Quizology.Online

A Serious Pursuit of the Trivial

  • Bonnie or Clyde?—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions posed in my earlier post.

    All of today’s questions relate to today’s date, January 14th.

    Bonnie and Clyde, 1967.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born in Florida, USA, on this day in 1941, with a film debut in The Happening (1967), one of the stars of Bonnie and Clyde (also 1967), is whom?

    Answer: Faye Dunaway

    Faye Dunaway is an acclaimed American actress with a career spanning Broadway and film. She rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s with notable films like Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown, earning an Academy Award for Network. Dunaway later transitioned to mature character roles in independent films and stage performances.

    Two

    In 1939, Queen Maud Land was claimed and named. Which country made this claim on this 1.0-million-square-mile area of Antarctica?

    Answer: Norway

    Queen Maud Land is a 2.7 million square kilometre region of Antarctica claimed by Norway. It is a demilitarised zone within the Antarctic Treaty System, with no permanent population but 12 active research stations. The region is divided into five coasts and is bordered by the British and Australian Antarctic Territories. It is named after the Norwegian Queen Maud (1869–1938).

    Three

    In 1970, The Supremes performed their final concert with whom?

    Answer: Diana Ross

    The Supremes, an American girl group formed in Detroit in 1959, were the most commercially successful act of Motown Records during the 1960s. With Diana Ross as lead singer and Holland-Dozier-Holland as their songwriting and production team, they achieved mainstream success with twelve number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The group disbanded in 1977 after numerous lineup changes.

    Four

    In 2005, which organisation developed the probe that became the first spacecraft to land on a celestial body beyond Mars, and on which moon of Saturn did it touch down?

    Answers: European Space Agency; Titan

    The Huygens probe spent over two hours descending through Titan’s thick, orange, nitrogen-rich atmosphere before landing, sending back the first-ever images and sounds from the surface of a moon in the outer Solar System.

    Five

    In 2024, Queen Margrethe II abdicated after 52 years on the throne. Her eldest son, the Crown Prince, succeeded her as king. Who was the new king, and in which country did this happen?

    Answer: King Frederick X; Denmark

    Margrethe, Queen of Denmark, is a talented scenographer and costume designer, having designed costumes for the Royal Danish Ballet and films like The Wild Swans and Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction. She has also designed sets and costumes for numerous ballets, including The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen. Additionally, Margrethe is an accomplished painter and has illustrated works like Prince Henrik’s poetry collection and Danish editions of The Lord of the Rings.

  • Bonnie or Clyde?

    All of today’s questions relate to today’s date, January 14th.

    Bonnie and Clyde, 1967.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born in Florida, USA, on this day in 1941, with a film debut in The Happening (1967), one of the stars of Bonnie and Clyde (also 1967), is whom?

    Two

    In 1939, Queen Maud Land was claimed and named. Which country made this claim on this 1.0-million-square-mile area of Antarctica?

    Three

    In 1970, The Supremes performed their final concert with whom?

    Four

    In 2005, which organisation developed the probe that became the first spacecraft to land on a celestial body beyond Mars, and on which moon of Saturn did it touch down?

    Five

    In 2024, Queen Margrethe II abdicated after 52 years on the throne. Her eldest son, the Crown Prince, succeeded her as king. Who was the new king, and in which country did this happen?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • One to Ten equals 55, Part II—Answers

    Second of two parts. Questions one to five were posted in Part I yesterday.

    Compass Rose, see question eight.
    Image Clipartbest.com

    Something a bit different today. You can earn a total of 55 points by answering all the questions completely. The first question is worth one point and has only one correct answer. The second question is worth two points for two correct answers and so on… until the tenth question which is worth ten points for ten correct answers.

    Continuing from yesterday with questions six to ten.

    Six

    For SIX points, name the members of the comedy troupe, Monty Python.

    Answer: Graham Chapman—John Cleese—Terry Gilliam—Eric Idle—Terry Jones—Michael Palin

    Seven

    For SEVEN points, list the Harry Potter novels. No need to put Harry Potter and…

    Answer: Philosopher’s Stone—Chamber of Secrets—Prisoner of Azkaban—Goblet of Fire,—Order of the Phoenix—Half-Blood Prince—Deathly Hallows

    Eight

    For EIGHT points, starting from 0 degrees and moving clockwise, list the compass points formed by dividing a compass rose into eight segments. (in clockwise order)

    Answer: North—Northeast—East—Southeast—South—Southwest—West—Northwest.

    Nine

    For NINE points. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, a group of nine, known as the Company of the Ring or the Fellowship of the Ring, embarked on a mission to destroy the ring. Who were they?

    Answer: Gandalf—Legolas—Gimli—Aragorn—Boromir—Frodo Baggins—Samwise Gamgee—Merry Brandybuck—Pippin Took.

    Ten

    For TEN points, list the world’s ten most populous cities as listed by the UN 2025 Population Estimates.

    Answer: Jakarta, Indonesia—Dhaka, Bangladesh—Tokyo, Japan—Delhi, India—Shanghai, China—Guangzhou, China—Cairo, Egypt — Manila, Philippines — Kolkata, India—Seoul, South Korea

  • One to Ten equals 55, Part II

    Second of two parts. Questions one to five were posted in Part I yesterday.

