Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Image Marine Oceans
Today’s questions follow a theme, but I don’t have the remotest intention of mentioning it.
One
The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station sits on the Antarctic ice at the South Pole. At approximately what elevation above sea level is this base? (The answer can be either feet or metres.)
Two
An Antarctic Mystery was a two-volume novel written in 1897 which is a continuation of a novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, written in 1838 by another author. Who were the authors of these novels?
Three
The Kerguelen Islands, which are a World Heritage Site, part of the French Southern and Austral Lands and Seas, lie in what ocean?
Four
A part of a U.K. overseas territory holds the title of the world’s most remote human settlement. What is this settlement and where it’s located?
Five
In 1726, an Anglo-Irish clergyman and writer wrote a satirical novel which contains the word ‘remote’ in its original title. By what title is the novel commonly known today?
What four word phrase links Scottish poet Robert Burns and the American writer John Steinbeck?
Answer: Of Mice and Men.
Steinbeck’s 1937 novella Of Mice and Men took its title from the second last verse of Burns’ 1785 To a Mouse.
To a Mouse
On turning her up in her nest with the plough, November 1785
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft a-gley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief and pain, For promis’d joy. — Robert Burns.
In 1939, Ernest Hemingway drew inspiration for the title of his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls from a poem by what 17th-century English poet.
Answer: John Donne.
Donne’s Meditation XVII of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions was the source. In his epigraph to the novel Hemingway quotes part of this meditation
No man is an Island, intire of it selfe; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.
Three
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the first volume of a seven-volume autobiography by an American writer and poet. The title is taken from the work of African-American poet Laurence Dunbar. Who is this writer and poet?
Answer: Maya Angelou.
Sympathy
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, When he beats his bars and would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings— I know why the caged bird sings. — Laurence Dunbar
Four
The 2005 book No Country for Old Men and its Coen Brothers film are titled after the first line of the poem Sailing to Byzantium by an Irish poet (1865-1939). Who was this poet?
Answer: William Butler Yeats.
The title is taken from the opening line of William Butler Yeats’ poem Sailing to Byzantium.
Sailing to Byzantium That is no country for old men. The young In one another’s arms, birds in the trees – Those dying generations – at their song, The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas, Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long Whatever is begotten, born, and dies. Caught in that sensual music all neglect Monuments of unageing intellect. — W.B. Yeats
Five
Aldous Huxley took the title for his 1932 novel Brave New World from the works of William Shakespeare. What work provided the title?
Answer: The Tempest.
The title Brave New World derives from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Act V, Scene I, Miranda’s speech.
O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in ‘t. — William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, Scene I, ll. 203–206
What four word phrase links Scottish poet Robert Burns and the American writer John Steinbeck?
Two
In 1939, Ernest Hemingway drew inspiration for the title of his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls from a poem by what 17th-century English poet.
Three
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the first volume of a seven-volume autobiography by an American writer and poet. The title is taken from the work of African-American poet Laurence Dunbar. Who is this writer and poet?
Four
The 2005 book No Country for Old Men and its Coen Brothers film are titled after the first line of the poem Sailing to Byzantium by an Irish poet (1865-1939). Who was this poet?
Five
Aldous Huxley took the title for his 1932 novel Brave New World from the works of William Shakespeare. What work provided the title?
These are not date-related but there is a theme at the End of the Line.
One
What word means “an explanation of the history of a particular word”?
Answer: Etymology.
Etymology is the study of word origins and evolution, tracing their sounds and meanings across time. Etymologists use historical texts and comparative linguistics to reconstruct word histories and trace their roots to shared parent languages.
Two
This Skoda compact SUV, named after a cryptozoological creature, was superseded by both the Karoq and the Kamiq?
Answer: Yeti.
The Škoda Yeti, a compact crossover SUV, debuted in 2009 and won Top Gear Magazine’s Family Car of the Year.
Three
The Kabul River originates in the Hindu Kush mountains and flows 700 kilometres to empty into the … What is the watery destination missing from the end of the above statement?
Answer: Indus.
The Kabul River, originating in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountains, flows 435 miles (700 km) to join the Indus in Pakistan. The Indus, a significant waterway in Asia, originates in Tibet and flows through disputed Kashmir, Pakistan, and empties into the Arabian Sea. Spanning 1,976 miles (3,180 km), it supports diverse ecosystems and has a rich historical significance, including the rise of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The river’s course is shaped by geological formations, including the Indus-Yarlung suture zone.
Four
This fictional Great Dane first graced our screens in 1969 and continues to be a beloved figure on television and in both live-action and animated films. Who is this remarkable dog?
Answer: Scooby-Doo.
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise created in 1969, featuring four teenagers and their talking Great Dane solving mysteries. The franchise includes numerous shows, films, and specials, with the most recent series, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, premiering in 2019.
