All of these questions are related to today, November 12th.
1955 Academy Awards. Image Wikipedia
One
Born on 12 November 1929, this actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1954 film The Country Girl. Who is she?
Two
Today in 1990, Emperor Akihito was enthroned in Japan. Tradition dictates that he is the 125th direct descendant of Japan’s legendary first emperor. Who was this legendary first emperor?
Three
On this date in 1990, a computer scientist published a formal proposal for the World Wide Web. Who was this scientist and what organisation did they work for at the time?
Four
Born in 1961, this gymnast became the first to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics. Who is this person and in which year’s Summer Olympics did this remarkable feat occur?
Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Five
The pictured facility, which ceased to operate today in 1954, is located on what island?
Here are the answers to the questions posed earlier.
The Öresund Bridge, which features in the Nordic noir television drama series The Bridge, carries European Route E20, see question 1. Image Wikipedia
One
The European Route E20 stretches approximately 1,168 miles (1,880 km) from a river estuary airport in the west to the northernmost city of over a million people in the east. Which airport and city are these?
Answer: Shannon Airport, Republic of Ireland and Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The European route E20 is part of the United Nations International E-road network and runs roughly west-east through Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and finally Russia. The road is not continuous and, at three points, a ferry must be used to continue along its length; although at one of those there is no ferry! The Øresund Bridge, which is known for featuring in the Nordic noir television series The Bridge, carries European Route E20.
Two
A television medical drama that ran from October 1982 to May 1988 was set in St Elegius Hospital, Boston. What was its title?
Answer: St Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere, a medical drama series, aired on NBC from 1982 to 1988. Although it never ranked higher than 47th in Nielsen ratings, it gained a loyal following and critical acclaim, winning 13 Emmy Awards. Set at the fictional St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, the show was known for its realistic portrayal of the medical profession and featured a large ensemble cast. It tackled contemporary issues like breast cancer, AIDS, and addiction, while also incorporating humour and inside jokes.
Three
In what novel by Charles Dickens does Esther Summerson tell her own story in the past tense?
Answer: Bleak House
Bleak House, a Dickens novel, satirises the legal system through the long-running case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. The novel, partly narrated by Esther Summerson, is set in London and is credited with introducing urban fog to Gothic literature.
Four
The Chalcolithic period, an archaeological era, was primarily defined by a rise in the use of what specific material?
Answer: Copper (smelted copper)
The Chalcolithic, or Copper Age, was a period characterised by the increasing use of smelted copper, following the Neolithic (latter part of the Stone Age) and preceding the Bronze Age. It occurred at different times in different regions, with the earliest evidence of copper smelting dating back to around 5,000 BC in Serbia. In Britain, the Chalcolithic was a short period between 2,500 and 2,200 BC, marked by the arrival of Beaker culture people and the introduction of copper and gold objects.
Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III in the Sistine Chapel, October 2025. Image thedialog.org
Five
In October 2025, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England prayed with Robert Francis Prevost on the Apennine Peninsula. Who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who is Robert Francis Prevost known as?
Answer: King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV
The reigning British monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, currently King Charles III. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is the first American pope. King Charles and Pope Leo met at the Vatican to pray together in the Sistine Chapel. It was the first occasion that the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Pope had prayed together since the reformation 500 years ago.
Today we have five unrelated and unconnected questions.
The Öresund Bridge, which features in the Nordic noir television drama series The Bridge, carries European Route E20, see question 1. Image Wikipedia
One
The European Route E20 stretches approximately 1,168 miles (1,880 km) from a river estuary airport in the west to the northernmost city of over a million people in the east. Which airport and city are these?
Two
A television medical drama that ran from October 1982 to May 1988 was set in St Elegius Hospital, Boston. What was its title?
Three
In what novel by Charles Dickens does Esther Summerson tell her own story in the past tense?
Four
The Chalcolithic period, an archaeological era, was primarily defined by a rise in the use of what specific material?
Five
In October 2025, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England prayed with Robert Francis Prevost on the Apennine Peninsula. Who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who is Robert Francis Prevost known as?
Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.
Ocelots are active especially during dawn and dusk. Image Wikipedia
One
Which fictional character habitually wears a charcoal turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis and collegiate cordovan loafers; and which author created him?
