Musical Mystery - Random Trivia Questions

Every day I try to educate and entertain you all at least a little (I do realize, as Honest Abe never reckoned*, "you can educate and entertain all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot educate and entertain all of the people all of the time"). Some days, entertainment is the best I can hope for, and today is one of those days. If these questions don't entertain you, maybe the answers will. If those don't do the trick either, maybe the bonus theme will. Can you figure it out?

Musical Mystery Questions

• Q1) The kids on which 1970s television show sang "Keep On (Groovin')"?
• Q2) Of the seven songs from Michael Jackson's Thriller album to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, which one spent the most weeks at #1?
• Q3) What does the title of Chumbawamba's 1997 hit song "Tubthumping" refer to?
• Q4) What kind of roof does the B-52's "Love Shack" have?
• Q5) In the Los Del Rio hit "The Macarena", what is the first name of the title character's boyfriend?
• Q6) What 1983 top ten song ends with "I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!"?
• Q7) What singer's 1974 single "Kung Fu Fighting" squeaked into the last spot in VH1's Greatest One-Hit Wonders countdown?
• Q8) What group took "Mony Mony" to #3 on the U.S. charts and #1 in the U.K. almost two decades before Billy Idol topped the Hot 100 with it in 1987?
• Q9) What "B" side of "Don't Be Cruel" also reached #1 in the U.S. for Elvis Presley?
• Q10) Which character in Grease owned the "Greased Lightnin'"?
• Q11) What Hank Ballard and the Midnighters 1959 "B" side to "Teardrops on Your Letter" became a huge hit for another artist the following year?
• Q12) What song, whose lyrics and video pay homage to Keppel and Betty Wilson, ended one year and began another in the 1980s at #1 in the Hot 100?

* Alexander K. McClure first credited our 16th President with this quote in "Abe" Lincoln's Yarns and Stories in 1904, and John Bartlett's Familiar Quotations echoed it in 1919, but the authenticity hasn't been verified as far as I can tell. P.T. Barnum also gets credited at times, but that's even less proven.

Plant Root -- Quiz Quilt 72 Solution

Category Answers:

Sports & Games	HOWE	Gordie Howe, the first NHL 1,000-point scorer, shared the ice with his sons Marty and Mark on the Hartford Whalers and scored a goal on October 3, 1978 that they both assisted on.
Literature & Arts	SCHWEITZER	Albert Schweitzer's book was first published in 1932 and translated into English the following year.
Math & Science	IBM	The words were printed on Hollerith punch cards.
History & Government	DECATUR	During the War of 1812, commander Stephen Decatur actually said, "Our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right, but our country, right or wrong."
Geography & Nature	ARIZONA	The badland hills in Petrified Forest National Park are colored with horizontal stripes. Australia also has a Painted Desert.
Entertainment & Food	ROWE	Nurse Debbie Rowe was married to the pop star from 1996 to 1999.

Quiz Quilt Answer: RADISH (First letters going up)

The vegetable's name comes from the Latin "radix", meaning "root".

Plant Root -- Quiz Quilt 72 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Sports & Games	What Canadian hockey player once held the NHL record for career goals and played with two of his sons in the WHA?
Literature & Arts	Whose autobiography was titled Out of My Life and Thought?
Math & Science	What company originated the phrase "Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate"?
History & Government	What U.S. naval hero is often quoted as insisting "My country, right or wrong"?
Geography & Nature	In what U.S. state is the Painted Desert located?
Entertainment & Food	Who was singer Michael Jackson's second wife and the mother of his two children?

General Trivia Answers #2,197-2,202

Answer 2,197: Entertainment & Food -- Famous Fireballer

d) Jerry Lee Lewis

The Killer reached the top of the country charts and #2 on the pop charts with the Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer song in 1957.

Answer 2,198: History & Government -- Might Isn't Right

a) Lord Acton

John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton was a 19th-century English historian.

Answer 2,199: Math & Science -- Auto Acid

d) Sulfuric

The lead comes in the form of lead sulfate.

Answer 2,200: Geography & Nature -- Neither Baltic Nor Mediterranean

a) Belarus

Lithuania separates Belarus from the Baltic Sea.

Answer 2,201: Literature & Arts -- Lucifer's Lieutenant

b) Flies

Originally, the name was Beelzebul, meaning Lord of the Demons, but it was intentionally corrupted.

Answer 2,202: Sports & Games -- '96 Olympics

a) Atlanta

The otherwise successful games were marred by a tragic explosion at Centennial Olympic Park that killed one person directly and one indirectly and injured over 100 others.

General Trivia Questions #2,197-2,202

Question 2,197: Entertainment & Food -- Famous Fireballer

What early rock music star sang "Great Balls of Fire"?

a) Bill Haley
b) Chuck Berry
c) Elvis Presley
d) Jerry Lee Lewis

Question 2,198: History & Government -- Might Isn't Right

What Lord asserted, "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely"?

a) Lord Acton
b) Lord Byron
c) Lord Kelvin
d) Lord Rayleigh

Question 2,199: Math & Science -- Auto Acid

What type of acid is used in lead-acid car batteries?

a) Hydrochloric
b) Nitric
c) Phosphoric
d) Sulfuric

Question 2,200: Geography & Nature -- Neither Baltic Nor Mediterranean

Which country below is not a Baltic republic?

a) Belarus
b) Estonia
c) Latvia
d) Lithuania

Question 2,201: Literature & Arts -- Lucifer's Lieutenant

What is Beelzebub the Lord of?

a) Darkness
b) Flies
c) Maggots
d) Underworld

Question 2,202: Sports & Games -- '96 Olympics

What city hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics?

a) Atlanta
b) Barcelona
c) Seoul
d) Sydney

General Trivia Answers #2,191-2,196

Answer 2,191: Entertainment & Food -- Beanie Baby Baron

d) Warner

Although H. Ty Warner released the first Beanie Baby, Spot the dog, in 1993, he kicked off the collecting craze in 1996 when he retired the first batch of stuffed animals.

Answer 2,192: History & Government -- She Voted

c) New Zealand

The Oceanian nation set the precedent in 1893, nine years before neighboring Australia.

Answer 2,193: Math & Science -- Shiny Satellite

a) Europa

The surface of Jupiter's moon is smooth and covered with reflective ice.

Answer 2,194: Geography & Nature -- Imposing Impalas

a) Antelope

The African mammals grow to around 110 pounds.

Answer 2,195: Literature & Arts -- Words of Wisdom

d) W. Somerset Maugham

The Of Human Bondage author also declared, "There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are."

Answer 2,196: Sports & Games -- Tiffany Champs

a) Kentucky Derby

The jewelry company did create the Belmont Stakes trophy though.

General Trivia Questions #2,191-2,196

Question 2,191: Entertainment & Food -- Beanie Baby Baron

What is the last name of the founder of Ty, Inc., maker of Beanie Babies?

a) Bishop
b) Fiedler
c) Huard
d) Warner

Question 2,192: History & Government -- She Voted

What was the first country to give women the right to vote?

a) Australia
b) Finland
c) New Zealand
d) United States

Question 2,193: Math & Science -- Shiny Satellite

What is the brightest moon in the solar system?

a) Europa
b) Io
c) Titan
d) Triton

Question 2,194: Geography & Nature -- Imposing Impalas

What type of animal is the impala?

a) Antelope
b) Horse
c) Lion
d) Tiger

Question 2,195: Literature & Arts -- Words of Wisdom

What novelist cautioned, "At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely"?

a) Ford Madox Ford
b) Rudyard Kipling
c) T.H. White
d) W. Somerset Maugham

Question 2,196: Sports & Games -- Tiffany Champs

Which is the only sporting event below for which Tiffany & Co. did not design the trophy?

a) Kentucky Derby
b) NBA Finals
c) Super Bowl
d) World Series

General Trivia Answers #2,185-2,190

Answer 2,185: Entertainment & Food -- Rossini/Perrault

a) Cinderella

Although Perrault's version is more famous, Giambattista Basile's Cenerentola, written in 1634, predates it by 63 years.

Answer 2,186: History & Government -- Common Currency

b) Peso

Other countries using pesos, divided into either 100 centesimos or 100 centavos, include Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Guinea-Bissau.

Answer 2,187: Math & Science -- Earthly Elements

c) 94

The remaining known elements have only been generated briefly before radioactively decaying.

Answer 2,188: Geography & Nature -- Roman Catholic Constitution

a) Brazil

The nation had about 150 million of the one billion total worldwide members in 2004. Mexico ranks second and the U.S. third.

Answer 2,189: Literature & Arts -- She Three

d) Sirens

They were part human and part bird.

Answer 2,190: Sports & Games -- Berra's Birth Name

d) Lawrence

Berra's famous quotes include "When you get to a fork in the road, take it", "The future ain't what it used to be", and "I didn't really say everything I said."

General Trivia Questions #2,185-2,190

Question 2,185: Entertainment & Food -- Rossini/Perrault

What is the English name of the main character of Perrault's story "Contes de ma mere l'oye" and Rossini's opera La Cenerentola?

a) Cinderella
b) Rapunzel
c) Sleeping Beauty
d) Snow White

Question 2,186: History & Government -- Common Currency

What is the unit of currency of the Philippines and Uruguay?

a) Dollar
b) Peso
c) Real
d) Sol

Question 2,187: Math & Science -- Earthly Elements

How many chemical elements occur naturally on the Earth?

a) 52
b) 73
c) 94
d) 115

Question 2,188: Geography & Nature -- Roman Catholic Constitution

What country has the largest Roman Catholic population?

a) Brazil
b) Mexico
c) Spain
d) United States

Question 2,189: Literature & Arts -- She Three

In Greek mythology, what were Parthenope, Ligea, and Leucosia collectively known as?

a) Fates
b) Furies
c) Graces
d) Sirens

Question 2,190: Sports & Games -- Berra's Birth Name

What was baseball player and manager Yogi Berra's given first name?

a) Barry
b) Dale
c) John
d) Lawrence

General Trivia Answers #2,179-2,184

Answer 2,179: Entertainment & Food -- Express Ingress

d) Steven Spielberg

Goldie Hawn starred as Lou Jean Poplin in the true story about a woman who breaks her husband out of jail, steals their baby son from his foster parents, and kidnaps a policeman.

