Quizology.Online

Tag: sport

  • Who, What, When, Where, Why and How VIII — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Marco Polo in a Tartare Costume.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Six questions on random topics, each beginning with one of these words: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

    Who

    Who is the title character of The Lord of the Rings?

    Answer: Sauron.

    Sauron, the main antagonist in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, seeks to rule Middle-earth using the One Ring. He is depicted as a wholly evil being, comparable to Dracula and Balor of the Evil Eye.

    What

    What prompted the change in NASA’s 1967 mission designation AS-204 and what was the new designation?

    Answer: Fatal cabin fire; Apollo 1.

    Initially designated AS-204 and later renamed Apollo 1, the first planned crewed mission of the Apollo programme ended in tragedy when a cabin fire during a launch rehearsal killed all three crew members Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee. The fire, caused by an electrical ignition and exacerbated by flammable materials and a high-pressure oxygen atmosphere, led to a 20-month suspension of crewed flights while safety measures were implemented.

    When

    When did Marco Polo journey to China? (The century will do)

    Answer: 13th century.

    Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295, spending 17 years in China. His detailed accounts of the Mongol Empire and China, including his experiences in the emperor’s lands, provided Europeans with a comprehensive look into the Eastern world. Polo’s writings inspired future explorers like Christopher Columbus and influenced European cartography. His book, Il milione, is a classic of travel literature.

    Where

    Where does ‘Mr. Smith’ go in an early James Stewart movie?

    Answer: Washington.

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a 1939 film by Frank Capra, depicts Jefferson Smith, an idealistic youth leader, battling corruption in the U.S. Senate. The film’s portrayal of political corruption angered real-life legislators, leading to calls for its banning and accusations of being anti-American and communist.

    Why

    Why was Dennis Tito in the news in May 2001?

    Answer: He paid to go into space (the world’s first ‘space tourist’).

    Dennis Tito is an American engineer and entrepreneur. During mid-2001, he became the first space tourist to fund his own visit to space, when he spent nearly eight days in orbit as a crew member of ISS EP-1, a visiting mission to the International Space Station. This mission was launched by the spacecraft Soyuz TM-32, and was landed by Soyuz TM-31. Dennis Tito, after paying $20 million, became the first space tourist, joining the Soyuz TM-32 mission to the International Space Station in 2001. Despite initial criticism from NASA, Tito spent over a week in space, conducting experiments and later testifying before Congress on commercial spaceflight.

    How

    How many championships are required to be won in one year to achieve a Grand Slam in golf, and what are these championships?

    Answers: Four; US Masters; US PGA Chamionship; US Open Championship; and The Open Championship.

    Masters Tournament, held the week ending on the 2nd Sunday in April – hosted as an invitational by and played at Augusta National Golf Club. 2026 saw the 90th edition of The Masters.

    The 2026 PGA Championship will be the 108th edition of the PGA Championship, scheduled for May 14–17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, a suburb west of Philadelphia.

    The 2026 United States Open Championship will be the 126th edition of the U.S. Open, the national open golf championship of the United States. It will be held from June 18–21, 2026 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. It will be the sixth Open hosted at the club.

    The 2026 Open Championship, officially the 154th Open Championship, is a golf tournament to be played from 16–19 July 2026 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. It will be the 11th Open held at the club.
    — Wikipedia, various articles on each championship.

  • Who, What, When, Where, Why and How VIII

    Marco Polo in a Tartare Costume.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Six questions on random topics, each beginning with one of these words: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

    Who

    Who is the title character of The Lord of the Rings?

    What

    What prompted the change in NASA’s 1967 mission designation AS-204 and what was the new designation?

    When

    When did Marco Polo journey to China? (The century will do)

    Where

    Where does ‘Mr. Smith’ go in an early James Stewart movie?

    Why

    Why was Dennis Tito in the news in May 2001?

    How

    How many championships are required to be won in one year to achieve a Grand Slam in golf, and what are these championships?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • A Drop in the Ocean — Answers

    Here’s the answers to my earlier questions.
    All of today’s questions are related to the date, April 28th.

