Sunday Star-Times

You may have noticed a few changes to your Sunday Star-Times over these summer holiday weeks.

Sunday magazine and the Travel lift-out are enjoying a well-deserved summer break and will return next week for our January 18 edition. In the meantime, we have boosted our pages of quizzes and puzzles, and will run our Pitch Perfect series on the...

Quiz

1. What company, which last year booked just over $2 billion of revenue, was founded in 2006 by Rod Drury, who was last week made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit ? 2. 80 passengers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Israel...

Quiz

1. Canterbury students have built a robot bird called AK in order to track which bird, deemed extinct in the South Island in 2008: A) kākāpō; B) takahē; C) kōkako; or D) kea? 2. What type of birds are Bendigo and Waitaa, who hatched a chick at...

Black Cap Ajaz Patel spins his way out of the record books

Ajaz Patel will ensure he remains in test cricket’s record books for only all the right reasons, after finally snaring a wicket on New Zealand soil. The Black Caps spinner just over four years ago famously became just the third player to achieve the...

Wellywood fires up

A-listers walk the red carpet as James Cameron brings Avatar: Fire and Ash premiere to NZ

Quiz

1. Auckland = the life story of WWII spy Pippa Latour, The Last Secret Agent; Wellington = Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders; Christchurch = Andrew and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novel In Too Deep. What links these books and cities? 2. “We ask all...

Anger mingles with grief in aftermath of fire tragedy

Quiz

1. A massive recall of coloured play-sand used in homes, schools and kindies is due to the risk of it containing A) glass; B) beetles; C) asbestos; or D) E.coli? 2. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown helped hand out the final 2500 packets of what sweet treat...

‘My upbringing wasn’t great’: Bryan Cranston’s big break

Quiz

1. A themed wedding for a Rotorua couple at Hobbiton in Matamata was interrupted by A) the disappearance of the ring; B) the appearance of Frodo; C) an invasion of gatecrashing orcs; or D) the non-appearance of a Gandalf-themed celebrant? 2. What was...

‘Succession’ star on why fame’s worth it ‘whatever the cost’

The first thing that strikes you as you walk into the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is the smell of stale wood. Faded gig posters chequer the walls. Given the venue’s status as a temple to the history of American rock, there is something...

Secretive Scorsese finally comes clean on wild life

Industry insights

How to take a big property risk – and get away with it Homed

Quiz

1. Psychologist, author and broadcaster Nigel Latta died on Tuesday – the same day his book was released. What is its title? 2. Who’s the NZ-born country music star whose split from actress Nicole Kidman, pictured, was reported last week? 3. Zoe...

Incredible story of three brothers who shot and flew their way into Fiordland legend

Quiz

1. A Wairarapa snail called Ned has a campaign to find him a mate because his love life has been stymied by A) the wrong kind of slime; B) undersized antennae; C) a shell that spirals in the wrong direction; or D) a foot that points backwards? 2. Fill...

Ukraine

Desperate Russians joining war for cash, claims deserter

Camera controversy threatens to ‘implode’ NZ’s beauty pageant scene

It was a young woman’s nightmare: realising a camera had been positioned where she and other pageant queens were getting changed. When the presence of the recording device was revealed, following a Miss New Zealand fashion shoot earlier this year, the...

Father’s Day

Give the gift of fragrance

Quiz

1. Speaker Gerry Brownlee threw which MP out of Parliament for failing to apologise for saying: “If we find six of 68 Government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history” in relation to sanctioning Israel for war crimes? 2. Jonathan...

Quiz

1. Why did the US thank the RNZAF for a rare “mission [which] brought hope in the middle of the Antarctic night”? 2. NCEA’s days may be numbered, but what did the school qualification’s Level 1 replace, and was that in A) 1982; B) 1992; C) 2002; or D)...

Quiz

1. Who’s the head of the FBI, pictured right, who was in Wellington to announce the opening of an FBI office in NZ? 2. Rock fans paid their respects to Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of which UK city where his band Black...

Quiz

1. Rock music legend Ozzy Osbourne, who died aged 76 on Wednesday, changed the name of his Polka Tulk Blues Band to what in August 1969? 2. Who is the Minister for Space who introduced an amendment to the Outer Space and Highaltitude Activities Act...

All Blacks rule the roost

France push Razor’s reshuffled ABs hard but NZ completes a 3-0 series whitewash

French toast!

The All Blacks ran a lacklustre French side ragged in Wellington last night, piling on six-tries-to-two in a commanding performance

Quiz

1. Which 86-year-old actor had the crowd chanting their name after a surprise guest appearance alongside the Scissor Sisters at Glastonbury: A) Judi Dench; B) Ian McKellen; C) Harvey Keitel; or D) Faye Dunaway? 2. Bluebridge’s new Cook Strait ferry,...

