Fresh brown loaf sliced to uniform thickness by a bread slicing machine. Image Wikimedia Commons
All of today’s questions relate to the date, 7 July.
One
On this day, bread loaves that had been pre-sliced by a machine designed by jeweller Otto Rohwedder were sold for the first time. In what decade and on what continent did this occur?
Two
The archipelago in which the six-month-long World War II Battle of Guadalcanal took place gained independence in 1978. By what name is this island country known today, and what country did it gain independence from?
Three
Also in 1978, Martina Navratilova won the first of her Wimbledon singles titles. Who was the defeated semi-finalist in that match, and how many singles titles did Navratilova win at Wimbledon in total?
Four
The final film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series premiered in London. What was the film’s title, and in what year was this?
Five
On this day in 1937, an incident occurred at the Marco Polo Bridge between troops of two armies. This became the first incident in a war that lasted eight years. In what country is the Marco Polo Bridge? The belligerents in this war were a republic and an empire. Who were they?
Today’s first question relates to July 6th. The remainder are not date-related but follow a theme originating with the first.
One
On this day in 1964, the country represented by the flag above gained independence. Which country is it, and what nine-letter name was it known by immediately before independence?
Answer: Nyasaland.
The British established the Nyasaland Districts Protectorate in 1891, later renamed Nyasaland. Colonial rule prioritised European settlers, neglecting African welfare and agriculture, leading to migration and opposition to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This fuelled nationalism, culminating in independence on 6 July 1964 when it was renamed Malawi.
Two
Rockjumpers are native to southern Africa. What best describes them: bird, mammal, or reptile?
Answer: Birds.
Rockjumpers are medium-sized birds endemic to southern Africa, with two species: the Cape rockjumper and the Drakensberg rockjumper. They differ in size and plumage, with non-overlapping ranges. They run and jump among rocks and grass while hunting insects.
Three
Which African percussion instrument was the original default ringtone for the iPhone?
Answer: Marimba.
The original iPhone Marimba ringtone is a clean line-out recording that is iconic and often used for incoming calls. It is a short sound, lasting about 7 seconds.
Four
Who was the Scottish explorer who introduced Europeans to West Africa through his book Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa: James Bruce, David Livingstone or Mungo Park?
Answer: Mungo Park.
Mungo Park (1771–1806) was a Scottish explorer who pioneered African exploration. He theorised the Niger and Congo rivers merged, though later proven incorrect. Park’s influential book, Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa, introduced Europeans to West Africa, setting a standard for future explorers and colonial ambitions. Park died on the Niger River during his second expedition. The Royal Scottish Geographical Society award the Mungo Park medal annually in his honour.
Five
The African monkey gets its name from its crescent-shaped browband, which resembles the bow of a Roman goddess. What is it known as?
Answer: Diana monkey (Cercopithecus Diana).
The Diana monkey’s crescent-shaped broadband is said to resemble the the shape of the bow carried by the Roman goddess Diana. It is endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting as bushmeat. It can be found in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Côte d’Ivoire.
Today’s first question relates to July 6th. The remainder are not date-related but follow a theme originating with the first.
One
On this day in 1964, the country represented by the flag above gained independence. Which country is it, and what nine-letter name was it known by immediately before independence?
Two
Rockjumpers are native to southern Africa. What best describes them: bird, mammal, or reptile?
Three
Which African percussion instrument was the original default ringtone for the iPhone?
Four
Who was the Scottish explorer who introduced Europeans to West Africa through his book Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa: James Bruce, David Livingstone or Mungo Park?
Five
The African monkey gets its name from its crescent-shaped browband, which resembles the bow of a Roman goddess. What is it known as?
The first underwater test conducted by the U.S. of an atomic bomb at Bikini atoll. Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Today’s first question concerns the date 5 July. The subsequent questions share a theme established by the first.
One
On this day in 1946, French designer Louis Réard introduced a new swimsuit he called the Bikini, inspired by the location of recent US nuclear tests. In what island group is the Bikini Atoll situated?
Answer: Marshall Islands.
On this day in 1946, French designer Louis Réard unveiled the bikini, a two-piece swimsuit named after Bikini Atoll. The bikini became a symbol of changing attitudes towards self-expression and bodily autonomy, despite initial scandal and condemnation. Today, the bikini is celebrated as a powerful expression of agency and body positivity. The Marshall Islands atomic bomb tests by the United States from 1946 to 1958 involved 67 tests on Bikini and Enewetak atolls. The Castle Bravo thermonuclear bomb test in 1954 yielded 15 megatons, far exceeding expectations and causing widespread devastation, including vaporising three of Bikini’s islands. The U.S. has since paid compensation to affected parties but the atolls remain contaminated with radiation and uninhabitable. Bikini’s coral reefs recovered, but land and food are unsafe.