Answer 2,180: History & Government -- Moonwalking

d) 1969

Neil Armstrong descended from the Eagle at 10:56 p.m. on July 20.

Answer 2,181: Math & Science -- Super Satellite

a) Amalthea

Io was the fourth.

Answer 2,182: Geography & Nature -- Vital Vilnius

d) Lithuania

With almost 600,000 people, the city is also the nation's most populous.

Answer 2,183: Literature & Arts -- Re-Ran

c) King Lear

The plot involves an elderly warlord who splits his kingdom among his three sons.

Answer 2,184: Sports & Games -- First Final

d) Kansas City Chiefs

The Green Bay Packers defeated their AFL opponent 35-10 on January 15, 1967 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

General Trivia Questions #2,179-2,184

Question 2,179: Entertainment & Food -- Express Ingress

What director's first feature film was The Sugarland Express in 1974?

a) Oliver Stone
b) Ridley Scott
c) Robert Zemeckis
d) Steven Spielberg

Question 2,180: History & Government -- Moonwalking

In what year did man first set foot on the moon?

a) 1966
b) 1967
c) 1968
d) 1969

Question 2,181: Math & Science -- Super Satellite

Which of the following was not one of the four moons of Jupiter that Galileo discovered in 1610?

a) Amalthea
b) Callisto
c) Europa
d) Ganymede

Question 2,182: Geography & Nature -- Vital Vilnius

What country's capital is Vilnius?

a) Laos
b) Latvia
c) Liechtenstein
d) Lithuania

Question 2,183: Literature & Arts -- Re-Ran

Which Shakespeare play's plot was Akira Kurosawa's Ran modeled after?

a) Hamlet
b) Julius Caesar
c) King Lear
d) Macbeth

Question 2,184: Sports & Games -- First Final

Which team lost the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, which was only later referred to as Super Bowl I?

a) Buffalo Bills
b) Dallas Cowboys
c) Green Bay Packers
d) Kansas City Chiefs

General Trivia Answers #2,173-2,178

Answer 2,173: Entertainment & Food -- Barenaked Business

c) Comedians

Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, Steven Page, Tyler Stewart, and Jim Creeggan formed the band in Scarborough, Ontario in 1988.

Answer 2,174: History & Government -- Millionth Immigrant

c) Israel

The country's immigration policy has been criticized for giving preferential treatment to Jews.

Answer 2,175: Math & Science -- Uncommon Chemical

a) Astatine

Less than one ounce of the radioactive element is estimated to exist in the Earth's crust.

Answer 2,176: Geography & Nature -- Missing Motto

a) Alaska

"North to the Future" became its official motto in 1967.

Answer 2,177: Literature & Arts -- Refusing Rochester

b) He was already married

Charlotte Bronte wrote the novel about the orphan girl in 1847.

Answer 2,178: Sports & Games -- Man of Le Mans

c) Jacky Ickx

The Belgian driver took the checkered flag six times between 1969 and 1982.

General Trivia Questions #2,173-2,178

Question 2,173: Entertainment & Food -- Barenaked Business

What was the profession of the Barenaked Ladies before they became a music group?

a) Actors
b) Bartenders
c) Comedians
d) Door-to-door salesmen

Question 2,174: History & Government -- Millionth Immigrant

What country welcomed its one millionth immigrant on July 31, 1961?

a) Australia
b) Canada
c) Israel
d) Switzerland

Question 2,175: Math & Science -- Uncommon Chemical

What is the rarest naturally occurring chemical element on Earth?

a) Astatine
b) Rhodium
c) Rubidium
d) Xenon

Question 2,176: Geography & Nature -- Missing Motto

What was the last U.S. state without a state motto?

a) Alaska
b) Hawaii
c) North Dakota
d) Rhode Island

Question 2,177: Literature & Arts -- Refusing Rochester

Why did the title character in Jane Eyre initially refuse to marry Edward Rochester?

a) He did not love her
b) He was already married
c) She did not love him
d) She thought he was too old for her

Question 2,178: Sports & Games -- Man of Le Mans

Who has won the most 24 Hours of Le Mans races?

a) Derek Bell
b) Henri Pescarolo
c) Jacky Ickx
d) Oliver Gendebien

The Joy of Trivia - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) 4 billion. Much later in the book, Smith predicts that the 7 billion mark will be reached by the year 2000. In actuality, we just passed 6-2/3 billion this month and should reach 7 billion about thirteen years later than Smith expected. [From Chapter 1, "We Mortals"]
• A2) Leonardo da Vinci. One of da Vinci's few childhood memories was of being simultaneously terrified and excited by the possibility that a monster might live in a local cave. [From Chapter 2, "Those Immortals"]
• A3) James Ussher. The archbishop's treatise "Annals of the Old Testament, deduced from the first origins of the world" actually does not specify the time, which was erroneously misattributed to Ussher later. [From Chapter 3, "A Different Drummer"]
• A4) True. The blood provides nutrients needed to lay eggs. [From Chapter 4, "Animal"]
• A5) Stentor. The Trojan War herald has been immortalized by the adjective stentorian. [From Chapter 5, "The King's English"]
• A6) West Point, New York. The "Fort Knox of silver" opened in 1937 as the West Point Bullion Depository and finally became a branch of the U.S. Mint on March 31, 1988. [From Chapter 6, "The Public Trough"]
• A7) 10 inches. Smaller rocks down to 2-1/2 inches in diameter are cobbles and below that are pebbles. [From Chapter 7, "Earth, Sea, and Sky"]
• A8) Green. The green room is painted to soothe the eyes from the harsh footlights and spotlights. [From Chapter 8, "The Arts"]
• A9) Gin. The name comes from the juniper berries (via the Dutch genever) that the spirit is distilled in. [From Chapter 9, "Vegetable"]
• A10) Ann Boleyn. Queen Elizabeth I's mother usually wore gloves to hide her deformity. [From Chapter 10, "The Way It Was". Smith comments, "But boy! could she dial a telephone!"]
• A11) Tennis. French noblemen would shout tenez while playing an early variant of the game in the 15th century. [From Chapter 11, "It's How You Play the Game"]
• A12) False. William the Conqueror brought the dessert from France to England around 1066, and the Pilgrims transplanted the recipe around 1630. [From Chapter 12, "Eat, Drink, and Be". No, I don't know why Smith left out the "Merry" either.]

The Joy of Trivia - Random Trivia Questions

This week's quiz is based on the factoids given in The Joy of Trivia. Except for the first question, no time traveling is required to answer these twelve questions, one from each of the book's non-miscellaneous chapters.

The Joy of Trivia Questions

• Q1) On March 28, 1976, what milestone did the Earth's population surpass?
• Q2) What artist was a small boy when he surprised his father with a drawing of a horrible monster, leading his dad to enroll his talented son in an art class.
• Q3) In 1650, who calculated that the Earth was created at 9:00 a.m. on October 23, 4004 B.C.?
• Q4) True or false: Only female mosquitoes suck animals' blood.
• Q5) What ancient Greek's voice did Homer claim was "as loud as that of fifty men"?
• Q6) What city houses the U.S. silver depository?
• Q7) In geology, what is the minimum diameter for a stone to be called a boulder?
• Q8) What color is usually used for the room for actors and actresses waiting to appear on stage in a theater?
• Q9) What alcoholic beverage consists of 85 percent corn, 12 percent malt, and three percent rye?
• Q10) Which of King Henry VIII's wives had six fingers on her left hand?
• Q11) What sport's name comes from a word that translates to "take it" in English?
• Q12) True or false: Apple pie was invented in the U.S.

The Joy of Trivia Review

Name	The Joy of Trivia
Author	Bernie Smith
Published	1976 (first hardcover release)
Length	344 Pages

Description: Bernie Smith casually presents a large number of factoids on a wide variety of subjects across a dozen thematic chapters plus a final "Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera" chapter. What makes this book remarkable is how well it has aged. Originally published 32 years ago (a 1983 update exists that I haven't read), many of the facts are either still true or are listed with the year the data is from. Surprisingly few of the tidbits present information that you would now flat out call "wrong".

Overall Format: The Joy of Trivia provides information in short paragraphs, most of which end with a wry joke or commentary to keep the mood light (Smith can be funny at times, but he's better at trivia than comedy).

Conclusion: The Joy of Trivia is an entertaining read whose content and tone bring you back to a time when the Women's Liberation was underway (but may not have reached the author yet) and technology was amazingly simple. Indeed an enjoyable read.

Big Bottle Spinner -- Quiz Quilt 71 Solution

Category Answers:

Literature & Arts	HOLMES	The first Sherlock Holmes stories appeared as a serial in 1887 and as a book illustrated by Doyle's father Charles the following year.
Sports & Games	CITATION	The Kentucky colt captured the Triple Crown in 1948.
Entertainment & Food	SHOGUN	The James Clavell novel set in feudal Japan came out six years earlier.
Geography & Nature	TRENTON	Trenton, New Jersey; Trenton beats out Topeka, Kansas for the distinction.
Math & Science	VENUS	The neighboring planet measures 7,521 miles in diameter, only five percent smaller than the Earth.
History & Government	PALME	Olof Palme's murder case was never solved, although Christer Petterrson was tried, convicted, and acquitted on appeal.

Quiz Quilt Answer: MAGNUM (Fourth letters)

A magnum is a big, one and a half liter bottle and a type of revolver handgun.

