Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: miscellany

  • Lists too…—Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    One

    An alphabetical list begins with the numbers 2, 6 and 21. The surname “2” starts with “A” and includes “John” somewhere in the name. What is the subject of this list and which names (their full names as commonly known) are associated with these three numbers in this context?

    Answer: Presidents of the US. John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Chester A. Arthur

    The second, sixth and twenty-first presidents of the US listed alphabetically by their surnames, ie, Adams, Adams and Arthur.

    Two

    Tanner, Bob, Florin and … were names for various coins used in pre-decimal currency in the UK. The fourth coin in this ascending list is missing but it’s the sum of two already listed. Can you name it and give the face value in old pence (d) for each of the four coins?

    Answer: Half-crown. 6d, 12d, 24d and 30d

    Tanner (aka sixpence) 6d (2.5p)
    Bob (shilling) 12d (5p)
    Florin (two bob or two shillings) 24d (10p)
    Half-crown (two shillings and sixpence or 2/6 (pronounced ’2 and 6’)) 30d (12.5p)
    Old British currency was known as pounds, shillings and pence or ’l.s.d.’ from Latin librae ( ‘pounds’), solidi, denarii (both denoting Roman coins).

    Three

    Arrange these capital cities by latitude from north to south: Baku, Azerbaijan; Beijing, China; London, UK; Ottawa, Canada; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

    Answer: London, UK; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Ottawa, Canada; Baku, Azerbaijan and Beijing, China

    London Coordinates: 51°30′26″N 
    Ulaanbaatar Coordinates: 47°55′19″N
    Ottawa Coordinates: 45°25′29″N 
    Baku Coordinates: 40°23′43″N  
    Beijing Coordinates 39°54′24″N

    Four

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Gosford Park; and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    These films were all nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award but none of them won it. Put them in chronological order of the year of their release?

    Answer: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Gosford Park, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released 2000; Gosford Park, 2001 and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in 2002.

  • Lists too…

    Four more questions about lists.

    One

    An alphabetical list begins with the numbers 2, 6 and 21. The surname “2” starts with “A” and includes “John” somewhere in the name. What is the subject of this list and which names (their full names as commonly known) are associated with these three numbers in this context?

    Two

    Tanner, Bob, Florin and … were names for various coins used in pre-decimal currency in the UK. The fourth coin in this ascending list is missing but it’s the sum of two already listed. Can you name it and give the face value in old pence (d) for each of the four coins?

    Three

    Arrange these capital cities by latitude from north to south: Baku, Azerbaijan; Beijing, China; London, UK; Ottawa, Canada; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

    Four

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Gosford Park; and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
    These films were all nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award but none of them won it. Put them in chronological order of the year of their release?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Space Oddity—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier post

    LRV-1, Apollo 15.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Who was the first astronaut to drive a Lunar Rover on the Moon’s surface?

    Answer: David Scott

    Between July 30 and August 2, 1971, David Scott, commander of Apollo 15, drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-1) for 3 hours and 2 minutes. These journeys covered A total of 17.25 miles (27.76 km) across the lunar surface. Apollo 15(LRV-1) 17.25 miles (27.76 km) 3 h 02 min 7.75 miles (12.47 km) 3.1 miles (5.0 km)

    Two

    What, in Roman numerals, is the sum of LXXXIV and DCCLIX?

    Answer: DCCCXLIII

    LXXXIV =

    • L = 50
    • XXX = 30
    • IV = 4
      → 50 + 30 + 4 = 84

    DCCLIX =

    • D = 500
    • CC = 200
    • L = 50
    • IX = 9
      → 500 + 200 + 50 + 9 = 759

    84 + 759 = 843

    Convert 843 to Roman numerals:

    • 800 = DCCC
    • 40 = XL
    • 3 = III

    → 843 = DCCCXLIII

    Three

    John F. Kennedy had a dog called Dunker. What breed was it?

    Answer: Dachshund

    The Dachshund is a small, long-bodied dog breed originally developed in Germany to hunt badgers. The name literally means ‘badger dog’—Dachs = badger, Hund = dog. They’re often called ‘sausage dogs’ because of their shape.