Quiz

1. The wedding plans of which couple were adapted after, as The Guardian reported, “activists threatened to fill the canals with inflatable crocodiles to block their celebrity guests”? 2. The NZ-made game, which hit headlines as one of 2025’s...

Super star Crusaders

Codie Taylor collected an eighth Super Rugby winner’s medal after two massive plays as the Crusaders delivered Rob Penney a maiden title and consigned the Chiefs to a third successive grand final defeat. The veteran All Blacks hooker scored a try and...

Escalating conflict: Israel damages - but fails to destroy - Iran’s nuclear facilities

Escalating conflict: Israel damages - but fails to destroy - Iran’s nuclear facilities World, page 31 Middle East

Quiz

1. How many submissions received against the Regulatory Standards Bill were “fake submissions” from bots according to ACT leader David Seymour: A) 9.5%; B) 39.5%; C) 69.5%; or D) 99.5%? 2. After a request from Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van...

Quiz

1. Who is this, pictured right, who replaced Adrian Orr as Reserve Bank governor in April and announced his first Monetary Policy Statement on Wednesday? 2. Parliament’s new bar – replacing Pickwick’s, which closed last September – is called A) Oh,...

Quiz

1. Cheap 1kg blocks of what at Auckland’s Costco attracted queues, headlines and shoppers from as far afield as Taranaki? 2. Speedway stalwart Danny Lendich, who died earlier this month, is credited for bringing which fast-food chain to NZ in 1988: A)...

Quiz

1. What film festival made headlines after an 11th-hour ban on nudity and “voluminous outfits” from its red carpet last week? 2. Which three members of Te Pāti Māori received Parliament bans as punishment for the haka they performed at the first...

Narrow escape: Missile hits airbase soon after NZ cricketers flee

International cricketers, including several Black Caps, narrowly avoided a missile strike in Pakistan, fleeing on a charter flight to Dubai just three hours before the air base they departed from was attacked by Indian missiles. The strike on Nur...

Quiz

1. A complaint was lodged with DOC after an Auckland woman in Golden Bay filmed herself with A) a sea snake; B) kiwi chicks; C) seal pups; or D) a sacred waterfall? 2. “I’ve had 34 years in jail and they just pushed me out the gate. I want to ... rub...

Quiz

1. An invasion of what in Wellington’s Ōwhiro Bay was “like a horror movie”: A) Argentinian ants; B) Portuguese millipedes; C) Australian redback spiders; or D) English dormice? 2. Denmark’s 18-year-old Princess Isabella caused a stir online by posing...

Quiz

1. “The first thing out of his mouth was ‘forgive me’, and the wall between us fell down.” Which 66- and 78-year-old pop stars called a truce on a decadeslong feud over whether one of them lip-synced too much? 2. Which North Island town was struck by...

Quiz

1. Who are Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook – in the country to play two concerts – better known as? 2. Who is this UK celebrity, right, who staged a surprise tasting of his wine range at Woolworths Mt Roskill in Auckland? 3. Scientists have...

Quiz

1. Tā moko artist Te Rangitu Netana and designer Emilia Wickstead collaborated over a new A) World of Wearable Art trophy; B) sofa for the prime minister’s Waiheke holiday home; C) uniform for Air NZ; or, D) All Whites World Cup strip? 2. Which Kiwi...

Quiz

1. What did Nasa commentators joke were an “honorary part of the recovery team” when the capsule carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams splashed down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday? 2. Which two Black Caps and one Indian cricket...

Quiz

1. What did PM Christopher Luxon describe as “pretty lame-o”: a) school lunch provider Libelle Group; b) Wellington Council; c) the Black Caps’ fielding at the Champions Trophy, or d) the Warriors? 2. Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney,...

Quiz

1. Who described eating a raw turnip on their new Netflix series as “I feel like you’re watching me falling in love”? 2. What is the UK/USA agreement on informationsharing better known as and who are its member nations? 3. Who is the former NZer of...

Quiz

1. After the release of their te reo duet Kāhore He Manu E, who said of whom that “Singing with Marlon is one of my favourite things to do on Earth, whether we are tipsy backstage by a pool table or in a luscious studio”? 2. What caused havoc,...

Quiz

1. What famous photograph did Joe Rosenthal take in the Pacific war 80 years ago today? 2. What structure did a Russian drone hit, causing concern over possible radiation leaks? 3. What happened to kayaker Adrián Simancas that made world...

Quiz

1. The discovery of what kind of ‘throne’ in Sussex confirmed it was the residence of King Harold of 1066 fame? 2. True or false: Angelina Jolie trained in opera to sing the part of Maria Callas in the currently screening film Maria. 3. Who were the...

Quiz

1. The blue-lipped sea krait discovered on an Auckland beach is A) a rare octopus; B) a venomous snake; C) an Antarctic penguin; or D) a coldwater swimmer? 2. Why did Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori cause a stir on the Grammys red carpet ? 3. What...

