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This is the mission patch from which 2013 film? George Clooney's Matt Kowalski humorously claims he will break Anatoly Solovyev's space walk record after their Space Shuttle gets damaged by space debris.
Which 1992 film with one letter changed is represented here? Please provide the altered title of this film, partially inspired by Sergio Corbucci's Django that saw a police officer tortured while tied to a chair.
The Great Game is said to have ensued in January 1830 when Lord Ellenborough, the president of the Board of Control for India, tasked Lord William Bentinck, the governor-general, with establishing a new trade route to which Emirate in modern day Uzbekistan? The emirate's namesake city today is famed for its historic centre featuring many mosques.
The green shade from the Crayola No. 96 Big Box was named after a tart and acidic fruit, first cultivated in Australia and now extensively used in cooking pies. What was the colour named? We need a fairly specific answer.
This company's box packaging usually comes with a "non-toxic" label and often has a hollow space, allowing the consumer to see the neatly lined-up products inside. Together, they visually resemble a wide grin with teeth. Identify this company, founded in 1885 with a portmanteau name.
Wilt Chamberlain, characterised by his towering 7 foot 1 frame, is one of the most dominant players to have ever played in the NBA. He gained one of his nicknames because he had to ___ (3) his head as he walked through doorways. What two-word nickname, also the name of a particular pattern of stars?
British Bingo is a game of probability in which players compete to mark off numbers on their cards, as the numbers are drawn randomly by a caller. To better engage a crowd, callers typically add rhyming phrases or nicknames before each number. The caller phrase for 80 is "______'s (6) breakfast". This is because 80 can be read as "eight-nothing" which sounds like "ate nothing'. FITB with a late great 20th century leader known for his experiments with diet, among other things.
In the Netflix black comedy 'Kaos', Cliff Curtis plays which Greek god, a brother of Zeus? Unlike Zeus, he does not live in a palace on land, and instead lives on a yacht where he feels very much at home as its always on the sea.
Ron Fricke's third directorial venture was which 1992 non-narrative film directly inspired by his work on Qatsi trilogy, exploring natural and human activities across global locations? Its one-word title (6) comes from an Islamic concept meaning "blessing or essence".
What term is given to the type of writ issued by the court that permits an otherwise illegal act that would violate one's rights? These are given to aid investigations such as to search a property or make an arrest.
Distilled in Goa, but everything's Himalayan about this gin - from sourcing the juniper to its rich botanicals, and even the name! Try sampling this small-batch gin named after a mountain located on the Nepal-China border. This peak is thought to be the daughter of Mt. Everest and has a Sherpa language name as christened by George Mallory. Name this Indian craft gin.
_________ (9) is a character from The Justice Friends, a guitar-wielding parody of Marvel's Thor. What is the name of this superhero? The blank is a pun on a rock star's name and incorporates the name of a majestic hall for slain warriors in Norse mythology.
This 1955 thriller based on a novel by Davis Grubb features a serial killer who poses as a preacher to seduce and rob an unsuspecting widow. It received poor reviews upon release, but later analysis has been a lot more positive, often being cited by publications as among the greatest films ever made. Which film, which remains the only feature film directed by Charles Laughton?
In September 2023, Olivia released her much anticipated follow-up album to Sour. She explained “..it means intuition, like listen to your ____ (4), but it also means bravery, like spilling your ____ (4), to tell everyone your secrets”. What is the album titled? (4)
Which print, usually comprising of solid diamonds overlaid with intercrossing diagonal lines, derives its name from a town in Scotland because it was used as the tartan of the Clan Campbell of the town? It is used in sports uniforms such as the jersey of the Belgian football team.
In this 1851 poem, Alfred, Lord Tennyson describes which titular bird as "He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ring'd with the azure world, he stands."? The high-flying bird's use is believed to be an allegory of the Catholic belief at odds with the rules of the English Government at the time.
This national park, which includes the three large islands of ______ (6), Padar and Rinca and 26 other smaller islands, was created in 1980 to protect an endangered reptilian species of the Varanidae family. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Fill in the blank.
