literature – Page 11 – Quizology Online

A Mars a Day

This is the first photograph ever taken on the surface of Mars. It was obtained by NASA’s Viking 1 minutes after the spacecraft landed July 20, 1976.
Image NASA/JPL-Caltech

Viking 1, a robotic US spacecraft, was launched on 20 August 1975 and successfully landed on Mars in 1976, where it operated for over six years. Today, the questions are all related to Mars in fiction.

One

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

Two

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

Three

On Mars’s largest moon, Phobos, there is a regio, Laputa Regio, which is named after …’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?

Four

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

Five

Who wrote The Martian Chronicles (1950)?

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

Googly—Answers

One

A search engine launched in 1996 was named after a fictional character created by English author PG Wodehouse. This character first appeared in print in 1915 and made his last appearance in Wodehouse’s last novel in 1974. Who is this character?

— Answer: Jeeves

Jeeves, a fictional valet created by PG Wodehouse, is renowned for his competence and has become synonymous with the role of a manservant. He serves the wealthy Bertie Wooster and occasionally fills in as a butler.

AskJeeves, a search engine founded in 1996, has since evolved into ask.com.

Two

A company based in Quebec City, Canada own desktop search software which runs on Microsoft Windows. Its name, when only one word is used, is almost that of an astronomer who was born in East Prussia in 1473. What is the one word name of the search software?

— Answer: Copernic

Copernic, founded in 1996, is a leading desktop and enterprise search provider. Acquired by Harris Computer Corporation in 2010, Copernic continues to develop innovative search solutions. The astronomer mentioned was Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543).

Three

A fictional character with the middle name Muriel was one of the lead characters in an American sitcom which ran from 1994 until 2004. This characters surname is what a search engine lainched in 2014 is commonly known as. What is the search engine?

— Answer: Bing

Chandler Muriel Bing, played by Matthew Perry, was a character in the TV show Friends. Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, offers web, video, image, and map search services. Launched in 2009, it introduced features like search suggestions and related searches. As of April 2024, Bing holds a 3.64% global market share, ranking second behind Google.

Four

Founded in 1994, a web portal and search engine has a name that means ‘rude, unsophisticated, uncouth’. A 1726 satire, written by an Anglo-Irish clergyman, is the origin of this meaning of the company name. What is the common two-word title of the satire, and who was the clergyman-novelist?

— Answer: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

The web portal etc is Yahoo. The word ‘yahoo’ is a backronym for ‘Yet Another Hierarchically Organized Oracle’ or ‘Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle’. Founders Filo and Yang chose the name because they liked the slang definition of a ‘yahoo’ as ‘rude, unsophisticated, uncouth’.
Yahoos, in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, are filthy, unpleasant creatures representing materialism and ignorant elitism. The term ‘yahoo’, which was coined by Swift, can now be defined as ‘a crude, brutish person’. By the way, the full name of Gulliver’s Travels is Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships.

Five

… Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the … Foundation and its subsidiary, the … Corporation.
— Wikipedia

The above description of the web browser Firefox is from Wikipedia. What one name has been omitted three times from the quote?

— Answer: Mozilla

Firefox, originally named Phoenix, was created as a standalone browser to replace the Mozilla Suite. After several name changes due to trademark issues, it was officially released as Mozilla Firefox in 2004. The browser gained popularity for its features like tabbed browsing and an extension mechanism, and underwent significant improvements with the Quantum project in 2017 to enhance performance and modernise its architecture.

Googly

19 August 2004…
The search engine company Google Inc. raised $1.66 billion in its initial public offering; in an unusual move, the shares were sold in a public auction intended to put the average investor on an equal footing with financial industry professionals.
— Encyclopædia Britannica

As you’ll see above on 19 August 2004, Google had its initial public offering. Today’s questions are about other tech entities.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

… Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the … Foundation and its subsidiary, the … Corporation.
— Wikipedia

The above description of the web browser Firefox is from Wikipedia. What one name has been omitted three times from the quote?

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

Smorgasbord—Answers

The Hoof and Horn flag described in *Animal Farm* has painted on it a ‘hoof and a horn in white’, which resembles the communist hammer and sickle
Image Wikipedia

One

Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes.

The above quote is the opening line of a classic satire published on 17 August 1945. What was the title of this novella?

— Answer: Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novella by George Orwell, published in 1945. It reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era, criticising Stalin’s dictatorship. The book was initially rejected by several publishers but became a commercial success after World War II.

Two

The official name of an Asian capital city is

krungthepmahanakhonamonrattanakosinmahintharaayuthayamahadilokphopnoppharatratchathaniburiromudomratchaniwetmahasathanamonpimanawatansathitsakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

What is this city commonly known as in English?

