But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One of the Ford Anglia 105E’s seen in the Harry Potter films.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: Ford Anglia 105E

My secondary school, Wyedean, where I went when I was eleven, was the place I met Sean Harris, to whom Chamber of Secrets is dedicated and who owned the original Ford Anglia. He was the first of my friends to learn to drive and that turquoise and white car meant FREEDOM and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager. Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years involve zooming off into the darkness in Sean’s car.
— J.K.Rowling. harrypotterfandom.com

The filming of the scene where the Ford Anglia crashes into the Whomping Willow resulted in the destruction of 14 cars.


Tristan da Cunha as seen from International Space Station. Image NASA/Wikipedia

Two

Answer: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the only settlement of the island of Tristan da Cunha, a part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. Locally, it is referred to as The Settlement or The Village.


Juliet’s Balcony, Verona.
Image No Sweat Shakespeare

Three

Answer: (either or both) Juliet’s house or Juliet’s balcony

In 1905, the mayor of Verona, as part of a tourism marketing campaign, bought the house from the Cappello family, thinking the name resembled Capulet, Juliet’s surname, and declared it the one and only Juliette’s House. Even the balcony is fake, constructed in the 20th century using parts from a 17th-century sarcophagus and attached to the wall to create a bogus balcony.

Statue of Juliet at Juliets House, Verona.
Image Wikipedia

Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Answer: Palace of Holyroodhouse (aka Holyrood Palace)

Holyrood Palace, or in full the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the British monarch, is located at the bottom of the Royal Mile. The name derives either from a legendary vision of the cross witnessed by David I, or from a relic of the True Cross known as the Holy Rood or Black Rood, which had belonged to Saint Margaret of Scotland, David’s mother. The palace, which adjoins Holyrood Abbey, is open to the public year-round, except when the royal family is in residence.


The title page of the first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1768-71.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Encyclopædia Britannica

The Encyclopædia Britannica, a general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia, was first published in 1768 and is currently owned by Chicago based Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. After 244 years of print, the last printed edition was published in 2010, and it has been available exclusively online since 2016. The Britannica is known for its scholarly articles and has undergone several changes in format and ownership throughout its history.


The Edinburgh connection is in all the questions except No. 3.

  1. JK Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter while living in Edinburgh.
  2. Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The settlement was orininally founded and named by a Scotsman: Sergeant William Glass from Kelso, Scottish Borders.
  3. Not part of the theme.
  4. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the bottom of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle is at the opposite end.
  5. Encyclopædia Britannica was originally founded and published in the city.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
— The post title is from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Mr ? Goes to Washington—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

One

Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

Answer: Lyndon B Johnson

Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, served from 1963 to 1969. He assumed the presidency after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and was later elected in a landslide. Johnson’s presidency is remembered for his Great Society programmes, which aimed to expand civil rights, improve healthcare, and combat poverty, but his legacy is also marred by the Vietnam War.


Two

On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

Answer: 1930s (1939)

The jet engine, though conceptually ancient, only became practical in the 20th century. Early attempts, like the Caproni Campini N.1 and Tsu-11, were unsuccessful. The breakthrough came with the gas turbine, leading to the development of the turbojet, with Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain (He178) playing pivotal roles in its creation.


Three

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

Answer: Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes

The war lasted no longer than 40 minutes, making it the shortest war in recorded history.
Encyclopædia Britannica

The conflict lasted between 38 and 45 minutes, marking it as the shortest recorded war in history.
Wikipedia


Four

The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

Answer: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, a 1964 American musical film, features Julie Andrews as a magical nanny who transforms a troubled London household.


Five

On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
1. 199.96 mph
2. 273.13 mph
3. 345.49 mph

Answer: 345.49 mph

Captain George Eyston, a British engineer and racing driver, broke the land speed record three times between 1937 and 1939.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

Today, five different questions with a wee bit of a theme running through some of them, though not all.

Hogwarts Express at Glenfinnan Viaduct. Image HarryPotter.com

One

Which turquoise-blue Ford motor car model is depicted as the flying car in the Harry Potter books and films?

