Names, Names, Names—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post,

Theodore Roosevelt, 1904.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt and Executive Mansion

Originally called the “President’s Palace” on early maps, the building was officially named the Executive Mansion in 1810 to avoid connotations of royalty. Although the name White House was commonly used from about the same time (because the mansion’s white-gray sandstone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby buildings), it did not become the official name of the building until 1901, when it was adopted by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt (1901–09). The White House is the oldest federally built building in the country’s capital. — Encyclopædia Britannica


Two

Answer: Jenkins’ Ear

The War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739-1748)—the name derives from Robert Jenkins, a British sea captain whose ear was allegedly severed by Spanish coast guards in 1731—between Great Britain and Spain, centred in New Granada and the Caribbean, was a precursor to the War of the Austrian Succession. The war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, leaving Britain’s territorial ambitions largely unmet.


Three

Answer: Kofi Annan

In 2001, the Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to the UN and Kofi Annan for their work towards a more peaceful world. Annan was also honoured with a chieftaincy title by the Asantehene for his contributions to humanity and peace.


Four

Answer: Equatorial Guinea and Africa

Bioko, historically Fernando Pó after a Portuguese explorer, is an island in Equatorial Guinea. Located 32 kilometres south of Cameroon’s coast and 160 kilometres northwest of mainland Equatorial Guinea, its capital city Malabo sits on the island’s north coast. With an area of 2,017 km² it is the fourth largest island in Africa and is part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes, with its highest peak being Pico Basile at 3,012 m. In the Bube language, Bioko is called Ëtulá a Ëri.


Edith Cavell.
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Five

Answer: Edith Cavell

Edith Cavell, a British nurse, was executed on 12 October 1915 by the Germans during WWI for helping Allied soldiers escape. Her selfless actions and words, ‘Patriotism is not enough’, inspired many and are commemorated on her memorial.

Names, Names, Names

Today’s questions revolve around October 12th and touch on various names.

An aerial view of the White House complex, including Pennsylvania Avenue in the foreground, the Executive Residence and North Portico (center), the East Wing (left), and the West Wing and the Oval Office at its southeast corner, April 2007.
Image Wikipedia

One

Could you please identify the missing names in the following quote from Encyclopædia Britannica? It mentions a president’s name and a building’s name but both have been removed.

1901 President … officially changed the name of the president’s residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. from … to the White House — Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

In 1748, the British Royal Navy secured a tactical victory over the Spanish near Havana in the Caribbean during the War of ….
Which of the following completes the above statement: Barnard’s Nose, Jenkins’ Ear, or Nelson’s Eye?

Three

In 2001, the centennial Nobel Prize was awarded to the United Nations and the organisations secretary-general. Who was this secretary-general?

Four

An island once named Fernando Pó is part of a country which achieved its independence from Spain in 1968. What country is this, and on what continent is it located?

Five

In 1916, a British nurse was executed by a German firing squad for aiding Allied soldiers in their escape. Who was the nurse, and what was the name of the country?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Space Oddity—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post

LRV-1, Apollo 15.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who was the first astronaut to drive a Lunar Rover on the Moon’s surface?

Answer: David Scott

Between July 30 and August 2, 1971, David Scott, commander of Apollo 15, drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-1) for 3 hours and 2 minutes. These journeys covered A total of 17.25 miles (27.76 km) across the lunar surface. Apollo 15(LRV-1) 17.25 miles (27.76 km) 3 h 02 min 7.75 miles (12.47 km) 3.1 miles (5.0 km)


Two

What, in Roman numerals, is the sum of LXXXIV and DCCLIX?

Answer: DCCCXLIII

LXXXIV =

  • L = 50
  • XXX = 30
  • IV = 4
    → 50 + 30 + 4 = 84

DCCLIX =

  • D = 500
  • CC = 200
  • L = 50
  • IX = 9
    → 500 + 200 + 50 + 9 = 759

84 + 759 = 843

Convert 843 to Roman numerals:

  • 800 = DCCC
  • 40 = XL
  • 3 = III

→ 843 = DCCCXLIII


Three

John F. Kennedy had a dog called Dunker. What breed was it?

Answer: Dachshund

The Dachshund is a small, long-bodied dog breed originally developed in Germany to hunt badgers. The name literally means ‘badger dog’—Dachs = badger, Hund = dog. They’re often called ‘sausage dogs’ because of their shape.


Four

Which character in a work by Alexandre Dumas was possibly inspired by the vengeful shoemaker Pierre Picaud of Nîmes?

Answer: Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo

Pierre Picaud, a shoemaker from Nîmes, is believed to have inspired Edmond Dantès, the protagonist of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
Picaud’s story is strikingly similar to that of Dantès. In the early 19th century, Picaud was wrongfully imprisoned due to the betrayal of his friends and his fiancée. During his imprisonment in the Château d’If, he met an old man who shared with him knowledge of treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. Upon his release, Picaud used this treasure to exact revenge on those who had wronged him, much like Edmond Dantès does in Dumas’ novel.
This story of Picaud’s life—his unjust imprisonment, subsequent escape, and thirst for vengeance—closely mirrors the narrative of The Count of Monte Cristo.