— Answer: Bangkok

The 168-letter official name for Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, translates as

The city of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the Nine Gems, seat of the King, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra’s behest.

Rufus the Harris Hawk.
Image The Telegraph

Three

Rufus took over from Hamish in 2000 to perform a specific duty at The Championships on Wimbledon’s famous grass tennis courts. His social media manager reveals that Rufus has undergone an intensive training process for this role, which includes starting work each day at 5 am. What is Rufus’s two-word job title?

— Answer: Bird scarer

Rufus the Harris Hawk, Wimbledon’s official bird scarer, prevents pigeons from disrupting play. Trained to scare birds away, Rufus works from 5am before the gates open, ensuring a bird-free environment for the tournament. His handler, Imogen Davis, manages his training and monitors his weight to ensure optimal performance. Imogen also manages his social media where he has more than 11,000 followers on X (Twitter).

Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica.
Image NASA/Wikipedia

Four

The Don Juan Pond, located in Wright Valley, Victoria Land, is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. It is situated on which continent?

—Answer: Antarctica

Don Juan Pond, located in Victoria Land, Antarctica, is the saltiest lake in the continent with a salinity level of 45.8%. Discovered in 1961, it remains liquid even at temperatures as low as −50 °C (−58 °F).

School of trumpetfishes (*Macroramphosus scolopax*), Faial-Pico Channel, Azores Islands, Portugal
Image Wikipedia

Five

Is it true or false that there are more species of mammals than there are amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles combined?

— Answer: False

There are over 33,000 extant species of fish, surpassing the combined total of all amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Most fish belong to the class Actinopterygii, which represents about half of all living vertebrates, making fish the largest group of vertebrates by species count.

Smorgasbord

The first question relates to today’s date, August 17th. The rest of the post, apart from being posted today, has no connection to this date.

One

Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes.

The above quote is the opening line of a classic satire published on 17 August 1945. What was the title of this novella?

Two

The official name of an Asian capital city is

krungthepmahanakhonamonrattanakosinmahintharaayuthayamahadilokphopnoppharatratchathaniburiromudomratchaniwetmahasathanamonpimanawatansathitsakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

What is this city commonly known as in English?

Three

Four

The Don Juan Pond, located in Wright Valley, Victoria Land, is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. It is situated on which continent?

Five

Is it true or false that there are more species of mammals than there are amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles combined?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Where on Earth—Answers

Ross’s Antarctic expedition.
HMS *Erebus* and *Terror* in the Antarctic by John Wilson Carmichael.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

— Answer: Antarctica

The Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand, is a region of Antarctica defined by specific longitudes and latitude. While New Zealand’s claim is recognised by a few countries, the 1961 Antarctic Treaty holds all claims in abeyance. The Dependency, named after Sir James Clark Ross, includes the Ross Sea, Ross Ice Shelf, and several islands.

Two

Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

— Answer: T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia

T.E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a British Army officer, archaeologist, and writer. He gained fame for his role in the Arab Revolt during the First World War and his subsequent work with Emir Faisal. Lawrence published his autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and later served in the Army and RAF before his death in a motorcycle accident in 1935. His life was dramatised in the 1962 film Lawrence Of Arabia.

1834 portrait of James Buchanan at age 42–43 by Jacob Eichholtz.
Image Wikipedia

Three

On 16 August 1858, a new transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated. The inaugural event involved an exchange of greetings between the Heads of State of the United Kingdom and the United States. Who were these two Heads of State?

— Answer: Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan

The Atlantic Telegraph Company, led by Cyrus West Field, constructed the first transatlantic telegraph cable. On that day, the first official telegram to cross two continents was a congratulatory letter from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to President James Buchanan of the United States. Despite initial success, the cable’s poor signal quality and subsequent destruction after three weeks undermined confidence and delayed restoration efforts.

Four

Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

— Answer: Bay City, Michigan

Madonna, the ‘Queen of Pop’, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She is the best-selling female recording artist of all time, with numerous accolades including seven Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Madonna is also a successful businesswoman, philanthropist and advocate for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Five

On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

— Answer: Siegfried

Siegfried is the third of Richard Wagner’s four epic music dramas, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). It premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, marking the first complete performance of the cycle.