Two
A balaclava, also known as a ski mask, was named after its use by British troops at the Battle of Balaclava. Which war was this and in which decade did it occur?
Answers: Crimean War; 1850s.
A balaclava, or ski mask, is headgear exposing parts of the face, used in skiing, snowboarding, and racing. Originating from the 1854 Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War, British troops wore knitted headgear for warmth. Similar 19th-century headgear included the Uhlan cap and Templar cap.
Three
The sturdy cotton warp-faced textile used to make jeans has a name which points to the city of origin. What is that name, and what is the city?
Answers: Denim; Nîmes.
Denim is a sturdy cotton warp-faced textile in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads, originating from the French phrase sergé de Nîmes (‘serge from Nîmes’). This durable twill-woven fabric, typically made from cotton, is known for its longevity and is yarn-dyed and mill-finished. Jeans, trousers made from denim, originated in the 19th century as workwear. They gained popularity beyond labourers, becoming associated with various cultural movements and are now valued for their versatility and ability to transcend social boundaries.
Four
What U.S. president has a short battledress-type uniform jacket named after him?
Answer: Dwight. D Eisenhower.
The Eisenhower jacket, or Ike jacket, officially the M-1944 Jacket, was developed for the U.S. Army in WWII, named after Dwight D. Eisenhower. Inspired by the British Battledress, it featured a pleated back, adjustable waist, and multiple pockets. Major General Ira C. Eaker influenced its creation.
Five
Made famous when worn by Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday (1953) Capri pants are named after the island of Capri. In what marginal sea is the Capri located?
Answer: Tyrrhenian Sea.
Capri pants, introduced by Sonja de Lennart in 1948, gained popularity on the Italian isle of Capri in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Iconic figures like Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot popularised them. In the U.S., Mary Tyler Moore’s character in The Dick Van Dyke Show further popularised capris.
As soon as the war ended, we located the one spot on earth that hadn’t been touched by the war and blew it to hell.
The post title is a quote from American comedian Bob Hope.
The first underwater test conducted by the U.S. of an atomic bomb at Bikini atoll. Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Today’s first question concerns the date 5 July. The subsequent questions share a theme established by the first.
One
On this day in 1946, French designer Louis Réard introduced a new swimsuit he called the Bikini, inspired by the location of recent US nuclear tests. In what island group is the Bikini Atoll situated?
Two
A balaclava, also known as a ski mask, was named after its use by British troops at the Battle of Balaclava. Which war was this and in which decade did it occur?
Three
The sturdy cotton warp-faced textile used to make jeans has a name which points to the city of origin. What is that name, and what is the city?
Four
What U.S. president has a short battledress-type uniform jacket named after him?
Five
Made famous when worn by Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday (1953) Capri pants are named after the island of Capri. In what marginal sea is the Capri located?
Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.
One
Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?
Answer: Ouagadougou.
Air Burkina SA, Burkina Faso’s national airline, operates from Ouagadougou Airport to domestic and regional destinations. It is currently government-owned, with a new investor being sought.
Two
Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?
Answer: Schindler’s Ark.
Schindler’s Ark is a biographical novel by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler, a Nazi who saved 1,200 Jews. It won the 1982 Booker Prize, gained fame through Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List, and was featured on the 2022 ‘Big Jubilee Read’ list.
Three
What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?
Answer: Kon-Tiki.
The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947, was a raft journey from South America to Polynesia. Funded by private loans and U.S. Army equipment, Heyerdahl and five companions sailed 6,900 km on a balsa log raft, landing safely at Raroia after 101 days, inspiring a book and films.
Four
The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?
Answer: Azores.
The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, consists of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known for its mild climate, the region’s economy relies on agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest point. The Azores are seismically active at the Azores triple junction where the Eurasian, Nubian and North American tectonic plates meet.
Five
In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?
Answer: Rear Window.
Rear Window, shot almost entirely from one room, is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and one of the greatest ever made. Confined to his apartment, photojournalist Jeff (James Stewart) observes his neighbours, including Thorwald, who he suspects of murdering his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate. It received four Academy Award nominations and was added to the United States National Film Registry.
Doctor Skaro
Doctor Skaro is, I confess, a bit misleading. Skaro is the home planet of the Daleks, the highly xenophobic, violent, merciless, and pitiless cyborg aliens from the long-running BBC television programme Doctor Who, but neither the title nor the theme has anything to do with their home planet or the Doctor. Doctor Skaro is cryptic. If you ‘doctor’ the word ‘Skaro’, that is, treat it as an anagram and rearrange the letters, you’ll find ‘in part a relevant literary character’: Oskar from question two, Oskar Schindler. Today’s answers begin with the letters O, S, K, A, R.
