Day 111 | Answers

The answers to the questions posed earlier are in bold below.

Lupa Capitolina: she-wolf with Romulus and Remus.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Where was traditionally founded on 21 April 753 BCE?
    • Rome—Archaeological evidence indicates that Rome originated from hilltop villages during the Bronze or Iron Age, while Roman myth attributes its founding to Romulus in 753 BC, who, with his twin, Remus, was raised by a she-wolf. Roman historians connected Rome to Troy through a fictional lineage of kings, culminating in Romulus and Remus, who established Rome after a fratricidal conflict. This narrative, a typical Mediterranean folktale, was adapted to account for Rome’s beginnings and tradition holds that April 21st marked the day Romulus began building Rome, making it the city’s dies natalis—birthday.
      John W. Young on the Moon during Apollo 16 mission jumping about 42 Centimeters high. Charles M. Duke Jr. took this picture. The LM Orion is on the left. April 21, 1972.
      Image NASA/Wikipedia
  2. The Lunar Lander Orion landed on the Moon’s surface today in 1972. This, the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, was which of these?
    • Apollo 16—the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, landed in the Descartes Highlands on the Moon. The crew, Commander John Young, Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke and Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly. Young and Duke spent 71 hours on the lunar surface, collecting samples and conducting moonwalks.
      Andrea McArdle, Reid Shelton and Sandy, 1977.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. The original Broadway production of Annie opened on this day in 1977. What is the musical based on?
    • Comic strip—is a musical based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. It premiered on Broadway in 1977, winning seven Tony Awards and spawning numerous productions worldwide.
      Brasilia. Image Wikipedia
  4. What planned capital city, designed by a team including Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, was inaugurated today in 1960?
    • Brasilia, Brazil—Brasília, Brazil’s federal capital, was founded in 1960 and is known for its modernist architecture and unique urban planning. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
      The Surgeon’s Photo
      Image Wikipedia
  5. The Surgeon’s Photograph, published in the in the UK’s Daily Mail on 21 April 1934, is the most famous photo allegedly showing the…
    • Loch Ness monster—The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, is a mythical creature said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. Sightings of a large, long-necked creature have been reported since the 6th century, with the most famous account from 1933. Despite numerous alleged sightings and disputed evidence, the scientific community explains these as hoaxes, misidentifications, or wishful thinking.

Day 111

The post title Day 111: 21 April is the 111th day of 2025.

Day 111

See #2. Lunar Module.
Image Wikipedia

All of these are questions based on today’s date, 21 April.

  1. Commemorated annually on the 21 April by the festival of the Parilia, where was traditionally founded on this day in 753 BCE?
    • Athens
    • Paris
    • Rome
  2. The Lunar Lander Orion landed on the Moon’s surface today in 1972. This, the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, was which of these?
    • Apollo 14
    • Apollo 15
    • Apollo 16
  3. The original Broadway production of Annie opened on this day in 1977. What is the musical based on?
    • Comic strip
    • Novel
    • German folk tale
  4. What planned capital city, designed by a team including Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, was inaugurated today in 1960?
    • Abuja, Nigeria
    • Brasilia, Brazil
    • Canberra, Australia
  5. The Surgeon’s Photograph, published in the UK’s Daily Mail on 21 April 1934, is the most famous photo allegedly showing the…
    • Bigfoot
    • Loch Ness monster
    • Yeti

