Spring/Summer Prize Quiz 2021: Winners and Answers

Red underwing moth, the answer to question 5. Photo: John de Haura

The spring/summer quiz entries have been scored and winners notified.

Part one of the quiz consisted of cryptic clues about the names of moths and butterflies. Part two was called 'hidden rivers' and there was an amazing total of 103 river names to find in the short narratives.

The winner is Chris Chantler of Bath, who receives a £10 voucher for the best overall score. Jean Baker of Chesterfield and Louise Hardy of Dunbar both receive a £5 voucher for getting the highest score in one part of the quiz.

Grateful thanks go to Tony Hailwood for his help with preparation and judging of the quiz.

Here are the answers:

Part One - Butterflies and Moths

1. To start with, here’s a wonderful kind of insect, to follow 14, 17, and 27. (4). Hawk

2. Large crowd following golf. (5). Ghost

3. Abundant Friend (one of a Society). (6, 6). Common Quaker

4. Petrol for a reptile following 13 or 25? (13). Tortoiseshell

5. Winter bird caught beneath. (3, 9). Red underwing

6. This one is not Pica pica. (6). Magpie

7. Nor is this one Pavo cristatus. (7). Peacock

8. Did we hear Blair give a greeting in Downing Street? Add 22. (4, 5). High Brown

9. A shorthand for “Come and sit on my knee, Geordie lass”? (6). Lappet

10. Another former Downing Street resident follows 13 or 25. (5). Heath

11. Mercury ore. (8). Cinnabar

12. Waders have individual tiny ears initially, following 13 or 25. (5). White

13. Elgar medley can start 4, 10, 12, or 28. (5). Large

14. In vogue, but not uniform, one of 1. (6). Poplar

15. This one is a French aristocrat. (4, 2, 8). Duke of Burgundy

16. Far eastern personality? (7, 9). Chinese character

17. Jumbo one of 1. (8). Elephant

18. Person in control of Dorset beauty spot. (8, 7). Lulworth Skipper

19. One often seen in a pub. (7). Drinker

20. One Basil very nearly caught. (6, 1). Silver Y

21. Role for Snout, the tinker. (4). Wall

22. Cash register inside religious house. (10). Fritillary

23. One on Great N Ridge, fluttering. (6, 5). Garden tiger

24. Fish, or former cabinet minister. (8). Grayling

25. Second shopping centre, describes 30 + 22, or 4, 10, 12, or 28. (5). Small

26. Kitty? (4). Puss

27. The world’s smallest avian, one of 1. (11). Hummingbird

28. Oxford or Cambridge perhaps can follow 13 or 25. (4). Blue

29. Elegance from SE15? (10, 6). Camberwell Beauty

30. Quiet nobleman edged before 22. (5-8). Pearl-bordered

Part Two - Hidden Rivers

When I compiled these narratives, I knew of 50 river names there. I expected contestants to find a few I was not aware of, but I was greatly surprised by the number of names they found - see below.

I travelled to America, together with all my luggage, and the state I finally reached was Kentucky.  I came across a town where twin sisters owned a diner, the best our guidebook recommended.  These women were great in the kitchen, and they were so cheerful.  They had a speciality of pasta marinated in a rich sauce, served with meat, ham especially.  Or you could go for their well-prepared and delicious eggs benedict.  That was something we all enjoyed.  The best banquet I’ve ever eaten!  I could stomach no more food that evening!

Lugg, Teifi, Rea, Ken, Kent, Uck, Cam, Ter, Sow, Stour, Kit, Itchen, Soch, Tamar, Amar, Ted, Nar, Thame, Thames, Forth, Irwell, Par, Ouse, Allen, Len, Etive, Ive, Ver, Machno, Ore: 30.

 

“Did you go birding?”  “I did indeed: I went with Mister Naylor.  There was heavy rain, and you could feel the wind rushing through your hair, but we didn’t care.  We saw a family of stonechats; we saw stock doves and a few skylarks.   We saw goldcrests in a cedar tree.  We stayed by the lake for a picnic lunch and there I saw a bird I thought was a Slavonian grebe, but I don’t know for certain.  Then we saw a peregrine with young in its cliff eyrie.  We spent all evening watching it.  On the way home at dusk a tawny owl flew down onto the road in front of us.”

Ding, Dee, Went, Tern, Erewash, Wash, Ash, Windrush, Shin, Rha, Carew, Ewe, Stone, Tone, Ock, Dove, Sand, Lark, Dart, Tay, Clun, Avon, Don, Tain, New, Liffey, Spen, Tall, Leven, Ton, Usk, Taw: 32.

“Ernest loves geography - his atlas is all he has ever needed.  He has a wonderful geography teacher: he idolises her.  Ernie, tell us some of the facts you have been taught in geography.”

“Yes.  There are 50 stars and 13 stripes on the American flag.  Andorra has the highest capital city in Europe.  The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires.  Tunis is the capital of Tunisia.  The flags of Germany and Belgium are both yellow, red, and black.  Water flowing from deep underground wells comes from an artesian basin.  The city of Rome was built on seven hills.  The state of Israel is about the same area as Wales.”

Erne, Severn, Rheidol, Ise, Luss, Tar, Can, Lagan, Farg, Aire, Isis, Yellow, Red, Black, Blackwater, Rom, Derg, Roman, Frome, Seven, Tat, Swale: 22.

I was in Devon, and ever one for a football match, I wanted to see a cup-tie.  It was a local derby between Exeter City and Torquay United.  It finished one-nil after one of the defenders scored, enlivening the match with an own goal in the latest minutes of the game.  It was fortunate that the stand was covered because it rained quite heavily during the first half.

Devon, Dever, Deveron, Ant, Ose, Eea, Calder, Alde, Exe, Tor, Hedon, Nen, Fender, Rede, Eden, Lin, Test, Cover, Lyd: 19.

Total: 103.

We are aware that several river names are repeated.  They are:  Dee, Don, Ewe, Ive, Nar, Ore, Rea, Red, Sand, Ted, Ter, and Ver.  We only allowed one point for each of these. 

All of the names listed above have been verified as genuine river names.  A few names that we couldn’t verify were disallowed.