Today’s Question 1 concerns the revocation of an award on this date, November 19th. The subsequent questions explore a similar theme, focusing on disqualification, revocation or stripping of awards, medals and other honours.
Grammy Award. Image Recording Academy
One
Which pop duo had their 1989 Grammy Award for Best New Artist revoked on 19 November 1990 after it was revealed they had not actually sung on their album?
Two
Which professional cyclist had all of his Tour de France titles stripped after a major doping investigation, and how many titles were involved?
Three
In 2024, the arrest and subsequent conviction of a multi-BAFTA award winner forced the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to amend its procedures to include the power to retrospectively strip future award winners should they be convicted of a crime. Whose arrest and conviction led to this change?
Four
Which Canadian sprinter was stripped of his 1988 Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres after testing positive for steroids?
Five
What event in 1966 saw the competitors who finished in the first four places disqualified because of a single filament bulb?
On 18 November 1959, Ben-Hur had its world premiere. It is quite well known that the film went on to win an unprecedented eleven Academy Awards but how many was it actually nominated for?
Answer: Twelve
Ben-Hur missed out only on Best Adapted Screenplay at the 32nd Academy Awards but still came away with eleven Oscars, surpassing the previous record of nine set by Gigi. Its tally of eleven wins was later equalled by Titanic at the 70th Awards and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at the 76th.
Each of the remaining questions have some connection to the Oscars.
Two
The first actor to receive two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor was whom?
Answer: Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy won the Best Actor Oscar for his performances in Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938), making him the first to win two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor. Tracy was an American actor known for his natural performing style and versatility. He starred in 75 films, including nine with Katharine Hepburn. Despite personal struggles, including alcoholism and a troubled marriage, Tracy remained a prominent figure in Hollywood until his death in 1967.
Three
This Scottish actor portrayed various roles including a British MI6 agent seven times between 1962 and 1983. He also played an immortal named Ramirez in 1986, the archaeologist father of an archaeologist in 1989 and the captain of the Soviet Union’s latest nuclear-powered submarine in 1990. His performance as Jimmy in a 1987 film directed by Brian De Palma earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Who is the actor, what was the 1987 film and what was the full name of his character in that film?
Answer: Sean Connery; The Untouchables and Jimmy Malone
Sean Connery was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of James Bond in seven films. He also starred in numerous other films, including collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock and John Huston, and received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a knighthood.
Walt Disney visited Broadway to watch an actress perform as Queen Guinevere in Camelot. Impressed, he offered her the lead role in her first film. Released in 1964, the film earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Who was the actress and what was her title role?
Answer: Julie Andrews
Dame Julie Andrews, born Julia Elizabeth Wells, is an English actress, singer and author. She is a highly acclaimed performer, having won numerous awards including an Academy Award, three Emmy Awards and seven Golden Globe Awards. Andrews is known for her roles in films like Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and The Princess Diaries, as well as her collaborations with Carol Burnett and her work as an author.
Five
An actor who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars also starred in two films directed by the same person in 1957 and 1962. In the first, he played Colonel Richardson, the British Commander, and won an Academy Award for his performance. In the second, he portrayed Prince Faisal. Who was the actor and what were the titles of the other two films?
Answer: Alec Guinness; The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Alec Guinness, an English actor knighted for his contributions to the arts, starred in numerous films including six Ealing comedies and collaborations with David Lean. He won an Academy Award for his role in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Guinness also portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy and George Smiley in the BBC television adaptations of John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979) and Smiley’s People(1982).
On 18 November 1959, Ben-Hur had its world premiere. It is quite well known that the film went on to win an unprecedented eleven Academy Awards but how many was it actually nominated for?
Each of the remaining questions have some connection to the Oscars.
Two
The first actor to receive two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor was whom?
Three
This Scottish actor portrayed various roles including a British MI6 agent seven times between 1962 and 1983. He also played an immortal named Ramirez in 1986, the archaeologist father of an archaeologist in 1989 and the captain of the Soviet Union’s latest nuclear-powered submarine in 1990. His performance as Jimmy in a 1987 film directed by Brian De Palma earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Who is the actor, what was the 1987 film and what was the full name of his character in that film?
Four
Walt Disney visited Broadway to watch an actress perform as Queen Guinevere in Camelot. Impressed, he offered her the lead role in her first film. Released in 1964, the film earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Who was the actress and what was her title role?