    Four

    Which character in a work by Alexandre Dumas was possibly inspired by the vengeful shoemaker Pierre Picaud of Nîmes?

    Answer: Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo

    Pierre Picaud, a shoemaker from Nîmes, is believed to have inspired Edmond Dantès, the protagonist of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
    Picaud’s story is strikingly similar to that of Dantès. In the early 19th century, Picaud was wrongfully imprisoned due to the betrayal of his friends and his fiancée. During his imprisonment in the Château d’If, he met an old man who shared with him knowledge of treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. Upon his release, Picaud used this treasure to exact revenge on those who had wronged him, much like Edmond Dantès does in Dumas’ novel.
    This story of Picaud’s life—his unjust imprisonment, subsequent escape, and thirst for vengeance—closely mirrors the narrative of The Count of Monte Cristo.

    Five

    Please list the US states whose names start with the letter ‘M’?

    Answer: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana

  • Space Oddity

    Today’s questions are random and unrelated.

    LRV-1.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Who was the first astronaut to drive a Lunar Rover on the Moon’s surface?

    Two

    What, in Roman numerals, is the sum of LXXXIV and DCCLIX?

    Three

    John F. Kennedy had a dog called Dunker. What breed was it?

    Four

    Which character in a work by Alexandre Dumas was possibly inspired by the vengeful shoemaker Pierre Picaud of Nîmes?

    Five

    Please list the US states whose names start with the letter ‘M’?

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

  • Multiples of… — Answers

    One

    A cathedral located in the Bebelplatz, Berlin, Germany is named St …

    • Hagrid’s
    • Hedwig’s
    • Hogwart’s

    Answer: Hedwig’s

    St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Berlin, was built in Baroque style from 1747 to 1773. Damaged in WWII, it was restored in post-war modernist style and reopened in 2024 with a modern interior design.

    Two

    This has connected Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsula’s since 1957?

    • Big Bang
    • Big Easy
    • Big Mac

    Answer: Big Mac

    The Mackinac Bridge, a suspension bridge connecting Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas, spans the Straits of Mackinac. Opened in 1957, it is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere and part of Interstate 75.

    Three

    Who played the bride’s father in the 1950 version of Father of the Bride?

    • Cary Grant
    • James Stewart
    • Spencer Tracy

    Answer: Spencer Tracy

    Father of the Bride is a 1950 romantic comedy film about a man coping with his daughter’s wedding preparations.

    Four

    What is the community of Ballarat in Australia most associated with?

    • Ballet
    • Gold
    • Surfing

    Answer: Gold

    Ballarat, a city in Victoria, Australia, experienced rapid growth during the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s. The Eureka Rebellion, a significant event in Australian history, occurred in Ballarat in 1854. Today, Ballarat is a major regional centre known for its history, culture and well-preserved colonial heritage.

    Five

    What channel is found between mainland Italy and Sicily?

    • Strait of Bonifacio
    • Strait of Messina
    • Strait of Otranto

    Answer: Strait of Messina

    The Strait of Messina, connecting the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, separates Sicily from Calabria in Southern Italy.

  • Multiples of…

    One

    A cathedral located in the Bebelplatz, Berlin, Germany is named St …

    • Hagrid’s
    • Hedwig’s
    • Hogwart’s

    Two

    This has connected Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsula’s since 1957?

    • Big Bang
    • Big Easy
    • Big Mac

    Three

    Who played the bride’s father in the 1950 version of Father of the Bride?

    • Cary Grant
    • James Stewart
    • Spencer Tracy

    Four

    What is the community of Ballarat in Australia most associated with?

    • Ballet
    • Gold
    • Surfing

    Five

    What channel is found between mainland Italy and Sicily?

    • Strait of Bonifacio
    • Strait of Messina
    • Strait of Otranto

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later.

  • Bunkered—Answers

    Bunker on the Old Course, St Andrews.
    Image Lee Abbamonte

    One

    Golf courses traditionally include hazards like bunkers (sand traps). Is it true or false that the word ‘bunker’ originates from the Flemish dialect of Dutch?

    — Answer: False

    The word bunker originates from the Scots language.

