Quiz - New Years Honours List Quiz

The New Years Honours List were announced today and I have put together a Youtube quiz based on the recipients of the various honours. For each question simply identify the person from the given clues.

Again, any feedback much appreciated.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I hope 2014 was a good year for all and I wish you all the best for 2015!

Quiz Questions

You may have seen many of the places listed below on airport departure boards across the country as they are the locations served by low cost airlines. But do you know where they are? For each town or city, identify the country in which it lies...



1. Brno
2. Tampere
3. Bourgas
4. Paderbon
5. Poprad
6. Szczecin
7. Haugesund
8. Rijeka




Before I give you the answers to the above, it is probably worth mentioning that most of the ideas came from Tom Chessyre's excellent "How Low Can You Go?" book in which he visits the above places and tells the tales of the history and people currently living in these locations opened up by low-cost airlines.  Very much worth reading....just like all the books Chessyre writes (The Times Travel Writer)




Quiz Question Answers

1. Czech Republic
2. Finland
3. Bulgaria
4. Paderbon
5. Slovakia
6. Poland
7. Norway
8. Croatia

Who Knows Where? - Board Game

Xmas day and Boxing day afternoon in the Fullard household usually revolves around Board games and this year we found a corker. Who Knows Where? is perhaps one of the best board games I have ever played in terms of fun for all, enjoyment and quizzy satisfaction.

The game is based around knowing the location of countries, capital cities, tourist sites etc on a map. There are many apps and board games which have tried to do this in the past, but none have come close to having the enjoyment contained within Who Knows Where?

Not only is it a good learning tool but it will test even the best quizzers and the rules, way the game plays and the pick-up-and-play nature means it will be enjoyed by all.

I would strongly recommend this game. The link to Amazon below is the cheapest place I have found it. Worth a post-xmas treat!

Youtube Video - Quiz of 2014

Hi guys. Hope the festive period is treating you well. I have been thinking about trying out producing some youtube quizzes for some time now, and having a spare morning on my hands, I put this together.

Very much a trial so I would like to know people's thoughts. The presentation etc will be a work in progress but the sort of issues I am keen to know....is the timing okay? Is it better having the answer straight after the questions?

I have a Youtube channel you can subscribe too and I intend to have a number of quizzes uploaded throughout the year if all goes well.

Enjoy!

The Quiz Addict.com launches!

I have finally purchased a domain name so can announced that by clicking HERE

This is for my question writing services which I have been doing all year. The site was made very quickly so needs some work but I wanted to get something up before new year.

This blog will remain at this address but for anyone looking to buy questions for pubs, apps or any occasions the domain name will be where to look!

Merry Christmas!

Well, it is almost that time of year again. All that remains to say is that I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and I will be back posting in the New Year!

Brain of Brains

Congratulations to Mark Grant who stormed to victory in Monday's Brain of Brain's show. With the last three winners of Brain of Britain competing (Mark, Ray Ward and Egghead's Barry Simmons) as well as the highest scoring runner up (David Stainer) it was a highly fought contest and for a display of quizzing at the highest level, look no further than this episode.


The new series of Brain of Britain begins soon! Keep an eye on the Radio 4 schedules.

Celebrity Mastermind/Christmas University Challenge

In case you have missed it in the packed Xmas schedules, both Celebrity Mastermind and Christmas University Challenge are airing again this year. Check BBC iPlayer for details.

Top 10 Most Useful Quiz Books 2014 # 1

1.

The Only Quiz Book You Will Ever Need

Many of you will have heard of The Only Quiz Book You Will Ever Need and given that it is produced by the British National Quiz Team, composed of Eggheads and top ranking quizzers alike, it's something of a unique title on the market.

The book ranges from general questions, to subject based questions and veers into more testing questions towards the end of the book aimed at testing even the most able quizzer. There is no filler, all the questions are quite obviously lovingly crafted and in essence you have here a book full of information and enjoyment for quizzers of all levels.

I actually have the Kindle version of this and it works wonders with answers on the following page and book layout!

Not only one of the best quiz books of the year, but one of the best quiz books I have came across.

