Quizology Online

Reach for the Sky—Answers

On 4 January 2010, Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, officially opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. So, today’s questions are all about structures which have been amongst the world’s tallest.

One

What building did Burj Khalifa replace as the tallest?

Answer: Taipei 101 (aka Taipei Financial Center)

Inaugurated in January 2010, the Burj Khalifa, standing at 163 floors and a height of 2,717 feet (828 metres), surpassed Taipei 101 — 1,667 feet (508 metres), — in Taipei, Taiwan. The Burj Khalifa also broke several other records including the world’s tallest freestanding structure, the highest occupied floor and the highest outdoor observation deck.

Two

Which medieval cathedral, whose governing body holds one of the original 1215 Magna Carta manuscripts, surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza to become the world’s tallest man-made structure?

Answer: Lincoln Cathedral

Completed around 2560 BCE, the Great Pyramid of Giza originally stood at approximately 481 feet (146 metres), making it the tallest man-made structure ever built at the time. Remarkably, it retained this distinction for nearly 3,800 years, until the completion of medieval cathedrals including Lincoln Cathedral in England in the 14th century.

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Three

Which monument did the Eiffel Tower surpass to become the tallest man-made structure in the world?

Answer: The Washington Monument

Completed in 1889, the Eiffel Tower stands 1,083 feet (330 metres) tall, exceeding the Washington Monument’s height of 555 feet (169 metres). The Eiffel Tower held the record as the world’s tallest man-made structure for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building surpassed it in 1930.

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Four

True or false: the Lighthouse of Alexandria, aka the Pharos of Alexandria, was once the tallest building in the world.

Answer: False

The Pharos of Alexandria, the tallest lighthouse of the ancient world, was never taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza, which remained the tallest man-made structure.

Five

What nearby structure did the Empire State Building replace as the world’s tallest building?

Answer: The Chrysler Building

When it opened in 1931, the Empire State Building reached 1,250 feet (381 metres), surpassing the Chrysler Building, which had briefly held the title at 1,046 feet (319 metres). The Empire State Building retained the world’s tallest-building title for nearly 40 years, until the completion of the original World Trade Center in 1970.

Reach for the Sky

One

What building did Burj Khalifa replace as the tallest?

Two

Which medieval cathedral, whose governing body holds one of the original 1215 Magna Carta manuscripts, surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza to become the world’s tallest man-made structure?

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Three

Which monument did the Eiffel Tower surpass to become the tallest man-made structure in the world?

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Four

True or false: the Lighthouse of Alexandria, aka the Pharos of Alexandria, was once the tallest building in the world.

Five

What nearby structure did the Empire State Building replace as the world’s tallest building?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

First Things First—Answers

Today’s questions focus on ‘firsts’ that occurred on January 3rd.

Flag of Liberia.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

In 1848, Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in as the first president of a country which began as a project of the American Colonization Society. What country?

Answer: Liberia

Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic, was established for formerly enslaved people from the United States. It gained independence in 1847 and experienced relative stability until a civil war in the 1990s.

Two

Who, in 1987, was the first woman to be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Answer: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was a highly acclaimed American singer known for her powerful voice and hits like Respect and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.

Three

A spacecraft named for a goddess who, according to legend, flew from Earth to the Moon was the first to land on the far side of the Moon. What name do the goddess and spacecraft share, and in what decade did this first landing take place?

Answer: Chang’e; 2010s

Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She is often depicted floating towards the moon, holding a moon disk, or with the Hare preparing the elixir of immortality. The spacecraft Chang’e 4, carrying the Yutu-2 rover, landed on the Moon’s far side on 3 January 2019, becoming the first spacecraft to do so. It communicated with Earth via the Queqiao relay satellite.

Four

In 1749, the first issue of Berlingske was published. It is now the oldest continually operating newspaper in what country?

Answer: Denmark

Berlingske, Denmark’s oldest continually operating newspaper, was founded in 1749 and is considered a newspaper of record. Originally titled Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender, it has a conservative stance and is known for its traditionalism. The newspaper, now published in tabloid format, has won numerous awards, including the World Press Photo Award three times.

Five

In what decade was the first electric watch introduced to the retail market?

