On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?
Two
On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?
Three
On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?
Four
In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?
Five
A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?
The Hoof and Horn flag described in Animal Farm has painted on it a ‘hoof and a horn in white’, which resembles the communist hammer and sickle Image Wikipedia
One
Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes.
The above quote is the opening line of a classic satire published on 17 August 1945. What was the title of this novella?
— Answer: Animal Farm
Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novella by George Orwell, published in 1945. It reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era, criticising Stalin’s dictatorship. The book was initially rejected by several publishers but became a commercial success after World War II.
The 168-letter official name for Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, translates as
The city of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the Nine Gems, seat of the King, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra’s behest.
Rufus took over from Hamish in 2000 to perform a specific duty at The Championships on Wimbledon’s famous grass tennis courts. His social media manager reveals that Rufus has undergone an intensive training process for this role, which includes starting work each day at 5 am. What is Rufus’s two-word job title?
— Answer: Bird scarer
Rufus the Harris Hawk, Wimbledon’s official bird scarer, prevents pigeons from disrupting play. Trained to scare birds away, Rufus works from 5am before the gates open, ensuring a bird-free environment for the tournament. His handler, Imogen Davis, manages his training and monitors his weight to ensure optimal performance. Imogen also manages his social media where he has more than 11,000 followers on X (Twitter).
Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica. Image NASA/Wikipedia
Four
The Don Juan Pond, located in Wright Valley, Victoria Land, is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. It is situated on which continent?
—Answer: Antarctica
Don Juan Pond, located in Victoria Land, Antarctica, is the saltiest lake in the continent with a salinity level of 45.8%. Discovered in 1961, it remains liquid even at temperatures as low as −50 °C (−58 °F).
School of trumpetfishes (Macroramphosus scolopax), Faial-Pico Channel, Azores Islands, Portugal Image Wikipedia
Five
Is it true or false that there are more species of mammals than there are amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles combined?
— Answer: False
There are over 33,000 extant species of fish, surpassing the combined total of all amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Most fish belong to the class Actinopterygii, which represents about half of all living vertebrates, making fish the largest group of vertebrates by species count.
Rufus took over from Hamish in 2000 to perform a specific duty at The Championships on Wimbledon’s famous grass tennis courts. His social media manager reveals that Rufus has undergone an intensive training process for this role, which includes starting work each day at 5 am. What is Rufus’s two-word job title?
Four
The Don Juan Pond, located in Wright Valley, Victoria Land, is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. It is situated on which continent?
Five
Is it true or false that there are more species of mammals than there are amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles combined?
Bunker on the Old Course, St Andrews. Image Lee Abbamonte
One
Golf courses traditionally include hazards like bunkers (sand traps). Is it true or false that the word ‘bunker’ originates from the Flemish dialect of Dutch?
— Answer: False
The word bunker originates from the Scots language.
OED’s earliest evidence for bunker is from before 1758, in the writing of Allan Ramsay, poet.
Bunker
1 a large container or compartment for storing fuel: a coal bunker.
2 a reinforced underground shelter, typically for use in wartime.
3 a hollow filled with sand, used as an obstacle on a golf course.
– ORIGIN mid 16th century (originally Scots, denoting a seat or bench): perhaps related to bunk1.
— Oxford English Dictionary
Brooklyn Bridge. Chromolithograph of the “Great East River Suspension Bridge” by Currier and Ives, created in 1883. Image Wikipedia
Two
Is it true or false that vaults constructed within the ramps of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge were used as arsenals storing weapons for the National Guard?
— Answer: False
The New York City government rented out vaults under the Manhattan anchorage of the bridge starting in 1876 to fund maintenance. These vaults, used for wine storage due to their consistent temperature, were closed during WWI and Prohibition but reopened later. By the late 20th-century the spaces were being used as storage for maintenance equipment.
This 3D topographical view of Antarctica gives an idea of its high elevations and mountains with ice that covers them. A topographical map shows the elevation and other features of a land surface in greater detail. Credit: NASA
Three
The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole during both summer and winter, as shown in a comparison of their average temperatures. Is the foregoing statement true or false?
The North Pole is located in the Arctic Ocean, which is mostly covered in sea ice due to its cold climate. This sea ice floats over water, affecting its thickness as the ocean warms the air and the water below the ice changes temperature. In contrast, Antarctica is a dry, high continent with extremely thick ice, up to 3 miles (5 kilometres), forming a plateau above sea level. The ice sits on tall mountains, and as altitude increases, the air becomes colder. The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole due to strong winds surrounding Antarctica, which prevent warmer air from mixing with the cold polar air. These winds are unimpeded by land, unlike around the Arctic, where land slows down the winds, allowing warmer air from the south to occasionally mix with the polar air, making the Arctic relatively warmer.
Four
Millvina Dean Memorial Stone, Southampton, UK. Image Wikipedia
Is it true or false that the last survivor of the RMS Titanic died in 2009?
— Answer: True
Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the Titanic, was born in 1912 and boarded the ship as a nine-week-old infant with her family. After the Titanic sank, her mother returned to England with Millvina and her brother, as their father perished. Millvina became involved in Titanic-related events in her later years, but declined to see the film Titanic and criticised the BBC for a Doctor Who episode featuring a similar ship.
Five
The US State of New Hampshire had a law which required margarine to be dyed pink. Is this statement true or false?
