I run UK’s most star-studded pub quiz – but can you outwit the famous faces who ask these devilishly tricky questions?
QUESTION: Which boozer has A-list celebrities including Dame Judi Dench and Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston to present its weekly quiz?
Answer: The Barley Mow in Marylebone, Central London, where landlord Will Norris, 44, can boast the country’s most star-studded test of general knowledge.
The pub was struggling to recover after Covid when a year ago the locals hit on the idea of asking Dame Judi to video a question for the regulars.
The Hollywood star, who was M in the James Bond movies, asked quiz-goers to name the ten longest motorways in the UK and list them in length order.
Dad-of-one Will says: “When you start with a superstar like Dame Judi, it is much easier to get other celebs to join in.”
Since then Martin Freeman, Jodie Whittaker, Dominic West, Jonathan Price, Michael Sheen and Ben Kingsley have joined top US stars in posing questions for the Tuesday quiz.
Will adds: “We have 42 celebrities lined up to ask more questions, but we are looking for someone special, who is associated with Christmas, to ask this year’s Yuletide question in our charity quiz for Shelter.”
So, think you can outwit a star? Pens at the ready for this fiendish pub quiz, compiled by Will exclusively for Sun readers. The answers are below.
ROUND ONE: ‘In-Bonds’
WHAT is the common link between each of these sets of three words?
- Car, Tree, Elephant.
- Egg, Safe, Whip.
- Days, Continents, Seas.
- Dime, Pluto, Rhode Island.
- Pumpkins, Turkeys, Initials.
- Africa, Superman, Matador.
ROUND TWO: Grub’s up
1. What is pumpernickel? And for a bonus point, where does it originate?
2. What connects casseroles, tagines and paellas?
3. Which herb tastes similar to anise or liquorice?
4. Swiss cheese without holes is referred to as “blind cheese”. What do you call the holes?
5. What effect does adding a sprinkle of salt to a grapefruit have?
6. As of January 2021, which city has the highest number of Michelin Star restaurants in the world?
ROUND THREE: Around the world
1. To the nearest 1,000 miles, how long is the Great Wall of China?
2. Which country was hit by the Red October uprising of 1917?
3. Who is the Hindu god of destruction?
4. In which country would you find Kalamata, a city known for its dark purple olives?
5. What is located in the Elizabeth Tower in London?
6. Byzantium and Constantinople are former names for which modern day city?
ROUND FOUR: Top Ten
WHAT are the ten different numbered pieces of written information found on the personal details page on the most recent design of a UK blue passport?
ROUND FIVE: Let’s get physical
1. In darts, what is the highest score a player can achieve from three different trebles?
2. As of January 2022, what is the only Asian nation to have hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice?
3. In which sport are the participants unaware of the score until it ends?
4. What modern sport is derived from “poona”, played by British Army officers stationed in India?
5. In which sport would you expect to see exactly five players of each team on the court at any one time?
6. “Hang ten” and “grubbing” are terms associated with which sport?
ROUND SIX: The Culture Vulture
1. Where was the fashion designer Jimmy Choo born?
2. Which artist is known as the father of Impressionism?
3. Who wrote the original Black Beauty novel?
4. Who sketched the Vitruvian Man?
5. In Homer’s Odyssey, what is the name of the nymph who captures Odysseus?
6. Which art form is most associated with Soviet-born Rudolf Nureyev?
ROUND SEVEN: At The Movies
1. In Dances With Wolves, name the wolf who befriends Kevin Costner?
2. Winning on his fifth attempt, for which film did Al Pacino finally land his Best Actor Oscar?
3. In 2012, who did Guinness World Records name as the character portrayed the most times on film?
4. Tina Turner sang it, but who wrote the title song for Bond film Goldeneye?
5. In which movie does Tom Hanks say: “There’s no crying in baseball”?
6. In both the animated and live-action versions of The Lion King, what is the name of Simba’s mother?
Answers
ROUND 1: 1. They all have a trunk; 2. You crack them; 3. There are seven of each; 4. They’re each the smallest of their kind; 5. All can be carved; 6. They all have capes.
ROUND 2: 1. A type of rye bread (Germany); 2. They are all named after the pot they are cooked in; 3. Fennel; 4. Eyes; 5. Sweetens it; 6. Tokyo.
ROUND 3: 1. 13,000 (13,171 miles); 2. Russia; 3. Shiva; 4. Greece; 5. Big Ben; 6. Istanbul.
ROUND 4: 1. Surname; 2. Given names; 3. Nationality; 4. Date of Birth; 5. Sex; 6. Place of Birth; 7. Date of Issue; 8. Authority; 9. Date of Expiry; 10. Holder’s Signature.
ROUND 5: 1. 171 = Treble 20 (60) + Treble 19 (57) + Treble 18 (54); 2. Japan; 3. Pro Boxing; 4. Badminton; 5. Basketball; 6. Surfing.
ROUND 6: 1. Malaysia; 2. Claude Monet; 3. Anna Sewell; 4. Leonardo da Vinci; 5. Calypso; 6. Ballet.
ROUND 7: 1. Two Socks; 2. Scent Of A Woman; 3. Detective Sherlock Holmes; 4. Bono and The Edge from U2; 5. A League Of Their Own; 6. Sarabi.