Quizology.Online

A Serious Pursuit of the Trivial

  • Last to First | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Space shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) touches down at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, completing the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.
    July 21, 2011, Cape Canaveral, Florida.
    Image (NASA/Bill Ingalls)/Wikipedia

    One

    On July 21, 2011, the Space Shuttle program concluded with the landing of a shuttle at NASA’s Cape Canaveral. Which shuttle made this landing, marking the end of the Space Shuttle program?

    Answer: Atlantis

    From the first launch on April 12, 1981 to the final landing on July 21, 2011, NASA’s space shuttle fleet flew 135 missions, helped construct the International Space Station and inspired generations. 
    NASA’s space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continued to set high marks of achievement and endurance through 30 years of missions. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station. The final space shuttle mission, STS-135, ended July 21, 2011 when Atlantis rolled to a stop at its home port, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    – NASA

    Lyndon B. Johnson at the LBJ ranch, 1972.
    Image LBJ Library

    Two

    On this date in 2024, President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential election. Prior to this announcement, who was the most recent sitting United States president to decline to seek reelection?

    Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson

    On March 31, 1968, President Johnson delivered a national address that made three significant announcements: he had recently ordered substantial reductions in the bombing campaign against North Vietnam, he was requesting peace negotiations, and he would neither seek nor accept his party’s nomination for re-election.

    JK Rowling, 2010.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    What was the title of the final book in the Harry Potter series, released on July 21, 2007?

    Answer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

    Harry Potter, a fictional boy wizard created by British author J.K. Rowling, is the subject of seven immensely popular novels (1997–2007) and eight films (2001–11). His coming-of-age exploits were further adapted into a play and a book of its script in 2016.

    Four

    Today in 1954, the Geneva Accords divided what country along the 17th parallel?

    Answer: Vietnam

    The Geneva Accords, signed in 1954, divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel, establishing a cease-fire and calling for troop withdrawals. The Accords also stipulated all-Vietnamese elections by 1956 to reunify the country, though the U.S. and South Vietnam withheld approval.

    Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On 21 July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike made history as the world’s first female prime minister in which country?

    Answer: Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)

    Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female prime minister, served three terms in Sri Lanka. She carried on her assassinated husband’s socialist policies, promoting Buddhism and Sinhalese culture. However, she encountered economic crisis and defeat in 1965. She subsequently returned to serve two more terms as prime minister (1970–77, 1994–2000).

  • Last to First

    Five questions today, each requiring a single answer without multiple choices or additional hints.

    A space shuttle lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
    Image NASA.

    One

    On July 21, 2011, the Space Shuttle program concluded with the landing of a shuttle at NASA’s Cape Canaveral. Which shuttle made this landing, marking the end of the Space Shuttle program?

    Two

    On this date in 2024, President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential election. Prior to this announcement, who was the most recent sitting United States president to decline to seek reelection?

    Three

    What was the title of the final book in the Harry Potter series, released on July 21, 2007?

    Four

    Today in 1954 the Geneva Accords divided what country along the 17th parallel?

    Five

    On 21 July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike made history as the world’s first female prime minister in which country?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Mrs Bond | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Diana Rigg and George Lazenby. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The actress who played Countess Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was born 20 July 1938. Who was she?

    • Diana Rigg
    • Jill St. John
    • Shirley Eaton

    Answer: Diana Rigg

    Dame Enid Rigg was an English actress known for roles in The Avengers, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Game of Thrones. She won a Tony Award for her role in Medea and received numerous accolades for her contributions to drama.

    All three were Bond Girls with Jill St John appearing as Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever and Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger.

    Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was born 20 July 1919. In what city was he born?

    • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Canberra, Australia

    Answer: Auckland, New Zealand

    In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay of the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest using the South Col route. The news of their success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

    Claus von Stauffenberg.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, is most renowned for his unsuccessful attempt on 20 July 1944, to assassinate Adolf Hitler. At which of Hitler’s headquarters was this attempt executed?