Two

Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, has only one settlement. What is its name?

Three

What tourist attraction in Verona, Italy, is a fake as the person allegedly connected to it never existed?

Four

What building is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland?

Five

On 10 December 1768, the first edition of which reference work was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mr ? Goes to Washington

All are connected to today’s date, August 27th. Two of the questions are multiple choice the other three are not.

Image Wikipedia

One

Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy, pictured above in 1915, went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

Two

On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

Three

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

Four

The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

Five

On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
1. 199.96 mph
2. 273.48 mph
3. 345.49 mph

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mr Standfast—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, meets HM King Charles III
at Buckingham Palace. LONDON- UK- 5th May 2023.
Photo by Ian Jones via Wikipedia

One

Answer: John Buchan

John Buchan, a Scottish novelist and politician, served as Governor General of Canada from 1935 until his death in 1940. He promoted Canadian unity and strengthened the country’s sovereignty. Buchan, who was the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, created the character Richard Hannay.


Two

Answer: (Any of) – The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, The Three Hostages, The Island of Sheep

Hannay appears in several novels as a major character, including:

He also appears as a minor character in:

Wikipedia

Note, Richard Hannay also appears in some works by other authors.


Three

Answer: Mary Simon

Mary Simon, the first Indigenous Governor General of Canada, was born in Quebec and previously worked as a broadcaster and diplomat. Her appointment was criticised due to her limited French fluency.


Four

Answer: (1) 8 Canadian provinces or territories and (2) 13 US states

Canadian Province or Territory

Ontario 2,727 km (1,682 mi)
British Columbia 2,168 km (1,347 mi)
Yukon 1,244 km (786 mi)
Quebec 813 km (505 mi)
Saskatchewan 632 km (393 mi)
New Brunswick 513 km (318 mi)
Manitoba 497 km (309 mi)
Alberta 298 km (185 mi)

US State

Alaska 2,475 km (1,538 mi)
Michigan 1,160 km (721 mi)
Maine 983 km (611 mi)
Minnesota 880 km (547 mi)
Montana 877 km (545 mi)
New York 716 km (445 mi)
Washington 687 km (427 mi)
North Dakota 499 km (310 mi)
Ohio 499 km (310 mi)
Vermont 145 km (90 mi)
New Hampshire 93 km (58 mi)
Idaho 72 km (45 mi)
Pennsylvania 68 km (42 mi)

Wikipedia


Alaska, US–Yukon, Canada border.
Image Fine Art America

Five

Answer: Beaufort Sea

The Canadian territory of Yukon shares its entire western border with the U.S. state of Alaska, beginning at the Beaufort Sea at 69°39′N 141°00′Wand proceeding southwards along the 141st meridian west. At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastward direction, following the Saint Elias Mountains. South of the 60th parallel north, the border continues into British Columbia
Wikipedia

Mr Standfast

Firstly, a question about someone born on August 26th. The rest of the questions are follow-ups to this one.

One

Who, born 25 August 1875, connects these: the 15th Governor General of Canada; Richard Hannay; and the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir?

Two

The title of this post is the name of a novel featuring Richard Hannay, as mentioned in question 1. Can you name another novel by the same author that features Hannay as a major character?

Three

The 15th Governor General of Canada is mentioned above, but who is the current and 30th Governor General of Canada? Notably, this is the first Indigenous person to hold the office.

Four

The international boundary between Canada and the United States is the world’s longest. Two answers to this question: (1) how many Canadian provinces and territories are on the border, and (2) how many US states are on the border.

Five

The northern end of the Yukon, Canada/Alaska, US border at 69°39′N 141°00′W is on the shore of what sea?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Five for Twenty-five—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Never Say Never Again.
Image Pinterest

One

Answer: Sean Connery

Irvin Kershner directed the 1983 non-Eon Productions Never Say Never Again, the seventh and final Bond film starring Sean Connery. The film‘s title referenced Connery’s 1971 declaration that he would never play the role again. The storyline follows Bond as he investigates the theft of nuclear weapons by SPECTRE. It is based on Ian Fleming’s 1961 novel Thunderball, which was originally written by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Fleming. The novel had previously been adapted into the 1965 film Thunderball.