Five

Please list the US states whose names start with the letter ‘M’?

Answer: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana

Space Oddity

Today’s questions are random and unrelated.

LRV-1.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who was the first astronaut to drive a Lunar Rover on the Moon’s surface?

Two

What, in Roman numerals, is the sum of LXXXIV and DCCLIX?

Three

John F. Kennedy had a dog called Dunker. What breed was it?

Four

Which character in a work by Alexandre Dumas was possibly inspired by the vengeful shoemaker Pierre Picaud of Nîmes?

Five

Please list the US states whose names start with the letter ‘M’?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

What’s in a Name—Answers

One

Answer: John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK

The QE2 was built and launched into the River Clyde from John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, by HM Queen Elizabeth II. During the launch ceremony, the Queen said ‘I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second’, and the following day, newspapers including The Times and The New York Times printed the name as Queen Elizabeth II, which would be read as ‘Queen Elizabeth the Second’. When the ship was completed, the name on both the bow and stern of the vessel was Queen Elizabeth 2. Over the years, there has been debate as to whether the ship is named after Queen Elizabeth II; her mother, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Consort of King George VI; or simply the second Cunard liner named Queen Elizabeth. See Wikipedia for additional information.


Billie Jean King & Bobby Riggs.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs

In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in an exhibition match, earning $100,000, equivalent to $707,000 in 2024. Riggs, a former top men’s player in the 1930s and 1940s, had won Wimbledon in 1939 and was World No. 1 in 1941, 1946, and 1947. He later became a tennis ‘hustler’, playing promotional matches. Riggs claimed the women’s game was inferior and challenged top female players, defeating Margaret Court 6–2, 6–1. King, initially rejecting his challenges, accepted a financial offer to play him, resulting in her victory and a significant win for women’s tennis.


Victor Emmanuel II.
Image Wikipedia

Three

Answers: Victor Emmanuel II

The unification of Italy, or Risorgimento, was a 19th-century movement that culminated in 1861 with the creation of the Kingdom of Italy through the annexation of various Italian states to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Key figures included King Victor Emmanuel II, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Giuseppe Mazzini. The movement was inspired by earlier rebellions and the Revolutions of 1848, concluding in 1870 with Rome’s capture. King Victor Emmanuel II was honoured as the Father of the Fatherland.


Four

Answer: Ferdinand Magellan

The Magellan expedition, led by Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano, was a pivotal 16th-century Spanish voyage aimed at securing a maritime trade route to the Spice Islands. Departing Spain in 1519 with five ships and about 270 men, it achieved the first circumnavigation of Earth, crossing the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Despite hardships like mutinies, starvation, and Magellan’s death in the Philippines, only about 40 men and the ship Victoria returned in 1522. Funded by King Charles I, the expedition expanded European geographical knowledge, though the route proved commercially impractical.


Five

Answer: Chester A. Arthur

James A. Garfield, the 20th US president, was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau in 1881. Guiteau, who believed he deserved a diplomatic post for his support of Garfield, shot him after his requests were denied. Garfield died from his injuries over two months later, and Vice President Chester A. Arthur became the 21st US President. Guiteau, who was apprehended at the scene of the shooting, was later executed for the murder.

What’s in a Name

The questions are all related to today’s date, September 20th.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 is now a hotel in Dubai.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 20 September 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched from which company’s shipyard?

  • John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK
  • Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
  • Swan Hunter, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Two

The ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match took place at Houston Astrodome on 20 September 1973. Who were the two players who competed in the match?

  • Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs
  • Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors
  • Evonne Goolagong and Marlon Brando

Three

On 20 September 1870, Rome was occupied, leading to the unification of Italy. Who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Italy at this time?

  • Victor Emmanuel I
  • Victor Emmanuel II
  • Victor Emmanuel III

Four

Which explorer set out from Spain on 20 September 1519, embarking on a quest to circumnavigate the globe?

  • Bartolomeu Dias
  • Ferdinand Magellan
  • Vasco da Gama

Five

On 20 September 1881, a US Vice President was sworn in as president following the death of his predecessor who had died the previous day two months after being shot. Who was the vice president who was sworn in as president on this day?

  • Andrew Johnson
  • Chester A. Arthur
  • Theodore Roosevelt

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Round the World—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: Paris

[The first] was fired against Paris on September 6, 1944. Two days later the first of more than 1,100 V-2s was fired against Great Britain (the last on March 27, 1945). Belgium was also heavily bombarded. About 5,000 people died in V-2 attacks, and it is estimated that at least 10,000 prisoners from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp died when used as forced labour in building V-2s at the underground Mittelwerk factory. After the war, both the United States and the Soviet Union captured large numbers of V-2s and used them in research that led to the development of their missile and space exploration programs.