Big Bottle Spinner -- Quiz Quilt 71 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Literature & Arts	What fictional detective debuted in the book A Study in Scarlet?
Sports & Games	What was the first horse to earn over $1 million in purses when he won the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 14, 1951?
Entertainment & Food	For what miniseries did Richard Chamberlain win the 1981 Golden Globe award for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series?
Geography & Nature	What is the last U.S. state capital in alphabetical order?
Math & Science	Which planet in the solar system is closest in size to the Earth?
History & Government	Which Swedish prime minister was assassinated in 1986?

General Trivia Answers #2,167-2,172

Answer 2,167: Entertainment & Food -- Fond of Fonda

c) Klute

Peter Fonda's sister and Bridget Fonda's aunt played the call girl in 1971, while Donald Sutherland starred as detective John Klute.

Answer 2,168: History & Government -- Battle Max

c) The Somme

1,265,000 people died in Picardy, France during four and a half months of inconclusive fighting in 1916.

Answer 2,169: Math & Science -- Imagination Importance

a) Albert Einstein

The theoretical physicist continued, "Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

Answer 2,170: Geography & Nature -- Providence Prominence

c) Quebec

It is just under 600,000 square miles, about ten percent smaller than Alaska but larger than every other U.S. state.

Answer 2,171: Literature & Arts -- Angered by Athena

b) Hephaestus

Other stories say that the god of fire was born before Athena.

Answer 2,172: Sports & Games -- Rose Run

c) 1-1/4 miles

The Preakness runs a sixteenth of a mile shorter, and the Belmont Stakes lasts a quarter mile longer.

General Trivia Questions #2,167-2,172

Question 2,167: Entertainment & Food -- Fond of Fonda

Which movie did Jane Fonda win an Oscar as Bree Daniels?

a) The China Syndrome
b) Julia
c) Klute
d) On Golden Pond

Question 2,168: History & Government -- Battle Max

What World War I battle had the most casualties?

a) The Marne
b) Passchendaele
c) The Somme
d) Tannenberg

Question 2,169: Math & Science -- Imagination Importance

What scientist insisted, "Imagination is more important than knowledge"?

a) Albert Einstein
b) Alexander Graham Bell
c) Carl Sagan
d) Stephen Hawking

Question 2,170: Geography & Nature -- Providence Prominence

What is the largest Canadian province in area?

a) British Columbia
b) Ontario
c) Quebec
d) Saskatchewan

Question 2,171: Literature & Arts -- Angered by Athena

In Greek mythology, what child did Hera bear on her own in retaliation for Athena?

a) Hades
b) Hephaestus
c) Hermes
d) Hestia

Question 2,172: Sports & Games -- Rose Run

How far do horses run in the Kentucky Derby?

a) 1-1/8 miles
b) 1-3/16 miles
c) 1-1/4 miles
d) 1-1/2 miles

General Trivia Answers #2,161-2,166

Answer 2,161: Entertainment & Food -- Made in Manhattan

d) Whiskey

The name is usually spelled "whiskey" for Irish and U.S. brands and "whisky" for Canadian, Japanese, and Scottish distillations.

Answer 2,162: History & Government -- Fortnight in the Fourth Dimension

b) 14

The term from the Germanic contraction of "fourteen nights" followed their ancient custom of counting by nights rather than days.

Answer 2,163: Math & Science -- Artery Attenuation

b) Aneurysm

The problem most frequently occurs in arteries at the base of the brain and in the aorta.

Answer 2,164: Geography & Nature -- Least Massive Land Mass

b) Australia

The flattest and driest continent is just under three million square miles, about 800,000 square miles smaller than Europe.

Answer 2,165: Literature & Arts -- Little Leaps

b) Bolshoi

Its ballet dancers have included Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Natalia Makarova.

Answer 2,166: Sports & Games -- The Grass Assassin

d) Martina Navratilova

The lefty claimed the major nine times between 1978 and 1990.

General Trivia Questions #2,161-2,166

Question 2,161: Entertainment & Food -- Made in Manhattan

What type of alcohol are Manhattans, Rob Roys, and Mint Juleps made with?

a) Brandy
b) Gin
c) Vodka
d) Whiskey

Question 2,162: History & Government -- Fortnight in the Fourth Dimension

How many days are in a fortnight?

a) 4
b) 14
c) 24
d) 40

Question 2,163: Math & Science -- Artery Attenuation

What is the medical term for the thinning and dilation of an artery wall?

a) Anemia
b) Aneurysm
c) Arteriosclerosis
d) Hemophilia

Question 2,164: Geography & Nature -- Least Massive Land Mass

Which is the smallest continent in the world?

a) Antarctica
b) Australia
c) Europe
d) South America

Question 2,165: Literature & Arts -- Little Leaps

What internationally acclaimed Russian ballet company began in 1773 as a dancing school for the Moscow Orphanage?

a) Ballets Russes
b) Bolshoi
c) Joffrey
d) Kirov

Question 2,166: Sports & Games -- The Grass Assassin

Who won the Wimbledon Ladies' singles crown the most times?

a) Chris Evert
b) Helen Wills Moody
c) Margaret Court
d) Martina Navratilova

General Trivia Answers #2,155-2,160

Answer 2,155: Entertainment & Food -- Psycho Bath

c) Janet Leigh

The former Jeanette Helen Morrison played Marion Crane in the 1960 movie.

Answer 2,156: History & Government -- Dense, Not Immense

c) New Jersey

The state had 438 people per square mile, fifty more than Rhode Island. Alaska was by far the least densely populated, with under half a person per square mile.

Answer 2,157: Math & Science -- Subaru Stars

d) Pleiades

The constellation was named for the mythological Seven Sisters (Alycyone, Celaeno, Electra, Maia, Merope, Sterope, and Taygete) born to the Titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione.

Answer 2,158: Geography & Nature -- Skeleton Debris

c) Namibia

A 6,200-square-mile section of the bone-filled beach was converted into a national park. Most of the bones were washed ashore after 19th-century whalers discarded them.

Answer 2,159: Literature & Arts -- Tooth Top

b) Job

In chapter 19, verse 20, Job laments, "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth."

Answer 2,160: Sports & Games -- Frequent Fighter

c) Joe Louis

The cotton picker's son fought for the championship 27 times, including a record 25 successful title defenses.

General Trivia Questions #2,155-2,160

Question 2,155: Entertainment & Food -- Psycho Bath

What actress was famous for being killed in the shower in Alfred Hitchcock's movie Psycho?

a) Jane Seymour
b) Janet Gaynor
c) Janet Leigh
d) Joan Fontaine

Question 2,156: History & Government -- Dense, Not Immense

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, what was the most densely populated U.S. state?

a) Connecticut
b) Massachusetts
c) New Jersey
d) Rhode Island

Question 2,157: Math & Science -- Subaru Stars

What constellation does the Subaru logo represent?

a) Cassiopeia
b) Cygnus
c) Orion
d) Pleiades

Question 2,158: Geography & Nature -- Skeleton Debris

In what country is the Skeleton Coast, a 1,200-mile-long beach, located?

a) Angola
b) Mozambique
c) Namibia
d) Somalia

Question 2,159: Literature & Arts -- Tooth Top

What book in the Bible originated the saying "by the skin of your teeth"?

a) Ecclesiastes
b) Job
c) Judges
d) Lamentations

Question 2,160: Sports & Games -- Frequent Fighter

What heavyweight boxer had the most career title fights?

a) Gene Tunney
b) Jack Dempsey
c) Joe Louis
d) Rocky Marciano

General Trivia Answers #2,149-2,154

Answer 2,149: Entertainment & Food -- B.B. Son

c) Blues Boy

The musician who named his guitar Lucille was known as the Beale Street Blues Boy.

Answer 2,150: History & Government -- State Plates

d) New York

The state issued the letter and number combinations in 1901 but required drivers to draw them on the vehicle themselves. Massachusetts issued the first standard plates two years later.

Answer 2,151: Math & Science -- Imitrex #1

c) Migraine headaches

Glaxo's version of sumatriptan debuted in 1993.

Answer 2,152: Geography & Nature -- Kissing Canada

d) 13

The two countries share the longest undefended border in the world.

Answer 2,153: Literature & Arts -- Alpha Zeta

a) 5

The first letters of the alphabet are alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon.

Answer 2,154: Sports & Games -- Receiving Lines

d) Wayne Chrebet

They both played wide receiver for the New York Jets.

General Trivia Questions #2,149-2,154

Question 2,149: Entertainment & Food -- B.B. Son

What was Riley B. King's nickname "B.B." short for?

a) Black Boy
b) Black Brother
c) Blues Boy
d) Blues Brother

Question 2,150: History & Government -- State Plates

What was the first U.S. state to require license plates on cars?

a) California
b) Connecticut
c) New Jersey
d) New York

Question 2,151: Math & Science -- Imitrex #1

According to their own ads, what is Imitrex the #1 prescribed medication for?

a) Constipation
b) Hemorrhoids
c) Migraine headaches
d) Warts

Question 2,152: Geography & Nature -- Kissing Canada

How many U.S. states border Canada?

a) 7
b) 9
c) 11
d) 13

Question 2,153: Literature & Arts -- Alpha Zeta

How many letters come before zeta in the Greek alphabet?

a) 5
b) 10
c) 15
d) 20

Question 2,154: Sports & Games -- Receiving Lines

What teammate and foil of Keyshawn Johnson wrote the book Every Down, Every Distance in 1999?

a) Curtis Martin
b) Ray Lucas
c) Vinny Testaverde
d) Wayne Chrebet

General Trivia Answers #2,143-2,148

Answer 2,143: Entertainment & Food -- Raised by the Titanic

c) Paramount

The movie had grossed over $600 million in the U.S. and $1.8 billion worldwide for them through July 2005, both the most for a film by any motion picture company.

Answer 2,144: History & Government -- Territory Trading

d) Spain

The U.S. also acquired Puerto Rico and Cuba became independent in 1898 following the Spanish-American War.

