Monster Mash—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Portrait of Mary Shelley.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Mary Shelley, daughter of philosopher William Godwin and women’s rights advocate Mary Wollstonecraft, was an English novelist best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein. She was married to Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and faced personal tragedy, including the death of her husband and several children. Shelley’s literary output, including novels and travel writing, often challenged the individualistic Romantic ethos and advocated for cooperation and sympathy, particularly as practised by women.

Title page of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, first edition, 1818.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

Mary Shelley’s 1818 Gothic novel, Frankenstein, tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a sapient creature, and compares him to the Greek Tiata Prometheus who gave fire to humanity. Shelley was inspired to write the novel during a competition with her husband and others, including Lord Byron.

The Titan Prometheus.
The Release of Prometheus by Carl Bloch, 1864.
Image Wikipedia

Three

Answer: Paradise Lost by John Milton

Paradise Lost, an epic poem by John Milton, explores the biblical story of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. The poem delves into themes of free will, the consequences of disobedience, and the complexities of human nature, while also sparking controversy for its portrayal of Satan.


Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1819. Image Wikipedia

Four

Answer: Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was an English Romantic poet known for his radical views and masterful poetry. Despite limited recognition during his lifetime, his work, including “Ozymandias” and “Ode to the West Wind,” gained acclaim posthumously, influencing generations of poets. Shelley’s life was marked by personal struggles and political controversy, leading him to self-exile in Italy, where he produced some of his most celebrated works. He died in a boating accident at the age of 29.


Theatrical poster for Frankenstein, 1931.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: Boris Karloff

Frankenstein is a 1931 American science fiction horror film directed by James Whale, based on Mary Shelley’s novel. The film, starring Colin Clive (Henry Frankenstein) and Boris Karloff (The Monster / ‘?’), was a commercial success and significantly impacted popular culture. In 1991, the United States Library of Congress selected Frankenstein for preservation in the National film Registry, recognising its ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant’ value.

Monster Mash

All the questions are linked to a person born on August 30th.

One

An author, best known for the 1818 novel Frankenstein, was born on 30 August 1797. Who is this author?

Two

What was the full title of Frankenstein as displayed on the title page of its first edition in 1818?

Three

The title page mentioned in question 3 also features the following epigraph:

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould Me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?

Please identify the epic poem (1667) from which this quote is taken and the author of that poem?

Four

To what poet was the author of Frankenstein married?

Five

In the 1931 film adaptation of Frankenstein, what actor was cast as ‘The Monster’ and was depicted as ‘?’ in the opening credits?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fairy Stories

Some fairy tales and other stories today.

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
From a painting by Carl Larsson in 1881.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who wrote the 1837 fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes?

Two

The Brothers Grimm’s Children’s and Household Tales, a collection from 1823, includes these three tales; The … Brothers, The … Dancing Princesses and The … Hunstmen. The same number is missing from all three titles, what is that number?

Three

Peter and Wendy was originally written as a play in 1904, and then reworked into a novel in 1911. Who was the author of both versions?

Four

The Fir and the Bramble and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse are from what collection of famous stories which date back more than 2,500 years?

Five

Sinbad the Sailor and Aladdin are well-known, although not original, stories from what early collection of tales?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One of the Ford Anglia 105E’s seen in the Harry Potter films.
Image Wikipedia

One

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

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.


Juliet’s Balcony, Verona.
Image No Sweat Shakespeare

Three

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 Wikipedia

Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Image Wikipedia

Four

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

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.

  1. JK Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter while living in Edinburgh.
  2. Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The settlement was orininally founded and named by a Scotsman: Sergeant William Glass from Kelso, Scottish Borders.
  3. Not part of the theme.
  4. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the bottom of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle is at the opposite end.
  5. 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

Mr ? Goes to Washington—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

One

Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

Answer: Lyndon B Johnson

Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, served from 1963 to 1969. He assumed the presidency after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and was later elected in a landslide. Johnson’s presidency is remembered for his Great Society programmes, which aimed to expand civil rights, improve healthcare, and combat poverty, but his legacy is also marred by the Vietnam War.


Two

On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

Answer: 1930s (1939)

The jet engine, though conceptually ancient, only became practical in the 20th century. Early attempts, like the Caproni Campini N.1 and Tsu-11, were unsuccessful. The breakthrough came with the gas turbine, leading to the development of the turbojet, with Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain (He178) playing pivotal roles in its creation.


Three

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

Answer: Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes

The war lasted no longer than 40 minutes, making it the shortest war in recorded history.
Encyclopædia Britannica

The conflict lasted between 38 and 45 minutes, marking it as the shortest recorded war in history.
Wikipedia


Four

The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

Answer: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, a 1964 American musical film, features Julie Andrews as a magical nanny who transforms a troubled London household.


Five

On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
1. 199.96 mph
2. 273.13 mph
3. 345.49 mph

Answer: 345.49 mph

Captain George Eyston, a British engineer and racing driver, broke the land speed record three times between 1937 and 1939.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

Today, five different questions with a wee bit of a theme running through some of them, though not all.

