Author: Quizologist

  • All in a Day

    These questions all relate to people born on September 18th.

    Greta Garbo, 1925.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 18 September 1905, the actress Greta Garbo was born. In which capital city was she born?

    Two

    A Dictionary of the English Language, published 1755, was considered the most famous work of which English writer, poet, playwright and lexicographer who was born 18 September 1709?

    Three

    Dylan Kwabena Mills, born today in 1984, is known professionally as whom?

    Four

    John G. Diefenbaker, who was born on this day in 1895, was the prime minister of which country from 1957 to 1963?

    Five

    American police officer J.D. Tippit was born on 18 September 1924. When he was 39 years of age he was shot and killed while on duty by a suspect he was questioning regarding an earlier shooting. Who was he shot by?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Today—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

    Robert Altman.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Answer: Robert Altman

    M*A*S*H*, an American war comedy-drama TV series, aired from 1972 to 1983. It follows a team of doctors and support staff at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War. Renowned for its blend of comedy and drama, the show is considered one of the greatest TV series of all time. It was based on Robert Altman’s film, which in turn was adapted from a 1968 novel by Richard Hooker.


    Two

    Wenceslas II (born Sept. 17, 1271—died June 21, 1305) was the king of Bohemia from 1278 and of Poland from 1300 who ably ruled his Bohemian kingdom and spread his influence not only into Poland but also into Hungary.

    Answer: Bohemia

    Wenceslas II, King of Bohemia from 1278 and Poland from 1300, ruled successfully after overcoming early challenges. He expanded his influence into Hungary and increased his kingdom’s wealth. He is not the Good King Wenceslas of Christmas carol fame who was St Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935).


    Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter and Menachem Begin (left to right), at Camp David, 1978.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Answers: Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat

    The Camp David Accords, signed in 1978, were agreements between Israel and Egypt brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The accords, officially titled the ‘Framework for Peace in the Middle East’, led to a peace treaty between the two countries.


    Four

    Answer: The invasion of Great Britain (or United Kingdom)

    Operation Sea Lion was Nazi Germany’s planned invasion of the United Kingdom during World War II. Despite preparations, the invasion was indefinitely postponed due to the German Luftwaffe’s losses in the Battle of Britain.


    Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada, 1993.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Answer: Canada

    Brian Mulroney, a Canadian lawyer and businessman, served as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. He led the Progressive Conservative Party to a landslide victory in the 1984 federal election and later secured a second majority government in 1988.

  • Today

    Five questions which are all related to today’s date, September 17.

    M*A*S*H (From left) Actors McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Gary Burghoff, and Alan Alda in a scene from the television series M*A*S*H
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    M*A*S*H debuted on television on 17 September 1972. It was based on the 1970 film of the same name, which was directed by whom?

    Two

    The opening paragraph of Encyclopædia Britannica‘s article on Wenceslas II, who was born on this date, is quoted below. What word is missing after ‘king of’?

    Wenceslas II (born Sept. 17, 1271—died June 21, 1305) was the king of … from 1278 and of Poland from 1300 who ably ruled his …n kingdom and spread his influence not only into Poland but also into Hungary.

    Three

    In 1978, the Nobel Prize for Peace was awarded to two leaders who signed the Camp David Accords on 17 September of that year. Name these two leaders?

    Four

    On 17 September 1940, Adolf Hitler postponed Operation Sea Lion. What was the purpose of this operation?

    Five

    Martin Brian Mulroney became prime minister of what nation on this date in 1984?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

  • The Tide Is High—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    The Admiral Benbow in Penzance, reportedly an inspiration for Stevenson’s Inn.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Answer: Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

    The Admiral Benbow in Penzance is reportedly an inspiration for Stevenson’s Inn from Treasure Island, although the inn in the story was set in a rural location.


    Two

    Answer: Edward VI and Mary I

    Lady Jane Grey, known as the ‘Nine Days Queen’, was proclaimed Queen of England and Ireland in 1553 after Edward VI’s death. However, her reign was short-lived as Mary I was proclaimed queen just nine days later. Jane was later executed for treason in 1554.


    Three

    Answer: Atlantic Ocean

    The Bay of Fundy (French: Baie de Fundy) is a bay located between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and the US state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine and is renowned for its exceptionally high tidal range, making it the highest in the world.


    Cnidus Aphrodite.
    Marble, Roman copy after a Greek original of the 4th century.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Answer: Aphrodite

    Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty and passion, was associated with various symbols and worshipped in several cult centres. Her origins can be traced back to the Phoenician goddess Astarte and the Sumerian goddess Inanna.


