The Guardian’s most successful April fool’s joke,about a tiny archipelago where everything was named after typefaces and printing terms was published on 1 April 1977. Can you pick out the genuine features of San Serriffe in our quiz?April fool: San Serriffe - Archive teaching resource[br]Each of the headlines in the special report included a reference to news printing and publishing. Which of the following was not a headline included in the supplement?Justified, left, or right and centre (a description of the judicial system)The leader's rise to power (a profile of the head of state)Mitred rules (a piece by an Anglican bishop on the islands)Bold expansion in tourism (a travel guide)The islands themselves were famously in the form of a semicolon. What were the names of the two main islands in the archipelago? Hédere and FótereCerniñ and LediñUpper Caisse and Lower CaisseRecto and VersoWhich of the following was not the name of a state on San Serriffe? Gill SandsPerpetuaBodoniFuturaPart of the success of the joke was that so many advertisers played along,including Kodak, Access and After Eights among many others. In Guinness’s spoof advert, and what affected production in San Serriffe so that the drink had a black head and a white body?The unique climatic forces surrounding the islandsThe reaction of a strain of yeast endemic to San SerriffeThe barley seeds being planted upside downThe desalination process for the waterSignificant people on the islands all had names related to typefaces. Which of these was not a San Serriffe personage?General MinionLord WrongfontRalph BaskervilleDr HelveticaThe indigenous population were called Flongs,after a hot metal printing term. What is a flong?A line of lead produced by a linotype machineA large metal frame to hold the type in placeA cardboard mould from which the metal printing plate was castA wooden space fillerWhich one of the following could be studied at A-Level on San Serriffe?Basket-weavingPearl-divingShell-collectingPalm tree farmingWhat was the national currency of San Serriffe?The GoudyThe PalatinoThe CoronaThe CaslonWhat was the name of the species of bird found on the islands?HedlynsBilynsKolumsKwotesFrom whom did the Guardian receive a letter in response to the piece, complaining of pro-government bias?The Campaign for People’s Liberation, and San SerriffeThe San Serriffe Liberation FrontThe San Serriffe People’s FrontThe People’s Front of San Serriffe7 and above.
Not bad at all - no fooling you!6 and above.
Not bad at all - no fooling you!8 and above.
Excellent San Serriffe knowledge - General Pica would be proud!5 and above.
Perhaps you would absorb tried to book a holiday on San Serriffe...4 and above.
Perhaps you would absorb tried to book a holiday on San Serriffe...3 and above.
Perhaps you would absorb tried to book a holiday on San Serriffe...2 and above.
You can't reveal your upper from your lower Caisse9 and above.
Excellent San Serriffe knowledge - General Pica would be proud!10 and above.
Excellent San Serriffe knowledge - General Pica would be proud!0 and above.
You can't reveal your upper from your lower Caisse1 and above.
You can't reveal your upper from your lower Caisse Related: Peter Preston and the islands of San Serriffe – The memoir podcast Continue reading...
Source: guardian.co.uk