The Daily Teaser

You know, it isn’t that often I’ll tape a documentary.

Well …

It isn’t that often I’ll tape a documentary, and tell you about it.

But BBC4 had an Alan Yentob three parter on, overnight, about the history of the guitar.

Fascinatingly distracting stuff.

But my word, those lutes look like buggers to tune!

Eight courses — 15 strings — as an average … ?

I should coco … !

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

Before I wander off and decide to buy one …

»»•««

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor — all on his ownsome — scoring 5 out of 5, and — adding a touch of much needed class — quoting W. B. Yeats.

Lets see how he — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we … ? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video …

Q1) January 29, 1949, saw the birth of the last surviving member of the Ramones: who is he … ?

Q2) 29th January, 1956, saw Queen Victoria issue the warrant that instituted the UK’s highest military honour: what’s the name of that medal … ?

Q3) More to the point, that medal was first issued to soldiers in which war … ?

Q4) 29th January, 1845, saw the first publication of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven: what — according to Project Gutenburg — is the poem’s last word … ?

Q5) Equally to the point, what’s the first Terry Pratchett novel to feature a raven named for the one in the poem … ?

Q6) 29th January, 1891, saw Liliuokalani proclaimed Queen — and last monarch — of where … ?

Q7) And finally … 29th January, 1959, saw much of Britain brought to a standstill … by what … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 28th January, 1813, saw the first publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice: who played Elizabeth Bennet — opposite Colin Firth as Mr Darcy — in the 1995 television version of the novel … ?

A1) Jennifer Ehle.

Q2) 28th January, 1982, saw the release of Brigadier General James Dozier, after he’d been by kidnapped by which Italian terrorist group … ?

Q2) The Red Brigade.

Q3) 28th January, 1820, saw an expedition from where discover the Antarctic continent … ?

A3) Russia.

Q4) 28th January, 1953, saw teenager Derek Bentley, hanged for murdering a policeman: what was the name of the film — with Christopher Eccleston and Paul Reynolds — about the incident … ?

A4) Let Him Have It.

Q5) And finally … 28th January, 1754, saw who coin the word ‘serendipity’, in a letter to Horace Mann … ?

A5) The 4th Earl of Orford, himself, Horace Walpole.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later.

After I’ve figured out how to build a guitarón mexicano …