The first question relates to today’s date, 21 July. The remainder are neither date-related nor themed.
One
The ‘Scopes Monkey Trial’, which came to a conclusion on 21 July 1925 centred on whether a high school teacher had violated a state law by teaching what scientific theory?
Two
What was the first man-made object to reach the surface of the Moon, and in what year did it do so?
Three
A fish found off East Africa in 1938 was of a species which had existed from more than 410 million years ago until it was believed to have become extinct around 66 million years ago. What is this fish?
Four
Mel Gibson’s title character fights a motorcycle gang led by Toecutter in which 1979 film?
Five
What is the northernmost geographic location in the United States?
The Mary Rose as depicted in the Anthony Roll of the 1540s. Image Wikimedia Commons
The first question relates to today’s date. The others aren’t date-related but build on the theme established in the first.
One
This English carrack-type warship, built for the king’s navy and involved in a battle with the French that resulted in its sinking in the Solent on 19 July 1545, had its wreck rediscovered by salvagers in 1971, ultimately leading to the opening of a museum dedicated to its history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2013. What is the warship’s name and for what king’s navy was it built?
Answers: Mary Rose; Henry VIII.
On this day in 1545, Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, sank during the Battle of the Solent. A sudden gust of wind flooded seawater through its open gunports, tragically resulting in the loss of over 400 crew members. Centuries later, the remarkably preserved wreck was rediscovered in the English Channel. It has since become one of the world’s most significant underwater archaeological finds.
Two
Although not the first such instance the action of soldiers and sailors during the 1852 sinking of HMS Birkenhead made which maritime protocol more prominent?
Answer: Women and children first.
‘Women and children first’ is an unofficial code prioritising their safety in life-threatening situations, like shipwrecks, due to limited resources. Celebrated as a chivalric ideal in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was notably invoked during the HMS Birkenhead evacuation, SS Central America sinking, and Titanic disaster, though unevenly applied. The protocol is sometimes described as ‘Birkenhead Drill’.
Three
What 1960 musical and 1964 musical film told the story of a woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic?
Answer: The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It originated as a 1960 musical with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and a book by Richard Morris. In 1964, it was adapted into an American Western musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring Debbie Reynolds, filmed in Panavision. The screenplay by Helen Deutsch is based on the musical’s book, and the song score was composed by Meredith Willson. Reynolds received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Brown.
Four
What ship did Ernest Shackleton and his Trans-Antarctic Expedition lose in 1915 when it was crushed by ice and sank?
Answer: Endurance.
Endurance, originally Polaris, was a three-masted barquentine used by Ernest Shackleton for the 1914–1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Built in 1912, it sank in 1915 after being trapped in ice. All crew survived. The wreck was found in 2022 at a depth of 3,008 metres and is a protected historic site.
Five
Which US state’s name completes this: the 1864 Battle of Cherbourg is also known as the Sinking of CSS…?
Answer: Alabama.
The CSS Alabama, a Confederate sloop-of-war built in 1862, was a successful commerce raider under Captain Raphael Semmes. It captured or sank 68 Union ships in just 22 months across the Atlantic, West Indies, and East Indies. On June 19, 1864, the USS Kearsarge sank the Alabama during the Battle of Cherbourg, France.
That Sinking Feeling.
The post title is an idiom meaning a feeling that something bad is going to happen. In today’s post, it is simply a play on words regarding the ‘sinking’ theme of the questions.
The ? as depicted in the Anthony Roll of the 1540s. See question one. Image Wikimedia Commons
The first question relates to today’s date. The others aren’t date-related but build on the theme established in the first.
One
This English carrack-type warship, built for the king’s navy and involved in a battle with the French that resulted in its sinking in the Solent on 19 July 1545, had its wreck rediscovered by salvagers in 1971, ultimately leading to the opening of a museum dedicated to its history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2013. What is the warship’s name and for what king’s navy was it built?
Two
Although not the first such instance the action of soldiers and sailors during the 1852 sinking of HMS Birkenhead made which maritime protocol more prominent?
Three
What 1960 musical and 1964 musical film told the story of a woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic?
Four
What ship did Ernest Shackleton and his Trans-Antarctic Expedition lose in 1915 when it was crushed by ice and sank?
Five
Which US state’s name completes this: the 1864 Battle of Cherbourg is also known as the Sinking of CSS…?
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. See question three. Image Lucasfilm
Today’s answers are all fictional places
One
In the 2000 film, in what fictional town did Billy Elliot live?
Answer: Everington.
In 1984, 11-year-old Billy Elliot from the fictional town of Everington in County Durham secretly pursues ballet despite his father’s disapproval. With support from his dance teacher and community, Billy auditions for the Royal Ballet School. Accepted in 1985, he later performs Swan Lake, watched proudly by his family.
