Comments on: The most difficult quiz

By: Elke

Elke — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 08:08:41 +0000

Another one 11.7 – Alesund in Norway – burned down in 1904 – the then German Kaiser Wilhelm quickly sent ships with supplies to help the city – there is a monument to him in the city

By: Elke

Elke — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 07:51:26 +0000

Not sure whether answers for these are already out there: 11.4 – Marinus von der Lubbe was executed by the Nazis for setting fire to the Reichstag (allegedly) 15.1 – Georgia is all peaches 17.7 – Amiable association are the Quakers (founded by George Fox)

By: mdl

mdl — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 04:35:18 +0000

Make that 168. I just got 10.10. And people keep telling me that “flying fifteen” really does mean “aerial rugby”, so I guess Uffa is correct.

By: mdl

mdl — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 04:23:07 +0000

9.8 is Black Comb, from Wordsworth’s poem. It’s confusing because the quiz says “church and storms” instead of “clouds and storms”. 18.6 is Geoffrey Rees-Jones, former principal of King William’s College who, on the Welsh team, scored the winning try against the All Blacks in the 1935 championship. As of tonight, I’ve got 167 answered and presumed correct, a reasonably good guess on seven more, a dubious guess on four (9.5, 10.10, 11.1, 17.9), and no idea on two (3.4, 4.5). By the way, I’ve seen several answers on this forum which I think are incorrect, including many of Snorbans’s. My answers are posted here, if you want to take a look. What time do the real answers come out tomorrow?

By: des

des — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 01:08:25 +0000

As Mike Bath proved my Grant Fox answer( guess!) wrong I am going off in a Uffa.

By: Mike Bath

Mike Bath — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 00:00:37 +0000

10.2 Sir Jacob Epstein sculpted some nude figures for the front of the BMA’s HQ in London

By: Mike Bath

Mike Bath — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 23:40:02 +0000

17.9 Uffa Fox designed a boat called the Flying Fifteen

By: Mike Bath

Mike Bath — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 23:38:51 +0000

17.9 Uffa Fox designed a boat called the flying fifteen

By: Bridget

Bridget — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 22:33:08 +0000

In answer to Raj’s question: ‘Other than trying to impress someone at a cocktail party, of what use is the minutiae in the quiz?’ the pupils at the school sit the quiz twice – once before the Christmas holidays and once after the Christmas holidays. The objective is not so much to score highly at first as to increase your score by research. Not so much to know the answers as to learn how to research and find things out – a skill much neglected in many educational systems. Hence the Latin tag at the top of it ‘If you can know where to find something, that in itself is the greater part of erudition.’ Or something like that – it’s a long time since I did Latin. …so while snorbans is loathsome for having so many of the answers, she is also much to be praised for knowing how to find them! Congratulations, snorbans. (BTW the only reason I have to explain this is because you amongst you have already got all the answers I ever stood a chance at and many many more. So it’s my only remaining chance to shine…)

By: Ray Minovi

Ray Minovi — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 22:26:48 +0000

OK Ross. 1.2 is the Oseberg Ship burial. 11.8 Braithwaite’s fire engine was first used in the fire at the Argyle Rooms, London 3.4 ? 9.8 ?

By: des

des — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 21:59:46 +0000

106 for Hobbs is number of not out career innings Laker is combined total bowling in both innings at 1956 Old Trafford test 17.9 is All Black Grant Fox 18.6 is NZ rugby journaistTerry McLean

By: ross

ross — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 18:11:32 +0000

Still badly stuck on 1.2, 3.4, 9.8, 11.8 A few comments: 3.8 was the Adelphi hotel 5.5 was Great Yarmouth and,all those who jumped on poor Snorbans for Laker’s “innings” forgot to mention that it was at Old Trafford, not the Oval!

By: Ray Minovi

Ray Minovi — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:57:50 +0000

the look before you leap fable is the Fox and the Goat. Fox persuaded Goat to jump into well so he could stand on his back and get out Thanks to Anne for Yes Tor The Theatre Royal Glasgow which burned when The Second Mrs Tanqueray was on the bill; but it’s in Belloc too. Still stuck on 10.10, who launched Winter Gale? I can’t find anything at all which helps.

By: Ray Minovi

Ray Minovi — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:47:38 +0000

I’ve got 160 so far. Stuck on 9.7, but 1000 ft is the line at which a hill becomes a mountain (in UK, anyway); 9.8, it’s in a poem but I can’t remember it; 11.8, ought to be easy to find; 17.9 an airborne rugby team? must be joking; 18.2, think it’s a commemorative peal of bells; 3.4, Liverpool memorial. Some alternatives to suggestions: 17.8 Anya Seton wrote Fox Fire. 2.9 It was the rev John Laputa who preached at Kirkcaple 3.1 There’s a Stubbs pic of a racehorse called Molly Longlegs in the Walker Art Gallery 3.9 In 1810 the tower of St Nicholas’ Church fell, killing 24 children and 3 adults, which is near enough to 25 to allow for some inaccuracy in reporting etc 3.5 The man who sculpted the Liver Birds was a German, Carl Bartels, who was interned during WWII

By: robertg

robertg — Wed, 29 Dec 2004 19:20:11 +0000

11.1 was White’s gaming house , not Great fire of London which is 11.9