Written over twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The Ring cycle comprises:

Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold)

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie)

Siegfried

Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)

Where on Earth

One

On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

Two

Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

Three

Four

Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

Five

On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

Q | Answers

Quagga (*Equus quagga quagga*), 1870. Now extinct.
Image *Encyclopædia Britannica*

One

A quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo on 12 August 1883. Native to South Africa, the quagga was a type of…

Answer: Zebra

The quagga, a subspecies of plains zebra, was native to South Africa, where it was found in vast herds on the great plains, but is now extinct. It had a reddish-brown body with dark stripes and a white underside.

Two

What ‘Q’ links the novelist Herman Melville with Special Agent Dana Scully?

Answer: Queequeg

Queequeg, a Polynesian royal with facial tattoos, befriends Ishmael in Moby-Dick and becomes a harpooner on the Pequod. In The X-Files Scully names her dog Queequeg after the Moby-Dick character and used the name as her email handle and home alarm password.

Three

In which fictional series does Max Quordlepleen, a comedian and host, appear hosting a show at Milliways?

Answer: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘the Universe as we know it has been in existence for over one hundred and seventy thousand million billion years and will be ending in a little over half an hour. So, welcome to Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe!’

With a gesture he deftly conjured another round of spontaneous applause. With another gesture he cut it.
“I am your host for tonight,” he said, “my name is Max Quordlepleen.”
— The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Pan Books).

Four

What ‘Q’ is a capital city which sits on the equator and is officially known as San Francisco de …

Answer: Quito

Officially known as San Francisco de Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is the highest national capital city in the world. It is the political and cultural centre of Ecuador, with a rich history dating back to its incorporation into the Inca Empire in the late 15th century.

Five

Quirinus Quirrell is a character in the works of which novelist?

Answer: J.K. Rowling

In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories, Quirinus Quirrell, Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, is possessed by Voldemort during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. Harry defeats Quirrell, allowing Dumbledore to arrive and Voldemort to flee, resulting in Quirrell’s death.

Professor Quirinus Quirrell.
Image Pinterest

Q

The first question relates to today’s date, August 12th, and contains a word beginning with a ‘Q’. The rest of the questions follow a ‘Q’ theme, either with a ‘Q’ in the question or answer.

One

A quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo on 12 August 1883. Native to South Africa, the quagga was a type of…

Two

What ‘Q’ links the novelist Herman Melville with Special Agent Dana Scully?

Three

In which fictional series does Max Quordlepleen, a comedian, appear hosting a show at Milliways?

Four

What ‘Q’ is a capital city which sits on the equator and is officially known as San Francisco de …

Five

Quirinus Quirrell is a character in the works of which novelist?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fly Me to the Moon | Answers

Jim Lovell, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.
(March 25, 1928—August 7, 2025).
Image Wikipedia

One

In 1968, what became the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return?

Answer: Apollo 8

Apollo 8, launched on 21 December 1968, became the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. During its mission, the crew orbited the Moon ten times, conducting various tasks such as photography and navigation, while also transmitting telecasts worldwide. The spacecraft safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 27 December, 147 hours after launch.
This question was prompted by the death of Jim Lovell, aged 97, on 7 August 2025. He flew to the Moon and back twice but never landed.

Two

The 1999 Open Championship was decided in a play-off between Jean Van de Velde and which two other players?

Answer: Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie

Jean Van de Velde, ranked 152nd, nearly won the 1999 Open Championship but famously collapsed on the 18th hole. His triple-bogey seven led to a playoff, which he lost to Paul Lawrie.

Three

The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

— Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

— Encyclopædia Britannica

What word is missing from the end of the above quote?

Answer: Christianity

Nietzsche’s quote suggests that he viewed both Christianity and alcohol as ‘narcotics’, substances or influences that dull the senses and provide an escape from reality.

Four

Which Canadian province is named after the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, born in 1848?

Answer: Alberta

Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the wife of John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The name was originally given to the District of Alberta in 1882. The Princess also gave her name to Mount Alberta and Lake Louise.

Five

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Wilfred Owen

The above quote is the opening line of which poem?

Answer: Anthem for Doomed Youth

Wilfred Owen’s poem Anthem for Doomed Youth, written in 1917, vividly captures the horrors of war. Enlisting in the British army in 1915, Owen was sent to France with the Lancashire Fusiliers to fight in the trenches during World War I. In 1917, during his first six months of battle, his troop was gassed and forced to sleep in an open field of snow. One incident involved Owen spending several days huddled in a foxhole near the body of a fallen soldier. These experiences profoundly impacted Owen as a poet, leading to rapid maturity. The poems written after January 1917 are characterised by anger at war’s brutality, and pity for those who ‘die as cattle’.

Anthem for Doomed Youth

BY WILFRED OWEN

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

      Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

      And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

      The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

— Wilfred Owen

— Poetry Foundation