Test your knowledge with our big quiz of the year 2021
POLITICS
1. What type of bird did the SNP's chief executive Peter Murrell claim he was distracted by during a tense questioning session during the Salmond Inquiry
2. How many party roles does Labour’s Angela Rayner have?
3. What is the name of the party founded in 2021 by former SNP first minister Alex Salmond?
4. Who was the president of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow?
5. How long did Edwin Poots officially serve as DUP leader?
6. Which children’s TV character did Boris Johnson mention in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September?
7.Why did train operator LNER incur the ire of Nicola Sturgeon over Covid restrictions in July?
8. The Welsh Labour Government agreed a co-operation deal with which party?
9. Which newly minted Lord ran as a Conservative candidate in the Lothian region at the Holyrood election despite being dogged with cronyism accusations?
10. The then education secretary Gavin Williamson admitted a “genuine mistake” in September when he confused which two sporting figures?
SHOWBIZ
1. Which record-breaking album became the fastest-selling of 2021 in its first week of release in November, with 261,000 sales in its first seven days?
2. Which couple triumphed in the 2021 summer series of ITV2’s Love Island?
3. Sir Anthony Hopkins took home the Oscar for Best Actor at the 93rd Academy Awards – but which fellow Briton won Best Supporting Actor?
4. Which US celebrity couple shocked their fans by reuniting 17 years after ending their high-profile engagement in 2004?
5. Who played the lead role of Detective Inspector Ray Lennox in Irvine Welsh's TV series Crime?
6. Which celebrity offered a reward for her stolen French bulldogs after her dog walker survived being shot in a robbery in Hollywood in February?
7. In December, Barbados became a republic and declared which popular entertainer a national hero?
8.Which Britpop star appeared at this year's Edinburgh International Festival?
9. Which former Empire actor was convicted of staging an anti-gay, racist attack on himself and then lying to Chicago police about it?
Which Edinburgh author was asked to finish off a novel by the late William McIlvanney?
WHO SAID
1. About whom was Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaking when she said in January: “I think ‘don’t haste ye back’ might be the perfect rejoinder to him”?
2. Which member of the royal family, after allegations made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their Oprah interview, said: “We’re very much not a racist family”?
3. Who said: “We have a joke Prime Minister and a joke leader of the Labour Party and we obviously need a new political system”?
4. Who said: “The one thing I object to in this whole farrago of nonsense is I love John Lewis”?
5. Who said this of former prime minister Theresa May: “A courageous, tenacious woman surrounded by a lot of men busy putting their personal interests before those of their country”?
6. Who said: “The Labour Party won’t revive simply by a change of leader. It needs total deconstruction and reconstruction. Nothing less will do”?
7. After being caught on video joining an expletive-laden chant outside Cop26, who said: “I am pleased to announce that I’ve decided to go net zero on swear words and bad language. In the event that I should say something inappropriate I pledge to compensate that by saying something nice”?
8. Which Archers addict said: “I have been known to become quite ratty if disturbed between 7pm and 7.15pm”?
9. Speaking at the Cop26 climate conference, who said: “Is this how our story is due to end – a tale of the smartest species doomed by that all-too-human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term goals?”
10. Who told the 2021 People’s Choice awards: “I started off as a closet organiser and a stylist so the fact that I am winning a fashion icon award is like a ‘pinch me’ moment”?
BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES
1. Where did the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral take place following his death in April at the age of 99?
2. Prime Minister Boris Johnson married partner Carrie Symonds in a secret wedding at which London church in May?
3. How old was Captain Sir Tom Moore when he died in February?
4. What is the full name of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s daughter who was born in June, and which two royals inspired the name?
5. Lady Kitty Spencer, niece of Diana, Princess of Wales, wore a gown by which designer for her wedding to billionaire fashion businessman Michael Lewis in Italy in July?
6. Actor James Michael Tyler died in October. What character did he play in sitcom Friends?
7. Which two members of Little Mix gave birth within days of each other in August?
8. Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding died at the age of 39 in September. Which TV talent show catapulted her to fame in 2002?
9. Which singer gave birth to a son named Arthur Ever Winter Jopling in April?
10. Which former Spice Girl announced in July that she had married her long-term partner Jade Jones?
WORLD
1. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny returned to Russia in January after convalescing in which country following his nerve agent poisoning?
2. Name the US sporting champion who was badly injured in February after his car crashed off the side of a valley road in Los Angeles
3. In July, which cargo ship caused havoc to international shipping by getting stuck in the Suez Canal for six days?
4. What type of natural threat has hit Spain’s La Palma island for much of this year?
5. What did China announce families would be allowed to do from August to stem its falling population?
6. Journalists from which two countries were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their fights for freedom of expressions?
7. What did Japan’s Princess Mako do in October which meant she lost her royal status?
8. In June, a beachfront condo collapsed in which US city leaving 98 dead?
9. Six-year-old Eitan Biran was the sole survivor of which tragedy in Italy in May?
10. Why was Joe Biden’s dog Major sent away from the White House in disgrace in March?
ODDS
1. The birth of baby Nyla Ferguson made Edinburgh's Mary Marshall Scotland's only great-great-great gran in May, but how old was Mary?
2. Why did organisers of the Brighton Marathon apologise to runners who had completed the event?
3. A meeting of which town council became an unlikely internet sensation when it descended into chaos, with councillors trading insults and ultimately getting booted off the Zoom call?
4. Emanuel’s chippy in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, battered and deep fried which well known sweet treat which was the subject of a legal battle over similar products?
5. What did Erin Langdale place near roads in Middlestone Village, County Durham, to encourage drivers to slow down?
6. How many years late was a copy of Stately Timber by Rupert Hughes which was returned to Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries in Fife?
