See question five. The world’s seventh-highest mountain 8167 m above sea level. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s date-related questions are all connected to May 13th.
One
In 1637, according to tradition France’s Cardinal Richelieu invented the table knife by having the tips of knives rounded. He did this to prevent what?
Two
On this day in 1940, some eight months into World War II, Winston Churchill faced the United Kingdom’s House of Commons for the first time as prime minister and informed them that “I have nothing to offer but …, …, … and ….” What four words have been removed from this quotation?
Three
97-year-old Doris von Kappelhoff died on this day in 2019. Who was she better known as?
Four
In 1981, the pope survived an assassination attempt. What pope and where did this happen?
Five
The world’s seventh-highest mountain above sea level has several peaks exceeding 25,000 feet (7,620 m) and one at 26,795 feet (8,167 m). It has a name meaning ‘white mountain’; what is that name?
Another five sets of initials for you to flesh out.
One
What, in the American broadcasting industry, do the initials CNN stand for?
Answer: Cable News Network.
CNN, founded in 1980 by Ted Turner, is a 24-hour cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. As of December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 subscribers in the United States and its programming airs globally through CNN International.
Two
What do the initials stand for in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s name?
Answer: John Ronald Reuel.
J.R.R. Tolkien, an English writer and philologist, authored The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He was a professor at Oxford and a devout Catholic.
Three
What names do the two Rs in American author George R.R. Martin’s name represent?
Answer: Raymond Richard.
George Raymond Richard Martin, who writes as George R.R. Martin, is an American author, screenwriter and television producer, best known for his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, adapted into the award-winning television series Game of Thrones. He also contributed to the Wild Cards anthology series and the video game Elden Ring.
Four
Geographically in North America what is HOMES, and what does each letter represent?
Answer: The Great Lakes; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.
The Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior — a group of five interconnected freshwater lakes on the Canada-US border, are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total area. They formed around 14,000 years ago and have been a major source of transportation, migration, trade, and fishing.
Five
What words are represented by the letters in the abbreviation NASA?
Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
NASA, established in 1958, is the U.S. government agency responsible for the civil space program and aeronautics research. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it operates ten field centres and leads various spaceflight programmes, including Artemis. NASA collaborates internationally and domestically, with a budget of $24.4 billion for fiscal year 2026.
Here are five sets of initials for you to flesh out.
One
In computing what does WYSIWYG stand for?
Answer: What You See Is What You Get.
WYSIWYG software allows content editing in a form resembling its final appearance, such as a printed document or web page.
Two
UNICEF was formed in 1946 what, at that time, did the letters in UNICEF stand for?
Answer: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.
UNICEF, a United Nations agency, provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. Operating in 192 countries, its activities include immunisations, disease prevention, nutrition, sanitation, education, and emergency relief. UNICEF relies on voluntary contributions and is governed by a 36-member executive board. Since 1953, UNICEF has officially been the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Three
In the US military MASH was an abbreviation meaning what?
Answer: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) were U.S. Army field hospitals operational from the Korean War to the Gulf War. They provided crucial medical support to large army units, with a low mortality rate due to their proximity to the front lines. A media franchise (books, film and television) which depicts fictional characters at a fictional Korean War field hospital, focussing on medical practice and the staff’s humorous antics.
Four
During the NASA Space Shuttle program each mission was referred to by an STS number. What words were represented by the letters STS?
Answers: Space Transportation System.
The Space Shuttle programme, operational from 1981 to 2011, was NASA’s fourth human spaceflight programme. It involved reusable orbiters launched with solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank, carrying astronauts and payloads to low Earth orbit. The Shuttle was the first reusable crewed space vehicle to achieve orbit and landing.
Five
In Australian geography what is A.C.T.?
Answer: Australian Capital Territory.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), established in 1911, houses the nation’s capital, Canberra. While the ACT has its own government, the Federal Parliament can overrule its legislation.
Today’s questions are multiple-choice and are all about films.
One
What film features Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson?
Abandonment
Management
Settlement
Answer: 2. Management.
Management is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama directed by Stephen Belber.
Two
In 1953, Marlon Brando starred in The Wild One, riding his own motorcycle. What type of motorcycle?
Harley-Davidson K
Honda CB92
Triumph Thunderbird 6T
Answer: 3. Triumph Thunderbird 6T.
In 1953, Brando starred in The Wild One, riding his own Triumph Thunderbird 6T motorcycle. However, Triumph’s importers were wary of the film’s exposure. The subject matter centred on rowdy motorcycle gangs taking over a small town and the film was criticised for its perceived gratuitous violence.
Three
Who played the bomber in the 1994 film Speed?
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lawson
Dennis Thatcher
Answer: 1. Dennis Hopper.
Speed is a 1994 American action thriller film directed by Jan de Bont. The filmfollows LAPD officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) as he attempts to prevent a city bus, which is being driven by a passenger (Sandra Bullock) from exploding.
Four
Which of these was a US Army Captain and a trained military helicopter pilot?
Bob Dylan
Don Henley
Kris Kristofferson
Answer: 3. Kris Kritofferson.
In 1961, Kristofferson joined the US Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He then attended US Army Ranger School and completed helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. After being transferred to West Germany he was promoted to Captain.
Five
Who sang As Time Goes By in the movie Casablanca?
