Quizology.Online

Tag: sport

  • Binary Choice — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Walrus pup.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are all answered as either true or false. 

    One

    Is it true or false that adult male walruses are heavier than adult male polar bears.

    Answer: True.

    Male Pacific walruses weigh about 800 to 1,700 kg (1,764-3,748 lb.) while polar bear boars weigh about 350 to more than 650 kg (772-1,433 lb.). 

    Two

    Is it true or false that Olga Korbut was the first gymnast to achieve a ‘perfect ten’ at the Olympics?

    Answer: False.

    Nadia Comăneci, born November 12, 1961, is a retired Romanian gymnast and five-time Olympic gold medallist. At 14, she became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 at the Olympics — Montreal, 1976, where she achieved seven perfect 10s: four on the uneven bars and three on the beam. Comăneci won nine Olympic medals and four World Championships. She defected to the U.S. in 1989 and married Bart Conner.

    Three

    Is it true or false that a genipap is a small fish related to the trout?

    Answer: False.

    It is a fruit. Genipa americana (genip tree) is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae which is cultivated for its edible fruits. In English, the tree is known as the genip and the fruit as genipap. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The fruits are eaten in preserves or made into drinks, jelly or ice cream. The unripe fruit yields a liquid used as a deep purple dye for tattoos, skin painting, insect repellent and food.

    Four

    Is it true or false that the 1975 novel Shōgun was written by James Clavell?

    Answer: True.

    Shōgun, a 1975 novel by James Clavell, depicts the transition from Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama to Edo period. It explores European influences and internal Japanese conflicts leading to the Shogunate restoration, drawing loosely on historical events and figures. By 1980, Shōgun sold six million copies globally. It inspired two TV series (1980, 2024), a musical, a board game, and three video games. Despite its historical setting, it is the third book in Clavell’s Asian Saga series, with six books in total.

    Five

    Is it true or false that Agent Orange, widely used by the US military in the Vietnam War, had an early form of digitalised artificial intelligence?

    Answer: False.

    Agent Orange, a herbicide used in the Vietnam War, caused severe health and environmental damage. It exposed millions, leading to illnesses and birth defects. It is estimated that The U.S. military used 19 million US gallons (72,000 m3) of defoliants and herbicides in Operation Ranch Hand from 1962-1971. Legal actions followed, but its classification as a chemical weapon remains debated.

  • Binary Choice

    Walrus pup.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are all answered as either true or false. 

    One

    Is it true or false that adult male walruses are heavier than adult male polar bears.

    Two

    Is it true or false that Olga Korbut was the first gymnast to achieve a ‘perfect ten’ at the Olympics?

    Three

    Is it true or false that a genipap is a small fish related to the trout?

    Four

    Is it true or false that the 1975 novel Shōgun was written by James Clavell?

    Five

    Is it true or false that Agent Orange, widely used by the US military in the Vietnam War, had an early form of digitalised artificial intelligence?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    2026 Chinese GP – Mercedes – Kimi Antonelli – Qualifying.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question concerns the date May 5th. Each subsequent question builds on the previous one.

    One

    In Shangdu on 5 May 1260 Kublai was unanimously elected khan. An English poet later wrote a poem featuring Kublai Khan in which he changed Shangdu’s name to what?

    Answer: Xanadu.

    Kublai Khan, a Mongolian general and statesman, was the grandson and greatest successor of Genghis Khan. As the fifth emperor of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, he reigned from 1260 to 1294. He succeeded his brother Möngke after the Toluid Civil War and expanded the empire, claiming orthodox succession from Chinese dynasties. In 1279, he completed the conquest of China initiated by his grandfather and became the first Yuan ruler to govern the entire country.

    Two

    Water, water, every where,
    And all the boards did shrink; 
    Water, water, every where,
    Nor any drop to drink.

    The poet who wrote the poem mentioned in question one wrote another which includes the lines quoted above. Who was the poet, and what poem does the quote come from? 

    Answer: Samuel Taylor Coleridge; The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797–98 and published in 1798 in Lyrical Ballads, is a seven-part poem recounting a sailor’s tale. The mariner stops a wedding guest to share his story of killing an albatross, his crew’s death, and his redemption. The narrative uses techniques like personification and repetition, marking a shift to modern poetry and British Romantic literature. The mariner’s penance is to share his story.

    Three

    A song released by a British American rock band in November 1968 has a creature from the poem mentioned in question two as its title. In January 1969, this instrumental track provided the band with its only UK number one hit in their more than fifty years of performing. Name the song and the band? 

    Answers: Albatross; Fleetwood Mac.

    According to Peter Green, inspiration for Albatross was drawn from Santo & Johnny’s Sleep Walk and Eric Clapton’s The Last Meal. Green was reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and took the title from it. Fleetwood Mac recorded it over two days in October 1968, initially without plans for a single release. Albatross, which was by Fleetwood Mac’s original line-up, is featured on their “greatest hits” compilations. George Harrison noted in 1987 that Albatross served as a starting point for the Beatles on two of their tracks; it inspired the songs: Sun King and Don’t Let Me Down.

    Four

    A track by the above-mentioned band, which is from their Rumours album, is the only one written by all five band members at that time. It has been used on the BBC since 1978 as a theme tune for a sports programme. That sport is now covered in the UK by Channel 4, but they have kept the same theme. What is both the relevant track and sport?

    Answer: The Chain; Formula One.

    The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, from their 1977 album Rumours, is the only song credited to all five members. It was crafted from rejected materials by Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie, manually spliced at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, with engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut. A staple of the band’s live shows, The Chain opens The Dance(1997) and appears on greatest hits compilations. It’s their second most streamed Spotify track with over 1.5 billion streams. In the UK, its instrumental is used for BBC and Channel 4’s Formula One coverage.

    Five

    Following on from above a question about Formula One. In the 2026 F1 World Championship two races were cancelled during April because of the international situation. What circuits, and where are these circuits, were effected by these cancellations?

    Answers: The Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain; and the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    The 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prixes, part of the Formula One World Championship, were set for 12 and 19 April at the Bahrain International Circuit and Jeddah Corniche Circuit, respectively. Scheduled as the fourth and fifth rounds, both races were cancelled on 14 March due to the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war.

    Water, water, every where,  / Nor any drop to drink.

    The post title is from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner as referenced in question two. The full text can be found at the Poetry Foundation website The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

  • Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink

    2026 Chinese GP – Mercedes – Kimi Antonelli – Qualifying.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question concerns the date May 5th. Each subsequent question builds on the previous one.

    One

    In Shangdu on 5 May 1260 Kublai was unanimously elected khan. An English poet later wrote a poem featuring Kublai Khan in which he changed Shangdu’s name to what?

    Two

    Water, water, every where,
    And all the boards did shrink; 
    Water, water, every where,
    Nor any drop to drink.

    The poet who wrote the poem mentioned in question one wrote another which includes the lines quoted above. Who was the poet, and what poem does the quote come from? 

    Three

    A song released by a British American rock band in November 1968 has a creature from the poem mentioned in question two as its title. In January 1969, this instrumental track provided the band with its only UK number one hit in their more than fifty years of performing. Name the song and the band? 

    Four

    A track by the above-mentioned band, which is from their Rumours album, is the only one written by all five band members at that time. It has been used on the BBC since 1978 as a theme tune for a sports programme. That sport is now covered in the UK by Channel 4, but they have kept the same theme. What is both the relevant track and sport?

    Five

    Following on from above a question about Formula One. In the 2026 F1 World Championship two races were cancelled during April because of the international situation. What circuits, and where are these circuits, were effected by these cancellations?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • 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.