Quizology.Online

Tag: transport

  • Stop the Pigeon (Before it is too Old) — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    Today’s questions all relate to the title.

    One

    “Just the place for a …!” the Bellman cried,

              As he landed his crew with care;

    Supporting each man on the top of the tide

              By a finger entwined in his hair.

    What word is missing from the first line of the above?

    Answer: Snark

    The Hunting of the Snark, subtitled An Agony, in Eight Fits, by Lewis Carroll, published in 1876, is a nonsense poem with illustrations by Henry Holiday. It follows a crew hunting the Snark, which turns out to be a Boojum. The poem, dedicated to Gertrude Chataway, has been adapted widely and interpreted in various ways.

    Two

    What, in 1912, was the RMS Titanic’s last port of call before setting out across the Atlantic?

    Answer: Queenstown.

    RMS Titanic originally set sail on 10 April 1912 from Southampton, England; she crossed the English Channel to Cherbourg, France before sailing to Queenstown (now Cobh), County Cork, Ireland, picking up additional passengers at both of these ports before heading into the Atlantic Ocean on her fateful voyage. She struck the iceberg shortly before midnight on the 14 April and about two and a half hours later she broke in two and sank. About 1,500 people perished on the night.

    Three

    Whose 2005 hit song was entitled Caught Up?

    Answer: Usher.

    Caught Up by Usher, from Confessions, was released on 3 January 2005 as the final single. Written by Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Ryan Toby and Jason Boyd, it reached number eight in the United States and number nine in the United Kingdom. Critics praised the performance; the music video premiered on Fox’s New Year’s Eve Live.

    Four

    The …, the Dish of the Day at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, is a speaking quadruped, a ruminant specially bred not only to wish to be eaten but also to express this.

    What three words (a fictional breed) are absent from this statement?

    Answer: Ameglian Major Cow.

    In The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, part of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, an Ameglian Major Cow, bred to want consumption, offers itself at Milliways; Zaphod orders steaks and Arthur a salad. The cow departs to shoot itself humanely, which Arthur finds revolting.

    Five

    The … Overland Mail ran from both Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, going via Fort Smith, Arkansas. to San Francisco, California.

    What name is missing from the previous sentence?

    Answer: Butterfield.

    Butterfield Overland Mail operated from 1858 to 1861, carrying passengers and U.S. Mail from Memphis and St Louis to San Francisco via Fort Smith and multiple territories. Congress authorised Aaron V. Brown to contract this service in 1857; the route became a national historic trail in 2023.

    Stop the Pigeon (Before it is too Old)

    The post title is in two parts: ‘Stop the pigeon’ from Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines (1969) and is only relevant for the inclusion of ‘Pigeon’.  A pigeon, before it is too old, is a squab, and today’s answers begin with S, Q, U, A and B: perhaps a bit cryptic!

  • Stop the Pigeon (Before it is too Old)

    Today’s questions all relate to the title.

    One

    “Just the place for a …!” the Bellman cried,

              As he landed his crew with care;

    Supporting each man on the top of the tide

              By a finger entwined in his hair.

    What word is missing from the first line of the above?

    Two

    What, in 1912, was the RMS Titanic’s last port of call before setting out across the Atlantic?

    Three

    Whose 2005 hit song was entitled Caught Up?

    Answer: Usher.

    Four

    The …, the Dish of the Day at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, is a speaking quadruped, a ruminant specially bred not only to wish to be eaten but also to express this.

    What three words (a fictional breed) are absent from this statement?

    Five

    The … Overland Mail ran from both Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, going via Fort Smith, Arkansas. to San Francisco, California.

    What name is missing from the previous sentence?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • King Ottokar’s Sceptre: Day Two

    Questions Six to Ten

    See Question Six. Olympic Rings.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    I am posing five questions each day for six days across various subjects, and each answer will begin with a distinct letter of the alphabet. As you likely deduced, five questions per day across six days yields thirty answers, each starting with a unique letter, leaving four unaccounted for. Consequently, four duplicates exist; in their order of appearance, they spell the name of a villainous figure from the eighth volume of a comic originally serialised in the first half of the 20th century. Although this character is not widely known, the aim is to correctly identify the second, duplicate iteration of these initial letters to reveal the name. The answers will not be given on the same day as the questions but at the end.