Answer: 1950s

The Hamilton Watch Company produced the first electric watch to be retailed in 1957, using a balance wheel or tuning fork driven by a battery. Quartz watches later surpassed them in accuracy and durability.

First Things First

Today’s questions focus on ‘firsts’ that occurred on January 3rd.

One

In 1848, Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in as the first president of a country which began as a project of the American Colonization Society. What country?

Two

Who, in 1987, was the first woman to be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Three

Four

In 1749, the first issue of Berlingske was published. It is now the oldest continually operating newspaper in what country?

Five

In what decade was the first electric watch introduced to the retail market?

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

Hot Shot—Answers

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

A few true or false posers for you today.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

Gun-toting … … triggers police alert at hotel

True or false: The above 2003 headline from The Herald in Glasgow, Scotland, referenced opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa’s arrival in the city with several shotguns.

Answer: True

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the renowned soprano, caused a stir at a Glasgow hotel when she requested a gun store, leading to a police presence. The hotel, lacking a gunroom, followed protocol and contacted the police, who stored the firearms overnight. The incident occurred shortly after Glasgow was labelled the murder capital of Britain and was reported in The Herald newspaper on 5 December 2003.

Two

True or false: On 18 June 1983, US astronaut Sally Ride became the first woman to travel in space.

Answer: False

On 16 June 1963, Cosmonaut Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova became the first woman to travel in space when she flew a solo mission in Vostok 6. Svetlana Savitskaya, aboard Soyuz T-7, became the second woman to travel in space in 1982, and Sally Ride became the third woman, and first American woman, to travel in space.

Three

True or false: According to the United States Geological Survey, about 90% of the world’s earthquakes, including most of its largest, occur within the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Answer: True

The Ring of Fire is a 25,000-mile (40,000 km) long tectonic belt surrounding the Pacific Ocean, characterised by frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. It is formed by the subduction of various tectonic plates, creating oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and back-arc basins. The Ring of Fire contains the majority of the world’s active volcanoes and earthquakes.

Four

Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact, it was a little bit frightening

True or false: The above lyric from a 1974 song was a number one hit in multiple nations.

Answer: True

Kung Fu Fighting is a disco song by Carl Douglas, released in 1974. It topped charts worldwide, sold eleven million copies, and popularised disco music. The song was covered (using different lyrics) by CeeLo Green and Jack Black in the first film of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and later by The Vamps for the third film.

Five

True or false: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1878.

Answer: False

Fleming did discover penicillin, but not in 1878, and, in fact, he was not born until 1881. On 3 September 1928, Fleming noticed a fungus contaminating a staphylococci culture, destroying the bacteria around it. He identified the fungus as Penicillium, later confirmed as P. rubens.

Hot Shot

A few true or false posers for you today.

One

Gun-toting … … triggers police alert at hotel

True or false: The above 2003 headline from The Herald in Glasgow, Scotland, referenced opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa’s arrival in the city with several shotguns.

Two

True or false: On 18 June 1983, US astronaut Sally Ride became the first woman to travel in space.

Three

True or false: According to the United States Geological Survey, about 90% of the world’s earthquakes, including most of its largest, occur within the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Four

Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact, it was a little bit frightening

True or false: The above lyric from a 1974 song was a number one hit in multiple nations.

Five

True or false: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1878.

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Happy New Year—Answers

Happy New Year. Yet another random mix of questions for today

The Palace of Westminster seen from east.
Victoria Tower and the House of Lords are on the left. The Clock Tower of Big Ben and the House of Commons are on the right. The spire left of centre is the 300ft ventilation chimney above the central lobby. The twin white towers of Westminster Abbey are just visible in the background.
Image Wikipedia

One

How are the hours nine, ten, eleven and twelve shown on the clock faces of the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, which is also known as Big Ben?

Answer: IF; F; FI and FII

The famous dial features [Augustus] Pugin’s favoured gothic numerals rather than traditional roman numerals – an ‘F’-shaped character replaces X for 10. These numerals are also found on clocks around Parliament.

— UK Parliament 2025

Palace of Westminster clock face, aka ‘Big Ben’.
Image Wikimedia Commons

Two

What is the complete title of this 1987 Hanna-Barbera made-for-television film: The Jetsons Meet…

Answer: The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones

The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones is a 1987 animated crossover film where the two families meet after a time travel experiment.