Answer: Robert Langdon (created by) Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, a fictional character created by author Dan Brown for his Robert Langdon book series: Angels & Demons (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013), Origin (2017), and The Secret of Secrets (2025). He is a Harvard University professor of Religious Iconology and Symbology (a fictional field).
Tom Hanks portrays Langdon in the Robert Langdon film series; starting with the 2006 film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, reprising the role in the 2009 film adaptation of Angels & Demons, and again in the 2016 film adaptation of Inferno, while Ashley Zukerman plays a younger version of the character in the 2021 TV series adaptation of The Lost Symbol.
Two
Is it true or false that in zoology, a crepuscular animal is one which lives on a seashore in the areas between the high and low tide marks?
Answer: False
In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal (active during dawn), vespertine/vespertinal (active during dusk), or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behaviour, where an animal is active during the hours of daytime and of night, respectively. Some crepuscular animals may also be active by moonlight or during an overcast day.
Who was the British prime minister at the time of the abdication crisis, when King Edward VIII renounced the throne?
Answer: Stanley Baldwin
Baldwin served as Prime Minister from May 1935 to June 1937. He held office under three kings: George V, his eldest son Edward VIII, who abdicated and was succeeded by his brother Albert, who took the regnal name King George VI. In 1936, King Edward VIII’s proposed marriage to Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, caused a constitutional crisis. The British government and the Church of England, of which the monarch is head, opposed the marriage. Consequently Edward abdicated in favour of his brother.
The Doors c. 1966: Jim Morrison (L), John Densmore (C), Robby Krieger (R), and Ray Manzarek (seated). Image Wikipedia
Four
The Doors chose their band name from a 1954 work by what author (1894-1963)?
Answer: Aldous Huxley
Morrison took the band’s name from Aldous Huxley’s book on mescaline, The Doors of Perception (1954), which in turn refers to a line in a poem by Romantic artist and writer William Blake. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Five
Can you name three players chosen for the European 2025 Ryder Cup team whose surnames begin with the same letter?
Answer: Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard and Viktor Hovland
The players are Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka.
Which fictional character habitually wears a charcoal turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis and collegiate cordovan loafers; and which author created him?
Two
Is it true or false that in zoology, a crepuscular animal is one which lives on a seashore in the areas between the high and low tide marks?
Three
Who was the British prime minister at the time of the abdication crisis, when King Edward VIII renounced the throne?
Four
The Doors chose their band name from a 1954 work by what author (1894-1963)?
Five
Can you name three players chosen for the European 2025 Ryder Cup team whose surnames begin with the same letter?
On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. Her reign was the longest of any monarch in the United Kingdom. Is it true or false that in a list of the longest reigning monarchs within the UK, Queen Victoria would be placed second and George III, third?
Answer: True
Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, 214 days, while Victoria reigned for 63 years, 216 days, and George III for 59 years, 96 days.
Is this true or false that The Great Herding was a historical event in medieval Scotland which began on 8 September annually?
Answer: False
The Great Herding, or El Gran Arreo, began in 1888 when five settlers, led by Henry Jamieson, moved thousands of sheep hundreds of kilometres to Santa Cruz, Argentina, to establish large sheep farms.
Three
Is it true or false that on 8 September 1941, German and Finnish troops began a siege that would last 872 days?
Answer: True
The siege of Leningrad, lasting two years, four months, and nineteen days from 1941 to 1944, was a devastating blockade by Germany and Finland. It is renowned as the most destructive siege in history. Although Leningrad was never captured, the intentional starvation of its civilians resulted in an estimated 1.5 million deaths.
Is this true or false that on this day in 1644, Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria, in Milan.
Answer: False
1644 and Milan are incorrect. Michelangelo’s 5.17-metre marble statue, David, was created between 1501 and 1504. On 8 September 1504, it was unveiled in Piazza della Signoria, Florence. Originally intended for Florence Cathedral, David became a symbol of civil liberties and was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in 1873.
The Man Trap (1966), Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek. Image IMDB
Five
Is it true or false that the first episode of Star Trek premiered on American television on 8 September 1970?