    Six

    How many times were the Olympic Games held in Asia during the 20th century?

    Seven

    Farrokh Bulsara became a chemical element, which one?

    Eight

    Scientists think the … is a giant spherical shell surrounding the Sun, planets and Kuiper Belt Objects. It’s like a big, thick bubble around our solar system, made of icy, comet-like objects.

    — NASA Science

    The statement above comes from NASA Science’s website; which two words have been omitted from it?

    Nine

    First appearing in the 1979 novel Jailbird, the fictional Ramjac Corporation appears in the writings of which US author?

    Ten

    Which religion’s traditional religious dress includes the kushti and sedreh?

    Good Luck! The answers will be posted after day six questions. More questions tomorrow.

  • It’s Just Not Cricket — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    See question one. Although this is not the Olympics it is Victorian-era cricket.
    W.G. Grace (right), batting in an 1890s cricket match.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s first question relates to 19 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but follow on (continuing the cricketing sayings).

    One

    Cricket first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1900. How many national teams competed in that tournament, and in how many Olympic events has the sport featured?

    Answers: Two; One.

    Cricket at the 1900 Paris Olympics featured only Great Britain and France, with the latter being a mixed team of English expatriates. The match, played over two days with 12-a-side, was won by Great Britain by 158 runs. John Symes preserved the game’s details with a handwritten scorecard. A cricket tournament was planned for the 1904 Summer Olympics in St Louis but was cancelled because there were insufficient entries. Cricket will return to the Olympics in 2028 at Los Angeles.

    Two

    The modern Olympics are numbered in Roman Numerals, for example the second and fifth would be referred to as the II Olympiad and the V Olympiad. What officially were the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China known as?

    Answer: XXIX Olympiad.

    Held in Beijing, China, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, were officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Inspired by Ancient Greece and led by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the modern Olympic Games began with the Games of the I Olympiad being held in Athens in 1896. The IOC governs the Olympic Movement, adapting to changes like professional athletes, media influence, and global events. The Games include various competitions, rituals, and symbols, fostering international representation and showcasing host cities. The Olympic Games promote global cooperation and cultural exchange. Hosting them offers economic benefits but also presents challenges, impacting infrastructure, tourism, and local communities.

    Three

    What is the IATA code for Beijing Capital International Airport?

    Answer: PEK.

    Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is the busier of Beijing’s two international airports, located 32 km northeast of the city centre. Owned by a state-controlled company, it covers 1,480 hectares and opened in 1958. The IATA code PEK derives from the city’s former romanised name, Peking.

    Four

    In 2025 Beijing Capital (question two above) was the 15th busiest airport in the world for passenger traffic. What city’s airport was the world’s busiest that year with 106,302,208 passengers?

    Answer: Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

    Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world’s busiest since 1998 except in 2020 (Covid), regaining the position in 2021; London has the busiest city airport system.

    Five

    This Province was established as a proprietary colony in 1732 and a royal colony from 1752. One of thirteen, it was named after a reigning British monarch: what monarch?

    Answer: George II.

    The corporate charter for the colony was issued to General James Oglethorpe on 21 April 1732 by George II, the monarch for whom the territory was named. The King’s privy council completed the document on 9 June 1732. George II ruled Great Britain and Ireland from 1727 to 1760, the last monarch born abroad.

    It’s Just Not Cricket

    The post title means that something is contrary to traditional standards of fairness or rectitude, but here it is actually used to mean there are other things as well as cricket in these questions. The questions also link to each other:

    1. Cricket and Olympics
    2. Olympics and Beijing
    3. Beijing and airport
    4. Airport and Georgia
    5. Georgia and George II

  • It’s Just Not Cricket

    See question one. Although this is not the Olympics it is still Victorian-era cricket.
    W.G. Grace (right), batting in an 1890s cricket match.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s first question relates to 19 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but follow on (continuing the cricketing sayings).

