Quizology.Online

Tag: miscellany

  • K is for… | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

    Tourists at London King’s Cross Platform 9¾ in July 2016.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Which London railway station has a marker indicating the location of Platform 9¾?

    King’s Cross

    King’s Cross is the starting point of the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter books. The film crew used the brick roof-support arches between platforms 4 and 5 to represent the fictional Platform 9¾.

    Kuwaiti 20 Dinar note.
    Image Left Over Currency

    Two

    In April 2024, Forbes named which country’s dinar as the highest valued currency in the world?

    Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)

    The Kuwaiti dinar, the strongest currency globally, is pegged to an undisclosed basket of currencies. Kuwait, a leading oil exporter, introduced the dinar in the 1960s.

    North Island Brown Kiwi
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    What bird has the biggest egg of any bird species relative to its size?

    Kiwi

    The brown kiwi (Apteryx australis) of New Zealand lays the largest eggs relative to its body size. One female kiwi weighing 1.7 kg (3 lb 12 oz) laid an egg weighing 406 g (14 oz), which is almost one quarter of her total body mass, and weights of up to 510 g (1 lb) have been reliably reported for other kiwi eggs. — Guinness World Records https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/83111-largest-bird-egg-relative-to-body-size

    Ken Rosewall, 1970.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Who is the oldest male tennis player to win a major singles title in the Open Era?

    Ken Rosewall

    The oldest tennis Grand Slam singles winner (male, open era) is Ken Rosewall (Australia, b. 2 November 1934), who was aged 37 years 62 days when he won the 1972 Australian Open at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 3 January 1972. Rosewall defeated Malcolm Anderson 7–6, 6–3, 7–5 in the final match of the tournament.

    — Guinness World Records, 23 June 2025

    Five

    In the opening verse of Queen’s Killer Queen, both a United States President and a Soviet Premier are named. Please provide the surnames of these individuals?

    Khrushchev and Kennedy

    The lyrics are written below. Killer Queen is a song by Queen about a high-class call girl. It was written by Freddie Mercury and reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100.

    Killer Queen

    She keeps Moët et Chandon
    In her pretty cabinet
    “Let them eat cake,” she says
    Just like Marie Antoinette
    A built-in remedy
    For Khrushchev and Kennedy (Ooh, ooh)
    At anytime an invitation
    You can’t decline (Ooh, ooh)

    Caviar and cigarettes
    Well versed in etiquette
    Extraordinarily nice

    She’s a killer queen
    Gunpowder, gelatin
    Dynamite with a laser beam
    Guaranteed to blow your mind
    (Pa-pa-pa-pa) Anytime
    Ooh
    Recommended at the price
    Insatiable an appetite
    Wanna try?

    To avoid complications
    She never kept the same address
    In conversation
    She spoke just like a baroness
    Met a man from China
    Went down to Geisha Minah (Ooh, ooh)
    (Killer, killer, she’s a killer queen)
    Then again incidentally
    If you’re that way inclined

    Perfume came naturally from Paris (Naturally)
    For cars, she couldn’t care less
    Fastidious and precise

    She’s a killer queen
    Gunpowder, gelatin
    Dynamite with a laser beam
    Guaranteed to blow your mind
    (Pa-pa-pa-pa)
    Anytime

    Drop of a hat she’s as willing as
    Playful as a pussycat (Ooh)
    Then momentarily out of action (Ooh)
    Temporarily out of gas (Ta-taaa)
    To absolutely drive you wild, wild
    She’s out to get you

    She’s a killer queen
    Gunpowder, gelatin
    Dynamite with a laser beam (Pa-pa-pa-ra)
    Guaranteed to blow your mind
    Anytime
    Ooh
    Recommended at the price
    Insatiable an appetite
    Wanna try?
    You wanna try

    — AZ Lyrics, 23 June 2025.

  • K is for…

    The alphabet theme continues with some questions where all the answers begin with ‘K’.

    Platform 9¾, Kings Cross Railway Station, London. Image https://www.pexels.com

    One

    Which London railway station has a marker indicating the location of Platform 9¾?

    Two

    In April 2024, Forbes named which country’s dinar as the highest valued currency in the world?

