Lockdown Quiz #85

Date set: 13/09/23   # all questions should be accurate as of this date
Median adjusted individual score (MAIS): 31 / 50   # for all teams adjusted for solo performance - aim for this!
Predicted difficulty level (PDL): Medium   # based on overall performance when it was set (4 teams played).
Download link: Lockdown_Quiz_85.zip

Main Quiz

1) The product that's sold as a Mars Bar in the UK is known as what in the USA? The answer is, confusingly, another bar sold in the UK. (1 point)

2) There are 3 distinct regions/types of Tundra across the world, all beginning with A - what are they? (3 points)

3) Featuring as a nickname (in plural form) for a whopping 280 running clubs in the UK Athletics Club Website Directory, what bird type also gives its name to a jump jet? (1 point)

4) a) The co-creator of, and actor in, Schitts Creek, and the current Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur FC share what name? And what other _______ Creek programmes are these? b) A long-running British mystery crime drama series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick c) an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts (3 points)

5) What is Garfield's favourite food? (1 point)

6) a) The Rugby World Cup is currently being held in France - name any 4 of the 9 host cities. b) What surname has featured in every Welsh men's world cup squad until this one? (5 points)

7) Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup - name any 2 of their full names. (2 points)

8) The Waterloo & City line is a shuttle line that runs between Waterloo and which other London Underground station? (1 point)

9) Which 3 countries can boast speeds of over 500 km/h for trains designed to carry passengers? (3 points)

10) Which city in southern India is used metonymically to refer to the technology industry of the country? (1 point)

11) The Stone Age in Western Europe is generally broken into 3 categories - the Old Stone Age, Middle Stone Age and New Stone Age. What (Greek-ish) terms are used by historians for these periods? (3 points)

12) What 4-letter word do breeders of Guinea Pigs commonly use for the name of the animal? (1 point)

13) The opening fire in the Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775), the game-winning home run by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson (1951), the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914) and Gene Sarazen's albatross on the 15th hole in the final round of the Masters (1935) are all referred to by what 5 word phrase (or 6 with 'The' at the start)? (1 point)

14) The 'Twin Cities' is a common name given to a large metropolitan area in Minnesota that combines the State's largest city and its capital. What are the 2 cities (2 points)

15) Name the 5 country-level domains of UN countries (e.g. .uk) that have the same letter repeated - just the domains are fine. (5 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #84

Date: 31/08/23
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_84.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which British homeware / household brand, currently facing bankruptcy, started life as Wilkinson Cash Stores Limited? (1 point)

2) The 'Jazz Age' is a period when jazz music and dance gained worldwide popularity. Which 2 decades is it regarded to have spanned? (2 points)

3) A DVD is a Digital _______ Disc? (1 point)

4) In 1996, Air France briefly painted one of their Concordes in mainly blue livery in a promotial deal with which soft drink brand? (1 point)

5) What does IMF stand for in: a) a UN finanical organisation? b) the espionage agency in the Mission: Impossible films? (2 points)

6) Which 10-letter word for a "nerdy intellectual" came into English from Norman's surname in the TV cartoon Felix the Cat? (1 point)

7) What are the UK's "Big 5" species of seafood? They amount to 80% of the total consumed - 4 are fish. (5 points)

8) The first installment of the Pokemon video game series was released in North America, Europe and Australia as Pokemon ___ & ___ - what 2 colours fill the gaps? (2 points)

9) From 1972-74 and 1974-76, David Bowie used 2 different personas to perform under - what were their names? (2 points)

10) Which actress and actor are the stars of the (2023) live action Barbie film? (2 points)

11) Poco the Elephant was a (UK) mascot / PR campaign to publicise the introduction of what location aid? (1 point)

12) Napoleon was exiled twice in 2 years, first by the French, then by the British - both to islands. a) Which Mediterranean island beginning with E did the French send him to? b) Which remote island did the British send him to, where he died in 1821? (2 points)

13) What are Ayn Rand's 2 best selling novels? (2 points)

14) Name the 6 main positions (i.e. job titles) in the Catholic Church under God? They begin with (in alphebetical order), A, B, C, D, P, P. (6 points)

15) In sailing parlance, what are the 3 "Great Capes" of the Southern Ocean? (3 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #83

Date: 26/07/23
MAIS: 31 / 50
PDL: Medium   (4 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_83.zip

Main Quiz

1) Ted Kaczynski was recently found dead in his prison cell, but what name was he better known by? His infamy came from a mass mail-bombing spree between 1978 and 1995. (1 point)

2) Which 2 UK counties does the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site span? (2 points)

3) One of the most prized stamps in philately, what was the printing error of the airplane in the 1918 24 cent US stamp that makes it so valued? (1 point)

4) a) What is the name of the Womble - an engineer and skilled inventor - who shares their name with the town that Balamory is based on? b) Which football club, now based in Merton, London, has Haydon the Womble as their mascot? (2 points)

5) In the 2009 Miley Cyrus song, "Party in the U.S.A.", she refers to 2 other artists in the repeated lyric, "and a _____ song was on" - who are they? (2 points)

6) The men's 15m Speed Climbing world record broke which time barrier (in seconds) for the first time in 2023? (1 point)

7) The "Six-Day War" was a 1967 conflict between Isreal and (primarily) which 3 other countries? (3 points)

8) Gimboid and smeghead are both words coined in which sci-fi comedy show? (1 point)

9) Despite being orange, a plane's "black box" takes 2 forms, called a CVR and FDR - what do the 2 acronyms stand for? One records the cockpit audio and the other the aeroplane's computer systems. (2 points)

10) A tweet response to the lack of need for assault weapons became a meme in 2019 based on the use case of needing to kill 30-50 feral whats? (1 point)

11) Name any 2 of the mountains in the "Great North Faces of the Alps" - a popular climbing challenge. (2 points)

12) a) What is the term used in philosophy for a priniciple that allows one to eliminate (or "shave off") unlikely explanations? Famous examples include Alder's, Hitchen's and Occam's. b) Hume's "is-ought" problem is often referred to as his ________, with the missing word being a French slicing device. c) Bertrand Russell added to the canon with an analogy "to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making empirically unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others" - what very English crockery item was used for its name - Russell's ______? (3 points)

13) Byrek Me Spinaq is an Albanian filo pie which is very similar to which Greek dish? (1 point)

14) Who were the (controversially) all-male headliners on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury this year? 2 are bands, one is a solo artist. (3 points)

15) Turkey borders 8 countries - what are they? (8 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #82

Date: 12/07/23
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_82.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which 2 weapons in Cluedo begin with R? (2 points)

2) What is the name given to an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase (such as posh becoming 'port out starboard home')? (1 point)

3) Other than the pigeon, what other common UK bird has a name in the form _igeon? (1 point)

4) What are the 4 main components of a Topic Bar? (4 points)

5) Who is the main (human) protagonist of the Pokémon anime / games etc? (1 point)

6) This year's Men's Ashes cricket tournament will play at Edgbaston, Lord's, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval. What 4 different cities are these grounds in? (4 points)

7) The most popular version of the Kalashnikov Rifle is known by what common name, featuring 2 letters and 2 numbers? (1 point)

8) Succession is an American TV show created by which British screenwriter, previously known for Peep Show and Fresh Meat? (1 point)

9) The Yorkshire Dale of Nidderdale is named after which river? (1 point)

10) Kylie has recently become only one of only four women to reach the UK's top 10 in five separate decades - who are the other 3? (3 points)

11) In 1997, members of the cult Heaven's Gate and The Order of the Solar Temple coordinated a series of ritual suicides, coinciding with the closest approach of which comet? (1 point)

12) Henry brand hoovers come in current variants that share their names with which 4 English/British monarchs? (4 points)

13) Naming the site Ocomtún, in which country did archaeologists recently discover the remains of an ancient Mayan city? (1 point)

14) What are the 3 current (non-animated) Star Trek series on Paramount+? Their names as acronyms are D, P and SNW. (3 points)

15) Which 5 countries beginning with C use franc as a currency? (5 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #81

Date: 08/06/23
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_81.zip

Main Quiz

1) Gene Cernan was the last man on the moon, but what decade did it happen in? (1 point)

2) Which town in England (now a city) did the Jacobite Rising of 1745 reach, before deciding to turn back? (1 point)

3) What are the 5 oceans of the world? (5 points)

4) What is the den of an otter known as? (1 point)

5) Which Simpsons family member shares their (first) name with an early Apple computer? (1 point)

6) Scientists in the UK are trying to develop peas that don't taste like peas as an alternative to importing what? (1 point)

7) This year's NBA Finals are between the Nuggets and the Heat - which 2 cities do they represent? (2 points)

8) a) What is the top level internet domain for Croatia (e.g. France is .fr)? It comes from the Croatian name for the country. b) Which 2 colours form the gridded patter inside the crest on Croatia's flag? (3 points)

9) Mad cow disease is technically known as BSE, whereas the human variant is (believed to be) variant CJD - name any 4 of the words in these 2 acronyms. (4 points)

10) The Top 10 biggest sovereign wealth funds (by total assets) all have origins as either "non-commodity" or based on which sector? Examples include Norway and Kuwait. (1 point)

11) a) The 2021 film 'The Dig' tells the true story of the 1939 excavation of which Anglo-Saxon ship-burial in Suffolk? b) Unearthed in 2014, the _________ Hoard is the richest collection of rare Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland - which region of Scotland was it named after / discovered in? (2 points)

12) Name the made up biographical characters from their famous works: a) The Secret Diary of ______ ______, Aged 13¾ b) The Life and Opinions of ______ ______, Gentleman (2 points)

13) BSOD (Windows) and RROD (Xbox) are both catastrophic malfunctions named after the colour / thing that occurs. Both are "of death", but what are the 2 things that happen? (2 points)

14) Phyllophaga is a large genus of scarab beetles. In English, common names include ____ beetle, ____ bug etc, where the missing words can be which 3 consecutive months of the year? (3 points)

15) a) The Mercury (Music) Prize still takes its name from its initial sponsor, despite that company ceasing to exist in 1997. What did the company do? b) 5 artists to win the prize have a letter Z in their name - name any 3. (4 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #80

Date: 03/05/23
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_80.zip

Main Quiz

1) What's the surname of Anna, a Russian ballerina (1881-1931) who gave her name to a dessert? (1 point)

2) Which 2 countries have hosted the Olympic Games 5 times or more? NB In some earlier years, winter and summer competitions were hosted as an associated event in the same country/year, but are counted twice here. (2 points)

3) Which UK National Park recently announced a name change to Bannau Brycheiniog? (1 point)

4) In the Legend of Zelda franchise, the games centre on a courageous hero trying to save Princess Zelda - what's his name? (1 point)

5) In knitting parlance, what is the name for the symmetrical loop that forms the basis of the stitch? The word can also mean a recess in a coastline, and features in one of the locations in the Shipping Forecast. (1 point)

6) Hollywood films are often marketed in France with alternative (but still ~English) titles. Name the original titles (shown as acronyms) from the 'French' ones: a) Very Bad Trip (TH) b) Rasta Rockett (CR) c) Sex Friends (NSA) (3 points)

7) What is the name of the 'fancy' ice cream brand marketed by Wall's? It translates to 'golden card'. (1 point)

8) In the role playing game Dungeons & Dragons, characters start with a principal base class (e.g. Druid, Monk, Sorcerer etc). Which 2 begin with B and which 2 with W? NB Not including alternative/additional classes. (4 points)

9) What is the name of the 1980 soundtrack album by Queen, made for the space opera superhero film directed by Mike Hodges? (1 point)

10) In terms of volume, what are the 2 main alcoholic exports of the Isle of Arran in Scotland? (2 points)

11) On 18 April 1930, the BBC news programme announced a total lack of what? (1 point)

12) In biology, taxonomic rank is the relative level of a group of organisms. It starts Domain > Kingdom > Phylum - what are the other 5 ranks? The words begin with C, O, F, G and S and are increasing in specificity. (5 points)

13) What are the fandom names (collective term for the fans) of these musical artists? a) Justin Bieber b) Grateful Dead c) Beyoncé (3 points)

14) Which 3 different countries are home to the 3 most-populated islands in the world? NB Luzon, Philippines (~64m people) is a very close 4th place. (3 points)

15) The Minor Arcana are the 4 suits in a Tarot deck. What are they? They begin with W, C, S & P. (4 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #79

Date: 26/04/23
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_79.zip

Main Quiz

1) Bobi recently broke the Guinness World Record for the oldest dog - which decadal milestone has he reached? (1 point)

2) What French foodstuff was added to the UNESCO "intangible cultural heritage" list in 2022? It is often used as a French stereotype and has its own emoji. (1 point)

3) The EGSU scale for marking work uses which 4 words that form the acronym? The scale goes from best to worst. (4 points)

4) Perichondrial hematoma is a common condition for battle-hardened rugby players, but what vegetable is in the common name for the condition? (1 point)

5) Created by Martin Handford, the puzzle books "Where's _____?" involve finding a characted named a) W____ (UK) and b) W____ (USA/Canada) - what are the missing names? (2 points)

6) The World Marathon Majors is a points-based competition of 6 races recognised as the most high-profile on the calendar. Which cities are they in? 3 are in the USA, 2 in Europe and 1 in Asia. (6 points)

7) The height of horses is measured with which (standardised) human body part? (1 point)

8) Which town in Surrey added "-upon-Thames" to its name in 2011, partly to distance itself from the TV character Ali G, who was supposedly from there? (1 point)

9) a) What is the name for the AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, which has made many headlines in recent months? b) What is Google's (Shakespearean?) rival chatbot called? (2 points)

10) 'Buna seara si bine ai venit' (good evening and welcome) to the fastest growing language in England & Wales, now with nearly half a million speakers. What's the language? (1 point)

11) Before the Second World War, what was the highest secrecy level of British documents? They aligned with the US naming convention during the war (changing to "Top Secret") - it's just the first word that differed. (1 point)

12) The Old City of Jerusalem is split into 4 'Quarters' - 3 are named after religions and 1 after a European country - what are they? NB there was previously also a Moroccan Quarter, but it's now part of one of the others. (4 points)

13) Rosemary Coogan is set to become the UK's latest astronaut, following in the footsteps of which 2 others? (2 points)

14) The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after artists of the Italian Renaissance - name any 3. (3 points)

15) a) What is the highest (elevation) capital city in the world? It's in South America and the only vowel in the name is A. b) There are 2 capitals in the Top 10 not in South America that also only have A as a vowel - what are they? (3 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #78 (Christmas Bumper Edition)

Date: 25/12/22
MAIS: 55 / 80
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_78.zip

Main Quiz

1) The first red LED bulb was invented in 1962 and 2 years later it was used for what specific purpose in a Christmassy TV show? (1 point)

2) Which word for a pastime has its roots in the Japanese for 'empty orchestra'? (1 point)

3) What's the name of the dog who lives with Garfield? (1 point)

4) The South Pacific Ocean is generally grouped into 3 named areas, all ending in -nesia. What are they? (NB Indonesia is not one of them, these are names for areas of mostly ocean) (3 points)

5) What is the name of Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band? He's been playing with them since 1972, although the lineup has changed over time. (1 point)

6) In the 2019 illustrated book by Charlie Mackesy, what 3 animals does the boy develop a friendship with? An animated version of the story was broadcast by the BBC on Chrsitmas Eve 2022. (3 points)

7) What type of cut in film is "a technique where one scene abruptly cuts to another for aesthetic, narrative, or emotional purposes"? It's also a brand of instant food. (1 point)

8) Galaxies are generally classified into 3 main categories. One is 'irregular', the other 2 are named for shapes - what are they? (2 points)

9) In 1967 The Beatles' string of 17 consecutive UK No.1s was broken by Engelbert Humperdinck taking the top spot, but which Beatles song didn't reach the peak? (It was a double A side, so either song is fine) (1 point)

10) a) Which 5 islands, all beginning with C or S, are the 5 biggest in the Mediterranean by area? (5 points)

11) In the film The Muppet Christmas Carol, which muppet plays 'Fozziwig' and which portays his party cook? (2 points)

12) Who was the first celebrity winner (2004) and last celebrity winner (2022) of Strictly Come Dancing? (2 points)

13) In most of Europe and parts of the English-speaking culinary world, what 5-letter word is given to a South Tyrolean type of smoked prosciutto? The word in English also means 'tiny spot'. (1 point)

14) Steven Spielberg has directed 2 non-sequel films starting with J - what are they? (i.e. if they're part of a series, they need to be the first film) (2 points)

15) In 2 children's novels by of David Walliams, which member of the family is a Gangsta? (1 point)

16) Other than sugar and alcohol, what are the 3 main ingredients in a traditional eggnog? They all come from a farm. (3 points)

17) What 2 categories has the BBC added to its news website top banner this year? The last major addition before that was 'Coronavirus', which remains. (2 points)

18) Each Care Bear has a unique picture on it indicating its personality. Where is it located? (1 point)

19) The 'Vegimals' in Octonauts are half vegetable, half animal (fish). Name the fish/animal combo of: a) Tunip b) Halibeet c) Sharchini d) Codish (4 points)

20) In terms of seating capacity, the smallest stadium in the NFL is Soldier Field and the biggest is the MetLife Staidum, which is in a different state to the teams that play home games there. What city is Soldier Field in and what state is the MetLife Stadium in? (2 points)

21) What is the 6-word name of the play that's marketed as the "eighth story in the Harry Potter series"? (1 point)

22) What's the name for the main android/robot antagonist race in Battlestar Galactica? (1 point)

23) Most British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories (CDOTs) use postcodes, either based on the UK system or their own. Identify the CDOT from their opening postcode letters: a) IM b) JE c) TKCA (3 points)

24) Born in 1839, which French Post-Impressionist painter was referred to by both Matisse and Picasso as "the father of us all"? (1 point)

25) We know that all Mariah Carey wants for Christmas is you, but there are 8 things she doesn't want / won't wish for / doesn't care about / won't do etc - name any 5. (5 points)

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One adult and one child's card from the 1988 Family Edition set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose TEN (FIVE FROM EACH) questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #77

Date: 14/12/22
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (4 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_77.zip

Main Quiz

1) Citing a risk of racist stigma, what 4-letter word have the WHO rebranded Monkeypox as? It's not the most inspired change. (1 point)

2) What colour are the Gs in the Google logo? (1 point)

3) In the list of Top 50 biggest selling 1980s singles in the UK: a) What's is the only song with a (standard) woman's name in the title? b) What's the only song that's a captial city? b) Which song title is the only one to feature a type of lizard? NB The artists aren't required. (3 points)

4) Which 2 single word German states (not hyphenated) have burg in their name? (2 points)

5) The most common musical scoring for a woodwind quartet is for what 4 (different) instruments? One is less woody than the others nowadays. (4 points)

6) In the 2021 list of most popular baby names for boys in England & Wales, which biblical name has knocked Oliver off the top spot for the first time in 8 years? (1 point)

7) These 2 similar acronyms are used in which sports? a) DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) b) DRS (Drag Reduction System) (2 points)

8) What are the 2 longest words (acceptable in UK scrabble) you can form from the bottom row of a QWERTY keyboard? (2 points)

9) Name any 4 people on the BBC's published list of top 10 highest earners. They are roughly split between TV and radio presenters. (4 points)

10) What 2 letters of the alphabet don't appear in any (English forms) of the chemical element names? One of them has made it into temporary names. (2 points)

11) Which 4 countries have the most mountain peaks in the Top 100 highest on earth? (4 points)

12) The "most famous steam locomotive in the world" (built in 1923) is a Flying denonym of which nation? (1 point)

13) Which 3 people have led the Liberal Democrats for more than 5 years? (3 points)

14) What is the name for the cube-shaped building at the centre of the Masjid al-Haram Mosque in Mecca? It's the most sacred site in Islam. (1 point)

15) In the 8 principal phases of the moon, 4 of them are 'crescent' and 'gibbous' - which 2 words beginning with W describe both? (2 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #76

Date: 30/11/22
MAIS: 38 / 50
PDL: Easier   (5 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_76.zip

Main Quiz

1) a) The London Stock Exchange recently lost its position as the most valuable in Europe after being overtaken by which other capital city? b) The most valuable stock exchange in the world belongs to which non-capital city? (2 points)

2) Port (wine) comes in 7 main varieties - which 3 are named after their colour? (3 points)

3) Most UK University courses, and the Wikipedia page "list of engineering branches", subdivides engineering into which 4 fields? All are in the form ________ Engineering. (4 points)

