Tag: quiz

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McSmith Events – Comedy Night

A new events company based in Thornton, McSmith Events, hosted their first event at Thornton Community Centre on Saturday 11th October.

Together with Comedy Hotspot they brought the first of what is hoped to be many Comedy nights to Thornton.

It was a hoot, three excellent comedians and a very funny host entertained us over a two and a half hour period, with the occasional short break to replenish our drinks from the bar set up in the meeting room and kitchen.

Don’t miss the next one on Friday 20th February 2026 – tickets available soon.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable evening and something very different for Thornton.

In keeping with their ethos, McSmith Events ran a raffle with some excellent prizes, to raise money for the Community Centre (a charitable organisation that relies on donations, grants and bookings). Plus promised a £1 from every ticket sold to be donated to the centre.

The Trustees sincerely thank McSmith Events for their donation of £204 towards the running costs of the Centre.

McSmith Events are a family-run company based in Thornton, Leicestershire, bringing top-quality entertainment to local community spaces.

From comedy nights to quizzes and parties, our events supports talent, community spaces, and good causes.

Email – info@mcsmithevents.co.uk

Mobile – 07359 894186

Website – https://www.facebook.com/people/McSmith-Events/61578637385404/#

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Quiz Night news – 6th September

The latest quiz night at Thornton Community Centre was well attended as usual, with 60 ‘quizzers’ turning out for a night of fun, sharing chatter, drinks and a buffet whilst puzzling over the new quiz format, which now includes not just general knowledge questions and a picture round, but also a mix of logic and cryptic clues. All projected on to the big screen at the centre.

100 questions were answered and £51 in prize money was handed out, together with 15 raffle prizes , 2 spot question prizes and a booby prize.

£450 was donated to the Community Centre towards the purchase of new chairs for the centre.

Hopefully the next quiz will be in January.

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New quiz available – fund raiser for Thornton Community Centre

Many of our website readers love the cryptic quiz produced from time to time by a local resident (me).

A real brain teaser. Perfect accompaniment to your ‘elevenses’.

There is a new one available – this time the theme is birds of the UK.

Contact me on thorntonvillage@aol.com if you would like one.

Or if you could sell a few to colleagues, family and friends – that would be really helpful.

All monies raised will be donated to Thornton Community Centre towards the purchase of new chairs (hopefully with a bit of padding on the seats!), to fit on the new chair trolleys recently purchased.

Thornton Community Centre is a registered charity (521506) managed by a small group of trustees on behalf of the residents of Thornton.

Solve 50 cryptic clues to name UK birds. Cost £1 – Prize £10. Closing date – 1st October ’25

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Festive quiz – the results are in

Thank you everyone for taking part – £86 was raised for the Community Centre from the ‘sales’ of the quiz paper.

This one proved a bit trickier than usual – I thought it was easy but then I knew the answers! No one got all the answers correct this time but three entries had 48 out of the 50 correct. Well done to Sue B, Lynda T and Adam K.

But there can only be one winner and after an independent draw of the 3 papers the winner of the cash prize was Lynda Tyers.

Thank you to Thornton Nurseries for selling the quizzes in the cafe.

