Is it true or false that William the Conqueror died of smallpox on 9 September 1092?
Two
Is it true or false that Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on 9 September 1960?
Three
Is it true or false that a Scottish monarch was crowned at the age of nine months on 9 September 1543? If so, who was the monarch?
Four
Is it true or false that on 9 September 1759, forty-seven nations adopted Sauchie Fraser’s proposal for a standard time and time zones?
Five
Captain William Bligh FRS RN, born on 9 September 1754, is best known for being cast adrift from HMS Bounty. Is it true or false that between 1806 and 1808, he served as Governor of New South Wales?
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…
The above quote is from the opening sentence of a dystopian novel published in 1949. Can you identify the missing number?
Answer: Thirteen
Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, examines the effects of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and truth manipulation. Set in a future where Airstrip One is part of Oceania, the story portrays a society under the control of Big Brother and the Party’s Thought Police. Winston Smith, a Party member, attempts to rebel against the oppressive regime but is eventually captured, tortured, and forced to betray Julia, ultimately submitting to Big Brother.
Two
If the Fibonacci sequence starts with F0 = 0 and F1 = 1, what is F13 equal to?
Answer: 233
The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each number (Fibonacci number) is the sum of the two preceding numbers. The simplest is the series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. In fiction they had a role to play in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
F0
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
0
1
1
2
3
5
8
13
F8
F9
F10
F11
F12
F13
F14
F15
21
34
55
89
144
233
377
610
Three
What birthday does Bilbo celebrate near the beginning of the novel The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) and the 2001 film adaptation?
Answer: 111th
The beginning of the first chapter in the book begins quite lightly, following on from The Hobbit which is more of a children’s story than The Lord of the Rings. It begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his 111th (or eleventy first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that Frodo celebrates his 33rd birthday. (His ‘coming of age’) At the birthday party, Bilbo disappears after his speech, to the surprise of all. Frodo later learns about the ring which he had used to make himself invisible, and also to some of its darker powers. — Tolkien Gateway
Four
In what year was Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, born?
Answer: 1946
Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S.) is the 45th and 47th president of the United States (2017–21; 2025– ). Following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, Trump became only the second president to serve two nonconsecutive terms, the first being Grover Cleveland (1885–89; 1893–97). In January 2025, upon his sentencing without punishment for a felony conviction in 2024, Trump officially became the first convicted felon to be elected president. At age 78, Trump is the oldest person to win the office. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Five
Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian novel, Fahrenheit…, is missing a number from its title. What is it?
Answer: 451
Fahrenheit 451‘s title. The title page of the book explains the title as follows: Fahrenheit 451—The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns…. On inquiring about the temperature at which paper would catch fire, Bradbury had been told that 451 °F (233 °C) was the autoignition temperature of paper. In various studies, scientists have placed the autoignition temperature at a range of temperatures between 424 and 475 °F (218 and 246 °C), depending on the type of paper.
Regular triskaidecagon or tridecagon, see #4. Image Wikipedia
The answers to my earlier post are shown below.
One
From which Asian language does the word ’jungle‘ originate?
Answer: Sanskrit (Hindi is a close second)
jungle /ˈdʒʌŋɡl / ▸ noun 1 an area of land overgrown with dense forest and tangled vegetation, typically in the tropics: we set off into the jungle [mass noun] the lakes are hidden in dense jungle.
a wild tangled mass of vegetation or other things: the garden was a jungle of bluebells.
a situation or place of bewildering complexity or brutal competitiveness: it’s a jungle out there.
2 [mass noun] (also jungle music) a style of dance music incorporating elements of ragga, hip-hop, and hard core and consisting of very fast electronic drum tracks and slower synthesized bass lines, originating in Britain in the early 1990s.
– PHRASES the law of the jungle the principle that those who are strong and apply ruthless self-interest will be most successful: power politics reflected the law of the jungle. – DERIVATIVES jungled adjective – ORIGIN late 18th century: via Hindi from Sanskrit jāṅgala ‘rough and arid (terrain)’. — Oxford English Dictionary
Two
A Scrabble board has how many squares to place tiles in?
Answer: 225
Scrabble, invented in 1931 by Alfred Mosher Butts, is a word game played on a 15×15 grid. Hasbro produces it in the US and Canada, while Mattel holds the rights for international production.
Three
In four English-speaking countries, a specific word is used to describe a particular capacity, ranging from as low as 237 millilitres to as much as 250 millilitres. What is this term?