4) Which 6-letter word is a Japanese animation studio, a hot desert wind and a Maserati car model? (1 point)

5) In the TV series Futurama, a joke is made in the 'Presedential Head Library' about "not allowing any Tom, Dick and Harry in" - which 3 US Presidents are being referenced? (3 points)

6) What is the standard roman numeral notation for these numbers? a) 4 b) 39 c) 207 d) 1009 (4 points)

7) Who was the Greek Goddess of retribution? Her name is used in English to mean a 'long-standing rival'. (1 point)

8) a) Which 2 types of deer, both with names beginning with R, are indigenous to the UK? b) Which is the only other species that has been in the UK for over 1500 years? (3 points)

9) The 1983 Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager were the first mass produced cars to include what convenient feature as standard? It helps keep both hands on the wheel after a visit to a drive thru. (1 point)

10) a) What is the national flower of Wales? b) What is the name for Wales in Welsh? (2 points)

11) In George Orwell's 1984, what mathematically incorrect equation is used as an example of something citizens will believe is true? The same phrase is used as a song title in Radiohead's album 'Hail to the Thief' (1 point)

12) Kate Bush has had 2 No. 1 singles in the UK, first in 1978 and second (thanks to being a prominent part of Netfix's Stranger Things) in 2022 - what were the songs? (2 points)

13) Which British King Edward abdicated? Edward II (of England) also gave it a whirl. (1 point)

14) Name any 2 of the main non-human characters from The Magic Roundabout. They are a drop-eared Skye Terrier, a talking jack-in-the-box, a snail, a cow and a hippy rabbit. (2 points)

15) Tearing your ACL is a nasty knee injury, but which three words form the acronym? (3 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #75

Date: 16/11/22
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_75.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which discount supermarket chain has recently overtaken Morrison's to become the 4th largest in the UK? (1 point)

2) According to the UN, the global population has just reached 8 billion, but which centuries did it get to: a) 1 billion b) 7 billion (2 points)

3) Gold, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium and iridium form what group of metals? There's a group of gases that uses the same term. (1 point)

4) Other than buttermilk, salt and green herbs, what 3 plants go into a typical 'Ranch Dressing'? Two are alliums, one's a brassica. (3 points)

5) a) Which of the countries competing in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup (Men's & Women's, both held in 2022) has rugby league as its national sport? Their home stadium is in Port Moresby. b) Which different country is joining Samoa in the final of the men's tournament? They are by far the most successful nation in the history of the tournament. (1 point)

6) The musician who had a hit with "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (feat. Kenny G), the American bank-robber Lester Joseph Gillis (_____ Nelson) and the footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjær (_____ Assassin) have all been described as having what youthful feature? (1 point)

7) Which 5 countries are "recognized nuclear-weapon states" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons? This doesn't include India, North Korea, Pakistan or Israel, despite all being presumed to have them. (5 points)

8) a) Mars recently started a trial to remove which miniature chocolate bar from its Celebrations boxes? b) Name any 1 bar that's been removed from Cadbury's Heroes since they first came out (as Miniature Heroes). (2 points)

9) What series of childrens' mystery novels is ghostwritten by numerous authors but published under the collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene? They were created as a female counterpart to the Hardy Boys series. (1 point)

10) The seven institutions of the European Union are seated in 4 cities, in which 4 different countries? (4 points)

11) In 1992, Vice President of the USA Dan Quayle famously corrected the spelling from a schoolchild of which word (by adding an E on the end)? (1 point)

12) Which 2 mobile phone manufacturers had the biggest market sharerom throughout 1993-2007 (the "pre-Smart Phone era") (2 points)

13) IKEA has 4 stores in the UK north of the Isle of Man - where are they located? 3 are in cities and 1 is in a town next to the Metrocentre shopping complex. (4 points)

14) In the current roster of women's artistic gymnastic events (aka everything other than trampoline and rhythmic groups), name any 2 of the 4 individual events. (2 points)

15) What is the only colour that these sets of country flags share? One each of the primary colours: a) Morocco, Maldives, Poland b) Germany, Jamaica, Mali c) Finland, Botswana, Barbados (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #74

Date: 09/11/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_74.zip

Main Quiz

1) What 2 word name is used by a famous Scottish infantry battalion founded on 1 July 1881, which has had prominent roles in many major battles? Its name could also describe a dark timepiece. (1 point)

2) The NFL consists of 32 teams divided equally between 2 football conferences, the AFC and NFC. For each, what does the first letter stand for? (2 points)

3) Last week, the Bank of England raised their base interest rate to what figure? (1 point)

4) What's the only Farrow & Ball paint colour that shares its name with a Disney princess? (1 point)

5) Name the superhero characters (all ____ Man) from their alter-egos: a) Bruce Wayne b) Peter Parker c) Tony Stark d) Clark Kent (4 points)

6) Other than blue airmail boxes (now only commemorative), which 3 colours can operational Royal Mail post/pillar boxes be? (3 points)

7) Continental philosophy (in the late modern sense) is generally thought to have started with what German movement? Prominent figures include Fichte, Schelling and Hegel. It can also be known as "post-Kantian". (1 point)

8) James Milner has just made his 600th Premier League appearance. Which 3 other players have made this mark? (3 points)

9) A 1973 landmark decision in the Supreme Court of the USA on abortion rights was recently overturned. It was styled as Jane ___ (pseudonym) vs Henry ____ (real name) - what were the surnames? (2 points)

10) The world's busiest shipping lane, which fascilitates transport to and from northern Europe, is the Strait of _____. Which Engish town? (1 point)

11) a) Based on a pre-existing German campaign originally developed as "Ich Liebe Es", what was the title of the song/jingle used in a 2000s McDonald's advertisement campaign? b) It was sung my which ex-boy band member, who had recently released his debut album 'Justified'? (2 points)

12) What 5 countries in Africa begin with E? (5 points)

13) What's happened to a lettuce plant (and similar species) when it's said to have "bolted"? It generally makes the plant bitter and unsaleable. (1 point)

14) Wikipedia uses 4 pictures of physicists to accompany the text on classic and modern physics - name them from their picture captions: a) (1564-1642) showed a modern appreciation for the proper relationship between mathematics, theoretical physics, and experimental physics. b) (1643-1727), whose laws of motion and universal gravitation were major milestones in classical physics c) (1858-1947), the originator of the theory of quantum mechanics d) (1879-1955), whose work on the photoelectric effect and the theory of relativity led to a revolution in 20th century physics (4 points)

15) There are 12 restaurants in the UK with 3 Michelin stars - name any 2. (2 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #73

Date: 02/11/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_73.zip

Main Quiz

1) After Queen Elizabeth's death, Prince Charles has taken what regnal name / number? (1 point)

2) Hans Niemann has recently been accussed of widespread cheating at the top level of what game? (1 point)

3) An ICBM is an inter-continental what? (1 point)

4) 5 genera account for 85% of the world's total supply of cultivated edible mushrooms, including jelly/wood ears and enokitake. Which 3 others (all commonly eaten in the West) complete the list? Common name of the edible mushroom is fine. (3 points)

5) a) In the last 10 years, which country comfortably tops the list of top foreign holiday destination for UK residents? b) Which holiday company eventually reversed a decision, after considerable backlash, to kick out all residents for the Queen's funeral? (2 points)

6) Rome, Edinburgh, Kampala, Shimla, and many others, are all cities claimed to be built on 7 what? (1 point)

7) Yorkshire features 9 racecourses - what are the first and last (place names) alphabetically? Both places have a Minster, although only one is a city. (2 points)

8) Name the Shakespeare play from the famous line: a) To be, or not to be: that is the question b) What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. c) Et tu, Brute? d) A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! (4 points)

9) As of 2022, which 3 fast food chains (food / drink) have the most locations in the USA, with over 10,000 each? All 3 logos contain yellow, green, or both. (3 points)

10) Which country finished top of the 2022 Winter Olympics medals table, with a record-breaking 16 gold medals? (1 point)

11) The UK has 3 types of native vole, all named after somewhere you might find them. What are they? (3 points)

12) Which American man is the highest-grossing voice actor of all time? His prominent roles include Fred Jones in the Scooby-Doo franchise, Garfield in The Garfield Show, Nibbler in Futurama and Astro in The Jetsons. (1 point)

13) Of all music videos on YouTube where the song was released pre-2005, 2 bands have 2 songs in the Top 10. Name them from the songs: a) November Rain / Sweet Child O' Mine b) Numb / In The End (2 points)

14) Which 4 months of the year are also acceptable words in the Collins UK scrabble dictionary? (4 points)

15) 15) There are 10 sets of reserved dialling codes serving the UK. Name the service type (what numbers beginning this way are used for) for these initial digits: a) 01 b) 03 c) 07 d) 08 (4 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #72

Date: 04/08/22
MAIS: 29 / 50
PDL: Harder   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_72.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which Australian soap opera recently aired its final episode 37 years since it started? (1 point)

2) Cadbury UK currently has 3 long-standing 'single bars' (such as Double Decker) beginning with C - what are they? NB not including the newly released 'Caramilk' nor those branded as Dairy Milk, such as a Caramel. (3 points)

3) The hairs lining the seedpod and the calyx below the flowers of Mucuna pruriens can be used to make which joke shop product? (1 point)

4) A term for someone who can act, sing and dance, a slang term for someone with a beautiful face, body and personality and a 2019 action film starring Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais and Tiger Chen all share what 2-word phrase? (1 point)

5) The 2022 World Athletics Championships were recently held in Oregon. Which 2 countries came 2nd and 3rd in the medal table (behind the hosts)? They both have yellow and green in their flags. (2 points)

6) What are the 4 astrological signs (western zodiac) that aren't represented by a mammal / mammal-like creature? NB Aquarius (water-bearer) and Sagittarius (archer) are debatable cases and aren't included in the answers. (4 points)

7) The PC Gaming service Steam is a storefront for which video game developer? You might open the latter to release the former. (1 point)

8) a) Which band recently made UK chart history by becoming the first to sell 7 million copies of an individual album (their first Greatest Hits collection from 1981)? b) Who is the only (solo) female artist to make the Top 10 list, with her album '21'? (2 points)

9) Name either of the 2 airports directly served by the Thameslink railway. (1 point)

10) As of 2021/22, which 5 desktop web browsers have the most global usage? On mobile, Samsung Internet would make the list. (5 points)

11) Sainsbury's currently sell lentils named after which 3 colours? (3 points)

12) What 12-letter word is the act of "fulfilling orders where a business doesn't keep the products in stock but instead, the seller purchases inventory as needed from a third party to fulfill orders"? (1 point)

13) With Cannondale in 3rd place, what are the other 4 biggest global bike brands (by sales)? They all begin with G or S. (4 points)

14) The films 'Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season', 'Angels with Filthy Souls', and 'Hamlet - Last Action Hero' are all examples of what? (1 point)

15) NA (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #71

Date: 20/07/22
MAIS: 27 / 50
PDL: Harder   (4 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_71.zip

Main Quiz

1) What criminal act does a "porch pirate" generally commit (other than potentially trespassing)? (1 point)

2) a) How many 'spokes' are there on a standard Trivial Pursuit board? b) How many rooms are there on a standard Clue(do) board? c) How many coloured pieces are there in a standard Ludo game? d) How many pieces (and squares) are there in a standard Othello / Reversi game? (4 points)

3) What is the only country to be named after an element? (1 point)

4) Scotland's Tom Stoltman recently retained which global title? His older brother Luke has won the Scottish version of the title 5 times and they're the only brothers to reach the final of the world event. (1 point)

5) a) The 'Rat Pack' was first used as a term in the 1950s, but the group from the 1960s found the most fame. Which 3 of this latter group announced a 29 date tour called Together Again in December 1987? b) By adding one letter to 'Rat Pack', what name was the group of young actors in 1980s coming-of-age films known as? (4 points)

6) On the morning of January 13, 2018, the residents of Hawaii received an alert to their phones (and a broadcast on radio) telling them what was incoming, albeit erroneously? (1 point)

7) a) Galicia is an autonomous community of which western European country? b) The same name was used for a historical region of Eastern Europe, roughly spanning the same area as two other historical regions centred on Kraków and Lviv - name the 2 modern countries. (3 points)

8) a) Coming from the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair, what 2 name Uncle is used humourously in British speech in place of et al. (or 'and all')? b) Which single name Uncle would the listener have in place of "there you have it"? c) Which animal's Uncle would you be to show surprise or amazement? (3 points)

9) What is the name given to the highest register of the human (singing) voice? It is so-called because of the similarity of the timbre of the notes to this action, and notable popular proponents include Minnie Riperton, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. NB It's also known as the flute / flageolet register. (1 point)

11) a) Which 3 gin brands top the UK sales chart (2021 data)? b) The best-selling gin in the UK is, perhaps surprisingly, what colour? (4 points)

10) Name any 3 of the 7 UN countries that feature in the current Top 10 WBSC men's and women's baseball rankings? (NB softball is seperate and Taiwan / Chinese Taipei isn't a UN country) (3 points)

12) The European practise of indoor gardening / potted plants mainly started with the early Greeks, who used what material for their pots? It's still used today, and the word would translate directly into English as "cooked earth". (1 point)

13) The UK singles chart has its roots in Percy Dickins imitating the approach of the US Billboard magazine for the UK newspaper NME - what 3 words make up this acronym? b) Prior to this, what metric was used for the chart (a physical medium, but not the records themselves)? It has its route in music being performed, rather than consumed at home. (2 points)

14) The 'Roman Empire' covers the period from the fall of of the Roman Republic (a) until the abdication of Romulus Augustus in the West (b), and the Fall of Constantinople in the East (c). Name the centuries of each event, half points for being 1 off. (3 points)

15) Joseph Coelho has recently taken on which poetic role in the UK? (1 point)

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Lockdown Quiz #70

Date: 06/07/22
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (5 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_70.zip

Main Quiz

1) The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Niagara Falls, Machu Picchu and the Sydney Opera House have all been described, along with many others, as what 5 word phrase, alluding to their perceived right to recognition on global lists? (1 point)

2) Which a) male and b) female tennis player holds the record for most Aces in a tournament? c) Which of the 4 majors were both records achieved at? (3 points)

3) During his University years, Gordon Brown underwent surgery by Hector Chawla, a young Ophthalmologist, who saved what part of his body? (1 point)

4) Along with fix, mix and six, which 3 words in the form _ix are also in the (UK) Collins Scrabble Words list? (3 points)

5) Which word can you add to a British comedy horror sitcom written by Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Jeremy Dyson and Reece Shearsmith to get a 2003 dieselpunk superhero film starring Sean Connery, amongst others? (1 point)

6) Red Bordeaux wine, known in the UK as Claret, is normally made from a blend of grapes. Of the 6 varietals permitted, name any 3 (they begin C, CS, CF, M, M, PV) (3 points)

7) Used in TV and films to signal the end of a conversation, "over and out" isn't used in real life radio conversations as the two terms are contradictory - what are the 2 meanings? (2 points)

8) a) The UEFA Women's Euros kicks off today, but which nation is hosting it? b) Name any 2 previous winners of the tournament. (3 points)

9) What is the name for the sub category of knots that are used to tie rope to an object, such as a post or ring? Examples include the Boom ____, Clove ____ and Highwayman's ____. (1 point)

10) There were 3 UK No.1 singles from the 1980s with the word 'red' in the title. Name them from the performing artist: a) UB40 b) Nena c) Chris de Burgh (3 points)

11) The role playing game Dungeons & Dragons uses a set of polyhedral dice, typically with 6 unique numbers of sides - name any 4 (i.e. how many sides each has). (4 points)

12) ITV has 6 channels in its network, with the main channel just being called ITV. Which 3 others have names that rhyme with it? (3 points)

13) Which musical featured a song called The Rain in Spain, which popularised the phonetic exercise (".stays mostly in the plain")? (1 point)

14) Which 3 African countries use country code top level web domains (e.g. .uk) beginning .z? (3 points)

15) The Isle of Arran is often referred to by which 3-word epithet, highlighting its similarity to the bigger country it is part of? (1 point)

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Lockdown Quiz #69

Date: 22/06/22
MAIS: 31 / 50
PDL: Medium   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_69.zip

Main Quiz

1) The "24 Hours of Lemons" is an American folk-racing event alluding to the endurance race named after which French town? (1 point)

2) New England is a region comprising 6 states in north east USA. Which 2 begin with M? (2 points)

3) The trial between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney has been given what popular/disparaging name? It's a portmanteau word made from an acronym that relates to them and a famous British mystery writer. (1 point)

4) 'Mr Worldwide' is what breed of dog? (1 point)

5) The Committee of Conersative party members in the House of Commons is named after which year? It's the same year that the Anglo-Irish treaty was ratified, Nosferatu was premiered and the BBC was formed. (1 point)

6) Which 2 Americans are reportedly (by far) the highest paid players in the controversial Saudi-backed golf tournament, LIV Golf Invitational Series, earning $200m and $150m each? (2 points)

7) Simón Bolívar led (what are now) 6 Latin American countries to indpendence from the Spanish Empire - name any 4. (4 points)

8) In the current range of core UK Coca Cola brands (Original, Zero Sugar, Diet), which 4 other flavours are available? 3 are fruits, one is a spice. (4 points)

9) Name any 2 of the 6 species of Bunting that UK birdwatchers might have patriotically displayed recently? One doesn't have 'bunting' in its name, but is known for its call that (supposedly) sounds like "a little bit of bread and no cheese". All the others are in the format _____ Bunting. (2 points)

10) Admiral Jeremiah Denton blinked what 7-letter word in Morse Code in a televised interview to tell the world he was under duress? (1 point)

11) Between 1960 and 1992 there were 7 Carry On films with names starting Carry On C_____ - name any 3. (3 points)

12) With its famous opening line indicating how many years had passed since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when was the Gettysburg Address? (1 point)

13) Which 3 countries have most members of the Scout Movement? Two begin with I (i). (3 points)

14) The Chinese former Tennis player Li and the Korean American golfer Kevin share what surname, which would potentially confuse a database? (1 point)

15) As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, 8 places are being made into cities - name any 6. NB 1 is in Scotland, 3 are in England, 1 is in Wales, 1 in NI and 2 are elsewhere. (6 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #68

Date: 25/05/22
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_68.zip

Main Quiz

1) What is the main ingredient in the Provençal spread Tapenade? (1 point)

2) According to commonly accepted wisdom, at most: a) how many degrees of sepearation are you away from anyone else? b) how many times can you fold a piece of paper in half? (2 points)

3) Which footballer recently had his shirt sold at auction for £7.1m, the highest price ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia? (1 point)

4) What was the name of the successful deception operation that disguised the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily? The same name is used for a 2022 film about it starring Colin Firth. (1 point)

5) Which 5 western European countries form the "Big Five" for Eurovision - they're the major funders of the contest and gain automatic qualification each year. (5 points)

6) Which century saw the last major eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa? It was among the most violent volcanic events in recorded history. (1 point)

7) In the UK, boat navigation channels have port and starboard sides normally marked by which two colours? (2 points)

8) Jèrriais and Sercquiais are two Romance languages of which group of islands? (1 point)

9) There are 4 NHL teams featuring aquatic or semi-aquatic creatures - name any 3. The cities are: Anaheim, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Seattle. (3 points)

10) The 4 standard buttons on an Xbox controller and a Switch joycon use which same 4 letters? As pairs, they are often used for defining vectors. (4 points)

11) BattleBots is the US name for the remake of which British TV show? (1 point)

12) Name the fruit most commonly used to make these spirits: a) Cognac b) Slivovitz c) Calvados (3 points)

13) Who has autobiographies including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), The Heart of a Woman (1981) and Mom & Me & Mom (2013)? (1 point)

14) Terry Wogan and Michael Phelps have both held the record for the longest televised what? (1 point)

15) Class A drugs in the UK (those that give the most severe punishments for possession, production and supply) are broken down into 8 specific drug names - name any 6. NB One is a free-base form of another, and one is commonly used to treat addiction to another. (6 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #67

Date: 12/05/22
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_67.zip

Main Quiz

1) Name the European country from their 3 most common surnames: a) Müller, Schmidt, Schneider b) Silva, Santos, Ferreira c) Popa, Popescu, Pop d) De Jong, Jansen, De Vries e) Korhonen, Virtanen, Mäkinen (5 points)

2) The matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup were accompanied by the blowing of large plastic horns - what are they called? (1 point)

3) Name any 2 films based on the novels of Nick Hornby. (2 points)