Quizzing in 2014

Compared to last year, which involved 3 broadcast quiz recordings, attending several GP events and going to as many quizzes as physically possible, 2014 has been something of a quiet year quiz wise for me. I have taken a lot to setting, and have written thousands and thousands of questions this year for various projects which has increased my knowledge in all sorts of areas and I have still been building my knowledge base but in terms of competitive quizzing I decided to take a year off the GP scene whilst I moved home and got settled in sunny South Shields.

One of the highlights of the year was again the CIU regional heats. Last year we managed to make it to the grand final, coming a respectable third but this time we missed out in the heats. We play in a hotly contested regional heat and with Mastermind winner Clive Dunning heading a team from Middlesbrough, as well as the usual qualifiers The Gosforth Empire and a team from Newbottle in Sunderland we missed out by a mere point. Still the quiz was as enjoyable as ever.

Sad news followed as I learnt Dave Cornish had passed away. Dave has set the questions for the CIU in the past few years and when I met him he was very supportive encouraging and an all round nice bloke.

Although my episodes of Only Connect aired this year, I have not recorded anything or been part of any broadcast quizzes. My application to Mastermind fell on deaf ears last year and with the hustle and bustle of moving I will wait until at least next year before reapplying. That remains a major aim for me quiz wise. I have applied to some other shows which are pending including Two Tribes and Pointless so we will see what happens. I would hope to make any broadcast appearance next year.


The Sunderland League continues to be very enjoyable. The standard seems to rise ever year and the Mastermind winner and Runner Up from 2014 joined our ranks this year (playing for the same team!) which is a good sign for the league going forward. Again, I had to miss a few games due to a variety of factors but as well as playing, I have written a number of sets for the league which went down really well and I found the setting to be enjoyable indeed.

As mentioned in a post a few weeks ago my competitive urges have been satisfied by the online quizzing leagues and events I now play in. This has proven to be an unexpectedly addictive aspect of my quizzing in 2014 and one I intend to continue.

Speaking of setting I was happy with the reaction to my second quiz book which was released on Kindle this year and have continued to write for various apps, the QLL and a range of sources.

So although in terms of competitive quizzing its been a quiet year, it has been a productive one.

Lets see what 2015 brings.

Top 10 Most Useful Quiz Books 2014 #2

2.

Bumper Quiz League Book

I have recommended this title on numerous occasions and again I have enjoyed using the title this year. As the title indicates the "Bumper Quiz League Book" presents formats, in league style to challenge quizzers of all levels. The layout is great, the book is easy to use and the range of questions is valuable. It gives you an idea of quiz-league standard questions and is ideal for boosting your knowledge and also giving prompts for further reading.

Top 10 Most Useful Quiz Books 2014 #3

3.

The Mammoth Quiz Book

Usually caution should be expressed when dealing with a quiz book that has "Mammoth" or any such word in the title. However, this is an exception to the rule. The Mammoth Quiz Book is well written and great time and care has obviously been taken to put together a great collection of quiz questions. Again, with a great range of questions aimed at all difficulty levels this title is worthy of a place on your book shelf!

Top 10 Most Useful Reference Works 2014 #1

1. 

So eventually we get to number 1....

Trevor Montague has wrote a series of great reference titles over the years and recently released the latest version of the "A-Z of Everything". The major difference this time, other than the obvious updates to include recent events, is the change in format. The title now comes in an A4 hardback format which for me, works much better. The same depth and range of information is there covering everything you would want and need to know. Ideal for setting, learning and all quiz related matters.

Essential!

With the countdown of reference works over, are there any titles you have found useful this year? I would love to hear your reviews, thoughts and suggestions of other reference titles you have used. Feel free to reply to this thread or indeed email me at fully23@hotmail.com.

Thanks

SuperBuzzer

I forget how I actually came across Superbuzzer, but ever since doing so I have been partial to the odd game....a bit of an understatement.