Answer: Cup
A measure of capacity used in cooking. In the US and Canada it is equal to half a US pint, therefore 8 fluid ounces or 237 millilitres. In the UK it is 10 fluid ounces or 284 millilitres and Australia it is 250 millilitres.
Four
A triskaidecagon, or tridecagon, has how many sides?
Answer: Thirteen
In geometry, a tridecagon, also known as a triskaidecagon or 13-gon, is a thirteen-sided polygon, see image above.
Five
What ‘H’ is an alphabet containing the word ‘qoph’?
From which Asian language does the word ’jungle‘ originate?
Two
A Scrabble board has how many squares to place tiles in?
Three
In four English-speaking countries, a specific word is used to describe a particular capacity, ranging from as low as 237 millilitres to as much as 250 millilitres. What is this term?
Four
A triskaidecagon, or tridecagon, has how many sides?
Five
What ‘H’ is an alphabet containing the word ‘qoph’?
Colonel Paul Tibbets, in the B-29 he named Enola Gay, August 1945. Image Wikipedia
One
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Answer: Little Boy and Enola Gay
On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 70,000 people and destroying most of the city in an effort to hasten the end of World War II. The blast, caused by the atomic bomb Little Boy dropped by the U.S. B-29Enola Gay, resulted in around 70,000 instant deaths, with tens of thousands more dying in subsequent years from burns and radiation poisoning. The B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay was named after Enola Gay Tibbets by the pilot, her son, Colonel Paul Tibbets.
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Answer: Penicillin
Alexander Fleming, who was born on 6 August 1881 at Lochfield Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire, was a Scottish bacteriologist best known for discovering penicillin in 1928, which revolutionised antibiotics and earned him the Nobel Prize in 1945.
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Answer: Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum, an American actor known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances, received numerous accolades including an Academy Award nomination and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He starred in numerous films, including Out of the Past and Cape Fear, and was praised by critics for his deep voice and weary eyes.
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Answer: Orkney
The Old Man of Hoy is a 449-foot sea stack on Hoy, in the Orkney archipelago, Scotland. Formed from Old Red Sandstone, it is popular with climbers and may soon collapse. It was first climbed in 1966 by mountaineers Chris Bonington, Rusty Baillie and Tom Patey.
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
Answer: Alfred, Lord Tennyson and The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, was an English poet and Poet Laureate during Queen Victoria’s reign. He is known for his short lyrics, classical mythological themes, and blank verse, with many of his phrases becoming commonplace in the English language. The lines quoted were from The Charge of the Light Brigade which is a narrative poem by Tennyson (The full poem is shown bellow). It describes the Charge of the Light Brigade, a disastrous British cavalry attack against heavily defended Russian troops at the Battle of Balaklava in October 1854 during the Crimean War. The suicidal assault placed the British light horse brigade, commanded by the Earl of Cardigan, against a Russian infantry and cavalry defence supported by heavy artillery batteries that commanded three sides of a narrow valley.
I Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!” he said. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
II “Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell Rode the six hundred.
IV Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered. Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.
V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.
VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die.
Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
On July 25, 1984, Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya (pictured) made history as the first woman to walk in space. Is this statement true or false?
Answer: True
Svetlana Savitskaya, a Russian former aviator and Soviet cosmonaut, made history as the second woman in space in 1982 when she flew aboard Soyuz T-7. She further broke barriers in 1984, becoming the first woman to fly twice and perform a spacewalk on Soyuz T-12.
Is it true or false that today, in 1866, in the United States, Brigadier General Bel Riose was the first person to be promoted to General of the Army?
Answer: False
On this day, future president Ulysses S. Grant became the first person to be promoted to this rank after the United States Congress passed the necessary legislation authorising it. General Bel Riose, a fictional character in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, is the last great general of the declining Galactic Empire. In the 1945 novella Dead Hand, Riose targets the Foundation, but is outmanoeuvred by its agents.
Three
Cooke and Wheatstone’s five-needle telegraph from 1837. Image Wikipedia
Today in 1837, Abraham Samson and Stewart Cuthbertson successfully demonstrated the first commercial use of an electrical telegraph; this demonstration took place in New York, US. Is this statement true or false?
Answer: False
The William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone telegraph, invented in the 1830s, was the first commercial telegraph system. It employed electromagnetic coils to move needles that indicated letters on a board, catering to users who preferred a visual representation over codes. On 25 July 1837, Cooke and Wheatstone demonstrated their telegraph system, with Cooke stationed at Camden Town and Wheatstone at Euston, both London, UK. Wheatstone transmitted the inaugural message, to which Cooke responded.