4) The album Sleepify by Vulfpeck contains 10 ~30 second tracks consisting of what? Fans were encouraged to stream it whilst they slept to help crowdfund a free tour by the band. (1 point)

5) Anstruther, in Fife, is home to a multi award winning restaurant specialising in which British dish? (1 point)

6) What was the name of the camera-wielding character in Fellini's La Dolce Vita that went on to give their name to all similar individuals? (1 point)

7) From 1968 onwards, 4 Summer Olympics in a row were hosted by different cities beginning with M - what were they (any order)? (4 points)

8) A year after the Falklands War, the USA invaded which Caribbean island nation? (1 point)

9) Ed Sheeran has released 4 UK #1 solo albums, all with titles featuring just one what? (1 point)

10) a) Syrah is a French wine grape variety - what is its most common alternative name, which is also a city in Iran? b) In the film Sideways, which wine variety is praised (PN) and which is denegrated (M)? (3 points)

11) In the Dr. Seuss book, 'One Fish, Two Fish, ____ Fish, ____ Fish', what 2 colours are missing (in order)? (2 points)

12) Who starred as Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko in the 1996 film Sgt. Bilko? (1 point)

13) Composting organisms require four equally important chemical 'ingredients' to work effectively. Three are elements, one is a compound - what are they? (4 points)

14) The 'Grand Match' was last held outdoors at the Lake of Menteith (1979, 1963) and Loch Leven (1959), with subsequent official tournaments all being held indoors. What sport is played during it? (1 point)

15) Name any 5 of the 11 countries that have joined NATO in since the year 2000 - none of them are in the UN definition of 'Western Europe'. (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #66

Date: 13/04/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_66.zip

Main Quiz

1) Other than 4 species of Echidna, what is the only other egg-laying mammal? (1 point)

2) Bob Monkhouse was the host of comedy game show Celebrity Squares. It had two 4-year runs in which 2 non-subsequent decades? (2 points)

3) In the 2003 song by Fountains of Wayne, whose Mom has "got it goin' on"? (1 point)

4) Out of gold, platinum and silver (one each): a) Which costs the most per unit weight? b) Which has the highest (electrical) conductivity? c) Which is given as a traditional gift for a 70th wedding anniversary (US/UK)? (3 points)

5) The Orkney and Shetland constituency in the House of Commons is the longest held seat of which political party? (1 point)

6) What are the 4 types of human teeth? One type is a 'pre' version of another (both are answers), wisdom teeth fit into 1 of the 4 (so aren't an answer) and milk / baby teeth are not their own category. (4 points)

7) Name any 1 of the 3 winners of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. (1 point)

8) What are these 2 elephant metaphors? a) "Used to describe an object, project etc considered expensive but without equivalent utility or value relative to its capital" b) "An important topic, question etc that everyone knows about but no wants to discuss because it makes at least some of them uncomfortable". (2 points)

9) What is a) the hardest and b) the least hard mineral on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness? (2 points)

10) Of the 3 current road cars in Ferrari's SP Series, all are named after one of 2 famous racetracks. What are they? One is in Italy, the other in the USA. (2 points)

11) In Lego Masters Australia, the judge Ryan McNaught is known by what nickname? It could be used for a masonry superhero. (1 point)

12) Of the 6 most-commonly spoken Romance languages by native speakers: a) Which are (by far) the 2 most commonly spoken? b) Which is the least common, and isn't the main language of a country? c) Which is the least similar to Latin, but is the main language of a country? (4 points)

13) What were the titles of the first 3 Star Wars films at time of release? They've all been retroactively titled to some extent, so full marks for the exact titles. (3 points)

14) a) What is the maximum pack size for pain relief medicines (number of pills in a pack) that you can buy in general sale in the UK? Pharmacies can sell packs twice the size. b) Nurofen and Advil are trade names for which pain relief drug? c) Tylenol and Panadol are trade names for which other? (3 points)

15) Which 3 Canadian cities have ice hockey teams in the NHL Atlantic Division? (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #65

Date: 06/04/22
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_65.zip

Main Quiz

1) The 2 main ingredients in hummus are chickpeas and which sesame product? (1 point)

2) What oceanic / atmospheric phenomenon is essentially the opposite of a La Niña event? (1 point)

3) The 'Dutch Golden Age' was a period when their trade, science, art and military were among the most acclaimed in Europe - which 2 centuries did it span? (2 points)

4) The Goose barnacle was originally thought to spontaneously generate into which (specific) bird? (1 point)

5) a) Which 2 planets in the Solar System are regarded as 'Ice Giants'? b) Which is the only planet with essentially no atmosphere? (3 points)

6) Brazuca, Jabulani, Teamgeist, Azteca and Crack have all been names for what? (1 point)

7) Name any 3 of the 9 active whisky distilleries on the (Scottish) island of Islay. (3 points)

8) Name the collective nouns which are commonly used for related groups of: a) Ants b) Kittens c) Baboons (3 points)

9) The British sitcom The Office and its US remake were both set in places beginning with S - what are they? (2 points)

10) Related to tapas, what is the (Spanish) name for a small snack typically eaten in bars, often served on a piece of bread and held together with a small stick? (1 point)

11) Based on the southernmost point of their main landmass, what are the 5 most southerly countries in the world? (5 points)

12) What are the 3 standard sizes (diameter in inches) of vinyl records? (3 points)

13) ___ State were an electronic music group formed in Manchester named after the Roland TR-___ drum machine. What (same) number is missing from both? It's exactly double that of a 'page not found' error on a webpage. (1 point)

14) The nightshade family of plants, Solanaceae, has a number of commercially important species. Name the product of the following plants: a) S. tuberosum b) Nicotiana c) Capsicum (3 points)

15) In the UK Crufts competition, there are 7 groups for the competing dogs. Other than general working categories (Pastoral, Utility, Working) and one aesthetic group (Toys), the remaining 3 are all bred to assist with hunting. The groups begin with G, H and T - what are they? (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #64

Date: 30/03/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (5 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_64.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which of the '6 Nations' is hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup? (1 point)

2) a) What's the opening theme to the sitcom Cheers called? It was performed by Gary Portnoy. b) Which actor, who played Sam Malone in Cheers, has gone on to appear in Three Men and a Baby, CSI, Becker and The Good Place? (2 points)

3) Which Egyptian city was the only lighthouse in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World located in? (1 point)

4) a) Which island, now part of a British Overseas Territory, was Napolean Bonaparte exiled on? b) He spearheaded the Napoleonic Wars, which was the bloodiest conflict until which war? (2 points)

5) Which female American singer and which American ex-President would be in the Top 10 Twitter accounts by number of followers if their accounts hadn't be deleted? (2 points)

6) a) In music, the C major chord contains the note C and which 2 others? b) What is the name for the musical symbol that is used to indicate which notes are represented by their positions on the stave? (3 points)

7) Edward I of England was also known in Latin as 'Malleus Scotorum' due to his aggressive tactics against the Scots - what tool in English features in his more common nickname? (1 point)

8) Professional wrestling has 2 decisions with the word 'out' in them that end the match - what are they? One is shared with Boxing. (2 points)

9) Which 2 animals are the heaviest native land mammals in North America? They are both ungulates. (2 points)

10) S.à r.l. And GmbH are common European legal terms for what type of entity? (1 point)

11) The similar sounding (UC) Berkeley and Berklee (College of Music) are both prominent US colleges, but which 2 states are they in? (2 points)

12) a) What is the name of main town and port on the Shetland Isles? b) The TV drama Shetland is based on the novels of which British crime writer? If you put 'of' between her names, it would be a homophone of one of Henry VIII's wives. (2 points)

13) Name the romantic comedy pairs (actor/actress) from their films and initials: a) Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail (TH, MR) b) The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby (CG, KH) c) Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride (RG, JR) (6 points)

14) Since 1890, there has been one building, one structure and one church/cathedral with 40+ years as the tallest of their kind - what are they? They are located in the USA, France and Germany, in that order. (3 points)

15) a) Croke Park in Dublin is one of only 8 stadia in Europe with a maximum capacity of over 80,000. What 2 sports is it primarily used for? b) Which European stadium has the highest capacity? It generally hosts games of football, but was also an Olympic venue - half point for the city. (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #63

Date: 16/03/22
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_63.zip

Main Quiz

1) What country, much in the news lately, finished second in the 2022 Winter Paralympics medal table? (1 point)

2) Which 2 marine mammals sport tusks? (2 points)

3) Match the Brontë sister (Anne, Charlotte, Emily) to the book: a) Jane Eyre b) Wuthering Heights c) The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (3 points)

4) What are the 2 biggest continents by area? The answers are the same for population. (2 points)

5) Other than their eponymous bar, name any 5 of the 7 other Mars chocolate products that have miniature versions in a UK box of Celebrations. NB Galaxy Truffle and Topic are no longer included. (5 points)

6) Which city's ZIP code is 90210? It's been popularised in a number of TV shows set there. NB looking for the specific city, not the much bigger city that surrounds it. (1 point)

7) The ship of Ernest Shackleton was recently discovered in the Weddell Sea. It was still intact - what is its (apt) name? (1 point)

8) a) On a coat of arms, if sinister is to the left-hand side of the bearer, which TV serial killer / detective is to the right-hand side? b) Which 2 creatures feature in these positions (either order) on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom? (3 points)

9) Aberdeen lies at the mouth of which 2 major rivers? (2 points)

10) Which 3 EU countries have flags that are at least 50% white? To rule out some close cases, Greece and Malta are <50%. (3 points)

11) Shirley Hughes, the English author and illustrator, died recently. She is most known for her Alfie series and 2 books which won a Greenaway Medal for children's book illustration. One was Ella's Big Chance in 2013, but what was the canine winner from 1977? (1 point)

12) Saddleworth Moor is infamously associated with the actions of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. What 2-word alliterative name are they generally known by? (1 point)

13) At the 2022 Baftas: a) Which Western drama film won Best Picture? b) Drive My Car won for Film not in the English Language - which language? c) Who won for Leading Actress (in the film After Love)? (3 points)

14) In traditional Highland dress (kilt etc), what are these 2 accessories called: a) A leather +/or fur pouch worn around the waist (S) b) A small single-edged knife worn in the hose top on the leg (SD) (2 points)

15) The 1990s saw some of the more famous winners of the Turner Prize, including the first female winner (1993), the first all-female shortlist (1997), four sculpture winners in a row (1991-94), the first video winners (1996, 1997, 1999), the only winner to use elephant dung (1998) and perhaps the most controversial winning piece of all (1995). Name any 3 artists - no need to match to years. (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #62

Date: 03/03/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_62.zip

Main Quiz

1) These variations on Eggs Benedict all (usually) replace the traditional bacon with which ingredient? a) Eggs Florentine b) Eggs Atlantic c) Eggs Hebridean (3 points)

2) The St Leger at Doncaster was held for the first time on 23rd September 1776 and still happens in September to this day. What is it? (1 point)

3) In November 2021, 'Blinding Lights' was crowned the 'all time No 1 song on the Billboard single charts', dethroning the 1960s hit 'The Twist'. Who are the 2 artists? (2 points)

4) The Charge of the Light Brigade was a failed military action in the Crimean War. The surname of the Lord leading the British cavalry and the name of the Battle are both items of clothing - a type of jumper and headgear, respectively - what are they? (2 points)

5) Across most English-speaking countries, teaspoons contain how many millilitres? This number is also used in multiples for dessertspoons and tablespoons. (1 point)

6) According to the beings from Omicron Persei 8 in Futurama and alluding to 'Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus', where are men and women from? (2 points)

7) Women's Ice Hockey gold has been won at every Winter Olympics by which 2 countries? (2 points)

8) In the traditional Lord's Prayer used by the Chruch of England (Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.. etc), what are the only 2 ten letter words? (2 points)

9) Which succulent is processed for its clear gel, which is used as a topical medicine for burns, rashes etc? The product shares its name with the plant. (1 point)

10) Other than white or black, which 2 colours (each) make up these delivery company logos? a) DHL b) FedEx (4 points)

11) What's the common name for the babies of these animals: a) Seal b) Goose c) Horse d) Kangaroo e) Pigeon? (5 points)

12) Georgios Papanikolaou was a Greek surgeon known for creating a method for cervical cancer screening, which is named after him. What's the abbreviated name for it? (1 point)

13) Which NFL team did Homer always want to own, and which one did he disappointingly get gifted at the end of the Simpsons episode 'You Only Move Twice'? Both cities begin with D. (2 points)

14) There have been 4 'Viking' Kings of England - name any 2. (2 points)

15) What do these video game acronyms stand for, with descriptions? a) RPG (create a personalized character and make it grow in strength, skills, knowledge) b) FPS (grab your gun and kill everyone you can from your perspective) c) MMO (play together in a huge world on the internet) (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #61

Date: 16/02/22
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_61.zip

Main Quiz

1) What's the Wood called where Winnie-the-Pooh and friends live? Its name is an area in Imperial units roughly equivalent to 0.40 km². (1 point)

2) a) The word 'podcast' is a portmantaue of which 2 words? b) Much in the news of late, whose podcast is currently top of the charts in both the USA and the UK? (3 points)

3) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is often used to assess types of what, despite being deemed 'psychometrically inadequate'? (1 point)

4) The 10 biggest lizards in the world are all variations of which 3 main species? One is a dragon, one is what you might be looking at now and one is the only lizard with a marine subspecies. (3 points)

5) If you want to get a ferry from England to Spain, you can leave from one of 2 cities beginning with P and arrive at one of 2 destinations, a city that shares its name with a bank and a Basque city that has a Gugenheim Museum - name all 4. (4 points)

6) Name these Assassin's Creed video game sequels from the clues: a) A pirate themed game sharing a name with an American punk band formed in 1976 b) Based in Ancient Greece and sharing a name with one of Homer's epic poems c) Set during the 9th century Viking expansions into the British Isles, it shares its name with the great hall of Odin in Norse mythology and an Aston Martin hybrid sports car named after it. (3 points)

7) The Yorkshire Wolds are low hills in the counties of the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Which national park lies just to the north of them? It's named for its location. (1 point)

8) The 'videotape format war' went on during the late 1970s and 80s and ended with JVC's offering beating Sony's. What were the 2 formats? (2 points)

9) The Inklings were an informal literary discussion group associated with which 2 fantasy authors at the University of Oxford? Their first names were John and Clive, but their full initials are more famous. (2 points)

10) a) What's the highest mountain in the Americas? It's in Argentina. b) The peak is only 15km from the border with which other country? (2 points)

11) Lego Friends has 5 characters: Andrea, Emma, Mia, Stephanie and which other? The name has been amongst the top 3 most popular for babies in England & Wales for the past 15 years. (1 point)

12) a) After leaving PSV in 1996, Ronaldo (R9) played for other 4 European clubs - name any 2. They happen to be 2 sets of fierce rivals. b) Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) was born on which Portuguese island? (3 points)

13) The UK economy is the 5th largest in the world based on total GDP. According to data from 2020, their main import and export partners are the same - the EU and which 2 other countries? They are the biggest 2 countries by total GDP. (2 points)

14) After the test flights of Endeavour, there were 5 named NASA space shuttles - name any 3. Of the 5, the 2 beginning with C both failed disastrously. (3 points)

15) What are the 2 official languages of the Faroe Islands? (2 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #60

Date: 09/02/22
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_60.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which cookie is also sold in a 'Double Stuff' form? (1 point)

2) Which 2 British monarchs have had the longest reigns? (2 points)

3) a) In the song American Pie, what type of car was driven to what kind of flood management system? (albeit referencing a Bar's name in this case) b) The song also references 'The Day the Music Died' - name any one of the 3 musicians killed in the plane crash that gave this day its name. (3 points)

4) Which single lower case letter forms BMW's sub-brand for electric vehicles? It's not e. (1 point)

5) With around 20% market share each, which 3 UK cinema chains are the most popular? (3 points)

6) Which 2 fighters, 1 from UFC and 1 from Boxing, competed in 'The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History'? It took place in 2017. (2 points)

7) Which 3 female British music artists have won 4 or more Grammy Awards and perform under names beginning with A? There are only 2 others: Olivia Newton-John and Sade - both with 4 awards. (3 points)

8) Cunningham's Law states "the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post..." what? (1 point)

9) a) How many millimetres are in a kilometre? b) How many ounces are in a pound? (2 points)

10) a) Modern Egypt dates from 1922 when it gained independence from which country? b) The Pyramids of Giza are located in the suburbs of which city? (2 points)

11) Warren Gatland has famously coached Wales (2008-19) and the British & Irish Lions (2013-present), but which other country did he also coach from 1998-2001? (1 point)

12) a) Which book by Dick King-Smith is the film Babe based on? b) Which book by Philip Pullman (UK title) is the film The Golden Compass based on? c) Which film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is based on the Philip K. Dick book We Can Remember It For You Wholesale? d) Which film starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta & Joe Pesci is based on the Nicholas Pileggi book Wiseguy? (4 points)

13) Which island was historically known in English as Formosa? The islanders perform in the Olympics as Chinese Taipei. (1 point)

14) Until 2018, UK legislation required all loaves of bread to weigh which weight (in grams) or multiples thereof? It's still very common to see both this weight and double this weight for bread. (1 point)

15) a) Name any 5 documentary series presented +/or narrated by David Attenborough with the word 'Planet' in their title - sequels count. NB A series in this case is 4 or more episodes. b) Which English composer wrote the seven-movement orchestral suite, The Planets? (6 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #59

Date: 02/02/22
MAIS: 26 / 50
PDL: Harder   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_59.zip

Main Quiz

1) "We Don't Talk About Bruno" has recently become the first Disney song to reach #1 in the UK charts - what film is it from? (1 point)

2) The board game Pandemic was inspired by the 2002-04 multinational outbreak of which (coronavirus) disease? (1 point)

3) Since 2003, who are the only 2 men's tennis players to have won multiple singles majors other than the Nadal, Federer and Djokovic? Medvedev just lost to Nadal in the Australian Open, or he'd have made the list too. (2 points)

4) What year did the Brexit referendum take place? (1 point)

5) Biotin and Thiamine are the only 2 organosulfur compound vitamins, but which vitamin (letter) are they sub-categories of? (1 point)

6) There are only 2 border checkpoints between independent countries with more than 50 million annual travellers. Which 4 countries are involved? NB China has a number of busier checkpoints but they're to/from Hong Kong & Macau. (4 points)

7) Warhammer 40,000 is the most popular miniature wargame in the world. Which British manufacturer / shop makes it? (1 point)

8) Onyx', 'Lost Soul' and 'Void by Armani' are paint colours presented to Gerry in the sitcom Parks & Recreation - what colour does he think they all are? (1 point)

9) a) What shape does the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival resemble (and is named after)? b) What's the name of the travelling stage and bar that features at Glastonbury, which was "designed to tackle apathy and promote left-wing politics"? It's also the name for part of a baseball pitch. (2 points)

10) Which Spanish team has won twice as many men's UEFA Cup / Europa League football trophies than any other team? (1 point)

11) Only 3 countries have ever lost a UNESCO World Heritage Status - name the countries from the removed sites (minus city / country names): a) Maritime Mercantile City b) Elbe Valley c) Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (3 points)

12) Marlee Matlin won the Oscar for Best Actress for the film Children of a Lesser God (1986). She still holds 2 records as winner in the best actress / actor category - what are they? (2 points)

13) The UK Terrorist Threat Level has 5 different categories, all are single words - what are they? NB not looking for the associated colours. (5 points)

14) The band The Clash have had 10 members over the years. Joe, Rob and Terry all have music-related surnames - name any 2. (2 points)

15) a) What are the 5 chemical elements with 4-letter names? b) With 13 letters, what's the longest? It's named after a New Zealand physicist who came to be known as the 'father of nuclear physics'. (6 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #58

Date: 26/01/22
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (6 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_58.zip

Main Quiz

1) If a geologist went to the loo and had a Gneiss Schist, which single type of protoliths (3 main types of rock) would they be referring to? (1 point)

2) According to a 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics survey, what are the 4 most common major religions in the country, exlcuding 'no religion'? (4 points)

3) Which song have The Rolling Stones recently announced will be dropped from future tours due to unease at the depictions of black women and references to slavery in the lyrics? (1 point)

4) There are 28 current non-Royal Dukedoms in the UK & Ireland (although some are merged, giving a total of 24). They all take the form Duke of ________, name any 2 of the blanks. (2 points)

5) What are the 3 bladed weapons called in the sport of fencing? (3 points)

