2024–5 Season: Week 16 – 18 March 2025

Specialist Rounds

Set by Bate Hall Wanderers; vetted by Hammers of the Castle.

1	Science, Nature & Maths	2	Geography
3	History – Battles	4	Arts & Entertainment – All at Sea
5	Cluedo	6	TV Crime–Fighting Duos
7	Life is a Journey	8	Sport

Round 1: Science, Nature & Maths

1	In geometry, what name is given to a straight line that connects two points on the circumference of a circle?
	A chord
2	The NASA space probe launched in 2018 and named in honour of Professor Eugene Parker of Chicago University, was sent to study and analyse the outer atmosphere of which body in the Solar System?
	The Sun (the Parker Solar Probe)
3	Typically found in South American swamps, which member of the boa family is the world's heaviest snake?
	The anaconda
4	What's the main use of Vitamin K?
	Blood coagulation (K is the first letter of Koagulation – German)
5	In the body, what name is given to the veins that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart?
	Pulmonary veins
6	The title of which high–ranking official, originally in the Chinese imperial administration, is given to a species of duck?
	Mandarin
7	What common one–word name is used for a small, extremely dense star, that emits a bright beam of radiation as it rotates rapidly?
	Pulsar
8	In geometry, what name is given to a straight line that touches a curve at only one point?
	A tangent

Supplementaries:

1	Which non–metallic element is alloyed with iron in various amounts, from 0.15% to 2.00%, to make steel?
	Carbon
2	The wapiti is a name of native American origin for which member of the deer family?
	The elk

Round 2: Geography

1	Devon Island in Canada holds which geographical claim to fame?
	The world's largest uninhabited island (slightly smaller than Croatia)
2	Which island in the Greek Cyclades island group has recently (February) been badly affected by earthquakes?
	Santorini. (Accept Thera)
3	On which river does Washington DC stand?
	The Potomac
4	The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the longest in Britain. It carries the Llangollen Canal over which river?
	The Dee
5	Which is the only British shipping forecast sea area to be named after a person rather than a geographical feature?
	Fitzroy (formerly known as Finisterre)
6	What is the world's longest river that is located entirely in a single country?
	The Yangtse
7	Rising in the Scottish Highlands, flowing into the Moray Firth, and noted for the whisky distilleries along its course, which is the fastest flowing river in Scotland?
	The Spey
8	Which geological period, dated from approximately 200 to 145 million years ago, lends its name to a stretch of the coast running from Devon through most of Dorset?
	The Jurassic

Supplementaries:

1	Located in the Selly Oak constituency of Birmingham, what was the name of the model village founded for the employees of the Cadbury chocolate factory?
	Bourneville
2	Which island in the Outer Hebrides lies between North and South Uist?
	Benbecula

Round 3: History – Battles

1	At which naval battle, fought in 31 BC, were the forces of Antony and Cleopatra defeated by the navy of Octavian, commanded by Agrippa?
	Actium
2	Which rebel baron defeated King Henry III at the battle of Lewes in 1264, but was himself defeated and killed a year later at the battle of Evesham by Henry's son Edward?
	Simon de Montfort
3	In 1667 the navy of which country carried out a successful raid up the River Thames as far as the Royal Naval dockyard at Chatham, where they towed away the English flagship, the Royal Charles?
	The Dutch Republic (accept Holland or the Netherlands – known at the time as the United Provinces)
4	Fought from March to May 1954, which battle, in which French forces were defeated by Viet Minh forces, effectively brought an end to French rule in Indochina, although American involvement led quickly to the Vietnam War?
	Dien Bien Phu
5	During what became known as 'the black week', the British Army suffered three separate defeats, at Colenso, Stormberg and Magersfontein – during which conflict?
	The 2nd Boer War, 1899 (accept Boer War)
6	Who commanded the English and Allied forces at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704?
	The Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill)
7	Which Norwegian invader was defeated and killed by King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066?
	Harald Hardrada
8	Which Roman general defeated Hannibal and the Carthaginians at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC?
	Scipio Africanus (Publius Cornelius Scipio – given the title Africanus after the battle)

Supplementaries:

1	Which city was the site of two battles in the Wars of the Roses, the first of which is considered to mark the beginning of the war?
	St. Albans
2	Which Belgian town saw the first battle in which the British Expeditionary Force was engaged against the Germans in 1914?
	Mons

Round 4: Arts & Entertainment – All at Sea

The answer to each question is the name of a ship or boat.