WHAT WAS THE FAMILY NAME of the father-son duo of Indian cricket players, of whom the father was the first Indian cricketer to score a Test century in 1933, while the son played a crucial role in the semifinals and finals of India's victorious 1983 World Cup campaign?
2026 will see many award-winning authors publish much-awaited novels. Cool Machine is set to conclude this acclaimed author's Harlem Trilogy, following up Harlem Shuffle and Crooked Manifesto. The author's 2016 alternate history novel, which tells the story of Cora, earned him his first Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Who is this author?
Lauren Bacall and Martha Vickers play Vivian Rutledge and Carmen Sternwood, the femme fatales in which 1946 film noir directed by Howard Hawks? Noted for its complexity and enigmatic approach, its title is a gangster euphemism for death.
In 2014, Danish Siddiqui visited a central Indian city for a photoseries on the lives of certain people there. The poignant series was subtitled "30 years on". This photograph was shot in the now-abandoned pesticide plant of which company?
Which wild cat, native to the African continent, especially the Sub-Saharan region, is essentially named for the Portuguese for a lynx? The hybrid species, Savannah Cat, is a result of breeding between male of this wild cat and a domestic cat. A distinct feature of them are white spots on the backs of its ears that play an important role in communication.
BoJack Horseman is a series centred around the title character and his tribulations as a former TV star. What is the letter 'C" in the title aptly stylised to represent?
According to Herodotus, the Minoan thalassocracy developed out of a need to counter the rising power of which Levantine thalassocracy? Credited with the world's oldest verified alphabet, this group also gave us Phlebas, a sailor who appears in the fourth section of TS Eliot's Waste Land, aptly titled, Death by Water.
Which country's national anthem is considered the world's oldest, the words dating to the 10th century? It was set to music only in 1880, and continues to be named "His Imperial Majesty's Reign" even though the country is now a parliamentary democracy.
The only Indian director to have three continuous releases selected to be part of the Cannes Film Festival is Parallel Cinema's proponent in the Malayalam Industry Shaji Karun. This includes the movies Piravi (1989), Swaham (1994), and which third Indo-French psychological drama starring Mohanlal? It not only won accolades at Cannes but also fetched Mohanlal, who portrayed a Kathakali artist, the National Award. English name is acceptable.
Chastain transformed into the subject of "Odalisque with Red Cullottes" (1921) by which French visual artist? His work saw an oriental influence and the recurring appearance of goldfish in aquariums following his trip to Morocco in 1913/14.
Identify this biriyani marked by the subtle yet unmistakable flavour of the fennel and coconut which is used. It is named for the mercantile Muslim community found along the southwestern coast of India, particularly the Tulunadu region. It is also called the "Mangalorean Muslim" biriyani.
Taylor Swift's 2017 song This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things is about her experience of living life king-size, throwing extravagant parties, touring with her friends, and being a rich personality in the public eye. Which 1925 American novel does Swift compare her lifestyle to?
Professor Vejas Liulevicius at the University of Tennessee offers a course titled Turning Points in Modern History. What 1455 invention by a German goldsmith does he regard as a major turning point for, among other things, making the Protestant revolution possible — by allowing "Martin Luther's message to spread and take hold instead of quickly evaporating"?
This is the Penguin Clothbound Classic cover of which 1814 novel? The cover shows a design of two types of chains, alluding to the gifts the protagonist receives from her competing love interests, in the setting of her luxurious new household.
This 118-floor tower in Kuala Lumpur, completed only last month, is the second tallest building in the world today [only behind Burj Khalifa]. What name is this known by, deriving from the name of a nearby stadium, a name it also shares with a large and important square in Jakarta?
What is the title (5,8,3) of the reimagining of Mulan in the Meant to Be series? The title, deriving from the song "A Girl (5,8,3)" from the 1998 Disney film, describes how something has enough value to warrant putting in effort, such as going to battle.
