Tag: geography

  • Let Me Count the Days — Answers

    Here are the answers to the earlier questions.

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?

    Answer: Cannon fire.

    A theatrical cannon misfired during a performance, causing a fire in the wooden beams and thatching. Only one person was injured, with his burning breeches extinguished by ale. The building was rebuilt the next year with a tile roof, costing £1,400.


    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?

    Answer: 1958; Sweden.

    The 1958 FIFA World Cup final in Sweden saw Brazil win their first title by defeating the hosts. The match, which was the first final between European and American teams, set records for goals, winning margin, and age of the youngest and oldest goal scorers. Pelé was only 17 years and 249 days old, while Nils Liedholm was 18 years and 15 days older than Pelé at 35 years and 263 days.


    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?

    Answer: Jacques Cartier; Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables.

    Lucy Maud Montgomery, known as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author famous for Anne of Green Gables (1908). She published 20 novels and over a thousand short stories and poems. Her work, set on Prince Edward Island, inspired adaptations and tourism.


    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?

    Answer: Lilly Poison.

    Nicole Scherzinger is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She gained fame as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls and later pursued a successful solo career. Scherzinger has also served as a judge on various talent shows and has received numerous accolades for her work in music and theatre.


    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?

    Answer: Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

    Elizabeth Barrett Browning, an English poet, is celebrated for Sonnets from the Portuguese and Aurora Leigh, an early feminist text. Despite a spinal injury at 15, she married Robert Browning in 1846, moved to Florence, and engaged in Italian politics. Her influential work advocated social reforms, impacting slavery and child labour laws.


  • Let Me Count the Days

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?


    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?


    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?


    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?


    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?


    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.


  • Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Exterior view of Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Antoni Gaudí, 1883–85.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today the questions all relate to June 25th


    One

    The building above is Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Spain, which was designed and built starting in 1883. Who was the architect who designed it?

    Answer: Antoni Gaudí.

    Antoni Gaudí, born 25 June 1852, began his architectural studies in Barcelona in 1869/70, graduating in 1878. He worked as a draughtsperson for architects like Francisco de Paula del Villar and Joan Martorell, who secured the Sagrada Família project for him in 1883. Gaudí dedicated much of his career to the Sagrada Família, which remained unfinished at his death in 1926. Known for his innovative structural systems and artistic projects like Park Güell, Casa Milà, and Casa Batlló, Gaudí is a candidate for sainthood, with Pope Francis declaring him ‘Venerable’ in April 2025.


    Two

    In 2024, China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe returned from the Moon carrying samples collected on the lunar surface. What was unique about these samples, and from what does the craft’s name ‘Chang’e’ originate?

    Answer: Samples were first from the far side of the Moon; Named after a Goddess.

    Chang’e, a goddess from Chinese legend who flew from Earth to the Moon, inspired the name of Chang’e 6, a lunar sample return mission. This mission launched on 3 May 2024, landed on the lunar far side on 1 June, and returned the first far-side samples to Earth on 25 June.


    Three

    The ballet, The Firebird, premiered in 1910. Who composed the ballet, and at what venue did it premiere?

    Answer: Igor Stravinsky; Paris Opéra.

    The Firebird, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky, premiered in Paris on June 25, 1910, marking his international success. Commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes, Stravinsky, then 27, drew from Russian legend and the ballet’s originality earned Stravinsky immediate international acclaim.


    Four

    In 1876, George Armstrong Custer made his last stand with his U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Little Bighorn. In what U.S. state are the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument and the Indian Memorial located?

    Answer: Montana.

    George Armstrong Custer, a U.S. Army officer, graduated last from West Point in 1861 but became a brevet brigadier general by 23. He played key roles in the Civil War and Indian Wars, dying at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. His legacy was shaped by his wife, Libbie.


    Five

    St. George Island was discovered in 1786 by Russian sea captain Gavriil Pribylov. The group of islands now known as the Pribilof Islands is named after Pribylov. In what body of water is St. George Island located?

    Answer: Bering Sea.

    The Pribilof Islands, discovered by Gavril Pribylov in 1786, include St. Paul and St. George. Inhabited by Aleuts in 1788, they became U.S. territory with the Alaska Purchase in 1867. Known for 800,000 northern fur seals, commercial sealing was banned in 1973 and 1985. The islands host diverse wildlife and nearly three million migratory birds.


    Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin

    Today the post title has no hidden meanings and is simply a quote by Antoni Gaudí, the answer to question one. It is sometimes quoted with ‘of’ instead of ‘in’, ‘Originality Consists of Returning to the Origin’.


  • Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin

    Exterior view of Casa Vicens, Barcelona (1883–85).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today the questions all relate to June 25th


    One

    The building above is Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Spain, which was designed and built starting in 1883. Who was the architect who designed it?


    Two

    In 2024, China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe returned from the Moon carrying samples collected on the lunar surface. What was unique about these samples, and from what does the craft’s name ‘Chang’e’ originate?


