Today’s five questions are random with no connection.
Image Wikipedia
One
Which shark is pictured?
Two
What 1964 film starring Stanley Baker and Michael Cain depicts the 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift?
Three
Complete the title of this short story by Alan Sillitoe which was published in 1959: The Loneliness of the…?
Four
Which state or territorial capital of mainland Australia is the only one north of the Tropic of Capricorn?
Five
Chumbawamba’s 2008 album The Boy Bands Have Won holds the Guinness World Record for the longest album title. Can you tell me how many words are in the full title? A decade (a group of ten) is acceptable. For example, if the answer is 104 then 101-110 is fine.
What is the largest butterfly in the UK? It has a ten-letter name and lives in the Norfolk Broads.
Answer: Swallowtail
The swallowtail is the largest and most localised butterfly in the UK. Adults emerge from winter chrysalises, drying their wings in reedbeds before displaying their bright colours. Their swallow-like tails and false eye spots confuse predators. Even as caterpillars, they are striking, with bulging horns for defence and orange scent glands that release a pineapple-like odor when threatened.
Two
In what 1975 novel does IRA member Liam Devlin take part in a wartime plot to kidnap Winston Churchill?
Answer: The Eagle Has Landed
Irish Republican Liam Devlin and Joanna Grey, an Afrikaner woman and seasoned Abwehr agent residing in England, team up with German paratroopers to plan and execute the kidnapping of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Three
In the 1955 film, To Catch a Thief (1955), who is seen sitting beside Cary Grant and a pair of caged birds on a bus?
Answer: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer and director Alfred Hitchcock makes his signature cameo, approximately ten minutes into the film, as a bus passenger sitting next to Cary Grant and a caged pair of birds.
Four
What single answer satisfies all of the following: the title of Fleetwood Mac’s only number one hit on the UK Singles Chart; a significant being in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; and in golf, refers to a score of three strokes under par for a hole?
Answer: Albatross
Albatross is a guitar-based instrumental by Fleetwood Mac, composed by Peter Green. It was released as a single in 1968 and became their only number one single on the UK charts. The albatross that saves the ship by leading the way from the ice in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and is then shot; and the word used as an alternative to double eagle meaning a score of three strokes under par for a hole.
A nesting pair of Macaroni penguins, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. Image Wikipedia
Five
Eudyptes chrysolophus: part of this bird’s name is also a type of pasta. What pasta?
Answer: Macaroni
The macaroni penguin—Eudyptes chrysolophus—is a crested penguin with a distinctive yellow crest, it is the most numerous penguin species, with an estimated 18 million individuals. Despite its abundance, the species is vulnerable due to widespread population declines since the mid-1970s.
Theme
The theme was of course Birds. Question 1. swallow (from swallowtail); 2. Eagle; 3. Caged birds mentioned in the question plus Hitchcock was the director of The Birds; 4. Albatross and 5. penguin.
What is the largest butterfly in the UK? It has a ten-letter name and lives in the Norfolk Broads.
Two
In what 1975 novel does IRA member Liam Devlin take part in a wartime plot to kidnap Winston Churchill?
Three
In the 1955 film, To Catch a Thief (1955), who is seen sitting beside Cary Grant and a pair of caged birds on a bus?
Four
What single answer satisfies all of the following: the title of Fleetwood Mac’s only number one hit on the UK Singles Chart; a significant being in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; and in golf, refers to a score of three strokes under par for a hole?
Five
Eudyptes chrysolophus: part of this bird’s name is also a type of pasta. What pasta?
Here are the answers to the questions I asked earlier.
The Rumble in the Jungle. Muhammad Ali (standing) and George Foreman (on canvas). Image USA Today
One
On October 30, 1974, the legendary boxing event The Rumble in the Jungle took place. In which city and country did this event take place? Who were the two boxers involved? And which fighter emerged victorious, reclaiming the world heavyweight title that day?
Answer: Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo); Muhammad Ali and George Foreman; and Muhammad Ali (recovered title)
This fight took place in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It drew a massive crowd of 60,000 and was one of the most-watched televised events at the time. Ali emerged victorious by knockout in the eighth round.
Orson Welles at the press conference after The War of the Worlds broadcast, 1938. Image Wikipedia
Two
The 1938 broadcast of a radio drama adaptation caused panic among listeners who thought it was real. What was the title of this drama and who wrote the original novel?
Answer: The War of the Worlds; (written by) H.G. Wells
The broadcast presented H.G. Wells’s story in a live news style format and reportedly caused panic by convincing some listeners that Martians were invading.