According to the beliefs of the Yolgnu people, Orion resulted from an incident of three brothers of the Nulkal clan taking a _____ (5) to catch kingfish, even though they were forbidden to do it. This resulted in them being transformed into the constellation as a reprimand. Therefore, Orion is represented by what entity, from which the brothers hunted for kingfish (the Orion Nebula)?
In cricket, what term (5,5) is used for a graphic that uses lines to show the trajectories of the scoring balls hit by a batsman? The resulting diagram is visually reminiscent of the rotating component of a type of vehicle typically pulled by draught animals.
The first commercially mass produced electric guitar was this Hawaiian/lap-steel guitar by Rickenbacker in 1931. By what two-word name is this popularly known, thanks to the resemblance of its distinct shape to something you'd find in the kitchen?
This Penguin Modern Classics cover depicts its protagonist, the 17-year-old gang leader Pinkie Brown, roaming by the seaside. The thriller follows the middle-aged Ida Arnold, as she investigates the murder that the ruthless Pinkie has committed. Which work is this?
Located at the Museum of Fine Arts Bern, this sculpture by Auguste Rodin depicts which figure preaching with his head intact, unlike many painters who depicted his actual fate, a result of trying to rebuke Herod? Interestingly, Rodin made a successive sculpture called 'The Walking Man' in which the head was removed, but with the intent to show a dynamic pose.
Many flags in the UN family are inspired by flags of UN trust territories (colonies that transitioned to independence with UN support). These include the flags of Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands and which country, having the longest coastline in mainland Africa? 27% of the territory of this nation has been controlled by a state that declared itself independent in 1991.
Which fictional character and famous sidekick first appeared in the 1920 novel Mysterious Affair at Styles, before appearing in 7 other novels and various short stories? He acts as companion-chronicler, and his relative slowness (compared to the detective he is associated with) and military background indicate that the author was still attempting to follow the Holmes paradigm of sidekicks for detectives.
The book Eric (stylised as Faust Eric) is a parody of the Faust legend that was released as the ninth book of a comic fantasy series. In this, Eric travels to hell, where they discover it has become steeped in bureaucracy, the Demon King Astfgl having decided that boredom might be the ultimate form of torture. Which series is this book a part of? (9 letters)
The music video for her 2023 song 'Flowers' features her wearing this revenge dress, cocking a snook at her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth. Who is this chart topping singer, currently No.1 in the UK and US Hot 100?
In season 4 of Stranger Things, various portals to what is called the "Upside Down" open up. One of these portals open up at Lover's Lake, at which point Dustin aptly dubs it _________ (9). What apt name (9), that references a breakin(g) development from the 1970s?
Which Japanese company, founded in 1910, began by manufacturing electric motors for copper mining and is now known for products ranging from trains to air conditioners to construction equipment? The company's name means "rising sun" in Japanese.
Cate Blanchett wore a Swarovski crystal-studded mesh gown made by which fashion designer to the 79th Academy Awards in February 2007? This Italian designer is frequently acclaimed as the most successful designer of Italian origin and was the first designer to ban models with BMI under 18. He is also the richest openly LGBT person in the world.
Identify this actress who won Best Supporting Actress as Aunt Gladys in Weapons. Having last been nominated in 1986 for Twice in a Lifetime, she set the record for the longest gap between a first nomination and a first win.
Identify this iconic sofa (4) designed by Francesco Binfarè. This model produced by Edra is named after a hinged component on a plane's wing - which along with the slat - may be deployed during landings or takeoffs.
What is the title (2,3,4), of the reimagining of Beauty and the Beast in the Meant to Be series? An idiom for following the rules, it is doubly apt as the reimagined protagonist is an editorial assistant who shares the original Beauty's love for literature.
What connects: the colour of the suede shoes fancied by Elvis Presley, the colour of the eyes invoked in Elton John’s tribute to Elizabeth Taylor, and the colour of the sky as described by ELO?