    Three

    The ballet, The Firebird, premiered in 1910. Who composed the ballet, and at what venue did it premiere?


    Four

    In 1876, George Armstrong Custer made his last stand with his U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Little Bighorn. In what U.S. state are the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument and the Indian Memorial located?


    Five

    St. George Island was discovered in 1786 by Russian sea captain Gavriil Pribylov. The group of islands now known as the Pribilof Islands is named after Pribylov. In what body of water is St. George Island located?


    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.  


  • First III — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question five. Flag of Greenland.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Going back to the ‘first’ theme, but today’s questions also all relate to 21 June.


    One

    She was the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country.
    — Wikipedia

    Who, born in 1953, is the politician referred to in the above quote?

    Answer: Benazir Bhutto.

    Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of former Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, became the first female leader of a Muslim nation. She served two terms as Prime Minister of Pakistan, facing challenges including corruption charges and political instability. Bhutto was assassinated in 2007 while campaigning for parliamentary elections.


    Two

    The world’s first Ferris wheel made its debut in 1893 at a World Fair. What was the official title of this World Fair, and what event was the fair commemorating?

    Answer: Answer: World’s Columbian Exposition; 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World.

    The World’s Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in the New World. The fair showcased Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse’s alternating current system, featured the world’s first Ferris wheel, and attracted over 27 million visitors. Designed in Beaux-Arts style, the exposition left a lasting impact on American architecture and culture.


    Three

    What was the name of the craft which, in 2004, completed the first crewed private spaceflight?

    Answer: SpaceShipOne.

    Piloted by Mike Melvill, SpaceShipOne, an experimental air-launched rocket-powered aircraft, achieved sub-orbital spaceflight in 2004, completing the first crewed private spaceflight and winning the Ansari X Prize. Developed by Mojave Aerospace Ventures, the project, named ‘Tier One’, aimed to take passengers into space with a successor ship.


    Four

    Which team won the very first game in Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) history when the league debuted in 1997?

    Answer: New York Liberty.

    The WNBA’s inaugural game was played at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California, on 21 June 1997. The New York Liberty defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, marking the beginning of the league’s first season.


    Five

    The country represented by the flag above first became self-governing in 2009; its parliament is the Inatsisartut; and it appears first on list of a specific geographic superlative. What country is this?

    Answer: Greenland.

    Greenland, officially the world’s largest island that is not a continent, is home to 56,000 people. It has its own extensive local government but is also part of the Realm of Denmark. Most of its inhabitants live in the 20% of the country that is not covered by ice and snow. 


  • First III

    See question five. Flag of ….
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Going back to the ‘first’ theme, but today’s questions also all relate to 21 June.


    One

    She was the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country.
    — Wikipedia

    Who, born in 1953, is the politician referred to in the above quote?


    Two

    The world’s first Ferris wheel made its debut in 1893 at a World Fair. What was the official title of this World Fair, and what event was the fair commemorating?


    Three

    What was the name of the craft which, in 2004, completed the first crewed private spaceflight?


    Four

    Which team won the very first game in Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) history when the league debuted in 1997?


    Five

    The country represented by the flag above first became self-governing in 2009; its parliament is the Inatsisartut; and it appears first on list of a specific geographic superlative. What country is this?


    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.  


  • Sausages II — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question four. Heart of Gold.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDb (cropped)

    Today’s question continue the sausages theme with more links for you to digest.


    One

    Two events in a sport link Prestwick, Scotland, in 1860 with Newport, Rhode Island, in 1895. What sport, and what notable events?

    Answer: Golf; the inaugural Open Championship and the inaugural U.S. Open.

    The Open Championship, founded in Scotland at Prestwick Golf Club, Prestwick, Ayrshire, in 1860, where it was originally played annually on its links course, is the oldest and one of the most prestigious golf tournaments. It is organised by the R&A. The U.S. Open, first played at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1895, was initially dominated by British players until John J. McDermott became the first American winner in 1911. It is organised by the USGA. 


    Two

    The Hudson Strait links what bay to what sea?

    Answer: Hudson Bay to Labrador Sea.

    The Hudson Strait is a 750-kilometre-long waterway linking Hudson Bay with the Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea, separating Baffin Island from northern Quebec. First entered by Europeans in 1578 by Sir Martin Frobisher, it was later explored and named after Henry Hudson. The strait remains an important maritime route connecting central Canadian ports to the Atlantic, though Arctic ice limits its use as a Northwest Passage route.


    Three

    According to Wikipedia what character in a long-running film series ‘has been portrayed by Jack Lord, Cec Linder, Rik Van Nutter, Norman Burton, David Hedison, John Terry, and Jeffrey Wright’?

    Answer: Felix Leiter.

    Felix Leiter, James Bond’s CIA ally, is introduced in Casino Royale as a former U.S. Marine and NATO intelligence officer. He is described as a cool, no-nonsense character who understands Bond’s strengths and weaknesses.


    Four

    What three words link a Neil Young song from 1972 with a fictional spacecraft?

    Answer: Heart of Gold.

