Which Spanish Nobel laureate wrote the novels The Family of Pascual Duarte, The Hive and Christ Versus Arizona?
Camilo José Cela
Mario Vargas Llosa
Patrick Modiano
Two
Yaoundé is the capital of which French-speaking West African country?
Three
Camilla is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as she is the wife of King Charles III. Who was the last person to be Queen consort of these realms?
Four
The picture at the top of the post is of Tintin’s friend, but what is his full name?
Five
The Women’s Lacrosse World Cup has been held eleven times, with the United States winning nine of these championships. The remaining two championships were won by which country?
The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.
The Marx Brothers. L to R. Groucho, Chico and Harpo. A Night in Casablanca, 1946. Image Wikipedia
One
Out of the three Marx Brothers most commonly seen in films, who was the oldest?
Chico
Groucho
Harpo
Answer: Chico
Chico born March 1887; Harpo, November 1888 and Groucho, October 1890.
Stage names
During a poker game with Art Fisher, the Marx brothers received their stage names. Groucho, Chico and Harpo were all derived from their personalities and interests. Groucho’s notably moody temperament is most commonly attributed to him, while Chico, originally Chicko, gained his reputation for chasing women (or ‘chicks’). Harpo’s name was simply a reference to his harp playing.
Genie in a Bottle, released June 1999, reached No. 1 in record charts in 21 countries for what singer?
Answer Christina Aguilera
Genie in a Bottle is a song by Christina Aguilera, released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album. The song, which topped charts in 21 countries, explores themes of self-respect and abstinence.
Vitalstatistix is a literary character in what fictional universe?
Answer: Asterix
Chief Vitalstatistix, the Gaulish village chief, is a middle-aged man with a love for food and drink. He is known for his bravery, even-tempered nature, and pride, and is carried on a shield by two unnamed bearers.
James Bond, a fictional character, is an agent of the British Secret Service, also known as MI6. What do the initials MI stand for?
Answer: Military Intelligence
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom. Its primary mission is to collect and analyse human intelligence covertly overseas, primarily targeting foreign nationals, to support its Five Eyes partners. SIS is one of the British intelligence agencies, and the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (‘C’) is directly accountable to the Foreign Secretary.
Map of the Mackenzie River system in Canada, made using public domain Natural Earth and Atlas of Canada data. Image Wikipedia/Shannon1
Five
Which of these major North American rivers does not flow into the Pacific Ocean or one of its marginal seas?
Columbia River
Mackenzie River
Yukon River
Answer: Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River, the longest river system in Canada, flows through the Northwest Territories, draining about 20% of the country. Its main stem is 1,738 kilometres long, flowing north-northwest from Great Slave Lake to the Beaufort Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean
The Columbia River flows from the Canadian Rockies into the United States, where it discharges into the Pacific Ocean between the states of Washington and Oregon
The Yukon River rises in British Columbia and flows through Yukon Territory, both in Canada, before crossing into the United States and flowing across the width of Alaska before reaching the Bering Sea, a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean
The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.
Tibetan Yak or Sarlyk, as they say in Altai. Image Wikipedia
One
Remembering the theme, the animal pictured is a…
Answer: Yak
The yak, a long-haired domesticated cattle species, inhabits the Himalayan region, Tibetan Plateau, and parts of Central Asia. It is descended from the wild yak.
Located on the island of Honshu, what is Japan’s second-largest city in terms of population?
Answer: Yokohama
Yokohama, the second-largest city in Japan, is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and a major economic, cultural, and commercial hub. It is home to many of Japan’s firsts, including the first foreign trading port and Chinatown, and is a prominent port city.
The lyrics of this 1972 song by Carly Simon describe a self-absorbed lover, whose identity has long been a matter of speculation. What is the song?
Answer: You’re So Vain
In 2015, the Los Angeles Times published some more information about Carly Simon’s 1972 hit You’re So Vain—
Carly Simon has confirmed the answer — at least in part — to one of the most puzzling questions in recent history: Who is the song “You’re So Vain” really about?
“I have confirmed that the second verse is Warren,” the 70-year-old told People magazine. That’d be Warren Beatty, long suspected of being the vain one. The other verses (“You walked into the party … “ and “I hear you went up to Saratoga …”) are about other men, she said. – Los Angeles Times
Susanna Clarke’s novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell begins,
‘Some years ago there was in the city of … a society of magicians. They met upon the third Wednesday of every month and read each other long, dull papers upon the history of English magic.’
What city is missing from this quote?
Answer: York
In 1806, during the Napoleonic Wars, the reclusive magician Mr Norrell emerges, captivating England with his displays of magic. However, his cautious nature is challenged by the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange, leading to a dangerous battle between the two magicians.