— Answer: True
Margarine, created in 1869 as a cost-effective substitute for butter, encountered significant resistance from the American dairy industry. Although it was favoured by the lower classes, margarine was taxed and prohibited in various states, with critics arguing it endangered the American lifestyle. By 1902, 32 states imposed restrictions on margarine’s colour, with Vermont, New Hampshire, and South Dakota requiring pink dye. The Supreme Court eventually invalidated the ‘pink laws’ but maintained the ban on yellow margarine.
We have five random true or false questions today.
One
Golf courses traditionally include hazards like bunkers (sand traps). Is it true or false that the word ‘bunker’ originates from the Flemish dialect of Dutch?
Two
Is it true or false that vaults constructed within the ramps of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge were used as arsenals storing weapons for the National Guard?
Three
The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole during both summer and winter, as shown in a comparison of their average temperatures. Is the foregoing statement true or false?
Four
Is it true or false that the last survivor of the RMS Titanic died in 2009?
Five
The US State of New Hampshire had a law which required margarine to be dyed pink. Is this statement true or false?
Jim Lovell, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. (March 25, 1928—August 7, 2025). Image Wikipedia
One
In 1968, what became the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return?
Answer: Apollo 8
Apollo 8, launched on 21 December 1968, became the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. During its mission, the crew orbited the Moon ten times, conducting various tasks such as photography and navigation, while also transmitting telecasts worldwide. The spacecraft safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 27 December, 147 hours after launch. This question was prompted by the death of Jim Lovell, aged 97, on 7 August 2025. He flew to the Moon and back twice but never landed.
Two
The 1999 Open Championship was decided in a play-off between Jean Van de Velde and which two other players?
Answer: Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie
Jean Van de Velde, ranked 152nd, nearly won the 1999 Open Championship but famously collapsed on the 18th hole. His triple-bogey seven led to a playoff, which he lost to Paul Lawrie.
What word is missing from the end of the above quote?
Answer: Christianity
Nietzsche’s quote suggests that he viewed both Christianity and alcohol as ‘narcotics’, substances or influences that dull the senses and provide an escape from reality.
Four
Which Canadian province is named after the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, born in 1848?
The above quote is the opening line of which poem?
Answer: Anthem for Doomed Youth
Wilfred Owen’s poem Anthem for Doomed Youth, written in 1917, vividly captures the horrors of war. Enlisting in the British army in 1915, Owen was sent to France with the Lancashire Fusiliers to fight in the trenches during World War I. In 1917, during his first six months of battle, his troop was gassed and forced to sleep in an open field of snow. One incident involved Owen spending several days huddled in a foxhole near the body of a fallen soldier. These experiences profoundly impacted Owen as a poet, leading to rapid maturity. The poems written after January 1917 are characterised by anger at war’s brutality, and pity for those who ‘die as cattle’.
On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?
Answer: Leningrad
Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 was premiered in Leningrad on 9 August 1942 during the Nazi siege. Despite the musicians’ starvation and the orchestra’s limited rehearsal time, the performance was a success, bolstered by a Soviet military offensive and broadcast to German lines.
Two
Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?
Answer: 12th Century and 199 years (two centuries) to complete
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, a freestanding bell tower in Pisa, Italy, is known for its nearly four-degree lean due to an unstable foundation. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, receiving over 5 million visitors annually.
Three
Answer: Jesse Owens and long jump
Jesse Owens, an exceptionally gifted athlete, won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler’s hopes of showcasing Aryan supremacy. Owens’ achievements, which also include setting three world records in one hour in 1935, remain unparalleled.
Four
Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?
Answer: P.L. Travers
P.L. Travers, an Australian-English writer, authored the Mary Poppins books, a series of eight children’s books illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books follow the magical nanny Mary Poppins and her adventures with the Banks children. Walt Disney adapted the books into two musical films: Mary Poppins (1964) and its sequel, Mary Poppins Returns (2018). A stage musical, created by Disney Theatrical and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, ran on Broadway from 2006 to 2013.
Five
On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?
Answer: Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Bockscar, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, dropped the second nuclear weapon on Nagasaki during WWII. It was one of 15 Silverplate B-29s used by the 509th Composite Group.
A few questions related to events connected to today, August 9th.
One
On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?
Two
Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?
Three
On 9 August 1936, at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Jesse Owens of the USA won his fourth gold medal of the games in the 4 x 100m sprint relay. He also won gold medals in the 100m dash and 200m sprint. In what other event did he win gold at these games?
Four
Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?
Five
On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?
True or false: snooker was first played in Raffles Hotel, Singapore?
Answer: False
Snooker originated in various officers’ mess of the British Army in India during the British Raj in the 1870s. It combined elements of pyramids and black pool, and the first set of rules was finalised in 1882 by Neville Chamberlain.
True or false: The Arctic Circle passes through eight countries.
Answer: True
The Arctic Circle passes through these eight countries: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and the United States (Alaska).
Five
Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) Image Wikipedia
True or false: a group of two or three sharks, whether all male or all female, is called a shiver.
Answer: True
Another type of gathering is called a shiver. A shiver of sharks refers to smaller groups, usually composed of only two or three individuals. It’s unclear why these small clusters form, but some believe they could be related to mating behavior. Unlike a school, a shiver of sharks is usually made up of only one gender – either all males or all females. – Shark Sider
