J is for… | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

Title page of first edition of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
Image Wikipedia

1 Gulliver’s Travels was written by…

  • Jonathan Swift—an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist, is known for his deadpan and ironic style, particularly in works like A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. He is regarded as the greatest satirist of the Georgian era and one of the foremost prose satirists in English literature. The above illustration and the quote from it, below, shows he credited Gulliver’s with the authorship.

By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships

MS Queen Elizabeth at Juneau, Alaska, 2024.
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2 Can you identify the US state capital being described? Its indigenous name is Dzántik’i Héeni, and it was originally named Harrisburg before becoming Rockwell. Notably, it is the largest state capital by area.

  • Juneau—the capital of Alaska, is located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. It is the second-largest municipality in the United States by area and is not connected to the rest of the state or contiguous United States by road due to its rugged terrain. Juneau is home to the state legislature, governor and lieutenant governor; it experiences a significant influx of visitors during the summer months.
Front cover, first edition of Jaws by Peter Benchley, 1974.
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3 ‘The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail…’ are the opening words of what 1974 novel?

  • Jaws—a novel by Peter Benchley, was published in 1974 and tells the story of a great white shark terrorising a resort town. The novel’s success led to a blockbuster film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975, which became the highest-grossing film of its time.
Fireworks of 14 July 2017 in Paris.
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4 The Bastille was stormed by a Parisian crowd in 1789. On what month and date?

  • July 14—Commonly known in English as Bastille Day, Festival de la Fédération or La fête nationale, is celebrated annually on 14 July, it is France’s national day commemorating the Storming of the Bastille in 1789, a key event in the French Revolution. Officially established in 1880, the holiday includes speeches, military parades, fireworks and public festivities; and is observed in France, its overseas territories, and by Francophiles globally.
Johnnie Walker logo incorporating ‘The Striding Man’.
Image Wikipedia

5 The Striding Man logo is used by which Scotch whisky brand?

  • Johnnie Walker—John Walker, born in 1805, managed a grocery and spirits shop in Kilmarnock, Scotland. After his death in 1857, his son Alexander expanded the business, introducing the signature square bottle and the Striding Man mascot. The company’s success grew under Alexander and his sons, with the introduction of blended whiskies like Johnnie Walker Red and Black Labels.

J is for…

The alphabet theme continues with some questions where all the answers begin with ‘J’.

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
ISBN 978-5-389-02434-2, 2012.
Illustrator Vadim Chelak.
Image Pinterest
  1. Gulliver’s Travels was written by…
  2. Can you identify the US state capital being described? Its indigenous name is Dzántik’i Héeni, and it was originally named Harrisburg before becoming Rockwell. Notably, it is the largest state capital by area.
  3. ‘The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail…’—these are the opening words of what 1974 novel?
  4. The Bastille was stormed by a Parisian crowd in 1789. On what month and date?
  5. The Striding Man logo is used by which Scotch whisky brand?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

I is for… | Answers


The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

Cliff Richard, 2021.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Where was singer Cliff Richard born?
    • India—Sir Cliff Richard, a British singer and actor, was born in Lucknow, India where his father worked. He has sold over 250 million records worldwide. Richard dominated the British music scene in the late 1950s to early 1960s with his backing group, the Shadows, and has achieved numerous UK chart successes, including 14 No. 1 singles.
      Central starry pathway is the Milky Way, our home galaxy. The Andromeda galaxy is an elongated fuzzy patch, just right of centre. Photo copyright Mike Taylor of Taylor Photography.
      Image EarthSky
  2. What 13-letter word describes travelling between Earth and Andromeda?
    • Intergalactic—The Earth and the Solar System are situated within the Milky Way galaxy. Andromeda, on the other hand, is a distinct galaxy. Consequently, intergalactic travel would be necessary to traverse between these celestial bodies.
      Marty Feldman as Igor, in Young Frankenstein.
      Image Pinterest
  3. A forename links the following fictional characters: The Soviet spy who featured in the first issue of The Incredible Hulk comic book (1962); a servant played by Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein (1974); and Karkaroff from the Harry Potter series. What forename?
    • Igor—firstly, a Soviet spy who detonated the Gamma Bomb, creating the Hulk. After the Hulk’s first transformation, Igor was captured and imprisoned. Secondly, Marty Feldman was Igor, a hunchbacked servant of Frederick Frankenstein, and grandson of the original Igor who worked with Victor. Finally, in Harry Potter, Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute, is a former Death Eater who favours Viktor Krum in the Triwizard Tournament. He is later found dead in a shack with the Dark Mark, suggesting he was killed by other Death Eaters.
      Elegantly Wasted
      by INXS
  4. Elegantly Wasted, released in 1997, was what band’s tenth studio album?
    • INXS—Elegantly Wasted, INXS’s tenth studio album, was released in 1997 and is the final album with lead singer Michael Hutchence. The album was dedicated to the Farriss brothers’ mother, Jill, who died in 1995.
      Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom poster.
      Image The Movie Database
  5. What was the full name of the second Indiana Jones film?
    • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom—is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film follows Indiana Jones as he is asked by desperate villagers to find a mystical stone and rescue their children from a Thuggee cult. The film was a financial success, grossing $333.1 million worldwide, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score.

