Author: Quizologist

  • To Boldly Go

    Five multiple choice questions related to today, September 13th.

    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

    Two

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

    • 1985
    • 1991
    • 1997

    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

    Four

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

    • 1890s
    • 1900s
    • 1910s

    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

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Wedding Bells—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post about events related to 12 September.

    John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on their wedding day.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Answer: John F. Kennedy

    Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, known as Jackie O, was the First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963. She was a popular figure, admired for her dedication to historic preservation, arts and culture, and her unique fashion sense. After her husband’s assassination, she married Aristotle Onassis and later became a book editor in New York City.


    Two

    Answer: 36 goals

    The final scoreboard read Aberdeen 36-0 Bon Accord. Arbroath led 15-0 at halftime and scored 21 more goals in the second half. The match was so one-sided that Arbroath’s goalkeeper didn’t touch the ball.

    It holds the largest margin of victory in an unrigged first-class football match. A match between AS Adema and SO l’Emyrne, a thrown game where SO l’Emyrne scored deliberate own goals in a protest against prior officiating decisions, took the title of most goals in a professional football match in 2002. — Wikipedia


    Three

    Answer: 17,000 to 22,000 years and 1979

    Lascaux, a network of caves in southwestern France, were discovered on this day in 1940 and features over 600 prehistoric wall paintings dating back 17,000 to 22,000 years. The site, recognised for its outstanding art, was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.


    Four

    Answer: Harare, Zimbabwe

    Founded in 1890 as Fort Salisbury, the city served as the capital of Southern Rhodesia and later Rhodesia. Upon independence, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, and Salisbury was renamed Harare in 1982. It remained the capital until the national parliament relocated to Mount Hampden in 2022.


    Five

    Answer: Persian Empire (aka Achaemenid Empire)

    The Battle of Marathon, usually accepted as occurring in 490 BCE, saw the Athenians and their Plataean allies defeat the first Persian invasion force of Greece.

  • Wedding Bells

    These questions are related to events connected to today’s date, 12 September?

    St. Mary’s Church,
    Newport, Rhode Island.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 12 September 1953, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier married at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Who did she marry?

    Two

    On 12 September 1885, Arbroath achieved a world record scoreline in professional football (soccer) by defeating Bon Accord in the first round of the Scottish Cup. Was the margin of Arbroath’s win 26, 31, or 36 goals?

    Three

    The estimated age range of the wall paintings in the Lascaux Cave, France, and the year in which Lascaux was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List are 17,000 to 22,000 years and 1979; 87,000 to 92,000 years old and 1954; or 147,000 to 220,000 years old and 2000?

    Four

    Salisbury, Rhodesia, was founded on 12 September 1890. What are the current names of the city and country?

    Five

    The Battle of Marathon, fought on this day in 490 BCE, was a victory for the Athenians against which empire?

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

  • A Few Words—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Marlene Dietrich and Robert W. Service on the set of The Spoilers (1942)
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute saloon;
    The kid that handles the music-box was hitting a jag-time tune;
    Back of the bar, in a solo game, sat Dangerous Dan McGrew,
    And watching his luck was his light-o’-love, the lady that’s known as Lou.
    The Shooting of Dan McGrew by Robert W. Service

    Answer: Robert W. Service

    Robert William Service, born in Preston, Lancashire, England, was the third of ten children. He lived with his aunts and grandfather in Kilwinning, Scotland, where he composed his first verse at age six before moving to Glasgow with his parents. After an early career in banking in Scotland he travelled to Canada in his early twenties and eventually returned to banking in British Columbia and Yukon. It was during this time that he was inspired to write about the communities he lived in and people he mingled with which led to his best known works. He passed away in France on 11 September 1958 at the age of 84.


    Richard Ashcroft.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    ‘Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life
    Tryna make ends meet
    You’re a slave to money then you die
    I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
    You know the one that takes you to the places
    Where all the veins meet yeah

    Answer: Bittersweet Symphony

    Bitter Sweet Symphony by the Verve, released in 1997, samples the Rolling Stones’ The Last Time. Legal issues led to the Verve relinquishing royalties, but in 2019, rights were returned to the Verve’s Richard Ashcroft.


    Lady Chatterley’s Lover, US unexpurgated edition 1959.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically.