Answer 2,145: Math & Science -- The Skylab Is Falling

c) Australia

Most of the debris fell into the Indian Ocean.

Answer 2,146: Geography & Nature -- Road Range

d) Texas

The Longhorn State has over 300,000 miles of roadway.

Answer 2,147: Literature & Arts -- Seventh Sense

a) A courtroom

Leon Uris's 1970 bestseller referred to the Queen's Bench Number 7 courtroom.

Answer 2,148: Sports & Games -- Modern Omission

d) Wrestling

The sport was part of the ancient pentathlon, however.

General Trivia Questions #2,143-2,148

Question 2,143: Entertainment & Food -- Raised by the Titanic

What Hollywood studio produced Titanic in 1997?

a) Columbia
b) MGM
c) Paramount
d) Twentieth Century Fox

Question 2,144: History & Government -- Territory Trading

From what country did the U.S. buy the Philippines and Guam?

a) England
b) France
c) Netherlands
d) Spain

Question 2,145: Math & Science -- The Skylab Is Falling

Which continent did some of the remnants of Skylab strike on July 11, 1979?

a) Africa
b) Antarctica
c) Australia
d) South America

Question 2,146: Geography & Nature -- Road Range

Which U.S. state is covered by the most miles of road?

a) Alaska
b) California
c) Illinois
d) Texas

Question 2,147: Literature & Arts -- Seventh Sense

What does the title of the three-part novel QB VII refer to?

a) A courtroom
b) A football game
c) A law
d) A seventh generation son

Question 2,148: Sports & Games -- Modern Omission

Which of the following is not an event in the men's modern pentathlon?

a) Fencing
b) Steeplechase
c) Target shooting
d) Wrestling

Russian Roulette - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) Dolly Parton. The country Tennessee titan topped the Billboard Country Singles chart with the song in 1974.
• A2) E. "A" is a dot followed by a dash, and "T" is a dash.
• A3) The DeFeos. Jay Anson's book was published in September 1977, and the first movie version was a box-office smash two years later.
• A4) Ionosphere. The highest level of the atmosphere is named for the ionization of the air caused by the sun's radiation.
• A5) The Cotton Club. Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington both gained fame with their bands at the club in the 1920s.
• A6) June. Chicago dentist Bernard J. Cigrand first held the first observance in 1885 and later pushed for national recognition, which was unofficially granted by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and officially as law in 1949.
• A7) Younger. Cole, John, Jim, and Bob Younger joined the James brothers and other confederates in crime.
• A8) Broccoli. On January 20, 1998, President George H.W. Bush admitted on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, "I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it, and I'm President of the United States. And I'm not going to eat any more broccoli."
• A9) True. Apparently there weren't any signs in the Russian Roulette studio because the contestant counted nine letters and promptly disappeared.
• A10) Nathan Hale. British General William Howe ordered Hale hanged on September 22, 1776 for espionage.
• A11) Bonzo. In the 1951 movie Bedtime for Bonzo, the actor's character Professor Peter Boyd borrows a chimpanzee from his school's science department to prove to his potential future father-in-law that nurture can overcome nature (Boyd's father was a criminal).
• A12) German Measles. The viral disease usually is not very serious, passing in one to five days.

Russian Roulette - Random Trivia Questions

This week's quiz comes from two very early episodes of the game show, both of which aired on June 3, 2002 according to TiVo. The first dozen odd-numbered questions (running to the middle of the second episode) are given below. Would you have kept your feet under you?

Russian Roulette Questions

• Q1) "I Will Always Love You", Whitney Houston's hit song from the movie "The Bodyguard", was written by what performer?
  • Whitney Houston
  • Dolly Parton
  • Willie Nelson
• Q2) A single dot in Morse Code represents what letter of the English alphabet?
  • A
  • E
  • T
• Q3) The legend of the "Amityville Horror" house was based on the real-life murder of what family?
  • The DeFeos
  • The Montcliffs
  • The Luscombs
• Q4) What layer of the earth's atmosphere helps wireless communications by reflecting radio signals?
  • Stratosphere
  • Troposphere
  • Mesosphere
  • Ionosphere
• Q5) Once known as Club de Lux, what Harlem nightclub helped launch the careers of countless jazz greats?
  • The Kit-Cat Club
  • The Cotton Club
  • The Blue Note
  • The Tropicana
• Q6) Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on the 14th day of what month?
  • February
  • March
  • June
  • September
• Q7) In 1866, Jesse James formed a criminal gang with 3 brothers from what family?
  • Hickok
  • Dalton
  • Hardin
  • Younger
• Q8) Rearrange the letters in "COOL CRIB" to get the name of a vegetable a lot of kids hate.
• Q9) True or False: There are a total of 8 letters in the 2nd word of the title of the game show you are on right now.
• Q10) The quote, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country", was first spoken by what famous American?
  • Patrick Henry
  • A[lexander]. Hamilton
  • Nathan Hale
• Q11) Long before he was our President, Ronald Reagan played chump to what chimp in a 1951 movie?
  • Cheetah
  • Bonzo
  • Curious George
  • Bubbles
• Q12) The disease Rubella is more commonly known as what?
  • Small Pox
  • German Measles
  • Chicken Pox
  • Whooping Cough

Russian Roulette Review

This could have been the most violent trivia game ever, but no guns are actually involved. However, the thematic elimination of players by a random spinner does add an entertaining element of luck.

Name	Russian Roulette
Original Run	June 2002 to April 2003
Host	Mark L. Walberg
Length	Half hour
Currently On	Game Show Network (weekdays at 6 p.m.; check your local listings)
IMDB	Main entry

Description: Russian Roulette is a four-person trivia game in which correct answers guarantee your survival, and incorrect answers leave your fate up to a Russian roulette-like spinner. Elimination is the highlight of the show, as the floor instantly drops out from under the contestant, leaving just a moment to wave goodbye or scream (my kids' favorite moment in all of television trivia). Each round ends with the elimination of a player, either after a missed question or when time is up (in the latter case, the player with the highest score is exempt and gets to pull the trigger).

Early Rounds: Each question is presented without its multiple choices to the previous question's winner, who selects an opponent to answer the question. The choices (three in the first round and four later) are then revealed to the selected opponent, who has ten seconds to answer. A correct answer earns money, while an incorrect answer forces the contestant to face the spinner. Initially, the spinner presents a 1-in-6 chance of elimination, but this increases by one drop zone with each question (to a maximum of 5-in-6).

Heads-Up Round: When only two players remain, the format changes so that the player in control is given the option to answer the question (before seeing the choices) or to challenge the opponent. As four choices will be available, this generally means answering the question if you think you know the answer and passing it on if you don't, but it's still an effective twist.

Bonus Round: The show's winner can earn extra money in a 60-second bonus round. The contestant needs to correctly answer ten questions (originally five, which proved to be too easy) without any incorrect answers before time runs out and the sixth drop zone opens up to win an additional $10,000. Any $10,000 winner can then elect to gamble the ten grand on one last shot against the spinner for $100,000. However many safe zones are left (usually one or two), this is always a good bet from a pure probability point of view, but most contestants choose to walk, demonstrating the utility curve of money.

Conclusion: Overall, Russian Roulette is a fun game with easy-to-medium difficulty multiple-choice trivia questions, a well-crafted game flow, and an exciting bang (even the show's winner sometimes leaves abruptly).

You're So Fine -- Quiz Quilt 70 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	VICHY	The Nazis made it the capital after capturing the country in 1940.
Literature & Arts	DONNE	Englishman John Donne composed "Holy Sonnet X" around 1609, although it was not published until over two decades later.
Sports & Games	BLINKY	The computer lives at ATP Tennis International Headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
Math & Science	IUPAC	The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry attempted to resolve the naming of elements 104 to 109 in 1994 but needed until 1997 to reach an agreement.
History & Government	SULLIVAN	Anne Sullivan, the vision-impaired daughter of Irish immigrants, tutored the blind and deaf girl and helped her graduate from Radcliffe College with honors by translating all the lectures.
Entertainment & Food	CHAPMAN	Drug addict Mark David Chapman was sentenced to twenty years to life in prison and has been denied parole four times.

Quiz Quilt Answer: MICKEY (Fifth letters going up)

One-hit wonder Toni Basil's 1982 number one song "Hey, Mickey" begins, "Oh Mickey, you're so fine".

You're So Fine -- Quiz Quilt 70 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What city was temporarily the capital of France during World War II and is now a health resort?
Literature & Arts	Who first suggested that "Death Be Not Proud" of its deeds?
Sports & Games	What is the nickname of the ATP computer used to calculate tennis rankings since 1973?
Math & Science	What world group governs the naming of chemical elements?
History & Government	Who was Helen Keller's governess and teacher from an institute for the blind in Boston?
Entertainment & Food	What lunatic killed John Lennon on June 22, 1981?

General Trivia Answers #2,137-2,142

Answer 2,137: Entertainment & Food -- Juvenile Jeopardy

a) Don Pardo

Art Fleming was the host.

Answer 2,138: History & Government -- Wheremail

d) Washington, D.C.

The deliveries flew six days a week in 1918.

Answer 2,139: Math & Science -- Small Contract

c) Quartz

This property is one of the reasons quartz can be used to make accurate watches. The quartz maintains its shape until intentionally bent by an electric current.

Answer 2,140: Geography & Nature -- The Twa and Watusi of It

c) Rwanda

The pygmy Twas were the first to settle the area.

Answer 2,141: Literature & Arts -- Trench Fried

c) Thomas Rockwell

The 1973 book was turned into a made-for-TV movie in 1985.

Answer 2,142: Sports & Games -- Three-Decade Thrower

c) Jim Palmer

His Baltimore Orioles defeated the Dodgers in 1966, the Reds in 1970, and the Phillies in 1983.

