Five multiple choice questions related to today, September 13th.
One
On 13 September 1959, the first spacecraft successfully made contact with another celestial body. Which spacecraft and celestial body were involved?
Kal-L 1 and Mercury
Luna 2 and the Moon
Mariner 3 and Mars
Two
The 13 September Japanese release of Super Mario Bros marked the start of the Super Mario series of platforming games.
1985
1991
1997
Three
On 12 September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert set a record as the strongest hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, based on barometric pressure. Which 2005 hurricane surpassed this record?
Maria
Rita
Wilma
Four
Hannibal Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film on this date. In what decade did this occur?
1890s
1900s
1910s
Five
On 13 September 1899, the first ascent of Batian was achieved. Of what mountain is Batian the highest peak?
Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post about events related to 12 September.
John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on their wedding day. Image Wikipedia
One
On 12 September 1953, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier married at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Who did she marry?
Answer: John F. Kennedy
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, known as Jackie O, was the First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963. She was a popular figure, admired for her dedication to historic preservation, arts and culture, and her unique fashion sense. After her husband’s assassination, she married Aristotle Onassis and later became a book editor in New York City.
Two
On 12 September 1885, Arbroath achieved a world record scoreline in professional football (soccer) by defeating Bon Accord in the first round of the Scottish Cup. Was the margin of Arbroath’s win 26, 31, or 36 goals?
Answer: 36 goals
The final scoreboard read Aberdeen 36-0 Bon Accord. Arbroath led 15-0 at halftime and scored 21 more goals in the second half. The match was so one-sided that Arbroath’s goalkeeper didn’t touch the ball.
It holds the largest margin of victory in an unrigged first-class football match. A match between AS Adema and SO l’Emyrne, a thrown game where SO l’Emyrne scored deliberate own goals in a protest against prior officiating decisions, took the title of most goals in a professional football match in 2002. — Wikipedia
Three
The estimated age range of the wall paintings in the Lascaux Cave, France, and the year in which Lascaux was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List are 17,000 to 22,000 years and 1979; 87,000 to 92,000 years old and 1954; or 147,000 to 220,000 years old and 2000?
Answer: 17,000 to 22,000 years and 1979
Lascaux, a network of caves in southwestern France, were discovered on this day in 1940 and features over 600 prehistoric wall paintings dating back 17,000 to 22,000 years. The site, recognised for its outstanding art, was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Four
Salisbury, Rhodesia, was founded on 12 September 1890. What are the current names of the city and country?
Answer: Harare, Zimbabwe
Founded in 1890 as Fort Salisbury, the city served as the capital of Southern Rhodesia and later Rhodesia. Upon independence, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, and Salisbury was renamed Harare in 1982. It remained the capital until the national parliament relocated to Mount Hampden in 2022.
Five
The Battle of Marathon, fought on this day in 490 BCE, was a victory for the Athenians against which empire?
Answer: Persian Empire (aka Achaemenid Empire)
The Battle of Marathon, usually accepted as occurring in 490 BCE, saw the Athenians and their Plataean allies defeat the first Persian invasion force of Greece.
These questions are related to events connected to today’s date, 12 September?
St. Mary’s Church, Newport, Rhode Island. Image Wikipedia
One
On 12 September 1953, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier married at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Who did she marry?
Two
On 12 September 1885, Arbroath achieved a world record scoreline in professional football (soccer) by defeating Bon Accord in the first round of the Scottish Cup. Was the margin of Arbroath’s win 26, 31, or 36 goals?
Three
The estimated age range of the wall paintings in the Lascaux Cave, France, and the year in which Lascaux was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List are 17,000 to 22,000 years and 1979; 87,000 to 92,000 years old and 1954; or 147,000 to 220,000 years old and 2000?
Four
Salisbury, Rhodesia, was founded on 12 September 1890. What are the current names of the city and country?
Five
The Battle of Marathon, fought on this day in 490 BCE, was a victory for the Athenians against which empire?
Freddie Mercury, born on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, the Sultanate of Zanzibar, is best known as the frontman of Queen. Which two Queen albums from the mid-seventies are named after Marx Brothers films?
Answer: A Night at the Opera (1975) and A Day at the Races (1976)
Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, was a British rock singer and songwriter known for his flamboyant showmanship and powerful vocals. He joined the band Smile in 1970, renamed it Queen, and became its lead singer. Queen achieved international fame with albums like A Night at the Opera, and Mercury’s solo career included collaborations with Montserrat Caballé.
Gerald R. Ford, presidential portrait. Image Wikipedia
Two
On 5 September 1975, Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, attempted to assassinate the US president. This was one of two assassination attempts in that month, Who was the president who was targeted?
