Quizology.Online

Tag: transport

  • 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.

  • Gallimaufry XII

    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?

    Two

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

    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?

    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?

    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?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Doctor Skaro — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question four. Flag of the Azores.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Answer: Ouagadougou.

    Air Burkina SA, Burkina Faso’s national airline, operates from Ouagadougou Airport to domestic and regional destinations. It is currently government-owned, with a new investor being sought.

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Answer: Schindler’s Ark.

    Schindler’s Ark is a biographical novel by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler, a Nazi who saved 1,200 Jews. It won the 1982 Booker Prize, gained fame through Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List, and was featured on the 2022 ‘Big Jubilee Read’ list.

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Answer: Kon-Tiki.

    The Kon-Tiki expedition, led by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947, was a raft journey from South America to Polynesia. Funded by private loans and U.S. Army equipment, Heyerdahl and five companions sailed 6,900 km on a balsa log raft, landing safely at Raroia after 101 days, inspiring a book and films.

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Answer: Azores.

    The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, consists of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known for its mild climate, the region’s economy relies on agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism. Mount Pico is Portugal’s highest point. The Azores are seismically active at the Azores triple junction where the Eurasian, Nubian and North American tectonic plates meet.

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Answer: Rear Window.

    Rear Window, shot almost entirely from one room, is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and one of the greatest ever made. Confined to his apartment, photojournalist Jeff (James Stewart) observes his neighbours, including Thorwald, who he suspects of murdering his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate. It received four Academy Award nominations and was added to the United States National Film Registry.

    Doctor Skaro

    Doctor Skaro is, I confess, a bit misleading. Skaro is the home planet of the Daleks, the highly xenophobic, violent, merciless, and pitiless cyborg aliens from the long-running BBC television programme Doctor Who, but neither the title nor the theme has anything to do with their home planet or the Doctor. Doctor Skaro is cryptic. If you ‘doctor’ the word ‘Skaro’, that is, treat it as an anagram and rearrange the letters, you’ll find ‘in part a relevant literary character’: Oskar from question two, Oskar Schindler. Today’s answers begin with the letters O, S, K, A, R.

  • Doctor Skaro

    See question four. Flag of ?
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions follow a theme. The post’s title, which can reveal in part a relevant literary character, serves as a starting point.

    One

    Air Burkina’s primary base is located at the airport of which African capital city?

    Two

    Which Thomas Keneally book was adapted into a film that won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 1994?

    Three

    What was the name of the balsa-wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific in 1947?

    Four

    The flag shown above is from an archipelago of nine major islands, which is an autonomous region of a European country. It is named for the northern goshawk, although it is thought unlikely that the bird nested or hunted there, as there were no prey animals until sheep were introduced. What is the name of the archipelago?

    Five

    In an Alfred Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, Stewart’s character is confined to a wheelchair. What is the film?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Shaken, Not Stirred — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Sean Connery and Ian Fleming on the set of Dr. No (1962).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s questions all relate to June 28th.

    One

    James Bond Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond books, was born in 1908. What was the first James Bond novel; which U.S. president included a Bond novel in his ten favourites, and which was it? 

    Answer: Casino Royale; President John F. Kennedy and From Russia With Love.

    Ian Fleming, born in 1908, was a British suspense-fiction novelist and former naval intelligence officer who created the iconic British secret agent James Bond, 007. His first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953), launched a globally popular series known for espionage and action. From Russia With Love, the fifth Bond novel, was famously endorsed by John F. Kennedy in 1961 in a list of his ten favourite books. 

    Two

    In 1999, after two decades of restoration, a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece was unveiled to the public. Located within the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, this work is known as what, and what type of artwork is it?

    Answer: Last Supper; Mural.

    Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (1495-1498) is a mural in Milan’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It depicts Jesus announcing his betrayal and instituting the Eucharist. The apostles’ dramatic reactions convey intense emotion. Commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the original materials caused significant deterioration over time.

    Three

    In what venue was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919? 

    Answer: Palace of Versailles

    The Palace of Versailles, built by King Louis XIV, is located 19 km (12 mi) west of Paris, France. The Hall of Mirrors, where the treaty was signed, is the largest room in the palace. Seventeen mirror arches (each containing 21 mirrors and thus totalling 357 mirrors in the hall) face 17 windows that overlook the palace gardens.

    Four

    Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to the merger of two companies by two men. Could you please identify these men and the decade that this happened?

    Answer: Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz; 1920s.

    Mercedes-Benz originated from Carl Benz’s 1886 internal combustion engine and Gottlieb Daimler’s petrol-engine stagecoach. Emil Jellinek marketed the 1901 Mercedes 35 hp, naming it after his daughter. The brand was officially established on 28 June 1926 after Daimler and Benz’s companies merged, forming Daimler-Benz.

    Five

    Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom’s coronation took place on this day. In what decade did it take place, and in what ecclesiastical building did the ceremony take place?