Three

Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound

This quote is from a story which features anthropomorphised animals living in their natural habitats, complete with their own language, culture and mythology. Originally a 1972 novel, there have been both film (1978) and television adaptations (1999 and 2018), with the most recent being a co-production by the BBC and Netflix. Could you tell me the title and author of this novel?

Answer: Watership Down and Richard Adams

Richard Adams, an English novelist born in 1920, is best known for Watership Down. He served in the British Army during World War II and later joined the Civil Service before becoming a full-time author in 1974. Adams was a strong advocate for animal welfare and served as president of the RSPCA.

Four

Through how many countries does the Andes mountain range extend and what are they?

Answer: Seven; Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela

The Andes extend from south to north through seven South American countries: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.

Five

We are drinking beer at noon on Tuesday

The above quote is from a song which also mentions a boulevard. Could you please identify the song, the singer-songwriter who wrote it, and the specific boulevard mentioned in the lyrics?

Answer: All I Wanna Do; Sheryl Crow; Santa Monica Boulevard

All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow, from her debut album, was a breakthrough hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning two Grammy Awards. The song achieved international success, topping charts in Australia and Canada and reaching the top 10 in several European countries.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. Yet another random mix of questions for today

One

How are the hours nine, ten, eleven and twelve shown on the clock faces of the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, which is also known as Big Ben?

Two

What is the complete title of this 1987 Hanna-Barbera made-for-television film: The Jetsons Meet…

Three

Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound

Four

Through how many countries does the Andes mountain range extend and what are they?

Five

We are drinking beer at noon on Tuesday

The above quote is from a song which also mentions a boulevard. Could you please identify the song, the singer-songwriter who wrote it, and the specific boulevard mentioned in the lyrics?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Top of the Pops—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier today.

Today’s questions are a random mix.

One

The Beatles held the festive top spot with four singles topping the UK singles chart on Christmas Day in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1967. Which songs secured these number one positions?

Answers: I Wanna Hold Your Hand

The Beatles hold the record for the most British Christmas number ones according to Guinness World Records,

The Beatles (UK) have had four singles in the festive top spot: “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” which went to No.1 on 12 December 1963, “I Feel Fine” (10 December 1964), “Day Tripper/We Can Work it Out” (16 December 1965) and “Hello Goodbye” (6 December 1967).

— Guinness World Records (accessed 30-12-2025)

Two

In 2004, researchers discovered that the rock summit of Mont Blanc was located west of the ice-covered summit. What is the distance between these two summits?

4 m (13 feet)
26 m (85 feet)
40 m (130 feet)

Answer: 40 m (130 feet)

Researchers discovered that the rock summit of Mont Blanc is 40 metres west of its ice summit. The rock summit, which reaches 4,792 metres, is actually 40 metres west of the ice summit at 4,807 metres. This finding informed an ice core drilling programme beginning in autumn 2004.

Three

What words are missing from this book title — The … at the … of the … — the second book in a ‘trilogy’?

Answer: Restaurant; End; Universe

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the second book in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a trilogy in five parts, follows Arthur Dent and his companions on their cosmic adventures. The book, like its predecessor, was an adaptation of Adams’ BBC radio series.

Four

What Australian city, a state capital, stands on the Swan River?

Answer: Perth

The Swan River in southwestern Western Australia flows 224 miles from the Avon River to the Indian Ocean. It is known for its black swans and was the site of Western Australia’s first free settlement in 1829.

Five

Who played Eloise Chandler, a florist, in the 2009 film Love Happens?

Answer: Jennifer Aniston

Love Happens is a 2009 romantic drama film starring Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston. The film, about a grieving widower finding love again.

Top of the Pops

Today’s questions are a random mix.

One

The Beatles held the festive top spot with four singles topping the UK singles chart on Christmas Day in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1967. Which songs secured these number one positions?

Two

In 2004, researchers discovered that the rock summit of Mont Blanc was located west of the ice-covered summit. What is the distance between these two summits?

4 m (13 feet)
26 m (85 feet)
40 m (130 feet)

Three

What words are missing from this book title — The … at the … of the … — the second book in a ‘trilogy’?

Four

What Australian city, a state capital, stands on the Swan River?

Five

Who played Eloise Chandler, a florist, in the 2009 film Love Happens?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.