Quiz #36

Although the theory is neither universal nor scientifically proven, which of the two primary musical scales – namely major and minor – is said to produce ‘happy’ music, at least to those exposed to western musical culture?

Question 2

In a non-leap year, what date is the mid-point of the year – with 182 days before it and 182 days after?

Question 3

According to the British Orthodontic Society, what is the recommended minimum amount of times a person should brush their teeth each day?

Question 4

Rocky road ice cream is made by adding marshmallows and nuts to what flavour of ice cream?

Question 5

Cherokee, Renegade, Avenger, Gladiator, and Liberty are models released by what American SUV manufacturer?

Question 6

In the 3^rd century BC, which Carthage general took his army – including African war elephants – across the Alps to fight the Romans?

Question 7

In the Gaelic sport of hurling, how many points does a team score for hitting the ball over the opponent’s bar, and how many points are scored for a goal?

Question 8

Two government departments dealing with drivers and vehicles in the UK are the DVLA and the DVSA. For what do the letters L and S stand for in these respective departments?

Question 9

According to the Bible, who were the three children of Adam and Eve?

Question 10

Make the longest word possible from the following letters: AEMOPRRTY

Round 1 points
(Maximum: 22)

Round 2

Question 1

On June 26, Yamagata airport in Japan had to close its runway because what type of animal was roaming the grounds?

Question 2

The Earnshaws and Lintons are the primary families in which 1847 novel?

Question 3

About which European language’s lengthy compound words did Mark Twain write ‘these things are not words, they are alphabetical processions’, and ‘these long things are hardly legitimate words, but are rather combinations of words, and the inventor of them ought to have been killed.’

Question 4

Which American film actress, who herself has famous parents, has the formal British title The Lady Hadon-Guest of Saling in the County of Essex due to her marriage to actor Christopher Guest?

Question 5

The traditional Welsh dessert Amber Pudding, which dates to at least the 17^th-century, got its name from its colour, created by the use of what ingredient?

Question 6

The colour sepia, mostly associated with the tint of early colour photography, takes it name from the Greek and Latin word for which animal, whose ink was used as a form of pigment?

Question 7

Which two Asian countries give their names to the two subspecies of rice that comprise over 70 per cent of the world’s rice crop?

Question 8

What were the two most common British aircraft used against the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain of 1940?

Question 9

What are the four first names that appear in titles of William Shakespeare’s biographical ‘history’ plays about English kings?

Question 10

What are the six show courts at the Wimbledon – one of which has a name, and five of which are simply called by their numbers?

Round 2 points
(Maximum: 20)

Total points
(Maximum: 42)

Round 3

Question 1

Although otherwise a teetotaller, Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff is said to have drank a glass of what mint-flavoured alcohol prior to the premier of his composition Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in order to calm his nerves – and then at every subsequent performance of it after the premier passed without issue?

Question 2

On Friday Canadian singer Alanis Morissette played the sundown slot at Glastonbury. Of the 12 songs she performed in full during her set, six where singles released from what 1995 album which, with certified sales of over 25 million, is in the top 10 selling original studio albums of all time?

Question 3

Also performing at Glastonbury was Rachel Keen, whose set was so positively reviewed by Rolling Stone magazine that the publication said she may well headline the 2027 edition. The winner of two Ivor Novello awards for songwriting, and a record six Brit Awards in 2024, by what stage name is she known?

Question 4

In June, the International Criminal Court was asked to investigated what Russian mercenary group for potential ‘outrage upon personal dignity’ war crimes committed via social media – a first investigation of its kind – after a report alleged the group posted videos of atrocities in northern Mali including beheadings and cannibalism?

Question 5

Which long-running computer game franchise takes its name from the Japanese words for ‘iron fist’?

Question 6

Due to the location of the damaged ligaments in relation to the ankle joint, by what name is a syndesmotic ankle sprain – in which the ankle twists out away from the body – more commonly known?

Question 7

In the original UK version of the TV game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, what were the two ‘milestone’ money amounts – reached after question five and question ten – at which a player became guaranteed a certain level of money regardless of whether they got a future question incorrect? The same figures, albeit in dollars, were used for the US version.

Question 8

In 2024, the Bridehead Estate in Dorset – which includes the entire 32-home village of Littlebredy – went on the market for £30m, a sale described in Country Life magazine on June 29, 2024 as an ‘astonishing opportunity’. One year later, on July 5, a peaceful trespass protest has been organised in the village after its anonymous buyer undertook what two actions?

Question 9

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that in 2024 over 64 per cent of new cars sold in the UK were what three colours?

Question 10

The Global Ocean Cleanup 2025 took place on June 14-15. What, according to The Ocean Conservancy group, are the top ten most common items of rubbish and pollution found during ocean clean ups?

Round 3 points
(Maximum: 23)

Total points
(Maximum: 65)

Round 4

Question 1

In firefighting, the Denver Drill is a confined space rescue technique developed after a fatal incident in 1992 in the US city of Denver in which a firefighter in full kit became trapped and then unconscious in a storeroom passage only 71cm wide – colleagues taking 55 minutes to elevate him through the room’s window due to the confined space, weight, and heat. Although variations exist, how many people are generally used to execute the Denver Drill, which can be completed in under 3 minutes?

Question 2

What is the term given to the action of restaurants designing their menus in specific ways to maximise profitability, with psychological tricks including the inclusion of a deliberately expensive item to make cheaper but more profitable items more desirable; using multiple panels to persuade people that they need to buy multiple dishes in order to complete their meal; and placing high profit items at the top right of double pages in order to get noticed first?

Question 3

With an estimated 25000 individual animals, the Luangwa river has the largest hippopotamus population in the world – a population size that has led to a controversial government plan to allow paying hunters to cull 2000 of the creatures. In what country is the Luangwa river?

Question 4

Stretching for approximately 1500km, the largest continent shelf in the world lies off the coast of which country?

Question 5

At the 2025 NBA draft, held on June 25-26, the numbers 1, 4, and 10 draft picks were all from which university located in Durham, North Carolina?

Question 6

In fluid dynamics, what is the scientific principle that states that an increase in a fluid’s speed will result in a decrease in its pressure, and is a key reason why aeroplanes gain lift as they accelerate?

Question 7

In Greek mythology, which two Titans are the parents of the gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia?

Question 8

Who have been the three Presidents of the People’s Republic of China in the 21^st century?

Question 9

Data analysis by CIES Football Observatory for the years 2015-2024 showed the football league with the worst net transfer spending was the English Premier League, which spent €11.54bn more on players than it brought in – far beyond the second lowest, Saudi Arabia, at -€1.81bn. Conversely, which five leagues – three in Europe, and two outside Europe – had the highest net income from transfers during the time?

Question 10

What five countries, as recognised by the United Nations, feature the Southern Cross constellation on their national flags?

Round 4 points
(Maximum: 21)

Total points
(Maximum: 86)

Round 5

In Round 5, there is only one answer. The less clues you need to get it, the more points you receive. If you need only one clue, you receive 10 points; if you require two clues, you will receive 9 points, and so on.

However, you may only answer once. If you answer incorrectly, you receive zero points for the round.

In what sport have the following people all been Olympic champion?

Clue 1

Clue 2

Clue 3

Clue 4

Clue 5

Clue 6

Clue 7

Clue 8

Clue 9

Clue 10

Round 5 points
(Maximum: 10)

Total points
(Maximum: 96)