1. Last week I was helping my nephew redecorate. "Auntie," he said, "we're going to do a Stones on the front door!" OK, I was keeping up and realised that we were going to "Paint It, Black". If we were truly "doing a Stones" on the door, what was its colour before we picked up our brushes? Red Yellow Blue Green

2. I took the pictures off the walls. The monocled image of Great Uncle Algernon reminded me of his story about being refused membership of a gentlemen's club. "M'dear," he would bristle, "the blighters ___ me!" What unspeakable act was perpetrated on dear Uncle Algy? He was blackjacked He was blacklegged He was blackballed He was blackleaded

3. We moved the bookcases to the middle of the room. "Those war memoires of Winston Churchill's make excellent doorstops," my nephew remarked. Oh dear! Is there no hope for the young? Throughout his life, Churchill struggled with bouts of deep depression; what did he call it? Black dog Black monkey Black night Black day

4. While we were having lunch in the kitchen, I noticed some "cavolo nero" in the vegetable rack. My basic Italian translated "nero" as "black"; but of which vegetable is this a very dark variety? Potato Kale Carrot Scorzonera

5. The doorbell rang, and my nephew raced to answer it. He returned with his father, who was resplendent in tartan and en route to a reunion of the British Army's senior Highland regiment. Which regiment? The Black and Tans The Black Adder The Black Devils The Black Watch

6. My nephew and his father sat down at the kitchen table. They share the same first name, Dugald. Does this name have any connection at all with "black"? Yes No

7. My nephew offered his father a cup of tea. "I've got black, green, white or oolong," he said. "No red tea?" asked his father. "Of course," said his son, smiling, "but only if you can tell me where black tea is more commonly known as red." Canada and the United States The Galapagos Islands The Antarctic China, Japan and India

8. The tropical fish tank needed moving and I asked my nephew what type of fish he had. "Black Somethings," he answered vaguely. "They sound like parrots but I think they're related to guppies." What are these fish? Black Panthers Black Pansies Black Mollies Black Neros

9. As we moved piles of maps, I remembered that my nephew's degree was in Geology: he now works in an industry whose by-products are found in almost every aspect of life. What is another name for the raw material of this vast industry? Black diamonds Black pearls Black sand Black gold

10. Exhausted after our "black" (but not depressing) day, my nephew and I flopped down onto the sofa to watch an old movie about nuns in the Himalayas. Which film were we watching? Black Robe Black Beauty Black Narcissus Black Eyes