    Answer: 1830s; Westminster Abbey.

    Queen Victoria’s coronation occurred on 28 June 1838 at Westminster Abbey, following a public procession from Buckingham Palace. Planned by Lord Melbourne, it cost £70,000 and attracted 400,000 visitors. Despite internal mishaps, the event was successful, with fairs and displays in Hyde and Green Parks, amid some Radical opposition.

  • Shaken, Not Stirred

    Sean Connery and Ian Fleming.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s questions all relate to June 28th.

    One

    James Bond Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond books, was born in 1908. What was the first James Bond novel; which U.S. president included a Bond novel in his ten favourites, and which was it? 

    Two

    In 1999, after two decades of restoration, a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece was unveiled to the public. Located within the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, this work is known as what? What type of artwork is it?

    Three

    In what venue was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919? 

    Four

    Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to the merger of two companies by two men. Could you please identify these men and the decade that this happened?

    Five

    Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom’s coronation took place on this day. In what decade did it take place, and in what ecclesiastical building did the ceremony take place?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Before They Invented Drawing Boards What Did They Go Back To? — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    See question three. Horse-drawn plough.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Continuing the recent trend, today’s first question is connected to today’s date, 9 June. The remainder of the questions are not date-related but follow on a theme begun in question one.

    One

    In 1781, an English engineer who Encyclopædia Britannica describes as ‘the principal inventor of the railroad locomotive’ was born. Who is he, and which of his locomotives inaugurated public rail travel in September 1828?

    Answer: George Stephenson; Active (aka Locomotion).

    George Stephenson, born on 9 June 1781, in Wylam, Northumberland, England, revolutionised transportation with his locomotive innovations. After building the Blucher and introducing the ‘steam blast’, he gained fame with a mine-safety lamp. In 1825, his Active (renamed Locomotion) locomotive inaugurated public rail travel. He constructed the Liverpool-Manchester line, overcoming opposition, and his Rocket won a 1829 competition. Stephenson’s work spurred global railroad expansion, and he continued as a leading figure in transportation engineering until his death on 12 August 1848.

    Two

    Tea bags were reportedly invented by accident. Modern tea bags are made from paper but what material were the early ones made from?

    Answer: Silk.

    Tea bags were popularised in the early 20th century, reportedly by accident. Around 1908, American tea merchant Thomas Sullivan sent tea samples in small silk bags. Some customers are said to have brewed the tea directly in the bags, mistaking them for a replacement for traditional metal infusers, leading to the development of the modern tea bag. As stated, early tea bags were made of silk; paper tea bags did not become common until later, when manufacturers developed cheaper and more practical filter-paper versions.

    Three

    (Note, in this question, the word ‘houghing’ is an obsolete form of ‘hoeing’ as done with a horse-drawn hoe (hough)).

    What name links the book The New Horse Houghing Husbandry: Or an Essay on the Principles of Tillage and Vegetation, which was published in 1731, with the 1978 album Heavy Horses?

    Answer: Jethro Tull.

    Jethro Tull (1674–1741) was an influential English agronomist and inventor whose innovations shaped modern British agriculture. Initially trained for law, Tull managed his father’s farm in Oxfordshire, where he developed a horse-drawn seed drill around 1701. In 1709, he purchased a farm in Berkshire, adopting vineyard cultivation methods and inventing a horse-drawn hoe. His work, published in The New Horse Houghing Husbandry: Or an Essay on the Principles of Tillage and Vegetation (1731), faced initial criticism but eventually revolutionised farming practices. The eleventh studio album by the band Jethro Tull, Heavy Horses, was released in 1978. It is a folk rock album dedicated to British working ponies and horses. It continues the band’s combination of folk and progressive rock with a darker sound.

    Four

    Adolphe Sax, best known for inventing the saxophone, was born in which present-day country, and in what decade did he patent the saxophone?

    Answer: Belgium; 1840s.

    Adolphe Sax, born in 1814 in Dinant, Belgium, was a Belgian-French instrument maker and inventor of the saxophone, which he patented in 1846. He also developed the saxhorn, saxo-tromba, and saxtuba, and redesigned the bass clarinet. Sax studied flute and clarinet before moving to Paris in 1842 to exhibit his saxophone. Appointed instructor at the Paris Conservatory in 1857, he faced legal battles over patents and died in poverty in 1894. Sax’s innovations significantly impacted the world of music.

    Five

    What are the ‘Four Great Inventions’ traditionally attributed to ancient China? 

    Answer: Papermaking, printing, the compass, and gunpowder.

    These four inventions profoundly influenced world history. Papermaking and printing revolutionised the spread of knowledge, the compass transformed navigation and exploration, and gunpowder changed warfare. The concept of the ‘Four Great Inventions’ became especially popular in the nineteenth century as a way of highlighting China’s major contributions to global civilisation.

    Before They Invented Drawing Boards What Did They Go Back To?

    The post title was a quote from the American stand-up comedian, George Carlin (1937-2008).