For those interested in the answers – they are as follows:-

01. Goes crazy at Christmas  (8)   CRACKERS

02. All by yourself (4, 5)   HOME ALONE

03. That old story (8)  CHESTNUT    (Not nativity – this one caught a lot of folk out)

04. Charts the Festive Season (6, 8)   ADVENT CALENDAR

05. The Simpsons family dog (6,6,6)  SANTAS LITTLE HELPER

06. A Londoner sees with these (5, 4)  MINCE PIES

07. Phrase often used in May’s 2017 election campaign (6, 3, 6)  STRONG AND STABLE

08. Joseph’s occupation helped him nail it (9)  CARPENTER

09. Carrier for coal or potatoes maybe (4)  SACK

10. Trog goes to this cave (6)  GROTTO

11. Funny man Skinner is enraged (12)  FRANKINCENSE

12. At this very late hour does it matter (8, 4)  MIDNIGHT MASS

13. Top Gun’s maverick navigator (5)  GOOSE

14. Trio of monarchs (5, 5)  THREE KINGS

15. In an American League of its own (3)  IVY

16. Fork handles, you must have misheard (4, 7)  FOUR CANDLES

17. Ernie, Ernie, Ernie (5, 4, 3)  THREE WISE MEN

18. Brrr he’s frosty today (3, 7)   THE SNOWMAN

19. The elf’s prickly pal (5, 5)  BUDDY HOLLY    (Some put Holly Berry for this one)

20. Hollywood (10)   TINSELTOWN

21. Keeping the cops warm (4, 2, 8)  PIGS IN BLANKETS

22. This Scandinavian is elegant, smart and dapper (9, 6)  NORWEGIAN SPRUCE

23. Born here, Asian or European or a bit of both (6)  TURKEY

24. Their crib, ‘ragmen’ live here (6)  MANGER

25. Party time, 24 hours of punch (6, 3)   BOXING DAY

26. Pagan, parasitic and poisonous (9)  MISTLETOE

27. Choice of container, tin, plastic, cardboard (9, 3)  SELECTION BOX  (Some put Christmas Box)

28. Probably grows in Belgium (8,6) BRUSSELS SPROUT

29. Listen, do they signal the coming of Christ (4, 3, 6, 6)  HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

30. Many of the ‘rat pack’ dreamed of this at one time or another (1,5,9 ) A White Christmas

31. Skinflint (7) SCROOGE

32. A Swiss smile maybe (3, 6) THE GRINCH  (Most put Say Cheese – but CH are the letters denoting  Switzerland and GRIN is a smile)

33. A Yuletide song (1, 9, 5)  A CHRISTMAS CAROL

34. Small percussionist (6, 7, 3)  LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

35. Billy Bob Thornton’s Naughty Nicholas is no Saint (3, 5)  BAD SANTA

36. All is quiet, and the sun has set (6, 5)  SILENT NIGHT

37. Star turn at Red Nose Day (7)   RUDOLF

38. Pam, Tim and One other will star  in this show (9)  PANTOMIME

39. Trois poules (5, 6, 4) THREE FRENCH HENS

40. A celestial object (5) COMET  (Some put Angel)

41. The clink of ice in a glass of Whisky (6, 5) JINGLE BELLS

42. Not out (3)  INN

43. Sprite, often described as mild and green (5)  FAIRY

44. Fred’s initial security device keeps the pen closed (5)    FLOCK

45. Spoil + Fastener + Pot (8)   MARZIPAN

46. In a fight, have this knocked out of you  (8)  STUFFING

47.  A walker, you’ll have a stick and use this Compass point at Xmas (5, 4)  NORTH  POLE

48. Badges of honour (11)  DECORATIONS

49. Christmas hymn needing maintenance (5, 7)  CAROL SERVICE

50. Call this alcohol, what a cheek (6, 5)   BRANDY SAUCE

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Flower, Plant & Herb Cryptic Quiz – answers

Thank you to everyone who took part in another of my cryptic quizzes.

The theme of this one was to coincide with Thornton Open Gardens in July and added to the fundraising efforts in aid of the maintenance of St Peter’s Church.

This quiz proved to be a ‘bit of a challenge’ with some regular quizzers saying it was harder than my usual cryptic quizzes.

There were just two ‘quizzers’ who got all 50 questions correct .. congratulations to them – neither of them were local, but were visiting from Ilfracombe and Nottingham respectively.

But, there can only be one winner – the two names were put in a hat and Jan Ward from Nottingham was the winner of the £10 prize.