    Compass Rose.
    Image Clipartbest.com

    Something a bit different today. You can earn a total of 55 points by answering all the questions completely. The first question is worth one point and has only one correct answer. The second question is worth two points for two correct answers and so on… until the tenth question which is worth ten points for ten correct answers.

    Continuing from yesterday with questions six to ten.

    Six

    For SIX points, name the members of the comedy troupe, Monty Python.

    Seven

    For SEVEN points, list the Harry Potter novels. No need to put Harry Potter and…

    Eight

    For EIGHT points, starting from 0 degrees and moving clockwise, list the compass points formed by dividing a compass rose into eight segments. (in clockwise order)

    Nine

    For NINE points. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, a group of nine, known as the Company of the Ring or the Fellowship of the Ring, embarked on a mission to destroy the ring. Who were they?

    Ten

    For TEN points, list the world’s ten most populous cities as listed by the UN 2025 Population Estimates.

    Good luck! As usual I’ll post the answers later.

  • One to Ten equals 55, Part I—Answers

    Noah’s Ark, question two.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Something a bit different today. You can earn a total of 55 points by answering all the questions completely. The first question is worth one point and has only one correct answer. The second question is worth two points for two correct answers and so on… until the tenth question which is worth ten points for ten correct answers.

    Posted in two parts with the second part following tomorrow.

    One

    For ONE point, in what country was the composer Franz Liszt born

    Answer: Hungary

    Two

    For TWO points. According to the Bible story, Noah released two birds from the ark to determine whether the flood had abated; what birds?

    Answer: Raven—Dove

    Three

    For THREE points. In Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Three Musketeers, the title characters meet and befriend d’Artagnan; what are their names?

    Answer: Athos—Porthos—Aramis

    Four

    For FOUR points, list the patron saints of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland.

    Answer: Andrew—George—David—Patrick

    Five

    For FIVE points, list the five boroughs of New York City.

    Answer: The Bronx—Brooklyn—Manhattan—Queens—Staten Island

    Part II follows tomorrow

  • One to Ten equals 55, Part I

    Noah’s Ark, question two.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Something a bit different today. You can earn a total of 55 points by answering all the questions completely. The first question is worth one point and has only one correct answer. The second question is worth two points for two correct answers and so on… until the tenth question which is worth ten points for ten correct answers.

    Posted in two parts with the second part following tomorrow.

    One

    For ONE point, in what country was the composer Franz Liszt born

    Two

    For TWO points. According to the Bible story, Noah released two birds from the ark to determine whether the flood had abated; what birds?

    Three

    For THREE points. In Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Three Musketeers, the title characters meet and befriend d’Artagnan; what are their names?

    Four

    For FOUR points, list the patron saints of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland.

    Five

    For FIVE points, list the five boroughs of New York City.

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later and part II follows tomorrow.

  • Bridge Over What Water—Answers

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

    The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges — aka Gateway Bridges — crossing the Brisbane River, 2011.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    The pictured ‘Gateway Bridges’ at Brisbane in Queensland, Australia cross what 214 mile (344 km) long river?

    Answer: Brisbane River

    The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, formerly known as the Gateway Bridge, are twin road bridges over the Brisbane River. The original bridge opened in 1986, and the duplicate bridge opened in 2010, carrying twelve lanes of traffic, six in each direction. The western bridge carries northbound traffic while the eastern bridge carries traffic to heading to the south. A toll is imposed on both bridges until 2051.

    Two

    In 1787, William Herschel discovered two Moons which were later named Titania and Oberon.These moons are satellites of which planet?

    Answer: Uranus

    Titania and Oberon, both discovered by William Herschel in 1787, are moons of Uranus. They were later named respectively after the Queen and King of the Fairies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Titania is the largest moon of Uranus and the eighth largest in the Solar System. It’s composed of ice and rock with a rocky core, icy mantle and possibly a liquid water layer at the core-mantle boundary. Its surface, shaped by impacts and internal processes, features canyons and scarps and may have a tenuous carbon dioxide atmosphere. Oberon is the outermost and second-largest moon of Uranus. Like Titania, it’s composed of ice and rock with a dark cratered surface. Voyager 2 provided the only close-up images of Oberon in 1986 mapping 40% of its surface.

    Three

    The Throgs Neck Bridge, which opened in 1961, crosses the East River and links two New York City boroughs. Which two?

    Answer: The Bronx and Queens

    The Throgs (or Throggs) Neck Bridge, a suspension bridge in New York City, connects the Bronx and Queens boroughs. Opened in 1961, it carries six lanes of Interstate 295 over the East River. The bridge, designed by Othmar Ammann, features a centre span of 1,800 feet and is supported by two main cables.

    Four

    In 1935, a renowned aviator achieved the first successful flight from Hawaii to California. Who was this aviator?

    Answer: Amelia Earhart

    On 11 January 1935, Amelia Earhart became the first solo aviator to fly from Honolulu to Oakland in a Lockheed 5C Vega. This feat followed unsuccessful attempts by other aviators including an air race which resulted in three deaths. Earhart’s flight was routine with no mechanical issues.