  • Before They Invented Drawing Boards What Did They Go Back To?

    See question three. Horse-drawn plough.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Continuing the recent trend, today’s first question is connected to today’s date, 9 June. The remainder of the questions are not date-related but follow on a theme begun in question one.

    One

    In 1781, an English engineer who Encyclopædia Britannica describes as ‘the principal inventor of the railroad locomotive’ was born. Who is he, and which of his locomotives inaugurated public rail travel in September 1828?

    Two

    Tea bags were reportedly invented by accident. Modern tea bags are made from paper but what material were the early ones made from?

    Three

    (Note, in this question, the word ‘houghing’ is an obsolete form of ‘hoeing’ as done with a horse-drawn hoe (hough)).

    What name links the book The New Horse Houghing Husbandry: Or an Essay on the Principles of Tillage and Vegetation, which was published in 1731, with the 1978 album Heavy Horses?

    Four

    Adolphe Sax, best known for inventing the saxophone, was born in which present-day country, and in what decade did he patent the saxophone?

    Five

    What are the ‘Four Great Inventions’ traditionally attributed to ancient China? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Walk Amongst the Stars — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Flag of Montenegro.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of today’s questions relate to the date, 3rd June.

    One

    Which country’s national flag is shown? From which state union did it gain independence in 2006? 

    Answer: Montenegro; Serbia and Montenegro** (or the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro).

    Montenegro, located in Southeast Europe on the Balkan Peninsula, has a population of 633,158 across 25 municipalities. It borders Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Croatia, and the Adriatic Sea, with Podgorica as its capital and Cetinje as its cultural centre. Historically inhabited by Illyrians, it became a semi-independent principality under the rule of the Prince-Bishops beginning in 1696 and gained independence in 2006. Montenegro has an upper-middle-income, service-based economy and is a member of several international organisations, pursuing EU membership since 2012.

    Two

    In 1965, Ed White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. Who was the first man and the first woman to walk in space? (Individually, not together.)

    Answer: Alexei Leonov; Svetlana Savitskaya.

    Extravehicular activity (EVA) involves astronauts performing tasks outside spacecraft, including spacewalks and moonwalks. Conducted by nations like Russia, the U.S., and China, EVAs require space suits for life support. Notable milestones include Alexei Leonov’s first spacewalk in March 1965, Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk in July 1969, and Svetlana Savitskaya’s first female spacewalk in July 1984. EVAs can be tethered or untethered, with untethered walks using the Manned Manoeuvring Unit in 1984 and SAFER in 1994.

    Three

    The United Kingdom had three kings in 1936, one of whom had been born on this day in 1865. Who was he?

    Answer: George V.

    George V reigned as King of the United Kingdom from 1910 to 1936. The second son of Prince Albert Edward, later King Edward VII, he unexpectedly became heir to the throne after the death of his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor.
    Upon George V’s death in January 1936, he was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VIII, who abdicated later that year to marry Wallis Simpson. Edward was then succeeded by his younger brother Albert, who became King George VI.

    Four

    In 1844, the last pair of Great auks were killed by fishermen on Eldey Island. In what nation is Eldey Island?

    Answer: Iceland.

    Great Auk.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The great auk (Pinguinus impennis), also known as the garefowl or penguin, is an extinct species of flightless alcid that first appeared around 400,000 years ago and was driven to extinction by human exploitation in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus. It was not closely related to the penguins of the Southern Hemisphere, which were named for their resemblance to this species.
    — Wikipedia 

    Five

    In 1973. the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft happened in France with the loss of fourteen lives. What aircraft crashed?

    Answer: Tupolev Tu-144.

    Nicknamed ‘Concordski’ by the press, the Tupolev Tu-144 is a Soviet supersonic passenger airliner designed by Tupolev that operated commercially from 1975 to 1983, including a passenger service between 1977–1978. It was the first commercial supersonic transport, first flew on 31 December 1968, ahead of Concorde. Produced by Tupolev, 16 units were made, conducting 102 commercial flights, with only 55 carrying passengers. It reached Mach 2 on 26 May 1970. Reliability issues, a 1973 crash, and high costs led to its withdrawal from passenger service in 1978. It served as a cargo aircraft until 1983 and was later used for space and research programs, making its final flight in 1999.

  • Walk Amongst the Stars

    Flag of ? See question one.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of today’s questions relate to the date, 3rd June.

    One

    Which country’s national flag is shown? From which state union did it gain independence in 2006? 

    Two

    In 1965, Ed White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. Who was the first man and the first woman to walk in space? (Individually, not together.)

    Three

    The United Kingdom had three kings in 1936, one of whom had been born on this day in 1865. Who was he?

    Four

    In 1844, the last pair of Great auks were killed by fishermen on Eldey Island. In what nation is Eldey Island?

    Five

    In 1973. the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft happened in France with the loss of fourteen lives. What aircraft crashed?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.