Two
Where is home to all of these fictional characters Magrat Garlick, Corporal Buggy Swires and Professor A.A. Dinwiddie?
Answer: Discworld.
The witch Magrat Garlick was the original Maiden in the Lancre coven with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. She is a gentle parody of New Age pagans, believing in crystals and folk wisdom. Corporal Buggy Swires, a gnome with a tough personality, leads the Ankh-Morpork City Watch’s Airborne Section. He uses birds for reconnaissance and messaging. Professor Dinwiddie, a quiet and reserved individual, became the Unseen University’s Bursar due to his affinity for numbers and less competition for the role.
Three
At the start of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana meets singer Willie Scott in a nightclub which is named after a character from another Harrison Ford franchise, although not his character. What is its name?
Answer: Club Obi Wan.
Club Obi Wan, a Shanghai hideaway for the wealthy, was a nightclub, brothel, and gaming establishment. It featured fine furnishings, decorations, and entertainment and was the headquarters of Lao Che’s criminal enterprises. It was named after Star Wars’ Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Four
In Tolkien’s Middle-Earth Ered Luin, also known as Ered Lindon or Mountains of Lune, became the new home for Durin’s Folk who were exiled by Smaug the Dragon. What two-word term, which includes a primary colour, is Ered Luin known as in English?
Answer: Blue Mountains.
After the Two Lamps fell, the Blue Mountains formed Arda’s western wall. Dwarven Fathers founded Nogrod and Belegost under Mount Dolmed. In the First Age, they separated Eriador from Beleriand. Ruined in the War of Wrath, the mountains split, forming the Gulf of Lune. Dwarves later settled in the east. Exiled from Erebor by Smaug, Durin’s Folk found refuge under the Blue Mountains. King Thráin II established a throne there, succeeded by his son Thorin. Prosperous during Thorin’s reign, many Longbeards joined. Erebor was retaken in T.A. 2941, likely prompting most of Durin’s Folk to return.
Five
What is the fictional prison in the Harry Potter films and where is it located?
Answer: Azkeban; (somewhere in the) North Sea.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Azkaban is located ‘somewhere in the North Sea’. It serves as a prison for British and Irish wizarding criminals, guarded by Dementors who cause inmates to lose happiness and often starve. Sirius Black was the first person to escape. After Voldemort, Kingsley Shacklebolt abolishes the Dementors at Azkaban.
Everywhere to Anywhere
The post title was a bit of a hint to the answers going from Everywhere (E) to Anywhere (A) — the first five letters of the alphabet in reverse: E, D, C, B and A.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. See question three. Image Lucasfilm
Today’s answers are all fictional places
One
In the 2000 film, in what fictional town did Billy Elliot live?
Two
Where is home to all of these fictional characters Magrat Garlick, Corporal Buggy Swires and Professor A.A. Dinwiddie?
Three
At the start of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana meets singer Willie Scott in a nightclub which is named after a character from another Harrison Ford franchise, although not his character. What is its name?
Four
In Tolkien’s Middle-Earth Ered Luin, also known as Ered Lindon or Mountains of Lune, became the new home for Durin’s Folk who were exiled by Smaug the Dragon. What two-word term, which includes a primary colour, is Ered Luin known as in English?
Five
What is the fictional prison in the Harry Potter films and where is it located?
All of these questions are related to today’s date, 13 July.
One
American actor Harrison Ford was born on this day in 1942. In a 1989 film, he played an archaeologist whose father was also an archaeologist. Both were held captive in a castle.
Who played his father?
Which castle and country was it located in?
Answers
Sean Connery
Castle Brunwald (or Brunwald Castle), Austria.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), directed by Steven Spielberg, stars Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Set in 1938, Indiana searches for his kidnapped father, a Holy Grail scholar. The film, praised for its lighthearted tone, grossed $474.2 million, won an Academy Award, and led to sequels in 2008 and 2023.
Two
In 1985, what song featured with an emotional film of starving Ethiopian children during the Live Aid concert, and what group sang it?
Answer: Drive, Cars.
“One afternoon before the concert, Bowie was up in the office and we started looking through some videos of news footage, and we watched the CBC piece [footage from the Ethiopian famine, cut to the Cars’ song “Drive”]. Everyone just stopped. Bowie said: ‘You’ve got to put that in the show; it’s the most dramatic thing I’ve ever seen.’ That was probably one of the most evocative things in the whole show and really got the money rolling in.” —Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith on Bowie picking out the CBC news piece for the concert, a video Bowie introduced on the big screen at Wembley after his set. davidbowie.com
Three
One artist performed live at the 1985 Live Aid concert in London and then appeared on stage at the same day’s concert in Philadelphia, USA. He performed solo at both venues but also supported other artists by playing live piano and drums.