Four
Robert Edwards and Louise Brown celebrating 25 years of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Is it true that Louise Joy Brown, the first human born after conception by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), was born in Greater Manchester, UK, on this day in 1978?
Answer: True
Louise Joy Brown, born in 1978, was the first human conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) after her parents struggled with infertility. Her sister, Natalie, also conceived through IVF, was the first IVF baby to give birth naturally. In 2010, Robert Edwards, surviving member of the development team, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Five
On this date in 1909, Louis Blériot embarked on a historic flight from Le Touquet, France. This marked the inaugural crossing of the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, with the landing occurring near Hastings, England. Is this true or false?
Answer: False
It was correct in a lot of detail, the date, pilot and the English Channel but he did not fly from Le Touquet to Hastings. On 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot became the first person to fly across the English Channel by aeroplane, winning a £1,000 prize from Lord Northcliffe. Despite poor navigation and challenging weather conditions, Blériot successfully completed the 24-mile journey from Les Baraques, near Calais, France, to near Dover Castle, above the cliffs of Dover, England, in just over 30 minutes.
On July 25, 1984, Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya (pictured) made history as the first woman to walk in space. Is this statement true or false?
Two
Is it true or false that today, in 1866, in the United States, Brigadier General Bel Riose was promoted to General of the Army?
Three
Today in 1837, Walter Samson and Stewart Cuthbertson successfully demonstrated the first commercial use of an electrical telegraph; this demonstration took place in New York, US. Is this statement true or false?
Four
Is it true that Louise Joy Brown, the first human born after conception by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), was born in Greater Manchester, UK, on this day in 1978?
Five
On this date in 1909, Louis Blériot embarked on a historic flight from Le Touquet, France. This marked the inaugural crossing of the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, with the landing occurring near Hastings, England. Is this true or false?
The Avro Vulcan, a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing bomber, was operated by the RAF from 1956 to 1984. It served as the backbone of the UK’s airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War and was later adapted for maritime reconnaissance and aerial refuelling. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, volcanoes, deserts, metalworking and the forge, is often depicted with a blacksmith’s hammer. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus, and his Etruscan counterpart is Sethlans.
Two
King Neptune, SpongeBob SquarePants. Image Pinterest
Can you name a powerful, trident-wielding merman from SpongeBob SquarePants?
Answer: King Neptune
In SpongeBob SquarePants King Neptune, a powerful merman god, rules the sea from Atlantis with his wife and son. He is portrayed as arrogant and selfish, but is a fan of Patrick Star, releasing the Star family from trespassing charges and moving his ball to their house. In mythology, Neptune, the Roman god of freshwater and the sea, is the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. He is associated with horses and horse-racing, and his festival, Neptunalia, is celebrated on July 23rd.
Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressinggown, ungirdled, was sustained gently behind him on the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned: —Introibo ad altare Dei.
The opening words of a novel are quoted above. What is this work that chronicles the events of a single day, the 16 June 1904?
Answer: Ulysses
Ulysses, a modernist novel by James Joyce, chronicles the experiences of three Dubliners on 16 June 1904. The novel, published in 1922, parallels the Odyssey and explores themes of antisemitism, sexuality, British rule, Catholicism and Irish nationalism. Bloomsday, celebrated annually on 16 June, commemorates the life of Irish writer James Joyce. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the protagonist Ulysses, and the events of the novel take place on this date. Odysseus (Roman Ulysses), the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, is the hero of Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey. He is known for his cunning and intelligence, and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War.
Quicksilver is connected to this United States human spaceflight programme (1958–1963): Project…
Answer: (Project) Mercury
Quicksilver is defined as ‘the liquid metal mercury’. Project Mercury, the first US human spaceflight programme, ran from 1958 to 1963. It conducted 26 flights, six with astronauts, and cost $2.76 billion. Mercury is a major Roman god, associated with commerce, communication, travellers and thieves. He is the son of Maia and Jupiter, and is often depicted holding the caduceus, a staff with intertwined snakes.
Five
Archaeological Museum in Herakleion. Statue of Isis-Persephone holding a sistrum. Temple of the Egyptian gods, Gortyn. Roman period (180-190 C.E.). Image Wikipedia
PRONE SHEEP
…can be rearranged to give the name of a daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was abducted by Hades and became the queen of the underworld. Who is she?
Answer: Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, became the queen of the underworld after being abducted by her uncle Hades. Her myth symbolises spring and vegetation, representing the eternal cycle of life and death.
Quizology Online 