Three
In 1817, who became president of the newly formed Third Republic of Venezuela?
Answer: Simón Bolívar
Bolívar played a crucial role in Latin American independence, significantly shaping Venezuela’s early republican era.
Comparison of Nuclear Explosions. Image World of Engineering via Reddit
Four
In 1961, the Tsar Bomba test — the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated — was detonated in what archipelago and by which country?
Answer: Novaya Zemlya (archipelago); Soviet Union (USSR)
The Tsar Bomba, or AN602, was the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested, designed by Soviet physicists under Andrei Sakharov’s oversight. The bomb’s yield was around 50 megatonnes, and the test took place over the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
Five
In 1905, to quell revolutionary pressure in Russia, a significant concession was made: the establishment of an elected parliament, the Duma, and the guarantee of civil liberties. Who made this concession?
Answer: Tsar Nicholas II
This was part of the aftermath of the 1905 Russian Revolution and marked the beginning of attempts at constitutional government in Russia, with Tsar Nicholas II issuing the October Manifesto in 1905, promising civil rights and an elected parliament, the Duma, after being pressured by Sergei Witte and Grand Duke Nicholas.
Here are five questions related to today, October 30th.
Orson Welles, 1937. See question 2. Image Wikipedia
One
On October 30, 1974, the legendary boxing event The Rumble in the Jungle took place. In which city and country did this event take place? Who were the two boxers involved? And which fighter emerged victorious, reclaiming the world heavyweight title that day?
Two
The 1938 broadcast of a radio drama adaptation by Orson Welles caused panic among listeners who thought it was real. What was the title of this drama and who wrote the original novel?
Three
In 1817, who became president of the newly formed Third Republic of Venezuela?
In 1961, the Tsar Bomba test — the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated — was detonated in what archipelago and by which country?
Five
In 1905, to quell revolutionary pressure in Russia, a significant concession was made: the establishment of an elected parliament, the Duma, and the guarantee of civil liberties. Who made this concession?
Here are the answers to the questions posed earlier.
The Öresund Bridge, which features in the Nordic noir television drama series The Bridge, carries European Route E20, see question 1. Image Wikipedia
One
The European Route E20 stretches approximately 1,168 miles (1,880 km) from a river estuary airport in the west to the northernmost city of over a million people in the east. Which airport and city are these?
Answer: Shannon Airport, Republic of Ireland and Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The European route E20 is part of the United Nations International E-road network and runs roughly west-east through Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and finally Russia. The road is not continuous and, at three points, a ferry must be used to continue along its length; although at one of those there is no ferry! The Øresund Bridge, which is known for featuring in the Nordic noir television series The Bridge, carries European Route E20.
Two
A television medical drama that ran from October 1982 to May 1988 was set in St Elegius Hospital, Boston. What was its title?
Answer: St Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere, a medical drama series, aired on NBC from 1982 to 1988. Although it never ranked higher than 47th in Nielsen ratings, it gained a loyal following and critical acclaim, winning 13 Emmy Awards. Set at the fictional St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, the show was known for its realistic portrayal of the medical profession and featured a large ensemble cast. It tackled contemporary issues like breast cancer, AIDS, and addiction, while also incorporating humour and inside jokes.
Three
In what novel by Charles Dickens does Esther Summerson tell her own story in the past tense?
Answer: Bleak House
Bleak House, a Dickens novel, satirises the legal system through the long-running case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. The novel, partly narrated by Esther Summerson, is set in London and is credited with introducing urban fog to Gothic literature.
Four
The Chalcolithic period, an archaeological era, was primarily defined by a rise in the use of what specific material?
Answer: Copper (smelted copper)
The Chalcolithic, or Copper Age, was a period characterised by the increasing use of smelted copper, following the Neolithic (latter part of the Stone Age) and preceding the Bronze Age. It occurred at different times in different regions, with the earliest evidence of copper smelting dating back to around 5,000 BC in Serbia. In Britain, the Chalcolithic was a short period between 2,500 and 2,200 BC, marked by the arrival of Beaker culture people and the introduction of copper and gold objects.
Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III in the Sistine Chapel, October 2025. Image thedialog.org
Five
In October 2025, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England prayed with Robert Francis Prevost on the Apennine Peninsula. Who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who is Robert Francis Prevost known as?
Answer: King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV
The reigning British monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, currently King Charles III. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is the first American pope. King Charles and Pope Leo met at the Vatican to pray together in the Sistine Chapel. It was the first occasion that the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Pope had prayed together since the reformation 500 years ago.
