The questions
1 The longest direct flight from London goes to which city?
2 Until 1752, when did the new year officially begin in England?
3 Which action film hero suffers from ophidiophobia?
4 AE Stallings succeeded Alice Oswald in what role?
5 Which country’s president was shot by his intelligence chief in 1979?
6 Which marsupial is native to North America?
7 Vanwall, in 1958, was the first winner of what title?
8 Who wrote Natural History, the longest surviving single Roman text?
What links:
9 Lumbini; Bodh Gaya; Sarnath; Kushinagar?
10 51 Pegasi b; Kepler-22b; Proxima Centauri b; Trappist-1 system?
11 Miller; Marshall; O’Hanlon; Little; Gilet?
12 Gun; orlop; poop; quarter; upper; well?
13 Chateau de Châlus-Chabrol; Pontefract Castle; Bosworth Field?
14 Birmingham (1); Liverpool (6); London (2); Manchester (4); Nottingham (2)?
15 Kim Deal; Kim Gordon; Carol Kaye; Esperanza Spalding; Tina Weymouth?
The answers
1 Perth.
2 25 March (Lady Day).
3 Indiana Jones (fear of snakes).
4 Oxford professor of poetry.
5 South Korea.
6 Virginia opossum (possum).
7 Formula One Constructors’ Championship.
8 Pliny the Elder.
9 Pilgrimage sites from the life of Buddha: birthplace; achieved enlightenment; first teaching; died.
10 Exoplanets.
11 Successive lead actors in Death in Paradise.
12 Types of ships’ deck.
13 Death locations of Richard I, II and III.
14 European Cup/UEFA Champions League (men’s) wins by city: Aston Villa; Liverpool; Chelsea; United and City; Forest.
15 Female bass players.