Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 1961. Image Wikipedia
One
In the 1961 comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn stars as Holly Golightly. Born on this date in 1924, who wrote the novella that inspired the film?
Two
In an attempt to appease Adolf Hitler, Great Britain and France agreed to Hitler’s demand for the annexation of the Sudetenland, a region in what former country?
Three
…professional tennis player who became the youngest person in the “open” era to win a Grand Slam singles title and the youngest to be ranked world number one. In her relatively short, injury-plagued career, she won five Grand Slam singles titles—the Australian Open (1997, 1998, 1999), Wimbledon (1997), and the United States Open (1997).
This quote refers to a tennis player born in 1980 in Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Who is she?
Four
Today in 1949, an airlift delivering 2,323,738 tons of food, fuel, machinery, and other supplies was officially ended. To what city was this relief supplied?
Five
An opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered in Austria on this day in 1791. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, ‘It is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment presented through Freemasonry symbols’. What is the opera?
Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.
Ocelots are active especially during dawn and dusk. Image Wikipedia
One
Which fictional character habitually wears a charcoal turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis and collegiate cordovan loafers; and which author created him?
Answer: Robert Langdon (created by) Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, a fictional character created by author Dan Brown for his Robert Langdon book series: Angels & Demons (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013), Origin (2017), and The Secret of Secrets (2025). He is a Harvard University professor of Religious Iconology and Symbology (a fictional field).
Tom Hanks portrays Langdon in the Robert Langdon film series; starting with the 2006 film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, reprising the role in the 2009 film adaptation of Angels & Demons, and again in the 2016 film adaptation of Inferno, while Ashley Zukerman plays a younger version of the character in the 2021 TV series adaptation of The Lost Symbol.
Two
Is it true or false that in zoology, a crepuscular animal is one which lives on a seashore in the areas between the high and low tide marks?
Answer: False
In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal (active during dawn), vespertine/vespertinal (active during dusk), or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behaviour, where an animal is active during the hours of daytime and of night, respectively. Some crepuscular animals may also be active by moonlight or during an overcast day.
Who was the British prime minister at the time of the abdication crisis, when King Edward VIII renounced the throne?
Answer: Stanley Baldwin
Baldwin served as Prime Minister from May 1935 to June 1937. He held office under three kings: George V, his eldest son Edward VIII, who abdicated and was succeeded by his brother Albert, who took the regnal name King George VI. In 1936, King Edward VIII’s proposed marriage to Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, caused a constitutional crisis. The British government and the Church of England, of which the monarch is head, opposed the marriage. Consequently Edward abdicated in favour of his brother.
The Doors c. 1966: Jim Morrison (L), John Densmore (C), Robby Krieger (R), and Ray Manzarek (seated). Image Wikipedia
Four
The Doors chose their band name from a 1954 work by what author (1894-1963)?
Answer: Aldous Huxley
Morrison took the band’s name from Aldous Huxley’s book on mescaline, The Doors of Perception (1954), which in turn refers to a line in a poem by Romantic artist and writer William Blake. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Five
Can you name three players chosen for the European 2025 Ryder Cup team whose surnames begin with the same letter?
Answer: Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard and Viktor Hovland
The players are Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka.
Which fictional character habitually wears a charcoal turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis and collegiate cordovan loafers; and which author created him?
Two
Is it true or false that in zoology, a crepuscular animal is one which lives on a seashore in the areas between the high and low tide marks?
Three
Who was the British prime minister at the time of the abdication crisis, when King Edward VIII renounced the throne?
Four
The Doors chose their band name from a 1954 work by what author (1894-1963)?
Five
Can you name three players chosen for the European 2025 Ryder Cup team whose surnames begin with the same letter?
The name of an American-English poet, born on 26 September 1888, is an anagram of the word ‘TOILETS’. This poet wrote The Naming of Cats. Who is this poet?
Answer: T.S. Eliot
Two
The American-English poet referred to in question one was born in a city which is an anagram of ‘SUSTAIN OIL’. What city?
Answer: Saint Louis
Three
In The Naming of Cats, they are said to have three names: A family name, a particular name, and another, secret name…
The name that no human research can discover— But — — ——- —–, and will never confess.