Today we have five unrelated and unconnected questions.
The Öresund Bridge, which features in the Nordic noir television drama series The Bridge, carries European Route E20, see question 1. Image Wikipedia
One
The European Route E20 stretches approximately 1,168 miles (1,880 km) from a river estuary airport in the west to the northernmost city of over a million people in the east. Which airport and city are these?
Two
A television medical drama that ran from October 1982 to May 1988 was set in St Elegius Hospital, Boston. What was its title?
Three
In what novel by Charles Dickens does Esther Summerson tell her own story in the past tense?
Four
The Chalcolithic period, an archaeological era, was primarily defined by a rise in the use of what specific material?
Five
In October 2025, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England prayed with Robert Francis Prevost on the Apennine Peninsula. Who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who is Robert Francis Prevost known as?
Here are the answers to the questions posed earlier.
Meeting of the waters is the confluence between the dark Rio Negro (blackwater) and the pale sandy-coloured Amazon River (whitewater), referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. Image Wikipedia
One
The confluence of what two rivers is shown in the above picture?
Answer: Rio Negro and Amazon aka (Rio Solimões)
The Meeting of Waters in Brazil is where the dark Rio Negro meets the pale, sediment-rich Rio Solimões (Amazon River) but flows side by side for kilometres without mixing due to differences in speed, temperature, and sediment content. The Rio Negro is slower, warmer, and almost sediment-free, while the Solimões is faster, cooler, and carries Andean sediments. This striking visual contrast continues for many kilometres before blending fully.
Two
Who composed the original Star Wars film score?
Answer: John Williams.
Williams’ iconic score, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, revitalized interest in grand orchestral film music and remains one of the most recognizable movie themes in history.
Is it true that China’s President Xi Jinping spent part of his childhood living in a cave?
Answer: True
As of 2010, approximately 3 million people in China’s Shanxi province resided in yaodong, which are caves dug into soft yet insulating dirt. These caves are naturally cool in summer and warm in winter, making them an affordable housing option. China’s president, Xi Jinping, spent part of his childhood in a similar cave in a nearby province. In 1968, at the age of 15, Xi applied to leave Beijing for the countryside, influenced by Mao Zedong’s Down to the Countryside Movement. On 13 January 1969, he moved to Liangjiahe Village in Yan’an, Shaanxi. The rural conditions were challenging which fostered his connection with the rural poor. Initially unable to adapt, he attempted to return to Beijing but was arrested and sent to a work camp. Persuaded by his aunt and uncle, he returned to the village, where he served as the party secretary and lived in a cave house.
Yaodong(earth shelter) covered in snow. Image Wikipedia
Four
What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen
Nitrogen makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere. Despite being so common, most living organisms can’t use atmospheric nitrogen directly — it must first be made into usable forms by bacteria and plants.
Five
The novel Brave New World was written by whom?
Answer: Aldous Huxley
Published in 1932, Brave New World predicted technologies and societal trends — such as genetic engineering and consumerism — that became eerily relevant decades later.
Here are the answers to the wrapping in my earlier post.
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) and Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) in Vienna, Austria in May 1961. Image Wikipedia
One
President John F. Kennedy’s televised announcement on 22 October 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. What confrontation was it about?
Answer: Cuban Missile Crisis
President Kennedy, following advice from Dwight D. Eisenhower, announces that American reconnaissance aircraft have identified Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba and that he has ordered a naval ‘quarantine’ of the Communist country.
Two
Tsar Peter I proclaimed the Russian Empire. In which century was this?
Answer: 18th (1721)
> The title was transformed from the previous title of tsar and grand prince of all Russia. The old title tsar (or tsaritsa) continued to be popularly used to refer to the emperor (or empress) until the monarchy was abolished in 1917. — Wikipedia
Three
On 22 October 1964, a French writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, though it was subsequently declined. Who was the author?
Answer: Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre declined the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, citing his refusal to accept official honours and his belief that the prize favoured Westerners and Eastern rebels. The Swedish Academy acknowledged his decision but maintained the validity of the award.
Emperor Naruhito, official portrait 2019. Image Wikipedia
Four
Naruhito was officially enthroned as Japan’s 126th emperor on 22 October 2019. Earlier that year, he had ascended the Imperial Throne following the abdication of whom?
Answer: Emperor Akihito
Five
Who became the first President of the Republic of Texas on 22 October 1836?
Quizology Online 