What is the first line of The Christmas Song? A special bumper edition of the Saturday quiz
From the ruddock to The Grinch, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz
• Try our special Christmas kids’ quiz, too
The questions
1 Which bird used to be called the ruddock?
2 Whose birthplace at 17 Bruton Street, London W1 is now a Chinese restaurant?
3 Where did New Shepard go in July?
4 Alice Fitzwarren features in which pantomime?
5 Why is Bitrex added to household cleaning products?
6 Which empire had its capital at Karakorum?
7 What is the first line of The Christmas Song?
8 Which team lost four consecutive Super Bowls?
9 Which Norwegian island gives its name to two shipping forecast areas?
10 How did Neil Papworth say Merry Christmas on 3 December 1992?
11 In which film did Madonna make a record 85 costume changes?
12 Which carol is based on a poem by Christina Rossetti?
13 Who devised the “veil of ignorance” thought experiment?
14 The Ngāti Toa tribe are the legal guardians of what ceremony?
15 Where does the clock tower known as Old Joe stand?
16 What were published in 1812 as Kinder-und Hausmärchen?
What links:
17 Darcey Bussell; Hale-Bopp; female fox; love god?
18 Louisiana (1803); Gadsden (1854); Alaska (1867)?
19 Magnus Carlsen and Ju Wenjun?
20 Gabriella Benson; Mike Bassett; Ted Lasso?
21 Water vapour; carbon dioxide; nitrous oxide; methane; ozone?
22 Chelsea FC; Barings Bank; Homebase; BHS; Reader’s Digest?
23 Shirley Temple; Rita Hayworth; Audrey Tautou; Salma Hayek?
24 Atomic number 79; olibanum; commiphora abyssinica resin?
25 Elphaba; Mike Wazowski; Princess Fiona; The Grinch?
26 The Tournament; Moneyball; Sitting on a Fortune?
27 Humphrey Chetham; Thomas Bodley; John Rylands; William Gladstone?
28 Champ; Major; Bo; Sunny; Barney; Miss Beazley?
29 Dome of the Rock; Florence Baptistery; Palatine Chapel, Aachen; Tower of the Winds, Athens?
30 The Beatles; Spice Girls; LadBaby?
The answers
1 Robin.
2 The Queen.
3 Space (Jeff Bezos).
4 Dick Whittington (they marry).
5 To make them taste bad (child safety measure).
6 Mongol empire.
7 Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
8 Buffalo Bills (1990-93).
9 Utsira (North and South Utsire).
10 In the first text message.
11 Evita.
12 In the Bleak Midwinter.
13 John Rawls.
14 Ka Mate haka (as used by the All Blacks).
15 Birmingham University.
16 Grimms’ fairytales.
17 Santa’s reindeer: Dancer; Comet; Vixen; Cupid.
18 Land purchases that expanded the US.
19 World chess champions (overall and women’s).
20 Fictional football managers: The Manageress TV series; Mike Bassett: England Manager film; Ted Lasso sitcom.
21 Greenhouse gases (in order of contribution).
22 All been sold for £1.
23 Played title roles in first-name films: Heidi; Gilda; Amélie; Frida.
24 Gifts of the magi: gold; frankincense; myrrh.
25 Green-skinned characters: Wicked; Monsters, Inc.; Shrek; How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
26 2021 quizshows hosted by ex-footballers: Alex Scott; Ian Wright; Gary Lineker.
27 Founded (or gave names to) famous libraries.
28 Recent US presidential dogs.
29 Octagonal buildings.
30 Acts to have three consecutive Christmas No 1s.