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Birthdays | Answers

  1. Born 20 April 1964, this actor, who is best known for motion-capture acting, plays and provides the voice for the computer-generated Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars franchise. Who is he?
    • Andy Serkis—is an English actor and filmmaker renowned for his pioneering work in motion capture, portraying iconic characters such as Gollum, King Kong and Caesar. His performances have earned him critical acclaim, including an Empire Award, two Saturn Awards, nominations for a BAFTA and Golden Globe. In addition to acting, Serkis has directed films like Breathe and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. His portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy not only showcased his talent but also significantly influenced the use of motion capture in future films, impacting productions like King Kong and Planet of the Apes.
      Napoleon III, portrait by Xaver Winterhalter.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Georges-Eugène Haussmann, known as Baron Haussmann, was commissioned in 1853 “to give it air and open space, to connect and unify the different parts of the city into one whole and to make it more beautiful”. Who, born this day in 1808, commissioned Haussmann?
    • Napoleon III—Napoleon III, born Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, was the first president, second emperor and last monarch of France. He seized power in 1851, proclaimed himself Emperor and modernised France through economic reforms, infrastructure development and colonial expansion. His reign ended with his capture by Prussia in 1870.
      Luther Vandross.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Today in 1951, Luther Vandross was born. He was a singer/songwriter who went on to win eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for…
    • Dance With My FatherLuther Vandross, known as the “Velvet Voice”, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. He achieved eleven consecutive platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Vandross won eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for Dance With My Father. He died of a heart attack in 2005, aged 54.
      The Hitler birthplace memorial stone, in front of the building where Adolf Hitler was born. The writing on the stone translates as; ” For Peace, Freedom and Democracy. Never Again Fascism. Millions of Dead remind us.”
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, was born on this day in 1889; where was he born?
    • Braunau am Inn—Adolf Hitler, born in Austria-Hungary, led the Nazi Party in Germany and became Chancellor in 1933. His aggressive expansionist policies, including the invasion of Poland and the Soviet Union, led to World War II. Hitler’s regime was responsible for the Holocaust and millions of other deaths, making it the deadliest conflict in history. Hitler championed territorial expansion and racial supremacy.
  5. Who, born on 20 April 1997, is a professional tennis player, the current world No. 3, and the defeated finalist in the 2025 Australian Open?
    • Alexander Zverev—Alexander Zverev is a German professional tennis player, currently ranked world number 3. He has won 23 ATP Tour titles, including a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and titles at the 2018 and 2021 ATP Finals.
Alexander Zverev.
Image Wikipedia

Birthdays

See #2. Georges-Eugène Haussmann. Image Wikipedia

All of these are about people with a birthday on 20 April, although not Monsieur Haussmann.

  1. Born 20 April 1964, this actor, who is best known for motion-capture acting, plays and provides the voice for the computer-generated Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars franchise. Who is he?
    • Ahmed Best
    • Andy Serkis
    • Joseph Gatt
  2. Georges-Eugène Haussmann, known as Baron Haussmann, was commissioned in 1853 “to give it air and open space, to connect and unify the different parts of the city into one whole and to make it more beautiful”. Who, born this day in 1808, commissioned Haussmann?
    • Napoleon I
    • Napoleon II
    • Napoleon III
  3. Today in 1951, Luther Vandross was born. He was a singer/songwriter who went on to win eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for…
    • Dance with My Father
    • Endless Love
    • The Best Things in Life Are Free
  4. Adolf Hitler (Pictured below), the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, was born on this day in 1889; where was he born?
    • Berchtesgaden
    • Berlin
    • Braunau am Inn
  5. Who, born on 20 April 1997, is a professional tennis player, the current world No. 3, and the defeated finalist in the 2025 Australian Open?
    • Alexander Zverev
    • Jannik Sinner
    • Taylor Fritz
See #4 above. Adolf Hitler. Image Wikipedia

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Let’s Dance | Answers

See #3 below. Superman shield. Wikipedia
  1. On 18 April 1980, Elmore City, Oklahoma, held the first dance in the town’s history. The Kevin Bacon film, which was loosely based on this, was…
    • Footloose—Footloose is a 1984 American musical drama film about Ren, a Chicago teenager who moves to Bomont, a town with a ban on rock ‘n’ roll and dancing. Ren struggles to fit in and gets into trouble when he falls for Ariel Moore, the preacher’s daughter. To challenge the ban, Ren confronts prejudice and the town’s strict preacher through dance. The film was a box office success, grossing $80 million in North America. It was loosely based on real events in Elmore City, where a ban on public dancing existed before statehood. In the 1979-1980 school year, students lobbied for a school prom with dancing, facing opposition from church leaders. Ultimately, the town mayor supported the students, declaring the prom a non-public event, and the school board authorised it. The controversy gained national attention, inspiring songwriter/screenwriter Dean Pitchford to create the film.
    Interior of dome, St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Wikipedia
  2. In Vatican City, the cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica was laid on this day in…
    • 1506—Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, a renowned Italian Renaissance church designed by Bramante, Michelangelo and Maderno, is considered one of the holiest Catholic shrines and the largest church in the world by interior measure. Believed to be the burial site of Saint Peter, it was begun in 1506 and completed in 1615. The basilica, designed as a Latin cross with a prominent dome, serves as a major pilgrimage site and the church of the popes. Its construction involved several architects, including Michelangelo, who designed the iconic dome, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who designed the elliptical piazza in front of it.
  3. The publication, on 18 April 1938, of Action Comics #1 saw the debut of…
    • Superman—Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938. He is the archetypal superhero, fighting crime as a vigilante with extraordinary abilities and popularised the superhero genre.
    Flag of Eswatini. Wikipedia
  4. Today in 2018, King Mswati III announced that his country’s name would change to Eswatini. The name it changed from was…
    • Swaziland—Eswatini, formerly Swaziland— is a landlocked country in Southern Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It has a lower-middle income economy, with agriculture and manufacturing as the main employment sectors. The country is an absolute monarchy ruled by King Mswati III since 1986 and faces significant health challenges, including high HIV/AIDS rates. Its capital is Phondvo, while Mbabane serves as the administrative centre.
  5. On 18 April 1942, Pierre Laval became Prime Minister of…
    • Vichy France—Vichy France, established in 1940 under Marshal Philippe Pétain, governed the unoccupied zone of France after the Nazi German defeat. Initially collaborating with Germany, the regime shifted towards a corporatist state, emphasising “Work, family, fatherland”. However, after the Allied invasion of North Africa and the German occupation of the entire country, Vichy became increasingly subservient to Germany, ultimately collapsing with the Allied liberation in 1944. They were known as “Vichy France” as that city was the seat of their government.
Marshal Philippe Pétain meeting Hitler in October 1940. Wikipedia

