General Trivia Questions #3,121-3,126

Question 3,121: Entertainment & Food -- Gong Show Goal

What was the highest number of points a Gong Show contestant could score?

a) 30
b) 45
c) 60
d) 75

Question 3,122: History & Government -- Lincoln's Last Leisure

In what Washington, D.C. theater was Abraham Lincoln killed?

a) Carter's Theatre
b) Ford's Theatre
c) Nixon's Theatre
d) Wilson's Theatre

Question 3,123: Math & Science -- Mixed Math

In mathematics, what is a number of the form "a + bi" known as?

a) Complex
b) Composite
c) Conic
d) Coordinate

Question 3,124: Geography & Nature -- Left Out

What is the only Central American country that does not have a Pacific coast?

a) Belize
b) El Salvador
c) Honduras
d) Nicaragua

Question 3,125: Literature & Arts -- Robinson Relationship

What Swiss author wrote The Swiss Family Robinson, based on Robinson Crusoe?

a) Daniel Defoe
b) Henry James
c) James Fenimore Cooper
d) Johann David Wyss

Question 3,126: Sports & Games -- Hurricane Herald

What animal is the Miami Hurricanes mascot because it is the first bird to leave before a hurricane hits and the first to return after?

a) Egret
b) Heron
c) Ibis
d) Swallow

General Trivia Answers #3,115-3,120

Answer 3,115: Entertainment & Food -- Singing Sentences

d) Recitative

The term also applies to oratorios, cantatas, and other music works.

Answer 3,116: History & Government -- Turtle Power

c) Submarine

Ezra Lee unsuccessfully attempted to use the sub, along with a mine, to break a British blockade of New York harbor.

Answer 3,117: Math & Science -- Hydrogen Sulfide Scent

c) Rotten eggs

Besides spoiled eggs, the compound is also generated by swamps and some human and animal wastes.

Answer 3,118: Geography & Nature -- Storm Synonym

a) Cyclones

The terms "cyclone", "hurricane", and "typhoon" are different geographic names for the same thing.

Answer 3,119: Literature & Arts -- Count Account

a) Anna Karenina

Leo Tolstoy's story was initially serialized from 1873 to 1877, but readers were left hanging when a dispute with the editor prevented the last section from appearing.

Answer 3,120: Sports & Games -- Ghost Host

c) Munich

Berlin was slated to host in 1916, Tokyo in 1940, and London in 1944, but the two World Wars intervened.

General Trivia Questions #3,115-3,120

Question 3,115: Entertainment & Food -- Singing Sentences

What is a passage of sung dialogue in an opera called?

a) Aria
b) Oratorio
c) Overture
d) Recitative

Question 3,116: History & Government -- Turtle Power

Built around 1776 by David Bushnell, what was the American Turtle the first of in the U.S.?

a) Bowling ball
b) Landmine
c) Submarine
d) Tank

Question 3,117: Math & Science -- Hydrogen Sulfide Scent

What does hydrogen sulfide smell like?

a) Cat urine
b) Rancid milk
c) Rotten eggs
d) Skunk spray

Question 3,118: Geography & Nature -- Storm Synonym

What name refers to hurricanes formed in the Indian Ocean?

a) Cyclones
b) Tropical storms
c) Tsunamis
d) Typhoons

Question 3,119: Literature & Arts -- Count Account

What novel is about Count Vronsky and a married woman?

a) Anna Karenina
b) Beloved
c) Of Human Bondage
d) Tender Is the Night

Question 3,120: Sports & Games -- Ghost Host

Which was the only country below that was not scheduled to host Summer Olympics that were ultimately cancelled?

a) Berlin
b) London
c) Munich
d) Tokyo

General Trivia Answers #3,109-3,114

Answer 3,109: Entertainment & Food -- Foreigner First

c) "I Want to Know What Love Is"

The single topped the charts on February 2, 1985. The other singles peaked at #2, #3, and #2 respectively.

Answer 3,110: History & Government -- Presidential Pets

d) Ronald Reagan

They were a shaggy, black female Bouvier des Flanders and a male King Charles Cavalier spaniel.

Answer 3,111: Math & Science -- Weight of the World

b) Iron

The dense metal makes up about 36%.

Answer 3,112: Geography & Nature -- Low Land

b) 40%

The European nation's name means "Low Countries".

Answer 3,113: Literature & Arts -- Opera House Home

d) Vienna, Austria

The building was finished in 1869, but the Vienna Opera company dates back to the early 1700s, making it the oldest German-speaking theatrical institution.

Answer 3,114: Sports & Games -- NASCAR Superstars

d) David Pearson

The South Carolinian took the checkered flag 105 times.