    One

    Cricket first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1900. How many national teams competed in that tournament, and in how many Olympic events has the sport featured?

    Two

    The modern Olympics are numbered in Roman Numerals, for example the second and fifth would be referred to as the II Olympiad and the V Olympiad. What officially were the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China known as?

    Three

    What is the IATA code for Beijing Capital International Airport?

    Four

    In 2025 Beijing Capital (question two above) was the 15th busiest airport in the world for passenger traffic. What city’s airport was the world’s busiest that year with 106,302,208 passengers?

    Five

    This Province was established as a proprietary colony in 1732 and a royal colony from 1752. One of thirteen, it was named after a reigning British monarch: what monarch?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Superlatives — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Inaugural Transatlantic Telegram.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is connected to today, 16 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but continue a Superlative’s theme which moves on from first, to furthest, heaviest, furthest (again) and finally shortest.

    One

    In 1858, Queen Victoria sent the U.S. President the first message via the Transatlantic telegraph. How long did the transmission of the message take:

    1. 7 minutes 
    2. 9 hours
    3. 16 hours

    Answer: 3. 16 hours

    On this day in 1858, the first successful transatlantic telegraph exchange between heads of state took place. Queen Victoria sent the initial message to U.S. President James Buchanan. Although nearly instantaneous by 19th-century standards, the transmission required more than 16 hours. Unfortunately, the cable failed on 1 September, and a functioning line was not restored until 1866.

    Two

    The summit of what stratovolcano is the furthest point from the centre of the Earth?

    1. Chimborazo, Ecuador
    2. Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland
    3. Kogajajima, Japan

    Answer: 1. Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador.

    Chimborazo, an inactive volcano which sits between Guayaquil and Quito, wins due to Earth’s oblate spheroid shape, placing Whymper — the tallest of its four summits — 7,096 feet (2,163 m) farther from the centre of the Earth than Everest. 

    Three

    Which species is the heaviest living monkey?

    1. Mandrill
    2. Nepal Grey Langur
    3. Olive Baboon 

    Answer: 1. Mandrill

    Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), is a colourful, sexually dimorphic Old World monkey from west central Africa, closely related to the drill and white-eyelid mangabeys. Active by day on the ground, it eats fruit, seeds and animals in large female-centred hordes; dominant males are solitary outside breeding.

    Four

    On 15 August 2026, how far was Voyager 1 from Earth?

    1. 8.7 billion miles (14.0 billion km)
    2. 11.3 billion miles (18.2 billion km)
    3. 15.9 billion miles (25.6 billion km)

    Answer: 3. 15.9 billion miles.

    Voyager 1 was launched on the 5 September 1977 16 days after Voyager 2. 

    On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, at 2:16:07 a.m. PST, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft will be 16,094,799,096 miles (25,902,068,356 kilometers) away from Earth — or, the distance light travels in 24 hours, also known as one light-day.  
    Voyager 1 will be the first human-made object to reach this distance from Earth, adding to a long list of historic firsts for the mission. Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever operate outside the heliosphere, or the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields generated by the Sun.
    — NASA

    Five

    What is the fastest time taken to complete the world’s shortest domestic scheduled flight?

    1. 53 seconds
    2. 97 seconds
    3. 131 seconds

    Answer: 1. 53 seconds.

    The shortest domestic scheduled flight is 2.74 km (1.7 miles) between the Orkney islands of Westray and Papa Westray. The flight takes two minutes (including taxiing) and is operated by Loganair which has been flown with Britten-Norman Islander eight-seat aircraft since September 1967. The total distance is less than either of the runways at Heathrow Airport, London, UK. Stuart Linklater announced his retirement as airplane pilot on the record route and between Stronsay, Sanday, North Ronaldsay and Eday in May 2013. He flew the routes 12,000 time over more than 24 years, clocking up 1.3 million miles. Loganair reported that he had set the fastest time for the Westray and Papa Westray route, with 53 seconds.
    — Guinness World Records

  • Superlatives

    Inaugural Transatlantic Telegram.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is connected to today, 16 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but continue a Superlative’s theme which moves on from first, to furthest, heaviest, furthest (again) and finally shortest.