    Kon-Tiki, on display inside the Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl set sail in Kon-tiki, a handmade balsa wood raft, in an attempt to reach the islands of Polynesia. From what country did he set out?

    Answer: Peru.

    Thor Heyerdahl and five companions sailed the Kon-Tiki raft from South America to Polynesia in 1947, demonstrating the possibility of ancient American colonisation. The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Heyerdahl, aimed to prove that pre-Columbian South Americans could have reached Polynesia by raft. Funded by private loans and equipment donations, the expedition successfully sailed 6,900 km across the Pacific Ocean in 101 days. Although Heyerdahl’s hypothesis of a Caucasian people reaching Polynesia has been rejected, the journey’s feasibility was demonstrated. The Kon-Tiki is now preserved in a museum in Oslo.

    Two

    In 1923, Wembley Stadium opened in London. What was it initially named?

    Answer: Empire Stadium.

    The original Wembley Stadium, or Empire Stadium, in London, was a renowned football venue that hosted the FA Cup final, the 1966 World Cup final, and Euro 1996. Demolished in 2003, it also hosted five European Cup finals, two European Cup Winners’ Cup finals and the 1948 Summer Olympics. Wembley was a key rugby league venue, hosting the Challenge Cup Final from 1929, and it also welcomed various sports, including speedway, stock car racing and American football. It hosted events such as the Horse of the Year Show, Live Aid, and concerts by Michael Jackson, Queen and U2, and is linked to an urban legend about a buried locomotive.

    Three

    Born in 1758, the fifth president of the United States is commemorated by a city at these coordinates: 6°18′48″N 10°48′5″W. Which city is it and in which country is it situated?

    Answer: Monrovia, Liberia.

    Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, sits on the Atlantic coast and serves as a political, administrative, economic and cultural centre. Established in 1822 by the American Colonisation Society as a settlement for formerly enslaved and freeborn African Americans, it was named after James Monroe and became the capital in 1847. The city’s population reached 1.76 million in 2022 with the metropolitan area exceeding 2.2 million.

    Four

    Born in 1948, Terry Pratchett is best known for a series of novels which began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic, and introduced Great A’Tuin, Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen. In the prologue of The Colour of Magic… 

    1. What one word describes Great A’Tuin? 
    2. What are Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen?

    Answers

    1. Turtle
    2. Elephants

    Wikipedia describes Discworld as follows

    The Discworld is the fictional world where English writer Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld fantasy novels take place. It consists of an interstellar planet-sized disc, which sits on the backs of four huge elephants, themselves standing on the back of a world turtle, named Great A’Tuin, as it slowly swims through space.

    Five

    A piece of paper found in China in 1986 has been dated to which century: Second century BCE; First century CE or Third century CE?

    Answer: Second century BCE.

    In 1986, archaeologists discovered over 400 artefacts in nearly 2,000-year-old Chinese tombs, including the world’s oldest surviving paper map fragment. Found in Fangmatan, Gansu Province, this second-century BCE map forced a rewrite of paper-making history.

  • A Drop in the Ocean


    All of today’s questions are related to the date, April 28th.

    Kon-Tiki, on display inside the Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl set sail in Kon-tiki, a handmade balsa wood raft, in an attempt to reach the islands of Polynesia. From what country did he set out?

    Two

    In 1923, Wembley Stadium opened in London. What was it initially named?

    Three

    Born in 1758, the fifth president of the United States is commemorated by a city at these coordinates: 6°18′48″N 10°48′5″W. Which city is it and in which country is it situated?

    Four

    Born in 1948, Terry Pratchett is best known for a series of novels which began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic, and introduced Great A’Tuin, Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen. In the prologue of The Colour of Magic… 

    1. What one word describes Great A’Tuin? 
    2. What are Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen?

    Five

    A piece of paper found in China in 1986 has been dated to which century: Second century BCE; First century CE or Third century CE?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Randomness — Answers

    Here’s the answers to my earlier questions.