    Three

    What bird has the biggest egg of any bird species relative to its size?

    Four

    Who is the oldest male tennis player to win a major singles title in the Open Era?

    Five

    In the opening verse of Queen’s Killer Queen, both a United States President and a Soviet Premier are named. Please provide the surnames of these individuals?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • J is for… | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

    Title page of first edition of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
    Image Wikipedia

    1 Gulliver’s Travels was written by…

    • Jonathan Swift—an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist, is known for his deadpan and ironic style, particularly in works like A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. He is regarded as the greatest satirist of the Georgian era and one of the foremost prose satirists in English literature. The above illustration and the quote from it, below, shows he credited Gulliver’s with the authorship.

    By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships

    MS Queen Elizabeth at Juneau, Alaska, 2024.
    Image Wikipedia

    2 Can you identify the US state capital being described? Its indigenous name is Dzántik’i Héeni, and it was originally named Harrisburg before becoming Rockwell. Notably, it is the largest state capital by area.

    • Juneau—the capital of Alaska, is located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. It is the second-largest municipality in the United States by area and is not connected to the rest of the state or contiguous United States by road due to its rugged terrain. Juneau is home to the state legislature, governor and lieutenant governor; it experiences a significant influx of visitors during the summer months.
    Front cover, first edition of Jaws by Peter Benchley, 1974.
    Image Wikipedia

    3 ‘The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail…’ are the opening words of what 1974 novel?

    • Jaws—a novel by Peter Benchley, was published in 1974 and tells the story of a great white shark terrorising a resort town. The novel’s success led to a blockbuster film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975, which became the highest-grossing film of its time.
    Fireworks of 14 July 2017 in Paris.
    Image Wikipedia

    4 The Bastille was stormed by a Parisian crowd in 1789. On what month and date?

    • July 14—Commonly known in English as Bastille Day, Festival de la Fédération or La fête nationale, is celebrated annually on 14 July, it is France’s national day commemorating the Storming of the Bastille in 1789, a key event in the French Revolution. Officially established in 1880, the holiday includes speeches, military parades, fireworks and public festivities; and is observed in France, its overseas territories, and by Francophiles globally.
    Johnnie Walker logo incorporating ‘The Striding Man’.
    Image Wikipedia

    5 The Striding Man logo is used by which Scotch whisky brand?

    • Johnnie Walker—John Walker, born in 1805, managed a grocery and spirits shop in Kilmarnock, Scotland. After his death in 1857, his son Alexander expanded the business, introducing the signature square bottle and the Striding Man mascot. The company’s success grew under Alexander and his sons, with the introduction of blended whiskies like Johnnie Walker Red and Black Labels.

  • J is for…

    The alphabet theme continues with some questions where all the answers begin with ‘J’.

    Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
    ISBN 978-5-389-02434-2, 2012.
    Illustrator Vadim Chelak.
    Image Pinterest
    1. Gulliver’s Travels was written by…
    2. Can you identify the US state capital being described? Its indigenous name is Dzántik’i Héeni, and it was originally named Harrisburg before becoming Rockwell. Notably, it is the largest state capital by area.
    3. ‘The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail…’—these are the opening words of what 1974 novel?
    4. The Bastille was stormed by a Parisian crowd in 1789. On what month and date?
    5. The Striding Man logo is used by which Scotch whisky brand?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • D is for… | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    Devils Tower, Wyoming.
    Image US National Parks Service
    1. What is the pictured US National Monument and in what US state is it located?
      • Devils Tower, Wyoming—Devils Tower, a 1,267-foot igneous rock butte in Wyoming, was established as the first US national monument in 1906. Originally named ‘Bear’s House’ by indigenous peoples, it was renamed “Devils Tower” in 1875 and remains unchanged despite proposals to recognise indigenous ties.
        Tenzin Gyatso – 14th Dalai Lama
        Image Wikipedia
    2. The spiritual leader of the Tibetan people is known by what title?
      • Dalai Lama—The Dalai Lama is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, with the title bestowed upon Sonam Gyatso in 1578. Since the 17th century, the Dalai Lama has symbolised Tibetan unity, serving as both a religious and secular leader. The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, lives in exile in India and has advocated for Tibetan autonomy while rejecting calls for independence.
        Dacha in Yekaterinburg, Russia
        Image Wikipedia
    3. What is defined as a ‘country house or cottage in Russia, typically used as a second or holiday home’?
      • Dacha—A dacha is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the outskirts of post-Soviet countries. Originating as small country estates gifted by the tsar, dachas have been popular among the Russian upper and middle classes. During the Soviet era, many dachas were state-owned and given to the people, and today, about 62% of Russians visit dachas in the summer.
        Marvin the Paranoid Android.
        Costume used in the TV series, on display at Gunnersbury Park Museum.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Marvin the Paranoid Android was created by which science fiction writer?
      • Douglas Adams—writer of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy created Marvin as the ship’s robot aboard the Heart of Gold. Marvin is a failed prototype of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation’s GPP technology who, despite his vast intellect, is underutilised, leading to severe depression and boredom.
        David Coulthard.
        Champions for Charity 2022.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. A Scottish driver won 13 Formula One Grands Prix across his 15-season career, which began in 1994. Despite this, he didn’t secure the World Drivers’ Championship, although he came in second place in 2001. Can you identify him?
      • David Coulthard—nicknamed ‘DC’, is a former British Formula One driver who competed from 1994 to 2008. He won 13 Grands Prix, finished second in the Drivers’ Championship in 2001, and retired from Formula One in 2008. After retirement, he became a broadcaster and commentator for Formula One.

  • D is for…

    A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘D’. As you know the starting letter, there are no multiple-choice options.

    Devils Tower, Wyoming.
    Image US National Parks Service
    1. What is the pictured US National Monument, and in which US state is it located?
    2. The spiritual leader of the Tibetan people is known by what title?
    3. What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as a ‘country house or cottage in Russia, typically used as a second or holiday home’?
    4. Marvin the Paranoid Android was originally created for a radio series by which science fiction writer?
    5. A Scottish driver won 13 Formula One Grands Prix across his 15-season career, which began in 1994. Despite this, he didn’t secure the World Drivers’ Championship, although he came in second place in 2001. Can you identify him?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • B is for… | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    Bette Davis as Baby Jane Hudson in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
    Image Wikipedia
    1. What two words link these: a Bette Davis role from 1962 film, a 1977 single from Dr Feelgood and a 1983 single by Rod Stewart?
      • Baby Jane—Davis was nomininated for an Academy Award for her performance as the title character in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Baby Jane, by Dr Feelgood first appeared on Be Seeing You, a Dr. Feelgood album released in 1977 and was later a single. A track with the same name was the lead single from Rod Stewart’s twelfth studio album Body Wishes (1983).
        A bearded Jeremy Paxman.
        Image BBC
    2.  Pogonophobia is an extreme dislike of what?
      • Beards—Pogonophobia, derived from Greek words for “beard” and “fear”, is a fear of beards. The term is often used jokingly, but it has been studied in psychological experiments and has been associated with cultural norms, religious beliefs and societal perceptions. Jeremy Paxman accused the BBC of pogonophobia after facing criticism for presenting Newsnight with a beard.
        Charles Dickens.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Charles Dickens only wrote one book with a female narrator. What was it?
      • Bleak House—Charles Dickens’s Bleak House, published serially from 1852 to 1853, satirises a long-running legal case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, inspired by real-life precedents. The novel, set in London, is credited with introducing urban fog to Gothic fiction and helped support judicial reform.
        City of Puno, Peru the largest urban area on Lake Titicaca.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Two countries share shores on Lake Titicaca, but only one fits the theme of today’s questions. Which country is it?
      • Bolivia—Lake Titicaca, located in the Andes mountains on the border of Bolivia and Peru, is the largest lake in South America. It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world, with a surface elevation of 3,812 metres. The lake consists of two sub-basins, Lago Grande and Wiñaymarka, connected by the Strait of Tiquina.
        European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
        Image Wikipedia
    5. The following word origin from the Oxford English Dictionary relates to a natural world name. What is the name that has been removed below?
      • Beech—Beech trees, native to Eurasia and North America, are deciduous trees with 14 accepted species. The European beech, Fagus sylvatica, is commonly cultivated for its timber, used in furniture, flooring, engineering, and brewing.

