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
18the Duke of Norfolk wearing parliamentary robes as Earl Marshal in 2022. Image Wikipedia
Which English Duke, the hereditary Earl Marshal, was responsible for arranging Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the accession and coronation of King Charles III?
Answer: (Duke of) Norfolk
Edward William Fitzalan-Howard’s family connection to the Royal Family is long, with the 3rd Duke of Norfolk being the uncle of both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the second and fifth wives respectively of Henry VII.
Jennyanydots, originally a character from T.S Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, later became a character in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats. While she appears lazy during the day, she becomes active at night, ruling mice and cockroaches. In the musical, she leads a tap dancing routine.
Bob and Helen Parr are a superhero couple known as…
Answer: Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl
Parr was the surname of Catherine, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. The Incredibles is a 2004 Pixar film about a superhero couple, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who hide their powers to live a quiet suburban life. However, Mr. Incredible’s desire to help people draws the entire family into a confrontation with a vengeful fan. The film received widespread acclaim for its animation, screenplay, and voice acting.
Four
Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, 1977 Open Championship, Turnberry. Image tomwatson.com
The 1977 Open Championship, famously remembered for the ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, was held at which Open Championship venue?
Answer: Turnberry
The 1977 Open Championship, held at Turnberry, Scotland, was won by Tom Watson by one stroke over Jack Nicklaus. The two golfers, who played together in the final two rounds, separated themselves from the field, leading to the championship being remembered as the ‘Duel in the Sun’.
Five
Solitaire (Jane Seymour), Live and Let Die, 1973. Image Screenrant
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg’s stage name is the same as one of Henry VIII’s wives. In 1973, she played a Bond girl in Live and Let Die. What is her stage name, and what character did she portray in this film?
Answer: Jane Seymour and Solitaire
Jane Seymour was also the name of the third wife of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, born Joyce Frankenberg, is a British actress known for roles in film and television, including The Onedin Line and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including Golden Globes and Emmys, for her performances. Seymour is also a philanthropist, author and designer.
Portrait of a Lady, perhaps Katherine Howard (1520-1542) c. 1540 Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8-1543) Image Royal collection Trust
On 28 July 1540 King Henry VIII of England privately married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. A few of today’s questions are tenuously linked to this and two are not.
One
Which English Duke, the hereditary Earl Marshal, was responsible for arranging Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the accession and coronation of King Charles III?
Two
Jennyanydots features in what musical?
Three
Bob and Helen Parr are a superhero couple known as…
Four
The 1977 Open Championship, famously remembered for the ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, was held at which Open Championship venue?
Five
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg’s stage name is the same as one of Henry VIII’s wives. In 1973, she played a Bond girl in Live and Let Die. What is her stage name, and what character did she portray in this film?
The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.
Born in London Bob Hope’s family emigrated to the United States two months before his fifth birthday. Hope was an American comedian, actor and entertainer with a nearly 80-year career spanning vaudeville, radio, television and USO Tours. He starred in over 50 films, including the Road to … series with Bing Crosby, and hosted the Academy Awards a record 19 times. Hope retired in 1999 and died in 2003 at the age of 100.
One
Entertainers Bob Hope and Ann Jillian perform for military personnel at the USO Christmas Tour during Operation Desert Shield. Image Wikipedia
In the 1995 Bob Hope Classic pro-am golf tournament, three United States presidents participated in a team with Bob Hope and professional golfer Scott Hoch. Who were the three presidents who were involved in this event?
Answer: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford
This event marked the first time a sitting president – Clinton – had played during a PGA Tour event and perhaps the first time three presidents had ever played together. The Bob Hope Classic, with its long history and association with golf in the Coachella Valley, has featured celebrities like Frank Sinatra and US presidents Eisenhower, Ford, Bush and Clinton. The tournament’s legacy, including Hope’s name, ensures continued charitable donations.
Which nation launched the Hope probe, an unmanned space exploration probe, on a mission to Mars in 2020?