    Answer: Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence

    Lady Chatterley’s Lover, D. H. Lawrence’s final novel, was first published privately in 1928-29. Its explicit content and an obscenity trial in British courts in 1960 made it notorious.


    William Sydney Porter/O. Henry in his thirties.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it
    was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.
    The Gift of the Magi

    Answer: O. Henry

    O. Henry’s stories are renowned for their observations, witty narration, and unexpected conclusions. The Gift of the Magi, quoted above, begins on Christmas Eve. Della realises she has hardly any money to buy her husband Jim a present. Determined, she cuts and sells her beloved long hair to buy a platinum fob chain for Jim’s watch. In turn, Jim sells his watch to buy Della combs. Despite the impracticality of their gifts, they realise the true value of their love.


    ‘Do you expect me to talk? / ‘No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.’
    Goldfinger, 1964.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Do you expect me to talk?”
    “No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.

    Answer: Moby

    Moby produced a remixed version of the James Bond theme for the film Tomorrow Never Dies. The remix, which charted at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, features dialogue samples from the Bond films GoldenEye—Pierce Brosnan saying “Bond, James Bond”—and Goldfinger.

  • A Few Words

    Today’s questions focus on individuals and words associated with them. These individuals were either born or passed away on September 11th.

    Marlene Dietrich and ___ on the set of The Spoilers (1942)
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute saloon;
    The kid that handles the music-box was hitting a jag-time tune;
    Back of the bar, in a solo game, sat Dangerous Dan McGrew,
    And watching his luck was his light-o’-love, the lady that’s known as Lou.
    The Shooting of Dan McGrew

    The above quote opens a verse by a man known as the ‘Bard of the Yukon’ and the ‘The Canadian Kipling’. What was his name?

    Two

    ‘Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life
    Tryna make ends meet
    You’re a slave to money then you die
    I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
    You know the one that takes you to the places
    Where all the veins meet yeah

    The quote above is the first verse of a song co-written by Richard Ashcroft of The Verve who was born this day in 1971. What is the song?

    Three

    Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically.

    An author, born on 11 September 1885 in Nottinghamshire, England, wrote this as the first line of a controversial book published in 1928. What is the book and who is the author?

    Four

    One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it
    was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.
    The Gift of the Magi

    This opening paragraph is from The Gift of the Magi, which was written by William Sydney Porter, who was born on this day in 1862. An author and poet, he is best known for his short stories, which he wrote under a pseudonym consisting of an initial and second name. What is that pen name?

    Five

    Do you expect me to talk?”
    “No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.

    This sample from Goldfinger (1964) features on a remixed version of the James Bond Theme for Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) by Richard Melville Hall. Hall, born on 11 September 1965, is known by his professional name.

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

  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?—Answers

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

    United Nations flag.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Answer: Noughties (2000s)

    Switzerland, fearing for its neutrality status, did not join the United Nations when it was created in 1945. However, in 2002, after a referendum, it became the first country to join based on a popular vote.


    Two

    Answer: War of 1812

    The Battle of Lake Erie, fought on 10 September 1813, saw the US Navy defeat the British Royal Navy, securing American control of the lake and enabling subsequent victories.


    Diana and Charles Ingram, 2006.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Answer: Charles Ingram

    In 2001, during his appearance on the British TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? contestant Charles Ingram reached the £1 million top prize. However, it was later revealed that he had cheated by listening to coughs from his wife and another contestant. All three were later found guilty of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception by a court of law.


    Four

    Answer: Pinkie

    Henry VIII’s proposal for an alliance with Scotland through the marriage of his son to Queen Mary was rejected. After Henry’s death, the Duke of Somerset, ruling as Lord Protector, continued the ‘Rough Wooing’ with a military campaign, culminating in the Battle of Pinkie (or Pinkie Cleugh) on 10 September 1547. The English victory, with significant Scottish losses, led to the young Queen Mary being sent to France.


    View of the LHC tunnel sector 3-4.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Answers: Large Hadron Collider and Angels & Demons

    The novel Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown, involves antimatter created at the LHC to be used in a weapon against the Vatican. In response, CERN published a “Fact or Fiction?” page discussing the accuracy of the book’s portrayal of the LHC, CERN, and particle physics in general. The movie version of the book has footage filmed on-site at one of the experiments at the LHC; the director, Ron Howard, met with CERN experts in an effort to make the science in the story more accurate
    Wikipedia

  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

    Some questions which are related to today, September 10th.

