Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: entertainment

  • Where on Earth—Answers

    Ross’s Antarctic expedition.
    HMS Erebus and Terror in the Antarctic by John Wilson Carmichael.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

    — Answer: Antarctica

    The Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand, is a region of Antarctica defined by specific longitudes and latitude. While New Zealand’s claim is recognised by a few countries, the 1961 Antarctic Treaty holds all claims in abeyance. The Dependency, named after Sir James Clark Ross, includes the Ross Sea, Ross Ice Shelf, and several islands.

    Two

    Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

    — Answer: T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia

    T.E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a British Army officer, archaeologist, and writer. He gained fame for his role in the Arab Revolt during the First World War and his subsequent work with Emir Faisal. Lawrence published his autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and later served in the Army and RAF before his death in a motorcycle accident in 1935. His life was dramatised in the 1962 film Lawrence Of Arabia.

    1834 portrait of James Buchanan at age 42–43 by Jacob Eichholtz.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    On 16 August 1858, a new transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated. The inaugural event involved an exchange of greetings between the Heads of State of the United Kingdom and the United States. Who were these two Heads of State?

    — Answer: Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan

    The Atlantic Telegraph Company, led by Cyrus West Field, constructed the first transatlantic telegraph cable. On that day, the first official telegram to cross two continents was a congratulatory letter from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to President James Buchanan of the United States. Despite initial success, the cable’s poor signal quality and subsequent destruction after three weeks undermined confidence and delayed restoration efforts.

    Madonna, 2020.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

    — Answer: Bay City, Michigan

    Madonna, the ‘Queen of Pop’, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She is the best-selling female recording artist of all time, with numerous accolades including seven Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Madonna is also a successful businesswoman, philanthropist and advocate for gender equality and LGBT rights.

    Richard Wagner, 1871.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

    — Answer: Siegfried

    Siegfried is the third of Richard Wagner’s four epic music dramas, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). It premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, marking the first complete performance of the cycle.

    Written over twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The Ring cycle comprises:

    • Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold)
    • Die Walküre (The Valkyrie)
    • Siegfried
    • Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)

  • Where on Earth

    One

    On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

    Two

    Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

    Three

    On 16 August 1858, a new transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated. The inaugural event involved an exchange of greetings between the Heads of State of the United Kingdom and the United States. Who were these two Heads of State?

    Four

    Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

    Five

    On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

  • Double, double toil and trouble—Answers

    Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches on the heath by
    Théodore Chassériau (1819–1856).
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 14 August, King Duncan I of Scotland was killed in battle by his cousin, Macbeth, who then succeeded him. This event occurred in the what century?

     — Answer: 11th century

    Unlike the ‘King Duncan’ of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. After his grandfather Malcolm’s death on 25 November 1034, Duncan succeeded him as king without apparent opposition. In August 1040, Duncan led an army into Moray, Macbeth’s domain, and was killed in action at the Battle of Bothnagowan.

    Two

    In the 1995 made-for-television movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Sophie, a young Prussian princess who marries an immature future Tsar. The film’s title is what Sophie eventually becomes known as. What is the film’s title?

     — Answer: Catherine the Great

    Catherine the Great, reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, modernised the country, expanded its territory, and fostered a cultural renaissance. Despite her Enlightenment ideals, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions. Catherine’s reign saw the founding of cities, universities, and theatres, and the establishment of Russia as a great power.

    The Lion in Winter (1968)
    Image The MovieDB

    Three

    Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for her role as Henry II’s queen in this 1968 film. What was the film and what was the queen’s name?

     — Answer: The Lion in Winter and Eleanor of Aquitaine

    The play is set at Christmas 1183 at Henry II of England’s castle in Chinon, France. It follows the power struggles between Henry, his wife Eleanor, their sons, and the King of France, Philip II Augustus.

    Four

    In this 2023 film, Catherine Walker plays an Archduchess of Austria who becomes the French Queen, while Vanessa Kirby is an Empress Consort and first wife of the title character. What is the film?

     — Answer: *Napoleon *

    Ridley Scott’s 2023 film Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, depicts the French leader’s rise to power and his relationship with Joséphine. The film received mixed reviews, praised for its battle sequences and performances but criticised for its pacing and historical accuracy.

    W.E. film poster (2011).Image Sens Critique

    Five 

    Madonna’s 2011 film W.E. is a historical romance involving what 20th-century royal couple?

