Tonight, Tonight

That’s a better evening!   Despite my nerves –and I’ll happily admit to praying, tonight, something I find helpful, occasionally, even though I’m not conventionally religious– it went well.

Just so you all know, though, the top two are the semi-regular Bumblers with me next to them, looking better than I felt, with the Sporrans, underneath the Bumblers.   The Bumblers came in forth, I should point out, with the Sporrans in third place.

That little triangular arrange include Georgina, with veteran barmaid, Charley, directly underneath, and the Golden Oldies, to their right.   Bless them, Charley and Georgina came in last and got the t-shirt, which must be a record.   That’s the FOURTH t-shirt a team featuring Charley has managed to bag!   And I’ve a funny feeling that there’s a lot of suspiciously t-shirt shaped t-towels at Charley’s house!

And right at the bottom, there, is Charley, again – mostly because I happen to think she’s got a fantastic waistline … Oh, and not forgetting Joe, of course, who came in first, with a humongous 65 points, out of a potential 76.

Ten point table round, don’t forget, and four of the main forty questions, had bonus’ attached.

While we’re at it, I’d better mention that; – the Bonus Question!

I used the same one tonight that I used at the Hutton, Thursday just gone; – the world’s largest Guitar Ensemble played in Kansas, last year.   How many guitarists played at that gig, and what Deep Purple song did they play?

Going by the Guinness Book of Records website –which I’ve linked into the title, by the by– the answer is 1, 721, and “Smoke on the Water”.

Which no-one got, at either venue.

The net result of which is that the King Harold’s Bonus prize stands at a minimum of £5•25, next week, and the Hutton’s is at £5•50, this coming Thursday.   Handy!

Anyway, here’s tonight's questions.   Let me know what you think.

ROUND ONE: –  GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) In rhyme, who asked his way to Norwich when he came down too soon?

A1) The man in the moon

Q2) In Britain a general election must be held every how many years?

Q2) Five

Q3) The discovery of what caused a rush to California in 1848?

A3) Gold

Q4) Before the award was discontinued, in 2003, for Health and Safety reasons, which British comedian was the last person to be named as ‘Pipe Smoker of the Year’?

A4) Stephen Fry

Q5) If N comes before M, I comes before O, U before I and Z before , what letter comes before B?

A5) V (On a typewriter or keyboard).

Q6) Which famous, and very posh London Road and Underground station has six consecutive consonants in its name?

A6) Knightsbridge

Q7) Kitty Hawk is associated with which famous aviators?

A7) The Wright Brothers.

Q8) In August 1942, where in France did allied forces mount a daring raid on Hitler’s Fortress Europe?

A8) Dieppe

Q9) Which beauty competition did Eric Morley found in 1951?

A9) Miss World Competition.

Q10) What title is given in Spain to daughters of the sovereign?

A10) The Infanta

ROUND TWO: – SPORTING CHANCES.

Q11) Which team did England beat in the 2003 rugby World Cup final?

A11) Australia

Q12) Which jockey was knighted in 1953?

A12) Gordon Richards

Q13) Which of the Neville brothers was first to leave Man Utd?

A13) Phil

Q14) In a tennis tie-break, what is the largest winning margin?

A14) 7 – 0

Q15) Which country did the British and Irish Lions tour in 2005?   (Bonus for telling us who won the tour.)

A15) New Zealand.   (The All-Blacks; – it was a Three-Nil whitewash)

Q16) In which team game do you try to move backwards all the time?

A16) Tug of War

Q17) What is another name for the watery sport of Natation?

A17) Swimming

Q18) How many goals did France score in the 1998 World Cup final?

A18) Three

Q19) In water polo, which players wear red caps?

A19) The goalkeepers

Q20) Which football defender was the first man to decide a World Cup game with a ‘Golden Goal’?

A20) Laurent Blanc.

ROUND THREE: –  MUSIC AND LIGHTS.

Q21) According to a popular 60s song, what do birds, stars and me all have in ?

A21) “Just like me, they long to be close to you” - from the song “Close to You”, a hit for both Dionne Warwick and The Carpenters

Q22) Who classical composer wrote the tune,  “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”?