6) Which alliterative species of pigeon went from being one of the most abudant species of bird to almost extinct within the 20th Century? The last confirmed bird was sighted / shot in 1901. (1 point)

7) Name any 4 countries with land on the Equator. NB Of the two countries that reference the equator in their name, only one is on it. (4 points)

8) The UK government recently announced set COVID measures will be lifted in England due to high numbers of people getting the booster jab. What was the name given to these measures? It is shared by the stage name of English rapper Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew. (1 point)

9) Which two American candy products produced under the Willy Wonka Candy Company brand were both named for words meaning "studious and boring". They were sold in boxes with different colours / flavours separated into compartments, and one was a softer, chewier version of the other. (2 points)

10) What is the biggest British company manufacturing motorcycles? The company's name is fitting for winning this 'competition'. (1 point)

11) Name these single word footballing terms from their definitions: a) A method of kicking the football whereby the kicking leg is wrapped around the back of the standing leg b) A portmanteau word, often used in sports journalism to refer to a win for an underdog in a knockout competition c) A skill move used when taking a penalty kick wherein the player taking the penalty delicately chips the ball over a diving goalkeeper, rather than striking the ball firmly (3 points)

12) The Golden Girls was an American sitcom that starred Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty and which other actress, who died on New Year's Eve 2021? (1 point)

13) What's the country of origin of these Hi-Fi brands? a) Blaupunkt b) Panasonic c) NAD (3 points)

14) The founder of ODEON cinemas is often used to publicise the 'fact' that its acronym stands for "O____ D ____ Entertains Our Nation" - what's his name? (1 point)

15) a) Which 4 cities in the USA have more than 30 Championship wins across the major sports leagues (American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Soccer)? b) In 5th place, which Canadian City features with all its wins in Ice Hockey? (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #57

Date: 19/01/22
MAIS: 29 / 50
PDL: Harder   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_57.zip

Main Quiz

1) English idioms such as "_____ agreement", "_____ leave", "going _____" and "_____ courage" all use which (country) denonym? (1 point)

2) What are the 2 biggest objects in the Solar System? (2 points)

3) The potato is part of which deadly family of plants? (1 point)

4) The Triple Crown of Snooker consists of the three most prestigious tournaments in the game (the World Championship, The UK Championship and the Masters). The latter is held in London, but which 2 cities in Yorkshire usually host the other tournaments? (2 points)

5) What's the only 'regnal' name of the Roman Emperors that's also a herb? The latter of those to use the name was known as "the Bulgar-Slayer", which makes for an amazing-sounding salad when put together. (1 point)

6) The Africa Cup of Nations is currently taking place in Cameroon, but which 4 countries have hosted the tournament 3 or more times? The countries begin with E, E, G & T (4 points)

7) Before decimalisation, how many: a) pence made a shilling b) shillings made a pound? c) Due to their continued use as commemorative coins, what is the only pre-decimal coin that's still legal tender? It was worth 60 old pence (d), revalued as 25 new pence (p) and since 1990, £5 (although these commemorative coins are usually worth a lot more). (3 points)

8) Various cities / districts known as Belém exist across the Portuguese diaspora. Which Palestinian city are they all named after? (1 point)

9) Name these Edinburgh-born authors from their famous books: a) Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Waverley b) The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Driver's Seat, Memento Mori c) Trainspotting, Filth, Porno (3 points)

10) What word is used for "granting the right to freely distribute and modify intellectual property with the requirement that the same rights be preserved in derivative works created from that property"? It's uses a bit of wordplay on the word 'copyright'. (1 point)

11) In the 2000s, London saw the rise of two musical genres that went on to have a global impact. One is perhaps best known for its early exponents (such as Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Lethal Bizzle), the other more for the producers it influenced (such as Skirllex, Chase & Status, Jamie XX) as well as popularising the "drop" of the beat in a track. Name both. (2 points)

12) The United States Declaration of Independence had 56 signatories, which included 2 future Presidents, the President of Congress (whose signature itself became famous) and a future banknote adorner who was also the oldest person to sign - name all 4. (4 points)

13) Which tool, used to determine latitude at sea, can be described as a graduated circle with a device to measure vertical angles? It shares its name with a more ancient design for a handheld model of the universe. (1 point)

14) There have been 3 UK cities holding the "City of Culture" title - what are they? 1 is in Northern Ireland, the other 2 in England. (3 points)

15) Name 4 (UN) countries that begin with any letters in LEFT that drive on the left hand side of the road. (4 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #56

Date: 14/01/22
MAIS: 28 / 50
PDL: Harder   (5 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_56.zip

Main Quiz

1) Chester Football Club have recently got the wrong side of COVID laws due to what geographical reason? (1 point)

2) a) New Zealand got its name from cartographers of which country, where a province of Zeeland existed (and still does)? It's got no relation to Zealand in Denmark, despite the name match. b) The explorer who first discovered the islands (from a Western perspective) ably gave his surname to which Australian state? (2 points)

3) Knitting involves looping yarn in a row either flat, or which 'tubular' method known as, "in the _____"? (1 point)

4) Name the current city name from the previous incarnation: a) Constantinople b) Saigon c) Leopoldville (3 points)

5) a) Haggis is traditionally made from the organs of, and encased in the stomach of, what animal? b) Ecclefechan Tart gained prominence in the UK in 2007 when Sainsbury's promoted it as an alternative to which Christmas treat? (2 points)

6) The central characters in (Matt Groening's) The Simpsons & Futurama both have which middle initial? b) Hartsfield-Jackson is one of the busiest airports in the world, but which US city does it serve? The same city was featured in a Futurama episode representing a modern version of a famous lost island in Plato's works Timaeus and Critias. c) The Top 10 airports by passenger numbers (2020 data) were all in the USA and which other country? (3 points)

7) Which 2 films based on books by Roald Dahl have had more than one production made (with the same title)? Matilda is due a second film in 2022 so isn't included. (2 points)

8) Julia Donaldson is best known for her rhyming stories for children, especially those in collaboration with which German illustrator? (1 point)

9) The most-watched TV broadcast in the UK on a single channel was the Wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips (1973). There are 7 specific broadcasts with more viewers across BBC One & ITV - name any 3. The years (from most to least viewers) are 1966, 1997, 1969, 2021, 1970, 1970 & 1981 - they are all either football, Royals or human expeditions. (3 points)

10) The JWST was launched on Christmas Day 2021 and is intended to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope. What are the first names of the two people these telescopes are named after? (2 points)

11) The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award is for people who are "either British or reside and play a significant amount of their sport in the United Kingdom". Other than England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which other two non-UK entities are represented? The respective winners are Barry McGuigan (1985) and Mark Cavendish (2011). (2 points)

12) What animals are these noises in Spanish representing? a) cuac cuac b) mu c) guau d) kikirikí (4 points)

13) The Paulista Derby in Sao Paulo and the Fla-Flu in Rio de Janeiro are 2 of the fiercest rivalries in Brazilian club football. Name any 2 of the teams who compete in them. (2 points)

14) During 16th Century English and Scottish history, two Marys took the throne. One became known as Mary QOS and the other as BM - name their acronyms. (2 points)

15) There are 6 sovereign states ('countries') that use the US Dollar as their official currency (other than the USA) - name any 3. They are all Latin American countries or island nations in the Pacific region. (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #55 (Christmas Bumper Edition)

Date: 25/12/21
MAIS: 43 / 80
PDL: Harder   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_55.zip

Main Quiz

1) What is the most popular species of Christmas tree sold in the UK? (1 point)

2) a) The film 'Elf' features which actor as Buddy the Elf? b) Which city is it mostly set in? (2 points)

3) Name any of the three words that form the acronym PCR (test). Hopefully something we can all soon forget! (1 point)

4) Radiohead recently released a special edition of an old album called OKNOTOK, with bonus material / artwork etc. What is the original album called? (1 point)

5) In 'A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas' by Charles Dickens, there are 3 spirits/ghosts - what do they represent? For one, the phrase used in the book is needed for the full point. (3 points)

6) A rotating turntable to aid in the distribution of food is known by what 2 word name? It describes an indolent woman. (1 point)

7) There are 8 countries that cross the 60th north parellel and 8 countries that cross the (nearby) Arctic Circle, but which 2 only feature in one of the lists? (2 points)

8) The Hughes H-4 Hercules, which only made one flight but still made its way into aviation history, is the largest plane ever made from wood. What is its rhyming-couplet nickname? (1 point)

9) On a standard UK (London) Monopoly board, which 2 squares share names with real-life Tube stations? (exact matches only) b) And which one shares its name with a Tube line? (3 points)

10) Which 3 Pixar films were released in the 1990s? (3 points)

11) Which 1975 entry in the Billboard Hot 100 is the only time where both artist and song name are palindromes? It reached #6 on the UK Singles Chart. (1 point)

12) A fictional character from the Halloween series of films and an actor best known for the Austin Powers series share what name? The latter normally uses a shortened form of the first name. (1 point)

13) Which English landscape architect and which Scottish architect both have names in the form: ludicrous first name + colour (albeit one with the surname in French)? The former is known as "England's greatest gardener" and the latter was a prominent builder of Gothic revival churches across Scotland. (2 points)

14) In a standard Squash Ladder, what two things happens to the standings when a lower ranked player beats a higher ranked one? (2 points)

15) Which 90s British sitcom follows the lives of the Potters, a working class London family whose world is struck by bad luck and bizarre circumstances? It was named after a national family average of the time. (1 point)

16) According to Greek mythology, Zeus had an increible amount of children. Which 4 of them beginning with A are equivalent to these Roman Gods / Goddesses? a) Venus b) Mars c) Diana d) Minerva (4 points)

17) By the late 1960s Dr Benjamin Spock's influential childcare book "Baby and Child Care" had plumetted in sales, attributed to his prominent activism against what? (1 point)

18) Name these carols from the 5th line in their lyrics: a) The stars in the bright sky b) Brightly shone the moon that night c) Mary was that mother mild d) O the rising of the sun (4 points)

19) What was the comedy sketch show 'The Fast Show' known as when marketed in the USA? It's the catchphrase of one of Paul Whitehouse's characters in the show. (1 point)

20) a) Wikipedia lists 3 staple foods of Chinese cuisine. One is noodles, which are commonly made from the other two in the list, which are both grass seeds - what are they commonly known as? b) What versatile legume also provides popular foods such as tofu, milks, sauces and oils? (3 points)

21) a) Wikipedia lists 3 staple foods of Chinese cuisine. Noodles are one, and they're commonly made from the other two in the list, both bring grass seeds - what are they commonly known as? b) What versatile legume also provides popular foods such as tofu, milks, sauces and oils? (1 point)

22) Name the male rappers from their business ventures (created or heavily invested in): a) Roc-a-Fella Records b) Beats Electronics c) (Adidas) Yeezy (3 points)

23) The most recent version of the Playstation games console is followed by what number? (1 point)

24) Carcinisation is the name given for a type of convergent evolution where animals evolve into the recognisable form of which animal? It's believed to have occurred in at least 5 separate groups. (1 point)

25) a) There have been 4 unique UK Christmas No.1 song titles featuring the word 'Christmas'. 'Do They Know It's Christmas' has featured three times (with different performers) - what are the other 3 songs? b) Which 3 artists have had three or more Christmas No.1s? The sets were in the 1960s, 1990s and all of the last 4 years. NB Not including Cliff Richard, as one of his 3 was with The Shadows, nor the aforementioned group from part a) as the artists were different. (6 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One adult and one child's card from the 1988 Family Edition set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose TEN (FIVE FROM EACH) questions to answer:

Picture Round

Answers (Quiz #55)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #54

Date: 15/12/21
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_54.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which (now ex-?) Commonwealth country has just become the world's newest Republic? (1 point)

2) What vegetable is the family name that's been involved in the production of every official James Bond film? (1 point)

3) The 'most notable varients' of COVID-19 have been assigned which 5 Greek letters by WHO? (5 points)

4) In 9-ball pool, balls are numbered 1-9 and the lowest ball has to be hit first. Ignoring the numbering portion of the balls, what colour do balls 1 and 9 share? (1 point)

5) Which 3 chess pieces can move diagonally when not caputing an opponent's piece? NB Knights move in an 'L' shape rather than diagonally. (3 points)

6) In September 2021, who won her 17th gold medal to become the UK's most successful Paralympian? (1 point)

7) In the David Bowie song 'Young Americans', the melody and lyrics of which Beatles song are borrowed late in the song? The lyrics are: "I heard the news today, oh boy" (1 point)

8) The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are / would be located in which 4 modern countries? (4 points)

9) Unlike most antibiotics, antiviral drugs don't destroy their target pathogen, but do what instead? (1 point)

10) Politicians and musicians whose names (forename + surname) are sentences: a) An indecisive female UK Prime Minister (TM) b) Cleptomaniac Fleetwood Mac singer (SN) c) Best wishes to the ex-PM of Nigeria (GJ) d) A patient American singer songwriter (TW) (4 points)

11) An American sitcom starring, amongst others, Kristen Johnston and Joseph Gordon-Levitt stylised the name of the Earth as what 5 word title? (1 point)

12) By most metrics (such as passenger numbers, fleet size, flight frequency) there are 4 dominant airlines in the USA - name any 3. (3 points)

13) What colour gives its name to literature that is outside traditional academic or commercial publishing? NB a 'white paper' is considered part of this, but the answer is a different colour. (1 point)

14) The generic name Spandex (an anagram of expands) is used for an elastic synthetic fibre that's perhaps best known for its DuPont brandname - what do they call it? It's commonly used for cycling 'skin suits'. (1 point)

15) Which 5 EU countries have the most cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status? (5 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

Picture Round

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Lockdown Quiz #53

Date: 01/12/21
MAIS: 27 / 50
PDL: Harder   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_53.zip

Main Quiz

1) The 'Beeching cuts' were a plan, outlined in 2 major reports in the 1960s, to reshape what UK travel network? (1 point)

2) Wooden dolls of decreasing size that can be placed inside one another are generally known by what Russian name (literally "little matron")? NB Not looking for 'Babushka' which is sometimes also used. (1 point)

3) The 7 SI Base Units are those which all other units can be derived from. They are the second (time), kelvin (temperature), metre (length), mole (amount of substance) and which 3 others? They measure mass, electric current and luminous intensity. (3 points)

4) Which 2 countries beginning with C have previously hosted Grand Prix races but as of the 2021 F1 season, don't any more? (2 points)

5) Yaddle and Grogu are 2 named characters from Star Wars who share a race with which more famous character? (1 point)

6) What's the only UK city whose letters are: a) only from the first half of the alphabet [A-M]? b) only from the second half of the alphabet [N-Z]? (2 points)

7) Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin starred in a hit show for Netflix. The 2020 special episode had what title, which contained all the words in the name of a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical? (1 point)

8) Name any 3 of the 4 European countries that have islands in the Top 20 tallest in the world. (3 points)

9) Storm Arwen has just wreaked havoc over the UK and Ireland. Since 2015, these two countries joined forces in naming their winter storms and had 6 other names beginning with A - name any 2. (2 points)

10) The 'Third World' was originally defined as countries that weren't part of which 2 major (and opposed) country alignments / groups? There are a couple of options for each, either is fine. (2 points)

11) At the World Barista Championships, contestants have to make 12 drinks per round, in 3 categories. What is the only category that is a specific drink? Up until 2016, there was a 'capuccino' category, but this has now been replaced with 'milk drinks'. (1 point)

12) In terms of global energy production, which 2 renewable energy sources produce the most? (2 points)

13) a) 'Spagbol' is UK colloquialism for a dish that uses a sauce originating from which city? b) 'Wieners' is an American word for sausauges traditionally from which other city? (2 points)

14) Which 3 operas make up Verdi's "Shakespeare Trio"? Two are named for plays, one for the surname of a recurring character. (3 points)

15) Other than BBC TV 1-4 and Radio 1, iPlayer features which 7 other channels? Two are for children, 3 are regional, and 2 are about current events. (7 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Answers (Quiz #53)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #52

Date: 24/11/21
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (3 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_52.zip

Main Quiz

1) How many pairs of ribs do most humans have? (1 point)

2) Which white goods company has used the opening of the Ramones song 'Blitzkreig Bop' in its advertising, using a similar-sounding version of the opening line as its slogan? (1 point)

3) What are the 2 dominant flavours (ingredients) in a standard Gin & Tonic, minus garnishes? Both are naturally occurring. (2 points)

4) John Muir was a famous naturalist who became known as the 'Father of National Parks'. Which Californian National Park did he successfully campaign to be recognised in an 1890 bill? It's known for its "sheer granite cliffs, exceptionally tall waterfalls, and old-growth forests". (1 point)

5) What 3 words add to the title of The Great British Bake Off for its after-show programme? It's a bit of cake word play. (1 point)

6) Which two Scottish Monarch names have achieved regnal number of 4 (IV) or more? The names begin with J and M. (2 points)

7) The Fujita scale rates the intensity of what natural phenomenon? It was developed in an American university and this phenomena is particularly problematic in parts of that country. (1 point)

8) Which 2 European capital cities are below sea level? It's possible others achieve this in places, but both these are generally below sea level on the ground. (2 points)

9) Although perhaps somewhat apocrophyal, a BBC article on "the dying art of Doctor slang" lists a number of acronyms used as codewords on patient records. What are the phrases from these acronyms / explanations? a) CTD for someone on death's door b) LOBNH for a someone of low intelligence c) UBI for a mysterious wound of a drunken patient d) NFN for someone who shows signs of inbreeding (4 points)

10) Which 3 three letter words beginning and ending in Z are permissable in UK scrabble? (3 points)

11) a) Which actor became the oldest winner of an acting Oscar for this work in the 2020 film The Father (aged 83)? b) Aged 89, who became the oldest recipient of any Oscar when he won for Best Adapted Screenplay in the 2017 film Call Me By Your Name? (2 points)

12) The Russell Group of 24 UK universities comprises most of the biggest in the country. Which 5 are in London? (5 points)

13) In terms of population, what is the biggest country never to win an Olympic medal? (1 point)

14) English has many Germanic/Latinate noun-adjective doublets - e.g. bird/avian. What is the Germanic noun for these Latinate adjectives? a) Bovine b) Digital c) Stellar d) Cygnean e) Portal (5 points)

15) Which 2 inductees in the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame have 'Watt' in their surnames? One was a mechanical engineer, the other an electrical one - full names required. (2 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Answers (Quiz #52)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #51

Date: 10/11/21
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_51.zip

Main Quiz

1) a) The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (aka COP26) is currently being held in which city? b) Two major outcomes from previous COPs have included a 1997 Protocol and a 2015 Agreement - named for which 2 cities? (3 points)

2) When Paul Kantner and Grace Slick left Jefferson Airplane to form a new band, what form of transport did they turn to? (1 point)

3) Which 2 Roald Dahl novels have titles with fewer than 8 letters? (2 points)

4) a) The 'Triple Crown of Motorsport' is normally regarded as winning which 3 specific races? b) Who is the only person to have achieved it? (4 points)

5) The four nucleobases found in DNA are commonly referred to as an acronym of which 4 letters? (4 points)

6) a) What classic joke device is "a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement"? The 2-word term (NS) comes into English from Latin and literally means "it does not follow". b) What's the modern colloquial 2-word term for a 'maternal insult' joke, becoming particularly popular in the modern American vernacular (YM)? (2 points)

7) Which format / size of newspaper is named for a city denonym, which itself was used in a famous speech by JFK when visiting said city? Its use in this speech gave rise to a common misconception that he'd called himself a donut. (1 point)

8) Which 4 letters of the alphabet begin more than one sign of the Zodiac? (4 points)

9) The 'gens Pontia' were a plebeian family in ancient Rome. They flourished under the Empire, eventually attaining the consulship - who is their most famous family member? He has a prominent role in the Bible. (1 point)

10) a) What was the man worth in the title of a 70s sci-fi TV show starring Lee Majors? b) How much was the question worth in a 50s game show presented by Sonny Fox? Both are in US dollars. (2 points)

11) On handheld video recorders, the zoom in/out buttons are often labelled as 'T' and 'W', but what words are these letters referring to? They are types of lenses. (2 points)

12) At standard conditions, the formula for Hydrogen is H followed by what subscript number? (1 point)

13) Which British comedian wrote, directed and starrred in the TV shows Crashing and Fleabag as well as contributing to the script of James Bond film No Time To Die? (1 point)

14) Which 3 nations directly to the east of the Iron Curtain have since ceased to exist? (3 points)

