Quizology.Online

Tag: entertainment

  • The Truth is Out There — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971)
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..

    One

    On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?

    Answer: Roswell, New Mexico.

    On 8 July, Roswell Army Air Field’s public information officer, Walter Haut, issued a press release.

    The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff’s office of Chaves County.
    The flying object landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having phone facilities, the rancher stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the sheriff’s office, who in turn notified Maj. Jesse A. Marcel of the 509th Bomb Group Intelligence Office.
    — Associated Press (July 8, 1947)

    The press release was refuted within a day. The official position changed to the debris coming from a weather balloon.

    Two

    In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?

    Answer: I Want to Believe.

    Mulder acquired multiple versions of the ‘I Want to Believe’ poster, starting with a flat UFO design and evolving to a fatter UFO. The poster, a constant in his office, survived a fire and was swapped out for newer versions over the years. In 2016, a fifth version appeared in his Virginia office, and a similar one was seen in the FBI office, with Scully claiming it as hers.

    Three

    What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?

    Answer: Nostromo; Alien.

    Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel, Nostromo, is set in the fictional South American republic of Costaguana. It is considered Conrad’s best work and was ranked 47th on the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list. Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, is a seminal sci-fi horror film about the Nostromo, named after Conrad’s novel, crew encountering a deadly alien. It won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and its iconic design, suspense, and Sigourney Weaver’s performance made it a classic, spawning a successful franchise.

    Four

    Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?

    Answer: Mostly Harmless; The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

    In the novel Mostly Harmless, Elvis is discovered by Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent working as a bar singer on an alien planet, and owning a large pink spaceship. Ford, having become a huge fan of Elvis while he was stranded on Earth, watched the performance intently for its entire duration. Presley is not actually named, but his identity is easy to determine from the facts that the bar is called ‘The Domain of The King’, the ‘EP’ initials in the pink spaceship which Ford and Arthur buy from him, and the accent in which he sings. He tells Ford that, contrary to popular belief, he was not abducted by aliens; he went with them of his own free will.

    Five

    ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?

    Answer: Mork; Ork; Robin Williams.

    Mork, played by Robin Williams, first appeared in Happy Days in 1978. The character’s popularity led to the spin-off Mork & Mindy, set in Boulder, Colorado. Mork, an alien from the planet Ork, arrives on Earth to observe human behaviour and befriends Mindy, who helps him adjust to life on Earth, resulting in humorous situations as Mork struggles to understand human customs. The show, which was Robin Williams’s first major acting role, was extremely popular in its first season but later faced declining ratings after being moved to a less favourable time slot.

    The Truth is Out There

    Was the tagline for the majority of the episode of The X-Files.

  • The Truth is Out There

    Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971)
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..

    One

    On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?

    Two

    In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?

    Three

    What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?

    Four

    Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?

    Five

    ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Fresh brown loaf sliced to uniform thickness by a bread slicing machine.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of today’s questions relate to the date, 7 July.

    One

    On this day, bread loaves that had been pre-sliced by a machine designed by jeweller Otto Rohwedder were sold for the first time. In what decade and on what continent did this occur?

    Answer: 1920s; North America.

    Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the first bread-slicing machine, with a working model in 1928. The Chillicothe Baking Company, Chillicothe, Missouri, U.S., sold the first sliced bread on 7 July 1928. Gustav Papendick improved slicing by using cardboard trays, and W.E. Long promoted packaging. Wonder Bread marketed sliced bread nationwide in 1930. The first slicing and wrapping machine in the UK was installed at Wonderloaf Bakery, Tottenham, London, in 1937. By the 1950s, approximately 80% of bread sold in Britain was pre-sliced, reflecting a significant shift in bread consumption habits and bakery practices during that era.

    Two

    The archipelago in which the six-month-long World War II Battle of Guadalcanal took place gained independence in 1978. By what name is this island country known today, and what country did it gain independence from?

    Answer: Solomon Islands; Great Britain.

    The Solomon Islands, an archipelagic country in Melanesia, consists of six major islands and over 1,000 smaller islands. Settled since at least 30,000 BC, it became a British protectorate in 1893 and gained independence in 1978, becoming a constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II as queen, succeeded by King Charles III in 2022.

    Three

    Also in 1978, Martina Navratilova won the first of her Wimbledon singles titles. Who was the defeated semi-finalist in that match, and how many singles titles did Navratilova win at Wimbledon in total?

    Answer: Chris Evert; nine.

    Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former tennis player, dominated women’s tennis in the 1980s. She holds numerous records, including 18 singles majors, 31 women’s doubles majors, and 10 mixed doubles majors. Navratilova, who became a US citizen in 1981 and later reacquired Czech citizenship, is also known for her activism on gay rights.