Who is this artist?
Who did he play piano for in London?
What band did he play drums for in Philadelphia?
Answers
Phil Collins
Sting
Led Zeppelin At the Live Aid concerts on July 13, 1985, Phil Collins performed solo at both venues, played piano for Sting at Wembley Stadium and drums for Led Zeppelin at JFK Stadium. This was made possible by him travelling between the two locations on a Concorde flight.
Four
Who became the second woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016, and how long did she hold the office?
Theresa May; three years (3 years, 11 days to be exact).
Theresa May, born in 1956, served as UK Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader from 2016 to 2019, and Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016. She was MP for Maidenhead (1997-2024) and joined the House of Lords in 2024. May led Brexit negotiations and survived two no-confidence votes.
Five
In 1939, what singer, backed by trumpeter Harry James, recorded his first single, From the Bottom of My Heart?
Answer: Frank Sinatra.
Francis Albert Sinatra, born in 1915, was a renowned American singer and actor, nicknamed ‘Chairman of the Board’ and ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’. He sold 150 million records, won 13 Grammys, and starred in films like From Here to Eternity. Sinatra received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Who’s gonna plug their ears / When you scream?
Is a line from Cars’ song Drive which featured with an emotional video during the Live Aid concerts and immediately led to an upsurge in donations. The lyrics are shown below.
Drive Cars
Who’s gonna tell you when It’s too late? Who’s gonna tell you things Aren’t so great?
You can’t go on thinking Nothing’s wrong, oh oh Who’s gonna drive you home Tonight?
Who’s gonna pick you up When you fall? Who’s gonna hang it up When you call? Who’s gonna pay attention To your dreams? Yeah, who’s gonna plug their ears When you scream?
You can’t go on thinking Nothing’s wrong, oh oh Who’s gonna drive you home Tonight?
Who’s gonna hold you down When you shake? Who’s gonna come around When you break?
You can’t go on thinking Nothing’s wrong, oh oh Who’s gonna drive you home Tonight?
You know you can’t go on thinking Nothing’s wrong Who’s gonna drive you home Tonight? — AZ Lyrics
All of these questions are related to today’s date, 13 July.
One
American actor Harrison Ford was born on this day in 1942. In a 1989 film, he played an archaeologist whose father was also an archaeologist. Both were held captive in a castle.
Who played his father?
Which castle and country was it located in?
Two
In 1985, what song featured with an emotional film of starving Ethiopian children during the Live Aid concert, and what group sang it?
Three
One artist performed live at the 1985 Live Aid concert in London and then appeared on stage at the same day’s concert in Philadelphia, USA. He performed solo at both venues but also supported other artists by playing live piano and drums.
Who is this artist?
Who did he play piano for in London?
What band did he play drums for in Philadelphia?
Four
Who became the second woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016, and how long did she hold the office?
Five
In 1939, what singer, backed by trumpeter Harry James, recorded his first single, From the Bottom of My Heart?
Today’s first question centres around the date 12th July and a Wild West legend. The subsequent questions aren’t date-related but continue the legend theme.
One
On 12 July 1861, Wild Bill Hickok supposedly fought his first gunfight in which three men died. Hickok was acquitted in court after claiming self-defence. The court papers referred to Hickok by which of these names: Dollar Bill; Double Bill or Duck Bill?
Answer: Duck Bill.
In 1861, in Rock Creek, Nebraska, a legend began as Wild Bill Hickok reportedly engaged in his first gunfight at a postal station. This event marked the start of his storied reputation in the Wild West. James Butler Hickok, known for his adventurous life, survived a bear attack and worked at a Pony Express station. A confrontation with David McCanles over rent turned violent, resulting in McCanles and two men’s deaths. Hickok, called ’Duck Bill’ in the court records, was acquitted, claiming self-defence.
Two
In which Rossini opera is Gesler, the Austrian governor of Uri and Schwyz, the villain?
Answer: William Tell (or Italian: Guglielmo Tell; French: Guillaume Tell).
William Tell, a legendary Swiss folk hero, is renowned for shooting an apple off his son’s head and assassinating tyrant Albrecht Gessler. His defiance inspired Swiss rebellion, leading to the Confederacy’s formation. Emerging in 1307, Tell symbolises Swiss identity and resistance, influencing the 19th-century Restoration and 1848 Revolutions. There is no definitive evidence of Tell’s existence. Guillaume Tell is a French-language opera by Gioachino Rossini, based on the William Tell legend. It was Rossini’s last opera, featuring a famous overture with a storm and the March of the Swiss Soldiers.
Three
Born Robert MacGregor, this Scottish Jacobite outlaw and folk hero inspired a novel, a play, an operetta and several films. What was he better known as?