I is for…

The alphabet theme continues with some questions where all the answers begin with ‘I’.

Cliff Richard and The Shadows, 1962.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Where was singer Cliff Richard born?
  2. What 13-letter word describes travelling between Earth and Andromeda?
  3. A forename links the following fictional characters: The Soviet spy who featured in the first issue of The Incredible Hulk comic book (1962); a servant played by Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein (1974); and Karkaroff from the Harry Potter series. What forename? Igor—firstly, a Soviet spy who detonated the Gamma Bomb, creating the Hulk. After the Hulk’s first transformation, Igor was captured and imprisoned. Marty Feldman was Igor, a hunchbacked servant of Frederick Frankenstein, and grandson of the original Igor who worked with Victor. In Harry Potter, Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute, is a former Death Eater who favours Viktor Krum in the Triwizard Tournament. He is later found dead in a shack with the Dark Mark, suggesting he was killed by other Death Eaters.
  4. Elegantly Wasted, released in 1997, was what band’s tenth studio album?
  5. What was the full name of the second Indiana Jones film?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

H is for… | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

National flag of Haiti.
Image is from CRW Flags
  1. Added to the Liechtenstein flag in 1937 the prince’s crown distinguishes it from what other national flag?
    • Haiti—Liechtenstein’s flag, originally plain blue and red, was changed in 1937 to include a golden crown to avoid confusion with Haiti’s flag. The fact that both were identical had been first noticed at the previous summer’s Olympic games.
      Haiku.
      Image Pinterest
  2. In Japanese literature what is an unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables respectively.
    • Haiku—is an unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines with a pattern of 5, 7 and 5 syllables. Traditionally, it evokes images of the natural world.
      Happy Mondays.
      Image Pinterest
  3. The original line-up of what band included the brothers Shaun and Paul Ryder?
    • Happy Mondays—an English rock band from Salford, pioneered the Madchester sound by blending Manchester alternative rock with funk, house and psychedelia. They achieved commercial success with albums like Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches before disbanding in 1993. They have since reunited several times with variations in the line-up.
      Flyer for the 1979 stage production of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. In The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox steals a prototype spacecraft. What was it named?
    • Heart of Gold—Arthur Dent, the protagonist of the stories, and his friend Ford Prefect are improbably rescued from interstellar space by the Heart of Gold, stolen by Zaphod Beeblebrox. The ship, powered by the infinite improbability drive, carries Trillian (Tricia McMillan, also from Earth) and the depressed Marvin, the Paranoid Android. Eventually, the ship moves into orbit around the legendary planet of Magrathea.
      Hercules and the Wagoner or Hercules and the Carter.
      Image is from Fables of Aesop
  5. _ and the Wagoner is one of Aesop’s Fables. What mythical hero’s name is missing from the title?
    • Hercules—Hercules and the Wagoner. A Wagoner, stuck in the mud, prayed to Hercules for help. Hercules appeared and advised the Wagoner to help himself by pushing the wagon. Aesop’s Fables, initially aimed at adults, have been adapted for children and reinterpreted over time. The fables, covering religious, social and political themes, have been adapted into various media, reinforcing their ethical dimension and enduring popularity.

H is for…

A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘H’. As you know the starting letter, there are no multiple-choice options.

Flag of Liechtenstein.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Added to the Liechtenstein flag in 1937 the prince’s crown distinguishes it from what other national flag?
  2. In Japanese literature what is an unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables respectively?
  3. The original line-up of what band included the brothers Shaun and Paul Ryder?
  4. In The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox steals a prototype spacecraft. What was it named?
  5. ___ and the Wagoner is one of Aesop’s Fables. What mythical hero’s name is missing from the title?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