7. Who was named Chancellor of Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University in April this year?
8. After watching Netflix drama The Dig, Andrew Webb and his 11-year-old daughter Tilda, of Saffron Walden in Essex, used more than 1,000 Lego bricks to create a wearable replica of what?
9. Name the sea shanty sensation who reached number one in the UK singles chart.
10. What is the nickname of fundraiser Mick Cullen who wore an unusual outfit to tackle a 2,000-mile, five-month trek across the UK and Ireland?
ROYAL
1. Name the sculptor who created a statue of Diana, Princess of Wales which was unveiled in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace.
2. Which members of the royal family joined tens of thousands of football fans at Wembley in the summer to watch England take on Italy in the Euro 2020 final?
3. Sarah, Duchess of York, landed a book deal with romantic fiction publisher Mills & Boon at the start of the year for her debut novel – a fictional account of the life of her great-great-aunt Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott. What is the title of the novel?
4. Gerry Layton, of Leeds, paid how much for a slice of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s wedding cake at an auction in August – more than 40 years after Charles and Diana tied the knot?
5. Why did the Queen miss this year’s Remembrance Sunday service in London?
6. Who described the Duke of Edinburgh as “master of the barbecue, legend of banter” after Philip’s death in April?
7. Sisters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie both gave birth this year. What did they call their first-born children?
8. Where was the family photograph shown in the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s official Christmas card taken?
9. Which royal delivered the opening address at the Cop26 UN climate summit?
10. Who was interviewed by the Duchess of Cornwall during the ceremony for this year’s Booker Prize?
SPORT
1. In which event in Tokyo did cyclist Jason Kenny win his seventh Olympic gold medal, making him Team GB’s most successful Olympian?
2. What titles does Josh Taylor hold
3. Who became the first female jockey to win the Grand National, riding Minella Times?
4. By what scoreline did the Springboks beat the British and Irish Lions in the third and final test to win the series 2-1 in South Africa this summer?
5. Which player scored Italy’s fourth, and ultimately winning penalty, to put them 3-2 up in the Euro 2020 final shootout against England?
6. Who became Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer after touching down 25 times?
7. Wout Van Aert won the final stage of this year’s Tour de France to deny Mark Cavendish the chance to claim a tour record 35 stage wins. Who holds the current record?
8. Team GB won 65 medals at the Tokyo Olympics, the joint third-highest in their history. At which previous Games did they match that tally?
9. Who did Emma Raducanu beat in the US Open final to win her first Grand Slam tournament at the age of 18?
10. Who scored the winning goal for Scotland in their gripping 3-2 win over Israel that set them on their way to the World Cup play-offs?
ANSWERS
POLITICS
1. A magpie.
2. Four – deputy leader, shadow first secretary of state, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and shadow secretary of state for the future of work.
3. Alba.
4. Alok Sharma.
5. Twenty-one days, before he was forced to quit following a party revolt.
6. Kermit the Frog from the Muppets – the Prime Minister said he was wrong when he sang It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green, adding it was “easy, lucrative and right” to be green.
7. It claimed the Scottish Government had agreed to the end of social distancing on its trains.
8. Plaid Cymru.
9. Malcolm Offord
10. He said he met England footballer Marcus Rashford on Zoom when in fact he talked to rugby player Maro Itoje.
SHOWBIZ
1. Adele’s 30.
2. Liam Reardon and Millie Court.
3. Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah.
4. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.
5. Dougray Scott
6. Lady Gaga.
7. Rihanna.
Damon Albarn
9. Jussie Smollett.
10. Michael Sheen.
WHO SAID
1. Donald Trump.
2. Harry’s brother, the Duke of Cambridge.
3. Dominic Cummings.
4. Boris Johnson on the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
5. Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
6. Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair.
7. Greta Thunberg.
8. The Duchess of Cornwall.
9. Sir David Attenborough.
10. Ian Rankin
BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES
1. St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
2. Westminster Cathedral.
3. 100.
4. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor – Lilibet after the Queen, who was given the nickname by family, and Diana after Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
5. Dolce and Gabbana.
6. Gunther.
7. Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
8. Popstars: The Rivals.
9. Ellie Goulding.
10. Emma Bunton.
WORLD
1. Germany.
2. Golfer Tiger Woods.
3. The Ever Given, operated by shipping line Evergreen.
4. The volcano Cumbre Vieja.
5. Have a third child.
6. Russia and the Philippines.
7. Married a commoner.
8. Miami, Florida.
9. A cable car crash that killed 14, including his parents and younger brother.
10. He bit a secret service agent.
ODDS
1.86.
2. The course was 568m too long.
3. Handforth Parish Council.
4. A Colin the Caterpillar cake after Marks & Spencer started legal action against Aldi over the rival’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar product.
5. Mannequins dressed like village children.
6. 73 years.
7. Sir Geoff Palmer.
8. The Sutton Hoo helmet.
9. Nathan Evans, 26, a former postman from Airdrie in North Lanarkshire.
10. Speedo Mick.
ROYAL
1. Ian Rank-Broadley.
2. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their son Prince George.
3. Her Heart For A Compass.
4. £1,850.
5. She sprained her back.
6. The Duke of Sussex.
7. Princess Beatrice – Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie – August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.
8. Jordan.
9. The Prince of Wales.
10. Author Douglas Stuart – he won the Booker Prize in 2020 with his novel Shuggie Bain.
SPORT
1. Keirin.
2. The undisputed light-welterweight champion, having held the WBA, IBF, and Ring magazine titles since 2019 and the WBC and WBO titles after defeating José Ramírez in May 2021
3. Rachael Blackmore.
4. 19-16.
5. Federico Bernardeschi.
6. Stuart Hogg
7. Eddy Merckx.
8. London 2012.
9. Leylah Fernandez.
10.Scott McTominay