1997
This year's final took place on Saturday 7. June in the George Hotel, George Street, Nottingham (in conjunction with the MENSA Nottingham Weekend).
The winner was John Wilson, of Liverpool who at the "three quarter" stage was tied with Alan Hunt, from London. Alan eventually came in second.
Other finalists were, in alphabetical order, Chris Lang (Cambridge), Trevor Montague (Sussex), Paul Overall (West Midlands), Sheila Willcocks (Rostrevor, Co. Down)
L to R : Alan Hunt, Paul Overall, Brian Daugherty, Trevor Montague, John Wilson, Chris Lang, Sheila Willcocks
The "harder" questions - questions which no-one in the final could answer :-
- What type of aircraft did the Red Arrows fly before switching to the present-day Hawks ?
- Which novel features a character called Grace Poole, who gets the blame for events which were actually caused by someone else ?
- Who was the miner and trade unionist who was murdered along with most of his family, and who was later played in a film by Charles Bronson ?
- Which long-standing folk group features Ally Bain on violin ?
- Which inventor disappeared, presumably overboard, from the ship Dresden ?
- What was the main business of the South Sea Company (the company involved in the South Sea Bubble) ?
- What is the German word for satellite, which is also the name of a German car ?
- What does a radio astronomer call a neutron star ?
- Which fighter aircraft was the first with the ability to accompany bombers all the way on their missions over Germany ?
- Why was Sam Houston removed as governor of Texas ?
1. Gnat 2. Jane Eyre 3. Yablonski 4. Boys of the Lough 5. Diesel 6. Slavery 7. Trabant 8. Pulsar 9. Mustang 10. He refused to pledge allegiance to the Confederacy