G is for… | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

Cream in 1967.
L to R: Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Cream reunited in 2005 who, along with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, was the third band member?
    • Ginger Baker—Cream, a British rock supergroup formed in 1966, consisted of Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. Known for their instrumental proficiency, they released four albums and sold over 15 million records worldwide before disbanding in 1969 due to internal tensions.
      Gerald Ford on the football field at the University of Michigan, 1933.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. A twentieth-century US President played football as a centre for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics before studying law at Yale. Can you name him?
    • Gerald Ford—the 38th US President, served from 1974 to 1977 after Nixon’s resignation. He faced economic challenges, including inflation and recession, and granted Nixon a pardon for Watergate. Ford also signed the Helsinki Accords and ended US involvement in the Vietnam War.
      Goldberry and Tom Bombadil with the Hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
      Image Pinterest
  3. River-daughter, a character fromThe Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, doesn’t appear in Peter Jackson’s films. She is the wife of Tom Bombadil and resides with him in the Old Forest at the edge of Buckland. What name is she commonly known by?
    • Goldberry—the wife of Tom Bombadil, is a mysterious character in JRR Tolkien’s works. Her origins and role are debated, with scholars comparing her to characters in other works and suggesting she may be a divine being. In The Fellowship of the Ring novel Goldberry and Tom shelter Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin after their journey through the Old Forest.
      Groucho Marx.
      Image Pinterest
  4. By what name was Julius Henry Marx better known?
    • Groucho Marx—was an American comedian, actor, writer and singer known for his work with the Marx Brothers and his solo career, particularly as the host of You Bet Your Life. He is remembered for his distinctive appearance, including a stooped posture, spectacles, cigar and thick greasepaint moustache.
      Gambit (1966) poster.
      Image Pinterest
  5. What single word connects the following three things: Mike, a character in the TV series The New Avengers; Remy LeBeau, a fictional comic book superhero and X-Men member in the Marvel Universe; and a 1966 film starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine?
    • Gambit—Mike Gambit from the The New Avengers; Remy LeBeau aka Gambit from the Marvel Universe and Gambit the 1966 heist film.
Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit,
The New Avengers.
Image Pinterest
Gambit,
The X-Men.
Image Pinterest

G is for…

A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘G’. As you know the starting letter, there are no multiple-choice options.

Cream in 1967.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Cream reunited in 2005 who, along with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, was the third band member?
  2. A twentieth-century US President played as a centre for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics before studying law at Yale. Can you name him?
  3. River-daughter, a character from The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, does not appear in Peter Jackson’s films. She is the wife of Tom Bombadil and resides with him in the Old Forest at the edge of Buckland. What name is she commonly known by?
  4. By what name was Julius Henry Marx better known?
  5. What single word connects the following three things: Mike, a character in the TV series The New Avengers; Remy LeBeau, a fictional comic book superhero and X-Men member in the Marvel Universe; and a 1966 film starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

F is for… | Answers

Forth Bridge.
Image Wikipedia
  1. The bridge pictured is the…
    • Forth Bridge—The Forth Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth (estuary of the River Forth) in Scotland, was completed in 1890 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the world’s longest single cantilever bridge span until 1919 and remains the second longest.
      Frida Kahlo, by Guillermo Kahlo.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Which Mexican painter’s final work, Viva La Vida (1954), depicts a still-life of watermelons?
    • Frida Kahlo—was a Mexican painter known for her self-portraits and works inspired by Mexican culture. Her paintings, often autobiographical and mixing realism with fantasy gained international recognition in the late 1970s and early 1990s, becoming an icon for Chicanos, feminists and the LGBTQ+ community.
      Felix in Oceantics (1930).
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Which feline has been described as the world’s most popular cartoon star before Mickey Mouse?
    • Felix the cat—created in 1919, is a cartoon character known for his black body, white eyes, and grin. He starred in animated shorts, a comic strip and merchandise, but his popularity declined with the advent of sound cartoons. Despite a brief revival in the 1930s and television appearances in the 1950s, Felix’s success waned.
      Enrico Fermi, 1943.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Which synthetic element, atomic No 100, is named after an Italian-born physicist?
    • Fermium—a synthetic actinide with the symbol Fm and atomic number 100, is the heaviest element produced by neutron bombardment. Discovered in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb explosion in 1952 it is named after Enrico Fermi.
      Ray Bradbury.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Author Ray Bradbury is best known for what 1953 novel?
    • Fahrenheit 451—Ray Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter known for his works in fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery and realistic fiction. His other well-known works include The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man.

F is for…

A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘F’. As you know the starting letter, there are no multiple-choice options.

Image Wikipedia
  1. The bridge pictured is the…
  2. Which Mexican painter’s final work, Viva La Vida (1954), depicts a still-life of watermelons?
  3. Which feline has been described as the world’s most popular cartoon star before Mickey Mouse?
  4. Which synthetic element, atomic No 100, is named after an Italian-born physicist?
  5. Author Ray Bradbury is best known for what 1953 novel?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.