Quiz

1. What is the name of the Chinese generative AI startup that threw the world’s top tech stocks into turmoil? 2. New Zealand reviewed its aid to which Pacific island nation after it snubbed a visit by Winston Peters? 3. Which British musician,...

Quiz

1. “I’ll confess it’s taken me a while.” Who was talking about the June launch of their memoir A Different Kind of Power? 2. Who or what are “Official Trump” and “Melania Meme”: A) TikTok dances; B) official 2025 Vogue magazine fashion styles; C)...

Quiz

1. A Stan Walker concert last weekend was interrupted when an audience member A) went for a swim; B) built a human pyramid; C) played the drums; or D) climbed on Walker’s back? 2. After repeated thefts, Karori swimming pool replaced what items with...

Quiz

1. With just nine hours between top and second, and 26 hours between second and third; what order did Blenheim, Richmond (near Nelson) and Tauranga finish in in the 2024 annual sunshine hours contest? 2. Which of these boys’ names was NOT in the most...

... you’ll notice a few changes over summer

Sunday magazine and Travel are enjoying a well-earned break – but while they’re away we’ve beefed up our puzzles and quizzes to help keep the whole family entertained, whatever the holiday weather throws at us. The second part of our quiz of 2024 is...

Quiz

1. Why did DOC warn swimmers off getting in the water near the wharf in Waikato’s Kawhia Harbour on Christmas Day: A) great white sharks spotted; B) seabirds dive-bombing swimmers; C) a “manu” dive competition posed a risk; or D) it was too soon after...

‘Walks the talk’

It’s been two years since Grand Designs NZ presenter Tom Webster, his wife Anna and two sons moved into their 1960s house, a deceased estate near the beach on Auckland’s North Shore. In that time, they’ve worked out exactly what they need to change,...

Quiz

1. Who or what is a Luigi Mangioni? 2. What was Winston Peters talking about on Tuesday when he said “the time has come to do the right thing”? 3. 211 nations (that’s 18 more members than the United Nations) voted for which country to host the 2034...

Quiz

1. Who or what is H7N6? 2. Auckland FC expected last night’s derby crowd to be 26,253 when they played archrivals Phoenix at Mt Smart Stadium. What was the previous record crowd for a regular season A-League match in NZ? 3. The BBC pulled Christmas...

‘Seemed so very genuine’: Volunteer ‘medic’ uses fake credentials while working in Ukraine

ANew Zealander – convicted in Australia for making false emergency calls to the rural fire brigade where he volunteered – has used sham credentials to pose as a medic in Ukraine. Hayden James, 26, was volunteering with a European charity in the...

Failed developer urges ‘prayers’ amid controversy over proposal to construct massive statue

Controversial plans for a large Hindu statue are roiling parts of south Auckland, as a failed developer project.urges people to invest in his latest If erected as planned in Karaka, the 40-foot statue of Lord Hanuman, a halfman half-monkey deity, would...

Waking the taniwha: A new generation steps forward in defence of Te Tiriti

Bridget Taheri says that for as long as she lives, it will be the swaying of the bridge she’ll remember. There’ll be other memories of the day: a kuia waving the tino rangatiratanga flag from her wheelchair; tamariki skipping; a hongi between members...

The young and the jobless: Future looks tough for Kiwis after their jobs ‘fall off a cliff ’

Student Job Search is reporting an “alarming” 65% dive in graduate jobs; Foodstuffs had 930 applications for 20-30 supermarket internships; and young Kiwis are stampeding to Australia for better job prospects and pay. Nikki Macdonald investigates the...

What’s the US election’s impact in NZ?

ANALYSIS: New Zealanders cannot vote in the US election, but polling data obtained by the Star-Times shows a New Zealand not so different from the United States. While Donald Trump – a very American phenomenon – has far lower support outside the US,...

“You can explore all kinds of dark areas of life through puppetry” Why new LOTR show comes with strings attached

Anew stage show delivering The Lord of the Rings to Kiwi audiences may be a stunning visual feast, but it comes with strings attached. Literal strings, that is, thanks to puppet designer and fabricator Charlie Tymms, who is responsible for bringing...

Can you survive til '25? When will 'green shoots of recovery' reach our wallets?

From Once Were Warriors to a Woolworths superstore: How Auckland farewells ‘roughest’ pub

One of Auckland’s oldest settlements is up for gentrifying redevelopment, and it’s beginning with the demolition of one of the city’s roughest pubs. Onehunga’s infamous Trident Tavern is making way for a redevelopment that will include a new...

‘There was an revelations in

There were highpowered guns, highspeed getaways, stashed wads of cash buried in forests, threatening notes to jurors, criminal masterminds and dimwit accomplices. Scott Bainbridge’s new book about the 1984 Birkenhead supermarket robbery reads like a...