The game involves you playing online against 5 other opponents from across the world across facebook or the app on smartphones and tablets. It runs superbly and it is well supported so you are never waiting long for a game. Rather than multiple choice, which is used by 99% of all apps, this game involves typing in an answer and rather smartly, they don't measure typing speed. You basically buzz and have a few seconds to type your answer meaning even if youre a slow typer its the buzz that counts!

The game has three rounds with 2 players eliminated in each until the final head and head and with various levels of difficulty, open only at certain times and with access only if you have played well in other games, it has a real longevity to it that some apps lack. Its addictive, fun and although there is the odd dodgy and rather random question thrown in (with an American bias too) Superbuzzer has kept me entertained a lot this year and I hope it keeps going from strength to strength. 

Too 10 Most Useful Quiz Books 2014 #4

4. 

The Very Pointless Quiz Book

I am not sure if I would have bought this for myself without knowing it was rather actually quite good....but I received this as a gift and it far exceeded my expectations. Containing a fresh batch of questions of the nature you would see on the show this a great title to test that obscure knowledge the programme veers into and also makes great fun as a book for playing with others. Worth a look!

QuizUp

For those of you who play QuizUp already, you will be fully aware of how in the last 12 months this has provided quizzes all over the globe with a daily fix of head to head quizzing action over a smartphone. I mentioned the app briefly earlier in the year, but it has since become such a regular feature of my commutes and spare moments I tend to forget to mention it on here.

I know some of you play this, as I compete against you on a regular basis, but for those who don't it is really worth hunting down. It is free of course and has a bank that must be bordering on a million questions at least spread over a superb range of categories. Some are very niche but once you start to work out which categories suit you, you will find yourself hooked!

The questions are a good level, the game always flows smoothly and above all else it is easy and fun to use!

I hope the game goes from strength to strength. So many quiz apps come and go and never get the support or Fanbase quiz up has achieved so it will be fascinating to see what happens with this app over the course of the next year as it is, probably fair to say, the first of its kind to reach such a huge audience and achieve such high levels of success.

Top 10 Most Useful Reference Books 2014 #2

2. 

Had this been a list of the most useful quiz books in my collection, this would come top by a mile. I have recommended this book several times to many people, and indeed it has topped this list twice over the last 2 years, In terms of range, appropriateness and usefulness this is the best quiz-focused reference book on the market. I have lost count of the number of times learning the information in this book as led me to points whether it be pub quizzes, world championships or quiz league contests. If you're looking to improve or cement your knowledge this is a fantastic place to start!

Top 10 Moat Useful Quiz Books 2014 #5

5. 

The Ultimate Eggheads Quiz Book

Released to coincide with the impressive 10th anniversary of the show, this is a great TV-tie in book that will appeal to fans of the show and quizzers alike. Eggheads often comes in for much criticism due to the format and nature of the show, but the questions here are all high quality and worthy of a place on your quizzing bookshelf!

Top 10 Most Useful Reference Books 2014 #3

3. 

Ever since I began collating reference books for quizzing purposes, Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable as barely been out of my hands. Not quite an Encyclopaedia, not quite a dictionary this book is hard to classify other than to say it contains reams of interesting and useful facts and tales. Its one of the few A-Z reference books that is readable from page 1 to the end and it also  is the perfect "pick up and browse" title, the only risk being you will find it hard to put down. One of the finest reference books on the market in my eyes and an endless source of fascination. 

Famous Five

Simply identify the 5 famous faces from the images below. (Answers at bottom of post)

1. 



2.



3.


4.


5.
.




Answers
-----------

1. Matt Taylor
2. Simon Bird
3. Natalie Bennett
4. Stanislas Warwinka
5. Claude Debussy

Mastermind Standings 2014/2015

With 15 heats completed in this years Mastermind and 56 people having sat in the chair here are the current standings from the series so far...