Answer: Rob Roy.
Robert Roy MacGregor was a Jacobite Scottish outlaw born on 7 March 1671 and died on 28 December 1734. He later became a folk hero in Scotland and among Jacobites. An 1817 novel by Walter Scott based on MacGregor’s life was the basis for a play and an overture.
Four
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, is a national hero from the 15th century. In what modern-day country is he a hero for uniting principalities and influencing national awakening?
Answer: Albania.
Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti) was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who led the League of Lezhë against the Ottomans. A national hero, he deserted the Ottomans in 1443, unified Albanian principalities, and allied with Naples. Skanderbeg is celebrated for his persistent resistance and influence on the Albanian National Awakening.
Five
Which of these is a film that is the 1993 retelling of the Robin Hood story?
Robin Hood: Men in Sherwood
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Robin Hood: Men in Uttoxeter
Answer: Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Robin Hood, a legendary 14th-century English outlaw, rebelled against authority by robbing officials and aiding the poor, primarily in South Yorkshire. His main adversary was the Sheriff of Nottingham. Despite numerous attempts, his historical existence remains unproven, with claims likely originating from an 18th-century fabrication. Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a 1993 Mel Brooks comedy film parodying the Robin Hood story, starring Cary Elwes and Richard Lewis.
Today’s first question centres around the date 12th July and a Wild West legend. The subsequent questions aren’t date-related but continue the legend theme.
One
On 12 July 1861, Wild Bill Hickok supposedly fought his first gunfight in which three men died. Hickok was acquitted in court after claiming self-defence. The court papers referred to Hickok by which of these names: Dollar Bill; Double Bill or Duck Bill?
Two
In which Rossini opera is Gesler, the Austrian governor of Uri and Schwyz, the villain?
Three
Born Robert MacGregor, this Scottish Jacobite outlaw and folk hero inspired a novel, a play, an operetta and several films. What was he better known as?
Four
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, is a national hero from the 15th century. In what modern-day country is he a hero for uniting principalities and influencing national awakening?
Five
Which of these is a film that is the 1993 retelling of the Robin Hood story?
Today’s first question is about the date 11 July. The other questions aren’t date-related but share a theme beginning with the first question.
One
At dawn on 11 July 1804, the U.S. vice president took part in a duel which resulted in Alexander Hamilton being fatally wounded.
Who was the vice president involved in this duel
What was Hamilton’s senior role in the U.S. government of George Washington between September 1789 and January 1795?
Answers
Aaron Burr
1st United States Secretary of the Treasury The Burr–Hamilton duel occurred on July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey, between U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Burr fatally shot Hamilton, weakening the Federalist Party and ending Burr’s career. The duel followed a long-standing political rivalry and was near Hamilton’s son’s duel site. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical Hamilton, based on Ron Chernow’s biography, debuted in 2015 and received critical acclaim, winning numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 11 Tony Awards. The musical’s popularity even influenced the decision to keep Alexander Hamilton on the ten-dollar bill.
Two
The US vice-president referred to in question one was in that role during which president’s first term?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr Jr. (1756-1836) was the third US vice president (1801-1805) and a Democratic-Republican. He is remembered for the above duel and his conspiracy to form an independent country.
Three
Who was Richard Nixon’s first Vice President?
Answer: Spiro Agnew.
Spiro Agnew, the 39th U.S. vice president, served from 1969 to 1973 under Nixon. A Republican, he was Maryland’s governor and Baltimore County executive. Agnew resigned amid a tax evasion investigation, unrelated to Watergate. He later wrote a memoir and novel, blaming Zionists for his downfall, and died in 1996.
Four
Which TV crime drama’s theme tune was a Billboard Hot 100 number one for Jan Hammer in 1985?
Answer: Miami Vice, aka Miami Vice Theme.
Miami Vice Theme by Jan Hammer, the theme song for the TV series, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 and won Grammy Awards in 1986. The music video features Hammer as a fugitive, performing the theme while being chased by the show’s main characters.
Five
What former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister became Facebook’s vice-president of global affairs and communications in 2018?
Answer: Nick Clegg.
Sir Nicholas Clegg, born in 1967, was UK Deputy Prime Minister (2010-2015) and Liberal Democrat leader (2007-2015). Educated at Cambridge, he served as an MEP and MP. Clegg’s coalition with Conservatives led to controversy over tuition fees. Post-politics, he joined Facebook, becoming vice-president for global affairs and communications, a post he left in 2025. In 2026, Clegg joined the board of British AI startup NScale.
Vice Versa
The title originates from Latin and translates to ‘in-turned position’. It doesn’t have any direct relevance to today’s question aside from the word “vice” which appears in each question and answer groupings.
Quizology.Online 