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Part of the Britpop and shoegaze movement of the early 1990s, this British rock band had only one top-ten hit in their career, titled Wake Up [Blank]. The blank is the first word in the band's name The [Blank] [Blank], derived from a fictional reclusive character from a popular 1959 novel, with Robert Duvall playing this character in its 1962 film adaptation. Identify the band.
Alexander McQueen's first show introduced several of his signature looks, including his daring "bumster" pants. The show honoured which film, that was also a nod to his father whose livelihood was the titular profession? The same film was also referenced by Marc Jacobs and Junya Watanabe (visual).
What ritual object, associated with worship and war in Indic traditions, is symbolised by this classical dance mudra (hand gesture)?
What term is used in tennis for a set that is won or lost with a score of "6–0"? This term derives from the resemblance of the 0 to a breakfast item popularly served with cream cheese and lox.
The national flag of which country features a yellow half gear wheel crossed by a machete and crowned with a star? While the red half of the flag signifies bloodshed during the country's Portuguese colonial period and its independence struggle, the black half symbolises the continent it is located in.
What word, that can also refer to an edible mollusc, is used for the heart to refer to its four chambers? It is part of the idiom: "to warm the ------- (7, plural) of one's heart", referring to something that makes one feel pleasant and contented.
What term is given to the communal dining experience in Argentina where meats such as beef, chorizo, or morcilla are cooked over an open fire or grill? Deriving from Spanish for "to roast", the term also features in the names of dishes in Mexico, Portugal, and Philippines. You may also identify the Brazilian version instead.
This highest civilian order awarded by a Caribbean country is named after a nationalist 19th-century poet who influenced the country's revolutionary drive for independence. The image shows Angolan President João Lourenço receiving the award. Which national hero is it named after?
In 1957, Sondheim made his Broadway debut with an adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set in the gang scene of New York. WHICH MUSICAL is this, whose movie adaptation four years later brought a landslide of ten Academy Awards, and was also reprised recently by Steven Spielberg (Dec 2021)?
Seen here is the Indian variety (though they are originally from Indonesia) of what kind of flightless duck which gets its name by how they move about on land? Specifically, in contrast to other ducks, they do not waddle.
Identify this classic handbag (8) by Fendi. Made popular by Carrie Bradshaw, this bag sits under the arm in the very same way that the French are usually seen carrying their long, slender sticks of ________ (8).
To bring to life his role in which 2010s Academy Award-winning film, did Doug Jones have to sit through a three-hour make up process that involved a skin-tight suit, glued on appendages and mechanical gills?
Creeper was a computer program written in 1971 by Bob Thomas. When a later version by Ray Tomlinson turned into the first computer worm, copying itself across computers using the ARPANET, Tomlinson was forced to write another program (the SECOND computer worm and first anti-virus) which moved across computers and deleted any instances of Creeper. What was the second program called, a slight modification of the name of its target and a reference to its own purpose? Spell out the answer please?
The Manhattan Project was a research & development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. Two types of atomic bombs were developed concurrently, a simple gun-type fission weapon and a complex implosion-type nuclear weapon, only one of which resulted in a successful prototype. WHAT WERE THE CODENAMES given to these bombs? The cover story was that they referred to projects that dealt with the modification of a train coach for use by US President Roosevelt and UK Prime Minister Churchill. Either code names will do.
Many paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi depict virtuous women who were ill-treated by men.
This painting by Gentileschi depicts which Argive princess, the only child of King Acrisius? She is locked away after a prophecy led her father to believe that his grandchild would lead to his death. Zeus comes to her in a form of a shower of gold and she soon bears Perseus, who goes on to kill his grandfather in his adulthood.
Identify this Brahmic script used for writing an Austroasiatic language spoken by close to 20 million people. The oldest dated inscription dates back to Harshavarman I's reign and was unearthed at the Angkor Borei District.
What word, that refers to "a social setting in which something occurs", was the winning word of the 1985 National Spelling Bee? You can use these alphabetically arranged Scrabble tiles to form your answer.
