Numbers—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

One

Answer: Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, United States

The Arctic Circle, an imaginary line at about 66.5° North latitude, marks the southern edge of the Arctic region. Several countries have land or territories within them. Alphabetically, they are:

Canada
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern areas of several provinces, plus the islands in Canada’s Arctic Archipelago which is described by Wikipedia as:

Situated in the northern extremity of North America and covering about 1,424,500 km2 (550,000 sq mi), this group of 36,563 islands, surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, comprises much of Northern Canada, predominately Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. — Wikipedia

Finland
The Lapland region.

Greenland
Greenland, a vast autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Iceland
Despite its name only a small part of Grímsey Island (off the north coast of mainland Iceland) lies within the Arctic Circle.

Norway
Northern mainland, for example, Finnmark; and the Svalbard Archipelago. Longyearbyen (Longyear Town) is the world’s northernmost settlement with a population greater than 1,000, and the capital and the largest inhabited area of Svalbard.

Russia
Russia has a massive Arctic region, including parts of Siberia, Murmansk Oblast and several Arctic islands. Murmansk is the largest city located above the Arctic Circle

Sweden
The northern part of the country, for example, Norrbotten County.

United States
The only US territory within the Arctic Circle is the northern part of the state of Alaska.


Two

Answer: (film) The Nutty Professor; (actor) Eddie Murphy; (number of roles) Seven

The Nutty Professor (1996) Eddie Murphy seven roles
– Professor Sherman Klump ‘The Nutty Professor’
– Buddy Love
– Lance Perkins
– Cletus Klump, Sherman’s father
– Anna Pearl Jensen-Klump, Sherman’s mother
– Ida Mae Jensen, Anna’s mother and Sherman’s maternal grandmother
– Ernie Klump Sr., Sherman’s older brother


Three

Answer: Ten

The Blind Assassin, a historical fiction novel by Margaret Atwood, won the Booker Prize in 2000.


Four

Answer: (total) Nine. (comprising) One Wizard, two Men, one Elf, one Dwarf and four Hobbits

The Tolkien Gateway describe the members of the Fellowship of the Ring as follows:

Gandalf — One of the Wizards sent to Middle-earth by the Valar. He was the leader of the Fellowship.
Aragorn, son of Arathorn — The Chieftain of the Dúnedain and the last heir to the throne of Gondor and Arnor. He led the Fellowship after the loss of Gandalf.
Boromir, son of Denethor — Captain-general of Gondor and next-in-line to be the Ruling Steward of Gondor.
Legolas, son of Thranduil of Mirkwood — Emissary of the Elves of Mirkwood.
Gimli, son of Glóin — A Dwarf of the Lonely Mountain.
Frodo Baggins — A Hobbit from the Shire, chosen to carry the One Ring.
Samwise Gamgee — A Hobbit, Frodo’s gardener, servant and close friend.
Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck — A Hobbit and cousin of Frodo, best friends with
Peregrin “Pippin” Took — A Hobbit and also a cousin of Frodo, youngest of the Fellowship.
The Fellowship by Pauline Baynes at The Tolkien Gateway


Five

Answer: (number) Eight and (author) Lewis Carroll

The Hunting of the Snark is a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll, published in 1876. The poem follows a crew’s hunt for the Snark, a creature that may be a dangerous Boojum, and explores themes of existential angst and the pursuit of happiness.

Numbers

Today numbers are either in the questions or answers.

One

Eight nations lie within the Arctic Circle. Can you name them?

Two

In what 1996 film is Sherman Klump and various others played by the same actor and, who is that actor and how many roles do they play?

Three

… days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge.

What number begins the opening line from Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin?

Four

In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed at the Council of Elrond with the singular purpose of destroying the One Ring. How many members in total were in the Fellowship, and how was this number distributed among the various races?

Five

The Hunting of the Snark, a poem by an English writer, is subtitled An Agony, in … Fits. What number is missing from the subtitle and who was the English author?

Good luck! I will post the answers later.

Today’s the Day—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions about October 10th which were posted earlier.

Giant, film poster, 1956. Image Wikipedia

One

On this day in 1956, an American film premiered and became particularly notable as the final film featuring James Dean, who died in a car crash shortly after filming concluded. Which film was it?

Answer: Giant

James Dean, a 1950s Hollywood actor, became an influential figure despite a brief career. His three major films, Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant, are preserved in the National Film Registry.


Two

In 1969, the album In the Court of the … was released by a band which included Greg Lake. What words complete the album title and what was the band called?

Answer: (In the Court of the) Crimson King and King Crimson

King Crimson, an English progressive rock band formed in 1968, is known for its diverse musical influences and significant impact on the progressive rock movement. In the Court of the Crimson King, King Crimson’s debut album, is a pioneering work of progressive rock, blending rock with jazz, classical and symphonic music.


Three

In 1846, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Triton, a moon of which planet?

Answer: Neptune

William Lassell (18 June 1799 – 5 October 1880) was an English merchant and astronomer.  He’s best known for his improvements to the reflecting telescope which led to his discovery of four planetary satellites.


