The quiz master is already enjoying his Christmas break, but before he left he deposited 15 sealed envelopes in mysterious locations around London which have since been collated into the quiz you see before you. Fifteen questions to test your topical and general knowledge, featuring some of your favourite Thursday friends: Ron from Sparks, Kate Bush, and that Doctor Who reference to spot. Let us know how you get on in the comments The Thursday quiz, No 34 1.VLAD THE EMPLOYEE: In a documentary, Russia"s President Vladimir Putin revealed that following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he was forced to take which job in order to make ends meet? An ice hockey tutor A bricklayer A taxi driver He was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar Reveal 2.SQUID GAME, BUT FOR FUNDING EDUCATION: A video has gone viral showing ten teachers pitted against each other to scramble for dollar bills to fund school supplies. In which state of the US? South Dakota Montana Iowa Wisconsin Reveal 3.SPORT THAT DIDN"T HAPPEN: Founding members of the European Super League™ Tottenham Hotspur were unable to play their Europa Conference League group game last week due to Covid, and now face being expunged from the competition. Which French team did they pull out from playing? Stade de Reims Lorient Rennes Lyon Reveal 4.TINTINOLOGY: The sixth Tintin book was called L"Oreille Cassée in French. What was the English title? The Silver Cigarette Case The Broken Ear The Oreille Case The Calculus Affair Reveal 5.ART FOR ART"S SAKE: Here are some people looking at "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère", painted in 1882. But who painted it? Diego Velázquez Henri Matisse Georges Braque Édouard Manet Reveal 6.MUSIC: The song Art For Art"s Sake was a hit for who in the UK in the 1970s? 10cc Supertramp Sad Café Kate Bush Reveal 7.GCSE SCIENCE CORNER: It is biology this week, and we are going to ask you a question about how kids get taught about sexytimes these days. Egg cells and sperm cells each contain these structures. Which is the correct order from smallest to largest? Gene, nucleus, chromosome Gene, chromosome, nucleus Chromosome, gene, nucleus Chromosome, nucleus, gene Reveal 8.ENSEMBLE CASTS: Who narrates the world inhabited by Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka? Tom Baker Ian McKellen Derek Jacobi Patrick Stewart Reveal 9.BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: There were reports this week that South and North Korea, China and the US have agreed "in principle" to declare a formal end to the Korean war. When did it start? 1950 1954 1958 1962 Reveal 10.MY BABY"S TAKING ME HOME: That"s a hypnotic 2002 song by Sparks where Russell sings the title My Baby"s Taking Me Home over 100 times. But that"s not important right now. Where was Queen Elizabeth II born? The Lindo Wing, St Mary"s Hospital Buckingham Palace 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair Balmoral Reveal 11.HOME FROM HOME: These days the British royal family consider their home in Scotland to be Balmoral. Which monarch was the first to possess it, after it was purchased from the Farquharson family? George IV William IV Victoria Edward VII Reveal 12.FLAGS OF JOY: Presumably nothing makes you feel more "O Canada! With glowing hearts we see thee rise!" than a flag that features both the British Union flag AND the English flag for good measure. So where in Canada does this flag represent? Manitoba British Columbia Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia Reveal 13.ON THIS DAY: Talking of the colonies, 16 December is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Which year? 1688 1745 1773 1788 Reveal 14.HAPPY BIRTHDAY: It is Benny from Abba"s birthday today. Happy birthday, Benny! But when Abba won the 1974 Eurovision song contest with Waterloo, which English venue was hosting the event? Brighton Manchester Birmingham London Reveal 15.INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE: We bade farewell to Anne Rice this week, who died aged 80. Tom Cruise played the main character in the film version of her debut novel Interview with the Vampire. What was the character"s name? Louis Lestat Laure LeClerc