Answer: Gerald R Ford
Twice in September 1975, Ford was the target of assassination attempts. In the first instance, Secret Service agents intervened before shots were fired; in the second, the would-be assassin fired one shot at Ford but missed by several feet. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Jim Henson with Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in 1979. Image Wikipedia
Three
The first episode of The Muppet Show aired on 5 September 1976. In which country was it broadcast?
Answer: United Kingdom
The Muppet Show, created by Jim Henson, premiered in the UK on 5 September 1976 and ended on 23 May 1981. Five seasons, totalling 120 episodes, were broadcast on ATV and other ITV franchises in the UK and in syndication in the United States from 1976 to 1981. It featured iconic characters like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, with its success leading to films, merchandise, and other series. The Muppets were acquired by Disney in 2004.
Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas on 5 September. In which decade of the 19th century did this event occur? Thirties
Answer: Thirties
Houston was elected in 1836. Samuel Houston was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, a U.S. Senator, and the governor of both Tennessee and Texas. Houston opposed secession and was forced out of office as Texas governor in 1861.
On 5 September 2000, the Pacific island nation whose flag is shown above became the 189th member of the United Nations. Please name that country?
Answer: Tuvala
Tuvalu, a Polynesian island country in the Pacific Ocean, comprises three reef islands and six atolls. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 and is a constitutional monarchy. The economy relies on imports, fishing, and remittances, while facing challenges from climate change and sea level rise.
Why Why a Duck?
The title of the post, Why a Duck?, doesn’t directly relate to the content, except for the mention of the Marx Brothers in the first question. However, I’ve always enjoyed the routine it originates from. This routine comes from The Cocoanuts. A bit of an explanation follows.
“Why a Duck?” is a comedy routine featured in the Marx Brothers movie The Cocoanuts (1929). In a scene in which Groucho and Chico are discussing a map, Groucho mentions the presence of a viaduct between the mainland and a peninsula. Chico, who is playing the role of an immigrant with poor English skills, replies “Why a duck?” This leads into a long schtick with Chico responding “Why a no chicken?”, “I catch ona why a horse”, and so forth — Wikipedia
Freddie Mercury, born on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, the Sultanate of Zanzibar, is best known as the frontman of Queen. Which two Queen albums from the mid-seventies are named after Marx Brothers films?
Two
On 5 September 1975, Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, attempted to assassinate the US president. This was one of two assassination attempts in that month, Who was the president who was targeted?
Three
The first episode of The Muppet Show aired on 5 September 1976. In which country was it broadcast?
Four
Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas on 5 September. In which decade of the 19th century did this event occur?
Five
On 5 September 2000, the Pacific island nation whose flag is shown above became the 189th member of the United Nations. Please name that country?
Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.
One of the Ford Anglia 105E’s seen in the Harry Potter films. Image Wikipedia
One
Which turquoise blue Ford motor car model is depicted as the flying car in the Harry Potter books and films?
Answer: Ford Anglia 105E
“My secondary school, Wyedean, where I went when I was eleven, was the place I met Sean Harris, to whom Chamber of Secrets is dedicated and who owned the original Ford Anglia. He was the first of my friends to learn to drive and that turquoise and white car meant FREEDOM and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager. Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years involve zooming off into the darkness in Sean’s car.“ — J.K.Rowling. harrypotterfandom.com
The filming of the scene where the Ford Anglia crashes into the Whomping Willow resulted in the destruction of 14 cars.
Tristan da Cunha as seen from International Space Station. Image NASA/Wikipedia
Two
Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, has only one settlement. What is its name?
Answer: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the only settlement of the island of Tristan da Cunha, a part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. Locally, it is referred to as The Settlement or The Village.
What tourist attraction in Verona, Italy is a fake as the person allegedly connected to it never existed?
Answer: (either or both) Juliet’s house or Juliet’s balcony
In 1905, the mayor of Verona, as part of a tourism marketing campaign, bought the house from the Cappello family, thinking the name resembled Capulet, Juliet’s surname, and declared it the one and only Juliette’s House. Even the balcony is fake, constructed in the 20th century using parts from a 17th-century sarcophagus and attached to the wall to create a bogus balcony.
Statue of Juliet at Juliets House, Verona. Image WikipediaPalace of Holyroodhouse. Image Wikipedia
Four
What building is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland?
Answer: Palace of Holyroodhouse (aka Holyrood Palace)
Holyrood Palace, or in full the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the British monarch, is located at the bottom of the Royal Mile. The name derives either from a legendary vision of the cross witnessed by David I, or from a relic of the True Cross known as the Holy Rood or Black Rood, which had belonged to Saint Margaret of Scotland, David’s mother. The palace, which adjoins Holyrood Abbey, is open to the public year-round, except when the royal family is in residence.
The title page of the first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1768-71. Image Wikipedia
Five
On 10 December 1768, the first edition of which reference work was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland?