15) What are the only 2 planets to have emojis? Strictly speaking one is more of a generic planet but it's a decent look-a-like for a specific planet. (2 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #50 (50th Quiz Bumper Edition)

Date: 14/07/21
MAIS: 54 / 80
PDL: Medium   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_50.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which song, originally released in 1965, and becoming one of the most covered songs of all time, originally had the holding lyrics, "Scrambled eggs/Oh my baby how I love your legs/Not as much as I love scrambled eggs"? (1 point)

2) a) Which sparkling wine is the most popular globally based on volume? The style is protected by origin and its parent country also makes the most sparkling wine of any country in the world (27% of total volume), followed by France (22%). b) Which country recently caused the ire of the French by saying only their own sparkling wine can use the word 'Shampanskoye' on their bottles? (2 points)

3) Anesthesia can include some or all of paralysis, unconsciousness and these 2 terms, but what do they mean? a) Amnesia b) Analgesia (2 points)

4) Who is the most decorated darts player of all time, with 16 World Matchplay and 11 World Grand Prix titles? (1 point)

5) The 2 biggest penguins (by height and mass) are named for which two high-ranking titles? (2 points)

6) Denim is named after, and first made in, which French city? (1 point)

7) a) The 1980s saw the rise and popularity of which genre of music, characterised by "pop-orientated styles" as well as being a "more accessible counterpart of post-punk". Its name would also give a surfer a second chance. b) Which British singer was one of the most successful of the 1980s and had a 1987 album 'Faith' that went on to be one of the best-selling albums of all time? (2 points)

8) As of the 2021-22 Seria A season, which 4 Italian cities can boast 2 clubs in the (top) division? The clubs that don't have their city name in their club name are: Sampdoria, Internazionale, Lazio & Juventus. (4 points)

9) What 3-letter acronym is shared by the biggest airline in Scandinavia (by seat share), the largest statistical software suite (by market share) and a famous special forces unit of the British Army? (1 point)

10) Thomas Newcomen's "atmospheric engine" became the first commercially successful steam engine. What century was it developed in? (1 point)

11) What are these Latin phrases (used in English) from their descriptions - each one is a word longer than the previous: a) In exactly the same words b) Repeating or continuing to the point of boredom / irritation c) Favour or advantage given or expected in return for something (3 points)

12) Panamax and NeoPanamax are terms used to define (specific use-case) size limits of what type of transport? (1 point)

13) Which 5 English speaking countries form the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance? (5 points)

14) Which word used by many Native American communities to mean a meeting of dance, song, socialising and honouring of their culture has made its way into English to mean a discussion among friends? (1 point)

15) Two natural disasters occurred at Lituya Bay, Alaska, in 1958 within minutes of eachother. The initial one caused a 90m ton rockslide, which itself caused the second - what were they? (2 points)

16) What links the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, the Estadio Olímpico and the Saparmurat Turkmenbashy Olympic Stadium? (1 point)

17) The cover for the album 'Renegades' by Rage Against the Machine has the letters RAGE formed with RA above GE in a serif font with one letter slanted, referencing a famous Pop Art image made in 1965 by Robert Indiana, using what other 4 letter word? (1 point)

18) Which Billy first set up his amusements stall on Skegness seafront in the 1920s, before going on to establish the first of his all-in-one holiday camps 3 miles north of the town? (1 point)

19) Known by the Dutch as 'Glorieuze Overtocht', which 1688 event sparked the start of the Jacobites aim of restoring the House of Stuart to the British throne? The same term is used for the 1868 deposition of Queen Isabella II in Spain. (1 point)

20) A folk etymology for the tennis score 'love' (0) is that it's a corruption of the French nickname for this score, due to the resemblance of the number to what item? (1 point)

21) According to the Official UK Charts, these 2 albums have the longest names - what are the artists? The former album was released 3 years before the year that forms the latter band's name: a) Prophets, Seers And Sages The Angels Of The Ages / My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair... But Now They're Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows (double album re-release) b) I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (band named for a year) (2 points)

22) What are the 2 historically dominant political parties in New Zealand? One shares its name with a leading UK political party, the other has a name common to some far right parties in other countries. (2 points)

23) The record for the most stage wins at the Tour de France has recently been equalled. Who was the previous sole owner of the record and who pulled level? The surname of the former and the regional denonym of the latter both contain the letter X. (2 points)

24) Within the feminist movement, we are currently in the 'fourth wave' of feminism. Identify each wave from its descriptions (just: 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th): a) "Focusing on sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, de facto inequalities, and official legal inequalities" b) "Characterized by a focus on the empowerment of women, the use of internet tools, and intersectionality" c) "Embracing individualism in women and diversity and sought to redefine what it meant to be a feminist" d) Mainly concentrating on legal issues, primarily on securing women's right to vote" (4 points)

25) a) Which 3 UN countries have the highest maximum elevation? b) Which 3 UN countries have the lowest maximum natural elevation (10m or less)? (6 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One adult and one child's card from the 1988 Family Edition set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose TEN (FIVE FROM EACH) questions to answer:

Picture Round

Answers (Quiz #50)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #49

Date: 07/07/21
MAIS: 29 / 50
PDL: Harder   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_49.zip

Main Quiz

1) Large, circular pieces of cheese are generally known by which word that also features on a lot of vehicles? (1 point)

2) The word 'Kayak' comes into English from the Inuktitut 'qajaq', but which two UN countries are the main dialects of this language from? (2 points)

3) What are the official summer and winter sports of Canada? Both involve a stick. (2 points)

4) In English linguistics, what is the term for an "idiosyncratic substitution of a word or phrase for a word or words that sound similar or identical"? An example is 'ex-patriot' instead of 'expatriate', and the term itself is an example based on the word 'acorn'. (1 point)

5) Katrine, as a primate, has nails made of which protein? Claws, horns and hooves in vertebrates are mostly made from the same thing - it's an anagram of her name, but what is it? (1 point)

6) Who are the 5 acts to win the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK? They are 2 female artists and 3 mixed groups and the winning years are: 1967, 1969, 1976, 1981, 1997. (5 points)

7) The two sequels to the film, 'The Naked Gun' both had unusual numbers (rather than just 2 & 3), both involving fractions - what were they? (2 points)

8) Translated as "The Island", which Qatari-government-funded Arabic news channel is one of the most prominent in the medium, and has courted controversy due to "its willingness to broadcast no holds barred views" as well as being accused of "giving a voice to terrorists" by some Western media. (1 point)

9) a) Since 1937, the US presidential inauguration has taken place on which date in January (except in 1957, 1985 and 2013)? b) Otherwise, the official oath was administered in private on the same day, but why was the public ceremony delayed? (2 points)

10) According to the latest Instagram Rich List published by social media company Hopper HQ, which male and female celebrities command the highest payment for a sponsored post? The man is a footballer who captained his side when winning UEFA Euro 2016, the woman is a singer with solo UK No. 1s including Positions, 7 Rings & Thank U Next. (2 points)

11) The British TV show Love Island has been hosted in 2 different countries across 6 different series. They are 1 hour apart in timezones, but many thousand kilometres apart in distance, and both begin with S - what are they? (2 points)

12) Unrecognised in Olympic swimming, there are 2 strokes that are the fastest over short distances. Both involve swimming underwater, with the 'fish stroke' involving swimming on one's side and the second fastest having the person facing downwards - which sea mammal species is this named after? (1 point)

13) Pottery generally involves turning what natural material into what shaped-and-fired other material? Both words begin with C. (2 points)

14) What are the 3 biggest cities in Central America (2015 data)? Two contain their country's name. NB Mexico is classed as being in North America. (3 points)

15) Which 6 letters of the alphabet aren't the starting letter of any films to win Best Picture at the Oscars? Any film starting 'The' counts as beginning with T in this case. (6 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #48

Date: 30/06/21
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_48.zip

Main Quiz

1) Iceland only has one native land mammal, and it's got an appropriate name for where it generally lives. What is it? (1 point)

2) The language variety 'Scots' is also spoken in parts of Northern Ireland, where it's known by what 2 word name? (1 point)

3) What are defined as the 5 'basic human tastes'? Two are often confused in English, and one is a loanword from Japanese. (5 points)

4) The Bishop of which English City is part of port-passing etiquette where asking if you know him is used to suggest the port is currently being hogged? The phrase ("Do you know the Bishop of ______?") can also be used to alert someone of something they've forgotten, such as an unzipped fly. (1 point)

5) The sandwich chain Subway generally sells its 'subs' in two sizes in the US, with one being twice as long as the other. What two sizes are they marketed as? They happen to be in different, but related, units. (2 points)

6) Both occurring in 2014, which airline had its flight MH370 disappear (probably) somewhere in the Indian Ocean and its flight MH17 shot down by a surface-to-air missile over Ukraine? (1 point)

7) What are the two similar names of the 1993 Oscar winning film directed by Steven Spielberg and the 1982 Booker Prize winning book by Thomas Keneally about the life of Oscar Schindler? (2 points)

8) The Dead Sea borders which 2 countries and which disputed territory? (3 points)

9) Which female artists or groups including women have all had exactly 9 UK No.1 singles, only being eclipsed by Madonna (with 13)? They are an all female group, a mixed group and a solo artist. (3 points)

10) A Yorkshire river with its source in the Dales, the secondary CBD of London (Canary ____) and a Klingon Starfleet Officer in Star Trek are all homophones with different spellings, but how are they spelled? (3 points)

11) "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" is a phrase often mis-attributed to which Queen of France? Brioche became 'cake' in the English translation. (1 point)

12) Michael Schur co-created the police sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as well as co-creating which two hit 'mockumentary' comedies? One was an adaptation of a UK series of the same name. (2 points)

13) World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) used to be known as WWF (F = Federation), but changed its name due to a dispute with what other organisation (full name)? (1 point)

14) The film "The Expendables" (2010) stars which two actors whose first names begin with J? One is a Chinese-born Singaporean, one is English - both are generally typecast in similar roles. (2 points)

15) What are the names of the "Big 5" men's European football leagues? The countries aren't needed for the answers, but half points for naming them instead (pick and choose, if needed). (5 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Answers (Quiz #48)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #47

Date: 23/06/21
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_47.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which word beginning with H is generally used for small-handled axes, often featuring a hammerhead on the back side? (1 point)

2) Eventually made a Knight and a Lord, which two British brothers forged successful careers in Film & TV, with one acting in 'The Great Escape', 'Jurassic Park' and 'Miracle on 34th Street' and the other presenting shows such as 'Zoo Quest in Paraguay', 'The Life of Birds' and 'The Blue Planet'? (2 points)

3) What's the name of the "Hillbilly cover band" of AC/DC? Their name sounds (but doesn't look) similar to the original band name. (1 point)

4) Which two foodstuffs with an EC Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) can be legally made in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire? (2 points)

5) Which active stratovolcano is the highest point of the island of Sicily? (1 point)

6) The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 saw a failed assassination attempt of which King of England & Ireland? (1 point)

7) Of Bob Dylans first 4 albums, only one doesn't contain his name in the title. What's it called? The name was also a song on the album, which is one of Dylan's most-covered songs. (1 point)

8) Which countries are these dance styles most associated? They're all from countries in the Top 10 list of total Spanish speakers: a) Flamenco b) Rumba c) Lindyhop d) Bolero (4 points)

9) Hungry sports stars: a) Which Uruguayan footballer has been caught/accused of biting opponents on three separate occasions? b) Which American boxer was disqualified from his fight against Evander Holyfield after biting off some of his ear? (2 points)

10) The internet acronyms IP, HTTP and FTP all have which same word as their P? (1 point)

11) The Day Today was a 1994 television show that had a lot of influence on British comedy. a) It was co-created by which Scottish comedian, who has gone on to write and direct the films 'In the Loop' & 'The Death of Stalin' and TV shows 'Time Trumpet' & 'Veep'? b) The sports correspondent character went on to have numerous TV shows (and they're still being made), who is he? c) Which comedy duo, who could alternatively be described as "the sheltered side & harengus", were listed as writers for the programme despite only working on the radio production (On the Hour)? (3 points)

12) Name the 4 genuine / popular IKEA products from this list - the imposters are Swedish for "these are all fake": Falska, Poäng, Färgrik, Är, Dessa, Ektorp, Alla, Docksta (4 points)

13) a) Which 3 cities held the unfortunate title of having the most murders (total, not per capita) in the USA in 2020? b) Taking third place in 2019 but sixth place in 2020, Baltimore was also the setting for which acclaimed crime drama that run from 2002-08? (4 points)

14) What are the 3 novels in E.L. James's 50 Shades trilogy? (3 points)

15) The 3 tallest man-made structures ever built are all different types and all serve different purposes. What are they (name, type of structure or purpose - choose any one for each)? One collapsed in 1991. (3 points)

Trivial Pursuit Card

One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Answers (Quiz #47)   ⇳     (toggle)

Lockdown Quiz #46

Date: 16/06/21
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_46.zip

Main Quiz

1) What's the name of the biggest sporting goods retailer in the world? It was founded in France and shares its name with an Olympic athletics event. (1 point)

2) Name the children's author from their books: a) The Cat in the Hat, How The Grinch Stole Christmas b) Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, Slinky Malinki c) The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Grouchy Ladybug (3 points)

3) The myrtle-leaved orange tree (Citrus myrtifolia) is one of the main flavours in which red Italian apéritif? It's an essential ingredient in a Negroni cocktail. (1 point)

4) Which German car manufacturer has a famous rear-engined model that shares its name with the US emergency number? (1 point)

5) In the Top 15 list of most populous 'communes' in France (~cities/towns), which four begin with any letters in 'FRANCE'? There are 2 each from different starting letters. (4 points)

6) Which fielding positions in Cricket are being described by the term's more general usage in English (starting letters in brackets)? a) A ravine formed by the action of water (G) b) To lose one's footing and slide unintentionally (S) c) An additional material item used to protect what's underneath it (EC) (3 points)

7) a) The Jolly Roger pirate flag most-commonly consists of two similar varieties both withonsistingand skull with what two different crossed items underneath it (2 points)

8) Colonsay in Scotland and Glencolumbkille in Ireland are both named after which Christian Saint, known for bringing Christianity to Scotland? (1 point)

9) a) Peter Paul were the forenames of which Flemish Baroque painter? b) Peter, Paul and who else formed an American folk music revival trio in 1961? (2 points)

10) April Fools jokes: a) In 1857, BBC Panorama purported to show what growing on trees? b) In 2010, The Independent suggested the Circle Line of the London Underground was being considered for what use by CERN? (2 points)

11) What two word term was originally a name for ground cobalt glass, then becoming a general name for a similar colour, as well as a 2001 song by Elbow and a 2009 film directed by Timothy Linh Bui featuring an ensemble cast? (1 point)

12) The Men's Euro 2020 tournament has begun (a year late). Which 5 nations beginning with S are competing? (5 points)

13) Before becoming Prime Minister, Boris Johnson held which senior ministerial position (2016-18) and which non-governmental executive position (2008-16)? (2 points)

14) Lucy Lui has provided the voice for 2 different characters in film franchises with 5 or more films. The characters are called Master Viper and Silvermist, but what are the two franchises? The first films in both were released in 2008, although one franchise is direct-to-video. (2 points)

15) By weight, what are the biggest species of: a) Shark b) Rodent c) Snake? (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #45

Date: 10/06/21
MAIS: 31 / 50
PDL: Medium   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_45.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which American author gained the nickname 'Don Ernesto' in Spain? (1 point)

2) At the 93rd Academy Awards (hosted in 2021), which film about an octopus won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature? (1 point)

3) What are the 5 landlocked UN countries beginning with A? As a clue to one, the Caspian Sea doesn't exlude landlockedness in this case. (5 points)

4) Which event within the Olympic sport of Canoeing shares its name with a famous mountain? (1 point)

5) a) Bob Marley & The Wailers never had a single reach the US Top 50, but their song "I Shot The Sheriff" reached number 1 when covered by whom? b) Conversely, their Greatist Hits album was a worldwide smash, reaching number 1 in the UK and a number of other countries and becoming the UK's 18th best selling album of all time. What was it called? (2 points)

6) "Dial M for Murderousness, "The Greatest Story Ever Hula'd" and "Two Minus Three Equals Negative Fun!" are all invented films starring which Simpsons character? (1 point)

7) Laphroaig, Mackmyra & Yamazaki are all producers of what popular drink? (1 point)

8) a) Rule 34 is an internet maxim that states any conceivable topic can be what? b) Another maxim known as Godwin's Law states that as an online discussion grows longer the probability of a comparison to what (or who) increases? (2 points)

9) Yiddish and Ladino are both languages that utilise Hebrew script for writing. Which two European languages are their spoken forms based on? Both use an older form of those languages, but the modern language will do. (2 points)

10) Food bands: a) Spicy band with albums such as Californication, Stadium Arcadium b) Comforting band with singles such as You Sexy Thing, It Started with a Kiss c) Sweet band with albums such as In the City, All Mod Cons d) Legumey band with singles such as Where is the Love, My Humps (4 points)

11) Steve Buscemi has spawned a couple of memes: a) Which part of his body is photoshopped onto other people to give them an aged / comical appearance? b) In the sitcom 30 Rock, he played a "very young-looking cop" who'd previously infiltrated highschools using what 6-word greeting that is now oft repeated? (2 points)

12) Which 3 countries border the Gulf of Aden? In recent years, the region has had problems with piracy. (3 points)

13) The app icon for Snapchat features a white ghost on what colour background? (1 point)

14) What are the country towns of these historical counties? To help, as of the 2021/22 football season, each town/city has a club in the top four tiers of the English men's game, moving up a league with each answer: a) Cumberland b) Shropshire c) Glamorgan d) Norfolk (4 points)

15) a) The periodical cicadas of eastern North America (Magicicada) emerge from the ground en masse in what two prime number cycles? It's postulated that this is to avoid predators potentially syncing up their own generations to divisors of the cicadas' emergence. b) In some species of tree (e.g. oak, beech), they produce a bountiful crop of nuts every 5-10 years in what is known as a ____ year? It's theorised this is to increase the chance of saplings by there simply being more seeds on the ground as well as increasing populations of pests to birds. (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #44

Date: 02/06/21
MAIS: 35 / 50
PDL: Easier   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_44.zip

Main Quiz

1) Médecins Sans Frontières is also known in English by what 3 word translation? (1 point)

2) The BQE is a major road linking which two New York boroughs? (2 points)

3) Which 2 sports beginning with S currently feature in the roster of the Commonwealth Games? You could feasibly deploy a volley in both. NB Swimming is part of 'Aquatics'. (2 points)

4) British musicians Nick and Chris, New Zealand DJ Zane and American actor Rob all share which surname? (1 point)

5) The 'mainspring' of a mechanical watch is used for what function? (1 point)

6) Which 3 animated TV shows have been created by Matt Groening? (3 points)

7) a) As well as a statue of William Scoresby, Whitby commemorates which maritime Captain in statue form? b) Scoresby had strong links to a major trade for the coastal town, which is recognised by an archway made of what? (2 points)

8) Spain has borders with which 4 countries and which 'overseas territory'? (5 points)

9) Which igneous butte (isolated hill with steep, vertical sides) in Wyoming features in the climactic scenes in the films 'Close Encounters of Third Kind' and 'Paul', with the latter referencing the former? (1 point)

10) Duolingo is a language learning app. In its 2020 usage report, which 3 non-European languages were in the Top 10 most popular languages? (3 points)

11) The Siege of Paris (1870-71) saw the end of Franco-Prussian War, with the Prussian forces under the command of whom? He was also the namesake of a later German warship, famously immobilised and scuttled during WW2. (1 point)

12) One of the highest ranks in the Boy Scouts of America, the 'Webelos' was originally an acronym (with added vowels) for which 3 other Scout ranks, named after animals (W, B, L)? (3 points)

13) Which English author of thrillers, has a book 'One Across, Two Down', which features cryptic crosswords as a key part of the plot? She is also well known for her Inspector Wexford series. (1 point)

14) What sports do the following Viking teams play? a) Minnesota Vikings c) Canberra Vikings c) Viking FK (3 points)

15) The BBC broadcasts its radio stations 1, 2, 3 & 4 on the FM frequency in 2 or 3 integer ranges for each channel (e.g. 100-102, which isn't used by any of them) - give a single FM frequency within the range for each (e.g. Radio 1 = 101.5, Radio 2 = etc). (4 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #43