General Trivia Questions #3,109-3,114

Question 3,109: Entertainment & Food -- Foreigner First

What was Foreigner's first Billboard #1 hit?

a) "Double Vision"
b) "Hot Blooded"
c) "I Want to Know What Love Is"
d) "Waiting For a Girl Like You"

Question 3,110: History & Government -- Presidential Pets

Which U.S. President's dogs were named Lucky and Rex?

a) Gerald Ford
b) Jimmy Carter
c) Richard Nixon
d) Ronald Reagan

Question 3,111: Math & Science -- Weight of the World

What chemical element accounts for the highest percent of the Earth's mass?

a) Carbon
b) Iron
c) Oxygen
d) Silicon

Question 3,112: Geography & Nature -- Low Land

Approximately what percentage of the Netherlands is below sea level?

a) 20%
b) 40%
c) 60%
d) 80%

Question 3,113: Literature & Arts -- Opera House Home

In what city is the State Opera located?

a) London, England
b) Milan, Italy
c) Paris, France
d) Vienna, Austria

Question 3,114: Sports & Games -- NASCAR Superstars

Who was the only driver besides Richard Petty to win over 100 NASCAR races?

a) Bobby Allison
b) Cale Yarborough
c) Darrell Waltrip
d) David Pearson

General Trivia Answers #3,103-3,108

Answer 3,103: Entertainment & Food -- Ballet Basics

b) 5

Domenico da Piacenza first called a dance a "ballo" in the 15th century, but Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx's Ballet Comique de la Royne is considered to be the first ballet in 1581.

Answer 3,104: History & Government -- You Best Know UNESCO

d) Cultural

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization was founded in 1945.

Answer 3,105: Math & Science -- It's a Wonderful Life

a) Biology

The theory's name comes from the title of a 1989 Stephen Jay Gould book, which investigates the role of chance in the long-term survival of a species.

Answer 3,106: Geography & Nature -- Coast to Coast

d) I-90

The road begins at Seattle's South Edgar Martinez Drive, named for the 1992 American League batting champ, and ends at Boston's Logan Airport, named for a Spanish-American War hero.

Answer 3,107: Literature & Arts -- Ordeals of Orleans

a) Edgar Degas

The 1865 work depicts men on horseback aiming a bow and arrow at some terrified women.

Answer 3,108: Sports & Games -- Broadening Baseball's Borders

d) Mexico

The San Diego Padres hosted the New York Mets in a three-game series in Monterrey in August 1996.

General Trivia Questions #3,103-3,108

Question 3,103: Entertainment & Food -- Ballet Basics

How many basic positions of the feet are there in ballet?

a) 4
b) 5
c) 6
d) 7

Question 3,104: History & Government -- You Best Know UNESCO

What does the 'C' in UNESCO stand for?

a) Charity
b) Children's
c) Countries
d) Cultural

Question 3,105: Math & Science -- It's a Wonderful Life

In what field is the Wonderful Life theory found?

a) Biology
b) Economics
c) Philosophy
d) Psychology

Question 3,106: Geography & Nature -- Coast to Coast

What interstate highway connects twelve states from Washington to Massachusetts?

a) I-40
b) I-60
c) I-80
d) I-90

Question 3,107: Literature & Arts -- Ordeals of Orleans

What French artist painted Misfortunes of the city of Orleans?

a) Edgar Degas
b) Edouard Manet
c) Paul Gauguin
d) Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Question 3,108: Sports & Games -- Broadening Baseball's Borders

What was the first country besides the U.S. and Canada to host a regular season Major League Baseball game?

a) Australia
b) Cuba
c) Japan
d) Mexico

End of the Line - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) Roy Scheider. His character, Police Chief Martin Brody, was referring to the title character of the 1975 blockbuster Jaws.
• A2) Michael Crichton. The Chicago native also called himself John Lange and teamed up with his brother as Michael Douglas.
• A3) William F. Buckley, Jr.. The New York City native also shared his conservative, Republican views on the television show Firing Line from 1966 to 1999.
• A4) Paul Newman. Actress Joanne Woodward survived the Academy Award winner (The Color of Money, 1986), with whom she shared the screen in ten major movies, along with appearing in five others that he produced or directed.
• A5) Gene Upshaw. The guard would win the second and third times with the Oakland Raiders in 1977 and 1981 before becoming the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association.
• A6) Bobby Fischer. Fischer Random Chess, also known as Chess960 for the total number of possible permutations under the game's handful of restrictions, was designed to combat the opening book knowledge or both players and computers. Fischer also designed and received U.S. Patent 4,884,255 for the auto-incrementing chess clock now standard in tournament play.
• A7) George Carlin. FM & AM was named Best Comedy Recording in 1972, while the others were honored as Best Spoken Comedy Album in 1993, 2001, and 2002.
• A8) Bill Melendez. J.C. worked on Bambi, Fantasia, and Dumbo for Walt Disney, on Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig for Warner Brothers, and on the Peanuts, Cathy, Garfield, and a Frosty the Snowman sequel with his own production company.
• A9) Bo Diddley. The Originator took his moniker from a #1 R&B hit one of his early groups had, but the source of the song name is unclear.
• A10) Dick Martin. Born as Thomas Richard Martin, the older half of the Rowan & Martin comedy duo saw their Laugh-In variety show top the ratings in both 1968 and 1969. You bet your sweet bippy.
• A11) Herb Score. The Cleveland Indians heat-throwing lefty fanned 245 batters in 1955, won 16 games, and posted a 2.85 ERA to capture Rookie of the Year honors.
• A12) Bernie Mac. The comedian and actor, born as Bernard McCullough, had just finished working on the movie Soul Men with Isaac Hayes when they passed away within one day of each other in August.