    Four

    The final film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series premiered in London. What was the film’s title, and in what year was this?

    Answer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2; 2011.

    The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the life of a young wizard and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The series explores themes of prejudice, corruption, love, and death, and has sold over 600 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling book series in history. The franchise has expanded to include films, a play, a television series, and various other derivative works.

    Five

    On this day in 1937, an incident occurred at the Marco Polo Bridge between troops of two armies. This became the first incident in a war that lasted eight years. In what country is the Marco Polo Bridge? The belligerents in this war were a republic and an empire. Who were they?

    Answer: China; Republic of China and the Empire of Japan.

    The Marco Polo Bridge, officially the Lugou Bridge, located southwest of Beijing, is famous for its praise by Marco Polo and the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which sparked the Second Sino-Japanese War. This war, referred to in China as the War of Resistance Against Japan, was a conflict between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, along with its puppet states, from 1937 to 1945. This war followed a localised conflict in Manchuria that began in 1931. It is frequently considered the start of World War II in Asia, as the two wars became closely linked after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. It stands as the largest Asian war of the 20th century.

    The best thing since sliced bread

    the best thing since sliced bread (also the greatest thing since sliced bread) informal used to emphasize one’s enthusiasm about a new idea, person, or thing: they think that she is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
    — Oxford English Dictionary 

  • The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

    Fresh brown loaf sliced to uniform thickness by a bread slicing machine.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of today’s questions relate to the date, 7 July.

    One

    On this day, bread loaves that had been pre-sliced by a machine designed by jeweller Otto Rohwedder were sold for the first time. In what decade and on what continent did this occur?

    Two

    The archipelago in which the six-month-long World War II Battle of Guadalcanal took place gained independence in 1978. By what name is this island country known today, and what country did it gain independence from?

    Three

    Also in 1978, Martina Navratilova won the first of her Wimbledon singles titles. Who was the defeated semi-finalist in that match, and how many singles titles did Navratilova win at Wimbledon in total?

    Four

    The final film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series premiered in London. What was the film’s title, and in what year was this?

    Five

    On this day in 1937, an incident occurred at the Marco Polo Bridge between troops of two armies. This became the first incident in a war that lasted eight years. In what country is the Marco Polo Bridge? The belligerents in this war were a republic and an empire. Who were they?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Doctor Skaro — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question four. Flag of the Azores.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Answer: Ouagadougou.

    Air Burkina SA, Burkina Faso’s national airline, operates from Ouagadougou Airport to domestic and regional destinations. It is currently government-owned, with a new investor being sought.

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Answer: Schindler’s Ark.

    Schindler’s Ark is a biographical novel by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler, a Nazi who saved 1,200 Jews. It won the 1982 Booker Prize, gained fame through Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List, and was featured on the 2022 ‘Big Jubilee Read’ list.

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Answer: Kon-Tiki.

    The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947, was a raft journey from South America to Polynesia. Funded by private loans and U.S. Army equipment, Heyerdahl and five companions sailed 6,900 km on a balsa log raft, landing safely at Raroia after 101 days, inspiring a book and films.

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Answer: Azores.

    The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, consists of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known for its mild climate, the region’s economy relies on agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest point. The Azores are seismically active at the Azores triple junction where the Eurasian, Nubian and North American tectonic plates meet.

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Answer: Rear Window.

    Rear Window, shot almost entirely from one room, is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and one of the greatest ever made. Confined to his apartment, photojournalist Jeff (James Stewart) observes his neighbours, including Thorwald, who he suspects of murdering his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate. It received four Academy Award nominations and was added to the United States National Film Registry.

    Doctor Skaro

    Doctor Skaro is, I confess, a bit misleading. Skaro is the home planet of the Daleks, the highly xenophobic, violent, merciless, and pitiless cyborg aliens from the long-running BBC television programme Doctor Who, but neither the title nor the theme has anything to do with their home planet or the Doctor. Doctor Skaro is cryptic. If you ‘doctor’ the word ‘Skaro’, that is, treat it as an anagram and rearrange the letters, you’ll find ‘in part a relevant literary character’: Oskar from question two, Oskar Schindler. Today’s answers begin with the letters O, S, K, A, R.

  • Doctor Skaro

    See question four. Flag of ?
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Russian Caesars — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question two. Zonkey, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.

    One

    What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?

    Answer: Telemark.