    • Felsennest, (Rocky Eyrie), Bad Münstereifel
    • Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
    • Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    Answer: Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    On 20 July 1944, German resistance members, led by Claus von Stauffenberg, attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime. The assassination attempt failed, and the subsequent coup d’état, codenamed ‘Operation Valkyrie’, was quickly suppressed by the Nazi regime, resulting in the execution of many conspirators including von Stauffenberg.

    Václav Havel.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    On 20 July 1992, Václav Havel resigned as president of…

    • Albania
    • Bulgaria
    • Czechoslovakia

    Answer: Czechoslovakia

    In 1990, Czechoslovakia held its first free elections in 44 years, resulting in a victory for Civic Forum and Public Against Violence. Despite increasing tensions and the Slovak Declaration of Independence, Václav Havel supported the retention of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic and resigned as president in 1992. When the Czech Republic was created as one of two successor states, Havel successfully stood for election as its first president on 26 January 1993.

    Aldrin next to the Passive Seismic Experiment Package with the Lunar Module Eagle in the background. Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (Buzz Aldrin) landed on the Moon in the Lunar Module Eagle. How long did they remain on the Moon between the Eagle’s landing and the ascent stage’s departure for their return journey?

    • 21 hours and 36 minutes
    • 24 hours and 3 minutes
    • 32 hours and 28 minutes

    Answer: 21 hours and 36 minutes

    On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the Moon’s surface in the Eagle lunar module. During the descent, they encountered programme alarms and navigated through a boulder-strewn area. Armstrong successfully landed Eagle with only 216 pounds of fuel remaining, signalling to Mission Control, ‘Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed’.

    After a longer-than-expected preparation period, Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon’s surface, famously declaring, ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’.

    Armstrong and Aldrin deployed scientific instruments, collected rock samples, and planted a flag on the Moon and left behind memorial items, including a message disk with goodwill statements from world leaders. After a 21 hours and 36 minutes, they safely lifted off in the LM ascent stage to rejoin Michael Collins in lunar orbit.

  • Mrs Bond

    Today, we have another selection of multiple-choice questions.

    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The actress who played Countess Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was born 20 July 1938. Who was she?

    • Diana Rigg
    • Jill St. John
    • Shirley Eaton

    Two

    Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was born 20 July 1919. In what city was he born?

    • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Canberra, Australia

    Three

    Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, is most renowned for his unsuccessful attempt on 20 July 1944, to assassinate Adolf Hitler. At which of Hitler’s headquarters was this attempt executed?

    • Felsennest, (Rocky Eyrie), Bad Münstereifel
    • Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
    • Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    Four

    On 20 July 1992, Václav Havel resigned as president of…

    • Albania
    • Bulgaria
    • Czechoslovakia

    Five

    On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (Buzz) landed on the Moon in the Lunar Module Eagle. How long did they remain on the Moon between the Eagle’s landing and the ascent stage’s departure for their return journey?

    • 21 hours and 36 minutes
    • 24 hours and 3 minutes
    • 32 hours and 28 minutes

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Take your Pick | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) in the Bushveld, Limpopo, South Africa.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    What animal is pictured above?

    • Aardvark
    • Bonito
    • Coypu

    Answer: Aardvark

    Aardvarks are medium-sized, nocturnal mammals native to Africa, using their long proboscis to sniff out ants and termites. They are the only living species of the family Orycteropodidae and the order Tubulidentata, and are not closely related to pigs or anteaters despite superficial similarities.

    Aerial view of Pelham Bay Park (pictured centre left).
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    According to NYC Parks, the largest public park in New York City is…

    • Central Park, Manhattan
    • Marine Park, Brooklyn
    • Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

    Answer: Pelham Bay Park

    Pelham Bay Park, the largest public park in New York City, spans 2,765 acres in the Bronx. It features peninsulas, a lagoon, and recreational areas such as Orchard Beach and golf courses. The park has a rich history, having been part of Anne Hutchinson’s colony and later playing a role in the Revolutionary War.

    In contrast, Brooklyn’s Marine Park covers 798 acres, while Central Park is an impressive 843 acres.