Five
An actor who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars also starred in two films directed by the same person in 1957 and 1962. In the first, he played Colonel Richardson, the British Commander, and won an Academy Award for his performance. In the second, he portrayed Prince Faisal. Who was the actor and what were the titles of the other two films?
Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier.
The first question relates to today, November 17th. The others follow a theme connected to it.
Richard Nixon, President of the United States. Image Wikipedia
One
On November 17th, sometime in the 20th century, which US President declared, “I am not a crook”?
Answer: Richard Nixon
On 17 November 1973, during a televised press conference at the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, Florida, Richard Nixon famously declared ‘I am not a crook’. This response came amid questions about his personal finances as the Watergate scandal unfolded.
Two
In Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, what physical feature of the wooden puppet famously grows longer whenever he tells a lie?
Answer: His nose
In Collodi’s original 1883 novel, Pinocchio is far more mischievous than in the later Disney adaptation, and his nose grows several times—not just once—making it a recurring symbol of the moral consequences of dishonesty.
The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf. An illustration of The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf (also known as The Boy Who Cried Wolf) by Milo Winter, from The Aesop for Children, published by Rand McNally & Company, Chicago, 1919. Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Three
Which ancient Greek is traditionally credited with moral tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a story warning of the consequences of repeated lying?
Answer: Aesop
Although Aesop is believed to have lived in ancient Greece around the 6th century BC, there is no firm historical record of his life; many scholars think ‘Aesop’ may represent a tradition of oral storytelling rather than a single individual.
Four
In which Shakespeare play does the villain Iago manipulate Othello through lies and insinuations, ultimately leading to tragedy?
Answer: Othello
Iago actually speaks more lines than Othello, making him one of Shakespeare’s most verbally dominant villains—a fitting trait for a character whose destructive power lies almost entirely in persuasion and deceit.
Five
What 18th-century literary character, created by Rudolf Erich Raspe, is famous for outrageous tall tales such as riding on a cannonball and escaping a swamp by pulling himself up by his own hair?
Answer: Baron Munchausen
The fictional Baron was loosely inspired by a real nobleman, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen, who entertained guests with wildly exaggerated stories about his life—though nowhere near as fantastical as those in the book.
The first question relates to today, November 17th. The others follow a theme connected to it.
See question 3. Image Encyclopædia Britannica
One
On November 17th, sometime in the 20th century, which US President declared, “I am not a crook”?
Two
In Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, what physical feature of the wooden puppet famously grows longer whenever he tells a lie?
Three
Which ancient Greek is traditionally credited with moral tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a story warning of the consequences of repeated lying?
Four
In which Shakespeare play does the villain Iago manipulate Othello through lies and insinuations, ultimately leading to tragedy?
Five
What 18th-century literary character, created by Rudolf Erich Raspe, is famous for outrageous tall tales such as riding on a cannonball and escaping a swamp by pulling himself up by his own hair?
José Saramago, the novelist pictured above, won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his extensive body of work including O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ). What nationality was he?
Answer: Portuguese
Born in 1922, Portuguese novelist José Saramago, a Nobel Prize winner, grew up in poverty. He worked various jobs including mechanic journalist and translator before achieving international fame with novels like Memorial do convento (English title Baltasar and Blimunda) and O evangelho segundo Jesus Cristo (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ). His subversive perspectives on historic events and critique of institutions like the Catholic Church, often set against historical backdrops, earned him both acclaim and controversy. This led to his self-imposed exile in the Canary Islands after the Portuguese government censored his work.
Two
On this day, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act was signed authorising the construction of a pipeline across Alaska. Which US President signed it and what communities are at either end?
Answer: Richard Nixon; Prudhoe Bay and Valdez
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline, built to transport oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, was constructed in response to the 1968 oil discovery on Alaska’s North Slope. Environmental concerns led to design modifications, including elevated sections to prevent permafrost thawing and wildlife crossings. Construction, completed between 1975 and 1977, faced challenges due to extreme cold and permafrost. Despite initial mechanical issues, subsequent oil spills, and incidents of oil leakage, the pipeline remains operational and has shipped over 17 billion barrels of oil since 1977.
Who is this Canadian singer, born on 16 November 1964, as pictured in 2010?
