The questions

1 Which classic of political theory was dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici?
2 What is the only jazz act to win the Mercury Music prize?
3 Spanish is an official language of which African country?
4 What 2026 release is said to be the most expensive entertainment product ever created?
5 Which West Sussex estate is a pioneer of rewilding?
6 Which gas is named from the Greek for “lazy”?
7 US doctor Sara Cohen writes bestsellers under what pseudonym?
8 Which coffee chain was founded in London in 1971?
What links:
9 c 6000BC; 79; 512; 1631; 1906; 1944?
10 Divine (witch); Frank Fiegel (sailor); Helen Kane (flapper); The Beatles (vultures)?
11 Mark Brown; Mo Johnston; Kenny Miller; Steven Pressley?
12 Bag; dismiss; plunder; sherry for Falstaff?
13 Caring; Elvis; Famous Five; Revenge; Travolta?
14 Grease; A Chorus Line; Cats; The Phantom of the Opera (currently)?
15 Martin Gilbert; Roy Jenkins; William Manchester; Andrew Roberts?

All shook up by the Elvis clue? Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The answers

1 The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.
2 Ezra Collective.
3 Equatorial Guinea.
4 Grand Theft Auto VI.
5 Knepp.
6 Argon.
7 Freida McFadden (The Housemaid etc).
8 Costa.
9 Major eruptions of Mount Vesuvius.
10 Inspired cartoon characters: Ursula in The Little Mermaid; Popeye; Betty Boop; in The Jungle Book.
11 Played football for both Rangers and Celtic.
12 Various definitions of sack.
13 Nicknames of dresses worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
14 Musicals that have been the longest-running show in Broadway history.
15 Wrote major biographies of Churchill.