Quizology.Online

Tag: literature

  • Doctor Skaro — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question four. Flag of the Azores.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Answer: Ouagadougou.

    Air Burkina SA, Burkina Faso’s national airline, operates from Ouagadougou Airport to domestic and regional destinations. It is currently government-owned, with a new investor being sought.

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Answer: Schindler’s Ark.

    Schindler’s Ark is a biographical novel by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler, a Nazi who saved 1,200 Jews. It won the 1982 Booker Prize, gained fame through Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List, and was featured on the 2022 ‘Big Jubilee Read’ list.

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Answer: Kon-Tiki.

    The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947, was a raft journey from South America to Polynesia. Funded by private loans and U.S. Army equipment, Heyerdahl and five companions sailed 6,900 km on a balsa log raft, landing safely at Raroia after 101 days, inspiring a book and films.

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Answer: Azores.

    The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, consists of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known for its mild climate, the region’s economy relies on agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest point. The Azores are seismically active at the Azores triple junction where the Eurasian, Nubian and North American tectonic plates meet.

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Answer: Rear Window.

    Rear Window, shot almost entirely from one room, is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and one of the greatest ever made. Confined to his apartment, photojournalist Jeff (James Stewart) observes his neighbours, including Thorwald, who he suspects of murdering his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate. It received four Academy Award nominations and was added to the United States National Film Registry.

    Doctor Skaro

    Doctor Skaro is, I confess, a bit misleading. Skaro is the home planet of the Daleks, the highly xenophobic, violent, merciless, and pitiless cyborg aliens from the long-running BBC television programme Doctor Who, but neither the title nor the theme has anything to do with their home planet or the Doctor. Doctor Skaro is cryptic. If you ‘doctor’ the word ‘Skaro’, that is, treat it as an anagram and rearrange the letters, you’ll find ‘in part a relevant literary character’: Oskar from question two, Oskar Schindler. Today’s answers begin with the letters O, S, K, A, R.

  • Doctor Skaro

    See question four. Flag of ?
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • If a face could launch a thousand ships — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
    Image liveabout.com

    Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.

    One

    By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?

    Answer: ME.

    Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic illness causing severe fatigue, sleep, and memory issues, worsened by activity (PEM). Its cause is unknown, often following infections, with genetic factors. Diagnosis relies on symptoms, as no tests exist. Treatment focuses on symptom relief, with pacing and counselling beneficial.
    ME/CFS significantly impacts society and the economy, with symptoms causing social isolation. A quarter of sufferers are bedridden or housebound. Stigma in healthcare and controversies over its cause and treatments complicate care. Doctors often lack familiarity due to limited medical school coverage, and research funding is historically inadequate.

    Two

    What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?

    Answer: Telly Savalas.

    Aristotelis ‘Telly’ Savalas (1922–1994) was an American actor and singer, active from 1950 to 1994, renowned for his bald head and deep voice. He gained fame as Lt. Theo Kojak in Kojak (1973–1978) and as James Bond’s nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Savalas starred in films like Birdman of Alcatraz, earning an Academy Award nomination. He was married three times, had six children, and served in the U.S. Army. He released a cover of Bread’s If in 1975, which topped the UK charts.

    Three

    What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?

    Answers: James ‘Jim’ Grant; Jack Reacher.

    The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (Jim Grant) includes 30 books and a short story collection as of November 2025. It follows Jack Reacher, a former major in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps turned drifter, solving dangerous situations across the U.S. and internationally. The series has been adapted into films and a TV series.

    Four

    …▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?

    Answer: Scallop.

    scallop ▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. Scallops swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves. Family Pectinidae: Chlamys, Pecten, and other genera.

    ▪ short for scallop shell ▪ a small pan or dish shaped like a scallop shell and used for baking or serving food.

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Five

    The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?

    Answer: Fluorine.

    Fluorine, atomic number 9, is a reactive, pale yellow gas, first isolated in 1886. It’s used in uranium enrichment, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, with global sales over $15 billion annually. Fluorocarbon gases, with global-warming potentials 100 to 23,500 times that of CO2, persist environmentally due to strong bonds. Organofluorine compounds are toxic, produced by some plants and marine sponges.

    If a face could launch a thousand ships

    The post title is a line from If the song referred to in question two. If is a 1971 song written by David Gates and popularised by his band Bread.

  • If a face could launch a thousand ships

    Image liveabout.com

    Today’s questions are neither date related nor themed.

    One

    By what two initials is chronic fatigue syndrome commonly known?

    Two

    What American actor, a television detective and a Bond villain, had a U.K. number one with If in 1975?

    Three

    What is the birth name of author Lee Child, and who is the main fictional character he is known for?

    Four

    …▸ noun an edible bivalve mollusc with a ribbed fan-shaped shell. …s swim by rapidly opening and closing the shell valves

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Which word, appearing twice in the definition above, has been removed?

