Llangollen Christmas quiz raises £746 for cancer research

Organisers have provided the answers to their latest Christmas quiz which is run annually in aid of Cancer Research UK (CRUK). 

In a message to those who took part Judy Smith and her team: "A big thank you to everyone who supported this quiz, the 17^th in the series (it’s hard to believe we have done so many!). We are very pleased to say that a sum of £746.02 has been raised for Cancer Research UK.

"After last year’s quiz, when there were so many correct answers, I swore to make this year’s one more difficult. Did I manage it?  Perhaps …. but we still had a very large number of quizzes returned.  So let’s get on to the results: 

1^st , with 50 points                               Keith Stacey of Newport, Gwent

2^nd, with 49 points                               Ian Hindle of Newport, Gwent

3^rd, with 48 points                               Adrian and Catherine Farrel of Llangollen 

"You may well be thinking you have seen some of those names at the top before! Our heartiest congratulations to all of them - those results are very impressive.

"Well, there was no need to draw from a hat this year because we had three clear winners, but there were many others hard on their heels.  

"With 46 points we had Linda Sutton (Wirral) and Lorraine and Glyn Roberts (Northwich), and following that, with 45 points, (Mike Hough (Wrexham), William Large (Llangollen), Barbara Reeves (Wrexham), Richard and Margaret Campbell (Northampton), Jane Hurle (Llangollen), and Cherry Dodd (Warwick).  Congratulations to them also!. On that difficult quiz, a total of 30 points or more was a very creditable score, and anything more than 40, outstanding.

"My brain certainly needs a rest now, and maybe yours do also. But I hope you’ll all be back for more next December, when we hope once again to make a good contribution to Cancer Research UK. Wishing you all the best for 2024."

ANSWERS

The following are all book titles, song titles, famous quotes or even lines from poetry (well known , of course!).  The bracketed letters give the origin or author. So – write out the phrases and find the missing numbers 

19                T _ S (JB)                          The 39 Steps (John Buchan)

20                TW _ OUITM  (DPOW)   There were 3 of us in this marriage (Diana, Princess of Wales)

21                _ LMFS (TM)                    3 Little Maids from School (The Mikado)

22                _SSAAT (S a Y)                10 Sixty-Six and all That (Sellar and Yeatman)

23                _ DAW  (TB)                     8 Days a Week (The Beatles)

24                FF _ TFL  (A - TT)            Full Fathom 5 the Father Lies (Ariel - The Tempest)

25                _ FOTCN (KK)                1 Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Ken Kesey)

26                WSW _ MA (FW - M)      When shall we 3 Meet Again (FW - Macbeth)

27                IS _ SCSI  (CC)                I Saw 3 Ships come Sailing in (Christmas Carol)

28                _ FD (MB)             1 Fine Day (Madame Butterfly)

29                _ BRWIHT  (WBY)           9 Bean-rows will I have there (W B Yeats, Lake Isle of Innisfree)

30                NWA _  (AAM)                Now we are 6 (AA Milne)

Now add all those numbers up, and divide by

31         TAWI_BT  (NR / S)         The Animals went in 2 by two (Nursery Rhyme / Song)

And if you get the right answer to that (and it’s not necessarily a whole number), you’ll get two bonus points!  Correct guesses are acceptable – go on, have a shot!   45 ½ 

OK – that was the academic one!  Now have some easy fun with these cryptic clues that all have connections with Christmas.  Think widely …….. 

32  Cosy snorters  (4,2,8)                                                               Pigs in blankets

33  Shout to Molly? (4,5)                                                               Home Alone

34  Is she asking the time?  Sounds like it! (9)                                 Wenceslas

35  Goat of unknown species (6,6)                                     Brandy Butter

36  Fire! (4)                                                                                   Sack

37  Extreme technology in little fish (5)                                            Fairy

38  In in in  reverse case  (6)                                                           Tinsel

39  Boss loses article (6)                                                                 Manger

40  Sounds like bad weather, my love (8)                                        Reindeer

41  Film starring Colin Firth (3,5,6)                                     The King’s Speech

42  Boy follows piper with personal pronouns (9)                Pantomime

43  Able to move Santa’s transport (7)                                           Candles

44  Ring around the north has a happy ending (7)                Chimney

45  Arch-enemy returning, but changing direction (4,3)                    Wise Men

46  Easily carried, these (6)                                                 Lights

47  Sounds like you’re extorting an energy company (7)                  Scrooge

48  Grain measure thief (ask your kids!)      (6)                                Grinch