2025-10-29 Bridge to Somewhere—Answers

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.

Bridge to Somewhere

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?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Meeting of the Waters—Answers

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.


Xi Jinping, President of China.
Image Wikipedia

Three

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.

Meating of the Waters

Today’s questions are a random selection.

Meeting of the waters, see question one.
Image Wikipedia

One

The confluence of what two rivers is shown in the above picture?

Two

Who composed the original Star Wars film score?

Three

Is it true that China’s President Xi Jinping spent part of his childhood living in a cave?

Four

What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere?

Five

The novel Brave New World was written by whom?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Nuclear Standoff—Answers

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?

Answer: Sam Houston

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Nuclear Standoff

Here are five questions about historical events some connected to today, October 22nd.

U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy announcing on television the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba, October 22, 1962.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

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?

Two

Tsar Peter I proclaimed the Russian Empire. In which century was this?

Three

On 22 October 1964, a French writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, though it was subsequently declined. Who was the author?

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?

Five

Who became the first President of the Republic of Texas on 22 October 1836?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Let There Be Light—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Edison incandescent light bulb enclosed in cage.
Image Wikipedia

One

On October 21, Thomas Edison applied for a patent for his design for an incandescent light bulb. In which decade did he make this application?

Answer: 1870s

Thomas Edison, an American inventor and businessman, developed influential devices like the phonograph and electric light bulb. He pioneered organised scientific invention and established the first industrial research laboratory.


Two

In 1984, Niki Lauda clinched Formula One’s World Drivers’ Championship for the final time. How many times had he won the title in total?

Answer: Three

Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda competed in Formula One from 1971 to 1979 and 1982 to 1985, winning three World Drivers’ Championships—1975, 1977 and 1984—with Ferrari and McLaren. He survived a horrific crash in 1976 and made a remarkable comeback to win his second and third titles. Beyond racing, Lauda founded three airlines and held advisory and team principal roles in Formula One.


Three

In 1940, the first edition of Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls was published. In what war was the story set?

Answer: Spanish Civil War

Ernest Hemingway’s 1940 novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, follows Robert Jordan, an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, tasked with destroying a bridge. The book assumes knowledge of the war between the Republican government and the Nationalist faction, supported by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.


Four

The Guggenheim Museum opened in New York on this date in 1959. Which architect designed its iconic spiral building?

Answer: Frank Lloyd Wright

Wright’s radical design broke from traditional gallery layouts, using a continuous ramp to display art in a flowing, organic space. The museum is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its innovation.


Five

The Battle of Trafalgar, fought on 21 October 1805, took place in the …. It was named after a prominent geographic feature: …. Firstly, what body of water and secondly, what geographic feature fill the two gaps in the previous sentence?

Answer: Atlantic Ocean; Cape Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar was a decisive victory for the British Royal Navy against the combined French and Spanish fleets during the Napoleonic Wars. Admiral Lord Nelson’s tactics ensured Britain’s naval supremacy but cost him his life. Trafalgar Square in London was named to commemorate this victory.

Let There Be Light

Five questions which are all related to today, October 21st.

Thomas Edison, c. 1878.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 21 October Thomas Edison applied for a patent for his design for an incandescent light bulb. In which decade did he make this application?

Two

In 1984, Niki Lauda clinched Formula One’s World Drivers’ Championship for the final time. How many times had he won the title in total?

Three

In 1940, the first edition of Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls was published. In what war was the story set?

Four

The Guggenheim Museum opened in New York on this date in 1959. Which architect designed its iconic spiral building?

Five

The Battle of Trafalgar, fought on 21 October 1805, took place in the …. It was named after a prominent geographic feature: the …. Firstly, what body of water and secondly, what geographic feature fill the two gaps in the previous sentence?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later?

The World of Imagination is Boundless—Answers

Houyhnhnms driving a herd of Yahoos.
Image Metropolitan Museum of Art/Wikipedia

One

Jonathan Swift, author and clergyman, died on this date in 1745.  The Wikipedia quote below describes a fictional race from his most famous work but what descriptive word is missing, and what’s the title of the work which has also been removed?

