sport – Page 8 – Quizology Online

J’Accuse—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

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?

Answer: Captain Alfred Dreyfus and French Guiana

The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906, centred around the wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus for treason. Despite evidence of his innocence, Dreyfus was convicted and imprisoned, sparking a national debate between Dreyfusards, who supported him, and anti-Dreyfusards, who condemned him. The affair highlighted issues of injustice and antisemitism in France.

Two

Edvard Munch, 1893, *The Scream*, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway.
Image Wikipedia

On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

Answer: The Scream

Edvard Munch’s 1893 painting The Scream depicts an agonised face and is considered an iconic representation of existential dread. Munch created multiple versions, including two paintings and two pastels, with one pastel version selling for a record price in 2012. The Scream has been stolen twice, in 1994 and 2004. In both cases, the perpetrators were eventually apprehended. The painting was recovered after a few months in 1994 and two years after the 2004 theft.

Henry Kissinger, 1982.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Three

On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

Answer: Richard Nixon

Henry Kissinger, national security adviser and secretary of state (from 1973) under Nixon and Ford, significantly shaped US foreign policy from 1969-1976. He advanced détente with the Soviet Union, initiated SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks), opened relations with China, and played a crucial role in Vietnam War peace negotiations.

The *America*, schooner yacht.
Image Wikipedia

Four

In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

Answer: Isle of Wight

The America’s Cup, originally the R.Y.S. £100 Cup, was donated to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) in 1857 and renamed after the winning yacht, America. The NYYC held the trophy for 132 years until 1983. The class of yachts used in the competition has evolved over time, from large yachts to smaller, more affordable classes, and currently features high-tech foiling catamarans.

Richard III, Battle of Bosworth Field.
From *A Chronicle of England, B.C. 55-A.D. 1485* by James E. Doyle, 1864.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

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?

Answer: Battle of Bosworth Field and King Richard III

The Battle of Bosworth, fought on 22 August 1485, was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor’s victory over Richard III marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. The exact location of the battle is disputed, with memorials erected at different sites.

J’Accuse

All of these questions are related to today, August 22nd.

One

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Smorgasbord—Answers

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.

Two

The official name of an Asian capital city is

krungthepmahanakhonamonrattanakosinmahintharaayuthayamahadilokphopnoppharatratchathaniburiromudomratchaniwetmahasathanamonpimanawatansathitsakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

What is this city commonly known as in English?

— Answer: Bangkok

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 the Harris Hawk.
Image The Telegraph

Three

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.

Smorgasbord

The first question relates to today’s date, August 17th. The rest of the post, apart from being posted today, has no connection to this date.

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?

Two

The official name of an Asian capital city is

krungthepmahanakhonamonrattanakosinmahintharaayuthayamahadilokphopnoppharatratchathaniburiromudomratchaniwetmahasathanamonpimanawatansathitsakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

What is this city commonly known as in English?

Three

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Bunkered—Answers

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?

— Answer: True

The South Pole is always colder

North Pole

32° F (0° C) summer

−40° F (−40° C) winter

South Pole

−18° F (−28.2° C) summer

−76° F (−60° C) winter

Data from NASA

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.

Bunkered

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fly Me to the Moon | Answers

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.

Three

The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

— Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

— Encyclopædia Britannica

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?

Answer: Alberta

Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the wife of John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The name was originally given to the District of Alberta in 1882. The Princess also gave her name to Mount Alberta and Lake Louise.

Five

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Wilfred Owen

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’.

Anthem for Doomed Youth

BY WILFRED OWEN

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

      Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

      And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

      The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

— Wilfred Owen

— Poetry Foundation

Fly Me to the Moon

One

In 1968, what became the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return?

Two

The 1999 Open Championship was decided in a play-off between Jean Van de Velde and which two other players?

Three

The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

— Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

What word is missing from the end of the above quote?

Four

Which Canadian province is named after the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, born 1848?

Five

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Wilfred Owen

The above quote is the opening line of which poem?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

A Spoonful of Sugar | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

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 Spoonful of Sugar

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

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.