    One

    In 1858, Queen Victoria sent the U.S. President the first message via the Transatlantic telegraph. How long did the transmission of the message take:

    1. 7 minutes 
    2. 9 hours
    3. 16 hours

    Two

    The summit of what stratovolcano is the furthest point from the centre of the Earth?

    1. Chimborazo, Ecuador
    2. Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland
    3. Kogajajima, Japan

    Three

    Which species is the heaviest living monkey?

    1. Mandrill
    2. Nepal Grey Langur
    3. Olive Baboon 

    Four

    On 15 August 2026, how far was Voyager 1 from Earth?

    1. 8.7 billion miles (14.0 billion km)
    2. 11.3 billion miles (18.2 billion km)
    3. 15.9 billion miles (25.6 billion km)

    Five

    What is the fastest time taken to complete the world’s shortest domestic scheduled flight?

    1. 53 seconds
    2. 97 seconds
    3. 131 seconds

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • That Sinking Feeling — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    The Mary Rose as depicted in the Anthony Roll of the 1540s.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question relates to today’s date. The others aren’t date-related but build on the theme established in the first.

    One

    This English carrack-type warship, built for the king’s navy and involved in a battle with the French that resulted in its sinking in the Solent on 19 July 1545, had its wreck rediscovered by salvagers in 1971, ultimately leading to the opening of a museum dedicated to its history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2013. What is the warship’s name and for what king’s navy was it built?

    Answers: Mary Rose; Henry VIII.

    On this day in 1545, Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, sank during the Battle of the Solent. A sudden gust of wind flooded seawater through its open gunports, tragically resulting in the loss of over 400 crew members. Centuries later, the remarkably preserved wreck was rediscovered in the English Channel.  It has since become one of the world’s most significant underwater archaeological finds.

    Two

    Although not the first such instance the action of soldiers and sailors during the 1852 sinking of HMS Birkenhead made which maritime protocol more prominent?

    Answer: Women and children first.

    ‘Women and children first’ is an unofficial code prioritising their safety in life-threatening situations, like shipwrecks, due to limited resources. Celebrated as a chivalric ideal in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was notably invoked during the HMS Birkenhead evacuation, SS Central America sinking, and Titanic disaster, though unevenly applied. The protocol is sometimes described as ‘Birkenhead Drill’.

    Three

    What 1960 musical and 1964 musical film told the story of a woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic?

    Answer: The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

    The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It originated as a 1960 musical with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and a book by Richard Morris. In 1964, it was adapted into an American Western musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring Debbie Reynolds, filmed in Panavision. The screenplay by Helen Deutsch is based on the musical’s book, and the song score was composed by Meredith Willson. Reynolds received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Brown.

    Four

    What ship did Ernest Shackleton and his Trans-Antarctic Expedition lose in 1915 when it was crushed by ice and sank?

    Answer: Endurance.

    Endurance, originally Polaris, was a three-masted barquentine used by Ernest Shackleton for the 1914–1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Built in 1912, it sank in 1915 after being trapped in ice. All crew survived. The wreck was found in 2022 at a depth of 3,008 metres and is a protected historic site.

    Five

    Which US state’s name completes this: the 1864 Battle of Cherbourg is also known as the Sinking of CSS…?

    Answer: Alabama.

    The CSS Alabama, a Confederate sloop-of-war built in 1862, was a successful commerce raider under Captain Raphael Semmes. It captured or sank 68 Union ships in just 22 months across the Atlantic, West Indies, and East Indies. On June 19, 1864, the USS Kearsarge sank the Alabama during the Battle of Cherbourg, France.

    That Sinking Feeling.

    The post title is an idiom meaning a feeling that something bad is going to happen. In today’s post, it is simply a play on words regarding the ‘sinking’ theme of the questions.