    Five

    In 1972, this country’s name was changed. It’s now the eighth most populous nation globally and shares a border with the Siliguri Corridor. Which country?

    Answer: Bangladesh

    Bangladesh, officially the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, is a densely populated country in South Asia. It gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a war for independence. Despite challenges like corruption and climate change, Bangladesh is a middle power with a growing economy and the fourth-largest Muslim population in the world. India’s Siliguri Corridor is a vital land connection between India’s mainland and its northeastern states, crucial for logistics and military movements.

  • Bridge Over What Water

    The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges — aka Gateway Bridges, 2011.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    The pictured ‘Gateway Bridges’ at Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, cross what 214-mile (344-km) long river?

    Two

    In 1787, William Herschel discovered two moons which were later named Titania and Oberon. These moons are satellites of which planet?

    Three

    The Throgs Neck Bridge, which opened in 1961, crosses the East River and links two New York City boroughs. Which two?

    Four

    In 1935, a renowned aviator achieved the first successful flight from Hawaii to California. Who was this aviator?

    Five

    In 1972, this country’s name was changed. It’s now the eighth most populous nation globally and shares a border with the Siliguri Corridor. Which country?

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

  • GRANS A MA—Answers

    Here are the answers to my questions from earlier.

    No multiple-choice today as the five trivia questions below start with the answer in the form of an ANAGRAM (in capitals), for example…


    Example 1
    WREN AS what is expected in response to a question.?
    Answer: Answer

    Example 2
    GRANS A MA might give you a clue from the title of this post?
    Answer: Anagrams

    Topkapi Palace.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    AKA EPIC LAPTOP provides an Istanbul residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, last occupied by Mahmut II (1808–39) and now a museum. What is it known as?

    Answer: Topkapi Palace

    ‘AKA EPIC LAPTOP’ is an anagram of Topkapi Palace. Topkapı Palace, a large museum and library in Istanbul, served as the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire from the 1460s to 1856. The palace complex, which expanded over centuries, includes the Imperial Harem, treasury and various buildings used by state officials. Today, the palace is a museum showcasing Ottoman artefacts and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Historic Areas of Istanbul.

    Two

    A CHI TIN is a dry red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. What wine?

    Answer: Chianti

    ‘A CHI TIN’ is an anagram of Chianti. Chianti is an Italian red wine from the Chianti region of Tuscany, primarily made from Sangiovese grapes. The Chianti region was first defined in 1716 and later divided into seven sub-areas in 1932, with Chianti Classico being the most prominent. Chianti must be made with at least 80% Sangiovese grapes, with Riserva and Superiore designations indicating higher quality and stricter production requirements.

    Three

    The German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE, 1937.
    Image IWM via Wikimedia Commons

    ARMADA FLEES GRIP of the pursuing ships. What three-word, fifteen letters in total, is the name of the ship being pursued in the South Atlantic Ocean in 1939?

    Answer: Admiral Graf Spee

    ‘ARMADA FLEES GRIP’ is an anagram of Admiral Graf Spee which was a German Panzerschiff, or ‘pocket battleship’, that served during World War II. It was deployed to the South Atlantic before the war, sinking nine vessels before being damaged and then scuttled after the Battle of the River Plate.

    __

    Four

    RED GOLFING is the villain in this Bond movie. What villain?

    Answer: Goldfinger

    ‘RED GOLFING’ is an anagram of Goldfinger. Auric Goldfinger is the title character and main antagonist in both Ian Fleming’s novel and the 1964 film adaptation. The character, portrayed in the film by red-haired Gert Fröbe, was voted the most sinister James Bond villain, and his line ‘No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die’ was voted the best moment in the franchise.

    Five

    ARRANGED LOAN allows a governor to became a president of the United States. Who is he?

    Answer: Ronald Reagan

    ‘ARRANGED LOAN’ is an anagram of Ronald Reagan. A governor of California, Ronald Reagan served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. A prominent figure in the American conservative movement, his presidency, known as the Reagan era, was marked by economic policies like “Reaganomics,” increased military spending, and a shift in Cold War policy. Reagan’s impact on American conservatism and his role in ending the Cold War are widely recognised.

  • GRANS A MA

    No multiple-choice today as the five trivia questions below start with the answer in the form of an ANAGRAM (in capitals), for example…


    Example 1
    WREN AS what is expected in response to a question.?
    Answer: Answer

    Example 2
    GRANS A MA might give you a clue from the title of this post?
    Answer: Anagrams

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    AKA EPIC LAPTOP provides an Istanbul residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, last occupied by Mahmut II (1808–39) and now a museum. What is it known as?

    Two

    A CHI TIN is a dry red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. What wine?

    Three

    Image Imperial War Museum via Wikimedia Commons

    ARMADA FLEES GRIP of the pursuing ships. What three-word, fifteen letters in total, is the name of the ship being pursued in the South Atlantic Ocean in 1939?

    __

    Four

    RED GOLFING is the villain in this Bond movie. What villain?

    Five

    ARRANGED LOAN allows a governor to became a president of the United States. Who is he?

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