    Five

    a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture. — Oxford English Dictionary

    Answer: Ambergris

    Ambergris, used in perfumes like musk, has also been used as a flavouring agent in food and drink, including a favourite dish of King Charles II and in Turkish coffee and hot chocolate.

    ambergris /ˈambəɡriːs , ˈambəɡrɪs /
    ▸ noun [mass noun] a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture.
    – ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French ambre gris ‘grey amber’, as distinct from ambre jaune ‘yellow amber’ (the resin).
    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Mother and baby sperm whale.
    Image Wikipedia
  • The Tide Is High

    Low and high tide.
    Image from Ocean Info.

    I have five random questions for you today. They’re unrelated to the date or each other.

    One

    Which 1883 novel begins at an inn called the Admiral Benbow, and who wrote it?

    Two

    Lady Jane Grey’s reign of only nine days came between what two other monarchs?

    Three

    Of what ocean is the Bay of Fundy an arm?

    Four

    Which ancient goddess of love is a 2010 album by Kylie Minogue named after?

    Five

    What ‘A’, found in perfumes and food, is defined as follows?

    a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture.

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Ring of Fire—Answers

    Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica),
    Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    How old, in years, was Stevie Wonder when Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius topped the US album charts in 1963?

    • 11
    • 12
    • 13

    Answer: 13

    Stevie Wonder was  13 years 3 months old when his album Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius (1963) topped the US charts.
    Guinness World Records


    Two

    What’s is a species of penguin?

    • Backstrap
    • Bootstrap
    • Chinstrap

    Answer: Chinstrap

    The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a penguin species that inhabits various islands and shores in the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans. Its name stems from the narrow black band under its head, which makes it appear as if it were wearing a black helmet. Due to its loud, harsh call, other common names include ringed penguin, bearded penguin, and stonecracker penguin. — Wikipedia


    Three

    Johnny Cash’s family once blocked advertisers using Ring of Fire, what did they want to promote?

    • Pacific ring sea cruises
    • Haemorrhoid preparations
    • Propane gas products

    Answer: Haemorrhoid preparations

    …the 1963 classic “Ring of Fire”, was to be used in a commercial for a haemorrhoid ointment. The Cash family blocked the deal immediately. Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne, also a singer, explained that the family would never allow the song to be demeaned in this way. When she hears the lines “And it burns, burns, burns, that ring of fire” she is in no doubt that “it is about the transformative power of love. That is what it will always mean to us”.
    The Independent


    Four

    Which city was the birthplace of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir?

    • Kyiv, Ukraine
    • Ljubljana, Slovenia
    • Minsk, Belarus

    Answer: Kyiv, Ukraine

    Meir was born Golda Mabovitch on 3 May 1898 into a Jewish family in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. Her parents were Blume Neiditch (died 1951) and Moshe Yitzhak Mabovitch (died 1944), a carpenter. Meir wrote in her autobiography that her earliest memories were of Moshe boarding up the front door in response to rumours of an imminent pogrom. She was named after Blume’s paternal grandmother, Golde. She had two sisters, Sheyna (born 1889) and Tzipke (later known as Clara; born 1902), as well as five other siblings who died in infancy. — Wikipedia


    Five

    It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day is a song which was originally featured in what 1939 film?

    • Beauty and the Beast
    • Gulliver’s Travels
    • Sleeping Beauty

    Answer: Gulliver’s Travels

    “It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day” is a popular song with words by Sammy Timberg & Winston Sharples and music by Al J. Neiburg. It was featured in the animated feature film Gulliver’s Travels in 1939. It was a hit in the UK in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, having been played heavily on BBC radio. — Wikipedia


  • Ring of Fire

    One

    How old, in years, was Stevie Wonder when Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius topped the US album charts in 1963?

    • 11
    • 12
    • 13

    Two

    What’s is a species of penguin?

    • Backstrap
    • Bootstrap
    • Chinstrap

    Three

    Johnny Cash’s family once blocked advertisers using Ring of Fire, what did they want to promote?

    • Pacific ring sea cruises
    • Haemorrhoid preparations
    • Propane gas products

    Four

    Which city was the birthplace of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir?

    • Kyiv, Ukraine
    • Ljubljana, Slovenia
    • Minsk, Belarus

    Five

    It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day is a song which was originally featured in what 1939 film?

    • Beauty and the Beast
    • Gulliver’s Travels
    • Sleeping Beauty

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Multiples of… — Answers

    One

    A cathedral located in the Bebelplatz, Berlin, Germany is named St …

    • Hagrid’s
    • Hedwig’s
    • Hogwart’s

    Answer: Hedwig’s

    St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Berlin, was built in Baroque style from 1747 to 1773. Damaged in WWII, it was restored in post-war modernist style and reopened in 2024 with a modern interior design.