Which sculptor designed buttons, brooches and rings for Elsa Schiaparelli's collections alongside decorative items like candlesticks and vases for her showrooms? This sleek floor lamp inspired from African sculpture is reminiscent of the elongated figures he was best known for.
Followers of which religion practise a 40-day period of fasting and prayer from the start of Elul, leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement?
The lifeless figures in a famous 1818 painting were heavily influenced by the corpse in Justice and Divine Vengeance Pursuing Crime (c. 1808) by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon. Prud’hon also makes a reference to Ugolino from Dante's Inferno, who is found guilty of cannibalism. Which painting thus resulted?
Hickam's dictum states, "A man can have as many diseases as he damn well pleases." It is a counterargument to the medical profession making use of WHICH ADAGE, frequently attributed to English Franciscan friar William of [BLANK]?
Located at the Musee Rodin, this sculpture by Auguste Rodin was commissioned by the French state to commemorate which figure who died in 1885? Rodin had met him earlier to create a bust, but, for this sculpture, Rodin chose to portray him as a heroic nude figure with classical-style drapery, situated between the rocks of Guernsey during his political exile.
Ed Sheeran has released a remix EP of his latest album, Play, featuring Indian artists. The track Sapphire is co-sung by which playback singer who is currently the world's most streamed artist on Spotify? The verses by this singer also feature in the main album, although briefly.
Piketty argues that r (rate of return to capital) has always been greater than g (growth rate of output) all through human history except for most part of the 20th Century. This was primarily driven by a sharp drop in the value of r during the Great Depression, the rise of socialist governments that redistributed wealth, and what else that happened twice in the 20th Century?
Watch this excerpt from a speech at the 1988 Republican Convention that is known for a famous 6-word quote. You'll hear the last 3 words. What are the first three words? If you know the answer anyway, that's great, but if you figure it out from the video then that would make the answer quite meta.
The Las Vegas Strip is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. This property is famous for its tropical South Seas theme. Which hotel, that includes the name of a major city located on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, is this? Two-word name.
The Battle of Raichur (1520) was an important battle between the Vijayanagara Empire and which dynasty, setting the scene for future conflicts? This dynasty (along with its allies) fought the Battle of Talikota (1565) against the Vijayanagara Empire, emerging victorious and going onto rule a part of the western Deccan until 1686. The dynasty's capital city is also accepted.
In Mayan culture, Cabrakan was a deity associated with what natural occurrence that they believed was caused by him “shaking the mountains”? It has resulted in the destruction of multiple cities in the region over the centuries.
This fabric is woven with thin ribbons of metallic fibre wrapped around silk, nylon, or spandex. Its electrical conductivity is made use in fencing as a garment worn to designate scoring areas. What fabric is this? You may also identify the method to protect important documents that shares its etymological root with the fabric.
The Nike Mercurial Vapor "Superfly" is a 2009 football boot, the first to use Nike Flywire tech. The idea behind the tech was to identify key points where a shoe needs to support the foot, then use extremely long stitches to support only those points, instead of using layers of material that make the whole shoe heavier. Who first pioneered this idea in 1949 by adding three long reinforcing stripes to the side of a canvas running shoe?
The long and "slender" column lamp pictured here can be seen gracing the showrooms of the House of Schiaparelli in Paris, designed by which Swiss sculptor known for such tall and lean figurines? The sculptor also made rare bronze pieces of jewellery for the designer, inspired by Swiss traditions.
Identify the city built on seven hills named Turó del Carmel, Turó de la Rovira, Turó de la Creueta del Coll, Turó de la Peira, Turó del Putxet, Turó de Monterols and Turó de Modolell. These hills are home to sights such as the Park Guell, Palau Nacional, the Estadi Olímpic, and the site of the 1929 World's Fair.
In 2019, which American electronic music producer shot a Shah Rukh Khan tribute music video during his India tour for the song Biba? Known for wearing a custom white helmet in public appearances, this DJ has found success through singles like Silence (with Khalid), Wolves (with Selena Gomez), and Happier (with Bastille).