    – ORIGIN Old English bēce, of Germanic origin; related to Latin fagus ‘beech’, Greek phagos ‘edible oak’.

    – Oxford English Dictionary

  • B is for…

    A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘B’. As you know the starting letter there are no multiple-choice options.

    Amantaní viewed from Taquile on Lake Titicaca.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. What two words link these: a Bette Davis role from 1962 film, a 1977 single from Dr Feelgood and a 1983 single by Rod Stewart?
    2. Pogonophobia is an extreme dislike of what?
    3. Charles Dickens only wrote one book with a female narrator. What was the title?
    4. Two countries share shores on Lake Titicaca, but only one fits the theme of today’s questions. Which country is it?
    5. The following word origin from the Oxford English Dictionary relates to a natural world name. What is the name that has been removed below?

    – ORIGIN Old English bēce, of Germanic origin; related to Latin fagus ‘…’, Greek phagos ‘edible oak’.

    – Oxford English Dictionary

    Good luck! As usual, I will post the answers later today.

  • Hotchpotch | Answers

    The Carpenters.
    Image Wikipedia

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    1. Since 2011, Algeria has been the largest country in Africa by area. What is the second largest?
      • Democratic Republic of Congo—is a Central African country, the second largest in Africa and the most populous Francophone country in the world. It is bordered by several countries and the South Atlantic Ocean, with terrain ranging from dense rainforests to mountains.
    2. Which Carpenters song begins by asking: “Why do birds suddenly appear/Every time you are near?”?
      • (They Long to Be) Close to You—The Carpenters, an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter, achieved major success with hit singles like (They Long to Be) Close to You and We’ve Only Just Begun. Their melodic pop produced a record-breaking run of hit recordings on the American Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts. Karen’s death from heart failure in 1983, due to complications from anorexia, ended the duo.
        A page from Thomas Blount’s Glossographia (publ. 1661)
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Thomas Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was what?
      • English Dictionary—Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was the largest English dictionary of its time, defining 11,000 hard words. It was the first dictionary to include illustrations, etymologies, and source citations, and many of its words were not included in later dictionaries.
    4. Prior to colliding with the ice berg, where had been RMS Titanic’s last port of call?
      • Queenstown, Ireland—Titanic’s maiden voyage began on 10 April 1912, with passengers boarding in Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, Ireland from where the ship set sail for New York City. It was carrying a total of 2,224 passengers and crew of which some 1,500 died.
        Dan Brown.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. What 1998 thriller was the first to carry Dan Brown’s name?
      • Digital Fortress—was published in 1998. (Angels & Demons, 2000 and Deception Point, 2001) and is a techno-thriller novel by Dan Brown, exploring government surveillance and its ethical implications. The story follows the NSA’s struggle to crack a revolutionary code, Digital Fortress, created by Ensei Tankado, who died mysteriously. Amidst a web of deceit and murder, the NSA’s head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, uncovers the truth behind Tankado’s death and the code’s creator, ultimately preventing a catastrophic data breach.

  • Hotchpotch

    Today’s questions are a hotchpotch.

    RMS Titanic departing Southampton on 10 April 1912.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Since 2011, Algeria has been the largest country in Africa by area. What is the second largest?
      • Democratic Republic of Congo
      • State of Libya
      • Republic of the Sudan
    2. Which Carpenters song begins by asking: “Why do birds suddenly appear/Every time you are near?”?
      • Bless the Beasts and Children
      • The Rainbow Connection—
      • (They Long to Be) Close to You
    3. Thomas Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was what?
      • Atlas in colour
      • Bible in English
      • English Dictionary
    4. Prior to colliding with the ice berg, where had been RMS Titanic’s last port of call?
      • Cherbourg, France
      • Queenstown, Ireland
      • Southampton, England
    5. What 1998 thriller was the first to carry Dan Brown’s name?
      • Angels & Demons
      • Deception Point
      • Digital Fortress

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.