‘THE MAKESHIFT CLOWNS’ is an anagram of the four words missing from the above quote, what are these words?
Answer: THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS
Four
April is the cruellest month
The above quote opens a poem by our featured poet. ‘THE NEWT SALAD’ is an anagram of its title. What poem is it?
Answer: The Waste Land
Five
In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.
This quote is again from the featured poet in this case from The Love Song of – —— ——–. What initial and two names, which form the anagram ‘J PURRED FOR FLACK’ complete the title of this poem?
Answer: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Thomas Stearns Eliot, was born in Saint Louis, Missouri but moved to England at the age of 25 and became a British subject. A leading Modernist poet, essayist and playwright, revitalised English-language poetry. He gained recognition for works like The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and The Waste Land, and was awarded the 1948 Nobel Prize in Literature. His Four Quartets, which consists of four long poems won him the 1948 Nobel Prize for Literature. His book of light-verse, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, is the foundation of the musical Cats, and is where the title of today’s post, The Naming of Cats, is found.
Today’s questions relate to a poet born this day who wrote the poem The Naming of Cats. As the naming of cats can be quite confusing, there are anagrams to be solved in each of these questions.
The name of an American-English poet, born on 26 September 1888, is an anagram of the word ‘TOILETS’. This poet wrote The Naming of Cats. Who is this poet?
Two
The American-English poet referred to in question one was born in a city which is an anagram of ‘SUSTAIN OIL’. What city?
Three
In The Naming of Cats, they are said to have three names: A family name, a particular name, and another, secret name…
The name that no human research can discover— But — — ——- —–, and will never confess.
‘THE MAKESHIFT CLOWNS’ is an anagram of the four words missing from the above quote, what are these words?
Four
April is the cruellest month
The above quote opens a poem by our featured poet. ‘THE NEWT SALAD’ is an anagram of its title. What poem is it?
Five
In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.
This quote is again from the featured poet in this case from The Love Song of – —— ——–. What initial and two names, which form the anagram ‘J PURRED FOR FLACK’ complete the title of this poem?
Here are the answers for the questions I posted earlier.
Sylvia’s Mother, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. Image CD and LP
One
Mrs Avery is the title character in which 1972 song by Dr. Hook; and what was the full name of the band at the time of the original release?
Answer: Sylvia’s Mother and Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Sylvia’s Mother, written by Shel Silverstein and originally performed by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, was their first hit. It reached number five on the Billboard singles chart and topped charts in several countries. The band kept this name until 1975 when they shortened it to Dr. Hook.
Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the River Styx by Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1625); Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam. Image Wikipedia
Two
Achilles was dipped into which river by his mother to make him invulnerable?
Answer: Styx
Legend claims Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel, which his mother held while dipping him in the River Styx. Achilles heel, a term derived from this, signifies a vulnerable point despite overall strength. The Achilles tendon is also named after this legend.
Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall by Spike Milligan. Image Libris
Three
September 3rd, 1939. The last minutes of peace ticking away. Father and I were watching Mother digging our air-raid shelter.
The opening lines of a novel first published in 1971 are quoted above. Can you name the novel and its author?
Answer: Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan’s war memoir, Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, recounts his experiences from Britain’s declaration of war to the Allied liberation of Africa. The book, the first of seven volumes, blends anecdotes, photographs and sketches.
Who plays Lily on television’s How I Met Your Mother?
Answer: Alyson Hannigan
Lily Aldrin, portrayed by Alyson Hannigan, is a fictional character in How I Met Your Mother. She is a kindergarten teacher, amateur painter, and later becomes an art consultant.
Statue of Helena in the Musei Capitolini, Rome. Image Wikipedia
Five
Evelyn Waugh’s 1950 novel Helena is about the mother of which 4th-century Roman emperor?
Answer: Constantine I or Constantine the Great
Flavia Julia Helena, also known as Saint Helena, was a Roman Augusta and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. Revered as a saint, she is believed to have discovered the True Cross during a religious tour.
Statue of Constantine I in York, England. Near the spot where he was proclaimed Augustus in 306 CE. Image Wikipedia
Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!
At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?