Let’s Dance

Kevin Bacon. Wikipedia
  1. On 18 April 1980, Elmore City, Oklahoma, held the first dance in the town’s history. The Kevin Bacon film, which was loosely based on this, was…
    • American Pie
    • Footloose
    • Prom Night.
  2. In Vatican City, the cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica was laid on this day in…
    • 1506
    • 1568
    • 1630
  3. The publication, on 18 April 1938, of Action Comics #1 saw the debut of…
    • Batman
    • Spider-Man
    • Superman
  4. Today in 2018, King Mswati III announced that his country’s name would change to Eswatini. The name it changed from was…
    • Basutoland
    • Nyasaland
    • Swaziland
  5. On 18 April 1942, Pierre Laval became Prime Minister of…
    • Avignon France
    • Lyon France
    • Vichy France

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Spin, trials and unlucky 13 | Answers

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

Martin Luther. Wikipedia
  1. The trial of Martin Luther over his teachings and efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church began on 17 April 1521 during the…
    • Diet of Worms—At an Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Emperor in the Imperial Free City of Worms, Martin Luther refused to recant his writings unless proven wrong by Scripture or reason, famously stating, “Here I stand; I can do no other.” The Diet declared Luther a heretic and banned his writings.
    Muttiah Muralitharan. Wikipedia
  2. On this day in 1972, Muttiah Muralitharan, cricketer, was born in…
    • Kandy—(Sri Lanka)—Muttiah Muralitharan, a Sri Lankan cricketer, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He is the only bowler to take 800 Test wickets and over 530 One Day International (ODI) wickets. Muralitharan was a part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
    Henry Ian Cusick. Wikipedia
  3. Henry Ian Cusick, born today in 1967, who is best known for his role as Desmond Hume in Lost, is described in Wikipedia as…
    • Peruvian-Scottish—Henry Ian Cusick is a Peruvian-Scottish actor known for roles in Lost, The Gospel of John, Scandal, The 100, The Passage, and MacGyver.
    Apollo 13 crew: Commander, James A. Lovell Jr., Command Module pilot, John L. Swigert Jr., and Lunar Module pilot, Fred W. Haise Jr. Wikipedia
  4. The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returned to Earth safely today in 1970; the commander was…
    • James A. Lovell Jr.—Jim Lovell, a US astronaut, participated in the Gemini and Apollo space programmes. He commanded the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon in 1970, which faced a critical oxygen tank explosion but successfully returned to Earth. Apollo 13 was his fourth and final spaceflight.
  5. Anneli Jäätteenmäki took office on 17 April 2003 as the first female prime minister of…
    • Finland—
Anneli Jäätteenmäki. Wikipedia

Spin, trials and unlucky 13

Apollo 13 mission insignia. Wikipedia
  1. The trial of Martin Luther over his teachings and efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church began on 17 April 1521 during the…
    • Diet of Weeds
    • Diet of Woods
    • Diet of Worms
  2. On this day in 1972, Muttiah Muralitharan, cricketer, was born in…
    • Bonbon
    • Kandy
    • Toffey
  3. Henry Ian Cusick, born today in 1967, who is best known for his role as Desmond Hume in Lost, is described in Wikipedia as…
    • Argentinian-Welsh
    • Chilean-Irish
    • Peruvian-Scottish
  4. The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returned to Earth safely today in 1970; the commander was…
    • Fred W. Haise Jr.
    • John “Jack” L. Swigert Jr.
    • James A. Lovell Jr.
  5. Anneli Jäätteenmäki took office on 17 April 2003 as the first female prime minister of…
    • Fiji
    • Finland
    • France

Good luck! I will post the answers later today

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below and an explanation of the title and a song are at the end.

