Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1-1-2026 — The Archers (Ten Questions)

1st January, 2026: The Archers.

Right, then: it’s a refreshing start for a whole new year.

At least … we can … if we’re wearing clothes.

Going by the BBC’s weather site?

And a quick check outside?

My home town’s looking, and feeling, cold.

I should be grateful, though.

And old friend lives in southern Finland.

Apparently, it was -17°C, last night.

I should be grateful for heating … 

~≈❄️≈~

Or payments … 

UK benefit claimants had a bit of news, a day or two, ago.

Seemingly?

We should get a cold weather payment of twenty-five pounds: if the overnight weather stays under 0° for seven days in a row.

Assuming the boiler holds out?

I have enough on my meter to survive.

But … ?

I hot the weather holds out: that cash could coming in handy.

~≈💰≈~

I’m a big one for the macOS platform: you’ve possibly worked that out, over the years.

And mostly had a ok time with the platform.

Since the installation of an updated version of the operating system — macOS Tahoe 26·1, to be precise — I’ve notice overheating issues: that seem to be linked to having one or more Pages documents, open.

Linked to processes that Activity Monitor lists as ‘kernel_task’ and ‘corespotlightd’.

Checking with Apple’s support wasn’t helpful: beyond identifying that Pages seemed to be causing the issue, neither was asking on Apple’s support community.

Neither was Macworld’s article on the problem: they’s seemingly simple fix didn’t work.

Quite what’s going on … ?

I don’t know.

But I think it’s something Apple need to sort out: the opinions of a few people I’ve talked to is that it’s an issue with Pages.

And that it’s something Apple needs to sort out.

~≈🍎≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mum*, Olga†, Irene‡ and Debbi§ putting in their answers: with Olga and Debbi scoring twelve out of twelve, Irene on eleven and Mum on ten.


 Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video.

Q1)        The first episode of The Archers was nationally broadcast on 1st January.   Of which year of the 1950s?

Q2)        The pilot episode of the show aired a years earlier.   On which station: BBC Thames Valley FM, BBC Southern Counties Radio or BBC Midlands Home Service?

Q3)        It originally aired on which radio station: the BBC Light Programme, the BBC World Service or the BBC Home Service?

Q4)        The show now airs on which station: BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 or BBC Radio 4?

Q5)        The series is setting in a fictional village called what: Ambridge, Trowbridge or Little Bottom?

Q6)        It’s set in a fictional county called what: Barsetshire, Borsetshire or Mummerset?

Q7)        The Archer family live in what: Brookfield, Dunroamin’ or Manor Fam?

Q8)        Grace Archer burnt to death in a fire: in an episode that aired in 1955. The character’s death is said to be the BBC’s attempt to steal viewers from what: ITV’s opening night, the first episode of Dr Who or the World Cup Final?

Q9)        Hayley Jordan is a minor character in The Archers: and played by Lucy Davis.   Lucy is the daughter of which British comedian?

Q10)        Finally?   The show’s theme tune called “Barwick Green”.   According to Wikipedia, the tune is a what: waltz, maypole dance or Twist?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        January of 2025 saw the arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol.   He was the then current president of where: the USA, South Korea or Vietnam?

A1)        South Korea.

Q2)        At a meeting in February, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a very public row with the President of which country?

A2)        The USA.   (I feel smug: I’ve avoided naming the current US president, all year.)

Q3)        The 97th Academy Awards took place in March of 2025.   Which film won the most Oscars: Anora, The Brutalist or Dune: Part 2?

A3)        Anora.

Q4)        Prince William, the Prince of Wales, attended a funeral in April of 2025.   Whose funeral: the Dalai Lama’s, Pope Francis’ or the President of China’s?

A4)        Pope Francis.

Q5)        In an election held in May, Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor.   Of where: Germany, Austria or Liechtenstein?

A5)        Germany.

Q6)        James Sheen and Micheal Jones were jailed for theft in June of 2025.   The theft of what: a pile of bricks, a gold toilet or a pickled shark?

A6)        A gold toilet.   (Where’s the art experts when you really need them?)

Q7)        Which BritPop band started a reunion tour in July: Status Quo, the Spiders from Mars or Oasis?

A7)        Oasis.

Q8)        August saw Amazon announce that Steven Knight would write the next what: episode of Teletubbies, James Bond movie or Girls Aloud song?

A8)        James Bond movie.

Q9)        The World Athletic Championship were held in September of this year.   Where: Tokyo, Beijing or Kuala Lumpur?

A9)        Tokyo.

Q10)        October saw Dame Sarah Mullally named as the first woman to become what: Prime Minister of the UK, Archbishop of Canterbury or Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police?

A10)        Archbishop of Canterbury.

Q11)        Which footballer was knighted in November: Wayne Rooney, David Beckham or Lionel Messi?

A11)        David Beckham.

Q12)        Finally … ?   The Africa Cup of Nations started in December.   Where’s it being held: Kenya, Morocco or South Africa?

A12)        Morocco.

Here’s a thought …

“… it was famously billed as ‘an everyday story of country folk’ and is now promoted as ‘a contemporary drama in a rural setting’.”

From the Wikipedia entry on the show.

A song …

A link to the podcast.

Today’s episode will be online after it’s radio broadcast: as will the anniversary drama …

The next ten question set is on 10th January: it’s about TinTin.

Your comments, and today’s answers, will be published in tomorrow’s Teaser.

AI is avoided when writing these questions.

Answers are as accurate as possible: at the time of writing.

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        Hello, Mum!   (It was Anora and Morocco, Mum, rather than The Brutalist and South Africa.)

†        I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed, Olga.   If nothing else, I hope Apple get’s this software issue sorted out!

‡        He had his moments, Irene.   And you’re only saying that because he had glasses!   (It was the gold toilet, Irene: just so you know …)

§        That it is, Debbi.   What can I tell you … ?   Oh, are you having issues with Pages, in Tahoe?