDI

Question 30

What word precedes House in the retrospectively added subtitle of the first season of American Horror Story, which follows a family of three who relocate for a fresh start? The move is beset by difficulties including a house full of ghosts and a meddling neighbour played by Jessica Lange.

Answer 30

MURDER

Question 31

First becoming popular in South Korea in 2010, mukbang is a type of YouTube video or stream in which the host performs what action while talking to their audience?

Answer 31

EATing (accept synonyms)

Question 32

Known for her Inheritance trilogy, including her debut novel The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which science fiction author won the Hugo award in three consecutive years between 2015 and ‘17 for her Broken Earth Trilogy?

Answer 32

N(ora) K(eita) JEMISIN

Question 33

Which game, added to version 3.1 of Microsoft Windows, involves clearing a rectangular board without triggering an explosion? Players are aided by a numerical clue showing how many neighbouring squares will trigger an explosion, and dangerous squares can be marked with a flag.

Answer 33

MINESWEEPER

Question 34

Which 2015 lesbian drama directed by Todd Haynes and starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara won the Queer Palm? It is based on the romance novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith.

Answer 34

CAROL

Question 35

Bernard Cribbins both narrated and provided the voices for the characters of which stop-motion animation series, first screened between 1973 and ‘75? Set in Wimbledon, it was based on characters created by Elisabeth Beresford.

Answer 35

The WOMBLES

Question 36

In 2013, a fan theory circulated by Sarah Michelle Gellar suggested that the character Sandy drowned before the events of which musical film, with the song Summer Nights actually being a eulogy to her?

Answer 36

GREASE

Question 37

Which multitalented sportswoman is the most decorated British Paralympian of all time? She has won 12 gold medals in cycling across four Paralympics between 2008 and ‘20, and prior to that won five swimming golds at the 1992 and ‘96 Paralympics.

Answer 37

Sarah STOREY

Question 38

Which club, known for their sky-blue kits, have played 55 seasons in La Liga, including 10 seasons in their current spell, without ever winning the league title? They play the Galician derby against Deportivo, and their striker Iago Aspas was the second-highest scorer in the 2021-22 La Liga season.

Answer 38

CELTA Vigo

Question 39

In one of his most memorable roles, Bernard Cribbins played a spoon salesman called Mr Hutchinson who is mistaken for a hotel inspector in a 1975 episode of which classic John Cleese sitcom?

Answer 39

FAWLTY TOWERS

Question 40

Another long-standing fan theory is that Marty McFly, played by Michael J Fox, actually dies multiple times during which series of time-travel adventure films?

Answer 40

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Question 41

Who was the oldest person to achieve a UK number one hit prior to Captain Sir Tom Moore, doing so in 2009 when he performed on the charity single (Barry) Islands in the Stream? This cover version was recorded for Comic Relief and featured Welsh actors Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon as their Gavin and Stacey characters Nessa and Bryn.

Answer 41

Tom JONES

Question 42

Which variant of the card game solitaire was introduced to Microsoft Windows in version 3.1NT? Unusual among solitaire games in involving all cards being face up at the beginning, in this game the player has four slots to collect ascending cards by suit, and four slots to hold unwanted cards.

Answer 42

FREECELL

Question 43

Which crunchy marshland plant, with a long, fibrous stalk that tapers into leaves, is often eaten to accompany a cheeseboard? Along with onions and carrots, it makes up the flavour base known variously as mirepoix or soffritto.

Answer 43

CELERY

Question 44

What is the subtitle of the fifth season of American Horror Story, the first in the series not to feature Jessica Lange? It stars Lady Gaga as the Countess, who was turned into a vampire by her past lovers, with Wes Bentley as John Lowe, a detective investigating a string of murders at the titular location.

Answer 44

HOTEL

Question 45

Which glamour model was hailed as ‘Girl of the Thrillennium’ and left The Sun’s Page 3 after readers voted to ban models with breast implants? She was a presenter on Eurotrash and also an assistant on the gameshow Fort Boyard.

Answer 45

Melinda MESSENGER

Question 46

A bargain at £100, Goop offer an enema kit to help people cleanse their colons with what caffeine-rich beverage, which is commonly made from the arabica and robusta variants of its namesake beans?

Answer 46

COFFEE

Question 47

Many YouTube channels about video games focus on videos known as LPs (pronounced like the type of record). For what do the letters LP stand in this context?

Answer 47

LET’S PLAY

Question 48

Which British singer’s biggest hit single was a 1959 cover of Sam Cooke’s Only Sixteen? Although this was his only number one, he had a string of top ten hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Answer 48

Craig DOUGLAS

Question 49

Which Canadian science fiction writer wrote the 2014 novel Station Eleven, set in a post-pandemic world, and followed it up with the novel The Glass House and, most recently, Sea of Tranquility?

Answer 49

Emily St John MANDEL

Question 50

For just $103 a month, you can have a regular Goop delivery of what kind of milk? Nomadic Saharan tribes claim you can survive for up to one month drinking only the milk of this humped animal.

Answer 50

CAMEL Milk

Question 51

Which card game was introduced to Microsoft Windows in 1992, as part of Windows for Workgroups 3.1? The Queen of Spades is the card to avoid in this game, which is also called Black Maria or Black Lady.

Answer 51

HEARTS

Question 52

In 2006, Bernard Cribbins played Wilfred Mott, the grandfather of Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble, in which long-running British science fiction TV series? During his time on the show, its lead character was played by David Tennant.

Answer 52

DOCTOR WHO

Question 53

Which 2016 Park Chan-Wook film is based on Sarah Waters’s 2002 novel Fingersmith, shifting the setting from Britain to Korea? It was nominated for a Queer Palm and the Palme d’Or.

Answer 53

The HANDMAIDEN

Question 54

Which actress was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Answer 54

Angela BASSETT

Question 55

Which Welsh cyclist became the first British woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a cycling discipline when she won the road race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

Answer 55

Nicole COOKE

Question 56

Which French side, who traditionally play in red-and-black stripes, have the second-most seasons in Ligue 1 of any club &emdash; but have never won the title? A continuous top-flight presence since 1994, this side’s acclaimed academy has produced players such as Sylvain Wiltord and Eduardo Camavinga.

Answer 56

RENNES (accept STADE RENNAIS)

Question 57

Which British singer-songwriter had a hit single in 1974 with a cover of the Sam Cooke song Another Saturday Night? The song reached the top 20 in the UK, and was a top 10 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Answer 57

Cat STEVENS (accept YUSUF or Yusuf ISLAM)

Question 58

Which television presenter worked as a glamour model, appearing on The Sun’s Page 3, before presenting shows including The O-Zone, Top of the Pops, Robot Wars and The Games? She won Celebrity Love Island in 2005 alongside Fran Cosgrave.

Answer 58

Jayne MIDDLEMISS

Question 59

At 61 years and 11 months, who is the sixth-oldest person to record a UK number one single, doing so in 2005 with his song (Is This The Way To) Amarillo? The song was re-released as a Comic Relief single having returned to popularity after featuring on Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.

Answer 59

Tony CHRISTIE

Question 60

Which edible fruit of the tree Ficus carica may be eaten to accompany a cheeseboard? A paste may be made from this fruit and wrapped in pastry to form a namesake roll, referred to in the US as a [this fruit] Newton.

Answer 60

FIG