    Elvis at Prestwick Airport, 3 March 1960. See question four.
    Image Daily Record.


    No date-related theme today, just five very random questions for you to ponder.

    One

    Johann Ludwig Burckhardt is best known for rediscovering two of the world’s best-known examples of rock-cut architecture in Jordan in 1812 and Egypt the following year. What are these examples of rock-cut architecture?

    Answers: Petra and Abu Simbel.

    Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784 – 1817) was a Swiss traveller, geographer and Orientalist. During his travels in Arabia, he adopted the alias Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn Abdallah and wrote his letters in French, signing them Louis. He is best known for rediscovering two of the world’s most famous examples of rock-cut architecture: the ruins of Petra, an ancient Nabataean city in Jordan, and the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt. Petra remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when Burckhardt rediscovered it. The Great Temple at Abu Simbel remained unknown to Europeans until March 1813, when Burckhardt found the small temple and top frieze of the main temple.

    Two

    ‘I can resist everything except temptation’ is a line from what play and who wrote it?

    Answer: Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Play About a Good Woman by Oscar Wilde.

    Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Play About a Good Woman is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, debuting on 20 February 1892 at London’s St James’s Theatre. Lady Windermere suspects her husband of infidelity and plans to leave him for Lord Darlington. Mrs. Erlynne, the other woman, intervenes, revealing herself as Lady Windermere’s mother. She sacrifices her reputation to save the marriage, allowing Lady Windermere to return to her husband unnoticed.

    Three

    What religious organisation was founded by Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Alba?

    Answer: Opus Dei.

    Opus Dei, founded in 1928 by Josemaría Escrivá, is a Catholic Church personal prelature promoting holiness through daily life. Approved by the Holy See in 1950 and affirmed in 1982, it faces controversy over abuse allegations. Members, mostly laypeople, engage in secular careers and spiritual training globally.

    Four

    Elvis Presley and the beginnings of Open Golf are both linked to what town?

    Answer: Prestwick.

    Prestwick, a town in South Ayrshire on Scotland’s west coast, is approximately 30 miles (50 kilometres) southwest of Glasgow. The Prestwick Old Course hosted the inaugural Open Golf Championship in 1860 and was the venue for the first twelve Open Championships from 1860 to 1872, although the event did not take place in 1871. During World War II, the US Army Air Corps set up and maintained a base at the airport. Elvis Presley made his only visit to the UK on 3 March 1960 when his US Army transport aircraft stopped at the airport for refuelling en route from Germany.

    Five

    Who in 1762 succeeded Peter III, Emperor of Russia, and what relationship was the successor to Peter?

    Answers: Catherine II (the Great); his wife.

    Peter III, Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762, was overthrown by his wife, Catherine the Great. Despite implementing notable reforms, he is criticised for his alliance with Prussia.
    On 28 June 1762, Catherine was proclaimed heir to the Russian throne. Peter attempted to flee to Kronstadt but was repelled by the fleet’s cannons. The people of St. Petersburg armed themselves against him. After losing support from the Senate, army, and fleet, Peter was arrested and abdicated on 9 July. He was transported to Ropsha, where he died under mysterious circumstances. Officially, he died from haemorrhoidal colic and a stroke, but assassination is suspected. Some accounts suggest suffocation attempts followed by strangulation. He was buried on 3 August 1762 in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Saint Petersburg.

  • Randomness

    Elvis, see question four.
    Image Daily Record.


    No date-related theme today, just five very random questions for you to ponder.

    One

    Johann Ludwig Burckhardt is best known for rediscovering two of the world’s best-known examples of rock-cut architecture in Jordan in 1812 and Egypt the following year. What are these examples of rock-cut architecture?

    Two

    ‘I can resist everything except temptation’ is a line from what play and who wrote it?

    Three

    What religious organisation was founded by Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Alba?

    Four

    Elvis Presley and the beginnings of Open Golf are both linked to what town?