S5E6 of Silicon Valley sees Dinesh mocking Gilfoyle with a series of puns. Dinesh asks a coder reading a book if it is by Gilfoyle's favourite author "______ _____ ______" (6,5,6). What pun (6,5,6) does he make? A fantasy author's middle initials are altered to indicate that he makes a lot of blunders.
As rabid fans sifted through much of Luigi Mangione's online presence, they discovered this explosive review about Industrial Society and Its Future, a work of which infamous individual who was sentenced to life in prison in 1998 and passed away in 2023?
While counting down to her latest album The Great Impersonator, Halsey impersonated a different icon every day and teased a snippet of the song they inspired.
This photo sees Halsey impersonating which singer-songwriter, as seen on the cover of a 1995 release titled Absolutely Acoustic? She replaced Niall Quinn on the band she is most commonly associated with, and is well known for her signature yodel and strong Irish accent.
Famous artworks are often reimagined as "abandoned" paintings by modern artists, where they remove all human figures from the paintings. Which work is depicted as abandoned here? Often described as the first revolutionary painting of the modern era, this version has removed almost thirty figures, which includes the aggressors as well as the lifeless.
The Dust City Diner is a '40s style diner that is described by its creators as "an oasis of comfort & grilled cheese for lost souls who stumble across us on the playa". First appearing in 2008, this diner operates for a week-long period each year until it closes on the evening before Labor Day. What week-long occurrence is this?
Identify the filmmaker duo from these selected writer credits.
1997 Pieces
2002 Welcome to Collinwood
2006 You, Me and Dupree
2022 The Gray Man
2024 The Electric State
Found objects is an art form that uses existing objects that are often slightly modified or just presented as is, and deeming them 'art'. The showpiece work in this genre, a porcelain object, has been vandalised multiple times by people urinating in it. Name either the artist OR the artwork, whose replica sits at the Tate Modern today but is remembered through an Alfred Stieglitz photograph.
With close to 6 million speakers, which language spoken in the namesake geocultural region spread between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh has been conflated with Hindi in censuses? Aside from fighting for recognition of their language, its speakers have also been demanding statehood.
Danny Sapani portrays which Head of State in ‘The Crown’? The highlight of the episode is the dance between Queen Elizabeth and this first Prime Minister and President of his country, during the Queen’s 1961 colonial visit. The show oversimplifies his ultimate loyalty towards the UK; in reality he was a master at balancing politics between the USSR and the West.
Matt Ryan stars as the titular occult detective in WHICH DC Comics TV show that was cancelled after a single season run in 2014-15? He returned to reprise the role in the Arrowverse and became a series regular in Legends of Tomorrow. The character was also portrayed by Keanu Reeves on the big screen in a 2005 flick.
In linguistics, if a phoneme is the basic unit of sound, what is the basic unit of meaning, derived from the Greek root for ‘form’? For example, the word ‘unbelievable’ has three of these: ‘un’, ‘believe’ and ‘able’.
The Shark Tale soundtrack song We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going was performed by WHICH GIRL GROUP, originally founded in LA, California in 1995 as a burlesque troupe? Actress Christina Applegate was one of the founding members, who eventually left the group and often emceed for them.
Which poet was quoted in the Indian parliament by opposition leader Mahua Moitra when she said "Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yahan ki mitti mein, Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hi hai (Everyone's blood is mixed into this land, India does not belong to anyone's father)"? This poet has also written songs for Hindi films such as Mission Kashmir (2000) and Munna Bhai MBBS (2003).
The Ken's newsletter for personal finance and fintech "__-____" (2-5) shares its name with an exclamation made when someone has just received a large sum of money. What exclamation (2-5), derived from the sound a cash register makes, is this newsletter named after?
When Gukesh revealed his list of seconds (many of them Polish grandmasters), many were surprised to hear the name of this German chess prodigy. Long earmarked as a potential future champion himself, this 20-year-old grandmaster worked with Gukesh, especially on his analysis of the French Defense, after his heartbreaking loss in Game 1. Name him.