Mark Eaves - 30 (Q)
Ian Clark - 30 (Q)
Hazel Humprheys - 28 (Q)
Will Howells - 28 (Q)
Peter Russell - 26 (Q)
Chris Grandison - 26 (Q)
Brian Davies - 26 (Q
Philip Issac - 26 (Q)
Stuart Jenkins  - 25 (Q)
David Greenwood - 25 (Q)
Andrew Teale - 24 (Q)
Hywel Morgan - 23 (Q)
Nigel Tomlinson - 22 (Q)
Mike Foden - 21 (Q)
Paula Keaveney - 21 (Q)
--------------------------------------------------------
Gareth Kingston - 28 (2nd)
Diane Hallaghan - 28 (2nd)
Alice Mennel - 26
Sarah Millard - 25 (2nd)
John Benyon - 25 (2nd)
Susan Sworn - 25 (2nd =)
Jeremy Renals - 25  (2nd =)
Julia Hobbs - 25 (2nd)
Gillian Taylor - 24 (2nd)
Stuary Skelly - 24
Les Morrell-  24
Ciaran Ward - 23 (2nd)
Howard Towner - 23
David Good - 23
Darren Topping  - 23
Cliff Morgan - 21 (2nd)
Louise Boradbent - 21 (2nd)
John Carrington - 21 (2nd)
Neil Crockford - 21 (2nd)
John Clatworthy - 21 (2nd)
David Love - 21
Jamie Potton - 20
Neil Madle - 20
Martin Roebuck - 20
Derek Heyes - 20
Jack Young - 20
Sally Mabey - 20
Sarah Lake - 20
Lena Gazey - 19 (2nd)
Tim Allison - 19
David Gregson - 19
Patricia Gardener - 19
Kevin Quinn - 19
Stephen Peter - 17
Andy Crane -17
Diana Muri - 16
Graham Howarth - 16
Steve Wilson - 16
Sidin Sunny - 15
Graham Gowland - 15
Mark Roman Gold - 15
Rod Allday - 15
John Boyle - 14
Pamela Woods - 14
Gordon Fyffe - 10

Top 10 Most Useful Reference Books 2014 #4

4.

History Year by Year and Science Year by Year

Yes so I am cheating a little bit here......

You may indeed have seen these titles in the likes of The Works over the last 12 months which is where I picked them up. Published by DK, who can always be relied upon to produce quality reference works, these titles cover the broad subjects of History and Science in hardback, A4 tomes of information packed with facts, pictures and timelines. The scale and depth of the books are indeed great.

The History title I used mainly for revision with History being a strong subject of mine. Having bought many books with the title "World History" or such similar, this DK title has made many of them redundant and for dates, names and ideas, this is the book I now turn to.

Science is a weaker subject for me, and although the DK book itself has been immensely useful, it served as a good primer for further reading and research and along with Science 1001 (see below) it has increased my knowledge greatly in an area I have always struggled.


Another little cheat...




This title has also greatly helped in my quest to improve my Science knowledge. A vital and impressive title that is worthy of a place on any book shelf!

Top 10 Most Useful Quiz Books 2014 #6

6.

The Great British Quiz Book

Again this is one of those titles that I picked up cheaply, didn't expect much from and ended up really enjoying. A good range of questions on all elements of the UK, some original and interesting questions and a nicely formatted, well laid out collection for easy and informative use. 

Twitter

I have enjoyed using Twitter this year and found it very useful for all sorts of things ranging from keeping up with breaking news, talking to fellow quiz enthusiasts and getting recommendations for books etc/

The Quiz Addict feed has grew steadily over the past year and recently broke the 1,000 followers mark, If you have an account please feel free to follow me at @quizaddictblog and say hi.

I tend to post links to new blog posts, ideas on reading material, quiz questions and general opinions.

Top 10 Most Useful Reference Books 2014 #5

5.

Facts, Facts, Facts

To further continue the series....

Facts Facts Facts is probably a title many of you own. Although it contains a significant amount of information you are likely to find in some of the other texts I have mentioned in this list, the reasons I have found this so useful is the layout. Everything seems nicely organised, lists are condensed into usable chunks, there is no overkill of information and its a very easy book to just pick up and learn from. Although it would be great to see a new edition of this soon, it is still fairly up to date and cover a range of subjects. Indeed, in many of the quizzes I have competed in this year I recalled a lot of answers from this book. It is all well and good list-learning etc but having a good fact book that engages you is priceless in terms of quiz improvement and I would strongly recommend this!