Taskmaster is a British television comedy show that features five comedians performing a series of tasks. One of the tasks in season 11 involved the contestants having to create a costume for a bee. Comedian Lee Mack after creating this outfit, had his plastic bee perform a series of stunts, like jumping over a row of toy trucks. What name, a play on the name of a popular entertainer, did he dub his bee with?
What was this Labubu called, adding two letters before the surname of this tennis great to reference a word for something ostentatiously attractive or flaunting one's wealth? She appropriately _____-ed (5) this Labubu, in the stadium named after this tennis great.
Angelina Jolie was only 24-years old when she took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in which 1999 film (4, 11), that starred Winona Ryder in the lead role? The movie is based on Susanna Kaysen's best selling memoir about the 18 months she spent at a psychiatric hospital as a young woman. The memoir itself is named for the Vermeer painting "____ _____ at her music"
Which city was the seventh destination of the "A to Z Club"? This tourist hotspot is home to a Nasrid-era citadel that is considered to be a masterpiece of Islamic architecture in Europe.
The track "B2B" features which "Nasty Girl" who also collaborated with Charli XCX on Ty Dolla Sign's track "Drop That Kitty"? She has released studio albums such as Aquarius (2014), Nightride (2016) and Joyride (2018), all making the top ten R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Being one of the few instruments in wide use invented by a single individual, which single-reed woodwind instrument takes its name from it's inventor, Adolphe [blank]. Conceived in the 1840s and patented in Paris in 1846, this brass instrument found its home in jazz music where it was popularised by the likes of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Coleman Hawkins.
The “iLet” is an FDA approved credit-card-size, AI-powered smart device that is marketed as a bionic version of which organ? It links to a tube plugged into a patient’s body to monitor glucose levels every five minutes to dispense appropriate insulin microdoses when needed.
While the NBA logo was famously based on Jerry West, which women's basketball superstar is rumoured to be the inspiration for the WNBA logo? Since the rebrand to make the player have a bun, the rumour has been dispelled since she does not have one. She shares her name with a Celtics legend and is the partner of a woman's football icon.
The late Gary Brooker explains in this video how Bach’s Air on the G String influenced the opening keyboard melody of his band’s most famous song. Name the 1967 song, which boasts one of the greatest keyboard intros in rock history. The band itself is named for a latin phrase meaning "far beyond these things".
In 1909, when Modigliani returned to Paris after a brief visit home, he spent some time working as a sculptor rather than a painter. He spent a year as the disciple of which Romanian sculptor, under whose patronage he produced works such as Tête, now among the most expensive sculptures ever sold? He eventually abandoned sculpting due to a difficulty in acquiring materials due to the outbreak of war, as well as his own debilitation.
What sport uses a form of protective equipment referred to as 'knee guards'? It is made from leather with different paddings for shock absorption during ride-offs and to minimise impact of hard driven balls that reach speeds of up to 150 kmph.
The role of young Neeli in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra was played by Durga C Vinod, a sixth grader from Thrissur. Her action scenes, shot near Athirappilly Falls, made good use of her prior training in a particular indigenous martial art form. Which martial art form?
Identify this type of small pocket (5) in jeans that was used to carry coins, tickets, or an object that took on its modern form after Cartier developed a model for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Mongol general Subutai conquered more territory than any other commander in history, facing no defeat during his run. He helped the Mongol Empire greatly expand by annexing large chunks of the European steppes during the reign of which khan who took over following the death of his father Genghis, and his brother Tolui's regency?
The new Kendrick Lamar track 'Squabble Up' includes the following neat line:
I got hits, I got bucks, I got new [BLANK1 BLANK2] (5,4)(plural)
'Hits' are hit singles, 'bucks' are dollar bills. What goes in the blanks? The phrase here seems to allude to the drawbacks of fame and wealth, but it usually refers to the small but painful injuries caused by [BLANK1], which is another slang term for money.