Andy Williams
Dooley Wilson
Hoagy Carmichael
Answer: 2. Dooley Wilson.
As Time Goes By is a jazz song written in 1931 and made famous by the 1942 film Casablanca. It has been covered by numerous artists and is often used in films and series to evoke nostalgia.
Here are some more multiple-choice which don’t have any specific theme.
One
Where in South Australia is a major opal producer?
Andamooka
OhWell
Utapau
Answer: 1. Andamooka.
Andamooka, a remote opal-mining town in South Australia, is known for its historic opal mining, semi-dugout housing, and astronomy tourism. The town is administered by the Outback Communities Authority and lies within the state electoral district of Giles and the federal Division of Grey.
Two
What was a popular, long-running British film series?
Carry Off
Carry On
Carry Out
Answer: 2. Carry On.
Carry On is a British comedy franchise with 31 films, the most of any British film franchise. The films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers, were made between 1958 (Carry On Sergeant) and 1992 (Carry On Columbus), with a 14-year gap between the 30th and 31st entries. The series employed a regular ensemble cast and was known for its humour in the British comic tradition.
Three
The city now known as … developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. … was founded on the Sarayburnu promontory by Greek colonists, potentially in the seventh century BC. — Wikipedia
What cities are missing from the description from Wikipedia. The first is a modern city and the second is that cities original name?
Ararat and Davalou
Bosanska Kostajnica and Kostajnica
Istanbul and Byzantium
Answers: 3. Istanbul and Byzantium.
Byzantium, an ancient Greek city founded in the 7th century BCE, later became Constantinople and is now Istanbul. It was a Greek-speaking city until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in 1453 CE.
Four
In 1978, Herman Wouk wrote which classic?
War And Remembrance
The Brothers Karamazov
The Mists of Avalon
Answer: 1. War and Remembrance.
War and Remembrance (1978), a sequel to The Winds of War (1971), follows the Henry and Jastrow families from December 1941 to August 1945.
Five
The seat of government of a European country is in a city named from a term meaning ‘hedge’? What country?
Belgium
Denmark
Netherlands
Answer: 3. Netherlands.
The Hague, the third-largest city in the Netherlands, is the country’s administrative centre and seat of government. The name Den Haag, meaning ‘hedge’ or ‘enclosure’, first appeared in 1242. The fuller form, ’s-Gravenhage, meaning ‘the count’s enclosure’, appeared in 1347.
Here are some more multiple-choice which don’t have any specific theme.
One
Where in South Australia is a major opal producer?
Andamooka
OhWell
Utapau
Two
What was a popular, long-running British film series?
Carry Off
Carry On
Carry Out
Three
The city now known as … developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. … was founded on the Sarayburnu promontory by Greek colonists, potentially in the seventh century BC. — Wikipedia
What cities are missing from the description from Wikipedia. The first is a modern city and the second is that cities original name?
Ararat and Davalou
Bosanska Kostajnica and Kostajnica
Istanbul and Byzantium
Four
In 1978, Herman Wouk wrote which classic?
War And Remembrance
The Brothers Karamazov
The Mists of Avalon
Five
The seat of government of a European country is in a city named from a term meaning ‘hedge’? What country?
Today’s questions are multiple-choice and don’t have a specific theme.
One
… was one of the names commonly used for evolutionary ideas in the 19th century before Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species (1859). — Wikipedia
Which of these words is missing from the beginning of this quote from Wikipedia?
Transactional
Transmutation
Transubstantiation
Answer: 2. Transmutation.
Transmutation, a term used for evolutionary ideas before Darwin, was coined by Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter to describe species changes through hybridisation. The term ‘evolution’ gained widespread use in the 1860s.
Two
Who was an American Formula 1 driver?
Mario Andretti
Mario Puzo
Mario Lanza
Answer: 1. Mario Andretti.
Mario Andretti, an American former racing driver, competed in Formula One from 1968 to 1982 and IndyCar from 1964 to 1994. He won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 1978 and achieved numerous victories in various racing disciplines, including the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500. Andretti’s legacy as a racing icon is cemented by his 111 official victories and his induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Mario Puzo, an American author, wrote The Godfather. Mario Lanza was an American tenor and actor.
Three
Which of these is a World Heritage Site described as ‘an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns’?
Skara Brae
Giant’s Causeway
Macgillycuddy’s Reeks
Answer: 2. Giant’s Causeway.
The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, features 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. Owned by the National Trust, it is a popular tourist attraction, receiving nearly one million visitors annually.
Four
What noun means ‘a herd of wild swine’?
Blunder
Pounder
Sounder
Answer: 3. Sounder.
Sounder’s origin is described by the Oxford English Dictionary as
– ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French sundre, sonre, of Germanic origin. — Oxford English Dictionary
Five
What Hollywood actress was born with the surname FitzSimons, in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland on 17 August 1920.
Carole Lombard
Maureen O’Hara
Rita Hayworth
Answer: 2. Maureen O’Hara.
Maureen O’Hara was an Irish-American actress known for her roles in Westerns and adventure films, particularly her collaborations with John Ford and John Wayne. She was nicknamed “the Queen of Technicolour” and starred in numerous successful films throughout the 1940s to 1960s. O’Hara retired in 1971 but returned to acting in 1991 and received an Honorary Academy Award in 2014.
