A Day in the Life of a Lockout Quiz

Answer: Pruning

Pruning is what you do to cut back and shape many types of tree and shrub. When you do it depends on the plant. Some are best done immediately after flowering, others in the Spring just as new growth is started. With roses the aim is to take out weak and dead branches, and then to shape the bush so that it is open to allow air to circulate.

At the same time the height is reduced. All of this encourages strong new growth and a good show of flowers.

Answer: Horoscope

Virtually all United Kingdom newspapers carry a daily horoscope, based on your star sign, to predict how things are going to go for you that day. Some people believe completely in these, others take them with a pinch of salt. Unfortunately mine for today says that I can look forward to disappointments and frustrations. Must mean I'm still locked out from FunTrivia.

Answer: Bridleways

These are bridleways and designed for riders and horses. Britain also has an extensive network of public footpaths which go across fields, or through woods, parks and other open areas which are for walkers and ramblers. Both bridleways and public footpaths often give access to otherwise private land, although where it does you must stick to the designated path.

Although bridleways are for horses and footpaths for walkers the two happily intermingle on them. If you are walking on a bridleway then it is courteous to give way to riders, and riders give walkers priority on footpaths.

Answer: Bargain Hunt

"Bargain Hunt" has been a staple of British daytime television since 2000. The first host was David Dickinson, who went on to present a prime time version of the show, and then various other antique type shows. Tim Wonnacott took over as presenter of the daytime version in 2003.

The format is simple. Two teams of two people are given money to buy items at an antique fair which are then sold at auction. They have an expert to advise them. Any profit they make they keep. Although profits are made the show has become known for the massive losses made by contestants when they buy some quite strange objects at highly inflated prices.

Answer: Victoria Sandwich

The Victoria Sandwich is named after Queen Victoria, who was said to like a slice of it with her afternoon tea. The classic recipe contains raspberry jam, and the cake is not decorated, only dusted with either icing sugar or caster sugar. Variations however include any type of jam, cream and icing as a decoration. For a really luxurious cake a third sponge can be used so it is multilayered. You can also make Victoria Sandwich cupcakes.

Answer: Mapmaker

John Spilsbury was an English mapmaker and engraver. In 1767 he invented the first jigsaw puzzle when he pasted a map of the world onto wood and cut out the various countries. Teachers used these early jigsaws to teach geography. Since then puzzles have become ever more intricate, and virtually any subject can be found on them.

In recent years 3D puzzles have become popular where you have to build the object as well as put the pieces together. Two sided puzzles are particularly difficult, especially when they come in circular form.

Answer: Julian May

The "Saga of Pliocene Exile", or "Saga of the Exiles" is set in the near future of Earth and sixty million years in the past. Many on Earth have developed various psychic gifts, and we have been absorbed into the Galactic whole. However some yearn for a return to a simpler way of life.

A machine allows them to travel back to the Pliocene Era. When they arrive they find a race of aliens in charge. These enslave humans by using torcs through which they can dispense pleasure or pain, and also use human females for breeding.

The four books in the series cover the adventures of one group of time-travellers in this strange but also familiar land.

Answer: Dreamboats and Petticoats

"Dreamboats and Petticoats" started life as a collection of 50s and 60s oldies on CD. The CD, and the subsequent ones in the series, were so successful that the Managing Director of Universal Music TV approached Bill Kenwright of Kenwright Productions about turning it into a musical. Bill Kenwright is well known for jukebox type musicals, and is a great lover of music of that era. With his production company in favour of the idea Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran were then approached to write the script.

The show premiered in Bromley in 2009 and then went on tour. With audiences loving it the show then moved to London to the Savoy Theatre, and from there to the Playhouse Theatre.

Answer: Mushroom

A mushroom is a wooden device, which is shaped like a mushroom. Put inside a sock under the hole that is to be darned it enables you to stretch the sock over it, gathering the rest of the material securely round the stalk, and repair the hole. Without this you could just pull the sides of the material together leaving something very uncomfortable when you next put the sock on.
Other similar devices are a darning egg, or you can even get the same effect with a used light bulb, although care should be taken not to exert too much pressure and break this.

Answer: Bubble bath

Bubble bath products, which produce a thick layer of suds on top of the water, have been popular for many years. They often soften the water in hard water areas, and with their perfume they give a feeling of luxury to a bath. For children they are also fun to play with.

Many also contain a muscle relaxant, or are perfumed with something like lavender for stress reduction. Quite often they also contain the necessary soap for washing skin or hair so they are multipurpose.