It Goes to Show | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

One

Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and Clara Bow in Wings (1927).
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?

Answer: Clara Bow

Clara Bow, known as ‘The It Girl’, was a prominent American actress during the silent film era and talkies. She retired from acting in 1933 after marrying and having two children.


Two

Culzean Castle.
Image Daily Record

Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

In 1945, the Marquess of Ailsa gifted Culzean Castle to the National Trust for Scotland, offering the top floor to General Eisenhower as a token of appreciation for his role in World War II. Eisenhower visited the castle four times, including once as President, and affectionately called it his ‘Scottish White House’.

Dwight D. Eisenhower played Turnberry in 1959 while still president of the USA. Image BBC

Three

Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
Image NASA.

On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

In response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1958 to establish NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), separating the US military and civil spaceflight programmes. NASA, succeeding NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), has led most of America’s space exploration programmes, including the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle.


Four

The track of the Armada around Britain.
Robert Adams, Augustine Rythe, 1590.
Image National Maritime Museum, London/Wikipedia

On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?

Answer: King Philip II (of Spain) and Queen Elizabeth I (of England)

The Spanish Armada, sent by King Philip II in 1588 to invade England and reinstate Catholicism, was commanded by Alonso de Guzmán and sailed from Lisbon. Despite reaching Calais, the Armada was defeated by the English fleet, which relied on artillery and faster ships. The Armada suffered losses from fire ships and the Battle of Gravelines, forcing it to retreat around Scotland and Ireland. The long and treacherous voyage back to Spain resulted in the loss of most of the Armada, with only 60 ships returning.


Five

Gandalf proves that Frodo’s Ring is the One Ring by throwing it into Frodo’s fireplace, revealing the hidden text of the Rhyme of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring.
Image Wikipedia

On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

ANSWER: 1950s (1954)

The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, set in Middle-earth. The story follows the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron, uniting a diverse group of characters including hobbits, a wizard, men, an elf, and a dwarf. The work, initially published in three volumes between 29 July 1954 and 20 October 1955, has become a literary classic, influencing the fantasy genre and inspiring numerous adaptations.

It Goes to Show

Today’s questions have a link to the 29 July.

One

Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and ? in Wings (1927).
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?

Two

Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?

Three

On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

Four

On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?

Five

On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived. | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

18the Duke of Norfolk wearing parliamentary robes as Earl Marshal in 2022.
Image Wikipedia

Answer: (Duke of) Norfolk

Edward William Fitzalan-Howard’s family connection to the Royal Family is long, with the 3rd Duke of Norfolk being the uncle of both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the second and fifth wives respectively of Henry VII.


Two

Jennyanydots, Cats.
Image alchetron.com

Answer: Cats

Jennyanydots, originally a character from T.S Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, later became a character in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats. While she appears lazy during the day, she becomes active at night, ruling mice and cockroaches. In the musical, she leads a tap dancing routine.


Three

Mr Incredible and Elastigirl.
Image Screenrant

Answer: Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl

Parr was the surname of Catherine, the sixth wife of Henry VIII.
The Incredibles is a 2004 Pixar film about a superhero couple, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who hide their powers to live a quiet suburban life. However, Mr. Incredible’s desire to help people draws the entire family into a confrontation with a vengeful fan. The film received widespread acclaim for its animation, screenplay, and voice acting.


Four

Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, 1977 Open Championship, Turnberry.
Image tomwatson.com

Answer: Turnberry

The 1977 Open Championship, held at Turnberry, Scotland, was won by Tom Watson by one stroke over Jack Nicklaus. The two golfers, who played together in the final two rounds, separated themselves from the field, leading to the championship being remembered as the ‘Duel in the Sun’.


Five

Solitaire (Jane Seymour), Live and Let Die, 1973.
Image Screenrant

Answer: Jane Seymour and Solitaire

Jane Seymour was also the name of the third wife of Henry VIII,
Jane Seymour, born Joyce Frankenberg, is a British actress known for roles in film and television, including The Onedin Line and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including Golden Globes and Emmys, for her performances. Seymour is also a philanthropist, author and designer.

Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived.

Portrait of a Lady, perhaps Katherine Howard (1520-1542) c. 1540 Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8-1543) Image Royal collection Trust

On 28 July 1540 King Henry VIII of England privately married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. A few of today’s questions are tenuously linked to this and two are not.

One

Which English Duke, the hereditary Earl Marshal, was responsible for arranging Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the accession and coronation of King Charles III?

Two

Jennyanydots features in what musical?

Three

Bob and Helen Parr are a superhero couple known as…

Four

The 1977 Open Championship, famously remembered for the ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, was held at which Open Championship venue?