    Five

    The lightest halogen, which is a pale yellow gas with the atomic number 9, is a highly reactive chemical element?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Operation Little Vittles — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Berlin Airlift Monument.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are a mixed bag with no connection to the date.

    One

    What does the Oxford English Dictionary define as ‘a German dish of chopped pickled cabbage’?

    Answer: Sauerkraut.

    Sauerkraut, made by fermenting finely cut raw white cabbage with lactic acid bacteria, has a sour flavour and a long shelf life. This ancient fermentation process preserves cabbage by converting sugars into lactic acid. Roman writers Cato, Columella, and Plinius the Elder mentioned cabbage preservation, with evidence of sauerkraut in Europe during the early Western Roman Empire. Essential for winter nutrients in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe, it was also used by Captain James Cook to prevent scurvy.

    Two

    What is a shark’s skeleton primarily composed of?

    Answer: Cartilage.

    Shark skeletons are made of cartilage, making them lighter and more flexible than bony fish and terrestrial vertebrate skeletons.

    Three

    What 2002 film was a remake of a 1960 Rat pack film?

    Answer: Ocean’s Eleven.

    Ocean’s Eleven was a remake of Ocean’s 11. During the 1960s, the Rat Pack included legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

    Four

    What is the capital city of the State of Florida?

    Answer: Tallahassee.

    Tallahassee, Florida’s capital since 1824, had 205,089 residents in 2024, ranking eighth in the state. Home to Florida State University and Florida A&M University, it hosts the Florida State Capitol. Indigenous peoples lived there for millennia. During the First Seminole War, future president General Andrew Jackson attacked the Seminoles near Tallahassee.

    Five

    The Berlin Airlift Monument pictured at top is located at which German airport?

    Answer: Tempelhof.

    The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was a Cold War crisis where the Soviet Union blocked Western access to West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift supplied the city, with over 250,000 flights delivering 2,334,374 tons of supplies. The blockade ended, highlighting ideological tensions and aligning West Berlin with the US and Britain. The Berlin Airlift Monument displays the names of the 39 British and 31 American airmen who lost their lives during the operation.

    Operation Little Vittles

    The post title Operation Little Vittles refers to an operation which came about when aircrew in the airlift started dropping sweets to German children as they made their landing approach over Berlin.

  • Is there any tea on this spaceship? — Answer

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Concept picture: Heart of Gold, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDB (cropped)

    Today’s questions are a random mix, which are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    Whose house is scheduled for demolition at the beginning of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

    Answer: Arthur Dent.

    Arthur wakes to be informed by a council official that his house has to be demolished that morning to make way for a bypass. While he tries to prevent this happening, his friend Ford Prefect arrives and insists on taking him to the pub. As they do this, a Vogon spaceship appears, and an announcement is made that Earth has to be demolished that morning to make way for an interstellar bypass. Ford manages to get both himself and Arthur onto the spaceship before Earth is destroyed.

    Two

    Established in the year 324, this city was built on the site of an existing one and initially known as New Rome. Three questions:

    1. What was the name of the existing city?
    2. What name very quickly superseded New Rome?
    3. What name is this city known as today?

    Answers

    1. Byzantium
    2. Constantinople
    3. Istanbul
      Istanbul, originally Byzantium, became a pivotal city, serving as the capital of four empires over 16 centuries: Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman. It advanced Christianity before becoming an Islamic stronghold in 1453. Istanbul’s historic centre remains a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Three

    Starting in the 1970s, an actor who connected Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago dedicated much of his time to bridge. He published books, videos, video games, and a syndicated column all about the card game. Who is this?

    Answer: Omar Sharif.

    Omar Sharif, born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub, was an Egyptian actor famed for roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. He starred in over 100 films and won three Golden Globes and a César Award. A multilingual bridge and horse racing enthusiast, he received prestigious honours and passed away in 2015.

    Four

    Rhea and Tethys are two major moons of a planet in the solar system. Here are three questions:

    1. Which planet are they moons of?
    2. Rhea and Tethys are what in Greek mythology?
    3. Approximately how many moons does this planet have in total, to the nearest ten?

    Answers

    1. Saturn
    2. Titans
    3. 270 (274)

    Saturn has 274 confirmed moons in its orbit, far more than any other planet in our solar system. In March 2025, astronomers confirmed the discovery of 128 small moons around Saturn — adding to the already large moon count.

    Saturn’s moons range in size, from one that is larger than the planet Mercury — the giant moon Titan — to others as small as a sports arena. The small moon Enceladus has a global ocean under a thick, icy shell. Scientists have identified both moons as high-priority science destinations for future deep-space missions.

    — NASA

    Five

    The 2008 film and 2019 musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are both adaptations of a short story. Who wrote it?

    Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a satirical short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in Collier’s Magazine on 27 May 1922. It features reverse ageing and was included in Tales of the Jazz Age. The story inspired a 2008 Oscar-nominated film and an Olivier Award-winning musical.

    Title

    The post title ‘Is there any tea on this spaceship?’ is a quote by Arthur Dent in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

  • Is there any tea on this spaceship?

    Concept picture: Heart of Gold, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDB (cropped)

    Today’s questions are a random mix, which are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    Whose house is scheduled for demolition at the beginning of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

    Two

    Established in the year 324, this city was built on the site of an existing one and initially known as New Rome. Three questions:

    1. What was the name of the existing city?
    2. What name very quickly superseded New Rome?
    3. What name is this city known as today?

    Three

    Starting in the 1970s, an actor who connected Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago dedicated much of his time to bridge. He published books, videos, video games, and a syndicated column all about the card game. Who is this?

    Four

    Rhea and Tethys are two major moons of a planet in the solar system. Here are three questions:

    1. Which planet are they moons of?
    2. Rhea and Tethys are what in Greek mythology?
    3. Approximately how many moons does this planet have in total, to the nearest ten?

    Five

    The 2008 film and 2019 musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are both adaptations of a short story. Who wrote it?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Let Me Count the Days — Answers

    Here are the answers to the earlier questions.

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?

    Answer: Cannon fire.

    A theatrical cannon misfired during a performance, causing a fire in the wooden beams and thatching. Only one person was injured, with his burning breeches extinguished by ale. The building was rebuilt the next year with a tile roof, costing £1,400.

    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?

    Answer: 1958; Sweden.

    The 1958 FIFA World Cup final in Sweden saw Brazil win their first title by defeating the hosts. The match, which was the first final between European and American teams, set records for goals, winning margin, and age of the youngest and oldest goal scorers. Pelé was only 17 years and 249 days old, while Nils Liedholm was 18 years and 15 days older than Pelé at 35 years and 263 days.

    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?

    Answer: Jacques Cartier; Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables.

    Lucy Maud Montgomery, known as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author famous for Anne of Green Gables (1908). She published 20 novels and over a thousand short stories and poems. Her work, set on Prince Edward Island, inspired adaptations and tourism.

    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?

    Answer: Lilly Poison.

    Nicole Scherzinger is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She gained fame as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls and later pursued a successful solo career. Scherzinger has also served as a judge on various talent shows and has received numerous accolades for her work in music and theatre.

    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?

    Answer: Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

    Elizabeth Barrett Browning, an English poet, is celebrated for Sonnets from the Portuguese and Aurora Leigh, an early feminist text. Despite a spinal injury at 15, she married Robert Browning in 1846, moved to Florence, and engaged in Italian politics. Her influential work advocated social reforms, impacting slavery and child labour laws.

  • Let Me Count the Days

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?

    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?

    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?

    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?

    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Shaken, Not Stirred — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Sean Connery and Ian Fleming on the set of Dr. No (1962).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s questions all relate to June 28th.

    One

    James Bond Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond books, was born in 1908. What was the first James Bond novel; which U.S. president included a Bond novel in his ten favourites, and which was it? 

    Answer: Casino Royale; President John F. Kennedy and From Russia With Love.

    Ian Fleming, born in 1908, was a British suspense-fiction novelist and former naval intelligence officer who created the iconic British secret agent James Bond, 007. His first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953), launched a globally popular series known for espionage and action. From Russia With Love, the fifth Bond novel, was famously endorsed by John F. Kennedy in 1961 in a list of his ten favourite books. 

    Two

    In 1999, after two decades of restoration, a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece was unveiled to the public. Located within the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, this work is known as what, and what type of artwork is it?

    Answer: Last Supper; Mural.

    Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (1495-1498) is a mural in Milan’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It depicts Jesus announcing his betrayal and instituting the Eucharist. The apostles’ dramatic reactions convey intense emotion. Commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the original materials caused significant deterioration over time.

    Three

    In what venue was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919? 

    Answer: Palace of Versailles

    The Palace of Versailles, built by King Louis XIV, is located 19 km (12 mi) west of Paris, France. The Hall of Mirrors, where the treaty was signed, is the largest room in the palace. Seventeen mirror arches (each containing 21 mirrors and thus totalling 357 mirrors in the hall) face 17 windows that overlook the palace gardens.

    Four

    Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to the merger of two companies by two men. Could you please identify these men and the decade that this happened?

    Answer: Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz; 1920s.

    Mercedes-Benz originated from Carl Benz’s 1886 internal combustion engine and Gottlieb Daimler’s petrol-engine stagecoach. Emil Jellinek marketed the 1901 Mercedes 35 hp, naming it after his daughter. The brand was officially established on 28 June 1926 after Daimler and Benz’s companies merged, forming Daimler-Benz.

    Five

    Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom’s coronation took place on this day. In what decade did it take place, and in what ecclesiastical building did the ceremony take place?

    Answer: 1830s; Westminster Abbey.

    Queen Victoria’s coronation occurred on 28 June 1838 at Westminster Abbey, following a public procession from Buckingham Palace. Planned by Lord Melbourne, it cost £70,000 and attracted 400,000 visitors. Despite internal mishaps, the event was successful, with fairs and displays in Hyde and Green Parks, amid some Radical opposition.