Encyclopædia Britannica


Joseph Kenney, United States Ambassador to the Court of St James’s.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: US Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s

The Court of St James’s serves as the official royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It formally receives all ambassadors accredited to the UK and, conversely, ambassadors representing the UK are formally accredited from this court. It is named after St James’s Palace, the most senior of Britain’s royal palaces.


Three

Answer: Germany

Swabia is a cultural and linguistic region in southwestern Germany, roughly coinciding with the Swabian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. Swabians, natives of Swabia and speakers of Swabian German, numbered close to 800,000 as of 2006.


William McKinley, President of the United States.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Four

Answer: William McKinley

On 6 September 1901, President McKinley was attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, when he was shot twice in the chest and abdomen by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. He lingered for a week before succumbing to his injuries on 14 September, when Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.


Victoria, the sole ship of Magellan’s fleet to complete the circumnavigation. Detail from a map by Ortelius, 1590.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Answer: 1520s

On 6 September 1522, the Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, completed the circumnavigation of the world and arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain. Of the 270 men who had set sail on the expedition on 20 September 1519, only 18 or 19 survived. Magellan had been killed approximately 18 months earlier.

Round the World

V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 6 September 1944, Nazi Germany launched the first V-2 rocket, a precursor to modern long-range missiles. What city was the target of this inaugural launch?

Two

Joseph Kennedy Sr. was born on 6 September 1888. He was the father of the Kennedy dynasty, which included John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom but what is the formal name for that post: US Ambassador to the…?

Three

On 6 September 957, Liudolf, the Duke of Swabia and son of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I, passed away. Today, the area known as the Duchy of Swabia is located in which modern country?

Four

On 6 September, Leon Czolgosz shot a US president. Who was the president?

Five

The Victoria, the first known ship to circumnavigate the world returned to Spain on 6 September. In which decade did this event occur?

Good luck! As usual I will post the answers later today.

Why a Duck?—Answers

Freddie Mercury, 1977.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: A Night at the Opera (1975) and A Day at the Races (1976)

Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, was a British rock singer and songwriter known for his flamboyant showmanship and powerful vocals. He joined the band Smile in 1970, renamed it Queen, and became its lead singer. Queen achieved international fame with albums like A Night at the Opera, and Mercury’s solo career included collaborations with Montserrat Caballé.


Gerald R. Ford, presidential portrait.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: Gerald R Ford

Twice in September 1975, Ford was the target of assassination attempts. In the first instance, Secret Service agents intervened before shots were fired; in the second, the would-be assassin fired one shot at Ford but missed by several feet.
Encyclopædia Britannica


Jim Henson with Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in 1979.
Image Wikipedia

Three

Answer: United Kingdom

The Muppet Show, created by Jim Henson, premiered in the UK on 5 September 1976 and ended on 23 May 1981. Five seasons, totalling 120 episodes, were broadcast on ATV and other ITV franchises in the UK and in syndication in the United States from 1976 to 1981. It featured iconic characters like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, with its success leading to films, merchandise, and other series. The Muppets were acquired by Disney in 2004.


Sam Houston, 1861.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Answer: Thirties

Houston was elected in 1836.
Samuel Houston was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, a U.S. Senator, and the governor of both Tennessee and Texas. Houston opposed secession and was forced out of office as Texas governor in 1861.


Flag of Tuvala.
Image Wikipedia

Five

On 5 September 2000, the Pacific island nation whose flag is shown above became the 189th member of the United Nations. Please name that country?

Answer: Tuvala

Tuvalu, a Polynesian island country in the Pacific Ocean, comprises three reef islands and six atolls. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 and is a constitutional monarchy. The economy relies on imports, fishing, and remittances, while facing challenges from climate change and sea level rise.


Why Why a Duck?

The title of the post, Why a Duck?, doesn’t directly relate to the content, except for the mention of the Marx Brothers in the first question. However, I’ve always enjoyed the routine it originates from. This routine comes from The Cocoanuts. A bit of an explanation follows.

“Why a Duck?” is a comedy routine featured in the Marx Brothers movie The Cocoanuts (1929). In a scene in which Groucho and Chico are discussing a map, Groucho mentions the presence of a viaduct between the mainland and a peninsula. Chico, who is playing the role of an immigrant with poor English skills, replies “Why a duck?” This leads into a long schtick with Chico responding “Why a no chicken?”, “I catch ona why a horse”, and so forth
Wikipedia

The routine can be read here at The Marx Brothers.

Why a Duck?

See question 5.
Image Wikipedia

One

Freddie Mercury, born on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, the Sultanate of Zanzibar, is best known as the frontman of Queen. Which two Queen albums from the mid-seventies are named after Marx Brothers films?

Two

On 5 September 1975, Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, attempted to assassinate the US president. This was one of two assassination attempts in that month, Who was the president who was targeted?

Three

The first episode of The Muppet Show aired on 5 September 1976. In which country was it broadcast?

Four

Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas on 5 September. In which decade of the 19th century did this event occur?

Five

On 5 September 2000, the Pacific island nation whose flag is shown above became the 189th member of the United Nations. Please name that country?

Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.