Matt Monro, publicity picture for the single, Born Free, 1966.
Image Wikipedia

Four

In 1963, the second film in the official James Bond franchise, From Russia with Love, premiered. Which Englishman sang the title song in the film?

Answer: Matt Monro

If I had to choose three of the finest male vocalists, Matt would be one of them.
— Frank Sinatra

Born on December 1, 1930, Terence Edward Parsons, known as Matt Monro on stage, was an English singer renowned as ’The Man with the Golden Voice’. The former London bus driver, performed internationally for 30 years and sold 23 million records. AllMusic called him ‘one of the most underrated pop vocalists of the ‘60s’, praising his ‘easiest, most perfect baritone’. Monro, a heavy smoker and drinker, died of liver cancer in 1985 after which ‘Frank Sinatra said of him, ‘If I had to choose three of the finest male vocalists, Matt would be one of them.’
Monro’s recordings include UK top 10 hits Portrait of My Love, My Kind of Girl, Softly As I Leave You, Walk Away and a cover of the Beatles’ Yesterday. He also recorded film themes such as From Russia with Love, Born Free, and On Days Like These.


Five

In 1935, Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway. Who composed this opera?

Answer: George Gershwin

Porgy and Bess is an English-language opera by George Gershwin, based on a novel and play by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward. It premiered in 1935 and is now one of the most frequently performed operas, known for its story of Porgy’s attempts to rescue Bess from her violent lover and drug dealer.

Today’s the Day

These five questions are about events that all happened on October 10th.

James Dean, c. 1953.
Image Wikipedia

One

On this day in 1956, an American film premiered and became particularly notable as the final film featuring James Dean, who died in a car crash shortly after filming concluded. Which film was it?

Two

In 1969, the album In the Court of the … was released by a band which included Greg Lake. What words complete the album title and what was the band called?

Three

In 1846, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Triton, a moon of which planet?

Four

In 1963, the second film in the official James Bond franchise, From Russia with Love, premiered. Which Englishman sang the title song in the film?

Five

In 1935, Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway. Who composed this opera?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

In a Hole in the Ground—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

Hobbit village.
Image ArtStation.com

One

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a Hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

What one word has been omitted from the above opening lines which were first published in 1937?

Answer: Hobbit

The openings words from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937).


Two

The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

The second book of an unusual trilogy begins with the above lines. What is the title of this book? How many books did the creator of this work write in the ‘trilogy’?

Answer: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Five (books)

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is the second book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a ‘trilogy of five books’ by Douglas Adams with a sixth book written by Eoin Colfer.


Three

It was a pleasure to …

In Ray Bradbury’ Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, the protagonist, was responsible for the opening sentence. What four-letter word completes it?

Answer: Burn

Montag is a fireman. In the world depicted in Fahrenheit 451 firemen are employed to burn books which are illegal to own. Disillusioned with his role as a censor and destroyer of knowledge, Montag eventually quits his job and dedicates himself to preserving literary and cultural writings.


Four

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.

Who was the subject of this opening sentence (the name has been removed from the above quote) from Ulysses by James Joyce?

Answer: Buck Mulligan

Ulysses by James Joyce, follows the lives of three Dubliners over a single day, 16 June 1904, now celebrated annually as Bloomsday by its fans.


The Martian.
Image Disney

Five

LOG ENTRY: SOL 6
I’m pretty much fucked.
That’s my considered opinion.
Fucked.
The Martian by Andy Weir

The opening lines of The Martian are displayed above. Who was the American astronaut writing this log entry?

Answer: Mark Watney

Andy Weir’s 2011 science fiction debut, ‘The Martian’, began as a serialised blog post before Crown Publishing Group acquired and re-released it in 2014. The novel follows Mark Watney, an American astronaut stranded alone on Mars in 2035, who must use his ingenuity to survive. Ridley Scott’s 2015 film adaptation, starring Matt Damon, is based on the novel. Drew Goddard wrote the screenplay, and 20th Century Fox distributed it. Both the novel and film depict the astronaut’s struggle for survival and NASA’s rescue mission.

In a Hole in the Ground

Here are five questions about the opening lines of books.

One

In a hole in the ground there lived a …. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a …-hole, and that means comfort.

What one word has been omitted from the above opening lines which were first published in 1937?

Two

The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

The second book of an unusual trilogy begins with the above lines. What is the title of this book? How many books did the creator of this work write in the ‘trilogy’?

Three

It was a pleasure to …

In Ray Bradbury’ Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, the protagonist, was responsible for the opening sentence. What four-letter word completes it?

Four

Stately, plump … came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.

Who was the subject of this opening sentence (the name has been removed from the above quote) from Ulysses by James Joyce?

Five

LOG ENTRY: SOL 6
I’m pretty much fucked.
That’s my considered opinion.
Fucked.
The Martian by Andy Weir

The opening lines of The Martian are displayed above. Who was the American astronaut writing this log entry?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Bits and Pieces

Here are five unrelated questions.

Poker Night.
Image Pinterest

One

Thomas Hart Benton’s 1948 painting Poker Night depicts a scene from which Tennessee Williams play?

Two

What skill can be called funambulism?