1	In the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, what was the name of Prince Caspian's ship? It's the title of one of the books in the series.
	The Dawn Treader
2	In the Pirates of the Caribbean series, what was the name of Captain Jack Sparrow's ship, so fast that it was said to be "nigh on uncatchable"?
	The Black Pearl
3	Which battleship, that saw service at the Battle of Trafalgar, is the subject of an 1838 painting by Turner, showing her being tugged to the breaker's yard?
	The Temeraire. (Turner called her the Fighting Temeraire)
4	In 1966 the Beach Boys made a recording of a Bahamian folk song about which sailing ship?
	The Sloop John B
5	In 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival released a song inspired by which Mississippi river boat?
	Proud Mary
6	An 1819 painting by the French artist Théodore Gèricault depicts the desperate survivors of a shipwreck drifting on a raft in the Atlantic Ocean. What was the name of their ship?
	The Medusa
7	In the 1956 film of Cole Porter's High Society, the divorced composer Dexter Hayden (played by Bing Crosby) gives his ex, Tracey Lord (Grace Kelly) a model yacht as a wedding present to remind her of their honeymoon, spent on the real yacht. What's the name of the yacht?
	True Love
8	What was the name of Captain Nemo's submarine in the 1870 novel 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, by Jules Verne?
	Nautilus

Supplementaries:

1	Which ghost ship, doomed to sail the seas but never to reach port, is the subject of an opera by Richard Wagner?
	The Flying Dutchman
2	What was the name of Captain Ahab's whaling ship in the novel Moby Dick?
	The Pequod

Round 5: Cluedo

Each answer in this round includes words taken from the board game Cluedo. There are six suspects' names, six weapons and nine rooms to choose from, but you must give the full answer

1	Norwich is the location of the HQ of the company which makes which well–known store cupboard cooking ingredient?
	Colman's Mustard
2	First published in 1887, which novel marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson?
	A Study in Scarlet
3	Which 1948 Hitchcock film, based on a real murder and starring James Stewart, is notable for its long takes and for being the first Hitchcock film shot in Technicolor?
	Rope
4	Produced in Central and southern Europe, the spirit slivovitz is made from which fruit?
	Plum (specifically, damsons)
5	Which snooker player has reached the final of the Snooker World Championships most times without ever winning?
	Jimmy White (six times)
6	The name of which bird connects the throne of the Mughal Emperors of India and the floorwalker in the sitcom Are You Being Served??
	Peacock
7	Which actor plays Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in the TV series Foyle's War?
	Michael Kitchen
8	The Beatles' last paid concert took place at which San Francisco stadium (now demolished)?
	Candlestick Park

Supplementaries:

1	On which 1966 Beatles LP would you find the tracks Yellow Submarine and Eleanor Rigby?
	Revolver
2	Which 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, set in a south Wales mining community, was made into a film in 1941, directed by John Ford?
	How Green was my Valley

Round 6: TV Crime–fighting Duos

In this round you will be given the actors' names and one part of a detective duo. For example:

0	Adam West and Burt Ward: Batman and ...?
	Robin

Simples!

1	Taia Gouveia and Jason Watkins: Macdonald and ...?
	Dodds
2	Sarah Lancashire and Phil Davies: Rose and ...?
	Maloney
3	Lesley Sharp and Suranne Jones: Scott and ...?
	Bailey
4	Jo Joyner and Mark Benton: Shakespeare and ...?
	Hathaway
5	Felicity Kendall and Pam Ferris: Rosemary and ...?
	Thyme
6	Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett in the Two Ronnies shows: Piggy Malone and ....?
	Charley Farley (both names required)
7	Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan: Dalziel (dee–ell) and ...?
	Pascoe
8	Michael Brandon and Glynis Johns: Dempsey and ...?
	Makepeace

Supplementaries:

1	Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly: Cagney and ...?
	Lacey
2	Derek Martin and Nigel Planer: King and ...?
	Castle

Round 7: Life is a Journey

Each question in this round concerns a journey or travel.

1	According to a 1998 book by comedian Tony Hawks, with which household item did he travel around Ireland?
	A fridge
2	What's the subtitle of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit?
	There and Back Again
3	In which 1965 film do some of a stellar cast of Hollywood actors survive a plane crash in the Sahara Desert by constructing a new plane from the wreckage?
	The Flight of the Phoenix
4	In June 1914, the poet Edward Thomas was travelling from London to Malvern when the train stopped unexpectedly at a small Gloucestershire village station (now long closed). This event inspired his best–known poem. What was the name of the village?
	Adlestrop
5	What was the name of the 1936 documentary, filmed by the GPO film unit, with verses by W. H. Auden set to music by Benjamin Britten?
	Night Mail
6	In which 1966 sci–fi film are a miniaturised submarine crew (including, among others, Raquel Welch) inserted into the body of a scientist and sent to repair a blood clot on his brain?
	The Fantastic Voyage
7	Starting out in Iceland, to where do German Professor Lidenbrock, his nephew and an Icelandic guide journey in a Jules Verne novel of 1864?
	The centre of the Earth
8	Which travelling companion accompanied Robert Louis Stevenson on a journey through the Cevennes mountains of Southern France in 1878?
	A donkey