     — Answer: King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (who became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor)

    Edward VIII’s relationship with Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, caused a constitutional crisis. Despite attempts to find a solution, including a morganatic marriage, the Church of England and most politicians opposed the union. Edward chose to abdicate the throne on 11 December 1936, prioritising his love for Simpson over his royal duties.

  • Double, double toil and trouble

    The first question is related to today’s date, August 14th. It is about two monarchs who featured prominently in a work by William Shakespeare. The other questions are also about real monarchs who have been portrayed in fiction.

    The first page of Shakespeare’s Macbeth from the First Folio.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 14 August, King Duncan I of Scotland was killed in battle by his cousin, Macbeth, who then succeeded him. This death and succession occurred in the what century?

    Two

    In the 1995 made-for-television movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Sophie, a young Prussian princess who marries an immature future Tsar. The film’s title is what Sophie eventually becomes known as. What is the film’s title?

    Three

    Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for her role as Henry II’s queen in this 1968 film. What was the film and what was the queen’s name?

    Four

    In this 2023 film, Catherine Walker plays an Archduchess of Austria who becomes the French Queen, while Vanessa Kirby is an Empress Consort and first wife of the title character. What is the film?

    Five 

    Madonna’s 2011 film W.E. is a historical romance involving what 20th-century royal couple?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Bouquet of Barbed Wire | Answers

    Berlin Wall.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    What Cold War event led to August 13, 1961, being called Barbed Wire Sunday?

    — Answer: Berlin Wall closing

    The border between East and West Berlin was closed by East Germany, with Barriers erected and construction beginning.

    Two

    Annie Oakley, c. 1880s.
    Image Wikipedia

    Phoebe Ann Mosey was born this day in 1860. Named ‘Little Sure Shot’ by Sitting Bull, she was a star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. What was her stage name?

     — Answer: Annie Oakley

    Oakley never failed to delight her audiences, and her feats of marksmanship were truly incredible. At 30 paces she could split a playing card held edge-on, she hit dimes tossed into the air, she shot cigarettes from her husband’s lips, and, a playing card being thrown into the air, she riddled it before it touched the ground

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Three

    Opha May Johnson (2 Feb 1900 – Jan 1976) was the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. This is a photo of her shortly after enlisting, c. 1918.
    Image Wikipedia

    Women were permitted to enlist in the United States Marine Corps for the first time on August 13th. In which decade of the 20th century did this occur?

     — Answer: 1910s (1918)

    Women first enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1918, Private Opha May Johnson being the first woman to enlist. Although deactivated after the First World War there was a significant increase during World War II. The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 made women a permanent part of the Marine Corps.

    Opha May Johnson monument,
    St. Paul’s Rock Creek Cemetery,
    Washington, D.C.
    Image Wikipedia
    Alfred Hitchcock’s birthplace.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Alfred Hitchcock, the renowned film director and producer, was born today in 1899. In which city was he born?

     — Answer: London, UK

    Alfred Hitchcock, an English-born American director, was renowned for his suspenseful films and TV programmes, characterised by a macabre sense of humour and a bleak view of humanity.

    Cardinal Richelieu.
    Portrait of Richelieu by Champaigne, 1642.
    (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg)
    Image Wikipedia

    Five 

    On 13 August 1624, Cardinal Richelieu was appointed principal minister in France. Who was the monarch who made this appointment?

     — Answer: Louis XIII

    Cardinal Richelieu (1585–1642) served as the chief minister to King Louis XIII of France from 1624 to 1642. His primary objectives, which he largely achieved, were the establishment of royal absolutism in France and the end of Spanish-Habsburg dominance in Europe.

  • Bouquet of Barbed Wire

    Alfred Hitchcock, c. 1960s. (Question 4)
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    What Cold War event led to 13 August 1961 being known as Barbed Wire Sunday?

    Two

    Phoebe Ann Mosey was born this day in 1860. Named ‘Little Sure Shot’ by Sitting Bull, she was a star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. What was her stage name?

    Three

    Women were permitted to enlist in the United States Marine Corps for the first time on August 13th. In which decade of the 20th century did this occur?

    Four

    Alfred Hitchcock, the renowned film director and producer, was born today in 1899. In which city was he born?

    Five 

    On 13 August 1624, Cardinal Richelieu was appointed principal minister in France. Who was the monarch who made this appointment?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Q | Answers

    Quagga (Equus quagga quagga), 1870. Now extinct.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    A quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo on 12 August 1883. Native to South Africa, the quagga was a type of…

    Answer: Zebra

    The quagga, a subspecies of plains zebra, was native to South Africa, where it was found in vast herds on the great plains, but is now extinct. It had a reddish-brown body with dark stripes and a white underside.

    Two

    What ‘Q’ links the novelist Herman Melville with Special Agent Dana Scully?

    Answer: Queequeg

    Queequeg, a Polynesian royal with facial tattoos, befriends Ishmael in Moby-Dick and becomes a harpooner on the Pequod. In The X-Files Scully names her dog Queequeg after the Moby-Dick character and used the name as her email handle and home alarm password.

    Three

    In which fictional series does Max Quordlepleen, a comedian and host, appear hosting a show at Milliways?

    Answer: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

    ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘the Universe as we know it has been in existence for over one hundred and seventy thousand million billion years and will be ending in a little over half an hour. So, welcome to Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe!’

    With a gesture he deftly conjured another round of spontaneous applause. With another gesture he cut it.
    “I am your host for tonight,” he said, “my name is Max Quordlepleen.”
    — The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Pan Books).

    Four

    What ‘Q’ is a capital city which sits on the equator and is officially known as San Francisco de …

    Answer: Quito

    Officially known as San Francisco de Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is the highest national capital city in the world. It is the political and cultural centre of Ecuador, with a rich history dating back to its incorporation into the Inca Empire in the late 15th century.

    Five 

    Quirinus Quirrell is a character in the works of which novelist?

    Answer: J.K. Rowling

    In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories, Quirinus Quirrell, Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, is possessed by Voldemort during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. Harry defeats Quirrell, allowing Dumbledore to arrive and Voldemort to flee, resulting in Quirrell’s death.

    Professor Quirinus Quirrell.
    Image Pinterest

  • Q

    The first question relates to today’s date, August 12th, and contains a word beginning with a ‘Q’. The rest of the questions follow a ‘Q’ theme, either with a ‘Q’ in the question or answer.

    One

    A quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo on 12 August 1883. Native to South Africa, the quagga was a type of…

    Two

    What ‘Q’ links the novelist Herman Melville with Special Agent Dana Scully?

    Three

    In which fictional series does Max Quordlepleen, a comedian, appear hosting a show at Milliways?

    Four

    What ‘Q’ is a capital city which sits on the equator and is officially known as San Francisco de …

    Five 

    Quirinus Quirrell is a character in the works of which novelist?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Random Numbers

    As the title suggests, here are some questions with numerical answers.

    One

    Leonardo Fibonacci.
    (Fibonacci), by Giovanni Paganucci, 1863, Camposanto di Pisa.)
    Image Hans-Peter Postel/Wikipedia

    It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…

    The above quote is from the opening sentence of a dystopian novel published in 1949. Can you identify the missing number?

    Two

    If the Fibonacci sequence starts with F0 = 0 and F1 = 1, what is F13 equal to?

    Three

    What birthday does Bilbo celebrate near the beginning of both the 1954 novel The Fellowship of the Ring and the 2001 film adaptation?

    Four

    In what year was Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, born?

    Five

    Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian novel, Fahrenheit…, is missing a number from its title. What is it?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Candle in the Wind | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Joseph Merrick, c 1889. See #2 below.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?

    Answer: Los Angeles, California

    Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was an American actress and model who became a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her ‘blonde bombshell’ characters, she starred in numerous successful films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite her success, Monroe’s personal life was troubled, and she died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36.

    Two

    Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?

    Answer: John Hurt

    Joseph Carey Merrick, known as ‘The Elephant Man’ was an English man born in 1862 who suffered from a rare disorder causing severe physical deformities, possibly Proteus syndrome. After being exhibited in freak shows, he lived at the London Hospital under the care of Sir Frederick Treves. There he became well-known in London society and received visits from prominent individuals. Merrick died at age 27 from accidental suffocation. A film The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as Merrick was made about his life.

    Three

    On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?

    Answer: Atacama Desert

    In 2010, a collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile‘s Atacama Desert trapped 33 miners underground for 69 days. Despite the mine’s history of safety violations and geological instability, the miners were successfully rescued after a global effort involving multiple organisations and governments.

    Four

    On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?

    Answer: Smoking Gun (tape)

    The US Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to release tapes of conversations, including the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape, which revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. This led to the loss of his political support and imminent impeachment, prompting his resignation on August 8, 1974.

    Five

    Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?

    Answer: Denmark

    Vitus Bering, a Danish-born Russian explorer, led two expeditions exploring the north-eastern coast of Russia and the western coast of North America. He discovered the Bering Strait, proving that Asia and America were not connected by land. Bering died of scurvy on Bering Island in 1741, along with 28 of his men.