    OED’s earliest evidence for bunker is from before 1758, in the writing of Allan Ramsay, poet.

    Bunker

    1 a large container or compartment for storing fuel: a coal bunker. 

    2 a reinforced underground shelter, typically for use in wartime. 

    3 a hollow filled with sand, used as an obstacle on a golf course.

    – ORIGIN mid 16th century (originally Scots, denoting a seat or bench): perhaps related to bunk1.

    — Oxford English Dictionary 

    Brooklyn Bridge.
    Chromolithograph of the “Great East River Suspension Bridge” by Currier and Ives, created in 1883. Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Is it true or false that vaults constructed within the ramps of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge were used as arsenals storing weapons for the National Guard?

    — Answer: False

    The New York City government rented out vaults under the Manhattan anchorage of the bridge starting in 1876 to fund maintenance. These vaults, used for wine storage due to their consistent temperature, were closed during WWI and Prohibition but reopened later. By the late 20th-century the spaces were being used as storage for maintenance equipment.

    This 3D topographical view of Antarctica gives an idea of its high elevations and mountains with ice that covers them. A topographical map shows the elevation and other features of a land surface in greater detail. Credit: NASA

    Three

    The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole during both summer and winter, as shown in a comparison of their average temperatures. Is the foregoing statement true or false?

    — Answer: True

    The South Pole is always colder

    North Pole

    32° F (0° C) summer

    −40° F (−40° C) winter

    South Pole

    −18° F (−28.2° C) summer

    −76° F (−60° C) winter

    Data from NASA

    The North Pole is located in the Arctic Ocean, which is mostly covered in sea ice due to its cold climate. This sea ice floats over water, affecting its thickness as the ocean warms the air and the water below the ice changes temperature. In contrast, Antarctica is a dry, high continent with extremely thick ice, up to 3 miles (5 kilometres), forming a plateau above sea level. The ice sits on tall mountains, and as altitude increases, the air becomes colder. The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole due to strong winds surrounding Antarctica, which prevent warmer air from mixing with the cold polar air. These winds are unimpeded by land, unlike around the Arctic, where land slows down the winds, allowing warmer air from the south to occasionally mix with the polar air, making the Arctic relatively warmer.

    Four

    Millvina Dean Memorial Stone, Southampton, UK.
    Image Wikipedia

    Is it true or false that the last survivor of the RMS Titanic died in 2009?

    — Answer: True

    Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the Titanic, was born in 1912 and boarded the ship as a nine-week-old infant with her family. After the Titanic sank, her mother returned to England with Millvina and her brother, as their father perished. Millvina became involved in Titanic-related events in her later years, but declined to see the film Titanic and criticised the BBC for a Doctor Who episode featuring a similar ship.

    Five 

    The US State of New Hampshire had a law which required margarine to be dyed pink. Is this statement true or false?

    — Answer: True

    Margarine, created in 1869 as a cost-effective substitute for butter, encountered significant resistance from the American dairy industry. Although it was favoured by the lower classes, margarine was taxed and prohibited in various states, with critics arguing it endangered the American lifestyle. By 1902, 32 states imposed restrictions on margarine’s colour, with Vermont, New Hampshire, and South Dakota requiring pink dye. The Supreme Court eventually invalidated the ‘pink laws’ but maintained the ban on yellow margarine.

  • Bunkered

    We have five random true or false questions today.

    One

    Golf courses traditionally include hazards like bunkers (sand traps). Is it true or false that the word ‘bunker’ originates from the Flemish dialect of Dutch?

    Two

    Is it true or false that vaults constructed within the ramps of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge were used as arsenals storing weapons for the National Guard?

    Three

    The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole during both summer and winter, as shown in a comparison of their average temperatures. Is the foregoing statement true or false?

    Four

    Is it true or false that the last survivor of the RMS Titanic died in 2009?

    Five 

    The US State of New Hampshire had a law which required margarine to be dyed pink. Is this statement true or false?

    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

  • Fly Me to the Moon

    Earthrise.
    Image NASA

    One

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

    Two

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

    Three

    The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

    — Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

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

    Four

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

    Five 

    What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

    — Wilfred Owen

    The above quote is the opening line of which poem?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.