Houyhnhnms are a fictional race of intelligent … described in the last part of … by Jonathan Swift.
— Wikipedia

Answers: Horses and Gulliver’s Travels

Gulliver’s Travels, a 1726 prose satire by Jonathan Swift, satirises human nature and the “travellers’ tales” genre. It popularised the fictional island of Lilliput and is considered a classic of English literature. Houyhnhnms, rational equine beings, contrast with the savage Yahoos, representing the worst of humanity. Gulliver prefers the Houyhnhnms’ company despite their biological differences.


Two

The Unseen University is located in what fictional city, and as a result of a transformation, the university’s librarian became what?

Answers: Ankh-Morpork and an orang-utan

This is from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series of novels. Ankh-Morpork, a fictional city, draws inspiration from real-world cities like Tallinn, Prague, London, Seattle and New York City. Pratchett aimed for consistency between the city’s descriptions and its map to enhance visualisation. The Unseen University, a school of wizardry in the Discworld series, is situated in Ankh-Morpork and staffed by inept wizards.


Three

Mos Eisley is a city in which science fiction franchise, and on which planet is it situated?

Answers: Star Wars and Tatooine

Tatooine, a fictional desert planet in the Star Wars universe, is where Luke and Anakin Skywalker reside. Known for its iconic binary sunset, Mos Eisley, the planet’s largest city, is a bustling spaceport with a thriving criminal underworld. Chalmun’s Cantina, a popular saloon frequented by diverse alien species, is located there.


Four

In a trilogy published in the early 1950s, a series of short stories explores the decline of a galactic empire, drawing parallels to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The story centres on Hari Seldon, a mathematician and psychologist, who develops psychohistory, a new science. What is the title of the trilogy and its author?

Answers: The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, inspired by Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, explores the concept of psychohistory, a method for predicting societal behaviour. The series follows the Foundation, established by Hari Seldon on Terminus, as it navigates challenges and strives to shorten the impending age of barbarism following the Galactic Empire’s collapse. The original trilogy, comprising Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation, was published between 1951 and 1953.


Five

Arthur Dent, a human, embarks on a journey with Ford Prefect, an alien, after Earth’s destruction. He discovers Earth was a supercomputer designed to uncover the ‘Ultimate Question of Life the Universe and Everything’ and his mind holds the answer. What is the six-word title of this work, and in what medium was it first published?

Answers: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Radio series

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams, follows Arthur Dent’s adventures after Earth’s destruction. The franchise includes radio, novels, comics, TV, film and a 40th-anniversary celebration.

The World of Imagination is Boundless

The world of reality has its limits;
the world of imagination is boundless.
— Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Today the first question is related to today’s date, October 19th, setting a theme for the remainder. There are two answers required for each question.

Jonathan Swift.
Image Wikipedia

One

Jonathan Swift, author and clergyman, died on this date in 1745.  The Wikipedia quote below describes a fictional race from his most famous work but what descriptive word is missing, and what’s the title of the work which has also been removed?

Houyhnhnms are a fictional race of intelligent … described in the last part of … by Jonathan Swift.
— Wikipedia

Two

The Unseen University is located in what fictional city, and as a result of a transformation, the university’s librarian became what?

Three

Mos Eisley is a city in which science fiction franchise, and on which planet is it situated?

Four

In a trilogy published in the early 1950s, a series of short stories explores the decline of a galactic empire, drawing parallels to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The story centres on Hari Seldon, a mathematician and psychologist, who develops psychohistory, a new science. What is the title of the trilogy and its author?

Five

Arthur Dent, a human, embarks on a journey with Ford Prefect, an alien, after Earth’s destruction. He discovers Earth was a supercomputer designed to uncover the ‘Ultimate Question of Life the Universe and Everything’ and his mind holds the answer. What is the six-word title of this work, and in what medium was it first published?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.