Opening Gambit — Answers

Here are the answers to today’s questions.

The first question relates to an event on this day, and the remainder follow a theme created by the first?

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One

In 1578, King Henry III of France (pictured) laid the first stone of a bridge on the River Seine, which is now the oldest of all the bridges in Paris. The bridge is in two separate spans with an island between them. What is the name of the bridge, and what is the island? 

Answer: Pont Neuf; Île de la Cité.

The Pont Neuf (New Bridge), Paris’s oldest bridge across the Seine, connects the left bank, Île de la Cité, and the right bank. Despite its name it is actually the oldest in the city. The Île de la Cité (Island of the City), a natural island in the Seine, is a historic centre in Paris. It boasts significant landmarks like Notre-Dame cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle and the Hôtel-Dieu hospital, as well as important government buildings.

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Two

In what capital city did the world’s first underground passenger railway open in 1863? 

Answer: London.

The London Underground, also called the Underground or Tube, is a rapid transit system in Greater London and parts of several surrounding counties. The Underground began with the steam locomotives and gas-lit wooden carriages of the Metropolitan Railway in 1863, the first underground passenger railway. The first electrified underground line was opened in London in 1890, making it the first metro system in the world. The system has expanded to 11 lines with 250 miles of track which serves up to 5 million daily journeys, with 1.216 billion in 2024/25. 

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Three

The Brooklyn Bridge, New York, opened in May 1883. What body of water does it cross, and what two islands does it join?

Answers: East River; Manhattan and Long Island.

The Brooklyn Bridge, a cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, connects boroughs of Manhattan (on Mahattan Island) and Brooklyn (Long Island), opening on May 24, 1883. Initially called the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was the world’s longest suspension bridge at its opening. Designed by John A. Roebling and completed by his son Washington and wife Emily, construction took thirteen years. Now a National Historic Landmark, it serves only passenger vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, remaining a major tourist attraction and New York City icon.

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Four

Paris’s largest public park was opened to the public by Louis XV. What park is it?

Bois de Vincennes.

The Bois de Vincennes, Paris’s largest public park, spans 995 hectares, slightly larger than Bois de Boulogne and three times larger than New York’s Central Park. Created by Napoleon III (1855–1866), it features an English garden, lakes, a zoo, arboretum, botanical garden, hippodrome, velodrome, and a sports institute. Known for nighttime prostitution, it occupies 10% of Paris, nearly the size of the first six arrondissements.

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Five

In what decade was London’s Royal Albert Hall opened, and who opened it?

Answers: 1860s.

The Royal Albert Hall in London, opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and named in memory of her consort, Prince Albert, seats 5,272. It hosts over 390 main auditorium shows annually, including BBC Proms, concerts, and events. Amongst its diverse range of events, it hosts the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance annually on the evening before Remembrance Sunday, has featured speeches by Winston Churchill, and exhibition fights by Muhammad Ali. Eric Clapton has appeared there over 200 times, starting with Cream’s farewell concerts in 1968.

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