Supplementaries:

1	The title of William Thackeray's most famous novel, Vanity Fair, is taken from which earlier work?
	The Pilgrim's Progress
2	In which 2004 film, starring Tom Hanks and noted for its mix of live action and computer animation, is Chris, a young boy who no longer believes in Father Christmas, taken on a magical journey that will change his mind?
	The Polar Express

Round 8: Sport

1	Where will the next Rugby Union World Cup be held (in 2027)?
	Australia
2	Which title was won in 2024 for the third time by Scotland's Tom Stoltman?
	World's Strongest Man
3	Which football club did Arne Slot manage, immediately before Liverpool?
	Feyenoord
4	Which English batsman hit 317 runs against Pakistan in the first test, In October 2024?
	Harry Brook
5	Which Dublin stadium, the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association, hosts the all–Ireland Hurling and Gaelic Football finals?
	Croke Park
6	Who managed Leicester City to their unlikely 2016 Premier League title?
	Claudio Ranieri
7	Give the word represented by any of the three letters in the sport abbreviated to MMA.
	Mixed Martial Arts
8	Joining the Rugby Football League 1 in September 2024, which is the latest professional Rugby League team?
	Goole Vikings

Supplementaries:

1	Playing tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who is the boyfriend of Taylor Swift?
	Travis Kelce
2	The boxers Ray Robinson and Ray Leonard, both former world champions, shared which nickname, referring to a foodstuff?
	Sugar

General Knowledge

1	Currently 92 years old, Paul Biya is the oldest head of state in the world. He's the second president of which African country?
	Cameroon
2	Which English cathedral is noted for its imp?
	Lincoln
3	Name either of the two winners of the 2025 series of Traitors.
	Leanne Quigley or Jake Brown
4	The 1947 Kon–tiki raft expedition from South America to Polynesia was led by which Norwegian adventurer?
	Thor Heyerdahl
5	Who was the central protagonist of Joel Chandler Harris's "Uncle Remus" stories?
	Brer Rabbit
6	There are currently only two English football managers in the Premier League; one is Eddie Howe, who is the other?
	Graham Potter (West Ham)
7	On which Scottish island would you find three mountains known collectively as the Paps?
	Jura
8	Which ancient mathematician and scientist is claimed to have said "Give me a firm place to stand and I will move the Earth"?
	Archimedes

9	Which sportswear brand has a laurel wreath as its logo?
	Fred Perry
10	What's the equivalent in the British Army of the US Army bugle call known as Taps?
	The Last Post
11	In which English cathedral can you see the Mappa Mundi – a medieval map of the world?
	Hereford
12	Menelaus, the husband of Helen of Troy, was king of which city?
	Sparta
13	Which programming language, developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, shares its name with an Indonesian island?
	Java
14	Where, in the year 1100, was King William II, Rufus, killed by an arrow in what may, or may not, have been a hunting accident?
	In the New Forest (a monument called the Rufus Stone purports to mark the spot)
15	Which neo–prog band's 1983 debut LP, Script for a Jester's Tear, reached No. 7 and spent 31 weeks in the album charts?
	Marillion
16	The Cheddar Gorge is located in which range of hills?
	The Mendips

17	Constantly broadcast on our railways, which word concludes this security soundbite: "See it, say it ..."?
	Sorted
18	Thanks to a tilt of 97.77 degrees, which planet in our Solar System rotates on its side?
	Uranus
19	Other than stations and utilities, which blue property on a monopoly board is named after a building, rather than a street or thoroughfare?
	The Angel, Islington
20	The opening movement of which Beethoven symphony is entitled Awakening of cheerful feelings on arriving in the countryside? (Name or number is acceptable.)
	The Sixth symphony, the Pastoral
21	The 1995 film The Usual Suspects takes its name from a quotation from which much earlier film?
	Casablanca
22	Born Shirley Ann Broadbent in 1935, which actress featured in two Carry On films, and went on to play the part of Alma Sedgwick in Coronation Street?
	Amanda Barrie
23	In Greek mythology, who kept Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for seven years?
	Calypso
24	The first modern political manifesto was issued in 1834 as an address to the electors of Tamworth, by which candidate for election, a future Prime Minister?
	Robert Peel