Date: 26/05/21
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (8 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_43.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which 3-letter river name is a popular one across the UK, with prominent examples in North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lothian and Dumfries & Galloway? The name comes from the word 'isca' (meaning water) and other derived names include Axe, Exe and Usk. (1 point)

2) The Chicks (band), The Washington Football Team (NFL) and Young (music label) have what recent thing in common? (1 point)

3) a) Which band has albums, "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)" & "Summer in Paradise" and singles, "All Summer Long" and "Summertime Blues"? b) Which film includes a prominent song and single with the opening lyric, "Summer loving, had me a blast"? (2 points)

4) In the UK May 2021 elections: a) Which political party won the most seats in the recent Welsh election? b) Who won the London mayoral contest? c) How many seats were the Scottish National Party short of an outright majority? (3 points)

5) Lego has released 2 cinematic feature films based on and titled after other TV / film franchises - what are they? To help out, there are numerous Lego TV shows based on Star Wars, but no feature films. (2 points)

6) On 15 July 2018, France won their second World Cup. They played against which team, the first time they'd made the final? (1 point)

7) a) South Park is an animated comedy show and fictional town in which US State? The State's capital is Denver. b) What's the nickname of Denver's NFL team? They feature in a number of episodes of the show. (2 points)

8) Which Muslim festival celebrates the end of Ramadan? (1 point)

9) Dan Brown has published 5 books in the Robert Langdon series - name any 4. Their titles are in the forms A&D, TDVC, TLS, I & O. (4 points)

10) a) What are the three main fillings of a Reuben sandwich? It's on rye bread and is complemented with Russian dressing. b) Although it's associated with kosher-style delis, what specifically makes it not kosher? (4 points)

11) What's the least-dense chemical element (under ordinary conditions)? It has proved both a help and hindrance to human flight. (1 point)

12) a) Which TLA (three letter acronym) is the main psychoactive drug of Cannabis known by and what's the TLA of a different core compound, which has been widely sold recently as a 'beneficial' oil? b) The word 'ganja' came into English from which language (originially from Sanskrit)? Although unrelated etymologically, this word ('gañja') is not dissimilar to a major river where the language is spoken. (3 points)

13) After the elephant (reaching up to 6900kg), which 3 native African land mammal species can reach more than 1000kg in weight? As it's a borderline case, the buffalo doesn't count. (3 points)

14) Combining the colloquial nicknames of the first major towns / stations to the south and north of York on the East Coast mainline gives you a name similar to that of which 2001 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the eponymous role? (1 point)

15) a) The Holy Roman Empire contained 2 Kingdoms with names of modern day countries - what were they? b) It also had two Kingdoms named after regions beginning with B, now (roughly) part of France and Czech Republic - what were they? (4 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #42

Date: 20/05/21
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_42.zip

Main Quiz

1) Whose literary works have included Midnight's Children (1981), Fury (2001), & The Golden House (2017) - but became far more familiar to the general public due to his controversial 1988 novel? (1 point)

2) What are these video sharing platforms based on their top 3 accounts by subscribers / followers: a) charlidamelio, addisonre, bellaporch b) T-Series, Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes, PewDiePie c) ludwig, ranboolive, nickmercs? (3 points)

3) Giles Brandreth is the person with the most appearances as a guest in what segment of the TV show Countdown? These guests sit next to Susie Dent. (1 point)

4) The actress Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of which two acting parents? (2 points)

5) Which hats are traditionally worn with 'black tie' evening wear in summer (straw hat beginning with B) and winter (fur felt hat beginning with H) and which more formal hat is generally worn with 'white tie'? (3 points)

6) Which 3 companies dominate the personal computer market [2020 data], together having over 60% market share? They are followed by the 3 As of Apple, Asus and Acer. (3 points)

7) a) Named to commemorate a specific event and coloured silver on the Tube Map for the same reason, what's the name of the newest line on the London Underground? b) Which event at the 2012 Olympics gave its name to the nickname of the British Rail Class 395? They formed part of the travel infrastrucure for the games. (2 points)

8) Other than Russia, which 2 (European) countries are regarded as originators of Vodka? (2 points)

9) Colourful Britpop: a) Led by Mark Morriss with albums including "Expecting to Fly" and "Return to the Last Chance Saloon" b) Led by Shaun Ryder with singles including "Kelly's Heroes" and "Fat Neck". (2 points)

10) What is the name for the often circular disc that covers and protects a keyhole? The 10-letter word comes from the Latin scutum, meaning shield, and came into English from Old North French. (1 point)

11) a) Plant cells have mitochondria and which additional energy generator? b) Plants and animals both have eukaryotic cells, but what other type of cell generates energy through its mebrane? It forms the basis of Bacteria and Archaea. (2 points)

12) a) Around one third of all English monarchs (reigning from 886-1707) have names beginning with what letter? b) What's the only letter to appear in those regnal names that isn't in the English alphabet? Describe it if necessary. (2 points)

13) .In Deborah Cadbury's book 'Seven Wonders of the Industrial World', she presents a steamship, sewerage system, railroad, bridge and which 3 other things - what are they called? a) A canal in Central America b) A dam in the USA c) A structure off the coast of Angus, Scotland (3 points)

14) Nidderdale in Yorkshire was historically known as ______dale, where the missing word relates to its lowly position and also features in the name of a country for a similar reason. (1 point)

15) In the date format DDMMYYYY, what are the 5 next palindromic dates (same backwards and forwards) following 12022021 (12/02/2021)? (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #41

Date: 12/05/21
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (12 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_41.zip

Main Quiz

1) Two items have recently sold at auction for record-breaking amounts in their category, both featuring famous Americans: a) The Nike Air Yeezy 1, designed with and worn by which US musician? b) An 'ultra rare' trading card of which current NBA star? (2 points)

2) Which 3 scales, named for surnames of male scientists, are most-commonly used to measure: a) Earthquakes? b) Wind action at sea? c) Mineral hardness? (3 points)

3) What's the name of the Indian multinational car brand _____ Motors, headquartered in Pune? The word was also used in a Formula 1 team name _____ India (2007-2018), although there was no connection. (1 point)

4) a) What was the Roman name for London? b) The site is roughly where the City of London now inhabits, but which other part of London also has city status? (2 points)

5) Popular in British Indian restaurants, what are these naan breads known as? a) One filled with dessicated coconut, nuts and raisins. b) One filled with a layer of minced sheep or goat. (2 points)

6) Which 3 capital cities of UN countries are more northerly than Dublin and have fewer letters in their (English) name? (3 points)

7) a) Manatees are also known as sea ___s, with the missing word being what land mammal? They form 3 of the 4 extant species of Sirenia - what is the 4th commonly known as? It's from the Eastern hemisphere. (2 points)

8) Which American rock band had one word studio albums called 'EVOL', 'Sister', 'Goo' and 'Dirty'? The founding members Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo featured on them all. (1 point)

9) a) With 40, who has scored the most goals in any season of the German Bundesliga? He also once held the record for most goals in World Cups. b) With 39, which Polish striker is currently close to eclipsing that record with 2 games remaining in the season? (2 points)

10) Which letter can you add to a popular TV cooking competition to get the protagonist of the Halo series of video games? (1 point)

11) a) Which Bee Gees song is often taught in UK CPR courses as a way to get the timing of chest compressions correct? It's name also works as a bit of dark humour. b) 'Resusci Annie' is a CPR doll used to teach resuscitation techniques across the world. Checking the doll's conditiion spawned a lyric in which Michael Jackson song? (2 points)

12) a) Alsace has been historically linked to which other region (English spelling) as an Imperial Territory, which has featured prominently in a number of wars? In the Alsatian language, the territory is known as "'s Rìchslànd Elsàss-Lothrìnga". b) The 'Alsatian Wolf dog' is also known as what in English (other than just the 'Alsatian')? (2 points)

13) After the 2020 Summer Olympics (in Tokyo, Japan, now being held in 2021), which 4 countries are confirmed hosts of future summer or winter Olympic Games? (4 points)

14) a) Sex and the City was romantic comedy-drama series starring 4 main actresses. Which two have first names beginning with K? b) The TV show also spawned two films, what was the latter one titled? (3 points)

15) What imperial measurements replace their (~) metric counterparts to make this sentence make sense: "A persistent burglar will 0.454kg on the door, using every 28.3g of their strength. They might leave, but not 201m." (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #40

Date: 28/04/21
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (9 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_40.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which 2 football clubs have both a men's and women's team in the semi finals of the 2020/21 Champions League tournaments? (2 points)

2) Which American office supply company founded in 1986 has a name that is one of the products it sells as well as being a word for the main things you need regularly? (1 point)

3) What are the 2 sexes of the (Indian) peafowl commonly known as? (2 points)

4) In an episode of "I'm Alan Partridge", Alan suggests his full English breakfast could be improved by using a sausage as a _________? It helps to provide distance between the eggs and the beans - it's also the name for a wall that protects a harbour entrance. (1 point)

5) Which 2 consecutive studio albums by the band Queen (1975/6) had titles in the form: A _____ at the _____? (2 points)

6) Brassica oleracea is a plant species that has many cultivars as common foods. In the UK, there are 6 that you'll most likely find in the supermarket and conveniently 2 begin with B, 2 with C and 2 with K. One of those is broccoli - what are the other 5? The last alphabetically is a bit rarer but you might also know it as a German turnip. (5 points)

7) a) Harris is the south-western part of the largest island in the Hebrides. What is the north-eastern part known as? b) What is the name of the green bird that acted as a ventriloquist dummy for Keith Harris? (2 points)

8) Named for the Latin pronouns tu and vos, what's the linguistic term for the contextual use of pronouns to convey formality / familiarity? The same term could feasibly be an award at the BAFTAs. (1 point)

9) By the 1st century BC, the Romans had started replacing their name for Britain with a new one - what are the two names? Both are still used today in various contexts, one perhaps best known as part of a football team name and the other as part of a patriotic song title. (2 points)

10) The TV show Game of Thrones has review scores from Rotten Tomatoes of 90%+ for all seasons bar one - which is it (season number)? (1 point)

11) Which modernist sculptor has a museum dedicated to her work in St Ives (now managed by the Tate)? (1 point)

12) Tom Jones starred in which 1996 American comic sci-fi film? He plays himself, as part of a group of people from Las Vegas escaping an alien invasion. b) Which other Welsh singer featured on the song 'The Ballad of Tom Jones' along with Space? (2 points)

13) By 'market capitalisation' (~total value of all shares, 2019 data), what are the 5 biggest stock exchanges in the world? Three are named for cities, one for a country and one for a brand name / former acronym - full names aren't needed. (5 points)

14) In the current UK House of Commons, which 3 parties have the most MPs after the Conservative and Labour Parties? (3 points)

15) Which major sports have/had the following named trophies: a) Webb Ellis b) Solheim c) Jules Rimet? (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #39

Date: 21/04/21
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (13 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_39.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which 5 of Winnie the Pooh's main friends were also based on the stuffed toys of A.A. Milne's son? Owl and Rabbit were added with imagination, and Gopher was added by Disney. (5 points)

2) In only its 4th occurrence ever on TV, Anthony Neuer (aka the 'Ginger Assassin') recently converted which split in Ten Pin Bowling? Splits are when the first ball leaves non-adjacent pins remaining and are named for those (numbered) pins. (1 point)

3) Machu Picchu is a 15th century citadel built by which Empire? (1 point)

4) In the Top 10 list of nuts consumed globally (2018 data), which 4 begin with P? (4 points)

5) What is the only Harry Potter book to have an 8 word title? It was released in 2003. (1 point)

6) James Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets in cricket, although 3 spinners have also made this mark: Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan & Shane Warne. Which 3 countries did they represent? (3 points)

7) A brocken spectre is a magnified shadow, often accompanied by a halo / glory (~rainbow) that is projected onto what? (1 point)

8) a) In the episode of Father Ted, "Speed 3", what type of vehicle is Dougal driving that will explode if it goes under 4 mph? b) In Episode 2 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a London playwright is disgusted with his son's chosen profession and fancy talk after leaving to work in Yorkshire - what's his job? c) In the episode of Fawlty Towers, "The Germans", what must they not mention? (3 points)

9) The road and cyclo-cross cyclist Femke Van den Driessche was the first cyclist to be charged with 'mechanical doping' in 2016. What was she accused of doing? (1 point)

10) What herb with the botanical name Anthriscus cerefoliumis is also known as 'French parsley'. It is generally used to season mild-flavoured dishes. (1 point)

11) HVAC is an acronym used in technology of indoor environmental comfort. What 3 terms does it comprise (H, V & AC)? (3 points)

12) Which 2019 film won Best Picture at the 2020 Academy Awards and Best Film Not In The English Language at the 2020 BAFTAs? (1 point)

13) What are these molecules of elements commonly called: a) O3 (aka Trioxygen) b) 2H (aka Hydrogen-2) (2 points)

14) Josephine Baker was an American-born French entertainer. In her performance in 'Un vent de folie' (1927), her short skirt caused a sensation and became an iconic image of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties. It was made of golden, studded, artificial versions of what fruit? (1 point)

15) What are the top-level country internet domains for the following countries (e.g. UK = .uk)? They're all 2 letters: a) Vanuatu b) Yemen c) New Zealand d) Germany e) Brazil (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #38

Date: 14/04/21
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_38.zip

Main Quiz

1) What is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that's still largely intact? (1 point)

2) 'Life on Mars' and 'Ashes to Ashes' are BBC TV shows referencing songs by which musician? (1 point)

3) Compared to most other rodents, moles (Talpidae) have which two different body parts that are small and inconspicuous? (2 points)

4) Mountaineering Scotland is a national representative body covering which 4 activities? They begin with C, H W, M & S T. (4 points)

5) Physicists at Fermilab have announced the possible existence of a fifth fundamental force of nature. The experiment involved studying the wobble of which fundamental particles when placed under a magnetic field at great speed? (1 point)

6) Peabo Bryson has recorded two hit duets as official singles for Disney films (although sung by other people in the actual films). One was with Celine Dion (1991), the other with Regina Belle (1993), what are the films? The former's song name is the title of the film, the latter's song is titled, 'A Whole New World'. (2 points)

7) Which American cartoonist gives his name to a chain reaction machine designed to perform a simple task in an overly complicated way? (1 point)

8) Which five men's football teams have won 5 or more European Cup / Champions League trophies? (5 points)

9) a) The 2021 Boat Race was moved from the Thames to which river? b) The Yale-Harvard Boat Race also normally takes place on the Thames, near which 2 word city in Connecticut? There's some logic to the naming. (2 points)

10) Nobel Prize for Literature winners since the year 2000 - writing in English: a) Who is the only person to win for songwriting? b) Who is the only British woman to win? c) Who is the only Canadian to win? (3 points)

11) Popularised within Behavioural Economics, which 5-letter word is a theory proposed by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein? It outlines "positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions as ways to influence behaviour". The word also means 'a light touch or push'. (1 point)

12) There are currently 10 UK house price indices, mostly made by banks and estate agencies. Which are these: a) An Estate Agency that wants to make a Sir out of John Bluthal's character in the Vicar of Dibley? b) A bank (ex-building society) with the same name as a Canadian City known for the largest human-made explosion in 1917? (2 points)

13) A film has just been nominated for 2 Academy Awards with the longest name of any Oscars nominee ever. It stars Sacha Baron Cohen playing which character? (1 point)

14) Which continents do these crops originate from? a) Coffee b) Soybeans c) Potatoes d) Macadamia nuts (4 points)

15) What are the English equivalents to these French idioms? Each one decreases in how literal a translation it is: a) Jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain b) Appeler un chat un chat c) C'est la fin des haricots! (3 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #37

Date: 07/04/21
MAIS: 32 / 50
PDL: Medium   (10 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_37.zip

Main Quiz

1) S'mores are a campfire treat that involve which two foodstuffs placed between Graham crackers? (2 points)

2) Which species of poultry is domesticated from the Red Junglefowl? (1 point)

3) On a dart board, which numbers are opposite: a) 20 b) 6. They're on the cardinal points. (2 points)

4) 'Dingsbums' is a colloquial German word used in what situation? It has a few equivalents in English, such as words ending with 'bob' and 'jig'. (1 point)

5) Songs by Coolio, Feist and Plain White T's, albums by Ronnie Wood and Propaganda, and the main-belt asteroid Elyna all feature which consecutive string of four numbers? (1 point)

6) The world's highest 39 peaks are in (or partly in) which 4 countries? The 40th is in Bhutan. (4 points)

7) The UK state pension age (aka 'retirement age') was gradually made the same for men and women after the introduction of the Pensions Act 1995. a) It raised the age for women to what, which was already the age for men? b) As of 2020, it has been raised again - what to? (2 points)

8) "I wanted to see lots of animals at the zoo, but they only had one tiny dog. It was a _______"? (1 point)

9) Oil spills: a) Which conflict was ongoing that resulted in a huge dump of oil into the Persian Gulf in 1991? b) In one of the largest marine oil spills in history, which BP-operated oil rig spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010? c) Which oil tanker spilled over 10 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1989? (3 points)

10) a) NASA recently landed a new Rover on Mars - what is it called? It's following in the 'footsteps' of Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity. b) The mission carried the message, "DARE MIGHTY THINGS" (+coordinates) in 10-bit binary, encoded into what part of the lander? c) For such expeditions, Mars-days are known by what 3-letter word (singular)? It's the Latin word for sun. (3 points)

11) In the Nintendo Mario games, who is Mario's plumbing brother and which Princess are they normally trying to save? (2 points)

12) Which -ology is the study of "periodic events in biological life cycles and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate & habitat"? Someone who studies it might find the sentence, "the daffodils are out in January!" pretty darn exciting. (1 point)

13) a) Which branch of yoga is the main type practised in the Western world, although modernised to mostly 'yoga as exercise'? b) Which 4-letter word describes someone who practises yoga with a 'high level of commitment'? It's also the first name of an anthropomorphic cartoon character. c) The sage Patanjali wrote one of the main philosophical books on which yoga is based. They are known as the Yoga _____(s), with the missing word coming from Sanskrit for 'aphorism'. This word is mostly known in the West for featuring in another text with somewhat sexier poses. (3 points)

14) Which father and daughter have had UK number ones including "Strangers in the Night", "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" and the duet, "Somethin' Stupid"? (2 points)

15) a) In the Australian Open women's singles tennis tournament, which 2 countries have been represented the most by winners in the Open Era (1969-present)? b) Which 3 ex-countries have also been represented in the Open Era? (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #36

Date: 31/03/21
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_36.zip

Main Quiz

1) The Tea Party was a fiscally conservative political movement within the American Republican Party - which city's Tea Party is its name a reference to? (1 point)

2) What are the front and back of a ship known as? These parts of the Ever Given container ship have been causing a bit of a trouble with global shipping recently. (2 points)

3) Which ingredient is the main omission from milk chocolate to make white chocolate? (1 point)

4) The City of Norwich is regarded by historians as the most complete city in the UK from which historical period? It lasted from 5th-15th century and is known by two different common names that both begin with the same letter - name them. (2 points)

5) Which 4 films that have won an Oscar for Best Picture contain a non-human animal as a distinct word in the film's title? (so not Rain MAN, SlumDOG Millionaire, The ShAPE of Water etc) (4 points)

6) What word is often used for a banana when cooking it, as well as being a cultivar of the genus Musa in its own right? It's familiarity in the UK mostly comes from Caribbean and African influences. (1 point)

7) In Christianity, Holy Week is the 7-day period from Sunday-Saturday preceding the celebration of Easter. What are the days of Sunday, Thursday and Friday known by within this week? (3 points)

8) In Terry Pratchett's Discworld book Soul Music, there's a band known as "We're Certainly Dwarves" - which real band is this a reference too? (1 point)

9) Who was the last Emperor in the Julio-Claudian dynasty (aka the first 5 Emperors, after the death of the General Julius Caesar)? He lent his name to a German company specialising in CD/DVD burning software. (1 point)

10) According to a 2007 CAMRA study of the UK's most common pub names (confirmed by a 2019 study by Pubs Galore), which 3 in the Top 10 take the form Colour Animal? Two of the colours are the same, but the animals are unique, with one being an archaic word for a male of that species. (3 points)

11) To get round copyright issues, stop motion (or more recently, CGI) videos using lego pieces / characters are known as _____films? (1 point)

12) What are the common names for polygons with a) 5 sides b) 8 sides c) 9 sides c) 12 sides? The names are generally used for both regular and irregular polygons (unlike 4-sided polygons where irregular = quadrilateral, regular = square) (4 points)

