Today’s first question relates to July 6th. The remainder are not date-related but follow a theme originating with the first.
One
On this day in 1964, the country represented by the flag above gained independence. Which country is it, and what nine-letter name was it known by immediately before independence?
Two
Rockjumpers are native to southern Africa. What best describes them: bird, mammal, or reptile?
Three
Which African percussion instrument was the original default ringtone for the iPhone?
Four
Who was the Scottish explorer who introduced Europeans to West Africa through his book Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa: James Bruce, David Livingstone or Mungo Park?
Five
The African monkey gets its name from its crescent-shaped browband, which resembles the bow of a Roman goddess. What is it known as?
See question two. Zonkey, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.
One
What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?
Answer: Telemark.
The Heroes of Telemark is a 1965 British war film based on a true story. It depicts a sabotage mission against a Norwegian heavy water plant during World War II. At the time, Norway was occupied by German forces and there was a fear that the plant could aid their efforts to build an atomic bomb.
Two
What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)
Answer: Zonkey.
Imagine a creature that embodies the rugged resilience of a donkey and the striking elegance of a zebra. This is no mythical beast, but a living, breathing marvel known as the zonkey. A fascinating hybrid, the zonkey captures the imagination with its unique blend of features, often sporting the sturdy body of a donkey adorned with the distinctive stripes of a zebra, typically concentrated on its legs, neck, and sometimes its torso. These captivating animals are a testament to the intricate dance of genetics and the surprising outcomes that can arise when different species meet.
Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?
Answer: Afrikaans.
Rooibos is an evergreen South African shrub, and its leaves are used to make a tea. It originated in the early 20th century from Afrikaans, and means literally ‘red bush’. Apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination, was adopted as a slogan in the 1948 election by the Afrikaner National Party in South Africa. The system was maintained until February 1991 despite domestic unrest and international isolation. Originating in the 1940s, from Afrikaans, literally ‘separateness’.
Four
Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?
Answer: Rachel Weisz.
The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama thriller film directed by Fernando Meirelles, based on John le Carré’s novel. It follows a British diplomat in Kenya investigating his wife’s murder. A critical and box office success, it achieved four Oscar nominations, with Weisz winning Best Supporting Actress.
Five
What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?
Answer: Scapa Flow.
Scapa Flow, a sheltered body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, has historical significance as a Viking anchorage and UK naval base. HMS Royal Oak is a war grave for over 800 seamen who perished when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Today, it is known for its diving sites and as a location for oil and LNG transfers.
Russian Caesars
The post title Russian Caesars refers to Tzar (also Tsar or Czar) in plural, TZARS which gives the start letter for each of the above answers.
See question two. ?, the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s questions are not date-related, nor are the questions related, but there is a theme concerning the answers.
One
What word completes the title of a 1965 war film starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, which was based on a true story and shot in Norway: The Heroes of …?
Two
What is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the hybrid offspring of a donkey and a zebra’? (NB. The same word is used in Mexico for donkeys painted as zebras for tourist souvenir photos.)
Three
Dating from the first half of the 20th century from what language did the words ‘rooibos’ and ‘apartheid’ originate?
Four
Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in The Constant Gardener?
Five
What body of water was home to the British Fleet during both the First and Second World Wars, as well as being the site of the 1919 scuttling of the interred German High Sea Fleet and the 1939 sinking of HMS Royal Oak?
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.
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.
Today’s questions are not date related but follow a sequence which may become obvious as you venture through it.
One
What Canadian Province has borders with the US states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont?
Answer: Quebec.
Quebec, Canada’s largest province by area, is the only Francophone-majority province. It has a rich history, having been a French colony, then a British colony, before becoming part of Canada in 1867. Quebec’s economy is diverse, with key industries including aeronautics, hydroelectricity, and mining, and it is renowned for its distinct culture and contributions to Canadian society.
Two
In the film Some Like It Hot (1959) the band’s singer Sugar Kane also played what stringed instrument?
Answer: Ukulele.
Some Like It Hot is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The film, set in the Prohibition era, follows two musicians (Curtis and Lemmon) who disguise themselves as women to escape mobsters.
Three
What was the title of the 1983 Paul McCartney/Stevie Wonder duet?
Answer: Ebony and Ivory.
Ebony and Ivory is a 1982 duet by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, promoting racial harmony. The song topped charts in the UK and US, but was banned in South Africa during apartheid after wonder dedicated his Academy Award to Nelson Mandela.
Four
What letter of the Greek alphabet is used to indicate a mathematical function for ‘the sum of’?
Answer: Sigma.
Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, with a value of 200 in Greek numerals. It is used as a summation operator in mathematics and is the origin of the Latin letter S.
Five
Camellia sinensis is the plant used to make what?
Answer: Tea.
Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub or small tree, is used to produce various types of tea. The name sinensis means ‘from China’ in Botanical Latin, and the genus name Camellia honours Rev. Georg Kamel.
Voyage of Discovery
The post title was a voyage of discovery, or a quest, and if you look at the answers, the initial letters spell out Q U E S T.
Maria Sharapova completed the Career Grand Slam after winning the 2012 French Open. Image Wikimedia Commons
Today’s answers are all single numbers — even the one that is a large number can be written as a single digit if you read the question carefully — and form part of a sequence.
One
How many of the eight planets in the solar system have one, and only one, natural satellite, and what are the names of this/these planet(s)?
Answer: 1. Earth.
Listing the eight planets in order from the nearest to the Sun: Mercury and Venus have no known moons. Earth has one known moon and is the only such planet. Mars has two; Jupiter, 115; Saturn, 292; Uranus, 29; and Neptune has 16.
Two
Maria Sharapova retired from tennis in 2020. Of the five Grand Slam Singles Championships she won, how many were at the French Open, and who, if any, was/were her defeated finalist(s)?
Answer: 2. Sara Errani; Simona Halep.
Maria Sharapova won the French Open in 2012, beating Sara Errani in the final, 6–3, 6–2; and in 2014, she defeated Simona Halep in the final, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–4. Sharapova, a former Russian professional tennis player, achieved the career Grand Slam in singles and was ranked world No. 1 for 21 weeks. She won 36 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including five major titles, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2025. Sharapova retired from tennis in 2020.
Three
How many siblings does King Charles III of Great Britain have, and what are they known as?
Answer: 3. Anne, Princess Royal; Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
King Charles III has three siblings: Anne, Princess Royal, who was born in 1950; Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, born in 1960; and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, born in 1964. Mountbatten-Windsor was previously known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, but was stripped of his titles, royal styles and honours as a result of his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Four
The World Health Organisation estimates that approximately how many million people worldwide are bitten by snakes each year?
Answer: 5. (i.e. 5 million).
World Health Organisation estimates that annually, 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes, with 1.8 to 2.7 million envenomings. Snake bites result in 81,410 to 137,880 deaths and three times more amputations. Venomous bites cause paralysis, bleeding disorders, kidney failure, and tissue damage. Agricultural workers and children, especially, are severely affected.
Five
How many countries share a land border with Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), and list them in alphabetical order?
If we make a start at the Black Sea to the north and go in a clockwise direction, they are Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Syria (Mediterranean Sea and then Aegean Sea), Greece, and Bulgaria.
Numbers Game
Today’s title referred to the answers all being a number, but these are five numbers from near the start of the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,13, 21.
