What links Steve McQueen with Keir Starmer? The Saturday quiz

The questions

1 Which song might have been inspired by the “beloved wife of Thomas Woods”?
2 What is Apex, sold for a record $44.6m last month?
3 Tapioca comes from the root of which plant?
4 What was added to the water in Birmingham in 1964?
5 Sarah John’s signature appears on what everyday items?
6 Since 1993, Didi Senft has attended the Tour de France dressed as what?
7 What was the last royal house of Italy?
8 Which national hero was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk?
What links:
9 Tom Bower; Walter Isaacson; Kitty Kelley; Jenny Uglow?
10 Amtrak; Edexcel; Microsoft; Netflix; Unilever; Yelp?
11 E (53%); S (32%); W (9%); NI (6%)?
12 Vincent van Gogh; Evander Holyfield; Donald Trump?
13 Cobalt; iron; nickel?
14 King Priam; Derby winners in 1979 and 2024?
15 Composer Richard Bennett; director Steve McQueen; actor Ryan Reynolds; PM Keir Starmer?

The answers

1 Eleanor Rigby (Liverpool gravestone).
2 Stegosaurus fossil.
3 Cassava (manioc).
4 Fluoride.
5 Banknotes.
6 Devil.
7 Savoy.
8 Horatio Nelson.
9 Biographers.
10 Portmanteau company names: American track; education and excellence; microcomputer and software; internet and flicks; Margarine Unie and Lever Brothers; help and Yellow Pages.
11 Land area percentages of UK constituent parts.
12 Injured ears.
13 Elements that are magnetic at 20C.
14 Troy: mythical king of; Troy and City of Troy.
15 Middle name Rodney.