General Trivia Questions #2,137-2,142

Question 2,137: Entertainment & Food -- Juvenile Jeopardy

Who was the original announcer of the game show Jeopardy! from 1964 to 1975?

a) Don Pardo
b) Jay Stewart
c) John Harlan
d) Johnny Gilbert

Question 2,138: History & Government -- Wheremail

Which city was connected to New York City by the first regular airmail service in the U.S.?

a) Boston
b) Los Angeles
c) Philadelphia
d) Washington, D.C.

Question 2,139: Math & Science -- Small Contract

What mineral expands and contracts the least with changes of temperature?

a) Corundum
b) Diamond
c) Quartz
d) Topaz

Question 2,140: Geography & Nature -- The Twa and Watusi of It

Which country do the tall Watusi and short Twa pygmies both originally come from?

a) Ethiopia
b) Kenya
c) Rwanda
d) Sudan

Question 2,141: Literature & Arts -- Trench Fried

What author taught children How to Eat Fried Worms?

a) Lloyd Alexander
b) Robert C. O'Brien
c) Thomas Rockwell
d) William H. Armstrong

Question 2,142: Sports & Games -- Three-Decade Thrower

Who was the only pitcher to win a World Series in three different decades?

a) Catfish Hunter
b) Dennis Eckersley
c) Jim Palmer
d) Whitey Ford

General Trivia Answers #2,131-2,136

Answer 2,131: Entertainment & Food -- Parade Path

b) 5th Avenue

The parade, which began in the 1870s, now marches from 49th Street to 57th Street.

Answer 2,132: History & Government -- 100 Million Mark

a) Boy Scouts

12-year-old Mario Castro from Brooklyn, New York was the milestone scout.

Answer 2,133: Math & Science -- Tornado Time

c) 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tornado season runs from March to August in North America.

Answer 2,134: Geography & Nature -- Modern Mesopotamia

b) Iraq

Mesopotamia's name means the "land between the two rivers", the Tigris and Euphrates.

Answer 2,135: Literature & Arts -- Touchy Templeton

c) Rat

Comedian Paul Lynde provided his voice in the 1973 movie.

Answer 2,136: Sports & Games -- Bowl Roll

a) Buffalo Bills

They lost every year from 1990 to 1993.

General Trivia Questions #2,131-2,136

Question 2,131: Entertainment & Food -- Parade Path

On what New York City street does the annual Easter Parade take place?

a) Broadway
b) 5th Avenue
c) 42nd Street
d) Madison Avenue

Question 2,132: History & Government -- 100 Million Mark

What U.S. organization enrolled its 100 millionth member in 1999?

a) Boy Scouts
b) 4-H Club
c) Girl Scouts
d) YMCA

Question 2,133: Math & Science -- Tornado Time

During what time of day are tornadoes most likely to occur?

a) 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
b) 10 a.m. to noon
c) 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
d) 10 p.m. to midnight

Question 2,134: Geography & Nature -- Modern Mesopotamia

What modern-day country covers most of the area where Mesopotamia used to be?

a) Iran
b) Iraq
c) Saudi Arabia
d) Syria

Question 2,135: Literature & Arts -- Touchy Templeton

In Charlotte's Web, what is Templeton?

a) Girl
b) Goose
c) Rat
d) Sheep

Question 2,136: Sports & Games -- Bowl Roll

Which is the only NFL team to appear in four straight Super Bowls?

a) Buffalo Bills
b) Dallas Cowboys
c) Minnesota Vikings
d) Pittsburgh Steelers

General Trivia Answers #2,125-2,130

Answer 2,125: Entertainment & Food -- Psychotic Seductress

a) Glenn Close

Alex Forrest stalked Michael Douglas's Dan Gallagher in the 1987 thriller.

Answer 2,126: History & Government -- Noriega's Nation

d) Panama

The U.S. convicted the general of drug trafficking in 1992.

Answer 2,127: Math & Science -- Gin Germinatin'

a) Engine

The machine, which separates the seeds from raw cotton fibers, sped up cotton production by ten times.

Answer 2,128: Geography & Nature -- Alamo Woe

d) San Antonio

The mission was attacked by Mexico after the settlers tried to secede from the country.

Answer 2,129: Literature & Arts -- The Heart of Op Art

c) Optical

The 1960s art uses optical illusions to create motion.

Answer 2,130: Sports & Games -- Etch a Stretch in History

b) 56 games

The Yankee Clipper had set the Pacific Coast League record by batting in 61 straight games eight years earlier.

General Trivia Questions #2,125-2,130

Question 2,125: Entertainment & Food -- Psychotic Seductress

What actress played the psychotic seductress in Fatal Attraction?

a) Glenn Close
b) Joan Cusack
c) Stockard Channing
d) Tia Carrere

Question 2,126: History & Government -- Noriega's Nation

In what country did Manuel Noriega oust the civilian president in 1985?

a) Guatemala
b) Honduras
c) Nicaragua
d) Panama

Question 2,127: Math & Science -- Gin Germinatin'

What does the word "gin" in cotton gin come from?

a) Engine
b) Gin, the drink
c) Ingenuity
d) Virginia

Question 2,128: Geography & Nature -- Alamo Woe

What Texas city do people visit to "Remember the Alamo"?

a) Austin
b) El Paso
c) Fort Worth
d) San Antonio

Question 2,129: Literature & Arts -- The Heart of Op Art

What is the "op" in op art short for?

a) Opportunity
b) Opposite
c) Optical
d) Opulent

Question 2,130: Sports & Games -- Etch a Stretch in History

How long was Joe DiMaggio's Major League record consecutive games hitting streak in 1941?

a) 44 games
b) 56 games
c) 61 games
d) 72 games

General Trivia Answers #2,119-2,124

Answer 2,119: Entertainment & Food -- Cable Contest

d) Playboy Channel

Everything Goes premiered in 1981.

Answer 2,120: History & Government -- Prime Minister Mom

d) Sri Lanka

Sirimavo Bandaranaike became prime minister in 1960, six years before Indira Gandhi in India.

Answer 2,121: Math & Science -- Hallux Ch-Check

a) Big toe

Chimpanzees and some other primates have opposable halluxes, although they do not have opposable thumbs.

Answer 2,122: Geography & Nature -- Low & High-ing Eyes

d) Goldfish

Many animals can see one range or the other, however.

Answer 2,123: Literature & Arts -- Oliver Twist

c) Green Arrow

The Mort Weisinger and Greg Papp character debuted in "More Fun Comics #73" in 1941.

Answer 2,124: Sports & Games -- Tennis Tossup

b) FBI

Following a shorter warm-up period, the first time the players serve they can keep trying until they get the First Ball In.

General Trivia Questions #2,119-2,124

Question 2,119: Entertainment & Food -- Cable Contest

What was the first cable TV network to have its own game show?

a) Disney Channel
b) MTV
c) Nashville Network
d) Playboy Channel

Question 2,120: History & Government -- Prime Minister Mom

What was the first country to elect a female prime minister or president?

a) Argentina
b) India
c) Israel
d) Sri Lanka

Question 2,121: Math & Science -- Hallux Ch-Check

What is the common name for the hallux?

a) Big toe
b) Elbow
c) Heel bone
d) Knee cap

Question 2,122: Geography & Nature -- Low & High-ing Eyes

What is the only animal that can see both infrared and ultraviolet light?

a) Bat
b) Cat
c) Eagle
d) Goldfish

Question 2,123: Literature & Arts -- Oliver Twist

What superhero's secret identity is Oliver Queen?

a) Cannonball
b) Captain America
c) Green Arrow
d) Sub-Mariner

Question 2,124: Sports & Games -- Tennis Tossup

Which acronym below might be used at the beginning of a casual tennis match?

a) CIA
b) FBI
c) IRS
d) NSA

General Trivia Answers #2,113-2,118

Answer 2,113: Entertainment & Food -- Classic Clock

a) Franz Joseph Haydn

The Father of the Symphony composed the work for his second visit to London in 1794.

Answer 2,114: History & Government -- State Seal

c) Moose

The moose is the official state mammal, and Moosehead Lake is the state's largest lake.

Answer 2,115: Math & Science -- Common Chemical

d) Acetylene

The extremely flammable gas's molecules contain just two atoms of carbon and two atoms of hydrogen.

Answer 2,116: Geography & Nature -- Times Triangle

c) Madison Avenue

The New York Times newspaper opened its headquarters in the square in 1904.

Answer 2,117: Literature & Arts -- Rain Drain

a) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The line from "The Rainy Day" continues and ends the poem with, "Some days must be dark and dreary."

Answer 2,118: Sports & Games -- A&W Root, Cheer

a) Baseball

The game was played in Pittsfield, Massachusetts with underhand pitching and no gloves.