Five
Peter Cullen, Tesshō Genda and others have voiced which character from a media franchise that started with toys in the 1980s and has since spawned at least a dozen films?
Answer: Optimus Prime.
Transformers is a highly successful media franchise centred around the Autobots and Decepticons, two alien robot factions. The franchise, which began in 1984, includes toys, animation, comics, video games, and films, generating over ¥2 trillion in revenue. Ownership is split between Hasbro and Takara Tomy.
End of Line
The last letter at the ‘End of the Line’ of the first answer is the initial letter of the next answer and so on. This includes the final answer’s ‘E’ from Prime which starts the first answer, Etymology.
These are not date-related but there is a theme at the End of the Line.
One
What word means “an explanation of the history of a particular word”?
Two
This Skoda compact SUV, named after a cryptozoological creature, was superseded by both the Karoq and the Kamiq?
Three
The Kabul River originates in the Hindu Kush mountains and flows 700 kilometres to empty into the … What is the watery destination missing from the end of the above statement?
Four
This fictional Great Dane first graced our screens in 1969 and continues to be a beloved figure on television and in both live-action and animated films. Who is this remarkable dog?
Five
Peter Cullen, Tesshō Genda and others have voiced which character from a media franchise that started with toys in the 1980s and has since spawned at least a dozen films?
Tomb of the unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile, Paris. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related. Hopefully, you’ll be saying ‘aargh’ before it is finished.
One
An eternal flame burns in Paris to honour unidentified casualties from both world wars. Where is it located?
Answer: Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile (aka Arc de Triomphe).
Beneath the Arc lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Buried on Armistice Day 1920, an eternal flame honours the unidentified dead (now from both world wars). In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy honoured the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside President Charles de Gaulle. Following the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy, Mrs. Kennedy recalled the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe and asked for a similar flame beside her husband’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Two
Jesus and the Apostles are believed to have spoken … — Encyclopædia Britannica
What language completes the above sentence from Encyclopædia Britannica?
Answer: Aramaic.
Aramaic, a Semitic language linked to Hebrew, Syriac and Phoenician, spread from the Aramaeans via Assyrians and Babylonians, becoming the Achaemenian official language before Greek replaced it. It replaced Hebrew among Jews, appears in Daniel, Ezra and the Talmuds, was spoken by Jesus and the Apostles, and lasted until Arabic displaced it around 650 CE.
Three
A US group released Blitzkrieg Bop as their first single in 1976, while Baby, I Love You became their most successful UK track. What is the band’s name?
Answer: Ramones.
Released in February 1976, Blitzkrieg Bop is the Ramones’ debut single and opening track on their first album. Written by Tommy and Dee Dee Ramone, its chant became a global rallying cry. Baby, I Love You was first recorded by the Ronettes in 1963. Phil Spector produced the Ramones cover version of the song which appeared on their album, End of the Century (1980). The single reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart in 1980, their biggest UK top-ten hit.
Four
What 1992 film starring Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon depicts two days in the lives of four real-estate salesmen?
Answer: Glengarry Glen Ross.
Directed by James Foley and written by David Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross follows four salesmen facing dismissal threats from Blake. Critically acclaimed, Jack Lemmon won the Volpi Cup and Al Pacino received award nominations, but the film grossed $10.7 million against a $12.5 million budget.
Five
Before the 1947 partition created India and Pakistan, what historic Persian-derived name was commonly used for the Indian subcontinent—especially its northern regions—and is still sometimes used as a poetic or cultural name for India today?
Answer: Hindustan.
The name Hindustan comes from the Persian word Hind (India) combined with the suffix -stan, meaning “land.” Although it once referred broadly to much of northern India or the Indian subcontinent, today it is mainly used in historical, literary, and cultural contexts rather than as India’s official name.
Aargh
The post title is an exclamation ‘used as an expression of anguish, horror, rage, or other strong emotion, often with humorous intent’. It is used here to provide the initial letters of the answers
Today’s questions are not date-related. Hopefully, you’ll be saying ‘aargh’ before it is finished.
One
An eternal flame burns in Paris to honour unidentified casualties from both world wars. Where is it located?
Two
Jesus and the Apostles are believed to have spoken … — Encyclopædia Britannica
What language completes the above sentence from Encyclopædia Britannica?
Three
A US group released Blitzkrieg Bop as their first single in 1976, while Baby, I Love You became their most successful UK track. What is the band’s name?
Four
What 1992 film starring Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon depicts two days in the lives of four real-estate salesmen?
Five
Before the 1947 partition created India and Pakistan, what historic Persian-derived name was commonly used for the Indian subcontinent—especially its northern regions—and is still sometimes used as a poetic or cultural name for India today?
Jaws film poster, 1975 (cropped). See question one. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related but the answers are consistant with the title.