A22) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Q23) Hot Chocolate, Billy Preston, Badfinger, Mary Hopkin, Jackie Lomax and James Taylor all recorded for which record label?

A23) Apple; – They all signed for the Beatles label Apple Records

Q24) What was the title of the Beatles EP which featured the songs “Your Mother Should Know” and “I Am The Walrus”?

A24) “Magical Mystery Tour”.

Q25) Which rock star once said of his daughter “She had her rebellious moment, but it was pretty quiet compared to mine, which lasted about 15 years”?

A25) Mick Jagger.

Q26) Laurie Anderson’s only UK hit was the very strange “Oh, Superman”; – but which iconic member of The Velvet Underground is she married to?

A26) Lou Reed.

Q27) Cliff Richard entered the Eurovision Song Contest in which year of the 60’s?

A27) 1968

Q28) In 1985, Sting sang guest vocals on which best-selling Dire Straits single?   (Bonus point for telling us the name of the album.)

A28) Money for Nothing, Brothers in Arms

Q29) Francis Rossi and Ronnie Wood have both lost which part of their face?

A29) Nasal Septum - part of their nose, due to drug abuse

Q30) “U can’t Touch This” was the 1st chart hit for which rapper?

A30) MC Hammer

ROUND FOUR: –  THE LIVING WORLD.

Q31) What is a Puffball; –a fungus, an algae, or a lichen?

A31) A fungus.

Q32) How many bones does a slug have?

A32) None.

Q33) In what type of environment do most crustaceans live?

A33) The Sea.

Q34) What kind of creature is an anchovy?

A34) A fish

Q35) Which of the following has the most bones: – a human, a horse or a mouse?

A35) A mouse(225), a human(206), a horse(205).

Q36) The horn of a rhino is made of what?

A36) Hair

Q37) What do kangaroos, anteaters and sea-horses all have in common; – pouches, fins, or very long tongues?

A37) Pouches to carry their young

Q38) The first guide dog training schools were established in which European country  (shortly after World War 1)?

A38) Germany

Q39) What kind of creature is a Black Widow?

A39) A spider.

Q40) A Muscovy is what type of bird?

A40) A duck.

ROUND FIVE: –  BY THE NUMBERS.

Q41) What is 1⁄3rd of 1, 200?

A41) 400

Q42) In Sudoku, what is the total of the numbers used oncer, in each 3*3 square?

A42) 45

Q43) In imperial measurement, how many yards are there, in a chain?

A43) 22

Q44) How many lines in a sonnet?

A44) 14

Q45) How many gallons, in a bushel?

A45) 8

Q46) How many actors have played Dr Who, on stage?

A46) 3.   (A character actor called Trevor Martin, back in the seventies, and Jon Pertwee, and Colin Baker, during the 80’s and 90’s)

Q47) If you played 35 cards, in a game of Patience, how many are left to play?

A47) 17

Q48) How many pound, in a hundredweight?

A48) 112lbs.

Q49) What is the square root of 169?

A49) 13

Q50) What is ¼ plus 1/8?

A50) 3/8th

ROUND SIX: – GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which king is said to have burnt the cakes?

A51) Alfred the Great

Q52) Thomas Arnold was headmaster of which public school?

A52) Rugby

Q53) In which year of the 1960’s was the PLO founded?

A53) 1964

Q54) What material did the jeweller René Lalique specialise in?

A54) Glass

Q55) Kampilan, Barong, Talwar and Kirtana are all types of what?

A55) Swords

Q56) Who shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize?

A56) Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk

Q57) Members of which branch of the British army are known as the Red Devils?

A57) The Parachute Regiment

Q58) What did Private Teruo Nakamura discover had finished, in December 1974?

A58) World War II

Q59) Who was the first British monarch to visit New Zealand?

A59) Elizabeth the 2nd

Q60) The Montgolfier Brothers were known for what; – the first balloon flight, the first hang glider, or the first crossing of the English Channel?

A60) The first Balloon flight

And remind me to mention how many people will argue about the exact pronunciation of ‘Natation’, by the way.   And Exactly whether Aldwych counts as posh.

I think I’ll be arguing with John and Roger about the exact consonental status of the letter ‘Y’ for quite some time …