13) There have only been 6 openly LGBT heads of government - name any two countries they have represented. (2 points)

14) Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been in the news lately as a way of selling a unique digital item. Jack Dorsey sold his first ______ utilising this system? (1 point)

15) In the current list of sports at the Summer Olympics, which 6 ball sports contain the word 'ball' and involve 5+ players per team? (6 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #35

Date: 24/03/21
MAIS: 27 / 50
PDL: Harder   (12 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_35.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which electric car manufacturer has a Model 3, Model S and Model X in its current lineup? (1 point)

2) In most standard forms of poker (no wildcards etc), which 3 'hands' start with the letter F? They are amongst the highest ranking. (3 points)

3) Which Malaysian-Chinese designer gives his name to a fashion company that specialises in luxury shoes, handbags and accessories? It is based in London and founded in 1996. His surname sounds much like the single form of a product they are most famous for. (1 point)

4) Indian Pale Ale (IPA) is a popular brewing style in the craft beer scene, but what do the additional letters stand for in: a) DIPA b) NEIPA? (2 points)

5) The Shipping Forecast is a BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. Of the 31 'sea areas' included, there are 6 names for rivers / estuaries (3 each) - name any 5 of them. (5 points)

6) At the Summer Olympics, the USA have received most gold medals in Athletics and Swimming (by some margin), but which 3 sports are next in the list? They're all useful skills in a fight. (3 points)

7) According to a number of folk dictionaries, what is the word, "Aibohphobia" a fear of? (1 point)

8) Other than the UK Nations, which 3 countries are represented more than once by managers of the current men's English Premier League teams? They are all EU countries. (3 points)

9) a) Which Marvel superhero has been the title character in films with the sub-titles: The First Avenger, The Winter Soldier and Civil War? b) Who person produced these films, as well as all 20 others in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? (2 points)

10) In String Theory, point-like particles are represented as strings. How many dimensions do: a) points and b) strings have? (2 points)

11) Which -stan country and which European country are the biggest ex-Soviet states by area (other than Russia)? (2 points)

12) The majority of Microsoft's current computer hardware is branded under which 7-letter word? (1 point)

13) a) Nicolaus Copernicus formulated what model of the Solar System, which we now take for granted? b) His surname is used for a major Earth observation programme coordinated by which space agency? (2 points)

14) 1980s/90s food bands: a) What vegetable is Billy Corgan smashing? b) Nigel Blackwell is half man and half what sweet treat? c) Evan Dando has a head made of what fruit? (3 points)

15) a) Holy Island in Northumberland is also known by what name beginning with L? b) One of its most famous visitors in the 7th Century was the Venerable _____? He was one of the most important authors and teachers of the time. (2 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #34

Date: 17/03/21
MAIS: 36 / 50
PDL: Easier   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_34.zip

Main Quiz

1) Known as Choco Krispis in Latin America, what name do Kellogg's use for this cereal in the UK (as well as a number of other countries)? (1 point)

2) UNESCO is the United Nations _____, _____, and _____ Organization? They are responsible for the list of World Heritage Sites, amongst other things. (3 points)

3) Sloe Gin involves adding the fruit of which deciduous tree to a spirit mainly flavoured by the berries of which coniferous tree? (2 points)

4) Grey's Anatomy is a medical drama TV show revolving around the life and career of Dr. Meredith Grey, who holds which job? (two word title for the full point) (1 point)

5) a) Thanks to its prominence in the cutlery trade, Sheffield has a nickname of the _____ City? b) With a crest featuring two crossed swords, Sheffield United FC have what nickname? (2 points)

6) Which 2 feature films starring Robin Williams (separated by 10 years) begin with the the word 'Good'? (2 points)

7) Solitaire is a general name for any table top game you can play alone. 'Card Solitaire' is generally known by what name? The word is defined as, "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay". (1 point)

8) a) Robert Scott ('of the Antarctic') had what Avian middle name? b) He was beaten to the South Pole by which Norweigan explorer? (2 points)

9) a) Of the few grounds in Major League Baseball not named for a commercial sponsor, which team plays at Fenway Park? b) Similarly, which city is home to Yankee Stadium? (2 points)

10) There are 10 four-letter countries in the world (UN short name), but which 2 contain none of the letters in 'four'? (2 points)

11) What are the full terms represented by letters in these physics equations? a) Speed = d/t? b) Weight = m*g? (4 points)

12) a) Robert Thompson was a British furniture maker who carved which rodent into most pieces he made? b) Modernist furniture design generally centres on which piece of furniture as a signature? Iconic designs include the Eames, the Wishbone and the Paulistino. (2 points)

13) ABBA are named after the starting letters in the first names of the band members - name any three of these first names. (3 points)

14) a) Octonauts is a children's TV show produced for Cbeebies. What is the name of their home base? b) CBeebies is a BBC channel aimed at children aged 2-6. What's the name of the sister channel aimed at 6-14 year olds? (2 points)

15) Which 4 of the Big Cats have spots? There are 7 species known as Big Cats: 5 from the genus Panthera, 2 from other genera. (4 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #33

Date: 10/03/21
MAIS: 37 / 50
PDL: Easier   (13 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_33.zip

Main Quiz

1) Since World War I, it has become popular to shop for 'vintage' clothes, initially as a method of re-use but now more of a fashion choice. In the UK, one of the main places to look for such items are charity shops, but what are these generally known as in the USA? The answer is also the name of a 2012 song by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz. (1 point)

2) Alpro currently sell non-dairy 'milks' made from which 4 'nuts' (i.e. anything generally known as a nut or with nut in its name)? (4 points)

3) The Bridge ('Bron/Broen') is a Scandi Noir TV show based around the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, but which 2 cities does it connect? (2 points)

4) William Morris is recognised as one of the most important figures of Victorian Britain. During his lifetime he was best known as a poet, but he is posthumously known more for his designs in which medium? (1 point)

5) What is the branch of medicine called concerned with the action / effects of drugs? (1 point)

6) Queen have had 2 major periods with new singers (branded as Queen + Singer's Name), they were PR (2004-09) and AL (2011-present). What are their full names? (2 points)

7) Which 4 signs of the Zodiac have names with 7 letters or more? They happen to feature one after the other chronologically. (4 points)

8) 'International School' Ballroom Dancing competitions have two main style categories (Standard / Latin): a) in the Standard category, which dance features in two different forms, with one named after a city? b) In the Latin category, which dance (based on a military march) is Spanish for 'double step'? (3 points)

9) Which animal, reintroduced in many places as part of 'rewilding' efforts, has been described as "by far the most important element of a riverine ecosystem"? There are now wild communities of said animals in England, Scotland & Wales. (1 point)

10) One of the most popular point-and-click adventure games, what's the name of the series developed by LucasArts featuring the hapless Guybrush Threepwood? (1 point)

11) a) Loch Ness drains into Loch Dochfour then into the River Ness which enters the sea in what Scottish city? b) If you follow the loch system in the other direction (the 'Caledonian Canal') you end up in which town that has Ben Nevis towering above it? (2 points)

12) a) Which anabolic steroid is the primary 'sex steroid' in human males? It is an androgen. b) Along with melatonin, dopamine, insulin and many others, such body regulators are generally known by what H? It includes anything that communicates between organs and tissues. (2 points)

13) Who is regarded as the longest-serving presenter on BBC Radio 1? Her first programme aired on 5th October 1969. (1 point)

14) Pesto alla genovese ('green pesto') traditionally consists of which herb, which tree seed and which cheese (as well as garlic, olive oil and salt)? (4 points)

15) Which countries are these beers from: a) Corona b) Molson c) Victoria Bitter d) Singha (4 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #32

Date: 03/03/21
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (15 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_32.zip

Main Quiz

1) What letter is repeated 12 times (with spaces) in the title of a song that reached #2 in the UK and #4 in the US? It's the most letter-repetition of any Top 10 chart hit in either country. (1 point)

2) The Hugo Award is an annual literary prize for which two genres of books? They are similar in theme, and single awards are given across both. Recent winners for Best Novel have included Connie Willis and Neil Gaiman. (2 points)

3) UK garden (ish) birds: a) What bird comes in the varieties Bull, Green and Gold, amongst others? b) If you see a bird scurrying down a tree trunk, it's almost certainly a Nuthatch. What rarer bird is most-likely to be scurrying in the other direction? It has an appropriate name. c) What bird named for its call is one of the best known 'brood parasites'? (3 points)

4) TenCent is a Chinese company and the world's largest video game vendor, but is perhaps best known for owning China's most-used messaging app - what is it called? In 2018, it became the world's largest standalone mobile app. (1 point)

5) a) Ribaldry is a name for a type of comedy indecency - what colour is this type of humour often associated with? b) Gallows humour makes light of serious / taboo subjects - what other colour is this normally associated with? (2 points)

6) In the Top 10 most visited places in Italy (by nights spent, 2017 data), which 3 are on the coast? To help, Livorno was in 11th place and Rome doesn't count as only its wider metropolitan zone reaches the sea. (3 points)

7) In the video game Minecraft, players explore an infinite blocky 3D world. What 3 major actions form most of the gameplay? This excludes things like communicating and fighting, which depend on the game mode. In essence, they are 3 skills you might expect a Stone Age human to be adept at. (3 points)

8) Which two people named Harry H____ are known for: a) Presenting TV Burp amongst other comedic activities? b) Being the main character in a series of books by Norweigan author Jo Nesbø? (2 points)

9) Which 3 countries have more than 10 stripes on their flags? Interestingly, all 3 have only red and white stripes, with a blue rectangle in the top left corner featuring one or more stars. (3 points)

10) A Beef Wellington generally includes what vegetable (as a Duxelles), what condiment and what type of pastry? (3 points)

11) a) The TV Series Bridgerton has become the most-watched series on what streaming service? b) It's a period drama based on the novels of Julia Quinn and focuses on the 'ton' and 'social season' of which city? (2 points)

12) More than half the supply of the world's Palladium is used in what exhaust emission control device? It's mostly known for preventing pollution from cars and has a two word alliterative name. (1 point)

13) Botswana shares the majority of its borders with which 3 countries? It also has a tiny, ill-defined border with Zambia. (3 points)

14) What architectural terms are being described here? Both answers can be used in English in a non-architectural context: a) A succession of contiguous arches, with each arch supported by a colonnade of columns, and often used to provide a sheltered walkway. b) Small, rectangular-shaped slats of material that are nailed to an exterior surface, overlapping one another from top to bottom and used as protection against the elements. (2 points)

15) The 6 Nations Rugby tournament is in full swing. The Italian team now play at the Stadio Olimpico, but which two football clubs play their home games there? (2 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #31

Date: 24/02/21
MAIS: 35 / 50
PDL: Easier   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_31.zip

Main Quiz

1) Vlad the Impaler (Voivode of Wallachia in the15th Century) had what moniker which has gone on to inspire many Gothic horror media? (1 point)

2) Which two UK Top 10 hits by The Kinks contain the word 'sun', as part of longer words? One is as an adjective, the other a noun - they were released in 1966/67. (2 points)

3) The TV programme Peep Show starred which 2 comedians in the main roles? They have had radio / TV shows in the format That ______ & ______ Sound / That ______ & ______ Look. (2 points)

4) The Fields Medal is generally regarded as the 'Nobel Prize' in which field? It doesn't have a category in the Nobels. (1 point)

5) According to the UK 1950 Allotment Act, which two animals are you allowed to keep on an allotment as a right? For one, it's stipulated that only the females can be kept, the other is a pet that requires to be housed. (2 points)

6) What are the English exonyms (external name given to a place) for these German toponyms (names for places): a) Köln b) München c) Hannover. d) What is the Polish toponym for the German exonym, 'Danzig'? (4 points)

7) The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in letters, drama, music and which other category that takes up most of the awards? (1 point)

8) a) Arachne, Araucaria and Azed are all famous setters of what type of puzzle? b) Arachne is featured in a Roman/Greek myth where she challenges Athena to a weaving contest. She is so ruddy bloody good at it that she hangs herself in shame, and is subsequently turned into a spider. Who replaces Athena in later Roman versions of the story? (2 points)

9) The 2007 film 'Lars and the Real Girl' starring Ryan Gosling has all the letters (without needing to repeat any) to spell out which 2016 film featuring the same actor? (1 point)

10) Which 2 similar (M/F) names have featured in the Top 3 baby names for Scotland in the last 3 years? They are both etymologically linked to the same (botanical) fruit/drupe. (2 points)

11) A Cosmopolitan cocktail contains which two alcoholic ingredients, and which fruit juice that gives it its distinctive red colour? (3 points)

12) a) A 'Puggle' is a dog crossed between which two breeds? b) The same word is also used for the baby of which spiny mammal? (3 points)

13) The winter sport Bandy is considered a form of what wider sport, which has variations in both the Summer and Winter Olympics? (1 point)

14) The three major battles of 1066 involved which 2 Kings and which Duke? The latter would become King of England. (3 points)

15) a) The Canary (bird) gets its name from the Canary Islands, but what are these islands named for themselves? b) Which are the 4 biggest Canary Islands by area? They also attract by far the most tourists. (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #30

Date: 18/02/21
MAIS: 37 / 50
PDL: Easier   (11 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_30.zip

Main Quiz

1) a) Lego is a toy company based in which country? b) The Lego Movie involves which actor voicing Emmet? (2 points)

2) What job title is shared in the opening line of Everyday Is A Winding Road by Sheryl Crow and that of Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf? (1 point)

3) a) A number of different sulfur (/sulphur) oxides are grouped together with which 3-letter term? It's also used (with different capitalisation) by Chicago and Boston baseball teams. b) Sulfur dioxide is the main smell of burnt matches, but which natural process releases the most of this gas/aroma? (2 points)

4) A 'Birthstone' is a gemstone that is used to represent the month of someone's birth. In Britain, which two gemstones can represent September & October and both start with the same first letters of those months? (2 points)

5) Benedict Wong plays the role as Bruce Ng in which 2015 sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon? (1 point)

6) The Japanese electronics company Victor is better known outside Japan by what 3 letter acronym? (1 point)

7) Which US male and female tennis players are generally considered to be "grunt creators" (popularising making a loud noise when hitting shots)? They have both won at least 8 Open Era Slams, but those victories don't overrun in time. (2 points)

8) The Scottish sitcom Still Game involves two Glaswegian pensioners from which previous sketch show? That show's name can mean to have a long and friendly conversation with someone. (1 point)

9) 9) Name the hugely successful gaming franchises from their acronyms: a) CoD b) WoW (2 points)

10) Which 5 countries in South America have the biggest population? All are above 28M, the sixth place is ~19M. NB Not including territories of countries in other continents, like France / French Guiana. (5 points)

11) a) The commonly used scale for wind force is named for which Irish Hydrographer? b) What's the common name for a tornado that occurs over water? c) What two different names are 'rapidly rotating storm systems' generally known by when they occur in the NW / S Pacific Ocean? The Atlantic / NE Pacific name is a hurricane. (4 points)

12) According to the British Isles Earthworm Society, the species Eisenia fetida was first recorded there in 1826. It's very useful as a vermicomposter and as such has a common name, 'Manure Worm'. However, its striped appearance gives another common name used more frequently in the commercial wormery sector, where it is named after which other animal? (1 point)

13) a) Which David Lynch mystery-drama-horror TV series ran from 1990-91 and had a reboot in 2017? b) Which surrealist-neo-noir film did he direct and release in 2001, starring Justin Theroux & Naomi Watts, among others? (2 points)

14) a) Who was the second person to walk on the moon? b) Mr Bean and Mr Shepard have also walked there - what first name do they share? (2 points)

15) Which 5 books by Charles Dickens have common titles that are only the name of a person? Almost every Dickens novel has a much longer name, but these are the shorter names most people will know them by. Their initials are BR, DC, MC, NN & OT and they're all male characters. (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #29

Date: 10/02/21
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (14 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_29.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which American video game and electronics retailer had a 1500% rise in its share price over 2 weeks, mainly attributed to the coordinated effort of Reddit community WallStreetBets? (1 point)

2) Which two Jane Austen novels have three word titles? (2 points)

3) Amazon make the majority of their operating profits from which arm of the business? (1 point)

4) a) Which bird of prey has been the national bird of the USA since 1782? b) Which other bird of prey (group) lends its name to an NBA team based in Atlanta and an NFL team based in Seattle? The latter team uses a more-specific type, which is another term for the Osprey. (2 points)

5) Which sewing machine manufacturer is also the name of a station on the North Clyde Line, thanks to the station previously serving their factory there? (1 point)

6) a) The Tate group of art galleries contains two in London (Tate Britain & Tate Modern) and which two other places in England? b) They also host a prominent annual award for a 'visual artist' named after which English painter (1775-1851)? (3 points)

7) Which is the only planet named after a figure from Greek mythology? (1 point)

8) The Beatles have released 5 albums with the same name as films starring the band. What are they? Although all contain the film's soundtrack, some also have other material. (5 points)

9) George Orwell's novella Animal Farm is a famous literary allegory, including using pigs to represent the major players in the 1917 political revolution of which country? (1 point)

10) The CMYK colour model used in printing comprises which 3 colours from the acronym? The K is for Key (=Black), the others are simply colours beginning with those letters. (3 points)

11) In the top 10 list of rivers by length in the UK, one is entirely within the old county of Yorkshire. It's a combined system of two named rivers - one is the Ure, but what is the other? (1 point)

12) Along with Ronald Wayne, which two Steves founded Apple Inc.? (2 points)

13) According to data from 2011, which 4 animals produce the most milk for human consumption worldwide other than cattle? In the UK, 3 of these are consumed mostly as cheese. The other is produced and consumed mostly in Africa and Asia. (4 points)

14) The word quarantine comes into English from the Italian 'quarantena', which referred to the period of time that ships needed to be isolated before passengers could board them during the Black Death epidemic. How long was this? (1 point)

15) Which 5 letters do you only get one tile of in the standard English version of Scrabble? They are the 5 highest-scoring tiles (ranging from 5-10 points) (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #28

Date: 03/02/21
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (13 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_28.zip

Main Quiz

1) What is the name of a home cleaning product, a Dutch football team and the Greek hero who inspired the names of both? (1 point)

2) According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which 2 non-human animals caused the most deaths in Australia (perhaps counter-intuitively) between 2008-17? Neither are endemic to the region and the deaths are direct - not passing on disease etc. (2 points)

3) Which two Roman walls built in Britain are now designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites? (2 points)

4) Apples have been grown and cultivated for thousands of years in which 2 continents? (2 points)

5) Which Japanese clothing brand has a distinct white-on-red logo with its name split on two lines, and had the tennis player Novak Djokovic as a prominent global ambassador between 2012-17? (1 point)

6) Vince Clarke is an English synth-pop musician who has had albums in the UK Top 10 with which 3 bands? Hit songs from his time in each band include, "Just Can't Get Enough", "Don't Go" and "A Little Respect" (3 points)

7) What century were these things invented in? They're all different: a) Mechanical calculator b) Nylon c) Colour photography d) Mercator map projection (4 points)

8) Of the main representative dishes served at British curry houses (according to wiki), which 3 begin with B? NB Excluding more specific dishes, such as 'Butter Chicken'. (3 points)

9) The 2018 film Free Solo follows Alex Honnold's attempt to free climb El Capitan. This vertical rock formation is in which National Park? (1 point)

10) The rubber balloon was invented by which English scientist? He is better known for his work in Electromagnetism, and gives his surname to a cage to block such fields. (1 point)

11) Limited overs cricket has two major forms, where games take place with each team bowling (up to) how many overs? Both have an assoicated World Cup tournament. NB An over = 6 bowls. (2 points)

12) Which herb is one of the four 'Fines herbes' that form a mainstay of French cuisine and often accompanies fish and chicken dishes? The other three are parsley, chives and chervil. (1 point)

13) Otorhinolaryngology is a medical speciality that is commonly known in hospitals by the acronym ENT. What three parts of the body does the acronym refer to? (3 points)

14) a) Which German-born British composer released 'Sleep' - an 8.5 hour listening experience designed to fill a full night's rest? He's also well known for his film scores, such as Arrival (2016) and Ad Astra (2019). b) Which prominent (West) German-born German composer is known for a large number of film scores, including the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Interstellar, Gladiator, Crimson Tide, Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy? (2 points)

15) What are the 5 biggest countries by area? (5 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #27

Date: 27/01/21
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (15 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_27.zip

Main Quiz

1) Which musical, first performed in 1957, follows the teenage street gang rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks? (1 point)

