Once again it is time to brave the Thursday quiz challenge. Dare you enter the arena and take on 14 questions on general knowledge and topical trivia, wrestle with anagrams, spot the hidden Doctor Who reference and brave the siren call of the saintly Kate Bush? Look, it is just a silly quiz – there are no prizes. But do let us know how you got on in the comments. The Thursday quiz, No 19 1.VERY TALL THINGS NEWS: Claimed to be the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world, which feels like a niche category if ever there was one, £3.1m has been spent on restoring this monument on a hill in Somerset. Who is it for? Viscount Palmerston Benjamin Disraeli The Duke of Wellington William Pitt the Elder Reveal 2.WATER FEATURES: In the 1860s Brussels covered up most of the river that runs through it, because it was a right old stinky mess. After the removal of 1,966 tonnes of concrete, a 200-metre stretch is being exposed again. But which river is it that runs through Brussels? Meuse Scheldt Senne Semois Reveal 3.TOM CRUISE QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Last week we asked you about the actor"s curry escapades in Birmingham. What happened to Tom Cruise in the last seven days in Birmingham that made the news this time? His car was stolen His car was impounded for illegal parking Someone crashed into his car He announced that he"d started a European Super League and then had to back down a couple of days later Reveal 4.ANAGRAM TIME: A slightly different format this week. Which of these ISN"T an anagram of a former British prime minister? A Thawed Herd A Teary Mesh Jar John Om Mach Ego Evil Reveal 5.EXPLORERS: Scientists claim to have discovered something near the North Pole which they have recommended be named Qeqertaq Avannarleq in the local language. What? A new breed of Arctic penguin A makeshift memorial to Captain Lawrence Oates The remains of a wrecked Viking expedition An island that is the world’s northernmost point of land Reveal 6.MUSIC: Speaking of northern things, who released the 1995 album A Northern Soul? The Verve Nick Heyward M-People Kate Bush Reveal 7.GEOGRAPHY: This is Puliksenija Jovanoska, who was part of the North Macedonia team competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics for the first time under its newly agreed international name. But what is the capital of North Macedonia? Baku Shtip Yerevan Skopje Reveal 8.ON THIS DAY: On 2 September 1859 the largest geomagnetic storm on record took place. A solar coronal mass ejection hit Earth"s magnetosphere and caused the "Northern" lights to appear nearly all over the globe and seriously damaged telegraph systems. Officially designated SOL1859-09-01, what is it generally called? The Carstairs Event The Carrington Event The Cromwell Event The Constantinople Event Reveal 9.FOOD & DRINK: The Scottish whisky industry is naturally very protective of its produce. For a drink to count as a Scotch, it has to be distilled in Scotland and aged for a minimum of how many years in an oak barrel? Two years Three years Five years Seven years Reveal 10.ENSEMBLE CASTS: Our exciting new regular feature. Which British sitcom features these actors as regular supporting characters? Kirsten Cooke, Arthur Bostrom and Guy Siner "Allo "Allo Brush Strokes Hi-De-Hi Keeping Up Appearances Reveal 11.GLOBAL NEWS: Which central American country is preparing to start accepting Bitcoin as legal tender from 7 September? Honduras El Salvador Belize Nicaragua Reveal 12.WORRYING POKEMON DESCRIPTIONS: Not every Pokémon is as cute as Pikachu. Which Pokémon has this worrying official description: "People who approach this Pokémon are swallowed and turned into mummies. It loves to eat gold." Cofagrigus Yamask Absol Munna Reveal 13.SCIENCE CORNER: Kraftwerk famously sang that it"s in the air for you and me, but when we are talking about radioactivity, what fraction of a radioisotope has decayed after two half-lives? All of it Three quarters One quarter 1,057 Reveal 14.AUTHORISED FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE: Authors including Val McDermid, Naomi Alderman, Lucy Foley, Jean Kwok and Dreda Say Mitchell have contributed stories to a new short story collection which will continue the adventures of which beloved fictional character? Nancy Drew Jane Marple Pippi Longstocking Sarah Jane Smith