The answers are: –

  • 1. First sign of a white Christmas (8) – SNOWDROP
  • 2. A wise man (4) – SAGE
  • 3. You may see this in the blink of an eye (4) – IRIS
  • 4. Is she shrinking? (6) – VIOLET
  • 5. Clinging female (3) – IVY
  • 6. What did ‘Ben rave’ about? (7) – VERBENA
  • 7..She likes ‘keeping up appearances’ – HYACINTH
  • 8. You might have this on your hands when you’ve finished gardening (5) – THYME
  • 9. You ‘split’ these bulbs to propagate (6) TULIPS
  • 10. Prudence (6) – THRIFT
  • 11. Jeer at this fruit (4, 6) – MOCK ORANGE
  • 12.Nearly top of this football league (7) – CAMPION
  • 13. What is our ‘main goal’ about? Answering this clue of course (8) MAGNOLIA
  • 14. Chris Hoy & Chris Frome often slightly muddled can be described as this (8) – CYCLAMEN
  • 15. Sizzling card game (3, 3, 5) RED HOT POKER
  • 16. Did this summon Thomas Beckett to his death? (10, 4) – CANTERBURY BELL
  • 17.Picture this legendary Welsh creature (10) – SNAPDRAGON
  • 18. A clean sweep with this plant (5) – BROOM
  • 19. Female singer/songwriter born in 1979 (4) – PINK
  • 20. ‘Stare’ hard to see this flower (5) ASTER
  • 21. The Universe (6) – COSMOS
  • 22. Is my ding-a-ling depressed? (8) – BLUEBELL
  • 23. Watering can attachment (4) – ROSE
  • 24. Did she get hitched on a tandem? (5) – DAISY
  • 25. Females cloak (5, 6) – LADYS MANTLE
  • 26. Rubber gloves? (9) – MARIGOLDS
  • 28. Symbol of remembrance (5) – POPPY
  • 29. Go faster, better (9) – SPEEDWELL
  • 30. Remember (6,2,3) – FORGET ME NOT
  • 31.’Vain to the core’ (8) – VERONICA
  • 32. All alone in the onion patch (7) – PETUNIA
  • 33. US state climber (7) – MONTANA
  • 34. Up early to ‘egg on’ this song bird (8) – LARKSPUR
  • 35. This ‘proper’ English lady is out late in the day (7, 8) – EVENING PRIMROSE
  • 36. At its best between dawn & noon (7, 5) – MORNING GLORY
  • 37. Has she been involved in a punch up? (5,4, 5) – BLACK EYED SUSAN
  • 38. National flower of Mexico (6) – DAHLIA
  • 39. Assume this position to meditate (5) – LOTUS
  • 40. Colloquial – great, fantastic, brilliant (4) – MINT
  • 41. Head gear of a man of the cloth (9) – MONKSHOOD
  • 42. Canine coppice (7) – DOGWOOD
  • 43. Sweet food nurtured by bees (11) – HONEYSUCKLE
  • 44. There are definitely strings attached to this plant (5) – VIOLA
  • 45. Whether they are green or blue, when I am Queen, you will be my King (8) LAVENDER
  • 46. Shy and introverted especially at parties (10) – WALLFLOWER
  • 47. ‘All is ready for Mary’ (9) – AMARYLLIS
  • 48. Our late Queen always had much to do (4, 6) – BUSY LIZZIE
  • 49. Beside the lake beneath the trees fluttering and dancing in the breeze (9)   DAFFODILS
  • 50. 24 hours and she’s gone! (7) – DAYLILY

This quiz is copyright of Gill Tapping, Thornton village – and may not be reproduced for any purpose without the author’s permission.

If you are a fundraiser for your local charity I have some similar cryptic quizzes to this one, on various topics and am happy for their use in fundraising in exchange for a small donation of £10 which will be given to the Friends of St Peter’s towards the maintenance of the church and grounds.

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Fund Raising weekend in Thornton

Last weekend, 6th and 7th of July, was a busy one in the village with two fund raising events.

Quiz night with cream teas and Prosecco took place on Saturday, raising £480 towards the running costs and upkeep of Thornton Community Centre.

Sunday afternoon saw the return of the biennial Thornton Open Gardens raising funds for the upkeep of St Peter’s Church.

Despite the stormy weather forecast and the couple of heavy showers that materialised, this year’s Thornton Open Gardens proved popular once again. 

On the afternoon of Sunday 7th July, 302 visitors came to enjoy our 13 contrasting open gardens.

As well as the gardens themselves to admire, there was a variety of refreshments on sale, a plant sale, a quiz and a fun animal hunt.  

Locals, friends and acquaintances rubbed shoulders with visitors from further afield, many of them regularly seeking out summer open gardens events all over the Midlands. 

Everyone seemed to enjoy all that Thornton had to offer.  The event made an impressive profit of £1697 which is to go towards the maintenance of St Peter’s Church.

Friends of St Peter’s would like to thank all those who opened their gardens, served refreshments, directed the car parking, donated and sold plants and manned the church. 

Our thanks, too, to The Brickies (Bricklayers Arms), the Shop and Thornton Nurseries  for selling programmes. Also, to The Garden Design Company, who generously supported the event, which was organised by Friends of St Peter’s.