Five

Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg’s stage name is the same as one of Henry VIII’s wives. In 1973, she played a Bond girl in Live and Let Die. What is her stage name, and what character did she portray in this film?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

I Hope Someday You’ll Join Us | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

Born in London Bob Hope’s family emigrated to the United States two months before his fifth birthday. Hope was an American comedian, actor and entertainer with a nearly 80-year career spanning vaudeville, radio, television and USO Tours. He starred in over 50 films, including the Road to … series with Bing Crosby, and hosted the Academy Awards a record 19 times. Hope retired in 1999 and died in 2003 at the age of 100.

One

Entertainers Bob Hope and Ann Jillian perform for military personnel at the USO Christmas Tour during Operation Desert Shield.
Image Wikipedia

In the 1995 Bob Hope Classic pro-am golf tournament, three United States presidents participated in a team with Bob Hope and professional golfer Scott Hoch. Who were the three presidents who were involved in this event?

Answer: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford

This event marked the first time a sitting president – Clinton – had played during a PGA Tour event and perhaps the first time three presidents had ever played together.
The Bob Hope Classic, with its long history and association with golf in the Coachella Valley, has featured celebrities like Frank Sinatra and US presidents Eisenhower, Ford, Bush and Clinton. The tournament’s legacy, including Hope’s name, ensures continued charitable donations.


Two

Mars taken by Hope. Image Wikipedia

Which nation launched the Hope probe, an unmanned space exploration probe, on a mission to Mars in 2020?

Answer: United Arab Emirates

The Emirates Mars Mission, led by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, successfully sent the Hope probe to Mars in 2021. The mission, involving 200 Emirati scientists and engineers, studies Mars’ weather cycles and atmospheric loss, contributing to the UAE’s knowledge-based economy. The UAE became the first Arab country and fifth country to reach Mars.


Three

Len Deighton.
Image spyscape.com

Hope (1995), a novel in the Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy, is written by whom?

Answer: Len Deighton

Bernard Samson, a middle-aged SIS officer, is the central character in Len Deighton’s three trilogies. The plot revolves around his wife Fiona’s defection to East Germany, leaving Bernard to question her loyalty and his own. The first trilogy comprises the books Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match. The second trilogy comprises Spy Hook, Spy Line and Spy Sinker. The third and final trilogy comprises Faith, Hope and Charity.


Four

1960 Hopestar SM.
Image Wikipedia

In which country was the company that began manufacturing the pictured vehicle in 1952 based?

Answer: Japan

In 1952 the Hope Jidosha Company in Tokyo (Japan) built a 3-wheeler that had a 7cwt carrying capacity. The vehicle was powered by a 350cc twin-piston 2 stroke engine that provided power to the rear wheels. The Hope Star came with a number of body variations and the company also produced 4-wheeler trucks up until 1962.


Five

John Lennon, 1974.
Image Wikipedia

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

The word ‘hope’ appears in this final verse of a 1971 song. Can you identify the song and the singer-songwriter?

Answer: Imagine – John Lennon

Imagine, a song by John Lennon, encourages listeners to imagine a world of peace without materialism, borders or religion. The song, co-produced by Lennon, Yoko Ono and Phil Spector, has been widely praised and covered by over 200 artists. It remains controversial due to its lyrics, particularly the lyric ‘no religion too’.

Imagine

(from Imagine: John Lennon soundtrack)

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today… Aha-ah…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

AZ Lyrics

I Hope Someday You’ll Join Us

British-born comic, actor, and entertainer Bob Hope passed away on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100. All today’s questions relate to the word or name ‘Hope’

Bob Hope putting in Oval Office watched by US President Richard Nixon.
Image Die Welt

One

In the 1995 Bob Hope Classic pro-am golf tournament, three United States presidents participated in a team with Bob Hope and professional golfer Scott Hoch. Who were the three presidents who were involved in this event?

Two

Which nation launched the Hope probe, an unmanned space exploration probe, on a mission to Mars in 2020?

Three

Hope (1995), a novel in the Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy, is written by whom?

Four

1960 Hopestar SM.
Image Wikipedia

In which country was the company that began manufacturing the pictured vehicle in 1952 based?

Five

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

The word ‘hope’ appears in this final verse of a 1971 song. Can you identify the song and the singer-songwriter?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

What’s in a Name | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

George Wendt as Norm Peterson. Image Cheers Fandom

One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?

Answer: Norm (Hilary Norman Peterson)

Norm Peterson, a regular at Cheers, is known for his witty remarks and love of beer. His enormous tab at the bar is a running gag, with jokes about its size and his occasional attempts to pay it off. Despite his unemployment, Norm remains the bar’s best customer, receiving a complimentary beer on his birthday.


Two

George Clinton, Fourth Vice-President of the United States,
Portrait by Ezra Ames, 1814.
Image Wikipedia

Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…

Answer: George Clinton

George Clinton was an American soldier, statesman and Democratic-Republican. He served as the fourth vice president, first governor of New York, and holds the record for the second-longest gubernatorial tenure in U.S. history. He was also the first vice-president to die in office, and the first of two to hold office under two consecutive presidents, Thomas Jefferson (1805–1809) and James Madison (1809–1812).