  • That Sinking Feeling

    The ? as depicted in the Anthony Roll of the 1540s.
    See question one.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question relates to today’s date. The others aren’t date-related but build on the theme established in the first.

    One

    This English carrack-type warship, built for the king’s navy and involved in a battle with the French that resulted in its sinking in the Solent on 19 July 1545, had its wreck rediscovered by salvagers in 1971, ultimately leading to the opening of a museum dedicated to its history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2013. What is the warship’s name and for what king’s navy was it built?

    Two

    Although not the first such instance the action of soldiers and sailors during the 1852 sinking of HMS Birkenhead made which maritime protocol more prominent?

    Three

    What 1960 musical and 1964 musical film told the story of a woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic?

    Four

    What ship did Ernest Shackleton and his Trans-Antarctic Expedition lose in 1915 when it was crushed by ice and sank?

    Five

    Which US state’s name completes this: the 1864 Battle of Cherbourg is also known as the Sinking of CSS…?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Gallimaufry XII — Answers

    Here’s the answers to the questions posted earlier.

    Despite a heart condition and arthritis that forced him to use a cane, Brigadier General Roosevelt led the assault on Utah Beach.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are a mixed bag and are not date-related. There is a bit of an alphabetical theme going on, though..

    One

    New York International Airport, which opened in 1948, was also commonly known by what other name?

    Answer: Idlewild.

    Now known as John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), it is a major international airport serving the New York metropolitan area. Located in Queens, New York City, it is the busiest airport in the New York airport system and the busiest international commercial airport in North America. JFK features five passenger terminals and four runways, and serves as a hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

    Two

    Supported by a walking stick, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr led the assault on which D-Day beach?

    Answer: Utah Beach.

    At 56, Roosevelt was the oldest general to land by sea with the first wave on D-Day, alongside his son, Captain Quentin Roosevelt II, who also landed with the first wave at Omaha Beach, making them the only father-son pair to participate in the invasion that day. Brigadier General Roosevelt, with Captain Leonard T. Schroeder Jr., led the 8th Infantry Regiment and 70th Tank Battalion at Utah Beach. Despite drifting off course, Roosevelt personally reconnoitred the area, coordinated with battalion commanders, and decided to attack from their landing point, famously declaring, ‘We’ll start the war from right here!’.

    Three

    What two word term is commonly used in the west to refer to the mythical humanoid creature which is said to inhabit parts of the Himalayas?

    Answer: Abominable Snowman.

    The Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, is a mythical humanoid creature believed to inhabit the Himalayas. Its existence is debated, with evidence such as sightings, videos, photos, and footprints, many of which are hoaxes or disputed. Despite numerous claims, the Yeti remains a subject of folklore and speculation. Folklorists trace the Yeti’s origin to Sherpa folklore and misidentified animals like bears or yaks, and it is often compared to North America’s Bigfoot due to similar physical descriptions.

    Four

    What flower with an eight-letter common name is the official flower of the Japanese city of Hiroshima, being the first to bloom there after the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945?

    Answer: Oleander.

    As the very first flower to bloom on the scorched earth of Hiroshima, where it was said that nothing would grow for 75 years, the oleander flower was a source of strength and hope for the residents of the city as they worked hard on recovery efforts. Blooming in the summertime, the oleander flowers reach their peak around the August 6 Peace Memorial Day, their beautiful blossoms reminding our citizens of a great many and profound feelings.
    — The City of Hiroshima

    Five

    In Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox steals the spaceship Heart of Gold. What’s the name of the ship’s computer?

    Answer: Eddie.

    Eddie, the Heart of Gold’s shipboard computer, is annoyingly cheerful with a Genuine People Personality, irritating the crew, especially Zaphod. He has a backup motherly personality but remains disliked. Eddie controls all ship systems and records conversations. In And Another Thing…, Zaphod’s Left Brain replaces him, being more competent

    Theme

    The answers started with one of English’s five vowels, although not in the correct order.