25	Producing a car in its own name in 2018, Cupra is a subsidiary of which car maker, which in turn is part of the Volkswagen group?
	SEAT
26	Frances McDormand won three Oscars. The first was for Fargo; name either of the other two films
	Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri or Nomadland
27	The titles of both the novel Far from the Madding Crowd and the film Paths of Glory are taken from which poem?
	Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard
28	Which warrior princess was played on television by Lucy Lawless from 1995 to 2001?
	Xena
29	Who recently resigned as captain of the England T20 cricket team after its disastrous failure in the ICC Champions' Trophy in Pakistan?
	Jos Buttler
30	In which inlet on Shetland is the North Sea Oil and Gas Terminal located?
	Sullom Voe
31	One copy is held in Lincoln Cathedral, another in Salisbury Cathedral, and two in the British Library. Copies of what?
	Magna Carta
32	The biggest–selling single of 1979, Bright Eyes, recorded by Art Garfunkel, was originally written for the soundtrack of which 1978 film?
	Watership Down

33	Beriberi is caused by a vitamin deficiency which mainly affects the nervous system and heart, with potentially fatal results. Which vitamin is lacking?
	Vitamin B1; also accept thiamine (do not accept just B – this is a group of vitamins)
34	The British military victories at Plassey and Quebec took place during which 18th century conflict?
	The Seven Years' War
35	Britain and Ireland compete against Australia for the Tom Richards Cup in which sport?
	Rugby union (winners of the Test Series between Australia and the British Lions)
36	Which animal appears on the county flag of Leicestershire?
	A fox
37	Which stretch of open water, surrounded by the major islands of Orkney, was once the country's chief naval base?
	Scapa Flow
38	Which city is served by John Paul II Airport?
	Krakow
39	Who left Radio 2 in April 2023 to join Greatest Hits Radio, taking Popmaster with him?
	Ken Bruce
40	What's the name of the villanous penguin that first appeared in the Walace & Gromit film The Wrong Trousers?
	Feathers McGraw

41	Which 21st century Foreign Minister shares his name with a leader of the 1381 Peasants' Revolt?
	Jack Straw
42	At around 20 kilometres, the River Eastern Yar is the longest river in which part of the British Isles?
	The Isle of Wight
43	Which European country recently announced that in 2030 there will be a levy on greenhouse gases emitted by their livestock (flatulence tax)?
	Denmark
44	By what nickname was the footballer Neil Ruddock widely known?
	Razor
45	In Spain, what is known as El Gordo (the fat one)?
	The National Lottery
46	How many horizontal lines form a musical stave?
	Five
47	Which animal appears on the county flag of Herefordshire?
	A bull (accept cow)
48	In November, 2024, Georgie Grasso became the first Welsh winner of which competition?
	The Great British Bake Off

49	Which actor has taken on the role of Inspector Mervyn Wilson in the latest series of Death in Paradise?
	Don Gilet
50	Who married Edward Lear's Owl and Pussycat?
	The turkey (who lives on the hill)
51	At around 18 kilometres, the River Sulby is the longest river in which part of the British Isles?
	The Isle of Man
52	Verity, a 66 feet high stainless steel and bronze statue standing on the pier at the entrance to Ilfracombe harbour in Devon, is by which artist?
	Damien Hirst
53	What was the name of the teenage witch played on TV by Melissa Joan Hart?
	Sabrina
54	Pope Tawadros II is head of which church?
	The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church (accept Coptic)
55	Who is the current Snooker World Champion?
	Kyren Wilson
56	Which book comes first in the Karla Trilogy by John le Carre, before The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People?
	Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

57	If the Italian word pizzicato appears on a sheet of music, what should a violinist do?
	Pluck the strings (with a finger, as opposed to playing with the bow)
58	In the acronym AFOL, the AFO stands for Adult Fan of ... what word does the L stand for?
	Lego
59	Known as the Battle of the Nations', and the biggest battle in history before the First World War, close to which German city did Napoleon suffer a crushing defeat in October 1813?
	Leipzig
60	Which Russian state–owned multinational energy corporation has its headquarters in the Lakhta centre in St. Petersburg?
	Gazprom
61	What was the trade or profession of a wainwright?
	Maker of carts
62	Which sportswear brand has a crocodile as its logo?
	Lacoste
63	In which 1940 film did Mickey Mouse play the part of the Sorcerer's Apprentice to the music of Paul Dukas?
	Fantasia
64	BASIC is the generic anagram name of a family of high–level programming languages designed for general use. What does the S stand for?
	Symbolic (Beginners All–purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)