Answer: United Arab Emirates
The Emirates Mars Mission, led by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, successfully sent the Hope probe to Mars in 2021. The mission, involving 200 Emirati scientists and engineers, studies Mars’ weather cycles and atmospheric loss, contributing to the UAE’s knowledge-based economy. The UAE became the first Arab country and fifth country to reach Mars.
Hope (1995), a novel in the Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy, is written by whom?
Answer: Len Deighton
Bernard Samson, a middle-aged SIS officer, is the central character in Len Deighton’s three trilogies. The plot revolves around his wife Fiona’s defection to East Germany, leaving Bernard to question her loyalty and his own. The first trilogy comprises the books Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match. The second trilogy comprises Spy Hook, Spy Line and Spy Sinker. The third and final trilogy comprises Faith, Hope and Charity.
In which country was the company that began manufacturing the pictured vehicle in 1952 based?
Answer: Japan
In 1952 the Hope Jidosha Company in Tokyo (Japan) built a 3-wheeler that had a 7cwt carrying capacity. The vehicle was powered by a 350cc twin-piston 2 stroke engine that provided power to the rear wheels. The Hope Star came with a number of body variations and the company also produced 4-wheeler trucks up until 1962.
You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will live as one
The word ‘hope’ appears in this final verse of a 1971 song. Can you identify the song and the singer-songwriter?
Answer: Imagine – John Lennon
Imagine, a song by John Lennon, encourages listeners to imagine a world of peace without materialism, borders or religion. The song, co-produced by Lennon, Yoko Ono and Phil Spector, has been widely praised and covered by over 200 artists. It remains controversial due to its lyrics, particularly the lyric ‘no religion too’.
Imagine
(from Imagine: John Lennon soundtrack)
Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today… Aha-ah…
Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too Imagine all the people Living life in peace… You…
You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world… You…
You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will live as one
British-born comic, actor, and entertainer Bob Hope passed away on July 27, 2003, at the age of 100. All today’s questions relate to the word or name ‘Hope’
Bob Hope putting in Oval Office watched by US President Richard Nixon. Image Die Welt
One
In the 1995 Bob Hope Classic pro-am golf tournament, three United States presidents participated in a team with Bob Hope and professional golfer Scott Hoch. Who were the three presidents who were involved in this event?
Two
Which nation launched the Hope probe, an unmanned space exploration probe, on a mission to Mars in 2020?
Three
Hope (1995), a novel in the Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy, is written by whom?
As usual the answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below and additionally I have underlined the monetary connection in the relevant answers.
Ha’penny Bridge, River Liffey, Dublin. Image Wikipedia
One
Which pedestrian bridge crossing Dublin’s River Liffey, as shown in the image above, bears a name derived from an old Irish coin?
Answer: Ha’penny Bridge
Ha’penny Bridge. The common name of the bridge derives from the ha’penny toll the bridge’s buider was allowed to charge anyone crossing it for a period of 100 years. Originally named the Wellington Bridge and after the Irish War of Independence renamed as the Liffey Bridge, Droichead na Life, its official name to this day.
Can you name a 1965 Western film by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters?
Answer: For a Few Dollars More
For a Few Dollars More is a 1965 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters. It was the second instalment of the Dollars trilogy.
There is continent with a name which might derive from words meaning ‘wide-gazing’ or ‘sunset’. Another theory suggests the name is from a Goddess, who was a Phoenician princess. What is this continent?
Answer: Europe
The euro, the currency of the European Union, was introduced in 1999 and became the sole currency of 12 EU member states in 2002. The European Central Bank manages the euro, which is used by 20 EU countries and several non-EU countries. Euro banknotes feature Europa and European symbols, while coins have common and country-specific designs. The euro is the official currency of 20 European Union member states, collectively known as the eurozone. It is also used by several non-EU states and territories, making it the second-largest reserve currency and the second-most traded currency globally. The euro replaced the former European Currency Unit and became the day-to-day currency in 2002.
A 1996 novel by the British writer Ben Elton shares its name with a variety of corn kernel?
Answer: Popcorn
This is the red herring with no monetary connection. Ben Elton’s novel is titled Popcorn.