What colour links these? – Cross on the flag of Sweden – A ball with a value of two points snooker
Answer: Yellow
The Swedish flag features a yellow Nordic cross on a light blue field, inspired by the 1442 coat of arms. Blue and yellow have been used in Swedish heraldry since 1275. The yellow ball has a value of two points in the game of snooker.
A snooker table, drawn exactly to scale. Image Wikipedia
Continuing the alphabet theme with all of today’s answers beginning with the letter ‘Y’.
This is known as a Sarlyk in Altai, see question one. Image Wikipedia
One
Remembering the theme, the animal pictured is a…
Two
Located on the island of Honshu, what is Japan’s second-largest city in terms of population?
Three
The lyrics of this 1972 song by Carly Simon describe a self-absorbed lover, whose identity has long been a matter of speculation. What is the song?
Four
Susanna Clarke’s novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell begins,
‘Some years ago there was in the city of … a society of magicians. They met upon the third Wednesday of every month and read each other long, dull papers upon the history of English magic.’
What city is missing from this quote?
Five
What colour links these? – The cross on the flag of Sweden – A ball with a value of two points snooker
The unstriped ground squirrel is which of these? – Xandra Neramanius – Xerus rutilus – Xantia citroenus
Answer: Xerus rutilus
The unstriped ground squirrel is a rodent species found in dry savannas and shrublands across East Africa. The distractors provided were made-up terms: Xandra Neramani (us) is a character in Marvel comics, while Xantia citroen (us) refers to the Citroën Xantia, a French car manufactured between 1992 and 2001.
Founded in Rochester, New York in 1906 the Haloid Photographic Company is better known today as…
Answer: Xerox
Xerox, founded in 1906 as Haloid Photographic Company, commercialised Chester Carlson’s xerography process in 1951. Joseph C. Wilson, who took over Haloid, led the company’s development of xerography and renamed it Xerox Corporation in 1961. In 2019, it became Xerox Holdings Corporation.
Cover of the first edition of The Thirty-nine Steps. Image Wikipedia
Three
Calculate the sum of the number of steps from the title of John Buchan’s 1915 novel plus the title of the 1979 Blake Edwards romantic comedy film starring Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews and Bo Derek. Please express your answer in Roman numerals.
Answer: XLIX
John Buchan’s steps are The Thirty-nine Steps and Blake Edward’s film is 10. Therefore, 39 + 10 = 49, which is written as XLIX in Roman numerals.
A Catholic missionary who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus, and
The fictional Professor X from the Marvel universe.
Answer: Xavier
Francis Xavier, a cleric and missionary, co-founded the Society of Jesus and led the first Christian mission to Japan. He is venerated as a saint and known as the ‘Apostle of the Indies’ for his extensive missionary work in Asia, particularly in India and Japan.
In the Marvel universe, Professor Charles Francis Xavier, known as Professor X, is a powerful telepath and mutant. As the founder of the X-Men, Professor X runs a school for mutants in New York. The character has been portrayed by Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy in the X-Men film series.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, January 1967. From left: John Dymond (Beaky), Ian Amey (Tich), Trevor Ward-Davies (Dozy), Mick Wilson (Mick) and Dave Dee. Image Wikipedia
Five
One word links the following?
A word in the first line of an 1816 poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem
A 1968 by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
A 1980 song by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
Answer: Xanadu
The poem is Kubla Khan, shown in full below. The Legend of Xanadu was by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and Olivia Newton-John and ELO’s song was Xanadu.
Kubla Khan
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea.
So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.
But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! A savage place! as holy and enchanted As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted By woman wailing for her demon-lover! And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, A mighty fountain momently was forced: Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail: And ‘mid these dancing rocks at once and ever It flung up momently the sacred river. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, Then reached the caverns measureless to man, And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean: And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far Ancestral voices prophesying war!
The shadow of the dome of pleasure Floated midway on the waves; Where was heard the mingled measure From the fountain and the caves. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!
A damsel with a dulcimer In a vision once I saw: It was an Abyssinian maid, And on her dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me Her symphony and song, To such a deep delight ‘twould win me That with music loud and long I would build that dome in air, That sunny dome! those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice, And close your eyes with holy dread, For he on honey-dew hath fed And drunk the milk of Paradise.
The unstriped ground squirrel is which of these? – Xandra Neramanius – Xerus rutilus – Xantia citroenus
Two
Founded in Rochester, New York in 1906 the Haloid Photographic Company is better known today as…
Three
Calculate the sum of the number of steps from the title of John Buchan’s 1915 novel, plus the title of the 1979 Blake Edwards romantic comedy film starring Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews and Bo Derek. Please express your answer in Roman numerals.
Four
What surname links these?
A Catholic missionary who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus, and
The fictional Professor X from the Marvel universe.
Five
One word links the following
A word found in the first line of an 1816 poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem
A 1968 song by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
A 1980 song by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra What is the word that links the above?
In what television programme did the above characters first appear?