    Five

    Who in 1762 succeeded Peter III, Emperor of Russia, and what relationship was the successor to Peter?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Shot Heard Around the World — Answers

    Here are the answers relating to my earlier post.

    Five random questions today.

    Assassination of Franz Ferdinand, 1863-1914 Archduke of Austria, and his wife Sophie, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, 28 June 1914, ©Bianchetti/Leemage.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Where and when did these shootings occur? 

    Answer: Sarajevo, Bosnia; 28 June 1914.

    Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb student, assassinated the heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, triggering the July Crisis and World War I. Born in 1894, Princip joined Young Bosnia, seeking South Slavic unification. Rejected by the Serbian army, he plotted the assassination with the Black Hand’s help. Arrested and sentenced to 20 years, he died in 1918 from tuberculosis. His legacy is divisive, seen as heroic by some Serbs and a terrorist by others. 

    Two

    At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, which female German athlete won gold in the long jump?

    Answer: Heike Drechsler

    Heike Gabriela Drechsler, born on 16 December 1964, is a renowned German former track and field athlete. Representing East Germany and later Germany, she is one of the greatest long jumpers, holding the third-best legal jump of 7.48 metres in 1988. Her wind-assisted 7.63 metres in 1992 remains the longest jump by a woman. Drechsler won two Olympic golds in long jump (1992, 2000), Olympic medals in 100 and 200 metres (1988), and held the 200 metres world record (21.71 seconds, 1986).

    Three

    Whose single Try Again was Grammy nominated in 2000?

    Answer: Aaliyah

    Try Again by Aaliyah, from Romeo Must Die (2000), blends R&B, electro, and dance-pop. Written by Static Major and Timbaland, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay. Critically acclaimed for its futuristic production, it earned a Grammy nomination. The music video, directed by Wayne Isham, won multiple awards.

    Four

    What words describes each of these: a creature which is active in the daytime; one which is active at night; and a creature which is active at dawn or dusk?

    Answer: Diurnal; Nocturnal; Crepuscular.

    Animals exhibit different activity patterns based on the time of day. Diurnal animals are active during daylight hours, while nocturnal animals, such as bats, are active at night, taking of advantage conditions like reduced predation, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity. Crepuscular animals, including some caprimulgiform birds like nightjars, are most active during twilight periods at dawn and dusk, though they may also be active at night if there is enough moonlight.

    Five

    What is the largest public park in New York City, and in which borough is it located?

    Answer:Pelham Bay Park; The Bronx.

    Pelham Bay Park, located in the Bronx, is New York City’s largest park at 2,772 acres. It features peninsulas, a lagoon, Eastchester Bay, Orchard Beach, golf courses and nature trails. Historical sites include the Bartow-Pell Mansion and Bronx Victory Column. Established in 1888, it was inspired by John Mullaly.

    The Shot Heard Around the World

    The phrase ‘shot heard around the world’ is associated with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 in that it was one of the precursors to World War I.

  • The Shot Heard Around the World

    Five random questions today.

    Assassination of Franz Ferdinand, 1863-1914 Archduke of Austria, and his wife Sophie. ©Bianchetti/Leemage.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Where and when did these shootings occur? 

    Two

    At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, which female German athlete won gold in the long jump?

    Three

    Whose single Try Again was Grammy nominated in 2000?

    Four

    What words describes each of these: a creature which is active in the daytime; one which is active at night; and a creature which is active at dawn or dusk?

    Five

    What is the largest public park in New York City, and in which borough is it located?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • As Clear As Day — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Danica Patrick at the 2008 Indy Japan 300.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of the questions today relate to the date, April 20th. 

    One

    In 1968, Pierre Trudeau became prime minister of Canada. What political party did he represent?

    Answer: Liberal Party.