Popcorn, a variety of corn kernel that expands when heated, is one of the oldest snacks. It is commonly eaten salted, buttered, sweetened, or with artificial flavourings.
The remarkable achievement of a swimmer, the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, established a record that stood for 36 years. Can you identify the athlete in question?
Answer: Mark Spitz
The mark was most notabally a currency used in Germany until 1999 although Bosnia and Herzegovina currently use the convertible mark as their currency.
Mark Spitz, a retired American competitive swimmer, achieved remarkable success by winning nine Olympic gold medals between 1968 and 1972. Notably, he secured seven Olympic gold medals in Munich, all of which were achieved in world-record times. This remarkable feat stood as a record for an impressive 36 years.
There is a theme related to money today. Four of the answers will contain a coin, a currency etc but there is one red herring which has nothing to do with the theme and is not related to money.
Which pedestrian bridge crossing Dublin’s River Liffey, as shown in the image above, bears a name derived from an old Irish coin?
Two
Can you name a 1965 Western film by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters?
Three
There is continent with a name which might derive from words meaning ‘wide-gazing’ or ‘sunset’. Another theory suggests the name is from a Goddess, who was a Phoenician princess. What is this continent?
Four
A 1996 novel by the British writer Ben Elton shares its name with a variety of corn kernel?
Five
The remarkable achievement of a swimmer, the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, established a record that stood for 36 years. Can you identify the athlete in question?
Which Spanish Nobel laureate wrote the novels The Family of Pascual Duarte, The Hive and Christ Versus Arizona?
Camilo José Cela
Mario Vargas Llosa
Patrick Modiano
Answer: Camilo José Cela
Camilo José Cela y Trulock, a Spanish novelist and poet, was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature for his prose. He was associated with the Generation of ’36 movement.
National Museum of Cameroon, Yaoundé. Image Wikipedia
Two
Yaoundé is the capital of which French-speaking West African country?
Answer: Cameroon
Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, is the second-largest city with a population of over 2.8 million. Founded as a German trading post in 1887, it became the French colonial capital in 1922 and the seat of government for independent Cameroon in 1960.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth acknowledge the crowds at Toronto City Hall during the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada. Image Wikipedia
Three
Camilla is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. Who was the last person to be Queen consort of these realms?
Answer: Elizabeth (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon wife of George VI and later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother)
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married Prince Albert, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. When King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, Prince Albert became King George VI, and Elizabeth, as his wife, became Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth. She was also the last Empress of India. After her husband’s death in 1952, her daughter Elizabeth became queen regnant, or queen in her own right. She reigned as Elizabeth II, and to avoid confusion, her mother was styled as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
Captain Archibald Haddock, introduced in The Crab with the Golden Claws, is Tintin’s best friend and a seafaring captain. Initially depicted as alcoholic, he becomes more respectable and heroicand quickly evolved into a loyal companion to Tintin. Hergé developed Haddock’s character, giving him a rich ancestry and a home, Marlinspike Hall, to provide a base for future adventures. Haddock’s name was suggested by Hergé’s wife, and his character was based on aspects of Hergé’s friends, adding humour to the Tintin stories.
The Women’s Lacrosse World Cup has been held eleven times, with the United States winning nine of these championships. The remaining two championships were won by which country?
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Answer: Australia
The World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, held every four years, is the international championship of women’s lacrosse. Sponsored by the Federation of International Lacrosse since 2009, it was previously sponsored by the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations. Australia’s victory over the United States in two finals means the US has been represented in all eleven championship finals.
Which Spanish Nobel laureate wrote the novels The Family of Pascual Duarte, The Hive and Christ Versus Arizona?
Camilo José Cela
Mario Vargas Llosa
Patrick Modiano
Two
Yaoundé is the capital of which French-speaking West African country?
Three
Camilla is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as she is the wife of King Charles III. Who was the last person to be Queen consort of these realms?
Four
The picture at the top of the post is of Tintin’s friend, but what is his full name?
Five
The Women’s Lacrosse World Cup has been held eleven times, with the United States winning nine of these championships. The remaining two championships were won by which country?
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