    Heart of Gold was a 1972 single from Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young taken from his fourth album Harvest. Heart of Gold was also the name of a spaceship in Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.


    Five

    What British TV quiz programme, first broadcast on 9 and 10 September 2001, links these real-life people: Charles and Diana Ingram and Tecwen Whittock?

    Answer: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

    Charles Ingram, a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, raised suspicions during his run on the show. Despite using two lifelines early on, he progressed to the £1 million question, which he answered correctly, leading to further scrutiny from the production team. 


    Sausages II

    As explained yesterday, sausages in a chain are links, and today’s questions are all about links.


  • Sausages II

    See question four. Heart of Gold.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDb (cropped)

    Today’s question continue the sausages theme with more links for you to digest.


    One

    Two events in a sport link Prestwick, Scotland, in 1860 with Newport, Rhode Island, in 1895. What sport, and what notable events?


    Two

    The Hudson Strait links what bay to what sea?


    Three

    According to Wikipedia what character in a long-running film series ‘has been portrayed by Jack Lord, Cec Linder, Rik Van Nutter, Norman Burton, David Hedison, John Terry, and Jeffrey Wright’?


    Four

    What three words link a Neil Young song from 1972 with a fictional spacecraft?


    Five

    What British TV quiz programme, first broadcast on 9 and 10 September 2001, links these real-life people: Charles and Diana Ingram and Tecwen Whittock?


    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.


  • Sausages — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Sausages, The Covered Market, Oxford, U.K.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    There is a simple theme running through today’s questions, which I’m sure you will work out very quickly.


    One

    What five-letter word means sausages and an area of, for example, St. Andrew’s, Scotland?

    Answer: Links.

    Sausages in a chain are links, as is a seaside golf course on ‘linksland’. The Oxford English Dictionary definition of the golf variety is shown below.

    links /lɪŋks /
    ▸ plural noun [treated as singular or plural] (also golf links) a golf course, especially one on grass-covered sandy ground near the sea: a couple of days’ golf on a sunny Spanish links. ▪ another term for linksland

    – ORIGIN Old English  hlinc ‘rising ground’, perhaps related to lean1.

    — Oxford English Dictionary


    Two

    What eight-letter word relates to all of these: Joe Gilmore, a barman at the Savoy Hotel, London in 1969; Apollo 11, 1969; Mr Bean, 1969; Michael Jackson, 1983?

    Answer: Moonwalk.

    Joe Gilmore created the Moonwalk cocktail to celebrate Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s landing on the Moon in Apollo 11 and their moonwalks. Mr. Bean was Apollo 12’s Alan Bean who, along with his colleague Pete Conrad, also walked on the Moon a few months later. Michael Jackson’s famous Moonwalk was first publicly performed in 1983.


    Three

    What connects Fort Providence to the Beaufort Sea?

    Answer: Mackenzie River.

    The Mackenzie River, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is, with the Slave, Peace and Finlay Rivers, the longest river system in Canada, with the second-largest drainage basin of any North American river after the Mississippi. The Mackenzie’s main stem flows 1,738 km (1,079 miles) from Great Slave Lake at Fort Providence to the Arctic Ocean at the Beaufort Sea, in the Inuvik Region. Historically significant, it supports limited economic development, including oil, minerals, and agriculture.


    Four

    Dr. John Watson; Bilbo Baggins; Lester Nygaard; Chris Carson. Who is the connection?

    Answer: Martin Freeman.

    English actor Martin Freeman has won two Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He portrayed Dr. John Watson in Sherlock (2010–2017); a young Bilbo Baggins in the The Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014); Lester Nygaard in Fargo (2014), and Chris Carson in The Responder (from 2022).


    Five

    What one title is shared by these: a 1956 film about Vincent van Gogh; an Iggy Pop album from 1977; a 2017 Lana Del Rey album?

    Answer: Lust for Life.

    Lust for Life is a 1956 biographical film about Vincent van Gogh, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Kirk Douglas. Lust for Life was also the title of Iggy Pop’s second solo album, released in 1977. Finally, Lust for Life is Lana Del Rey’s fifth studio album, released in 2017.


    Sausages

    As explained in the first answer sausages in a chain are links and today’s questions are all about links.


  • Sausages

    Sausages, The Covered Market, Oxford, U.K.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    There is a simple theme running through today’s questions, which I’m sure you will work out very quickly.


    One

    What five-letter word means sausages and an area of, for example, St. Andrew’s, Scotland?


    Two

    What eight-letter word relates to all of these: Joe Gilmore, a barman at the Savoy Hotel, London in 1969; Apollo 11, 1969; Mr Bean, 1969; Michael Jackson, 1983?


    Three

    What connects Fort Providence to the Beaufort Sea?


    Four

    Dr. John Watson; Bilbo Baggins; Lester Nygaard; Chris Carson. Who is the connection?


    Five

    What one title is shared by these: a 1956 film about Vincent van Gogh; an Iggy Pop album from 1977; a 2017 Lana Del Rey album?


    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.