2) In the news recently: a) 22 year old Amanda Gorman became the youngest person to perform what role? b) A year-long study has been launched in Scotland assessing public attitudes towards the re-introduction of which species of cat? It's recognisable by its distinct smell of teenagers on a night out. c) A restaurant abbreviated as 'ONA' became the first of its type to be given a Michelin star - it caters to what dietary requirement? (3 points)

3) What African country is a (perfect) anagram of a South American capital city? (1 point)

4) a) Eric Moussambani got what nickname at the 2000 Summer Olympics? b) Which British swimmer is the only current Olympic record holder? It's in the Men's 100m Breastroke event. (2 points)

5) Adanac, Saskatchewan has the unusual distinction of being a topical anadrome. What is an anadrome? (1 point)

6) Which Disney animated films are these songs from? a) I Wan'na Be Like You b) A Whole New World c) You're Welcome d) Heigh-Ho (4 points)

7) The Yorkshire Dales is an upland area of which range of hills? (1 point)

8) Penicillium camemberti is used to ripen which 2 of France's major cheese exports? (2 points)

9) Which 3 films have won a record 11 Academy Awards (Oscars)? They came out in 1959, 1997 and 2003. (3 points)

10) Which magazine is re-releasing a recent cover of Kamala Harris after being accused of disrespect for using a 'dressed-down' photo? (1 point)

11) Elvis Presley has been inducted into many halls of fame. Of these, which 3 beginning with R take the form ______ Hall of Fame, where the first word is a music genre? Two of the three are multiple words. (3 points)

12) Fernet is an Italian herbal liqueur and a type of Amaro. Although it can contain various ingredients, which one of the baby Jesus's Three Gifts is usually added? (1 point)

13) a) Originating from the village of Mousehole in Cornwall, what type of animals peer out of a Stargazy Pie? b) A Homity pie uses which vegetable as its main component? c) A Shepherd's Pie is a ground lamb pie with mash on top. What's it generally called when the meat is beef? (3 points)

14) The flip-flop (US/British English) is a type of sandal. What are they called in: a) Australia, where the name is an article of clothing in the UK/USA? b) New Zealand, where the name is a contraction based on them being branded as Japanese? (2 points)

15) a) Of the main commercially important species of crab, which colour appears most-frequently in the common names? b) In the same list, which town in Washington, USA lends its name to another? It's also the name for a headland in Kent. c) The rather leggy Chionoecetes are named commonly for their similarity in appearance to which other animal? d) Which 'crab' has blue blood with important medicianal uses? e) 'Crabs' as a sexual infection are what type of insect? (5 points)

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Lockdown Quiz #26

Date: 20/01/21
MAIS: 30 / 50
PDL: Harder   (13 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_26.zip

Main Quiz

1) What's the largest town in the local government council area of Angus (Scotland) - it's perhaps most-famously known for its 'Smokies'? (1 point)

2) What is the first competitive action of a game of Test Cricket? It follows an assessment of the pitch. (1 point)

3) Which 2 computer games have garnered the most e-sports prizes at a single tournament? (2 points)

4) The northern border of Lincolnshire is mainly delineated by which estuary? (1 point)

5) In the USA, what colour represents the 'trashy' press, roughly equivalent to the 'Tabloids' in the UK (1 point)

6) Robert De Niro has won 2 Oscars - one for Best Supporting Actor (1975), the other for Best Actor (1981) - what are the films? (2 points)

7) Which 3 countries does Djibouti border? (3 points)

8) The British Comedy Awards ran from 1991-2014. In its last iteration: a) Which Irish comedienne won the Best Female Television Comic award? (AB) b) Which 'posh' male comic won the King of Comedy Award, appearing at that time in TV shows Bad Education and Fresh Meat? (JW) (2 points)

9) A traditional HiFi 'Receiver' is an amp combined with what? (1 point)

10) The FIFA Women's Player of the Year Award (2001-2015) and The Best FIFA Women's Player (2016-2020) has had winners from which 6 FIFA nations? (6 points)

11) Games People Play is a best-selling 1964 book by Eric Berne, but more recently a TV Series of the same name on the BET network based on a book written by Angela Burt-Murray. It was originally called Games _____ Play, what's the missing word? It was originally a name for celebrated female opera singers and later a word for female pop singers with an attitude. (1 point)

12) Due to its early geopoltical connections and then familial domination, what are the two most-common first 3 letters of Canadian Prime Minister's surnames? (2 points)

13) In 2019, which 6 countries were represented by the Top 10 Airports by passenger numbers? (6 points)

14) Who was the first woman to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Award within one year (2018/19)? She had previously won a Grammy for her acting role American Horror Story: Hotel (2016). (1 point)

15) Which northern English (traditional) counties do these sweet treats originate? a) Eccles Cake b) Parkin c) Kendal Mint Cake (3 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #25

Date: 13/01/21
MAIS: 34 / 50
PDL: Medium   (14 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_25.zip

Main Quiz

1) Being coined in American English and with potential etymologies based on the divine monogram or a mondegreen of the first line of the Lord's Prayer, what middle initial is given to Jesus Christ in a common expletive? (1 point)

2) a) Due to a surge in interest in 2020, which Netflix show about big cat owner Joe Exotic became a lockdown hit? b) Later in the year, which other Netflix show about the rise of a female Chess player became a surprise smash? (2 points)

3) WAP was a recent hit for Cardi B, but what did WAP stand for in the early 2000s - a more innocent time where it was related to accessing the internet on one's phone. (1 point)

4) a) Nottingham Forest FC is part of a pair of English professional football clubs that are closest together - what team is their closest neighbour? b) Beating these teams in proximity are 2 teams based in which Scottish City? (2 points)

5) Mammals generally have one vagina and 1-2 uteri, but which group of related animals have 2 vaginas and form a median vagina before childbirth? (1 point)

6) The main hill classifications in Scotland have names based on their heights. What are the highest two? The first is over 3000ft, the second is 2500-3000ft. The lower 3 are called Grahams, Donalds & Marilyns. (2 points)

7) Which 2 Bond films did Sam Mendes direct in the 2010s? They both begin with S. (2 points)

8) In its most usual setup, which 3 instruments form a classical 'Piano trio'? (3 points)

9) Of all the Provincial capitals of Canada, only two start with the same letter (W). What are the capitals? (2 points)

10) Danse Macabre is piece of music by Camille Saint-Saëns that serves as both the theme tune and the name of an episode of which TV programme written by David Renwick? (1 point)

11) There are 3 species of swan native to the UK. One is the Bewick Swan - the other two are named for their noise and lack of noise - what are they? (2 points)

12) Singapore has 4 official languages, one of which is its national language (which helps form the name of another country). They begin with E, M, M, T - what are they? (4 points)

13) Speedrunning (in its most popular usage), despite its name, is a relativlely sedantary race to record the fastest time in what? (1 point)

14) The James Tait Black Memorial Prize is Britain's joint-oldest literary award. 3 past winners in the fiction category have gone on to win a Nobel Prize for Literature. Name the authors from their winning book: a) A Guest of Honour (1971) b) Darkness Visible (1979) c) Waiting for the Barbarians (1980) (3 points)

15) The Periodic Table is split into 18 groups, which form the columns. Group 1 is also known as "Hydrogen and the Alkali Metals". What are these 6 alkali metals? They have the symbols Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs & Fr. (6 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #24

Date: 06/01/21
MAIS: 25 / 50
PDL: Harder   (7 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_24.zip

Main Quiz

1) Until losing the record on 1st January 2020, which 1984 Christmas song was the UK's biggest-selling single never to have reached number one? Just the song title needed. (1 point)

2) Percebes are a highly sought after seafood in Galicia - they are classed as a type of barnacle but named after which bird? (1 point)

3) In Cockney / London slang, how many £s is meant by: a) A Pony b) A Monkey (2 points)

4) a) What are the first two words of the 1993 film about a dog's journey to reconnect with its family after being lost? b) What's the 3 word title of the 2018 Wes Anderson film about a pack of banished dogs in a dystopian near-future Japan? (2 points)

5) What's the name of the Brazilian cocktail that contains cachaça, sugar & lime? (1 point)

6) What are the longest and shortest single-word City names in the UK? (NB I'm not including Stoke-on-Trent, which is a bit ambiguous with its single-wordedness). The longest is 13 letters, the shortest is 3. (2 points)

7) The 20 biggest objects in the Solar System (by radius) can be categorised into 4 types. Other than the 8 planets, what 3 types of object are the remaining 12 classed as? (3 points)

8) a) Which Russian word, roughly translated to "openness and transparency" (in this context), was used in the mid-1980s as a political slogan for increased government transparency of the Soviet Union? b) Which Soviet leader was its proponent? (2 points)

9) Featuring characters such as Jen, Kira, Aughra and Fizzgig, what's the name of the 1982 film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz? (1 point)

10) a) What was the name of the IBM chess-playing computer that was the first computer to win a chess game & match against a reigning world champion (under regular time controls)? b) Developed by DeepMind Technologies, what was the name of the first computer program to beat a human professional Go player without handicap on a full-sized 19×19 board? (2 points)

11) Of all the NASA space shuttle test flights and launches, two have shared names with Star Trek TV shows - what are they? (2 points)

12) What is the most-westerly capital city of a UN member state with a UTC negative time zone? (1 point)

13) German-suited playing cards have suits that consist of two forest items, one Church item and one regular suit - what are they? (4 points)

14) Of the core hardware products made by Apple, which 5 different types of devices start with a little i? (i.e. iProduct) They've all had numerous versions, and one device was discontinued in 2006. (5 points)

15) In the upcoming Men's Euro 2020 football tournament (now being held in 2021 due to COVID-19), which 4 letters of the alphabet have more than one team beginning with them? There are 20 UEFA nations involved. (4 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #23 (Christmas Bumper Edition)

Date: 25/12/20
MAIS: 45 / 80
PDL: Harder   (12 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_23.zip

Main Quiz

1) Cross-country skiing is a sport in its own right at the Winter Olympics, but what two other Olympic sports have it as a component? (2 points)

2) a) The Royal Christmas Message, now commonly known as the Queen's Speech, was a tradition started in 1932 by which Monarch? b) Prince Albert is thought to have helped start the tradition of putting which coin into a Christmas pudding? c) A common alternative name for Christmas pudding is named for which fruit, due to Victorians using this word to refer to raisins? d) A Christmas cake is most commonly a dark fruit cake topped with marzipan and a hard, whtie icing known by what name? (4 points)

3) The popular podcast 'Mortified' involves people voluntarily reading what? (1 point)

4) Due to their fame, income, product endorsements and romantic linkings with a popular girl group of the time, the Liverpool players Jamie Redknapp, David James, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Jason McAteer were perjoratively known by what nickname? (1 point)

5) Until Queen Margrethe II took the throne in 1972, the previous 18 Danish Monarchs had all been called which 2 names? (2 points)

6) December got its name for being the 10th month in both the Julian and Gregorian calendar, but later which 2 months were added making this meaning inaccurate? (2 points)

7) a) By definition, at Mach 1, the local flow velocity is equivalent to what named speed? b) Mach3 is a prominent brand of what? (2 points)

8) What fantasy tabletop role-playing game was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson? (1 point)

9) An eisteddfod is a Welsh celebration of art and culture. This tradition has gone on to inspire similar non-denominational events in other Celtic cultures, such as an Irish Feis. Although Feis can also be used in Scotland, what name does this event usually go by there? (1 point)

10) In the First Folio of Shakespeare plays, which 3 begin with M? There are 3 others that start A/The M but not wanting these. NB This book, published in 1623, has some plays omitted that are now generally accepted to be written by Shakespeare, but none of these would change the answers. (3 points)

11) Although the meaning of the term 'Classical Physics' can vary on context, which year (ending in 0) is often used as the cut-off point due in most part to the discoveries of quantum mechanics and relativity shortly after this date? (1 point)

12) The statistical programming language R is (perhaps counter-intuitively) a further implementation of which other single letter statistical programming language? (1 point)

13) Of all the individual winners of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards (commonly known as the 'Perrier Award') which 3 have names with first letter alliteration (e.g. Peter Parker)? (3 points)

14) in the 2018-19 Serie A season, there were 2 clubs from Tuscany in the league. One was Fiorentina (from Florence), the other was a football club based in which Tuscan town? It's very rare for the league to contain any team not based in the provincial capital. (1 point)

15) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is a carol from 1739 written by Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. a) What does 'hark' mean in this context? b) What Christian denomination were the authors founders of? (2 points)

16) Agatha Christie wrote 2 novels featuring Hercule Poirot with the name of a specific train in them - what are the trains? One is still a famous running service, the other was the English nickname for the now defunct Calais-Mediterranée line - this name is perhaps better known now as the major luxurious train in South Africa. (2 points)

17) The 3 singles that spent the longest time at #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s were all released in 1981. The artists are a) Olivia Newton-John, b) Kim Carnes and c) Diana Ross & Lionel Richie, but what were the three song titles? (3 points)

18) 'Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq' and 'The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch' are titles of a 1642 work by Rembrandt more commonly known in English by which 3 word title? (1 point)

19) According to the Fortune list of the world's largest companies in 2020, the top 10 consists of 6 petro-chemical / power companies, and which 4 others? 2 are car companies, 2 are shops (1 mostly phyical, 1 online). (4 points)

20) In terms of Twitter followers, who are the 2 most famous fans of Norwich City FC? One is a British TV personality, writer and comedian, the other is an Australian actor best known for his role in the X-men film series. Both have over 12m followers. (2 points)

21) Although there is no standard recipe for a bouquet garni, the majority of French recipes have a base of which 2 herbs? NB The English wikipedia page says 3 (adding Parsley) but the French page goes with 2 - neither of them are true botanical herbs, unlike Parsely. (2 points)

22) Victoria Coren Mitchell is a writer and presenter but also the first woman to win an event at the EPT (in 2006). What game is played there? (1 point)

23) a) As the UK celebrated the end of 1999 and welcomed in the new Millenium, which film starring Pierce Brosnan was #1 at the box office? b) The Year 2000 was a leap year, despite some computer programs presuming it wasn't due to a Gregorian calendar rule that years that are exactly divisible by 100 are not leap years - this was one of the 2 main problems of the 'Millenium bug'. Another rule supercedes the 100 rule to make the year 2000, but not all millenia, a leap year - what is this (bigger) number? (2 points)

24) a) Which colourful bird did Guinness use in a lot of early advertisements, often accompanied by the slogan, "Lovely day for a GUINNESS"? b) In a popular advert for Famous Grouse whisky, the bird is seen inspecting an exact replica of itself. The accompaning slogan is, "Make mine a ______"? (2 points)

25) a) In a popular conspiracy theory, what is the common name for the release of chemical or biological agents from aircraft? This is also sometimes known as SLAP (Secret Large-scale Atmospheric Program) b) A pervasive theory about the assassination of JFK suggests a second gunmen fired a fourth shot from which location? c) The Eye of Providence, or the all-seeing eye of God, is a symbol taken by some to be evidence of the existence of which secret society? The name comes from the plural form of the Latin for 'enlightened' and has been given to several groups, both real and ficticious, through time. d) There have been claims of involvement of the Mafia, the IRA and even Colonel Gaddafi in the disappearance of which Irish racehorse in 1983? (4 points)

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One adult and one child's card from the 1988 Family Edition set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose TEN (FIVE FROM EACH) questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #22

Date: 16/12/20
MAIS: 31 / 50
PDL: Medium   (10 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_22.zip

Main Quiz

1) In Classic FM's list of the "30 greatest Christmas carols", the top two both contain the word 'Night' - no others in the list do as a seperate word (so ignoring 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear'). What are they? (2 points)

2) Known for mostly making products in the fields of adhesives, abrasives & PPE, what brand name does the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company now go by? (1 point)

3) a) What's the name of 90s animated kid's show that centred on one-year-old baby Tommy Pickles? b) Which member of the 90s TV show 'Keenan & Kel' has been a cast member of Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history? (2 points)

4) Out of all the current UK Parliamentary constituencies, which 3 letters of the alphabet have just one English constituency beginning with that letter? (3 points)

5) Due to his work as a religious leader and convertor, Gregory the Illuminator converted which country to Christianity in 301 AD, making it the first nation to adopt Christianity as its offical religion? The largest Cathederal dedicated to him is in the City of Yerevan. (1 point)

6) a) The 4 most-traded tree barks (other than for their use as wood / veneer) are used as cork, quinine, aspirin and which spice? b) The Aceh War was a conflict between the Sultanate of Aceh and the Kingdom of the Netherlands that followed on from a series of skirmishes due to growing European and American demand for which spice, which Aceh supplied around half of the world's supply of? (2 points)

7) Nottingham Forest FC have lifted the European Cup in which 2 decades? (2 points)

8) Starting off the 9th generation of computer game consoles, which 2 products from Sony and Microsoft are currently battling it out to become the biggest selling of the next generation, despite supply issues? (2 points)

9) Lake Victoria borders which 3 African countries? (3 points)

10) There are 5 British cheeses with protected geographical status that have 'dale' in their name, 2 of which are variants of Swaledale cheese. Which 3 dales are the others named after? (3 points)

11) Which southern African species of Antelope could be tamed to make the name of a psychedelic music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker? (1 point)

12) 12) Individual swimming is split into which 4 main types at the Olympic pool? Three are stroke names. NB there's also a medley event tha combines all 4. (4 points)

13) In the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Lennard Pearce and Buster Merryfield played male relatives of Del & Rodney Trotter - but what two different relations to the Trotter brothers were they? (2 points)

14) With England beating France in an unusual sudden death extra time period in the Autumn Nations Cup, how long does each half of a rugby extra time period normally last? (1 point)

15) Of all the EU countries that don't use the Euro, 4 of those currencies begin with K - but which 4 countries do they belong to? (4 points)

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One card from the 1986 Genus II set (NB all questions could be history due to the age!). Choose ANY FIVE questions to answer:

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Lockdown Quiz #21

Date: 09/12/20
MAIS: 33 / 50
PDL: Medium   (10 teams played)
Link: Lockdown_Quiz_21.zip

Main Quiz

1) Thylarctos plummetus, or the 'dropbear', is a predatory, carnivorous hoax version of what real animal? (1 point)

2) Due to a number of reasons, such as aesthetics, keeping everything on display and the 'happy face' feeling, most watches and clocks are set to what time for advertising purposes? There's a less-common time that achieves the same effect - either option is fine. (1 point)

3) Rodgers & Hammerstein were a musical theatre writing team who had 5 standout successes on Broadway. These were Carousel, The King and I, The Sound of Music and which 2 others named after locations? (2 points)

4) The films Looper, Source Code and Primer all use what major sci-fi plot device? (1 point)

5) Since moving to Channel 4, the Great British Bake Off has been presented by which 3 people? NB Not judges, just presenters. (3 points)

6) a) Elizabeth Short was found cleanly sliced in half at the waist. Her unsolved case is commonly known by a nickname given to her, but what type of flower is this name? b) The 'Whitechapel Murderer' and 'Leather Apron' were names given to an unknown 19th Century serial killer at the time of the murders. What name do we generally know this person by now? (2 points)

7) Tsitsi Dangarembga, Avni Doshi, Maaza Mengiste, Brandon Taylor, Diane Cook and Douglas Stuart were nominees for which 2020 award? (1 point)

8) a) Which female artist has now had UK #1 albums in the last 5 decades? b) Which other female artist has had UK Top 40 albums in the last 7 decades? a) Which male artist has had UK Top 5 albums in the last 8 decades? (3 points)

9) Despite it not being a country, .aq is the internet country code top-level domain for where? (1 point)

10) a) Which 10-letter word is the general term for the deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person? b) More specifically, Spiritualists might attempt this at what 6-letter event? (2 points)

11) A fully-complemented British Brass Band has 28 players. All the brass instruments are variations of which 5 types? (5 points)

12) Of the common British seabirds in the 'Petrels & Shearwaters' group (Procellariidae), what's the only one with neither Petrel nor Shearwater in its name? (1 point)

13) Wikipedia breaks up common varieties of tea into 8 types, but which 4 are simply named after a colour? (4 points)

14) a) Taking coals to which city is deemed a pointless action according to the idiom? b) According to another, which city would you send someone to if you wanted to ostricise them? (2 points)

15) To be a 'super champion' of Boxing, you currently need to win belts from 4 Boxing organisations. They all have 3 letter acronyms, all with a B for boxing in them - name the acronyms (just the letters). (4 points)

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