Answer: Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica, a general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia, was first published in 1768 and is currently owned by Chicago based Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. After 244 years of print, the last printed edition was published in 2010, and it has been available exclusively online since 2016. The Britannica is known for its scholarly articles and has undergone several changes in format and ownership throughout its history.
The Edinburgh connection is in all the questions except No. 3.
JK Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter while living in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The settlement was orininally founded and named by a Scotsman: Sergeant William Glass from Kelso, Scottish Borders.
Not part of the theme.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the bottom of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle is at the opposite end.
Encyclopædia Britannica was originally founded and published in the city.
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? — The post title is from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, meets HM King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. LONDON- UK- 5th May 2023. Photo by Ian Jones via Wikipedia
One
Who, born 25 August 1875, connects these: the 15th Governor General of Canada; Richard Hannay; and the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir?
Answer: John Buchan
John Buchan, a Scottish novelist and politician, served as Governor General of Canada from 1935 until his death in 1940. He promoted Canadian unity and strengthened the country’s sovereignty. Buchan, who was the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, created the character Richard Hannay.
Two
The title of this post, Mr Standfast, is the name of a novel featuring Richard Hannay, as mentioned in question 1. Can you name another novel by the same author that features Hannay as a major character?
Answer: (Any of) – The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, The Three Hostages, The Island of Sheep
Hannay appears in several novels as a major character, including:
Note, Richard Hannay also appears in some works by other authors.
Three
The 15th Governor General of Canada is mentioned above, but who is the current and 30th Governor General of Canada? Notably, this is the first Indigenous person to hold the office.
Answer: Mary Simon
Mary Simon, the first Indigenous Governor General of Canada, was born in Quebec and previously worked as a broadcaster and diplomat. Her appointment was criticised due to her limited French fluency.
Four
The international boundary between Canada and the United States is the world’s longest. Two answers to this question: (1) how many Canadian provinces and territories are on the border, and (2) how many US states are on the border.
Answer: (1) 8 Canadian provinces or territories and (2) 13 US states
Firstly, a question about someone born on August 26th. The rest of the questions are follow-ups to this one.
One
Who, born 25 August 1875, connects these: the 15th Governor General of Canada; Richard Hannay; and the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir?
Two
The title of this post is the name of a novel featuring Richard Hannay, as mentioned in question 1. Can you name another novel by the same author that features Hannay as a major character?
Three
The 15th Governor General of Canada is mentioned above, but who is the current and 30th Governor General of Canada? Notably, this is the first Indigenous person to hold the office.
Four
The international boundary between Canada and the United States is the world’s longest. Two answers to this question: (1) how many Canadian provinces and territories are on the border, and (2) how many US states are on the border.
Five
The northern end of the Yukon, Canada/Alaska, US border at 69°39′N 141°00′W is on the shore of what sea?
In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?
Answer: Krakatoa and Krakatoa, East of Java
Krakatoa is west of Java not east! Apparently the film’s producers thought ‘West’ was more atmospheric than ‘East’. The eruption in 1883 destroyed over 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago, collapsing into a caldera. The eruption, heard 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometres) away, caused at least 36,417 deaths and had significant global effects.
Eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, 1983. Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Two
Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?
Answer: Hawaiian Islands
Kilauea, an active shield volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, is known for its frequent eruptions, notably the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō eruption, which created new land. Located on the island’s southeastern shore, it is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. Kilauea is the most active of the five volcanoes forming the island and among the most active globally. The most recent eruption began in December 2024, continuing into 2025. Historically, it was thought to be a satellite of Mauna Loa. From 2008 to 2018, Halemaʻumaʻu hosted an active lava lake. Eruptions from 1983 to 2018 caused significant property damage, including the destruction of Kalapana and Kaimū in 1990. Since 2020, eruptions have occurred within the enlarged Halemaʻumaʻu crater and along the southwest and east rift zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1961, houses two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.
Mount Fuji from the International Space Station. Image NASA/Wikipedia
Three
In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?
Answer: 18th century (December 16, 1707)
Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain and a cultural icon, is an active stratovolcano with a symmetrical cone. Situated in central Honshu, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a prominent feature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
Geologists agree that a geological feature featured in a 1977 Steven Spielberg film began as magma, or molten rock, buried beneath the Earth’s surface. Please name the Spielberg film and identify the geological feature?
Answer: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Devils Tower (National Monument, Wyoming)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film by Steven Spielberg about a man whose life changes after a UFO encounter and a single mother whose son is abducted. The film’s climax is at Devil’s Tower. The film was a critical and financial success, grossing over $300 million worldwide and receiving numerous awards and nominations. It was preserved in the National Film Registry and has been released in multiple editions, including a Director’s Cut.
Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?
Answer: Iceland
Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, is characterised by a 3.4-mile-long fissure and has erupted over 20 times since 1104. Its eruptions, including a major one in 1766, have caused significant damage and loss of life.