    United Nations flag.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations on 10 September. In what decade did this occur?

    Two

    On this day, the United States defeated a British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. This battle took place during what war?

    Three

    Who was the former major from the British Army who won £1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on 10 September 2001, only to be later convicted of cheating and fraud?

    Four

    The last full-scale military confrontation between Scotland and England took place on 10 September 1547. What was the battle? Was it the Battle of Finger, Pinkie, or Thumb?

    Five

    In a novel published in 2000, the theft of antimatter created by a device described by the BBC as “the world’s biggest science experiment” was an essential part the plot of the novel and subsequent film. What is the three-word name of the device, and what is the title of the novel and film?

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

  • Historical Truths (or are they?)—Answers

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

    Bayeux Tapestry – Scenes 55 & 56 – Duke William lifts his helmet to be recognized on the battlefield of Hastings.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Is it true or false that William the Conqueror died of smallpox on 9 September 1092?

    Answer: True

    King William of England died on 9 September 1087 at Rouen, France, several weeks after being seriously injured at the Battle of Mantes. In July 1087, while fighting a counter-offensive against the French, the King fell against the pommel of his saddle, severely damaging his intestines.


    Two

    Is it true or false that Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on 9 September 1960?

    Answer: False

    Presley’s first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was on 9 September 1956. He made two further appearances over the next four months, but he didn’t appear on the show again after his third appearance.


    Mary, Queen of Scots.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Is it true that a Scottish monarch was crowned at the age of nine months on 9 September 1543? If so, who was the monarch?

    Answer: True. Mary, Queen of Scots

    Mary Stuart became queen at the tender age of six days old in December 1543 upon her father James V’s death. Crowned as Mary, Queen of Scots on 9 September 1543 in Stirling, she remained queen until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.


    Four

    Is it true or false that on 9 September 1759, forty-seven nations adopted Sauchie Fraser’s proposal for a standard time and time zones?

    Answer: False

    On this date in 1885, twenty-five nations adopted Sanford Fleming’s  proposal for standard time and time zones. 


    Five

    Captain William Bligh FRS RN, born on 9 September 1754, is best known for being cast adrift from HMS Bounty. Is it true or false that between 1806 and 1808, he served as Governor of New South Wales?

    Answer: True


  • Historical Truths (or are they?)

    Here are some historical truths and falsehoods related to today, September 9th.

    Elvis Presley.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Is it true or false that William the Conqueror died of smallpox on 9 September 1092?

    Two

    Is it true or false that Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on 9 September 1960?

    Three

    Is it true or false that a Scottish monarch was crowned at the age of nine months on 9 September 1543? If so, who was the monarch?

    Four

    Is it true or false that on 9 September 1759, forty-seven nations adopted Sauchie Fraser’s proposal for a standard time and time zones?

    Five

    Captain William Bligh FRS RN, born on 9 September 1754, is best known for being cast adrift from HMS Bounty. Is it true or false that between 1806 and 1808, he served as Governor of New South Wales?

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

  • Long to Reign Over Us—Answers

    Queen Victoria.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Answer: True

    Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, 214 days, while Victoria reigned for 63 years, 216 days, and George III for 59 years, 96 days.

    George III.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Answer: False

    The Great Herding, or El Gran Arreo, began in 1888 when five settlers, led by Henry Jamieson, moved thousands of sheep hundreds of kilometres to Santa Cruz, Argentina, to establish large sheep farms.


    Three

    Answer: True

    The siege of Leningrad, lasting two years, four months, and nineteen days from 1941 to 1944, was a devastating blockade by Germany and Finland. It is renowned as the most destructive siege in history. Although Leningrad was never captured, the intentional starvation of its civilians resulted in an estimated 1.5 million deaths.


    Michelangelo’s David.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Answer: False

    1644 and Milan are incorrect. Michelangelo’s 5.17-metre marble statue, David, was created between 1501 and 1504. On 8 September 1504, it was unveiled in Piazza della Signoria, Florence. Originally intended for Florence Cathedral, David became a symbol of civil liberties and was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in 1873.


    The Man Trap (1966), Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek.
    Image IMDB

    Five

    Answer: False

    The Man Trap, the first episode of Star Trek had premiered on NBC some four years earlier on 8 September 1966. The Man Trap follows Captain Kirk and his crew as they visit an outpost and encounter a shapeshifting alien.