See question four. Flag of ? Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.
One
Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?
Two
Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?
Three
What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?
Four
The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?
Five
In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?
See question two. Zonkey, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.
One
What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?
Answer: Telemark.
The Heroes of Telemark is a 1965 British war film based on a true story. It depicts a sabotage mission against a Norwegian heavy water plant during World War II. At the time, Norway was occupied by German forces and there was a fear that the plant could aid their efforts to build an atomic bomb.
Two
What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)
Answer: Zonkey.
Imagine a creature that embodies the rugged resilience of a donkey and the striking elegance of a zebra. This is no mythical beast, but a living, breathing marvel known as the zonkey. A fascinating hybrid, the zonkey captures the imagination with its unique blend of features, often sporting the sturdy body of a donkey adorned with the distinctive stripes of a zebra, typically concentrated on its legs, neck, and sometimes its torso. These captivating animals are a testament to the intricate dance of genetics and the surprising outcomes that can arise when different species meet.
Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?
Answer: Afrikaans.
Rooibos is an evergreen South African shrub, and its leaves are used to make a tea. It originated in the early 20th century from Afrikaans, and means literally ‘red bush’. Apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination, was adopted as a slogan in the 1948 election by the Afrikaner National Party in South Africa. The system was maintained until February 1991 despite domestic unrest and international isolation. Originating in the 1940s, from Afrikaans, literally ‘separateness’.
Four
Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?
Answer: Rachel Weisz.
The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama thriller film directed by Fernando Meirelles, based on John le Carré’s novel. It follows a British diplomat in Kenya investigating his wife’s murder. A critical and box office success, it achieved four Oscar nominations, with Weisz winning Best Supporting Actress.
Five
What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?
Answer: Scapa Flow.
Scapa Flow, a sheltered body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, has historical significance as a Viking anchorage and UK naval base. HMS Royal Oak is a war grave for over 800 seamen who perished when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Today, it is known for its diving sites and as a location for oil and LNG transfers.
Russian Caesars
The post title Russian Caesars refers to Tzar (also Tsar or Czar) in plural, TZARS which gives the start letter for each of the above answers.
See question two. ?, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.
One
What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?
Two
What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)
Three
Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?
Four
Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?
Five
What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?
Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Image liveabout.com
Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.
One
By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?
Answer: ME.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic illness causing severe fatigue, sleep, and memory issues, worsened by activity (PEM). Its cause is unknown, often following infections, with genetic factors. Diagnosis relies on symptoms, as no tests exist. Treatment focuses on symptom relief, with pacing and counselling beneficial. ME/CFS significantly impacts society and the economy, with symptoms causing social isolation. A quarter of sufferers are bedridden or housebound. Stigma in healthcare and controversies over its cause and treatments complicate care. Doctors often lack familiarity due to limited medical school coverage, and research funding is historically inadequate.
Two
What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?
Answer: Telly Savalas.
Aristotelis ‘Telly’ Savalas (1922–1994) was an American actor and singer, active from 1950 to 1994, renowned for his bald head and deep voice. He gained fame as Lt. Theo Kojak in Kojak (1973–1978) and as James Bond’s nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Savalas starred in films like Birdman of Alcatraz, earning an Academy Award nomination. He was married three times, had six children, and served in the U.S. Army. He released a cover of Bread’s If in 1975, which topped the UK charts.
Three
What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?
Answers: James ‘Jim’ Grant; Jack Reacher.
The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (Jim Grant) includes 30 books and a short story collection as of November 2025. It follows Jack Reacher, a former major in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps turned drifter, solving dangerous situations across the U.S. and internationally. The series has been adapted into films and a TV series.
Four
…▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves
— Oxford English Dictionary
Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?
Answer: Scallop.
scallop ▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. Scallops swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves. Family Pectinidae: Chlamys, Pecten, and other genera.
▪ short for scallop shell ▪ a small pan or dish shaped like a scallop shell and used for baking or serving food.
— Oxford English Dictionary
Five
The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?
Answer: Fluorine.
Fluorine, atomic number 9, is a reactive, pale yellow gas, first isolated in 1886. It’s used in uranium enrichment, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, with global sales over $15 billion annually. Fluorocarbon gases, with global-warming potentials 100 to 23,500 times that of CO2, persist environmentally due to strong bonds. Organofluorine compounds are toxic, produced by some plants and marine sponges.
If a face could launch a thousand ships
The post title is a line from If the song referred to in question two. If is a 1971 song written by David Gates and popularised by his band Bread.