Two

Answer: Organic Act

Stephen Mather, worried about the condition of national parks, was instrumental in founding the National Park Service (NPS) with his assistant Horace Albright through the Organic Act of 1916. They consolidated NPS properties, marketed the parks, and facilitated the establishment of many new parks and monuments. The act sought to preserve and enhance the enjoyment of national parks, monuments, and reservations.


Three

Answer: First

Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of Russia, transformed Russia into an empire but at a great cost. His later years were marked by paranoia, violence and the massacre of Novgorod, leading to the end of the Rurik dynasty.


Four

Answer: Brazil

The Treinta y Tres Orientales, led by Lavalleja and Oribe, fought for the independence of Oriental Province from Brazil in 1825, leading to the foundation of modern Uruguay.


Neptune image taken by Voyager 2, August 1989.
Image NASA via Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Voyager 2

Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. The probe is now in interstellar space, the region outside the heliopause, or the bubble of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the Sun.
NASA

Five for Twenty-five

All these questions are related to today, August 25th.

Yellowstone Lake showing geyser, Yellowstone National Park.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moore

Two

On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
Operational
Organic
Oversight

Three

On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
First
Fifth
Fourteenth

Four

On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
Benin
Bhutan
Brazil

Five

On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fire from the Earth—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Krakatoa, East of Java.
Image The Movie DB

One

Answer: Krakatoa and Krakatoa, East of Java

Krakatoa is west of Java not east! Apparently the film’s producers thought ‘West’ was more atmospheric than ‘East’. The eruption in 1883 destroyed over 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago, collapsing into a caldera. The eruption, heard 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometres) away, caused at least 36,417 deaths and had significant global effects.


Eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, 1983.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

Answer: Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea, an active shield volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, is known for its frequent eruptions, notably the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō eruption, which created new land. Located on the island’s southeastern shore, it is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. Kilauea is the most active of the five volcanoes forming the island and among the most active globally. The most recent eruption began in December 2024, continuing into 2025. Historically, it was thought to be a satellite of Mauna Loa. From 2008 to 2018, Halemaʻumaʻu hosted an active lava lake. Eruptions from 1983 to 2018 caused significant property damage, including the destruction of Kalapana and Kaimū in 1990. Since 2020, eruptions have occurred within the enlarged Halemaʻumaʻu crater and along the southwest and east rift zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1961, houses two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.


Mount Fuji from the International Space Station.
Image NASA/Wikipedia

Three

Answer: 18th century (December 16, 1707)

Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain and a cultural icon, is an active stratovolcano with a symmetrical cone. Situated in central Honshu, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a prominent feature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.


Devil’s Tower, Wyoming.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Answer: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Devils Tower (National Monument, Wyoming)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film by Steven Spielberg about a man whose life changes after a UFO encounter and a single mother whose son is abducted. The film’s climax is at Devil’s Tower. The film was a critical and financial success, grossing over $300 million worldwide and receiving numerous awards and nominations. It was preserved in the National Film Registry and has been released in multiple editions, including a Director’s Cut.


Hekla and an Icelandic horse.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Iceland

Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, is characterised by a 3.4-mile-long fissure and has erupted over 20 times since 1104. Its eruptions, including a major one in 1766, have caused significant damage and loss of life.

Fire from the Earth

Mount Vesuvius rising above the ruins of Pompeii.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

August 24th is traditionally believed to be the date of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Younger witnessed and wrote about the eruption, while his uncle, Pliny the Elder, tragically died while on a seaborne rescue effort. Today’s questions are all connected to volcanic activity,

One

In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?

Two

Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?

Three

In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?

Four

Geologists agree that a geological feature featured in a 1977 Steven Spielberg film began as magma, or molten rock, buried beneath the Earth’s surface. Please name the Spielberg film and identify the geological feature?

Five

Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.