Fifteen questions on general knowledge and topical trivia plus a few jokes every Thursday – how will you fare? Martin Belam Thu 3 Feb 2022 11.00 GMT 525 Good news everyone! This week’s Thursday quiz introduces not one but two – TWO! – brand new regular features, which I am sure are going to prove as popular as the questions about Pokémon and the anagrams always did in the past. There are 15 questions on general knowledge and topical trivia, and along the way there is a hidden Doctor Who reference for you to spot for a bonus point, as well as the ever-welcome appearance of Kate Bush and Ron from Sparks. It is just for fun. There are no prizes. Let us know how you got on in the comments. The Thursday quiz, No 41 1.OUT OF OFFICE: A change in the law that came into effect on Tuesday means 65,000 federal officials will no longer need to answer emails or phone calls out of hours, after which European country became the latest to offer workers the right to disconnect? Netherlands Luxembourg Belgium Spain Reveal 2._ _ _ _ _: Josh Wardle has sold his addictive creation Wordle to which US news organisation? Washington Post New York Times Wall Street Journal The Atlantic Reveal 3.SCIENCE CORNER: Which of these phrases best describes the structure of DNA? A long single straight chain A double helix structure A triple helix structure Eight groups of four teams, the top two in each group go through to the round of 16 Reveal 4.A FUN BUNCH OF GUYS FROM OUTER SPACE: That is a 1983 Sparks song in which aliens comes to Earth to "infiltrate and get a tan". But that"s not important right now. Why did Kyle Hippchen give up his seat on the first space tourism flight operated by SpaceX? Because he exceeded the weight limit for takeoff Because he failed a drugs test before boarding Because he discovered his ex was also going to be on the flight Because at the last moment he realised it was a hugely polluting, scientifically worthless publicity stunt Reveal 5.ENSEMBLE CASTS: Speaking of space, which modern flavour of Star Trek features Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid and Noël Wells among its cast? Picard Discovery Prodigy Lower Decks Reveal 6.ON THIS DAY: Sweyn Forkbeard died on 3 February 1014. At the time he was king of Norway, king of England, and king of which other country? Finland Sweden Denmark Scotland Reveal 7.THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: Today is also the anniversary of the air crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and which other music star? The Big Bopper Eddie Cochran Jim Croce Jim Reeves Reveal 8.HAPPY BIRTHDAY: It is Natalie Imbruglia"s birthday tomorrow. Happy birthday, Natalie! But what was the name of the character she played in the Australian soap opera Neighbours Charlene Robinson Dee Bliss Lucy Robinson Beth Brennan Reveal 9.LITERATURE: Louisa May Alcott is probably best known for her book Little Women, which was based on her life and used her own name. But what was the pen name that she used to write the books Behind a Mask and A Long Fatal Love Chase? AM Barnard IM Foreman LM Albert JD Bernhard Reveal 10.ALLONS-Y: Wiki Voyage lists 23 locations visited by fictional Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne"s Around the World in Eighty Days. No 1 is London, England. But which of the four railway stations on the UK edition of Monopoly is not served by the London Underground? King"s Cross Liverpool Street Fenchurch Street Marylebone Reveal 11.DO IT CLEAN: A company in Sweden has trained crows to clear up what from the streets of Södertälje, near Stockholm? Discarded fast-food packaging Discarded chewing gum Discarded cigarette butts Discarded Pokémon trading cards Reveal 12.SPOT THE BALL: A new round for the Winter Olympics, one stone has been removed from this picture of Norway"s super-trouser Curling team. Where was it? A B C D Reveal 13.SPORT BUT NOT REALLY SPORT; IT IS GEOGRAPHY IN DISGUISE: Which is the capital of Senegal, one of the four Africa Cup of Nations semi-finalists ? Cairo Yaoundé Ouagadougou Dakar Reveal 14.WHO AM I? I am a two-year-old, green-eyed, grey and white farm cat who caught Jill Biden’s eye when I jumped on stage and interrupted a speech the first lady was giving, and now I"ve been adopted and moved into the White House. What is my name? Willow Ivy Rowan Four Seasons Reveal 15.MUSIC: Which of these combinations is the original Eurovision Song Contest winning lineup of Buck"s Fizz? Cheryl, Mike, David and Jay Cheryl, Mike, Bobby and Jay Cheryl, Bobby, Paul and Jayne Kate, Kate, Kate and Kate