    Pierre Elliott Trudeau (1919–2000) was Canada’s prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1984. A charismatic Liberal leader, he established diplomatic ties with China, improved relations with France, and opposed Quebec separatism. Trudeau’s tenure saw Canada achieve constitutional independence from Britain with a new constitution and a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He previously practised law and taught at the University of Montreal before entering politics. He led Canada through economic challenges, minority governments, and the October Crisis of 1970. Trudeau resigned in 1984, leaving a legacy of constitutional reform and progressive social policies.

    Two

    In 2008, the IndyCar Japan race was won by a female driver, the first time a woman had won an IndyCar event. Who was this driver?

    Answer: Danica Patrick.

    At the time of writing (April 2026), Danica Patrick is the only woman to have won in IndyCar. Danica Patrick was born on 25 March 1982 in Beloit, Wisconsin. She is a pioneering American former racing driver known for her achievements in both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Cup Series. She began karting at age 10, winning the World Karting Association Grand National Championship three times, and left high school at 16 to race in the UK, where she placed second in the 2000 Formula Ford festival. Returning to the United States in 2002, she competed in the Toyota Formula Atlantic. Patrick made history in 2005 by becoming the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and the first woman to win an IndyCar championship event. Her career highlights include being Rookie of the Year in 2005, achieving a third-place finish at the 2009 Indianapolis 500, and setting a pole position at the 2013 Daytona 500. She competed in the IndyCar Series from 2005 to 2011 and the NASCAR Cup Series from 2012 to 2018, retiring after the 2018 Indy 500. Patrick is the most successful woman in American open-wheel racing, with her 2008 Indy Japan 300 win being the only victory by a woman in IndyCar.

    Three

    In 1968, the Conservative Member of Parliament and Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, Enoch Powell, made a speech which was about immigration. He referred to it as his ‘Birmingham Speech’, but it came to be known by what three words?

    Answer: Rivers of Blood.

    Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, delivered on 20 April 1968 in Birmingham, criticised post-WWII Commonwealth immigration to the UK and opposed the Race Relations Bill, which became the Race Relations Act 1968. Named after a prophecy from Virgil’s Aeneid, the speech was controversial, showcasing Powell’s classical scholarship. It expressed foreboding about the future, using the Roman prophecy of the River Tiber flowing with blood to symbolise impending doom and significant conflict, highlighting Powell’s deep concern.

    Four

    Who, on 20 April 1534, sailed from France with a Royal Commission to find a western passage to India?

    Answer: Jacques Cartier.

    On 20 April 1534, Cartier set sail under a royal commission to find a western passage to the East Indies. After a 20-day ocean crossing, he explored Newfoundland, the Strait of Belle Isle, Labrador, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He returned to France in September 1534, believing he had reached Asia.

    Five

    In 1152, after an eight-year conflict, Baldwin III of … won sole control of the Kingdom of … from his mother Melisandre. What one word fills both the gaps in the preceding sentence? 

    Answer: Jerusalem.

    Baldwin III, born in 1130, was King of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163, succeeding his parents, Fulk and Melisende. Initially co-ruling with Melisende until 1152, he asserted his authority through military campaigns, notably conquering Ascalon in 1153. Baldwin expanded the kingdom’s borders, managed the Principality of Antioch, and allied with Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, marrying his niece Theodora. He died in 1163, succeeded by his brother Amalric, without leaving children.

  • As Clear As Day

    2008 Indy Japan 300.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of the questions today relate to the date, April 20th. 

    One

    In 1968, Pierre Trudeau became prime minister of Canada. What political party did he represent?

    Two

    In 2008, the IndyCar Japan race was won by a female driver, the first time a woman had won an IndyCar event. Who was this driver?

    Three

    In 1968, the Conservative Member of Parliament and Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, Enoch Powell, made a speech which was about immigration. He referred to it as his ‘Birmingham Speech’, but it came to be known by what three words?

    Four

    Who, on 20 April 1534, sailed from France with a Royal Commission to find a western passage to India?

    Five

    In 1152, after an eight-year conflict, Baldwin III of … won sole control of the Kingdom of … from his mother Melisandre. What one word fills both the gaps in the preceding sentence? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.