Three

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
Image Wikipedia

Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?

Answer: Edmund Hillary, Mount Everest

Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He later served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and Ambassador to Nepal, and founded the Himalayan Trust to assist the Sherpa people.


Four

Clint Eastwood, 2010.
Image Wikipedia

Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?

Answer: Clint Eastwood (Clinton Eastwood)

Clint Eastwood is an American actor and film director known for his roles in Westerns and action films. He served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California from 1986 to 1988 and has received numerous awards, including four Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.


Five

Hilary Mantel, 2020.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?

Answer: Hilary Mantel

Hilary Mantel was a British writer known for historical fiction, personal memoirs, and short stories. She won the Booker Prize twice for the first and second novels in her Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, and sold over 5 million copies.

What’s in a Name

Hilary Clinton, 2003.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton was officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate. Today’s questions revolve around people named Hillary, Hilary, or Clinton, whether as a first or last name.

One

Cheers logo.
Image Wikipedia

One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?

Two

Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…

Three

Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?

Four

Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?

Five

The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Ancient Myths continued | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

Avro Vulcan.
Image Wikipedia

What former Royal Air Force aircraft is pictured?

Answer: Vulcan (Avro Vulcan)

The Avro Vulcan, a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing bomber, was operated by the RAF from 1956 to 1984. It served as the backbone of the UK’s airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War and was later adapted for maritime reconnaissance and aerial refuelling.
Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, volcanoes, deserts, metalworking and the forge, is often depicted with a blacksmith’s hammer. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus, and his Etruscan counterpart is Sethlans.


Two

King Neptune, SpongeBob SquarePants.
Image Pinterest

Can you name a powerful, trident-wielding merman from SpongeBob SquarePants?

Answer: King Neptune

In SpongeBob SquarePants King Neptune, a powerful merman god, rules the sea from Atlantis with his wife and son. He is portrayed as arrogant and selfish, but is a fan of Patrick Star, releasing the Star family from trespassing charges and moving his ball to their house.
In mythology, Neptune, the Roman god of freshwater and the sea, is the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. He is associated with horses and horse-racing, and his festival, Neptunalia, is celebrated on July 23rd.


Three

Ulysses/Bloomsday Map of Dublin.
Image Pinterest

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressinggown, ungirdled, was sustained gently behind him on the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned:
Introibo ad altare Dei.

The opening words of a novel are quoted above. What is this work that chronicles the events of a single day, the 16 June 1904?

Answer: Ulysses

Ulysses, a modernist novel by James Joyce, chronicles the experiences of three Dubliners on 16 June 1904. The novel, published in 1922, parallels the Odyssey and explores themes of antisemitism, sexuality, British rule, Catholicism and Irish nationalism. Bloomsday, celebrated annually on 16 June, commemorates the life of Irish writer James Joyce. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the protagonist Ulysses, and the events of the novel take place on this date.
Odysseus (Roman Ulysses), the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, is the hero of Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey. He is known for his cunning and intelligence, and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War.


Four

Pouring liquid mercury (Hg).
Image Wikipedia


Quicksilver is connected to this United States human spaceflight programme (1958–1963): Project…

Answer: (Project) Mercury

Quicksilver is defined as ‘the liquid metal mercury’.
Project Mercury, the first US human spaceflight programme, ran from 1958 to 1963. It conducted 26 flights, six with astronauts, and cost $2.76 billion.
Mercury is a major Roman god, associated with commerce, communication, travellers and thieves. He is the son of Maia and Jupiter, and is often depicted holding the caduceus, a staff with intertwined snakes.


Five

Archaeological Museum in Herakleion. Statue of Isis-Persephone holding a sistrum. Temple of the Egyptian gods, Gortyn. Roman period (180-190 C.E.).
Image Wikipedia

PRONE SHEEP

…can be rearranged to give the name of a daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was abducted by Hades and became the queen of the underworld. Who is she?

Answer: Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, became the queen of the underworld after being abducted by her uncle Hades. Her myth symbolises spring and vegetation, representing the eternal cycle of life and death.

Ancient Myths continued

Today, we’ll have a few more questions about ancient Greek and Roman myth, with each answer featuring an ancient mythical figure.

One

Image Wikipedia

What former Royal Air Force aircraft is pictured?

Two

Can you name a powerful, trident-wielding merman from SpongeBob SquarePants?

Three

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressinggown, ungirdled, was sustained gently behind him on the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned:
Introibo ad altare Dei.

The opening words of a novel are quoted above. What is this work that chronicles the events of a single day, June 16th, 1904?

Four

Quicksilver is connected to this United States human spaceflight programme (1958–1963): Project…

Five

PRONE SHEEP

…can be rearranged to give the name of a daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was abducted by Hades and became the queen of the underworld. Who is she?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.