Answer: Eleventy-one
See comment below next answer
Two
Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22 September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?
Answer: 33
Hobbits, a fictional race in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, are about half the height of humans. They have tough, hairy feet and live in underground homes. Known as halflings, they first appeared in The Hobbit (1937), featuring Bilbo Baggins. In The Lord of the Rings, hobbits Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck are central to saving Middle-earth. Hobbits reside in Hobbiton, part of the Shire and Bree-land. The name’s origins are debated, although Tolkien emphatically rejected any link to ‘rabbit’. Hobbits bridge the modern and ancient worlds, featuring modern items like umbrellas and clocks unlike the race’s of men in Rohan and Gondor.
Three
Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?
Answer: 1980
Harry Potter, the titular character of J.K. Rowling’s series, is an orphan who discovers he is a wizard on his eleventh birthday. The series of seven novels and subsequent film adaptations follows his journey at Hogwarts and his quest to defeat the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
Casino Royale, first published 13 April 1953. Image James Bond Fandom
Four
When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?
Answer: Casino Royale first publication plus Daniel Craig’s birth year
13 April 1953, was the date of publication of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first novel. The year chosen was that of Daniel Craig’s own birth year 1968 (March 2nd).
Five
Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?
Answer: Daphne
The Scooby-Doo gang visits the town of Rockwellville in search of a Christmas mystery, but all they find is a pterodactyl who seems to have nothing to do with Christmas. Meanwhile, Daphne, who is tired of having her December 25th birthday overshadowed year after year, tries to convince the gang to celebrate her birthday instead of Christmas. In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! ‘Scary Christmas’ First broadcast 10 December 2015 — Wikipedia
The first and second questions are about two fictional characters’ birthdays on September 22nd. The remaining questions also revolve around fictional characters’ birthdays.
Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!
At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?
Two
Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22nd September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?
Three
Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?
Four
When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?
Five
Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?
The opening chapter of a book, first published on 21 September 1937, is titled ‘An Unexpected Party’. Before the party begins, the householder is unexpectedly visited by a group of dwarfs. How many dwarfs are there?
Answers: Thirteen
The book is The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins lives in the house. Gandalf, without Bilbo’s knowledge, organises a party. The dwarves arrive either singly or in groups:
Dwalin
Balin
Kili and Fili
Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin and Gloin
Bifur, Bofur and Bombur
Thorin Oakenshield
Two
The Grammy-winning album American Idiot was released on 21 September 2004 by which band?
Answer: Green Day
American Idiot, Green Day’s seventh studio album, is a concept album that follows the story of Jesus of Suburbia. The album, which marked a return to the band’s punk rock sound, was a critical and commercial success, selling over 23 million copies worldwide and winning several awards.
According to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, on the night of September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to know God’s further will. A light steadily grew, “as though the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable fire.” …, a messenger sent from God stood before him. Who was this messenger?
Answer: Moroni
Moroni, son of Mormon, was a Nephite prophet, historian and military commander. He completed the Nephite record, buried the plates, and later became the Angel Moroni in Latter Day Saint belief.
Four
On this day in 1957, a mystery series based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s books debuted on American television. What was the TV series?
Answer: Perry Mason
Perry Mason, a long-running American legal drama series, aired on CBS from 1957 to 1966. The show, based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s detective fiction, starred Raymond Burr as the titular lawyer and received numerous awards and accolades.
Janis Joplin photographed by Jim Marshall about one year before her death. Image Wikipedia
Five
Born on 21 September 1934, a singer-songwriter released an album titled New Skin for the Old Ceremony in 1974. This album included the song Chelsea Hotel No. 2, which Encyclopædia Britannica describes as a ‘frank recollection of a brief sexual encounter with Janis Joplin’. Who is this singer-songwriter?
Answer: Leonard Cohen
Chelsea Hotel #2 recounts a sexual encounter at the Chelsea Hotel with Janis Joplin. Cohen later regretted revealing the song’s inspiration and the explicit details of their relationship. In 1994, on the BBC, Cohen said it was “an indiscretion for which I’m very sorry. If there is some way of apologising to the ghost, I want to apologise now for having committed that indiscretion.” Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.
Quizology Online 