Q 01/05

On what date in 1982 was the ZX Spectrum first released in Britain?

A) 1 January

B) 5 March

C) 23 April

D) 25 December

Answer · why

C) 23 April

Sinclair unveiled it to journalists at the Churchill Hotel in Marylebone that day.

Q 02/05

Roughly how many ZX Spectrums were sold in total?

A) About one million

B) About 500,000

C) Over twenty million

D) Over five million

Answer · why

D) Over five million

It was Britain's top-selling computer until the Amstrad PCW overtook it in the 1990s.

Q 03/05

The Spectrum was manufactured in Dundee by which company, better known for watches?

A) Rolex

B) Seiko

C) Timex

D) Casio

Answer · why

C) Timex

Timex director Fred Olsen wanted to diversify beyond mechanical watches.

Q 04/05

Which industrial designer created the Spectrum's case, rainbow motif and rubber keyboard?

A) Richard Altwasser

B) Steve Vickers

C) Nigel Searle

D) Rick Dickinson

Answer · why

D) Rick Dickinson

His drawing board is now in the Science Museum in London.

Q 05/05

The name 'Spectrum' was chosen to emphasise what?

A) Its colour display

B) Its wide software range

C) Its sound chip

D) Its radio-frequency output

Answer · why

A) Its colour display

During development it was called the ZX81 Colour or ZX82.