    Two

    This has connected Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsula’s since 1957?

    • Big Bang
    • Big Easy
    • Big Mac

    Answer: Big Mac

    The Mackinac Bridge, a suspension bridge connecting Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas, spans the Straits of Mackinac. Opened in 1957, it is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere and part of Interstate 75.


    Three

    Who played the bride’s father in the 1950 version of Father of the Bride?

    • Cary Grant
    • James Stewart
    • Spencer Tracy

    Answer: Spencer Tracy

    Father of the Bride is a 1950 romantic comedy film about a man coping with his daughter’s wedding preparations.


    Four

    What is the community of Ballarat in Australia most associated with?

    • Ballet
    • Gold
    • Surfing

    Answer: Gold

    Ballarat, a city in Victoria, Australia, experienced rapid growth during the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s. The Eureka Rebellion, a significant event in Australian history, occurred in Ballarat in 1854. Today, Ballarat is a major regional centre known for its history, culture and well-preserved colonial heritage.


    Five

    What channel is found between mainland Italy and Sicily?

    • Strait of Bonifacio
    • Strait of Messina
    • Strait of Otranto

    Answer: Strait of Messina

    The Strait of Messina, connecting the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, separates Sicily from Calabria in Southern Italy.

  • Multiples of…

    One

    A cathedral located in the Bebelplatz, Berlin, Germany is named St …

    • Hagrid’s
    • Hedwig’s
    • Hogwart’s

    Two

    This has connected Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsula’s since 1957?

    • Big Bang
    • Big Easy
    • Big Mac

    Three

    Who played the bride’s father in the 1950 version of Father of the Bride?

    • Cary Grant
    • James Stewart
    • Spencer Tracy

    Four

    What is the community of Ballarat in Australia most associated with?

    • Ballet
    • Gold
    • Surfing

    Five

    What channel is found between mainland Italy and Sicily?

    • Strait of Bonifacio
    • Strait of Messina
    • Strait of Otranto

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later.

  • To Boldly Go

    One

    On 13 September 1959, the first spacecraft successfully made contact with another celestial body. Which spacecraft and celestial body were involved?

    • Kal-L 1 and Mercury
    • Luna 2 and the Moon
    • Mariner 3 and Mars

    Answer: Luna 2 And the Moon

    …the Soviets launched their second Cosmic Rocket (later renamed Luna 2) on Sep. 12 and it successfully achieved escape velocity and placed the spacecraft, virtually identical to Luna 1, on an intercept course with the Moon. The upper stage once again released its one kilogram of sodium gas at a distance of 97,000 miles. On Sep. 13, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to make contact with another celestial body when it impacted the Moon between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, about 160 miles from where Apollo 15 would land 12 years later. The spacecraft’s scientific instruments detected no magnetic field or radiation belts around the Moon. Luna 2 deposited Soviet emblems on the lunar surface, carried in two metallic spheres. During his only visit to the United States a few days after the Luna 2 mission, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev presented a replica of the spherical pennant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. That sphere is kept at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, while a copy is displayed at the Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas.

    NASA


    Two

    The 13 September Japanese release of Super Mario Bros marked the start of the Super Mario series of platforming games.

    • 1985
    • 1991
    • 1997

    Answer: 1985

    Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game developed by Nintendo for the NES. Players control Mario or Luigi to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser, traversing side-scrolling stages and collecting power-ups. The game is praised for its precise controls and is credited with reviving the video game industry after the 1983 crash.


    Three

    On 12 September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert set a record as the strongest hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, based on barometric pressure. Which 2005 hurricane surpassed this record?

    • Maria
    • Rita
    • Wilma

    Answer: Wilma

    Hurricane Gilbert, a Category 5 hurricane in 1988, caused widespread destruction in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It was the second-most intense Atlantic landfalling hurricane (only behind 2005’s Hurricane Wilma) and the most intense to strike Mexico.


    Four

    Hannibal Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film on this date. In what decade did this occur?

    • 1890s
    • 1900s
    • 1910s

    Answer: 1890s


    Five

    On 13 September 1899, the first ascent of Batian was achieved. Of what mountain is Batian the highest peak?

    • Mount Erebus
    • Mount Fuji
    • Mount Kenya

    Answer: Mount Kenya

    Mount Kenya, located near the equator in Kenya, has three highest peaks: Batian, Nelion, and Point Lenana. It is the source of the country’s name.