Answer: Diana Krall
Diana Krall, a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, is renowned for her contralto vocals and has sold over 15 million albums worldwide. She holds the record for the most albums debuting at number one on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and has won numerous awards, including two Grammys and eight Junos.
Four
With NASA’s ___ campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.
The above is taken from a NASA website and describes a program which is named after the twin sister of Apollo. What is this name which has been omitted from the above quote?
Answer: Artemis
Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals, the hunt, vegetation, chastity, and childbirth, was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo. Apollo and Artemis were respectively personifications of the Sun and the Moon Her worship varied across regions, reflecting her diverse roles as a huntress, protector of young animals, and goddess of nature and fertility. While poets emphasised her chastity and love for the hunt, Greek sculpture often depicted her in a more gentle and graceful manner. She was also a protector of young children and a patron of healing, particularly among women and children. Widely venerated, her worship spread throughout ancient Greece, with her great temple at Ephesus being one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Five
On this day in 1855, an explorer became the first European to witness Mosi-oa-Tunya, a now-renowned World Heritage Site. What name did he give it?
Answer: Victoria Falls
The Zambezi River does not gather speed as it nears the drop, the approach being signaled only by the mighty roar and characteristic veil of mist for which the Kalolo-Lozi people named the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”).
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls, located on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is a spectacular waterfall twice as wide and deep as Niagara Falls. The falls plunge over a sheer precipice into a chasm, creating a dramatic gorge and the Boiling Pot pool. In 1855, British explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls which he named after Great Britain’s Queen Victoria. The surrounding national parks offer diverse wildlife and recreational facilities, and the area was designated a World Heritage site in 1989.
The Smoke That Thunders. Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls. Image Wikipedia
José Saramago, the novelist pictured above, won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his extensive body of work including O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ). What nationality was he?
Two
On this day, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act was signed authorising the construction of a pipeline across Alaska. Which US President signed it and what communities are at either end?
Who is this Canadian singer, born on 16 November 1964, as pictured in 2010?
Four
With NASA’s ___ campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.
The above is taken from a NASA website and describes a program which is named after the twin sister of Apollo. What is this name which has been omitted from the above quote?
Five
On this day in 1855, an explorer became the first European to witness Mosi-oa-Tunya, a now-renowned World Heritage Site. What name did he give it?
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
Today’s questions are simply a random mix.
Two-colour gold, guilloché enamel, brilliant and rose-cut diamonds. It was given to King Edward VII by his favourite mistress, Mrs George Keppel, in 1908. Image Royal Collection Trust
One
‘My great-grandmother was your great-great grandfather’s mistress,’ she is said to have joked. ‘So how about it?’
— Tatler, 11 December 2024
This quote was reportedly made in the second half of the twentieth century by one Briton speaking to another. Who is the person speaking, and who is listening?
Answer: Camilla Shand (later Parker Bowles) and Charles, Prince of Wales (now Queen Camilla and King Charles III)
Alice Keppel, a mistress of King Edward VII, gifted him a Fabergé cigarette case symbolising her love. History has somewhat repeated itself: Alice Keppel’s great-granddaughter is none other than Queen Camilla, who was, of course, in a relationship with Prince Charles when he was married to Princess Diana. Queen Camilla, is married to King Charles III.
Two
Stay With Me___ was a 1979 single by Judie Tzuke. What two words complete the title?
Answer: Till Dawn (Stay With Me Till Dawn)
Her debut album Welcome to the Cruise included the single that peaked at number 8 in Australia and 16 in the UK. It also reached number 47 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Three
The rings of ___, comprising 13 planetary rings, were discovered in 1977. Which body in the Solar System has been omitted from the previous sentence?
Answer: Uranus
Uranus has 13 planetary rings, discovered in 1977. Their complexity is between Saturn’s extensive rings and Jupiter and Neptune’s simpler systems. In 1789, William Herschel reported observing rings. However modern astronomers are divided on whether he could have seen them as they are very dark and faint.
Four
This wall, which began construction in AD 142, served as the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire while garrisoned. What wall is this and in which modern country is this wall located?
Answer: Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall, a turf fortification built by the Romans in Scotland, spanned 63 kilometres and was the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire. Constructed under Emperor Antoninus Pius, it was abandoned after eight years and its remains are less evident than Hadrian’s Wall due to weathering. It is now under the care of Historic Environment Scotland and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Five
The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event is the most recent mass extinction and the only one definitively connected to a major asteroid impact. Some ___ percent of all species on the planet, including all nonavian dinosaurs, went extinct.
