General Knowledge Quiz

[444045]

Countdown? As lexiographers.

You are correct in as much as Richard Samson was a lexicographer before Susie Dent took over the role

Beverley Isherwood & Cathy Hytner used to do the letters on alternate days before Carol Vorderman took over

Likewise Linda Barrett and Carol used to do the numbers on alternate days before Carol did both letters and numbers

the next round is yours

 

[MotCO]

A test on your knowledge of Roman/Latin names for English towns or cities. Whoever gets most correct will take the floor.

What is the modern day name for these towns or cities?:

Aquae Arnemetiae
Aquae Sulis
Camulodunum
Cantabrigia
Corinium
Deva
Dunelmum
Eboracum
Noviomagus Reginorum
Pons Aelius
Venta Belgarum
Verulamium

 

[Nick_C]

Aquae Sulis - Bath
Venta Belgarum - Winchester
Cantabrigia - Canterbury?

 

[MotCO]

Aquae Sulis - Bath Correct
Venta Belgarum - Winchester Correct
Cantabrigia - Canterbury? Wrong (Common mistake )

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Deva is Chester and Eboracum is York, I think.

 

[John Griffiths]

Camulodunum - Colchester
Deva - Chester
Dunelmum - Durham
Noviomagus Reginorum - Chichester
Pons Aelius - Newcastle upon Tyne
Verulamium - St Albans

 

[MotCO]

Deva is Chester and Eboracum is York, I think.

Both correct

 

[MotCO]

Camulodunum - Colchester
Deva - Chester
Dunelmum - Durham
Noviomagus Reginorum - Chichester
Pons Aelius - Newcastle upon Tyne
Verulamium - St Albans

All correct, although MCR beat you to Deva.

 

[MotCO]

Just

Aquae Arnemetiae
Cantabrigia
Corinium

to get now.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does that mean that we effectively now have a new 'Victor Ludorum' as John Griffiths can't now be topped?

 

[SteveM70]

Aquae Arnemetiae

That’s Buxton. I presume the Cantab.... one is Cambridge as you see people with qualifications such as “MA (Cantab)”

 

[SteveM70]

And I think Corinium is Cirencester. Used to drive through it twice a week 25 years ago, and I think it was on the signs

 

[MotCO]

That’s Buxton. I presume the Cantab.... one is Cambridge as you see people with qualifications such as “MA (Cantab)”

That's correct on both counts. Many years ago I wondered why so many people had a degree from Canterbury .

 

[MotCO]

And I think Corinium is Cirencester. Used to drive through it twice a week 25 years ago, and I think it was on the signs

Again correct.

The role of honour is as follows:

Nick_C II
MCR II
John Griffiths V
Steve M70 III

I declare John as Victor Ludorum, and ask him to don the laurel leaves and pose the next question.

 

[John Griffiths]

Thank you...

What links a Tudor 'M', a Latin American capital, and a misnamed vegetable?

 

[MotCO]

Are they all in the phonetic alphabet?

 

[John Griffiths]

Afraid not. M is not just a letter here, more a kind of job title.

 

[Calthrop]

Afraid not. M is not just a letter here, more a kind of job title.

I was having thoughts about Mary Tudor, Queen of England 1553 -- 58, notorious for somewhat excessive zeal for her version of the Christian faith; but the connections with the rest of the clue, varied from far-fetched to "don't know" -- and the above, seems to make it clear that it isn't about her.

 

[John Griffiths]

It is her successor...

 

[John Griffiths]

...Or rather, the person who was 'M' to her successor.

 

[John Griffiths]

I may be being a bit too cryptic. I was using M in a James Bond, MI6 sense. What I am after is a Tudor spymaster.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Tudor spymaster is without doubt Sir Francis Walsingham

 

[John Griffiths]

That is correct.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Now Misnamed fruit is not as easy but since you used Latin America I know that Corn comes from there but is actually a fruit. So I will go for Corn as the misnamed vegetable

 

[John Griffiths]

Sorry, it is not corn. This vegetable is a form of sunflower, but its English name implies it Is a completely different kind of vegetable. The name consists of two words.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In that case it has to be pumpkin surely - used in the new world in Halloween lanterns

 

[Waldgrun]

Jerusalem artichoke, I think is the mis-named fruit/veg.

 

[John Griffiths]

Jerusalem artichoke is right (the Jerusalem bit being a corrupted version of 'girasole', the Italian for sunflower).

Now for that capital, and the common link.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is the Latin American Capital Sucre? Capital of Bolivia?

 

[John Griffiths]

It isn't, I'm afraid. It is a place whose name might resonate with fans of Exeter City FC and a Premier League side.