65	In which city did Wigan Warriors defeat Warrington Wolves by 48 points to 24 at the Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, 1st March?
	Las Vegas
66	The recent BBC TV detective drama series Virdee is set in which city?
	Bradford
67	What did the extremely accurate chronometer invented by John Harrison in the 1730s enable mariners to do that was of great importance in navigation?
	It allowed ships' navigators to measure longitude (before that, they were literally "lost at sea")
68	Which Government minister resigned recently in protest over Government plans to cut the aid budget, despite promises to increase it?
	Anneliese Dodds
69	Which artist, whose death was recently announced, painted The Singing Butler?
	Jack Vettriano
70	Biological warfare experiments carried out in 1942 on the Scottish island of Gruinard resulted in the island becoming so contaminated that it was kept strictly quarantined for nearly 50 years. What pathogen was being tested in these experiments?
	Anthrax
71	The Kurt Vonnegut novel Slaughterhouse 5 is set in which city?
	Dresden
72	According to the nursery rhyme See–saw, Marjorie Daw, Jenny shall have a new master; but why shall she have but a penny a day?
	Because she can't work any faster

73	Who was the founder and developer of the Christian Science religion?
	Mary Baker Eddy
74	Name the Scotland captain who missed a last–gasp conversion kick in the recent Six Nations match against England, resulting in an English victory.
	Finn Russell
75	Czech billionaire Daniel Kritinsky, a major shareholder in West Ham United FC, has recently been cleared to buy which national institution?
	The Royal Mail
76	Which animal did G. K. Chesterton describe as follows: "With monstrous head and sickening cry and ears like errant wings / The Devil's walking parody of all four–footed things"?
	The donkey
77	The Liverpool FC anthem You'll Never Walk Alone is from which Rogers & Hammerstein musical?
	Carousel
78	Which famous novel has the subtitle The Modern Prometheus?
	Frankenstein
79	The moons Io, Callisto, Europa and Ganymede are collectively known by what name?
	The Galilean moons. (They were the first four moons of Jupiter to be recognised, by Galileo)
80	In a game of roulette, what does the instruction "Faites vos jeux" mean?
	Place your bets

81	Eric Blair, better known as the novelist George Orwell, began his adult life as a policeman – working in which country, the setting for his first novel?
	Burma (the novel was Burmese Days)
82	What do we call the herb that the Americans call cilantro?
	Coriander
83	Daniel Day Lewis won three Oscars. The first was for My Left Foot; name either of the other two films
	There Will Be Blood or Lincoln
84	Portrayed by Kate Winslet in the film Ammonite, who discovered the first plesiosaur skeleton and the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton?
	Mary Anning
85	According to a nursery rhyme, where would you go "to see a fine lady ride on a white horse, with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes"?
	Banbury Cross (from the nursery rhyme, Ride a Cock Horse)
86	Which pre–Raphaelite artist made more than one version of his painting The Light of the World?
	William Holman Hunt
87	Which city is served by Franz Liszt Airport?
	Budapest
88	Which horse was the surprise 25–1 winner of this year's Cheltenham Champion Hurdle last week?
	Golden Acre

89	Which island was formerly known as Van Diemen's Land?
	Tasmania
90	The Yaris and Aygo are cars manufactured by which motor company?
	Toyota
91	What's the alternative name for Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides?
	Fingal's Cave
92	On which of the Scilly Isles would you find the subtropical Abbey Gardens?
	Tresco
93	Name either of the two men – one a missionary, the other a journalist – who had a famous meeting in Ujiji (now in Tanzania) in November 1871.
	David Livingstone or Henry Morton Stanley
94	The explorer and politician Hiram Bingham, famous for publicising the existence of Machu Picchu, was the inspiration for which film character?
	Indiana Jones
95	Early in his career the painter Pablo Picasso went through two artistic periods, identified by the predominant colours he used. Name either of these two periods.
	Pink (accept rose) or blue
96	What was the trade or profession of an arkwright?
	He made boxes

Supplementaries:

1	Mary Arden was the mother of which playwright?
	Shakespeare
2	Who was the Soviet Premier at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?
	Nikita Khruschev
3	On the Isle of Man, what is an MHK?
	Member of the House of Keys
4	In which English county would you find RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath?
	Suffolk
5	Which American actor played Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, a hired criminal and murderer in Fargo, and Nikita Khruschev in The Death of Stalin?
	Steve Buscemi
6	Which branch of mathematics takes its name from Greek words meaning 'measurement of earth'?
	Geometry
7	Which virtual assistant was based on a Polish speech synthesiser and bought by Amazon in 2013?
	Alexa
8	Who is the host of the TV and Radio series Uncanny?
	Danny Robins

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