The Big Irish Times Christmas quiz of 2012

FINAL DAYToday we publish all 100 questions: the 90 already set, plus 10 on music. You can enter by email, online or by post by writing your answers on this page and filling in the entry form below. Sharpen your pencil, and your wits, and away you go

World

1 Which legendary Hollywood star performed a double act with an empty chair at the Republican National Convention in Florida in August?

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2 “He was very good at hiding in plain sight. He created a smokescreen comprised of the truth.” Which disgraced former BBC presenter was Graham Linehan discussing on Have I Got News For You in October?

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3 In October, 15-year-old Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban. In what type of vehicle was she travelling at the time?

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4 In March, this embattled Middle Eastern dictator’s hacked emails revealed a fondness for the music of New Order, Right Said Fred and country singer Blake Shelton.

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5 Over what issue did Australian prime minister Julia Gillard attack opposition leader Tony Abbott, in a speech that made headlines around the world in October?

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6 The Greek MP who punched a female politician on live TV in June was a member of which neo-Nazi political party?

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7 According to RTÉ news subtitles, “Mohamed Morrissey” was elected president of which Middle Eastern country in June?

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8 José Mujica, the world’s poorest head of state, lives in a tiny farmhouse and, in 2012, donated 90 per cent of his income to charity. Which South American country is he the president of?

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9 What was the significant date on which the US Consulate in Benghazi was attacked and Ambassador J Christopher Stevens killed?

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10 The marriage of North Korea’s most eligible bachelor, Kim Jong-un, was announced in July. Before the announcement, who did the western media mistakenly identify his companion as: (a) a singer (b) an actress (c) stand-up comedian?

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Ireland

11 Which former Fianna Fáil party leader was expelled from the party in March, following publication of the Mahon tribunal report?

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12 In April, what did Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin identify as “the single most likely cause of unwanted pregnancies in this country”?

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13 Which US sportswear giant apologised after launching a “Black and Tan” shoe to mark St Patrick’s Day?

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14 In July, All-Ireland winning managers Mickey Harte, Joe Kernan and Seán Boylan were among 4,000 who marched in support of beleaguered ex-billionaire Seán Quinn. In what town did the march take place?

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15 Name the former Trotskyite who replaced Róisín Shortall as Minister of State for Primary Care in September.

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16 In February, striking workers at the Vita Cortex plant in Cork received a supportive phone call from which Premiership football manager?

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17 At the annual Béal na Bláth commemoration in August, Taoiseach Enda Kenny mistakenly credited Michael Collins with having brought which Russian revolutionary to Ireland?

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18 In November, which sitting TD’s portrait was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London?

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19 Visiting Dublin in June, Yoko Ono paid her respects at the grave of which 19th-century Irish leader?

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20 In October, naval ship the LÉ Róisín staged a “show of strength” around which tiny north Atlantic islet, whose sovereignty Ireland contests with Britain, Iceland and Denmark?

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Sport

21 In May, whose 94th minute goal against Queen’s Park Rangers on the last day of the 2011/12 season clinched the Premiership title for Manchester City?

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22 Name the Irish sports star granted a state funeral by the government of Victoria, Australia, in March.

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23 In February, why was a Six Nations clash between France and Ireland at Stade de France called off at the last minute?

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24 How many goals did Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland concede at Euro 2012?

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25 While his Senegalese namesake sells watches in Lanzarote, which Gaelic football manager took up a new role with Celtic FC in November?

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26 Who, in a “moment of high farce” lined out at left corner forward for Coill Dubh in the Kildare hurling championship in July? (He was substituted after 90 seconds.)

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27 Name the Antrim golfer who triumphed at the British Amateur Championship in June.

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28 For what reason was Rory McIlroy awarded the 2012 Vardon Trophy?

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29 In October, which American cycling team was found to have run “the most sophisticated, professional and successful doping programme the sport has ever seen”?

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30 Name the Irish jockey who became the highest-placed female finisher in the history of the English Grand National when she finished third in April.

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Film and television

31 In July, the affair between actress Kristen Stewart and director Rupert Sanders scandalised Hollywood. The couple met on the set of which film?

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32 When Lucasfilm was acquired by the Walt Disney Company in October, plans were announced for the production of how many new Star Wars films?

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33 This American screenwriter, whose credits include When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, died in June. Who was she?