One
Who wrote the book Jaws, which gave great white sharks such a bad reputation?
Answer: Peter Benchley.
Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel Jaws, commissioned by Doubleday, depicts a great white shark attacking a Long Island town and three men hunting it. A marketing campaign drove success, though reviews were mixed. Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown bought film rights; Steven Spielberg directed the 1975 adaptation, which became the first summer blockbuster. Three sequels followed.
Two
In the human body, what is produced from the sudoriferous (or sudoriparous) glands?
Answer: Perspiration.
The human body has two types of sudoriferous glands: Eccrine glands across much of the body secrete watery sweat for thermoregulation via evaporation, reaching up to 2–4 litres per hour in adults. Apocrine glands in limited areas, mainly the axillae (armpits) and perineal area, produce oily secretions that gain odour from bacteria.
Three
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, 70% of a species of big cat live in Amazonia. This cat’s binomial name fits into today’s theme: what is that binomial name and what is its normal English name?
Answer: Panthera onca; Jaguar.
The jaguar is the Americas’ largest cat, a solitary apex predator with a powerful bite. Its range spans from the Southwestern United States to northern Argentina. Listed as Near Threatened since 2002, it faces habitat loss and poaching; conservation focuses on 51 Jaguar Conservation Units.
Four
Erle Stanley Gardner wrote more than 80 novels based on what character?
Answer: Perry Mason
Perry Mason, devised by Erle Stanley Gardner and drawing on Earl Rogers, is a fictional attorney featured in 82 novels and four short stories who exonerates clients accused of murder. Adaptations span films, radio, television with Raymond Burr and Monte Markham’s series, 30 television films, and HBO with Matthew Rhys.
Five
Who was ‘the Gardener’s Daughter’ on Elvis Presley’s album Frankie and Johnny?
Answer: Petunia.
Released in April 1966, Elvis Presley’s twelfth soundtrack album Frankie and Johnny features Dixieland and ragtime styles. Recorded in Hollywood in May 1965, it reached number 20 and was certified Gold and Platinum in 2004.
Can I have a ‘P’ please, Bob?
This relates to the television quiz programme Blockbusters, where contestants would ask the host Bob Holness for a letter.
The phrasing that contestants would use to ask for a letter has entered the language and is frequently heard to this day. It is also the source of a pun – “Can I have a ‘P’ please, Bob?”; ‘having a pee’ being slang for urinating. — Wikipedia
Jaws film poster, 1975 (cropped). See question one. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related but the answers are consistant with the title.
One
Who wrote the book Jaws, which gave great white sharks such a bad reputation?
Two
In the human body, what is produced from the sudoriferous (or sudoriparous) glands?
Three
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, 70% of a species of big cat live in Amazonia. This cat’s binomial name fits into today’s theme: what is that binomial name and what is its normal English name?
Four
Erle Stanley Gardner wrote more than 80 novels based on what character?
Five
Who was ‘the Gardener’s Daughter’ on Elvis Presley’s album Frankie and Johnny?
Five random questions today, neither date-related nor themed.
One
In the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, who are said to be the inhabitants of Bree?
Answer: Big Folk and Hobbits.
Bree, east of the Shire, is the only Hobbit and Man settlement in Bree-land, inspired by the English village of Brill and Tolkien’s linguistics. The Prancing Pony in Bree is where Frodo’s use of the ring brings him to the attention of Aragorn and the Black Riders.
Two
What is the world’s longest snake?
Answer: Reticulated Python.
The reticulated python is the only snake with verified human consumption, prompting a 2015 US import ban later partially rescinded. Documented fatalities and consumption of humans are recorded from 1638 to 2026, these are mainly in Indonesia.
Three
What is the nearest star to our Sun?
Answer: Proxima Centauri.
Proxima Centauri, discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes, is the nearest star to Earth after the Sun, located 4.25 light-years away in Centaurus. A red dwarf which will remain a main-sequence star for four trillion years. Proxima Centauri has two confirmed exoplanets: Proxima Centauri b and Proxima Centauri d.
Four
In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Wednesday is revealed to be an incarnation of what God?
Answer: Odin.
Neil Gaiman’s 2001 fantasy novel American Gods centres on Shadow and won Hugo and Nebula awards. A 2011 expanded edition, audio versions and a 2017 Folio Society edition followed. It was adapted for television in 2017 with Gaiman as executive producer.
Five
Which character from television’s Friends is also a moon of the planet Saturn?
Answer: Phoebe.
Phoebe Buffay is a main character in Friends, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and played by Lisa Kudrow. Phoebe, Saturn’s largest irregular satellite, was discovered photographically by William Henry Pickering in 1899. Cassini’s 2004 flyby enabled detailed study. Its retrograde orbit places it in the Norse group.