Three

A ribauldequin was a type of musical instrument. Is this true or false?

Four

The Taj Mahal is located on the south bank of what river?

Five

Who is the world’s best-selling fiction writer?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Lists—Answers

Today there are five questions relating to various lists.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour – Arlington Texas, US.
Image Wikipedia

One

Here’s a chronological list of studio albums released since 2017: Reputation, Lover, … Evermore. Who released these and which album is missing?

Answer: Taylor Swift and Folklore

Swift released the studio album Folklore in 2020.


Two

…, Aconcagua, Denali. This is the second and third items in a list of seven. What’s the first?

Answer: Everest

It is a list of the highest peaks the on seven continents: Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Elbrus, Mount Wilhelm. There are variations to this list depending on definition used but the first five peaks remain the same regardless of definition.


Three

Which film follows in this list from an ‘official’ film series: Thunderball, You Only Live Twice? Secondly, who played the main protagonist in this film?

Answer: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and George Lazenby

This was Lazenby’s only outing as Bond.


Four

Out of the 193 member states of the United Nations, nine follow Oman and precede Qatar in alphabetical order. Can you name as many of these nine as you can?

Answer: Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland and Portugal

Wikipedia


The Rolling Stones in July 1963.
From left: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards.
Image Wikipedia

Five

The Encyclopædia Britannica and Wikipedia agree on the first stable lineup of this group. Listed alphabetically by surname, they are Mick Jagger, …, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Who is missing from second place in this list?

Answer: Brian Jones

Formed in London as an alliance between Jagger, Richards, and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones along with Watts and bassist Bill Wyman, the Stones began as a grubby conclave of students and bohemians playing a then-esoteric music based on Chicago blues in pubs and clubs in and around West London. Their potential for mass-market success seemed negligible at first, but by 1965 they were second to the Beatles in the collective affection of teenage Britain. — Encyclopædia Britannica

Lists

Today we have five questions about different lists.

One

Here’s a chronological list of studio albums released since 2017: Reputation, Lover, … Evermore. Who released these and which album is missing?

Two

…, Aconcagua, Denali. This is the second and third items in a list of seven. What’s the first?

Three

Which film follows in this list from an ‘official’ film series: Thunderball, You Only Live Twice? Secondly, who played the main protagonist in this film?

Four

Out of the 193 member states of the United Nations, nine follow Oman and precede Qatar in alphabetical order. Can you name as many of these nine as you can?

Five

The Encyclopædia Britannica and Wikipedia agree on the first stable lineup of this group. Listed alphabetically by surname, they are Mick Jagger, …, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Who is missing from second place in this list?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Cat and Mouse—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn), commander USS Dallas, The Hunt for Red October.
Image Jack Ryan Fandom

One

American novelist Tom Clancy died today in 2013. The film adaptation (1990) of his novel The Hunt for Red October (1984) featured who in the role of Jack Ryan and what was the name of the American Los Angeles-class attack submarine skippered by Commander Bart Mancuso?

Answer: Alec Baldwin and USS Dallas

The Hunt for Red October chronicles the efforts of CIA analyst Jack Ryan to prove that Soviet submarine Captain Marko Ramius is not attempting to attack the US but is instead defecting to the United States with the Soviet Union’s cutting-edge ballistic missile submarine, the Red October. The story, adapted from Tom Clancy’s novel of the same name, portrays a dangerous geopolitical game of cat and mouse as both the Soviet and American navies attempt to locate the advanced, stealthy submarine, fearing a nuclear confrontation if Ramius’ intentions are misunderstood.


Two

On this date, who became the first queen to rule England in her own right?

Answer: Mary I

Mary I, England’s first queen ruling in her own right, earned the nickname Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants to restore Roman Catholicism. Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of England and Ireland in 1553. Her attempts to restore Catholicism, including the Marian persecutions, were largely unsuccessful and her reign ended with her death in 1558.

Three

Yosemite National Park was established in 1890 by the US Congress. Two questions: in what US state is Yosemite National Park located, and what other US National Park in that state straddles the Nevada border?

Answer: California and Death Valley National Park

Yosemite National Park is located in California. Nevada boasts two national parks: Great Basin National Park and Death Valley National Park. Death Valley extends across both California and Nevada.


Thrilla in Manila, 1975.
Image Amazon

Four

The ‘Thrilla in Manila‘ was a 1975 prizefight between which two prizefighters?

Answer: Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier

Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the 14th round of their third boxing match, the ‘Thrilla in Manila’, on 1 October 1975. The fight, considered one of the greatest in boxing history, was watched by an estimated 1 billion viewers.


Paddy O’Neil (Richard Harris), Patriot Games.
Image Jack Ryan Fandom

Five

Which Irish actor, born in 1930, played Paddy O’Neil in Patriot Games (1992) and Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator (2000)?

Answer: Richard Harris

Irish actor and singer Richard Harris, known for his roles in films like This Sporting Life, The Field, and Gladiator, received numerous accolades including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Grammy Award. He also gained acclaim for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. He also topped the music charts with MacArthur Park reaching number one in Australia, Canda and Jamaica; and top-ten entries in the UK, US and Ireland.