— National Geographic, September 26, 2019
Complete the quote by selecting one of these percentages: 43, 61 or 76.
Answer: 76
The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, 66 million years ago, wiped out 76% of species, including all non-avian dinosaurs, due to an asteroid impact near Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
Two-colour gold, guilloché enamel, brilliant and rose-cut diamonds. It was given to King Edward VII by his favourite mistress, Mrs George Keppel, in 1908. Image Royal Collection Trust
One
‘My great-grandmother was your great-great grandfather’s mistress,’ she is said to have joked. ‘So how about it?’
— Tatler, 11 December 2024
This quote was reportedly made in the second half of the twentieth century by one Briton speaking to another. Who is the person speaking, and who is listening?
Two
Stay With Me___ was a 1979 single by Judie Tzuke. What two words complete the title?
Three
The rings of ___, comprising 13 planetary rings, were discovered in 1977. Which body in the Solar System has been omitted from the previous sentence?
This wall, which began construction in AD 142, served as the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire while garrisoned. What wall is this and in which modern country is this wall located?
Five
The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event is the most recent mass extinction and the only one definitively connected to a major asteroid impact. Some ___ percent of all species on the planet, including all nonavian dinosaurs, went extinct.
— National Geographic, September 26, 2019
Complete the quote by selecting one of these percentages: 43, 61 or 76.
Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier.
The questions all relate to today, November 14th.
Alan L Bean prepares to step onto the lunar surface. Image Wikipedia
One
Apollo 12, launched on 14 November 1969, became the second mission to land on the Moon. Among the three-man crew, who landed and walked on the lunar surface, was which of these: Mr Bean, Mr Hyde or Mr Spock?
Answer: Mr. Bean
Alan L Bean. Apollo 12’s crew consisted of Charles Conrad Jr., Richard F Gordon Jr and Alan L Bean. Alan Bean, an American astronaut, piloted the lunar module during the mission. He made two walks on the lunar surface, totalling eight hours, and later commanded the Skylab 3 mission. After retiring from NASA, Bean became a painter specialising in spaceflight themes.
Two
Is it true or false that Hannibal the Great was crowned pharaoh of Egypt today in 332 BCE?
Answer: False
It was Alexander the Great who was crowned pharaoh of Egypt today in 332 BCE. In Egypt, Alexander was portrayed as the son of Nectanebo II, the final pharaoh before Persian conquest. His victory over Darius was celebrated as Egypt’s salvation, demonstrating that Egypt remained under Egyptian rule.
Three
In Moby-Dick—which was published in the US today in 1851—Captain Ahab offers a gold coin as a reward for spotting the white whale. What real-world coin does he nail to the mast — and from which country does it come?
Answer: A Spanish gold doubloon from Ecuador.
The coin is a gold Spanish doubloon, specifically a sixteen-dollar piece from Ecuador. Its design includes symbols of the sun, zodiac signs, and the Andean mountains, which the crew interprets differently—each seeing their own meaning in it. The coin thus mirrors Ahab’s monomania and the novel’s larger theme of how individuals project their own beliefs and destinies onto the same object or event.
Eugene B. Ely flies his Curtiss pusher airplane from USS Birmingham (Scout Cruiser # 2), in Hampton Roads, Virginia, during the afternoon of Nov. 14 1910. Image General Aviation News
Four
On this date, Eugene Burton Ely achieved the first aircraft takeoff from a ship. In which decade did this happen?
Answer: 1910s
In 1910, Ely took off from a makeshift deck on the USS Birmingham in a Curtiss Pusher aircraft and safely made landfall. A year later he made the first shipboard landing, complete with hooks attached to his Pusher to catch sandbagged ropes to abbreviate the landing roll.
Five
In the television series MASH*, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, played by McLean Stevenson, was discharged and sent home in the final episode of Season 3. What shocking event was revealed at the end of that episode?
Answer: His plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan, with no survivors.
McLean Stevenson was born on this day in 1927. The twist ending of the episode ‘Abyssinia, Henry’ (1975) was kept secret from most of the cast until filming; their shocked reactions during Radar’s announcement were genuine. It marked one of the most memorable and emotional moments in television history.
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