The Sparrer's Quiz

Not The Archers
1

Because it might be fun…

I’ll post the answers tomorrow.

  1. How much of the rice grain must be removed to make the highest-grade (Daiginjō-shu) sake?
  2. Which 20th-century monarch was known as the Red Queen?
  3. What is now on the site where the London Beer Flood of 1814 happened?
  4. When or where was the spaghetti weevil eradicated?
  5. The Galil ARM is equipped from the factory with a bipod, carrying handle, wire cutter and…?
  6. Who was the last Whig prime minister?
  7. Name any of the winners of the 2020 Tour de France (points, mountains, young rider, team, combativity, most stages)
  8. There are over 350 named craters on the planet Mercury. What is the theme behind their naming?
  9. What was the make of car used for the 2017 fuel economy world record journey from Land’s End to John o’Groats?
  10. Of the 20 British entries to the Eurovision Song Contest in the 21st century, how many have failed to chart? (In the UK.) (Multiple choice: 2, 4, 6 or 8.)

(2, 6, 7 and 9 had no correct answers from the London mob I’ve just run this for.)

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2

I would have been right about 4 (by guessing) and 6. I would have actually got 8 and 9.

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3

Aha! Of course.
[kicks self]
[pauses to ponder]
[kicks Sparrer]

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4

Retreats wivva Bottle…

Carinthia.xx

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5

wivva highest-grade bottle, I trust, Dahlink.

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6

Ow.

Extry gin for quizzers.

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7

For #3, is ‘a lingerin’ smell of Beer’ an acceptable answer?

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8

Evidence needed.

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9

Well, I guessed 5 (Shows how my mind works!)
Are you including this year’s cancellation in 10? (It only came to my notice because of the unfortunately apposite title…)

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10

A ‘lightbulb moment’ perhaps?

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I am. It was a multiple choice, actually: 2/4/6/8.

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  1. How much of the rice grain must be removed to make the highest-grade (Daiginjō-shu) sake?

    50%

  2. Which 20th-century monarch was known as the Red Queen?

    Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium – in the 1950s she made state visits to Poland, Russia and China

  3. What is now on the site where the London Beer Flood of 1814 happened?

    Dominion Theatre

  4. When or where was the spaghetti weevil eradicated?

    Panorama, 1957. (Or “Switzerland”.)

  5. The Galil ARM is equipped from the factory with a bipod, carrying handle, wire cutter and…?

    Bottle opener.

  6. Who was the last Whig prime minister?

    Henry John Temple; 3rd Viscount Palmerston. Also the first Liberal ditto, but not in direct succession.

  7. Name any of the winners of the 2020 Tour de France (points, mountains, young rider, team, combativity, most stages)

    Tadej Pogačar; Sam Bennett; Movistar Team; Marc Hirschi

  8. There are over 350 named craters on the planet Mercury. What is the theme behind their naming?

    artists, musicians, painters, and authors who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field

  9. What was the make of car used for the 2017 fuel economy world record journey from Land’s End to John o’Groats?

    Honda

  10. Of the 20 British entries to the Eurovision Song Contest in the 21st century, how many have failed to chart? (In the UK.)

    4

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13

An Christmas Day quiz:

  1. During which conflict was the largest (to date) non-nuclear explosion?
  2. In which country is the world’s stoutest tree (defined as circumference near ground level)?
  3. How many items in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom predate the Restoration (1661)?
  4. The world’s largest helicopter was the Mil V-12. How many were made?
  5. Which country’s flag has a different design on the reverse?
  6. What car holds the lap record at Brooklands?
  7. Which scientist co-founded the first Unitarian congregation in England?
  8. Which mission took unauthorised postal covers to the Moon?
  9. How many Victoria Crosses have been awarded to New Zealanders? [5] [12] [26] [57]
  10. Where would a traditional Christmas Eve dinner include fried carp and beetroot soup?

Winning score among my beer-drinking mates was 3.

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14

I am reasonably confident of four… But my confidence is often sadly misplaced.

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15

All we need to work out is which of the royal jewels Henrietta Maria didn’t flog off to buy guns with…

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16

Or to give to people who swore they’d provide guns, any day now, honest…

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Her intention was to buy guns, so that is what she flogged them off for.

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During which conflict was the largest (to date) non-nuclear explosion?

First World War (SS Mont Blanc in Halifax harbour; ~2.9kt)

In which country is the world's stoutest tree (defined as circumference near ground level)?

Mexico

How many items in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom predate the Restoration (1661)?

4 (a 12th-century anointing spoon and three early-17th-century swords)

The world's largest helicopter was the Mil V-12. How many were made?

2

Which country's flag has a different design on the reverse?

Paraguay (the reverse is the seal of the treasury rather than the national coat of arms)

What car holds the lap record at Brooklands?

Napier-Railton (racing was never restarted after the track was closed for WWII)

Which scientist co-founded the first Unitarian congregation in England?

Joseph Priestley

Which mission took unauthorised postal covers to the Moon?

Apollo 15

How many Victoria Crosses have been awarded to New Zealanders?

26

Where would a traditional Christmas Eve dinner include fried carp and beetroot soup?

Poland (½ point for Czech Republic which has the carp but not the soup)

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19

My confidence was indeed misplaced. 3, of which two were guesses.
When the cat comes in, I shall kick him ;- )

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The answer to #3 was not “all the mice”.

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