The Thursday quiz, either a pleasing diversion or a nightmare immovable deadline, depending on whether you are doing it or writing it. You face 15 questions on general knowledge and vaguely topical issues, and this week there is even an exciting World Cup bonus on offer. There are no prizes, but let us know how you get on in the comments. The Thursday quiz, No 83 1.TOAD, RATTY, BADGER AND MOLE: A recently rediscovered original illustration from The Wind in the Willows (not pictured) by artist EH Shepard is going up for auction. But who wrote The Wind in the Willows? Common toad A A Milne Beatrix Potter Ann Talbot Kenneth Grahame Reveal 2."TIS THE SEASON: Aldi (not pictured) claims to have sold out already of some of the toy versions of which character that features in their festive TV adverts? Christmas at Waddesdon Manor Billy The Brussel Kevin The Carrot Penny The Pea Persephone The Potato Reveal 3.NEW DOCTOR WHO COMPANION: Millie Gibson was revealed on Children in Need to be the new Doctor Who companion. What is the name of the character she will be playing opposite Ncuti Gatwa, starting in 2023? Millie Gibson Ruby Sunday Amber Friday Pearl Tuesday Sulfur Saturday Reveal 4.VOX POPULI VOX DEI: A nun who became a singing sensation after winning Italy’s version of The Voice has stunned TV viewers again after announcing that she has left her order and is now doing what? Singing nun Sister Cristina She has begun a university course in media studies in London She has become a television presenter in Albania She is working as a waitor in Spain She is looking after 30-50 feral hogs just outside Rome Reveal 5.ELONGATED MUSKRAT: Twitter"s favourite conversation at the moment is about Twitter. Meanwhile Oxfordshire astronomer Mary McIntyre was locked out of the social media cesspit for three months after her image of what was deemed to be "intimate" content? The Twitter logo A time-lapse photo showing the Milky Way A vintage clip of the launch of a space shuttle A video of a meteor passing through the night sky A close-up of Uranus Reveal 6.CITIES IN DISGUISE: Which South American capital city was founded by Spanish colonisers as Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings) in 1535, before gradually adopting a name based on what the area had been called by the indigenous population Groucho Marx glasses Lima Santiago La Paz Buenos Aires Reveal 7.ON THIS DAY: Charles Darwin (not pictured) published On the Origin of Species on 24 November. But which year? A giant tortoise 1799 1829 1859 1889 Reveal 8.ODDS OR EVENS WITH SHAKIN" STEVENS: This week the Welsh rock"n"roller wants to know how many states are in the federal republic of Germany? Shakin Stevens Odds – 15 Evens – 16 Reveal 9.GCSE SCIENCE CORNER: In an electric plug in the UK the fuse is connected to which wire? Plasma globe Earth Neutral Live Chaotic Good Reveal 10.WHOPPING TALES: Angler Andy Hackett caught a fish known as the Carrot, an elusive 30kg leather carp-koi hybrid released into a fishing lake 20 years ago (not pictured). Where? A single fantail goldfish Belgium Netherlands Germany France Reveal 11.OH HOW TERRIBLY VEXING WITH DIDO: Vexillology is the study of flags, and Dido had a hit with White Flag. So here is the Thursday quiz mash-up of those two facts. Which African nation"s flag could be described as "red, gold and green in horizontal stripes with a five pointed black star in the centre of the gold stripe"? Dido Burkina Faso Angola Cameroon Ghana Reveal 12.VILLAGE PEOPLE"S POSER: Young man, there"s no need to feel down, Village People had a smash hit in 1978 with YMCA. But which Y is the central sacred tree in Norse mythology? The Village People Yggdrasil Yormwell Yennorks Yafthruthnir Reveal 13.GOTTA CATCH "EM ALL: Always a popular round. The new Pokémon games Scarlet and Violet are out. As ever there are three new starter Pokémon – a grass type, a water type and a fire type. Which one is the fire type? Pokémon Scarlet video game screenshot Sprigatito Fuecoco Quaxly Vanklomp Reveal 14.IT"S A DOG"S LIFE: This is Willow, the official dog of the Guardian"s Thursday quiz. Today she is worried because she has forgotten who wrote the 1866 opera The Bartered Bride. Can you help her? Willow, the official dog of the Guardian"s Thursday quiz Bedřich Smetana Antonín Dvořák Vincenc Mašek Antonín Panenka Reveal 15.OUCH: Who has had to cancel the rest of their UK tour after breaking their foot onstage at the O2 in London? X-ray view of foot bones Ricky Wilson out of Kaiser Chiefs Florence Welch out of Florence + The Machine Brad Simpson out of The Vamps Ronald Mael out of Sparks Reveal 16.BONUS WORLD CUP QUESTION: Qatar has had 12 years to get ready for the Fifa World Cup and has reportedly spent $200bn on hosting it. How has it gone so far? Qatar"s Mohammed Muntari They became the first ever World Cup hosts to lose their opening match They did not become the first ever World Cup hosts to lose their opening match