General Trivia Questions #2,113-2,118

Question 2,113: Entertainment & Food -- Classic Clock

What Austrian classical composer wrote the Clock Symphony?

a) Franz Joseph Haydn
b) Franz Schubert
c) Johann Strauss
d) Richard Strauss

Question 2,114: History & Government -- State Seal

What animal is on the seal of the state of Maine?

a) Bear
b) Lobster
c) Moose
d) Seal

Question 2,115: Math & Science -- Common Chemical

What is the common name for ethyne?

a) Acetate
b) Acetic acid
c) Acetone
d) Acetylene

Question 2,116: Geography & Nature -- Times Triangle

Which street below is not part of the Times Square intersection in New York City?

a) Broadway
b) 42nd Street
c) Madison Avenue
d) Seventh Avenue

Question 2,117: Literature & Arts -- Rain Drain

What poet acknowledged, "Into each life some rain must fall"?

a) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
b) Ralph Waldo Emerson
c) Robert Frost
d) Walt Whitman

Question 2,118: Sports & Games -- A&W Root, Cheer

In what sport's first intercollegiate game did Amherst beat Williams 66-32 on July 1, 1859?

a) Baseball
b) Basketball
c) Lacrosse
d) Rugby

Bingo America - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) New Jersey. A decade after the Holland Tunnel, the second Hudson River channel opened on December 22, 1937.
• A2) The Golden Rule. The ethic of reciprocity provides the moral basis for many principles of modern human rights.
• A3) Wisconsin. A wheel of cheese and the cow needed to produce it feature prominently on the state quarter released in 2004.
• A4) The Daily Show. Carell had been with The Daily Show for six years and Helms for four before they joined The Office. Both continued their old roles for a season or more.
• A5) Passions. Although the series has won four Daytime Emmy awards, all of them have been for music or sound.
• A6) Mayonnaise. The name of the condiment derives either from the Spanish town of Mahon or the French word manier, meaning "to blend".
• A7) Harrison Ford. The Falcon was his spaceship in the original Star Wars trilogy, while Air Force One opened in theaters two decades later.
• A8) Mecca. The Five Pillars of Islam also include belief in God and the prophet Muhammad, daily prayers, concern for the needy, and self-purification through fasting.
• A9) Pacific Coast Highway. The name officially refers to the section of State Route 1 between I-5 in Dana Point and U.S. Route 101 near Oxnard.
• A10) Queen. When setting up a chessboard, remember that each queen goes on a square of the same color. The white queen starts on a white square and the black queen on a black square. In addition, remember "white on right"; the near right corner square is white.
• A11) True. Actually, this is False. The singer met the actress in 2002, while the song was written in 2000 and released the following year.
• A12) False. Actually, this is True. Air Force One is always used as the air traffic control call sign of whatever plane the U.S. President is flying in.

This was probably the easiest set of questions ever to appear as a Trivia Why's Random Quiz. Throw in the errors at the end (sadly, during the most important part of the game as far as the contestants were concerned), and you can see why I don't recommend Bingo America.

Bingo America - Random Trivia Questions

This week's random quiz comes from the March 31, 2008 episode (rebroadcast this week) of Bingo America (see my review). The match contained 23 questions, so skipping all of the even-numbered ones leaves the dozen you see (when a round runs long, questions switch format from short-answer to true-or-false [or multiple-choice with two choices]).

Bingo America Questions

• Q1) What state is connected to New York by the Lincoln Tunnel?
• Q2) What rule says, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"?
• Q3) Which U.S. state is the largest cheese producer?
• Q4) Before Steve Carell and Ed Helms wore ties on The Office, they were correspondents on what fake news show?
• Q5) What daytime soap opera takes place in the fictional New England town of Harmony?
• Q6) What sandwich spread is traditionally made from egg yolk, oil, and lemon juice?
• Q7) Which actor was a carpenter before he took off on Millennium Falcon and Air Force One?
• Q8) According to the Koran, Muslims are asked to make a pilgrimage to what Saudi Arabian city?
• Q9) In 2006, Mel Gibson was pulled over for speeding on what famed California roadway?
• Q10) What is the most powerful and only female piece in the game of chess?
• Q11) True or False: Jennifer Love Hewitt is the inspiration for John Mayer's hit "Your Body Is a Wonderland".
• Q12) True or False: Air Force One is the name of any plane the President flies on.

Bingo America Review

I thought this was going to be a Bingo game when I first heard about it, so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that it's actually a trivia game in disguise. Bingo serves as the overall theme and allows the audience to participate at home filling out game cards.

Name	Bingo America (originally National Bingo Night)
Original Run	May 2007 to present
Host	Patrick Duffy (formerly Ed Sanders et al.)
Length	Half hour
Currently On	Game Show Network (weekdays at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., weekends at 4:30 p.m.; check your local listings)
IMDB	Current Version and Old Version

Description: Bingo America is a simple head-to-head trivia contest. To win, a player needs to correctly answer a B, I, N, G, and O question to win a round and two out of three rounds to win a game. Each question is preceded by a Bingo ball being randomly drawn from a giant globe, and the letter on the ball dictates what the question will be (the number is used for viewers at home; click on the GSN link above to participate). After the question is read, the players race to buzz in (probably with a Jeopardy!-like lock out system to prevent early clicking) and answer. Correct answers earn the letter on the ball if the player needs it, and the number on the ball is added to the prize pool in dollars.

If the two players split the first two rounds, the third round consists of only five questions, whose answers begin with the letters 'B', 'I', 'N', 'G', and 'O' respectively. Whoever wins three of the five wins the match.

The winner proceeds to a bonus round in which a prize is randomly selected by a process that isn't worth describing. If you think of the shopping round at the end of the original Wheel of Fortune, you have an idea how senseless this part of the show is (well, the advertisers probably like it).

Conclusion: Overall, Bingo America is a nothing-special trivia game that tries to achieve popularity by running a simultaneous contest for home users that has nothing to do with trivia. The questions are fairly simple (approximately $1,000 or lower Millionaire caliber, which makes much of the game a buzzer race), the interruptions for the home game are numerous (before every question), and the prize round is pointless. The show is almost tolerable on a DVR, but its longevity will ultimately depend on Bingo-lovers, not trivia fans.

Wood Warning -- Quiz Quilt 69 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	GERMAN	French and Italian rank second and third.
Literature & Arts	STERN	The book was shock jockey Howard Stern's follow-up to Private Parts in 1993.
Math & Science	SABIN	Polish-American researcher Albert Sabin developed the "live" virus vaccine, which supplanted Jonas Salk's less effective "dead" virus version.
Sports & Games	ZAMBONI	Frank Zamboni's Zamboni drastically reduced the work needed to resurface the ice rink from three men and ninety minutes to one man and ten minutes.
Entertainment & Food	BRINKLEY	Malibu blonde Christie Brinkley had previously been married to Jean-Francois Allaux, Billy Joel, and Richard Taubman.
History & Government	NATION	Six-foot-tall vigilante Carrie Nation was strongly opposed to drinking because her first husband was an alcoholic.

Quiz Quilt Answer: TIMBER (Third letters going up)

Lumberjacks yell "Timber!" as the tree they are chopping begins to fall down.

Wood Warning -- Quiz Quilt 69 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What is the most common written language used in Switzerland?
Literature & Arts	What radio host authored Miss America in 1995?
Math & Science	What scientist created the first oral polio vaccine on October 6, 1956?
Sports & Games	Who manufactured the first ice resurfacing machine in 1949?
Entertainment & Food	What supermodel wed Peter Cook on September 21, 1996 to begin her fourth marriage?
History & Government	What temperance advocate destroyed saloon liquor and property with a hatchet in 1900 and was arrested thirty times?

General Trivia Answers #2,107-2,112

Answer 2,107: Entertainment & Food -- Silencing Cigarettes

d) Richard Nixon

The 37th President signed on April 1, 1970, and the law took effect the following January 1.

Answer 2,108: History & Government -- Ivy Fill

b) 8

AP sports editor Alan Gould originally also included West Point in his definition of the Ivy League in 1935. The current subset signed the "Ivy Group Agreement" in 1945.

Answer 2,109: Math & Science -- Mohs Minimum

d) Talc

The fibrous mineral is hydrated magnesium silicate.

Answer 2,110: Geography & Nature -- Rubicon Region

c) Italy

The small river is probably now part of the Pisciatello or Fiumicino.

Answer 2,111: Literature & Arts -- Trojan Tail

b) The Iliad

Homer's first epic consists of 16,000 lines of dactylic hexameter.

Answer 2,112: Sports & Games -- Round Mound of Rebound

a) Charles Barkley

The 6-foot 6-inch forward occasionally tipped the scales at over 300 pounds while hauling in 11,821 career rebounds and the 1993 MVP award.

General Trivia Questions #2,107-2,112

Question 2,107: Entertainment & Food -- Silencing Cigarettes

Which U.S. President approved the law banning cigarette advertising on radio and television?

a) Gerald Ford
b) Harry Truman
c) Lyndon Johnson
d) Richard Nixon

Question 2,108: History & Government -- Ivy Fill

How many universities are in the Ivy League?

a) 6
b) 8
c) 10
d) 12

Question 2,109: Math & Science -- Mohs Minimum

What is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale?

a) Calcite
b) Fluorite
c) Gypsum
d) Talc

Question 2,110: Geography & Nature -- Rubicon Region

What is the present-day country where the Rubicon is located?

a) France
b) Germany
c) Italy
d) Turkey

Question 2,111: Literature & Arts -- Trojan Tail

What epic Greek poem relates the events of the final few days of the Trojan War?

a) Beowulf
b) The Iliad
c) The Odyssey
d) Ulysses

Question 2,112: Sports & Games -- Round Mound of Rebound

What NBA player was known as the Round Mound of Rebound?

a) Charles Barkley
b) Charles Oakley
c) Charles Outlaw
d) Charles Smith

General Trivia Answers #2,101-2,106

Answer 2,101: Entertainment & Food -- Singer Pseudonym

b) Kiki Dee

The British songwriter recorded the #1 duet "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Elton John in 1976.

Answer 2,102: History & Government -- Co-Ed College

a) Oberlin

The Ohio school opened with two teachers and thirty students on December 3, 1833.

Answer 2,103: Math & Science -- Malachite Bunch

b) Copper

The metal's Greek name is chalkos.

Answer 2,104: Geography & Nature -- Casablanca Country

c) Morocco

The nation's principle port is its most populous city with almost three million people.

Answer 2,105: Literature & Arts -- African-American Authors

a) Cleveland Amory

The cofounder of the Humane Society of the United States and author of several books about his cat Polar Bear is Caucasian.

Answer 2,106: Sports & Games -- Football's Father

d) Walter Camp

The inaugural member of the College Football Hall of Fame established the line of scrimmage, added the two-point safety to the game's rules, and wrote the first book on football.