Portrait of Prince Charles Edward Stuart by Allan Ramsey.
National Galleries of Scotland. Wikipedia
  1. This battle, the last fought on British soil, took place on 16 April 1746; it was the Battle of… 
    • The Battle of Culloden—fought on 16 April 1746—was the last Jacobite rising and the last full-scale battle on British soil. Led by Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart), the Jacobites, outnumbered and exhausted, were defeated by the Hanoverian forces under the Duke of Cumberland. The battle marked the end of the Highland clan culture and the Stuart dynasty’s last attempt to reclaim the British throne.
      Jim Clark, 1967 US Grand Prix
      Watkins Glen, NY. Wikipedia
  2. The Scot who won the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship for the second time in 1965 was…
    • Jim Clark—a Scottish racing driver, competed in Formula One from 1960 to 1968, winning two World Drivers’ Championship titles with Lotus in 1963 and 1965. He set records for most wins, pole positions and fastest laps. Clark also achieved success in American open-wheel racing, winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1965. He began racing in 1956 and tragically died in a racing accident in 1968.
      Portrait of John Witherspoon, Presbyterian minister and President of Princeton University. Wikipedia
  3. The only clergyman to sign the US Declaration of Independence was a Scottish minister; he was…
    • John Witherspoon—was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. He was a Founding Father of the United States and the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. After studying theology at the University of Edinburgh, he served as a pastor in Beith, Ayrshire and Paisley; he was known for his involvement in ecclesiastical debates. In 1768, he crossed the Atlantic to become president of the College of New Jersey, revitalising the institution by expanding its curriculum and increasing enrolment. A staunch supporter of American independence, Witherspoon was active in political affairs, serving in the Continental Congress and advocating for independence. He authored numerous works on religious and political subjects, including Ecclesiastical Characteristics and Considerations on the Nature and Extent of the Legislative Authority of the British Parliament.
      The Citie of Edinburgh from the South (detail) by Wenceslas Hollar (1670). Wikipedia
  4. The New Zealand city of Dunedin’s Scottish connection, is that it is named after…
    • Edinburgh—Dunedin’s name comes from the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, Dùn Èideann, which means “fort of Edin”. The name “Edin” derives from the Cumbric word Eidyn, referring to the region and its hillfort, Din Eidyn, located at Castle Rock.
  5. This Scottish-born actor received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in a 1987 film; he was…
    • Sean Connery—Sir Sean Connery, a Scottish actor, gained international fame for his role as James Bond. He also starred in films by Hitchcock, Lumet and Huston, winning an Academy Award—Best Supporting Actor as Jimmy Malone in The Untouchables)—and a knighthood.
Sean Connery as James Bond, Goldfinger, 1964. Wikipedia

Skye Boat Song

The post title is a line taken from the beginning of The Skye Boat Song which was composed in the late 19th century and recalled the journey of Bonnie Prince Charlie from Benbecula, an Atlantic island of the Outer Hebrides, to the Isle of Skye.

Skye Boat Song

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Loud the winds howl loud the waves roar
Thunderclaps rend the air
Baffled our foes stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Many's the lad fought on that day
Well the claymore could wield
When the night came silently lay
Dead in Culloden's field

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Though the waves leap soft shall ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed
Rock'd in the deep Flora will keep
Watch o'er your weary head

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Burned are our homes exile and death
Scattered the loyal men
Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing

See #1. Image Wikipedia
  1. This battle, the last fought on British soil, took place on 16 April 1746; it was the Battle of…
    • Bannockburn
    • Culloden
    • Stirling Bridge

    As question one was about a Scottish event I decided to give a Scottish flavour to the rest of this post.

  2. The Scot who won the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship for the second time in 1965 was…
    • Jackie Stewart
    • Jim Clark
    • Johnny Dumfries
  3. The only clergyman to sign the US Declaration of Independence was a Scottish minister; he was…
    • William Whipple
    • James Wilson
    • John Witherspoon.
  4. The New Zealand city of Dunedin’s Scottish connection, is that it is named after…
    • Dunfermline
    • Edinburgh
    • Stirling
  5. This Scottish-born actor received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in a 1987 film; he was…
    • Ewan McGregor
    • Sean Connery
    • Ken Stott

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.