    Billy the Kid, ballet by Aaron Copland (Premiere 1938).
    Image aaroncopland.com

    Three

    Aaron Copland composed which 1938 ballet?

    • Billy the Kid
    • The Gunfight at the OK Corral
    • Wild Bill

    Answer: Billy the Kid

    Aaron Copland’s 1938 ballet Billy the Kid, commissioned by Lincoln Kirstein and choreographed by Eugene Loring, is a popular and widely performed piece. It incorporates cowboy tunes and American folk songs, portraying the ‘Wild West’ through the figure of Billy the Kid.

    Four

    In what year, and where, was Rift Valley fever first identified?

    • 1851, Japan
    • 1931, Kenya
    • 2011, Laos

    Answer: 1931, Kenya

    The virus was first identified in 1931 during an investigation into an epidemic among sheep in the Rift Valley of Kenya. It is a viral disease transmitted through contact with infected animal blood, raw milk, or mosquito bites. Symptoms range from mild fever and muscle pain to severe complications like blindness, brain infections, and bleeding, with a 50% fatality rate for those with bleeding. Outbreaks occur in Africa and Arabia, typically during rainy periods.

    City of London within London (in centre of image).
    Image Maproom

    Five

    What is the approximate area of the City of London?

    • 1 square mile
    • 11 square miles
    • 111 square miles

    Answer: 1 square mile

    The City of London, or “the City,” is the historic centre of London, containing historic sites like St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Stock Exchange. It is the smallest ceremonial county and local government district in England, with an area of 1.12 sq mi, earning it the nickname the Square Mile.

  • Take your Pick

    Five multiple choice questions on a mixture of topics.

    Image Wikipedia

    One

    What animal is pictured above?

    • Aardvark
    • Bonito
    • Coypu

    Two

    According to NYC Parks, the largest public park in New York City is…

    • Central Park, Manhattan
    • Marine Park, Brooklyn
    • Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

    Three

    Aaron Copland composed which 1938 ballet?

    • Billy the Kid
    • The Gunfight at the OK Corral
    • Wild Bill

    Four

    In what year, and where, was Rift Valley fever first isolated?

    • 1851, Japan
    • 1931, Kenya
    • 2011, Laos

    Five

    What is the approximate area of the City of London?

    • 1 square mile
    • 11 square miles
    • 111 square miles

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Aye Aye Captain | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Film poster for Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001).
    Image MovieDB

    One

    Which Louis de Bernières novel begins with the line, “Dr. Iannis had enjoyed a satisfactory day in which none of his patients had died or deteriorated”?

    Answer: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

    Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, released simultaneously in the United States as Corelli’s Mandolin, is a 1994 novel by the British writer Louis de Bernières, set on the Greek island of Cephalonia during the Italian and German occupation of the Second World War. In 2003, the novel was listed at number 19 on the BBC’s survey The Big Read. It has been adapted for radio, t#heatre and film, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001)

    The Camels are Coming was the first in the series of Biggles stories by Captain W.E. Johns.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Who wrote the Biggles series of novels?

    Answer: Captain W.E. Johns

    Biggles, a fictional pilot and adventurer, is the hero of the Biggles series of adventure books written by W.E. Johns. The series, which includes nearly a hundred volumes, began in 1932 and continued until Johns’ death in 1968.

    Captain Underpants.
    Image Hero.wikia.com

    Three

    Created by US author Dav Pilkey, which superhero is the alter ego of elementary school principal Mr Krupp?

    Answer: Captain Underpants

    Captain Underpants is a children’s novel series about two fourth graders, George and Harold, who accidentally bring their comic book superhero to life.

    Last expedition of Robert Falcon Scott.
    The image shows Wilson, Scott and Oates (standing); and Bowers and Evans (sitting).
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Who led the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica in June 1910?

    Answer: Captain Robert F. Scott

    The Terra Nova Expedition, led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, aimed to continue scientific research and reach the South Pole. Scott and four companions reached the pole in 1912, only to find they had been beaten by a Norwegian team. All five of the party died on their return journey from the Pole.