General Trivia Questions #2,101-2,106

Question 2,101: Entertainment & Food -- Singer Pseudonym

Who is singer Pauline Matthews better known as?

a) Donna Summer
b) Kiki Dee
c) Pat Benatar
d) Sheena Easton

Question 2,102: History & Government -- Co-Ed College

What was the first co-ed college in the U.S.?

a) Oberlin
b) Smith
c) Vassar
d) Wellesley

Question 2,103: Math & Science -- Malachite Bunch

What chemical element is found in sulfides like chalcocite, oxides like tenorite, and carbonates like malachite?

a) Aluminum
b) Copper
c) Iron
d) Magnesium

Question 2,104: Geography & Nature -- Casablanca Country

In what country is Casablanca located?

a) Algeria
b) Egypt
c) Morocco
d) Saudi Arabia

Question 2,105: Literature & Arts -- African-American Authors

Which of the following authors is not African-American?

a) Cleveland Amory
b) Frank Yerby
c) James Baldwin
d) Lorraine Hansberry

Question 2,106: Sports & Games -- Football's Father

Who is known as the Father of American Football?

a) Amos Alonzo Stagg
b) Doak Walker
c) Knute Rockne
d) Walter Camp

General Trivia Answers #2,095-2,100

Answer 2,095: Entertainment & Food -- Hot Stuff

d) William Faulkner

The film was based on his short stories "Barn Burning" and "Spotted Horses" and his novel The Hamlet.

Answer 2,096: History & Government -- Cleopatra Closure

c) Poisonous snake bite

Octavian had defeated their navy, had chased the couple into Egypt, and was invading Egypt.

Answer 2,097: Math & Science -- Across the Universe

a) Asteroids

Other asteroids honor Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, and Jerry Garcia.

Answer 2,098: Geography & Nature -- Fat Cat

c) Siberian

Males average over 500 pounds while females are around 300 pounds. The largest individual weighed 845 pounds.

Answer 2,099: Literature & Arts -- Quarrel Quote

c) Robert Frost

The line is from his 1942 poem "The Lesson for Today".

Answer 2,100: Sports & Games -- Agassistant

a) Brad Gilbert

An overachiever as a player, the Winning Ugly author later coached Andy Roddick from 2003 to 2004.

General Trivia Questions #2,095-2,100

Question 2,095: Entertainment & Food -- Hot Stuff

What author's stories were turned into the 1958 movie The Long, Hot Summer with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward?

a) Harper Lee
b) John Steinbeck
c) Sinclair Lewis
d) William Faulkner

Question 2,096: History & Government -- Cleopatra Closure

How did Cleopatra commit suicide a few days after her husband died?

a) Alcohol poisoning
b) Opium overdose
c) Poisonous snake bite
d) Toadstool consumption

Question 2,097: Math & Science -- Across the Universe

What celestial objects were named Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr after the Beatles?

a) Asteroids
b) Comets
c) Moons
d) Stars

Question 2,098: Geography & Nature -- Fat Cat

Which subspecies of tiger is the largest on average?

a) Bengal
b) Indochinese
c) Siberian
d) Sumatran

Question 2,099: Literature & Arts -- Quarrel Quote

What poet's epitaph quotes from one of his poems, "I had a lover's quarrel with the world"?

a) Edgar Allan Poe
b) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
c) Robert Frost
d) T.S. Eliot

Question 2,100: Sports & Games -- Agassistant

Who was Andre Agassi's tennis coach from 1994 to 2002?

a) Brad Gilbert
b) Nick Bollettieri
c) Tim Gullickson
d) Tom Gullickson

General Trivia Answers #2,089-2,094

Answer 2,089: Entertainment & Food -- In Search Of

a) A brain

The Cowardly Lion wanted courage, and the Tin Man was seeking a heart.

Answer 2,090: History & Government -- Pawn Promotion

d) Three golden balls

The round objects stand for the three bags of rocks that a member of the Medici Family in Florence, Italy killed a giant with in the 15th century.

Answer 2,091: Math & Science -- Ring Loss

a) Jupiter

A solitary thin ring circles the Jovian planet.

Answer 2,092: Geography & Nature -- Not the Sea of Green

a) Black Sea

The 163,000-square-mile sea was once called the Euxine Sea.

Answer 2,093: Literature & Arts -- Orwell Original

c) Oceania

His novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, originally titled The Last Man in Europe, takes place in the super-state.

Answer 2,094: Sports & Games -- Kick Start

c) Taekwondo

Medals were awarded in four different weight classes for both men and women.

General Trivia Questions #2,089-2,094

Question 2,089: Entertainment & Food -- In Search Of

In The Wizard of Oz, what was the Scarecrow looking for?

a) A brain
b) Courage
c) A heart
d) Muscles

Question 2,090: History & Government -- Pawn Promotion

What symbol identifies a pawn shop?

a) A bag of coins
b) A chess piece
c) Silver scales
d) Three golden balls

Question 2,091: Math & Science -- Ring Loss

Which planet below does not have multiple rings?

a) Jupiter
b) Neptune
c) Saturn
d) Uranus

Question 2,092: Geography & Nature -- Not the Sea of Green

What colorful sea borders Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania?

a) Black Sea
b) Red Sea
c) White Sea
d) Yellow Sea

Question 2,093: Literature & Arts -- Orwell Original

Which fictional location below did George Orwell create?

a) Atlantis
b) The Blue Lagoon
c) Oceania
d) Waterworld

Question 2,094: Sports & Games -- Kick Start

What martial art was contested at the Summer Olympics for the first time in 2000?

a) Judo
b) Karate
c) Taekwondo
d) Tai chi

General Trivia Answers #2,083-2,088

Answer 2,083: Entertainment & Food -- Bulls-Eye Band

a) Bay City Rollers

The 1970s Scottish pop band struck a small town in Michigan on Saginaw Bay.

Answer 2,084: History & Government -- Inaugural Wool

a) James Madison

The Father of the Constitution had inherited his family's tobacco plantation there.

Answer 2,085: Math & Science -- Cure Up Syrup

c) Ipecac

The practice is no longer recommended, and you should either call your local poison control center or the National Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222 instead.

Answer 2,086: Geography & Nature -- World-Wide Webbed

a) Albatross

The wingspans of the Wandering Albatross can stretch up to twelve feet.

Answer 2,087: Literature & Arts -- Eppie's Pa

b) Godfrey Cass

The 1861 George Eliot novel tells the story of a miserly but kindhearted weaver who takes in the orphan Eppie.

Answer 2,088: Sports & Games -- Home Run

d) Miami

They obliterated Georgia Southern 56-0 before losing their next home game to Washington 38-20, nine years after the streak began.

General Trivia Questions #2,083-2,088

Question 2,083: Entertainment & Food -- Bulls-Eye Band

Which band randomly selected its name by throwing a dart at a U.S. map?

a) Bay City Rollers
b) Brownsville Station
c) Buffalo Springfield
d) Creedence Clearwater Revival

Question 2,084: History & Government -- Inaugural Wool

Which U.S. President's inaugural jacket was woven out of wool from sheep raised at his Virginia home?

a) James Madison
b) James Monroe
c) Thomas Jefferson
d) William Harrison

Question 2,085: Math & Science -- Cure Up Syrup

Which of the following plant extracts is administered orally in syrup form to induce vomiting?

a) Digitalis
b) Echinacea
c) Ipecac
d) Kava

Question 2,086: Geography & Nature -- World-Wide Webbed

What is the largest web-footed bird?

a) Albatross
b) Goose
c) Stork
d) Swan

Question 2,087: Literature & Arts -- Eppie's Pa

Who was Eppie's real father in Silas Marner?

a) Dunstan Cass
b) Godfrey Cass
c) Silas Marner
d) Squire Cass

Question 2,088: Sports & Games -- Home Run

What football team set an NCAA record with its 58th straight home win on September 3, 1994?

a) Auburn
b) Florida
c) Florida State
d) Miami

Ken Jennings Almanac Sampler - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) St. Louis (hence, Spirit of St. Louis"). The "Avia-tricks" quiz (an "aviatrix" is a female pilot) flies from the Wright brothers to the Zero to Herbert Morrison to the Winnie Mae.
• A2) Perth. The "3/4 Time" test ("3/4 time" is a musical time signature in which each measure is three quarter notes long) also ventures forth on the moon, the "Great Upheaval", cadmium, and the Federalist Papers.
• A3) The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. The "Tuesday Trivia" section ("Tuesday Trivia" is Ken's own weekly e-mail quiz) also wonders about 'Til Tuesday, 1453, Tuesdays with Morrie, and "Tune in next Tuesday".
• A4) Oliver!. "Comma Sutra" (a pun on "Kama Sutra") asks ten punctuation-related questions.
• A5) Dioxin. "Revolution 9" (the name of a Beatles song) presents revolutionary history and entertainment subjects.
• A6) Boyz II Men. "Who's On Third?" (a variant of Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?" comedy sketch) focuses on the third of many areas, including basketball but not baseball.
• A7) Fibber McGee and Molly. "Well, That's Just Great" (I don't know if Ken was referring to anything specific here; the line is in Ghostbusters and The Simpsons among others) is a great little quiz about Great things.
• A8) California. The "Goober(natorial) Pile" quiz (Goober Pyle was the mechanic in The Andy Griffith Show) presents a pair of governors from each of fifteen states.
• A9) Oklahoma. "Access of Evil" (pun on "Axis of Evil") ponders each of the Seven Deadly Sins.
• A10) Velvet Revolver. "Great Scott!" (an old saying dating back to at least to General Winfield Scott and the American Civil War) surveys your Scott savvy (Joplin, Baio, Niedermayer, and McLellan).
• A11) Denver. "Masthead Hunting" (twist on "head hunting") captures your newspaper knowledge.
• A12) A cat. "Zooropa" (the name of a U2 album) addresses an array of animal album art.

If you enjoyed this week's quiz, please visit the Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac page for purchase links. Many thanks to Ken for crafting such a continually entertaining book and for permission to use these questions here!

