Unsinkable—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

One

In the film Titanic what were Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s fictional characters full names?

Answer: Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater

*Titanic* film poster.
Image Original Vintage

Two

Name the independent countries in Africa that have names beginning with ‘M’?

Answer: Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco and Mozambique

Three

What type of animal was Flipper, the star of the sixties American television series?

Answer: Bottlenose dolphin

Bottlenose dolphins.
Image American Oceans

Four

There’s only been one instance of a father and daughter performing a number one song in America. Can you name the song and the performers?

Answer: Somethin’ Stupid Frank and Nancy Sinatra

This 1967 hit, which was billed as being by ‘Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra’, was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in America. Nancy Sinatra has said, ‘Some people call (it) the Incest Song, which I think is, well, very sweet!’

Five

Name any US presidents and British prime ministers with the same surname?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson and Harold Wilson

Woodrow Wilson, was the 28th President of the United States and was in office from 1913 to 1921.
Harold Wilson, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and was in office from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976.

Unsinkable

Today’s questions are random with no connection between them.

RMS *Titanic*.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

In the film Titanic what were Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s fictional characters full names?

Two

Name the independent countries in Africa that have names beginning with ‘M’?

Three

What type of animal was Flipper, the star of the sixties American television series?

Four

There’s only been one instance of a father and daughter performing a number one song in America. Can you name the song and the performers?

Five

Name any US presidents and British prime ministers with the same surname?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Presidential Genesis—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States.
Image Wikipedia

One

The US state of Virginia is in pole position with eight US presidents being born there. What state would be in second place?

Answer: Ohio

Ohio ranks second to Virginia in the number of US presidents born there. These seven presidents hail from Ohio: Ulysses S Grant, Rutherford B Hayes, James A Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft and Warren G Harding.

Two

Which mammal family, common or scientific name, is the wolverine the largest member of?

Answer: Weasels or Mustelidae

The wolverine, the largest member of the Mustelidae family – commonly known as the weasel family – includes other animals like weasels otters martens and badgers. Renowned for their stocky build thick fur and impressive strength relative to their size, wolverines are truly remarkable creatures.

Petrus Kartner—Father Abraham.
Image Wikipedia

Three

In 1977 Petrus Kartner was commissioned to compose a promotional song for The Smurfs which became a hit single and album. What nationality was Kartner and under what stage name did he perform?

Answer: Dutch and Father Abraham

Dutch musician and record producer Petrus Antonius Laurentius Kartner (1935-2022), known as Vader Abraham, wrote around 1600 songs. He is best known for his Smurf-themed music, including The Smurf Song, which sold 400,000 copies after a repress and a full album that sold 500,000 copies.

Four

In volleyball, a defensive specialist who can’t serve or rotate to the front line and wears a different coloured jersey is known as a …. What six-letter word describes this player?

Answer: Libero

The word originates from Italian and means ‘free’. The libero, is a defensive specialist in volleyball, wearing a different coloured jersey and unable to serve or attack above the net. Libero replacements don’t count against the substitution limit, but can only be made with the original libero.
Established in 1998, this position is recognised by most volleyball governing bodies and is credited with lengthening rallies.

Neptune’s Staircase, Caledonian Canal, Scotland, UK.
Image Wikipedia

Five

What eventually links Loch Ness to Neptune’s Staircase?

Answer: Caledonian Canal

Built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822 the Caledonian Canal is one of Scotland’s most remarkable engineering achievements — a scenic 60-mile (97 km) waterway that cuts through the Great Glen, connecting the east coast at the Beauly Firth near Inverness with the west coast’s Loch Linnhe at Corpach near Fort William. Some 60 miles (97 km) in length with 22 miles (35 km) of man-made canal while the rest is natural lochs which include Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Neptune’s Staircase is a flight of eight locks near to the Loch Linnhe end of the canal.

Presidential Genesis

Here are five random questions for you to consider.

Wolverine, see question 2.
Image Wikipedia

One

The US state of Virginia is in pole position with eight US presidents being born there. What state would be in second place?

Two

Which mammal family, common or scientific name, is the wolverine the largest member of?

Three

In 1977 Petrus Kartner was commissioned to compose a promotional song for The Smurfs which became a hit single and album. What nationality was Kartner and under what stage name did he perform?

Four

In volleyball, a defensive specialist who can’t serve or rotate to the front line and wears a different coloured jersey is known as a …. What six-letter word describes this player?

Five

What eventually links Loch Ness to Neptune’s Staircase?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Names, Names, Names—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post,

Theodore Roosevelt, 1904.
Image Wikipedia

One

Could you please identify the missing names in the following quote from Encyclopædia Britannica? It mentions a president’s name and a building’s name but both have been removed.

1901 President … officially changed the name of the president’s residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. from … to the White House — Encyclopædia Britannica

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt and Executive Mansion

Originally called the “President’s Palace” on early maps, the building was officially named the Executive Mansion in 1810 to avoid connotations of royalty. Although the name White House was commonly used from about the same time (because the mansion’s white-gray sandstone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby buildings), it did not become the official name of the building until 1901, when it was adopted by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt (1901–09). The White House is the oldest federally built building in the country’s capital. — Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

In 1748, the British Royal Navy secured a tactical victory over the Spanish near Havana in the Caribbean during the War of ….
Which of the following completes the above statement: Barnard’s Nose; Jenkins’ Ear or Nelson’s Eye?

Answer: Jenkins’ Ear

The War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739-1748)—the name derives from Robert Jenkins, a British sea captain whose ear was allegedly severed by Spanish coast guards in 1731—between Great Britain and Spain, centred in New Granada and the Caribbean, was a precursor to the War of the Austrian Succession. The war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, leaving Britain’s territorial ambitions largely unmet.

Three

In 2001, the centennial Nobel Prize was awarded to the United Nations and the organisations secretary-general. Who was this secretary-general?

Answer: Kofi Annan

In 2001, the Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to the UN and Kofi Annan for their work towards a more peaceful world. Annan was also honoured with a chieftaincy title by the Asantehene for his contributions to humanity and peace.

Four

An island once named Fernando Pó is part of a country which achieved its independence from Spain in 1968. What country is this, and on what continent is it located?

Answer: Equatorial Guinea and Africa

Bioko, historically Fernando Pó after a Portuguese explorer, is an island in Equatorial Guinea. Located 32 kilometres south of Cameroon’s coast and 160 kilometres northwest of mainland Equatorial Guinea, its capital city Malabo sits on the island’s north coast. With an area of 2,017 km² it is the fourth largest island in Africa and is part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes, with its highest peak being Pico Basile at 3,012 m. In the Bube language, Bioko is called Ëtulá a Ëri.

Five

In 1916, a British nurse was executed by a German firing squad for aiding Allied soldiers in their escape. Who was the nurse, and what was the name of the country?

Answer: Edith Cavell

Edith Cavell, a British nurse, was executed on 12 October 1915 by the Germans during WWI for helping Allied soldiers escape. Her selfless actions and words, ‘Patriotism is not enough’, inspired many and are commemorated on her memorial.

Names, Names, Names

Today’s questions revolve around October 12th and touch on various names.

An aerial view of the White House complex, including Pennsylvania Avenue in the foreground, the Executive Residence and North Portico (center), the East Wing (left), and the West Wing and the Oval Office at its southeast corner, April 2007.
Image Wikipedia

One

Could you please identify the missing names in the following quote from Encyclopædia Britannica? It mentions a president’s name and a building’s name but both have been removed.

1901 President … officially changed the name of the president’s residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. from … to the White House — Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

Three

In 2001, the centennial Nobel Prize was awarded to the United Nations and the organisations secretary-general. Who was this secretary-general?

Four

An island once named Fernando Pó is part of a country which achieved its independence from Spain in 1968. What country is this, and on what continent is it located?

Five

In 1916, a British nurse was executed by a German firing squad for aiding Allied soldiers in their escape. Who was the nurse, and what was the name of the country?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Numbers—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

One

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

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

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?

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

… 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?

Answer: Ten

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

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?

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

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?

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

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.

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

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

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