Hogwarts Express at Glenfinnan Viaduct. Image HarryPotter.com

One

Which turquoise-blue Ford motor car model is depicted as the flying car in the Harry Potter books and films?

Two

Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, has only one settlement. What is its name?

Three

What tourist attraction in Verona, Italy, is a fake as the person allegedly connected to it never existed?

Four

What building is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland?

Five

On 10 December 1768, the first edition of which reference work was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mr ? Goes to Washington

All are connected to today’s date, August 27th. Two of the questions are multiple choice the other three are not.

Image Wikipedia

One

Born on 27 August 1908 in Texas, this boy, pictured above in 1915, went on to become the president of the United States. Who is he?

Two

On this date, Ernst Heinkel’s He178 turbojet-powered aircraft achieved the historic first jet flight. In which decade did this event occur?

Three

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history, took place on 27 August 1896. How long did the war last?
1. Between 30 minutes and 60 minutes
2. Between 510 minutes and 540 minutes
3. Between 960 and 990 minutes

Four

The world premiere of a film adaptation of a book by PL Travers took place on 27 August 1964 in Los Angeles. Which film?

Five

On 27 August 1938, at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, Captain George E.T. Eyston set a new land speed record. What speed did he achieve?
1. 199.96 mph
2. 273.48 mph
3. 345.49 mph

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mr Standfast—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

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

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

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:

He also appears as a minor character in:

Wikipedia

Note, Richard Hannay also appears in some works by other authors.


Three

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

Answer: (1) 8 Canadian provinces or territories and (2) 13 US states

Canadian Province or Territory

Ontario 2,727 km (1,682 mi)
British Columbia 2,168 km (1,347 mi)
Yukon 1,244 km (786 mi)
Quebec 813 km (505 mi)
Saskatchewan 632 km (393 mi)
New Brunswick 513 km (318 mi)
Manitoba 497 km (309 mi)
Alberta 298 km (185 mi)

US State

Alaska 2,475 km (1,538 mi)
Michigan 1,160 km (721 mi)
Maine 983 km (611 mi)
Minnesota 880 km (547 mi)
Montana 877 km (545 mi)
New York 716 km (445 mi)
Washington 687 km (427 mi)
North Dakota 499 km (310 mi)
Ohio 499 km (310 mi)
Vermont 145 km (90 mi)
New Hampshire 93 km (58 mi)
Idaho 72 km (45 mi)
Pennsylvania 68 km (42 mi)

Wikipedia


Alaska, US–Yukon, Canada border.
Image Fine Art America

Five

Answer: Beaufort Sea

The Canadian territory of Yukon shares its entire western border with the U.S. state of Alaska, beginning at the Beaufort Sea at 69°39′N 141°00′Wand proceeding southwards along the 141st meridian west. At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastward direction, following the Saint Elias Mountains. South of the 60th parallel north, the border continues into British Columbia
Wikipedia

Mr Standfast

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

A Mars a Day—Answers

The Martian.
Image Disney

One

The 2015 Ridley Scott film The Martian starring Matt Damon was based on a novel of the same name by what American author?

— Answer: Andy Weir

The Martian, a 2015 sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott, stars Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars.


First Martian emerging from the cylinder that had fallen from the sky. Illustration by Henrique Alvim Corrêa for the 1906 edition.
Image Wikipedia

Two

What novel, and who was the author, featuring Mars or Martians also features Horsell Common, near Woking, Surrey?

— Answer: The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells’ science fiction novel, The War of the Worlds, depicts an attempted Martian invasion of Earth. In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of the novel caused widespread panic by presenting a Martian invasion as real news. The broadcast’s format and timing led to confusion among the public and outrage among the media.


Gulliver discovers Laputa, the flying island (illustration by J. J. Grandville). Image Wikipedia

Three

On Mars’s largest moon, Phobos, there is a regio, Laputa Regio, which is named after Swift’s Laputa because of his ‘prediction’ of the two then undiscovered Martian moons, which his Laputan astronomers had discovered
Wikipedia

The above quote from Wikipedia refers to an area on Phobos, the largest Moon of Mars, which is named after the fictional ’Laputa’. From what literary work, first published in 1726, does ‘Laputa’ originate and who was the author of it?

— Answer: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Laputa, a flying island from Gulliver’s Travels, is controlled by the king of Balnibarbi using magnetic levitation.


Michael Rennie as Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
Image Wikipedia

Four

In the 2008 remake of the 1951 film, Keanu Reeves stars as Klaatu. Name the actor who portrayed Klaatu in the original 1951 version and the title of both films?

— Answer: Michael Rennie and The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sci-fi film with two versions: the 1951 original about an alien and his robot delivering a message during the Cold War, and the 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves as an alien tasked with saving Earth from environmental harm. Despite negative reviews, the 2008 film was financially successful, grossing over $233 million worldwide.


Five

Who wrote The Martian Chronicles (1950)?

— Answer: Ray Bradbury

The Martian Chronicles explores the consequences of technological advancement and militarism in a future America, addressing concerns about values and direction. It highlights issues like nuclear war, depopulation, racial oppression, and censorship.


Mars
Image NASA