    Puppets by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson for Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet at the National Media Museum, Bradford, England.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Which 1960s sci-fi TV series featured the international security organisation, Spectrum?

    Answer: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons

    Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons is a British science fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. It was the sixth Anderson series to use Supermarionation puppetry and scale model special effects.

  • Aye Aye Captain

    Today’s answers are all captains.

    Captain Haddock.
    Image Tintin.com

    One

    Which Louis de Bernières novel begins with this line

    Dr. Iannis had enjoyed a satisfactory day in which none of his patients had died or deteriorated.

    Two

    Who wrote the Biggles series of novels?

    Three

    Created by US author Dav Pilkey, which superhero is the alter ego of elementary school principal Mr Krupp?

    Four

    Who led the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica (1910-1913?

    Five

    Which 1960s sci-fi TV series featured the international security organisation, Spectrum?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Gallimaufry II | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Camilo José Cela.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Which Spanish Nobel laureate wrote the novels The Family of Pascual Duarte, The Hive and Christ Versus Arizona?

    • Camilo José Cela
    • Mario Vargas Llosa
    • Patrick Modiano

    Answer: Camilo José Cela

    Camilo José Cela y Trulock, a Spanish novelist and poet, was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature for his prose. He was associated with the Generation of ’36 movement.

    National Museum of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Yaoundé is the capital of which French-speaking West African country?

    Answer: Cameroon

    Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, is the second-largest city with a population of over 2.8 million. Founded as a German trading post in 1887, it became the French colonial capital in 1922 and the seat of government for independent Cameroon in 1960.

    King George VI and Queen Elizabeth acknowledge the crowds at Toronto City Hall during the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Camilla is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. Who was the last person to be Queen consort of these realms?

    Answer: Elizabeth (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon wife of George VI and later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother)

    Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married Prince Albert, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. When King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, Prince Albert became King George VI, and Elizabeth, as his wife, became Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth. She was also the last Empress of India. After her husband’s death in 1952, her daughter Elizabeth became queen regnant, or queen in her own right. She reigned as Elizabeth II, and to avoid confusion, her mother was styled as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

    Captain Archibald Haddock.
    Image Tintin.com

    Four

    …is Tintin’s friend, but what is his full name?

    Answer: Archibald Haddock

    Captain Archibald Haddock, introduced in The Crab with the Golden Claws, is Tintin’s best friend and a seafaring captain. Initially depicted as alcoholic, he becomes more respectable and heroicand quickly evolved into a loyal companion to Tintin. Hergé developed Haddock’s character, giving him a rich ancestry and a home, Marlinspike Hall, to provide a base for future adventures. Haddock’s name was suggested by Hergé’s wife, and his character was based on aspects of Hergé’s friends, adding humour to the Tintin stories.

    Women’s lacrosse.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    The Women’s Lacrosse World Cup has been held eleven times, with the United States winning nine of these championships. The remaining two championships were won by which country?

    • Australia
    • Belgium
    • Canada

    Answer: Australia

    The World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, held every four years, is the international championship of women’s lacrosse. Sponsored by the Federation of International Lacrosse since 2009, it was previously sponsored by the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations. Australia’s victory over the United States in two finals means the US has been represented in all eleven championship finals.

  • Gallimaufry II

    gallimaufry
    noun
    a hodgepodge; confused medley; jumble.

    Today’s questions have no theme and some are multiple choice but others are not.

    Captain ?
    Image Tintin.com

    One

    Which Spanish Nobel laureate wrote the novels The Family of Pascual Duarte, The Hive and Christ Versus Arizona?

    • Camilo José Cela
    • Mario Vargas Llosa
    • Patrick Modiano

    Two

    Yaoundé is the capital of which French-speaking West African country?

    Three

    Camilla is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as she is the wife of King Charles III. Who was the last person to be Queen consort of these realms?

    Four

    The picture at the top of the post is of Tintin’s friend, but what is his full name?

    Five

    The Women’s Lacrosse World Cup has been held eleven times, with the United States winning nine of these championships. The remaining two championships were won by which country?

    • Australia
    • Belgium
    • Canada

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.