Answer: Wacky Races
Dick Dastardly is a fictional character and the main antagonist in various animated series by Hanna-Barbera Productions Wacky Races and its spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines. The first appearance was in 1969. He is known for his catchphrases ’Muttley, do something!‘; ‘Curses, foiled again!’; ‘Drat, and double drat!’; or even ‘Triple dat!’.
41°17′20″S is the latitude of the World’s windiest city. What is the city?
Answer: Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, the world’s windiest city, by average wind speed—it is also the world’s southernmost capital. It is a cultural hub with a diverse, youth-driven culture, known for its film industry, financial services and livability. The city’s economy is service-based, with a focus on finance, business, government and technology.
The quote above is a line in the chorus of what song?
Answer: Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is Kate Bush’s debut single, released in 1978. It spent four weeks at number one in the UK and was the first number-one single by a female artist to be entirely self-written. Kate Bush wrote in a few hours after seeing the 1967 BBC adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights, which she had not read. Subsequently reading the novel she discovered she shared her birthday with Emily Brontë. Lyrics are shown at the end of the post.
The chemical element Tungsten has the symbol ‘W’. What word does this symbol represent?
Answer: Wolfram
Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. It is known for its high melting and boiling points, density, and hardness, making it useful in various applications such as light bulb filaments, X-ray tubes and tungsten carbide. Tungsten is also found in some biomolecules, though it can be toxic to most animal life.
Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Watercolour by Alfred Jacob Miller, c 1858-1860. Image Wikipedia
Five
This US State has a northern border with Montana and a southern border with Colorado. What state is it?
Answer: Wyoming
Wyoming is a landlocked state in the Mountain West, bordered by several states including Montana to the north and Colorado to the south. It is the least populous state despite being the 10th largest, with a semi-arid to continental climate and a significant portion of its land owned by the federal government.
Wuthering Heights
Kate Bush
Out on the wily, windy moors We’d roll and fall in green You had a temper like my jealousy Too hot, too greedy How could you leave me When I needed to possess you? I hated you. I loved you, too
Bad dreams in the night They told me I was going to lose the fight Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Ooh, it gets dark! It gets lonely On the other side from you I pine a lot. I find the lot Falls through without you I’m coming back, love Cruel Heathcliff, my one dream My only master
Too long I roam in the night I’m coming back to his side, to put it right I’m coming home to wuthering, wuthering Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Ooh! Let me have it Let me grab your soul away Ooh! Let me have it Let me grab your soul away You know, it’s me – Cathy
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold Let me in-a-your window
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home. I’m so cold
Valentina Tereshkova, a Russian engineer and former Soviet cosmonaut, was the first woman in space, completing a solo mission on Vostok 6 in 1963. She later became a prominent member of the Communist Party and a State Duma member.
A fictional patriarch who founded the Genco Pura Olive Oil Company was…
Answer: Vito Corleone
Vito Corleone, a fictional character in Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather and the subsequent film trilogy by Francis Ford Coppola, is an Italian immigrant to America who builds a Mafia empire. He is known for his strict moral code of loyalty and respect, and is succeeded by his son Michael as Don of the Corleone crime family.
What sculpture in the Louvre Museum was discovered on the Greek island of Milos in 1820?
Answer: Venus de Milo
The Venus de Milo, a Parian marble statue of a Greek goddess, is likely Aphrodite. It stands over 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall and is missing both arms, the left foot and earlobes. Discovered in 1820 by a Greek farmer on the island of Milos, the discovery was witnessed by a French sailor, Olivier Voutier, who encouraged further excavation. It has been in the Louvre since 1821.
Amerigo Vespucci upon his arrival on his first voyage to the New World, 1497. Vespucci is offered native women, notice hammocks in the background. As described in Vespucci’s Letter to Soderini. description (uncertain location, prob. Central America, around Honduras or Yucatan; alternatively poss. Gulf of Paria in Venezuela). Engraving from c.1592 by Theodor de Bry (Flemish, 1528-1598). Image Wikipedia
Four
America is named after Amerigo who?
Answer: Vespucci (Amerigo Vespucci)
Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer and navigator, participated in voyages between 1497 and 1504, claiming to have discovered the New World in 1501. His accounts, though disputed, popularised the discoveries and led to the continent being named ‘America’ in his honour.
A Vogon guard, as seen in the 1981 TV series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Image Hitchhikers Fandom
Five
At the start of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy a ____ Constructor Fleet arrives to destroy Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass? What word is missing?
Answer: Vogon (Constructor Fleet)
The ships of the Vogon Constructor Fleet were described as ‘impossibly huge yellow somethings,’ resembling the bulldozers that demolish Arthur’s house. They appeared to have been congealed rather than constructed and hung in the air in a peculiar manner, similar to bricks. Radar was said to be unable to detect them, and they were capable of travelling through hyperspace.
Quizology.Online 