Which primarily-Hindu kingdom that existed from 192 CE to 1832 CE helped shape the identity of modern Vietnam? Deriving its name from a fragrant flower (visual) popular in India, a number of polities ruled this kingdom leading to the establishment of several port cities including Hội An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (visual) that is dubbed "Vietnam's Venice".
A recent application of artificial intelligence is generating images from text prompts. One popular engine that does this was developed by Boris Dayma and Pedro Cuenca, members of the DALL-E team. Identify the name of the engine, a homophone of a popular implement (commonly in stick form) used for drawing and colouring. It adds one letter to the original word to indicate its use of AI.
In which Egyptian peninsula did a war happen for just six days in 1967 during which the Israeli forces made significant advances on the enemy front and claimed much of this territory alongside Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza Strip? This is widely considered the second shortest war in history.
The Annexation of Goa saw India position a large naval force for purposes of the assault, including 2 cruisers, 1 destroyer, 8 frigates, 4 minesweepers, and one light aircraft carrier, this last one deployed 120km off the coast to deter any foreign military intervention. What ship was this, first laid down in 1943 as the _HMS Hercules_ of the British Royal Navy, but completed by India in 1957 and commissioned in 1961 to be the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy?
Pictured here is a 'Meru tower', a wooden pagoda-like structure whose top most tier is the equivalent of a Shikara in Hindu temple architectures of India. In what style of Hindu temples can these be seen? Alternatively, you could just tell us on which island you would find such a spire? [They're the same answers]
Tairn, Andarnaurram, and Sgaeyl are dragons that appear in the Empyrean Series by which American author? With the first book Fourth Wing set to be adapted into an Amazon Prime Video series, it follows Violet Sorrengail as she navigates a brutal dragon-riding war college.
Which art museum was envisioned following two key incidents in 1929 - its founder's gift of 500 paintings being declined by The Met and the apparent preference for European modernism at the recently opened MoMA? It is now housed in a Lower Manhattan building designed by Renzo Piano and displays works by the likes of Hopper, Calder, O'Keefe, Haring, and Warhol among others.
Classics Illustrated is a comic book series featuring adaptations of literary classics. Which Gothic horror novella from 1886, that deals with themes of science and the supernatural in the backdrop of good versus evil, has been adapted here?
Identify this natural beauty oil extracted from the kernels of certain trees prevalent in mainland Africa and Madagascar. Its soothing oil, which is used to treat irritation and eczema, is extracted from trees that are often 500 years or older. It is also known as the upside-down tree for its large trunk that stores sap and water for its survival in dry conditions.
Which board game published in 1978 involves players as elite families in a banana republic trying to get foreign aid money into their Swiss bank accounts while surviving recurrent coup attempts? The name is a Spanish term for a group that takes power by force.
Which suffix meaning 'little' in a (dead) European language features in the following words:
Leeuwonhoek's term for microorganisms meaning tiny animals,
Group of atoms linked together by bonds;
Only mention the suffix, not individual parts.
This callus, known as a zebiba, is found in a specific demographic of people and is caused by what activity? They are formed by repeated contact with a hard surface during an activity usually performed several times a day.
Which Disney princess is seen here in Unhappily Ever After along with her husband Kocoum, after being shunted out of her Native land by casinos? She is a historically inaccurate version of a real-life figure who lived through great suffering, albeit on the other side of the United States.
On April 11 1921, as Johnny Ray faced Johnny "Hutch" Dundee in the ring at the Motor Square Garden, Florent Gibson of the Pittsburgh Star newspaper became the first person to assume what now-common role with help from KDKA radio station?
In 2017, Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael W. Young, and Michael Rosbash were awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling" what biological process seen in most living organisms? The human version of this process, that affects the “body clock” of sleep and waking, is indicated in the image.
When the Summer Olympics take place in non-coastal cities, the sailing events are held elsewhere. When Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympics, the events in the sailing competition took place in which city within the occupied Soviet Union in Europe? This city is today the national capital of its country and it was the northernmost member of the Hanseatic League.