QUIZ OF THE YEAR / A question of business: Test your memory with an A to Z primer on the wheels and deals that made the headlines in 1993

A is for animosity, acrimony and antipathy:

1 Which captain of industry was accused of making 'a monumental blunder' by the Police Federation?

2 Which analyst was accused of writing a 'poisonous' research note and by whom?

3 Which former footballer said: 'They are out to ruin me and I don't know why'?

4 Who said that hiring his chief executive was 'the biggest mistake of my life', and about whom?

B is for brands. In 1993, who became the owner of:

1 The Wonderbra?

2 The Benny Hill Show?

3 Yves Saint Laurent?

4 Phileas Fogg snacks?

5 Terry's All Gold chocolates?

6 The New York Post?

7 Marvin Gaye's Heard It Through the Grapevine?

C is for career changes - some of them spectacular:

1 Which former Financial Times journalist and textiles boss decided to have a go at banking?

2 Which former editor of the Economist also decided to have a go at Banking?

D is for disasters, of which there were many. Which organisation:

1 Spent pounds 155m developing a drug, large doses of which, it turned out, hastened death?

2 Lost its most precious asset to northern Cyprus?

3 Uncovered a pounds 1bn discrepancy after revaluing hotel assets?

4 Spent pounds 75m on a computer that didn't work?

E is for economics, the sub ject that posed the year's toughest examinations.

1 What is the inflation rate and when was it last this low?

2 Did unemployment rise, fall or stay the same over the year?

3 Who likened his colleagues to 'literary critics who read prose but never read poetry, or mathematicians who understand arithmetic but are bewildered by algebra'?

4 Who said Chancellor Clarke lacked 'the spine, knowledge and drive' to bring down the public sector deficit?

F is for families, whose official year is upon us. Name:

1 Two French brothers who both got the sack in 1993.

2 The clan that booted out a chief executive to keep the company wholly in the family.

3 The philanthropic businessman who took over the family concern from his cousin and finished pounds 700m down on the year.

G is for gold. Which pair of investors had a brief and profitable love affair with the precious metal?

H is for hatchets (buried). Why were the sharks removed from the Harrods food hall?

I is for inscription. On what was written 'From C and M. Don't let the buggers get you down'?

J is for justice (or the British version of it, at any rate). Name the accused who:

1 Was acquitted of stealing pounds 5.2m, in a trial that marked the end of an eight-year financial scandal.

2 Got 180 hours of community service after being found guilty of fraudulent trading.

3 Was clocked speeding at more than 110mph, but got off with a pounds 160 fine and a 21-day driving ban after the magistrate's clerk calculated he had to manage on pounds 20 a week spending money.

K is for knighthoods. Which two of these four businessmen missed out last week: Iain Vallance of BT, Ed Wallis of PowerGen, Brian Pearse of Midland Bank, Neil Shaw of Tate & Lyle?

L is for losses, and 1993 was a bumper year for them.

1 Which company suffered the biggest-ever loss in Britain - of pounds 1.2bn?

2 Which suffered the biggest in the world - dollars 5bn?

3 Where was a 'dollars 12.4bn black hole' discovered?

M is for moves, not always that smart. Who moved:

1 From Leeds to Halifax?

2 On to the BBC staff?

N is for non-starter. What proposed pounds 7bn marriage never got as far as the engagement columns?

O is for optimism, not seen much in 1993. Who said:

1 'There may be some temporary inconvenience but no loss of efficiency'?

2 'To us it's blindingly obvious it's going to be a success. We know there's a huge gap in the marketplace for the music we'll be playing. This isn't rocket science'?

P is for politicians. Any company worth its salt has a tame ex-cabinet minister on the board. N M Rothschild took on its old employee, Norman Lamont. Which former minister now sits on the board of:

1 Barclays Bank?

2 Hanson?

3 Glaxo?

4 British Telecom?

5 GEC?

6 British Gas?

7 Smith New Court?

8 Tate & Lyle?

Q is for quarrying. Which British company wants to supply the aggregate for Europe's motorways by razing a Hebridean mountain?

R is for redundancy. It was a cracking year for pay-offs. Who:

1 Received a record pounds 2.9m severance payment?

2 Was sacked after 11 months in the job, but had his departure sweetened (hint, hint) with pounds 1.1m?

S is for stock markets. Bra zil's boomed by 4,000 per cent - a more modest 79 per cent after taking account of inflation. In US dollar terms, which was:

1 The world's best performing stock market?

2 The worst?

T is for takeover bids, and some were unhappy. But:

1 Which predator was jolly glad its pounds 221m bid failed?

2 Which company reduced a former Footsie stock to a penny share?

3 Which defending merchant bank 'sold out' its own client?

U is for underground. What tunnel, twice as long as the Channel tunnel, is about to be opened two years ahead of schedule?

V is for VAT. What gets clob bered on 1 April this year?

W is for what the heck or whatsisname. So what is or was:

1 Equa?

2 Gatt?

3 Opraf?

X is for ex-employee. Which fiasco prompted a marketing manager to comment: 'Some people were just stupid about it. I mean, people were booking weddings around their two free tickets'?

Y is for youth. Which is the youngest: Archie Norman, head of Asda; Gerry Robinson of Granada; John Clare of Dixons; Martin Taylor of Barclays; Keith Edelman of Storehouse; Liam Strong of Sears; Eric Nicoli of United Biscuits?

Z is for zillions. From pro viding what product or service did the following make their piles:

1 Peter Wood?

2 Graham Kirkham?

3 Gavyn Davies?

4 Brian Souter?

Answers: Page 14

(Photographs omitted)