May the following other famous people, among others, also rest in peace: Edmund Hillary, Suzanne Pleshette, Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman, Bobby Murcer, Skip Caray, Pete Newell, Sammy Baugh, Harold Pinter, and Eartha Kitt.

End of the Line - Random Trivia Questions

It's the end of another year, but Trivia Why's stops for nothing. Persistence is my virtue (and stubbornness is my vice if you're a half-empty type of person), so I give you one last random quiz in passing.

End of the Line Questions

• Q1) What actor famously remarked, "You're gonna need a bigger boat", on the big screen?
• Q2) What author captured the 1969 Edgar Award for Best Novel for A Case of Need using the pen name Jeffery Hudson?
• Q3) Who founded the National Review magazine in 1955?
• Q4) What actor was married to Jackie Witte from 1949 to 1958 before a second marriage that lasted half a century?
• Q5) Who is the only person to play in the Super Bowl with the same team in three different decades?
• Q6) What chess player invented a variation in which each player's first row of pieces is scrambled before the start of the game?
• Q7) What comedian received four Grammy Awards, for FM & AM, Jammin' in New York, Brain Droppings, and Napalm & Silly Putty?
• Q8) What Mexican-born animator gave his voice to Snoopy and Woodstock in the animated television specials?
• Q9) What singer and guitarist was born in Mississippi as Ellas Otha Bates?
• Q10) What comedian hosted The Cheap Show in 1978 and Mindreaders in 1979?
• Q11) What Major League Baseball pitcher held the rookie record for strikeouts for almost three decades until Dwight Gooden topped him?
• Q12) What actor portrayed Frank Catton in Ocean's Eleven through Thirteen and gave his voice to Zuba in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa?

Nerd's Notebook -- Quiz Quilt 102 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What Greek temple to Athena was built from 447 to 432 B.C.?
Entertainment & Food	What color is the powdered drink Tang?
History & Government	On which day of the week does Mardi Gras take place?
Literature & Arts	What English author and illustrator wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902?
Math & Science	What Greek mathematician asserted, "Give me a place to stand on, and I can move the Earth"?
Sports & Games	What American diver won two Olympic gold medals in 1984 and two more in 1988 despite hitting his head on the diving board?

Nerd's Notebook -- Quiz Quilt 102 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	PARTHENON	The building, atop the Acropolis of Athens, is named the "virgin" in the goddess's honor.
Entertainment & Food	ORANGE	The mix was introduced by the General Foods Corporation in 1957 and rocketed to success after it was served on the Gemini 4 space flight in 1965.
History & Government	TUESDAY	The religious festival's name means "Fat Tuesday".
Literature & Arts	POTTER	Ironically Beatrix Potter had no children of her own, partly because her wealthy parents objected to her marrying her publisher, Norman Warne, because he worked for a living.
Math & Science	ARCHIMEDES	The inventive genius was referring to the power of levers.
Sports & Games	LOUGANIS	AIDS sufferer Greg Louganis also won a silver medal in the platform competition as a 16-year-old in 1976.

Quiz Quilt Answer: LAPTOP (First letters going up)

A notebook computer is also known as a laptop computer.

General Trivia Answers #3,097-3,102

Answer 3,097: Entertainment & Food -- Macchio Movies

d) The Karate Kid

The Long Islander starred as the young martial artist Daniel LaRusso in 1984, 1986, and 1989 before Hilary Swank filled in for the final movie in the series.

Answer 3,098: History & Government -- Ruling Rome

d) Republic

The country was led by kings before then and emperors afterward. Plato wrote his political science treatise The Republic in 390 B.C.

Answer 3,099: Math & