NOW TRY OUR ROYALLY TRICKY QUIZ . . .
HERE are ten Pointless-style questions Her Majesty would enjoy (including a few on her ancestors which she should answer with ease). The aim is to find the the most obscure answer — giving you the lowest number of points possible . . .
1. PRIME MINISTERS
WE ARE looking for the name of the leastknown UK Prime Minister to have served during the reigns of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II (up until the start of 2015). CHECK your answer with our answers on Page 22 and their corresponding Pointless score, which is the number of people from a test panel who came up with that answer. For example, if you pick James Callaghan, you score 34 points because 34 others chose him. Robert Peel? That would give you four points. The lower score the better. If you get an answer completely wrong, you score 100 points. If you play with other people, the lowest score is the winner.
2. GRAND NATIONAL
ANY horse with a one-word name who has won the Aintree Grand National since 1945 up to and including the 2012 race. Not accepted are either E.S.B. (winner in 1956) or L’Escargot (1975).
3. FAMOUS BATTLES
HERE are five anagrams of the names of famous battles (with the century in which they took place). Work out the answers and pick the one you think the fewest people could work out. N.B. The words ‘Battle of’ don’t appear in the anagrams. STASHING (11th century) OUT RACING (15th century) TOOLWARE (19th century) A TIN RIB (20th century) DEMO GOERS (17th century)
4. HORRIBLE HISTORIES
LISTED are five clues to famous historical figures, with the year in which they died, who have been characterised performing songs on the children’s TV series Horrible Histories. You must work out the answers and then name the most obscure person. Egyptian queen and lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony (30 BC). English naturalist famous for his theory of evolution (1882). Jamaican nurse who cared for British soldiers in the Crimean War (1881). Queen of the Iceni people, destroyed the capital of Roman Britain (circa AD 60-61). Scottish nationalist, led resistance forces against Edward 1 (1305).
5. ARTHURIAN LEGENDS
FIVE more clues — these relate to the myths surrounding King Arthur. But which answer is the most obscure? Author of the 15th-century work Le Morte D’Arthur. Name of King Arthur’s wife. Shape of the famous table Arthur sat at with his knights at court. Title of the 1963 animated Disney film about Arthur. Usual name of the sword given to Arthur by the Lady in the Lake.
6. FEMALE FIRSTS
THIS involves 12 female ‘firsts’. Name the women who were first to achieve the feats listed — then the one you think is least obvious. Appear on a postage stamp. Be head of MI5. Cox in the University Boat Race. Go into space. Marry Henry VIII. Run for U.S. Vice-President as a Republican. Sit in House of Commons for the Green Party. The first test-tube baby. Train a Grand National winner. Win a Best Director Oscar. Win a Nobel Prize. Win Eurovision for the UK.
7. JOCKEYS
NAME any jockey who’s ridden a Grand National winner on at least two occasions in races held since 1945 up to and including the one in 2012.
8. MEDIEVAL ENGLAND
HERE are five clues to facts about medieval England. Do you know the answer to the most obscure? Figure from folklore who robbed from the rich. First Norman King of England. French peasant girl nicknamed ‘The Maid of Orleans’. Medieval poem that inspired the 2007 fantasy film with Ray Winstone. Year of the Battle of Hastings.
9. UK CITIES
NAME any of the ten UK cities with the letter ‘Y’ in their name. Obviously, we are not counting the word ‘City’ as part of their name.
10. MAGNA CARTA
GIVE the answer you think the fewest of our panel knew about the charter agreed by King John at Runnymede? Archbishop of Canterbury instrumental in the sealing of the Magna Carta. King of England who accepted and sealed the Magna Carta. Number of clauses in the original document. U.S. TV chat show host whose questions about it stumped David Cameron. The year in which the Magna Carta was sealed.
ANSWERS:
1. PRIME MINISTERS
Tony Blair 86; Margaret Thatcher 82; David Cameron 80; John Major 73; Gordon Brown 62; Winston Churchill 46; Harold Wilson 45; Edward Heath 42; James Callaghan 34; Benjamin Disraeli 26; Harold Macmillan 20; William Gladstone 16; Anthony Eden 13; Alec Douglas-Home 10; Viscount Palmerston 5; Robert Peel 4; Earl Of Aberdeen 1; Marquess Of Salisbury 1; Earl Of Rosebery 0; Earl Of Derby 0; Lord John Russell 0; Viscount Melbourne 0.
2. GRAND NATIONAL
Aldaniti 9; Ballabriggs 4; Foinavon 2; Hedgehunter 1; Papillon 1; Seagram 1; Corbiere 1; Freebooter 0; Grittar 0; Kilmore 0; Lucius 0; Miinnehoma 0; Anglo 0; Ayala 0; Numbersixvalverde 0; Oxo 0; Rubstic 0; Specify 0; Sundew 0; Teal 0; Bindaree 0; Bobbyjo 0; Caughoo 0.
3. FAMOUS BATTLES
Hastings 48; Agincourt 15; Waterloo 33; Britain 35; Sedgemoor 0.
4. HORRIBLE HISTORIES
Cleopatra 89; Charles Darwin 72; Mary Secole 9; Boudica 57; William Wallace 27.
5. ARTHURIAN LEGEND
Sir Thomas Malory 9; Guinevere 49; Round 91; The Sword In The Stone 44; Excalibur 69.
6. FEMALE FIRSTS
Queen Victoria 38; Stella Rimington 3; Sue Brown 0; Valentina Tereshkova 1; Catherine Of Aragon 20; Sarah Palin 14; Caroline Lucas 1; Louise Brown 8; Jenny Pitman 12; Kathryn Bigelow 2; Marie Curie 17; Sandie Shaw 16.
7. JOCKEYS
Ruby Walsh 2; Richard Dunwoody 1; Arthur Thompson 0; Brian Fletcher 0; Bryan Marshall 0; Carl Llewellyn 0; Fred Winter 0; Pat Taaffe 0.
8. MEDIEVAL ENGLAND
Robin Hood 89; William The Conqueror 37; Joan Of Arc 52; Beowulf 16; 1066 95.
9. UK CITIES
York 54; Canterbury 13; Derby 12; Salisbury 12; Plymouth 11; Coventry 9; Derry/Londonderry 5; Newcastleupon-Tyne 4; Ely 4; Newry 1.
10. MAGNA CARTA
Stephen Langton 3; King John 38; 63 0; David Letterman 35; 1215, 18.
QUESTIONS taken from A Pointless History Of The World (Coronet, £14.99) and The A-Z Of Pointless (Coronet, £8.99) by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman. To order these books for £11.24 and £6.74 respectively (offer valid to January 18, 2017), visitmailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640. P&P free on orders over £15.