The Independent’s great Boxing Day quiz

Okay, so we know about the BIG events, but have you been paying attention to everything The Independent has been covering this year? To test your knowledge of everything from current affairs to food and drink and TV, our section editors have a few questions for you...

There’s been some real crackers to make the headlines this year... (Getty/PA/iStock/YouTube)

1. At the Westminster launch of Liz Truss's Tory splinter group Popular Conservatives, which song did the protesters outside use for their chant, “We all live in a Brexit tragedy”?

2. In February, former and future US president Donald Trump launched a new fragrance, costing $99 a bottle, what was it called?

A. Victory 47

B. Fight Club

C. Opium of the masses

D. Divisive

3. According to a measure contained in the Conservatives’ proposed crime bill, homeless people could be liable for arrest if… what?

A. If they speak

B. If they smell

C. If they laugh

D. If they sing

4. How many seats were won by Labour in the general election?

A. 430

B.413

C. 412

D. 454

5. As Paris prepared to host the Olympic Games, one of the city’s major attractions – described as having a “mad inventor’s toy box quality” – announced it would be closing for a refurbishment. Which one?

6. Cambridge academics suggested that serving beer in a different glass could help the British drink less. What “pour size” did they recommend?

A. 2/3 pint

B. A short

C. A midi

D. A 2/4 pint

Round two: Sports

1. Who defeated Anthony Joshua to win the IBF heavyweight world title at Wembley Stadium in September?

A. Tyson Fury

B. Daniel Dubois

C. Oleksandr Usyk

D. Deontay Wilder

2. Who won the women’s singles title at Wimbledon this year?

A. Iga Swiatek

B. Marketa Vondrousova

C. Barbora Krejcikova

D. Jasmine Paolini

3. How many gold medals did Team GB win at the Olympics in Paris?

A. 14 

B. 19

C. 22

D. 27

4. England scored a perfect five out of five penalties in their shoot-out victory against Switzerland in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, but who didn’t score one of them?

A. Jude Bellingham

B. Bukayo Saka

C. Harry Kane

D. Cole Palmer

5. Mark Cavendish became the all-time leading stage winner at the Tour de France this year, but how many stages has he won?

A. 29

B. 31

C. 35

D. 38

Round Three: Food and Drink

1. What ingredient did Dua Lipa controversially add to Diet Coke, sparking a food trend?

A. Coconut water

B. Pickle juice

C. Olive oil

D. Coffee

2. A viral TikTok salad recipe created by Canadian influencer Logan Moffitt led to a nationwide cucumber shortage in which country?

A. Canada

B. Iceland

C. United States

D. Australia

3. Which dessert surpassed the classic Victoria sponge to become the UK’s favourite teatime treat?

A. Chocolate cake

B. Carrot cake

C. Cheesecake

D. Lemon drizzle

4. Gordon Ramsay announced the opening of the UK’s highest restaurant on the 60th floor of 22 Bishopsgate in London. How many metres above the ground is the restaurant located?

A. 247 metres

B. 269 metres

C. 283 metres

D. 261 metres

5. In 2024, Guinness 0.0 was served on tap for the first time outside of Ireland at The Devonshire pub in London. While a pint of regular Guinness costs £6.90, how much is a pint of Guinness 0.0?

A. £5.85

B. £6.35

C. £6.45

D. £6.70

Round four: TV & Culture

1. Piers Morgan caused controversy when he interviewed the alleged real-life subject of which hit Netflix show?

2. Which sitcom aired a fake finale that was written by AI?

3. Eddie Redmayne plays a mysterious assassin in The Day of the Jackal. Who played the character in a loose film adaptation in 1997?

4. Cate Blanchett, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman all fronted TV shows for which streaming service? 

5. What was the name of the faulty IT system which caused untold anguish in Mr Bates vs The Post Office? 

5. Which actor won Best Actor at this year’s Oscars?

6. Nemo won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest back in May – but which country were they representing?

7. Whose fourth novel, titled Intermezzo, became a global bestseller after being published in September?

8. What was the most-streamed song of the year on Spotify?

A. Chappell Roan – Good luck Babe!

B. Taylor Swift – Guilty as Sin?

C. Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso 

D. Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather

Answers

Round one: 1. Yellow Submarine 2. Victory47 3. If they smell 4. 412 5. Centre Pompidou 6. 2/3 pint

Round 2: 1. Daniel Dubois 2. Barbora Krejcikova 3.14 4. Harry Kane 5. 35

Round 3: 1. Pickle juice 2. Iceland 3. Cheesecake 4. 269 metres 5. £6.35

Round 4: 1. Baby Reindeer 2. The Simpsons 3. Bruce Willis 4. Apple 5. Horizon 6. Cillian Murphy 7. Switzerland 8. Sally Rooney 9. Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso