The first question concerns today’s date, 15 July. The others are unrelated to the date but share a nautical theme.
One
On 15 July 1815, almost a month after his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon surrendered to the captain of a British warship. Named after a son of Poseidon and Eurynome from Greek mythology, what was the warship’s name?
Two
Which warship was scuttled in Montevideo harbour on the 17th December 1939 after the Battle of the River Plate?
Three
Cher’s use of a ship for the 1989 music video caused offence. Which song was it for and which ship was it filmed on?
Four
The third published novel in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia features a ship’s name in its title. What is that ship’s name?
Five
After being appointed in 1768 to lead a joint Royal Society and Admiralty expedition, Captain James Cook circumnavigated the world aboard HMS Endeavour. What size was the ship Endeavour approximately:
Today’s first question centres around the date 12th July and a Wild West legend. The subsequent questions aren’t date-related but continue the legend theme.
One
On 12 July 1861, Wild Bill Hickok supposedly fought his first gunfight in which three men died. Hickok was acquitted in court after claiming self-defence. The court papers referred to Hickok by which of these names: Dollar Bill; Double Bill or Duck Bill?
Answer: Duck Bill.
In 1861, in Rock Creek, Nebraska, a legend began as Wild Bill Hickok reportedly engaged in his first gunfight at a postal station. This event marked the start of his storied reputation in the Wild West. James Butler Hickok, known for his adventurous life, survived a bear attack and worked at a Pony Express station. A confrontation with David McCanles over rent turned violent, resulting in McCanles and two men’s deaths. Hickok, called ’Duck Bill’ in the court records, was acquitted, claiming self-defence.
Two
In which Rossini opera is Gesler, the Austrian governor of Uri and Schwyz, the villain?
Answer: William Tell (or Italian: Guglielmo Tell; French: Guillaume Tell).
William Tell, a legendary Swiss folk hero, is renowned for shooting an apple off his son’s head and assassinating tyrant Albrecht Gessler. His defiance inspired Swiss rebellion, leading to the Confederacy’s formation. Emerging in 1307, Tell symbolises Swiss identity and resistance, influencing the 19th-century Restoration and 1848 Revolutions. There is no definitive evidence of Tell’s existence. Guillaume Tell is a French-language opera by Gioachino Rossini, based on the William Tell legend. It was Rossini’s last opera, featuring a famous overture with a storm and the March of the Swiss Soldiers.
Three
Born Robert MacGregor, this Scottish Jacobite outlaw and folk hero inspired a novel, a play, an operetta and several films. What was he better known as?
Answer: Rob Roy.
Robert Roy MacGregor was a Jacobite Scottish outlaw born on 7 March 1671 and died on 28 December 1734. He later became a folk hero in Scotland and among Jacobites. An 1817 novel by Walter Scott based on MacGregor’s life was the basis for a play and an overture.
Four
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, is a national hero from the 15th century. In what modern-day country is he a hero for uniting principalities and influencing national awakening?
Answer: Albania.
Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti) was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who led the League of Lezhë against the Ottomans. A national hero, he deserted the Ottomans in 1443, unified Albanian principalities, and allied with Naples. Skanderbeg is celebrated for his persistent resistance and influence on the Albanian National Awakening.
Five
Which of these is a film that is the 1993 retelling of the Robin Hood story?
Robin Hood: Men in Sherwood
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Robin Hood: Men in Uttoxeter
Answer: Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Robin Hood, a legendary 14th-century English outlaw, rebelled against authority by robbing officials and aiding the poor, primarily in South Yorkshire. His main adversary was the Sheriff of Nottingham. Despite numerous attempts, his historical existence remains unproven, with claims likely originating from an 18th-century fabrication. Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a 1993 Mel Brooks comedy film parodying the Robin Hood story, starring Cary Elwes and Richard Lewis.
Today’s first question centres around the date 12th July and a Wild West legend. The subsequent questions aren’t date-related but continue the legend theme.
One
On 12 July 1861, Wild Bill Hickok supposedly fought his first gunfight in which three men died. Hickok was acquitted in court after claiming self-defence. The court papers referred to Hickok by which of these names: Dollar Bill; Double Bill or Duck Bill?
Two
In which Rossini opera is Gesler, the Austrian governor of Uri and Schwyz, the villain?
Three
Born Robert MacGregor, this Scottish Jacobite outlaw and folk hero inspired a novel, a play, an operetta and several films. What was he better known as?
Four
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, is a national hero from the 15th century. In what modern-day country is he a hero for uniting principalities and influencing national awakening?
Five
Which of these is a film that is the 1993 retelling of the Robin Hood story?
Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971) Image Wikimedia Commons
The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..
One
On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?
Answer: Roswell, New Mexico.
On 8 July, Roswell Army Air Field’s public information officer, Walter Haut, issued a press release.
The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff’s office of Chaves County. The flying object landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having phone facilities, the rancher stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the sheriff’s office, who in turn notified Maj. Jesse A. Marcel of the 509th Bomb Group Intelligence Office. — Associated Press (July 8, 1947)
The press release was refuted within a day. The official position changed to the debris coming from a weather balloon.
Two
In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?
Answer: I Want to Believe.
Mulder acquired multiple versions of the ‘I Want to Believe’ poster, starting with a flat UFO design and evolving to a fatter UFO. The poster, a constant in his office, survived a fire and was swapped out for newer versions over the years. In 2016, a fifth version appeared in his Virginia office, and a similar one was seen in the FBI office, with Scully claiming it as hers.
Three
What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?
Answer: Nostromo; Alien.
Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel, Nostromo, is set in the fictional South American republic of Costaguana. It is considered Conrad’s best work and was ranked 47th on the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list. Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, is a seminal sci-fi horror film about the Nostromo, named after Conrad’s novel, crew encountering a deadly alien. It won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and its iconic design, suspense, and Sigourney Weaver’s performance made it a classic, spawning a successful franchise.
Four
Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?
Answer: Mostly Harmless; The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
In the novel Mostly Harmless, Elvis is discovered by Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent working as a bar singer on an alien planet, and owning a large pink spaceship. Ford, having become a huge fan of Elvis while he was stranded on Earth, watched the performance intently for its entire duration. Presley is not actually named, but his identity is easy to determine from the facts that the bar is called ‘The Domain of The King’, the ‘EP’ initials in the pink spaceship which Ford and Arthur buy from him, and the accent in which he sings. He tells Ford that, contrary to popular belief, he was not abducted by aliens; he went with them of his own free will.
Five
‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?
Answer: Mork; Ork; Robin Williams.
Mork, played by Robin Williams, first appeared in Happy Days in 1978. The character’s popularity led to the spin-off Mork & Mindy, set in Boulder, Colorado. Mork, an alien from the planet Ork, arrives on Earth to observe human behaviour and befriends Mindy, who helps him adjust to life on Earth, resulting in humorous situations as Mork struggles to understand human customs. The show, which was Robin Williams’s first major acting role, was extremely popular in its first season but later faced declining ratings after being moved to a less favourable time slot.
The Truth is Out There
Was the tagline for the majority of the episode of The X-Files.
Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971) Image Wikimedia Commons
The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..
One
On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?
Two
In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?
Three
What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?
Four
Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?
Five
‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?
Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.
One
Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?
Answer: Ouagadougou.
Air Burkina SA, Burkina Faso’s national airline, operates from Ouagadougou Airport to domestic and regional destinations. It is currently government-owned, with a new investor being sought.
Two
Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?
Answer: Schindler’s Ark.
Schindler’s Ark is a biographical novel by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler, a Nazi who saved 1,200 Jews. It won the 1982 Booker Prize, gained fame through Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List, and was featured on the 2022 ‘Big Jubilee Read’ list.
Three
What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?
Answer: Kon-Tiki.
The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947, was a raft journey from South America to Polynesia. Funded by private loans and U.S. Army equipment, Heyerdahl and five companions sailed 6,900 km on a balsa log raft, landing safely at Raroia after 101 days, inspiring a book and films.
Four
The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?
Answer: Azores.
The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, consists of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known for its mild climate, the region’s economy relies on agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest point. The Azores are seismically active at the Azores triple junction where the Eurasian, Nubian and North American tectonic plates meet.
Five
In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?
Answer: Rear Window.
Rear Window, shot almost entirely from one room, is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and one of the greatest ever made. Confined to his apartment, photojournalist Jeff (James Stewart) observes his neighbours, including Thorwald, who he suspects of murdering his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate. It received four Academy Award nominations and was added to the United States National Film Registry.
Doctor Skaro
Doctor Skaro is, I confess, a bit misleading. Skaro is the home planet of the Daleks, the highly xenophobic, violent, merciless, and pitiless cyborg aliens from the long-running BBC television programme Doctor Who, but neither the title nor the theme has anything to do with their home planet or the Doctor. Doctor Skaro is cryptic. If you ‘doctor’ the word ‘Skaro’, that is, treat it as an anagram and rearrange the letters, you’ll find ‘in part a relevant literary character’: Oskar from question two, Oskar Schindler. Today’s answers begin with the letters O, S, K, A, R.
See question four. Flag of ? Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.
One
Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?
Two
Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?
Three
What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?
Four
The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?
Five
In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?
Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Image liveabout.com
Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.
One
By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?
Answer: ME.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic illness causing severe fatigue, sleep, and memory issues, worsened by activity (PEM). Its cause is unknown, often following infections, with genetic factors. Diagnosis relies on symptoms, as no tests exist. Treatment focuses on symptom relief, with pacing and counselling beneficial. ME/CFS significantly impacts society and the economy, with symptoms causing social isolation. A quarter of sufferers are bedridden or housebound. Stigma in healthcare and controversies over its cause and treatments complicate care. Doctors often lack familiarity due to limited medical school coverage, and research funding is historically inadequate.
Two
What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?
Answer: Telly Savalas.
Aristotelis ‘Telly’ Savalas (1922–1994) was an American actor and singer, active from 1950 to 1994, renowned for his bald head and deep voice. He gained fame as Lt. Theo Kojak in Kojak (1973–1978) and as James Bond’s nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Savalas starred in films like Birdman of Alcatraz, earning an Academy Award nomination. He was married three times, had six children, and served in the U.S. Army. He released a cover of Bread’s If in 1975, which topped the UK charts.
Three
What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?
Answers: James ‘Jim’ Grant; Jack Reacher.
The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (Jim Grant) includes 30 books and a short story collection as of November 2025. It follows Jack Reacher, a former major in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps turned drifter, solving dangerous situations across the U.S. and internationally. The series has been adapted into films and a TV series.
Four
…▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves
— Oxford English Dictionary
Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?
Answer: Scallop.
scallop ▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. Scallops swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves. Family Pectinidae: Chlamys, Pecten, and other genera.
▪ short for scallop shell ▪ a small pan or dish shaped like a scallop shell and used for baking or serving food.
— Oxford English Dictionary
Five
The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?
Answer: Fluorine.
Fluorine, atomic number 9, is a reactive, pale yellow gas, first isolated in 1886. It’s used in uranium enrichment, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, with global sales over $15 billion annually. Fluorocarbon gases, with global-warming potentials 100 to 23,500 times that of CO2, persist environmentally due to strong bonds. Organofluorine compounds are toxic, produced by some plants and marine sponges.
If a face could launch a thousand ships
The post title is a line from If the song referred to in question two. If is a 1971 song written by David Gates and popularised by his band Bread.
Today’s questions are a mixed bag with no connection to the date.
One
What does the Oxford English Dictionary define as ‘a German dish of chopped pickled cabbage’?
Answer: Sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut, made by fermenting finely cut raw white cabbage with lactic acid bacteria, has a sour flavour and a long shelf life. This ancient fermentation process preserves cabbage by converting sugars into lactic acid. Roman writers Cato, Columella, and Plinius the Elder mentioned cabbage preservation, with evidence of sauerkraut in Europe during the early Western Roman Empire. Essential for winter nutrients in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe, it was also used by Captain James Cook to prevent scurvy.
Two
What is a shark’s skeleton primarily composed of?
Answer: Cartilage.
Shark skeletons are made of cartilage, making them lighter and more flexible than bony fish and terrestrial vertebrate skeletons.
Three
What 2002 film was a remake of a 1960 Rat pack film?
Answer: Ocean’s Eleven.
Ocean’s Eleven was a remake of Ocean’s 11. During the 1960s, the Rat Pack included legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.
Four
What is the capital city of the State of Florida?
Answer: Tallahassee.
Tallahassee, Florida’s capital since 1824, had 205,089 residents in 2024, ranking eighth in the state. Home to Florida State University and Florida A&M University, it hosts the Florida State Capitol. Indigenous peoples lived there for millennia. During the First Seminole War, future president General Andrew Jackson attacked the Seminoles near Tallahassee.
Five
The Berlin Airlift Monument pictured at top is located at which German airport?
Answer: Tempelhof.
The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was a Cold War crisis where the Soviet Union blocked Western access to West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift supplied the city, with over 250,000 flights delivering 2,334,374 tons of supplies. The blockade ended, highlighting ideological tensions and aligning West Berlin with the US and Britain. The Berlin Airlift Monument displays the names of the 39 British and 31 American airmen who lost their lives during the operation.
Operation Little Vittles
The post title Operation Little Vittles refers to an operation which came about when aircrew in the airlift started dropping sweets to German children as they made their landing approach over Berlin.
Quizology.Online 