1. England v Scotland
Kirsty Lang kicks off the new series of the cryptic quiz with a contest between England and Scotland.
Teams from all over the UK nations will face Kirsty Lang's cryptic questions across the series, with Kirsty offering support and the odd hint where it might be needed.
First up are the pairs from England and Scotland.
The rivalry promises to be fierce as last year's champions Jenny Ryan and Stuart Maconie representing the newly formed England team, face Val McDermid and Alan McCredie for Scotland, on home soil, as this series takes place in Edinburgh.
As always, they'll drop points every time they need a clue from the chair to steer them towards the right solution.
You can follow the questions for this episode which will appear below on the day of the match.
Teams:
England - Jenny Ryan and Stuart Maconie
Scotland - Val McDermid and Alan McCredie
Host: Kirsty Lang
Recorded by: Phil Booth
Sound Design: Chris Maclean
Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Carl Cooper
A 麻豆社 Studios Production for Radio 4
Questions set by Lucy Porter, Martin Mor and by you, the listeners!
Questions in today's edition:
Q1 Where would you remember, a Vicious boy, a Precious Pearl, the old-age owner of a walking device, a Welsh son of the sea and a black and white snapper?
Q2 (from Hugh Betterton)
From savannah to suburbia with this one - a large African antelope鈥檚 name evolves into a Tudor antiquary, then a Lancashire motor town, and finally a huge, horticultural horror that is bound to annoy the neighbours.
What is it?
Q3 (from Helena Minton) Music:
How might one put their houses in order?
Q4 (from Stephen Murphy)
How might: A Doctor鈥檚 floral assistant, some Dominican monks, Poirot鈥檚 last case, and a worldly but tasty thistle, kill a few hours for a few pennies?
Q5: (from Michael Hipkins) Whose death led to:
The Arabian Nights pantomimically
A 1905 operetta by a prolific Austro-Hungarian composer
A venomous arachnid
A prominent feature of the sinciput
A product of Reims
Q6 Music: If Andy Warhol designed the packaging for these tracks, why would you need to check your fly before listening?
Q7: A recipe鈥
First, take some Sole Meuni猫re
Then fry it rapidly on a high heat, tossing frequently
Next, melt grated Gruy猫re with wine, garlic, lemon juice, and cornflour
Accompany this with a cold coffee
Then explain why you might top it off with a chewy meringue?
Q8 (based on question idea from Alan Hay) We鈥檙e going to end with a question sent in by鈥 well, I won鈥檛 give you her name, as it鈥檚 one of the clues鈥 Let鈥檚 just say she鈥檚 鈥楢 Lady of Letters鈥, and Victoria Wood was a big fan鈥
Final question for Scotland. Val and Alan, we鈥檙e going to end with a question sent in by鈥 well, I won鈥檛 give you her name, as it鈥檚 one of the clues鈥
Let鈥檚 just say she鈥檚 鈥楢 Lady of Letters鈥, and Victoria Wood was a big fan of hers.
She says:
First, you鈥檝e got Harold Lloyd Jenkins who, despite sounding like a firm of solicitors in Huddersfield, was actually a singer of the country persuasion.
Then there鈥檚 that Philadelphia Flyers mascot, that looks like a ginger hearthrug that鈥檚 had a nasty shock.
Next, we鈥檙e dealing with the sort of man who goes out for a tin of sardines and comes back having daydreamed he鈥檚 liberated occupied France.
And then a Lady Who Vanishes without so much as a by-your-leave.
And what I want to know is, why these characters might lead you to a car for Caractacus?
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This week鈥檚 teaser question
From Ed Porter from Auckland NZ in the form of a ditty.
A Victorian smith of the word,
My Great son (though not named 鈥渢he Third鈥),
NJ鈥檚 third husband,
The 鈥測oung lad鈥 from the Club.Four words, but what letter inferred?
Broadcasts
- Sun 5 Apr 2026 16:30麻豆社 Radio 4
- Sat 11 Apr 2026 23:30麻豆社 Radio 4
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