Answer: False
The Man Trap, the first episode of Star Trek had premiered on NBC some four years earlier on 8 September 1966. The Man Trap follows Captain Kirk and his crew as they visit an outpost and encounter a shapeshifting alien.
On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. Her reign was the longest of any monarch in the United Kingdom. Is it true or false that in a list of the longest reigning monarchs within the UK, Queen Victoria would be placed second and George III, third?
Two
Is it true or false that The Great Herding was a historical event in medieval Scotland which began on 8 September annually?
Three
Is it true or false that on 8 September 1941, German and Finnish troops began a siege that would last 872 days?
Four
Is it true or false that on this day in 1644, Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria, in Milan?
Five
Is it true or false that the first episode of Star Trek premiered on American television on 8 September 1970?
Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959. Image Wikipedia
One
On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?
Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 21 August 1959. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 137 volcanic islands. It is the only US state not on the North American mainland and is known for its diverse culture, influenced by North American, East Asia and indigenous Hawaiian heritage. Hawaii’s economy, historically based on agriculture, has diversified to include tourism and military defence.
Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?
Answer: The Louvre
The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who believed it should be returned to Italy. After keeping it for two years, Peruggia attempted to sell it and was caught, leading to the painting’s return to the Louvre in 1914.
Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who will, 70 years later, feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?
Answer: Count Basie
Count Basie plays himself in Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. He and his orchestra play April in Paris in the middle of the desert as Bart (Cleavon Little) rides towards Rock Ridge to assume the post of sheriff.
Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?
Answer: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, born in 1930, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, who, following the abdication of Edward VIII, became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Known for her independent spirit, she famously renounced her engagement to Peter Townsend due to his divorce. A celebrated socialite, she was the Countess of Snowdon and had a glamorous lifestyle with notable romances. Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, marking the first royal divorce in 400 years.
The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?
Answer: United Nations
The ‘Allied Big Four’ (UK, US, USSR, Republic of China) formulated the new international organisation at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The Yalta Conference in 1945 and further negotiations with the Soviet Union resolved all issues.
Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches on the heath by Théodore Chassériau (1819–1856). Image Wikipedia
One
On 14 August, King Duncan I of Scotland was killed in battle by his cousin, Macbeth, who then succeeded him. This event occurred in the what century?
— Answer: 11th century
Unlike the ‘King Duncan’ of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. After his grandfather Malcolm’s death on 25 November 1034, Duncan succeeded him as king without apparent opposition. In August 1040, Duncan led an army into Moray, Macbeth’s domain, and was killed in action at the Battle of Bothnagowan.
Two
In the 1995 made-for-television movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Sophie, a young Prussian princess who marries an immature future Tsar. The film’s title is what Sophie eventually becomes known as. What is the film’s title?
— Answer: Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great, reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, modernised the country, expanded its territory, and fostered a cultural renaissance. Despite her Enlightenment ideals, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions. Catherine’s reign saw the founding of cities, universities, and theatres, and the establishment of Russia as a great power.
Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for her role as Henry II’s queen in this 1968 film. What was the film and what was the queen’s name?
— Answer: The Lion in Winter and Eleanor of Aquitaine
The play is set at Christmas 1183 at Henry II of England’s castle in Chinon, France. It follows the power struggles between Henry, his wife Eleanor, their sons, and the King of France, Philip II Augustus.
Four
In this 2023 film, Catherine Walker plays an Archduchess of Austria who becomes the French Queen, while Vanessa Kirby is an Empress Consort and first wife of the title character. What is the film?
— Answer: *Napoleon *
Ridley Scott’s 2023 film Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, depicts the French leader’s rise to power and his relationship with Joséphine. The film received mixed reviews, praised for its battle sequences and performances but criticised for its pacing and historical accuracy.
Madonna’s 2011 film W.E. is a historical romance involving what 20th-century royal couple?
— Answer: King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (who became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor)
Edward VIII’s relationship with Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, caused a constitutional crisis. Despite attempts to find a solution, including a morganatic marriage, the Church of England and most politicians opposed the union. Edward chose to abdicate the throne on 11 December 1936, prioritising his love for Simpson over his royal duties.