    The Heroes of Telemark is a 1965 British war film based on a true story. It depicts a sabotage mission against a Norwegian heavy water plant during World War II. At the time, Norway was occupied by German forces and there was a fear that the plant could aid their efforts to build an atomic bomb.

    Two

    What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)

    Answer: Zonkey.

    Imagine a creature that embodies the rugged resilience of a donkey and the striking elegance of a zebra. This is no mythical beast, but a living, breathing marvel known as the zonkey. A fascinating hybrid, the zonkey captures the imagination with its unique blend of features, often sporting the sturdy body of a donkey adorned with the distinctive stripes of a zebra, typically concentrated on its legs, neck, and sometimes its torso. These captivating animals are a testament to the intricate dance of genetics and the surprising outcomes that can arise when different species meet.

    — Animals Network

    Three

    Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?

    Answer: Afrikaans.

    Rooibos is an evergreen South African shrub, and its leaves are used to make a tea. It originated in the early 20th century from Afrikaans, and means literally ‘red bush’.
    Apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination, was adopted as a slogan in the 1948 election by the Afrikaner National Party in South Africa. The system was maintained until February 1991 despite domestic unrest and international isolation. Originating in the 1940s, from Afrikaans, literally ‘separateness’.

    Four

    Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?

    Answer: Rachel Weisz.

    The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama thriller film directed by Fernando Meirelles, based on John le Carré’s novel. It follows a British diplomat in Kenya investigating his wife’s murder. A critical and box office success, it achieved four Oscar nominations, with Weisz winning Best Supporting Actress.

    Five

    What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?

    Answer: Scapa Flow.

    Scapa Flow, a sheltered body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, has historical significance as a Viking anchorage and UK naval base. HMS Royal Oak is a war grave for over 800 seamen who perished when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Today, it is known for its diving sites and as a location for oil and LNG transfers.

    Russian Caesars

    The post title Russian Caesars refers to Tzar (also Tsar or Czar) in plural, TZARS which gives the start letter for each of the above answers.

  • Russian Caesars

    See question two. ?, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.

    One

    What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?

    Two

    What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)

    Three

    Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?

    Four

    Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?

    Five

    What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • If a face could launch a thousand ships — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
    Image liveabout.com

    Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.

    One

    By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?

    Answer: ME.

    Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic illness causing severe fatigue, sleep, and memory issues, worsened by activity (PEM). Its cause is unknown, often following infections, with genetic factors. Diagnosis relies on symptoms, as no tests exist. Treatment focuses on symptom relief, with pacing and counselling beneficial.
    ME/CFS significantly impacts society and the economy, with symptoms causing social isolation. A quarter of sufferers are bedridden or housebound. Stigma in healthcare and controversies over its cause and treatments complicate care. Doctors often lack familiarity due to limited medical school coverage, and research funding is historically inadequate.

    Two

    What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?

    Answer: Telly Savalas.

    Aristotelis ‘Telly’ Savalas (1922–1994) was an American actor and singer, active from 1950 to 1994, renowned for his bald head and deep voice. He gained fame as Lt. Theo Kojak in Kojak (1973–1978) and as James Bond’s nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Savalas starred in films like Birdman of Alcatraz, earning an Academy Award nomination. He was married three times, had six children, and served in the U.S. Army. He released a cover of Bread’s If in 1975, which topped the UK charts.

    Three

    What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?

    Answers: James ‘Jim’ Grant; Jack Reacher.

    The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (Jim Grant) includes 30 books and a short story collection as of November 2025. It follows Jack Reacher, a former major in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps turned drifter, solving dangerous situations across the U.S. and internationally. The series has been adapted into films and a TV series.

    Four

    …▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?

    Answer: Scallop.

    scallop ▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. Scallops swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves. Family Pectinidae: Chlamys, Pecten, and other genera.

    ▪ short for scallop shell ▪ a small pan or dish shaped like a scallop shell and used for baking or serving food.

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Five

    The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?

    Answer: Fluorine.

    Fluorine, atomic number 9, is a reactive, pale yellow gas, first isolated in 1886. It’s used in uranium enrichment, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, with global sales over $15 billion annually. Fluorocarbon gases, with global-warming potentials 100 to 23,500 times that of CO2, persist environmentally due to strong bonds. Organofluorine compounds are toxic, produced by some plants and marine sponges.

    If a face could launch a thousand ships

    The post title is a line from If the song referred to in question two. If is a 1971 song written by David Gates and popularised by his band Bread.

  • If a face could launch a thousand ships

    Image liveabout.com

    Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.

    One

    By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?

    Two

    What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?

    Three

    What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?

    Four

    …▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?

    Five

    The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.