--------------------------------------------------------------34 In July, 12 people at an opening weekend screening of which film were gunned down in Aurora, Colorado?

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35 In November, the RTÉ crime drama Love/Hate returned for a third series. The show is written by which Irish playwright and screenwriter?

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36 In December, Hugh Jackman followed in the footsteps of Liam Neeson, Gerard Depardieu and Jean-Paul Belmondo by playing which character?

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37 Released in October, Lenny Abrahamson’s film What Richard Did is very loosely based on what novel?

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38 When Homeland star Damien Lewis accepted the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series in September, what were many American fans of the show surprised to learn about the actor?

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39 In television, the digital switchover took place in October. Name the seven basic channels available on Saorview?

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40 Author and sometime screenwriter Gore Vidal, who died in July, often took credit for inserting a gay subtext into which multi-Academy Award winning film (without the knowledge of its star)?

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Buzz words: match images A-J to clues 41-50

41 Agent ‘Shirtless’ ____________________

42 Yolo ______________________________

43 The Celtic Comeback _______________

44 Angela Merkel thinks we’re at work

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45 Women of a certain age _____________

46 Laser Radial _______________________

47 Panenka __________________________

48 Pussy Riot _________________________

49 Binders of women __________________

50 Omnishambles ____________________

Online world

51 Uploaded in July, the Korean pop star PSY’s Gangnam Style video is now the most liked in the history of YouTube. Of which city is Gangnam a prosperous suburb?

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52 In January, which British tabloid became the world’s most popular online newspaper?

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53 “Four more years.” With 816,442 retweets, who posted the most popular tweet of all time in the early hours of November 7th?

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54 Which social-networking pioneer’s net worth fell $7.2bn (from $19.1bn to $11.9bn) following a disastrous stock market flotation in May?

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55 In May, the Twitter hashtag #rathgartortoise trended in Dublin, when a 100-year-old tortoise was reported missing. What was the tortoise’s name? (a) Florentine (b) Sienese (c) Bolognese.

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56 In November, which country’s defence forces breached Twitter’s rules on “violence and threats”, when it tweeted a warning that “no Hamas operatives . . . show their faces above ground in the days ahead”?

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57 Name the eminent Irish politician who became “internet famous” in August, when a two-year-old radio clip of him berating Tea Party activist Michael Graham went viral in the US.

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58 In March, advocacy group Invisible Children vowed to make this African warlord famous with a controversial viral video that received more than 90 million hits. What is his name?

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59 After 70 years in his post, which superhero announced in October that he is leaving the Daily Planet to set up a blog?

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60 New York Times blogger was hailed as "the lord god of the algorithm" when he successfully called all 50 states in the US presidential election in November. What is his name?

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London

61 London 2012 was the second summer Olympics formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. Which was the first?

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62 Which American politician was jeered onstage by Boris Johnson for daring to suggest that London was unprepared for the Olympics?

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63 American judo fighter Nick Delpopolo became the first athlete expelled from the games when he tested positive for which recreational drug? (He claimed to have unwittingly eaten it in a baked food.)

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64 Which Irish boxing hero credited her gold medal success to "the grace of God"?

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65 In women's badminton doubles, eight competitors were disqualified for which unusual reason?

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66 Over the course of the Games, which one of these athletes missed out on a coveted photo-opportunity with boxing bronze medallist Paddy Barnes? (a) Usain Bolt (b) Andy Murray (c) Mo Farah

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67 Name the tennis player criticised for performing a gang-inspired "Crip walk", after defeating Maria Sharapova to claim gold in the women's singles.

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68 American gymnast McKayla Maroney created an enduring image of the Olympics with her unimpressed reaction to missing out on gold at which event?

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69 Which British cyclist celebrated his seventh Olympic medal by going out and getting "blind drunk"?

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70 How many points head start did Russian boxer Sofya Ochigava suggest Katie Taylor enjoyed going into each bout, given her popularity with judges?

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Art and Literature

71 Philip Roth and Gabriel Garcia Marquez both (separately) announced what this year?

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72 In September, which Booker Prize-winning novelist published a memoir written in the third person?

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73 With 5.3m digital and print copies sold in the UK alone, EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey was the runaway bestseller of 2012. But it started life as "fan fiction", based on which series of vampire-romance novels?

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74 Following a public vote organised through RTÉ's Masterpiece programme, what was chosen as Ireland's favourite painting in May?