Ken Jennings Almanac Sampler - Random Trivia Questions

As a follow-up to the preceding review, you can try your hand at a selection of questions from Ken's second book. To give you a fair and unbiased sample, here is the third question from the third day of each month.

Ken Jennings Almanac Sampler Questions

• Q1) January 3: In what city did Charles Lindbergh take his first piloting job, flying the mail?
• Q2) February 3: Three fourths of Western Australia's population lives in what city?
• Q3) March 3: Tuesday Weld played Thalia Menninger on what TV series?
• Q4) April 3: What's the only Best Picture Oscar winner whose title ends with an exclamation point?
• Q5) May 3: What kind of poison disfigured Ukrainian reformer Viktor Yushchenko, leading to the Orange Revolution of 2004?
• Q6) June 3: After Elvis and the Beatles, who became the third artist to replace themselves at number one, with "I'll Make Love to You" and "On Bended Knee"?
• Q7) July 3: What comedy hit was produced under the working title East Great Falls High?
• Q8) August 3: What states have been led by these governors... Earl Warren and Jerry Brown?
• Q9) September 3: From what state does the Joad family begin its journey west in The Grapes of Wrath?
• Q10) October 3: What band did Scott Weiland join after the breakup of Stone Temple Pilots?
• Q11) November 3: What's the largest U.S. city whose largest paper is called... The Rocky Mountain News?
• Q12) December 3: What animal is pictured on the cover of these pop albums... Tapestry, Carole King?

Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac Review

Name	Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac
Author	Ken Jennings
Published	January 2008 (first hardcover release)
Length	531 Pages

Description: Ken Jennings's second book, following his successful Brainiac, is subtitled 8,888 Trivia Question in 365 Days, and the Jeopardy! champion delivers more than promised, taking advantage of the current leap year to make sure that every day of your year, even February 29, is filled with trivia. Containing more than one bonus trivia question per day (Ken confesses to 9,300 total), the book cover stands only one fib short of the John Harvard Statue of Three Lies, so I expect him to admit that his entire Jeopardy! winning streak was a hoax any day now ;-).

Overall Format: Each day of the year presents two or three historical facts from which a related, themed quiz is launched. The relationship between the fact and the quiz is usually obvious but occasionally left as an unstated exercise for the reader to figure out. Answers appear at the end of each month, meaning that you really need two bookmarks to follow along. This is not the ideal setup as you can accidentally spy answers to the next day, but it works if you are careful (e.g., use the bookmark to cover up the answer columns on the right).

Quiz Formats: Several different types of quizzes appear regularly:

• Simple Question and Answer - Composing the majority of the quizzes, some of these are split into balanced Easy, Harder, and Yeah, Good Luck sections.
• Chinese Menu - Match a lettered answer to the numbered phrase (each answer is used exactly once).
• Fill in the Blank - Figure out what word or phrase is missing.
• Commonalities - Figure out what links the items listed (this is a regular "Question 7" feature of Ken's weekly Tuesday Trivia e-mail quiz [see bottom left corner of page]).
• Miscellaneous - Some of the remaining quizzes provide a clever and creative break from the usual trivia such as Anagrams, Cinemashups (two movies who names are mashed together in Wheel of Fortune "Before and After" style), Alliterature (puzzle out the book title from the alliterative description), and Title Cards (word graphics that describe titles).

Conclusion: Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac is an impressive tome from an all-time trivia legend. Jennings lightens the sheer mass of trivia with a dry sense of humor that keeps the book readable and entertaining. An annotated version would be useful to let the reader in on some of the inside jokes and connections that come effortlessly to a trivia veteran yet may slip by casual readers unnoticed. Ken is a Methuselah and a Mackie Shilstone shy of Dennis Miller on the obscurity scale, but I'm sure some of the author's allusions eluded me nevertheless.

The Almanac makes an excellent gift for any Jeopardy!, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, or other trivia game show fan (Mother's Day, Father's Day, and graduation are coming up soon; or just buy it for yourself!). Please see the sample questions that follow in the next post for a flavor of what the book offers.

Updates and Corrections: Corrections to the Almanac are being posted on Ken Jennings's message board (search for "Almanac" to see the real first message; the early messages are for Brainiac). Hopefully someone will eventually collate them neatly (hint, hint, Ken; cf. the updates for my trivia books)

[10/15/08 update: Ken just posted a collection of corrections. Thanks!].

[ Disclaimer: I was one the book's fact-checkers, but despite Ken's modesty, 99.9% of the credit for the Almanac belongs to him and him alone, and I don't consider this review to be biased in any way. ]

Sea Minor -- Quiz Quilt 68 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	BAHRAIN	The tiny, oil-rich country gained its independence once from Persia in 1783 and once from the United Kingdom in 1971.
Entertainment & Food	HEAD	Murray Head's single from the musical Chess reached #3 in the United States and #1 in Australia.
Math & Science	AGAR	The polymer from the cell walls can substitute for animal-based gelatin in desserts.
Sports & Games	NELSON	She stated, "I've been labeled 'the bisexual defector' in print. Want to know another secret? I'm even ambidextrous. I don't like labels. Just call me Martina." Her pal was Judy Nelson.
History & Government	PAINE	Founding Father Thomas Paine produced the latter anonymously in 1776.
Literature & Arts	KNIGHT	The family of the little boy Joe Carraclough, played by Roddy McDowall in the 1943 movie, is forced to sell their beloved collie to the Duke of Rudling to make ends meet in Eric Knight's tale.

Quiz Quilt Answer: AEGEAN (Second letters)

The Aegean Sea is located between Asia Minor (Turkey) and Greece.

Sea Minor -- Quiz Quilt 68 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What Persian Gulf island country's capital is Al-Manamah?
Entertainment & Food	What one-hit wonder climbed the pop charts with "One Night in Bangkok" in 1985?
Math & Science	What product, obtained from red algae species and consisting of the sugar galactose, can be used as a culture medium, laxative, and food thickener?
Sports & Games	With what woman did Martina Navratilova settle a palimony suit on March 13, 1992?
History & Government	What Anglo-American political theorist wrote The Age of Reason and the pamphlet Common Sense?
Literature & Arts	Whose 1938 short story and 1940 novel Lassie Comes Home led to the popular movies and TV shows about the dog?

General Trivia Answers #2,077-2,082

Answer 2,077: Entertainment & Food -- Fallen Idol

b) Coke bottle

A member of the Sho tribe discovers the bottle, which had fallen from an airplane into the Kalahari Desert.

Answer 2,078: History & Government -- Slave Sliver

d) 3/5 of a free person

The Three-Fifths Compromise was removed when the 14th Amendment passed in 1868.

Answer 2,079: Math & Science -- Astronomically Attractive

b) Mercury

Mars may have possessed a molten core that produced a magnetic field in the distant past.

Answer 2,080: Geography & Nature -- Bristle Brushes

d) Squirrels

The brushes can also be made of the hair from goats, horses, bears, and sheeps. Camel hair is too woolly to be practical.

Answer 2,081: Literature & Arts -- Vedas Volumes

a) Hinduism

The Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda comprise the scriptures also collectively called the Shruti.

Answer 2,082: Sports & Games -- Wretched Stretch

d) Sacramento Kings

They went 27-23 in the lockout-shortened season before losing a first-round playoff series to the Utah Jazz.

General Trivia Questions #2,077-2,082

Question 2,077: Entertainment & Food -- Fallen Idol

What object do the natives worship in the 1980 movie The Gods Must Be Crazy?

a) Chocolate chip cookie
b) Coke bottle
c) Compact disc
d) Credit card

Question 2,078: History & Government -- Slave Sliver

According to the original U.S. Constitution, what did one slave equal for representation and taxation purposes?

a) 1/2 of a free person
b) 2/3 of a free person
c) 3/4 of a free person
d) 3/5 of a free person

Question 2,079: Math & Science -- Astronomically Attractive

What is the only inner planet besides Earth that has a magnetic field?

a) Mars
b) Mercury
c) Venus
d) none of the above

Question 2,080: Geography & Nature -- Bristle Brushes

What animal do the bristles of camel hair brushes usually come from?

a) Camels
b) Cats
c) Horses
d) Squirrels

Question 2,081: Literature & Arts -- Vedas Volumes

What religion's four religious books are known as the Vedas?

a) Hinduism
b) Islam
c) Jainism
d) Sikhism

Question 2,082: Sports & Games -- Wretched Stretch

In 1998-99, which NBA team had its first winning season in sixteen years?

a) Dallas Mavericks
b) Los Angeles Clippers
c) New Jersey Nets
d) Sacramento Kings

General Trivia Answers #2,071-2,076

Answer 2,071: Entertainment & Food -- Money Motive

b) His lover's sex change operation

The 1975 movie was based on real events that occurred in New York on August 22, 1972.

Answer 2,072: History & Government -- Pig Gig

a) Cuba

Between April 15 and April 19 in 1961, U.S.-armed Cuban exiles attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro, but without support from U.S. ground troops or planes, the operation failed miserably.

Answer 2,073: Math & Science -- Respiratory Requirement

a) Brain

Every day the average adult consumes about thirteen cubic feet of oxygen, 25% to 30% of which is used by the brain.

Answer 2,074: Geography & Nature -- Green Takers

b) Denmark

The world's largest island is over fifty times bigger than the country of which it is a self-governing territory.

Answer 2,075: Literature & Arts -- What Winnie Wants

b) Honey

In the song "Rumbly in my Tumbly", Pooh yearns, "I don't need a pot of honey / I'd be grateful for a plateful."

Answer 2,076: Sports & Games -- Pump Producers

d) Reebok

The Massachusetts company, which was named for a type of African gazelle, sold over 20 million pairs of The Pump from 1989 to 1993. The Pump 2.0 was unveiled in 2004.