Today’s five questions are random with no connection.
Image Wikipedia
One
Which shark is pictured?
Two
What 1964 film starring Stanley Baker and Michael Cain depicts the 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift?
Three
Complete the title of this short story by Alan Sillitoe which was published in 1959: The Loneliness of the…?
Four
Which state or territorial capital of mainland Australia is the only one north of the Tropic of Capricorn?
Five
Chumbawamba’s 2008 album The Boy Bands Have Won holds the Guinness World Record for the longest album title. Can you tell me how many words are in the full title? A decade (a group of ten) is acceptable. For example, if the answer is 104 then 101-110 is fine.
What is the largest butterfly in the UK? It has a ten-letter name and lives in the Norfolk Broads.
Answer: Swallowtail
The swallowtail is the largest and most localised butterfly in the UK. Adults emerge from winter chrysalises, drying their wings in reedbeds before displaying their bright colours. Their swallow-like tails and false eye spots confuse predators. Even as caterpillars, they are striking, with bulging horns for defence and orange scent glands that release a pineapple-like odor when threatened.
Two
In what 1975 novel does IRA member Liam Devlin take part in a wartime plot to kidnap Winston Churchill?
Answer: The Eagle Has Landed
Irish Republican Liam Devlin and Joanna Grey, an Afrikaner woman and seasoned Abwehr agent residing in England, team up with German paratroopers to plan and execute the kidnapping of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Three
In the 1955 film, To Catch a Thief (1955), who is seen sitting beside Cary Grant and a pair of caged birds on a bus?
Answer: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer and director Alfred Hitchcock makes his signature cameo, approximately ten minutes into the film, as a bus passenger sitting next to Cary Grant and a caged pair of birds.
Four
What single answer satisfies all of the following: the title of Fleetwood Mac’s only number one hit on the UK Singles Chart; a significant being in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; and in golf, refers to a score of three strokes under par for a hole?
Answer: Albatross
Albatross is a guitar-based instrumental by Fleetwood Mac, composed by Peter Green. It was released as a single in 1968 and became their only number one single on the UK charts. The albatross that saves the ship by leading the way from the ice in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and is then shot; and the word used as an alternative to double eagle meaning a score of three strokes under par for a hole.
A nesting pair of Macaroni penguins, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. Image Wikipedia
Five
Eudyptes chrysolophus: part of this bird’s name is also a type of pasta. What pasta?
Answer: Macaroni
The macaroni penguin—Eudyptes chrysolophus—is a crested penguin with a distinctive yellow crest, it is the most numerous penguin species, with an estimated 18 million individuals. Despite its abundance, the species is vulnerable due to widespread population declines since the mid-1970s.
Theme
The theme was of course Birds. Question 1. swallow (from swallowtail); 2. Eagle; 3. Caged birds mentioned in the question plus Hitchcock was the director of The Birds; 4. Albatross and 5. penguin.
What is the largest butterfly in the UK? It has a ten-letter name and lives in the Norfolk Broads.
Two
In what 1975 novel does IRA member Liam Devlin take part in a wartime plot to kidnap Winston Churchill?
Three
In the 1955 film, To Catch a Thief (1955), who is seen sitting beside Cary Grant and a pair of caged birds on a bus?
Four
What single answer satisfies all of the following: the title of Fleetwood Mac’s only number one hit on the UK Singles Chart; a significant being in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; and in golf, refers to a score of three strokes under par for a hole?
Five
Eudyptes chrysolophus: part of this bird’s name is also a type of pasta. What pasta?
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
Marlene Dietrich, The Blue Angel. See question two. Image Wikipedia
One
A rock group’s first album, which was self-titled, was released in 1964 while their latest Hackney Diamonds was released in 2023. Which group is this?
Answer: Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones, an English rock band formed in 1962, are one of the most influential bands of the rock era. Known for their gritty, rhythmically driven sound, they pioneered hard rock and were at the forefront of the British Invasion. With over 250 million album sales, they have won four Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Two
Who played Lola Lola in 1930’s film The Blue Angel?
Answer: Marlene Dietrich
The Blue Angel (1930) is a German musical comedy-drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg, starring Marlene Dietrich. It is based on Heinrich Mann’s novel and follows a professor’s transformation into a cabaret clown.
Three
What is the one word name used for the prestigious institution, part of a larger university, which Marie Curie attended for her studies in physics and mathematics, and where she became the first woman professor?
Answer: Sorbonne
Marie Curie studied at the Sorbonne, which is part of the University of Paris. She earned her degrees in physics and mathematics there and later became the first woman professor at the Sorbonne — National Geographic
Four
What, since February 2025, is the hereditary title of Prince Shah Rahim al-Hussaini, 50th hereditary Imam of Nizari Ismailis?
Answer: Aga Khan
The Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the spiritual leader and Imam of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias, a branch of Islam. Currently, the 50th hereditary Imam is Prince Shah Rahim al-Hussaini. He succeeded his father in February 2025 and oversees development and humanitarian work.
Five
Founded by the Greeks in the first millennium BCE, this city is now Italy’s third-largest as well as Campania’s regional capital. Please name it?Question
Answer: Naples
Naples, the regional capital of Campania, is Italy’s third-largest city and a significant cultural centre. Founded by Greeks in the first millennium BCE, it has a rich history, having served as the capital of various kingdoms. Today, it is a major economic hub with a UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic centre and numerous cultural sites nearby.
Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? Image chordify.net
Six
What connects the five answers above?
Answers: (The song) Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?
Peter Sarstedt’s 1966 hit Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? features all five of these answers in its lyrics. The song tells the story of Marie-Claire, a girl who rose from poverty in Naples to become a jet-setter. It achieved chart success in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, reaching number one in all of them. In the US, it peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart and 36 on Canada’s RPM Adult Contemporary chart. The lyrics are shown below.
Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)
by Peter Sarstedt
You talk like Marlene Dietrich And you dance like Zizi Jeanmaire Your clothes are all made by Balmain And there’s diamonds and pearls in your hair, yes there are
You live in a fancy apartment Off the Boulevard St. Michel Where you keep your Rolling Stones records And a friend of Sacha Distel, yes you do
But where do you go to my lovely When you’re alone in your bed? Tell me the thoughts that surround you I want to look inside your head, yes I do
I’ve seen all your qualifications You got from the Sorbonne And the painting you stole from Picasso Your loveliness goes on and on, yes it does
When you go on your summer vacation You go to Juan-les-Pins With your carefully designed topless swimsuit You get an even suntan on your back, and on your legs
And when the snow falls you’re found in St. Moritz With the others of the jet set And you sip your Napoleon brandy But you never get your lips wet, no you don’t
But where do you go to my lovely When you’re alone in your bed? Won’t you tell me the thoughts that surround you? I want to look inside your head, yes I do
You’re in between twenty and thirty That’s a very desirable age Your body is firm and inviting But you live on a glittering stage, yes you do, yes you do
Your name is heard in high places You know the Aga Khan He sent you a race horse for Christmas And you keep it just for fun, for a laugh, ha-ha-ha
They say that when you get married It’ll be to a millionaire But they don’t realize where you came from And I wonder if they really care, or give a damn
But where do you go to my lovely When you’re alone in your bed? Tell me the thoughts that surround you I want to look inside your head, yes I do
I remember the back streets of Naples: Two children begging in rags Both touched with a burning ambition To shake off their lowly-born tags, they tried
So look into my face, Marie-Claire And remember just who you are Then go and forget me forever But I know you still bear the scar, deep inside
I know where you go to my lovely When you’re alone in your bed I know the thoughts that surround you ‘Cause I can look inside your head
His Highness Prince Rahim al-Hussaini. See question 4. Image Wikipedia
One
A rock group’s first album, which was self-titled, was released in 1964 while their latest Hackney Diamonds was released in 2023. Which group is this?
Two
Who played Lola Lola in 1930’s film The Blue Angel?
Three
What is the one word name used for the prestigious institution, part of a larger university, which Marie Curie attended for her studies in physics and mathematics, and where she became the first woman professor?
Four
What, since February 2025, is the hereditary title of Prince Shah Rahim al-Hussaini, 50th hereditary Imam of Nizari Ismailis?
Five
Founded by the Greeks in the first millennium BCE, this city is now Italy’s third-largest as well as Campania’s regional capital. Please name it?
Six
What connects the five answers to the above questions?
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.
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.
On 20 October 1973, which Australian landmark officially opened to the public? Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose citation is
Inaugurated in 1973, the Sydney Opera House is a great architectural work of the 20th century that brings together multiple strands of creativity and innovation in both architectural form and structural design. A great urban sculpture set in a remarkable waterscape, at the tip of a peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour, the building has had an enduring influence on architecture. The Sydney Opera House comprises three groups of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ which roof two main performance halls and a restaurant. These shell-structures are set upon a vast platform and are surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses. In 1957, when the project of the Sydney Opera House was awarded by an international jury to Danish architect Jørn Utzon, it marked a radically new approach to construction. — UNESCO World Heritage Convention
Two
The Battle of Valdivia, part of the Chilean War of Independence, took place in which decade? 1820s This battle saw Chilean forces secure the southern stronghold from Spanish royalists, aiding in the country’s independence.
The Traveling Wilburys—top: 1. Jeff Lynne, 2. Tom Petty; bottom: 3. Roy Orbison, 4. Bob Dylan, 5. George Harrison
Three
Which iconic rock musician gave his final live performance with his band, the Traveling Wilburys, on this day in 1990? Roy Orbison Roy Orbison, part of the supergroup with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, passed away later that year.
On 20 October 2011, which long-time Libyan leader was captured and killed during the civil conflict? Muammar Gaddafi Muammar Gaddafi had ruled Libya for 42 years before being overthrown during the Arab Spring uprisings. His death, which ended one of Africa’s longest dictatorships, lead to years of instability in Libya.
Five
Which U.S. President signed the Louisiana Purchase Treaty on 20 October 1803? Thomas Jefferson The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, adding roughly 828,000 square miles of territory.
There’s only been one instance of a father and daughter performing a number one song in America. Can you name the song and the performers?
Answer: Somethin’ Stupid Frank and Nancy Sinatra
This 1967 hit, which was billed as being by ‘Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra’, was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in America. Nancy Sinatra has said, ‘Some people call (it) the Incest Song, which I think is, well, very sweet!’
Five
Name any US presidents and British prime ministers with the same surname?
Answer: Woodrow Wilson and Harold Wilson
Woodrow Wilson, was the 28th President of the United States and was in office from 1913 to 1921. Harold Wilson, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and was in office from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976.