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75 In August, who was announced to take the lead role in Quirke, an upcoming BBC series based on the novels by Benjamin Black (aka John Banville)?

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76 Name the hugely successful British writer whose first novel for adults wasn't nominated for the Literary Review's Bad Sex 2012 Awards, despite a "flood" of recommendations?

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77 In November, the newly anointed leadership of which country were instructed to read The Old Regime and the French Revolution by Alexis de Tocqueville?

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78 One of Ireland's most beloved authors, Maeve Binchy, died in July. What is the name of her final, posthumously published, novel?

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79 In March, it was announced that the Encyclopaedia Britannica would cease publication after how many years? (a) 124 (b) 184 or (c) 244?

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80 August's DT Max's Every Love Story is a Ghost Story is a biography of which late American novelist?

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Science

81 In July, scientists at Cern in Switzerland announced the discovery of which elementary particle, which is thought to be the (so-called) "God particle"?

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82 "Not just of his time, but of all time," was president Obama's tribute to which great space pioneer, who died in August?

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83 In October, international distribution rights to the Irish-made science-themed cartoon Science Fiction were sold to which British animation studio (which is best known for the Wallace Gromit series)?

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84 The government abolished the standalone position of Chief Science Adviser in October. Who was the last person to hold that office?

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85 In March, Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde recreated which meteorological phenomenon indoors, remarking that it resembled a "cartoon-like visualisation of bad luck"?

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86 In October, who took 2hr and 37mins to travel 39km, but just 9 minutes to get back?

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87 In September, which widely used smart phone app mistakenly placed an airport in Dundrum, a zoo in Temple Bar and renamed Killarney as Kerry Town?

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88 In August, the Curiosity Rover began exploring which Martian crater?

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89 Which comedian, with a degree in maths and theoretical physics, opened Dublin's Science and the City festival in July?

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90 In October, astronomers at Geneva Observatory announced the discovery of a planet, with the same mass as Earth, in which triple star system 4.4 light years away?

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Music

91 Can we have that in writing? In Croke Park in June, this veteran boyband gave what they promised was their final performance.

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92 In March, who became the first act to be awarded the Choice Music Prize twice?

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93 Name the Scandinavian wise guys whose Phoenix Park concert descended into a bloodbath in July.

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94 In June, she released her first new album in seven years. In September, she was arrested for marijuana possession. And in November, she cancelled a tour of South America because her dog was sick. Who is she?

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95 He died of a gunshot wound in 1996, but that didn't prevent this rapper making a live comeback at Coachella in April.

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96 When this veteran rocker played two nights at the RDS in July, Enda Kenny, Daniel Day Lewis and Steven Spielberg were among those who turned out. Who is he?

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97 Name the fiddler and founder member of The Chieftans who died in November.

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98 Which rising R&B star, and Odd Future acolyte, became one of the first major African-American artists to come out when he posted a long statement about his sexuality to Tumblr in July?

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99 Name the former conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, best known for conducting a record five Eurovision-winning songs, who died in February?

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100 In November, Oscar-nominated director Morgan Spurlock signed up to helm a 3D summer movie about which blockbuster boyband?

Entry and conditions

Win a VIP trip for two to Barcelona and winery

The prize

The winner of this year’s quiz will receive a fantastic weekend for two to Barcelona, including flights and accommodation, a Torres winery tour and wine tasting, plus two VIP tickets to watch FC Barcelona at Camp Nou stadium.

The Irish Times has teamed up with Torres, the largest European wine brand in Ireland, to offer the trip to visit the winery, which produces, among others, Vina Sol and Sangre de Toro; the new alcohol-free, low-calorie wine Natureo; Ibéricos from Rioja; and Mas La Plana.

How to enter

[ irishtimes.com ]

or

Email the answers to all 100 questions, numbered 1 to 100, with your name, address and telephone number, to christmasquiz@irishtimes.com,

or

Complete the entry form on page 9 of today's Irish Times newspaper and fill in your details in the panel on the right.

The closing date is noon on January 11th. Winners will be announced in The Irish Times on January 26th.

Entrants must be over 18.

Prizes are nontransferable.

The judges’ decision is final.

Full terms and conditions on irishtimes.com/christmasquiz.

* This article was amended on January 7th, 2013. Question 58 was inadvertently omitted in the original article.