The Daily Teaser — 22-1-2013: Regality … !

It’s Official: that snowman in the carpark at the back of my flat is abominable: abominable I tell you … !

Did you see what I did, there … ?    Abominable and snowman in the same sentence … ?

Please yourselves … !

Either way, I think there’s a few schools closed today: so I’m betting there’ll be a few more snowmen around.

If you’re a betting person, putting some money into how many snowmen appear around town might be worth a go,

Let me know!

We’ll get moving on, shall we?

~~~~~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Mr Strict and Debbi putting in their answers: with both* bagging 10 out of 10º.   It ALSO saw Mr S mentioning where Boxer ended up*, and Debbi telling us she’s updated this postª.

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s rather regal teaser. shall we?

Here it is, along with the ‘How To’, License and video … 

Q1) 22nd January, 1901, saw the death of Queen Victoria: how many years was she on the throne: 62, 63 or 64 … ?

Q2) More to the point, in which year was she named Empress of India … ?

Q3) Equally to the point, who succeeded her, as the UK’s monarch … ?

Q4) To which dynasty did Victoria belong: Windsor, Sax-Coburg-Gotha or Hanover … ?

Q5) And finally … How many children did Victoria have … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 21st January, 1950, saw the death of writer, George Orwell: what was his birth name … ?

A1) Eric Arthur Blair.

Q2) Orwell did lots of work on 1984, his last published novel, on which Hebridean island … ?

A2) Jura.

Q3) 1984 notoriously features a torture chamber called Room 101: where IS the real-world Room 101 … ?

A3) In BBC Broadcasting House.   (Or, alternatively, it’s the Headmasters office in his old school)

Q4) Which of his novels features Napoleon, Snowball and Boxer … ?

A4) Animal Farm.

Q5) How many of Orwell’s poem’s have been published, over the years: 13, 17 or 19 … ?

A5) 17.

Q6) Which well known, left wing, magazine did Orwell write for … ?

A6) Tribune.

Q7) In which war did Orwell take part … ?

A7) The Spanish Civil War.   (His bad experiences during the War, with the NKVD, gave him a very unimpressed view of Soviet-style socialism.).

Q8) More to the point, what was the name of the novel he wrote about that war … ?

A8) Homage to Catalonia.

Q9) Burmese Days is loosely based on Orwell’s days as a policeman in Burma: Burma is also called what … ?

A9) Myanmar.

Q10) And FINALLY … in his essay, A Nice Cup Of Tea, he insisted on the use of what: teabags, teapots or urns … ?

A10) Teapots.  (What does he mean, no sugar … ?   What … ?   WHAT … ?!)

I’ll leave you with this quote from Queen Victoria …

“All marriage is such a lottery — the happiness is always an exchange — though it may be a very happy one -- still the poor woman is bodily and morally the husband’s slave. That always sticks in my throat. When I think of a merry, happy, and free young girl — and look at the ailing aching state a young wife is generally doomed to — which you can't deny is the penalty of marriage.”

Queen Victoria.

And this rather appropriate tune from Ray and the boys … 

Enjoy the snow … 

*        It’s the spokesman for the shops that sold the burgers I feel sorry for, Mr S: he’s sounding a bit hoarse … AHEM … !

º        Weirdly, Debbi!   Bush House and Broadcasting house are two different buildings: seemingly, Orwell was based in Broadcasting House: or Bush House.   I’m personally more inclined to the latter, as it’s the Beeb’s own (archived) page on the subject.

ª        Was a certain Mr Lydon on form, there, Debbi, or was that me … ?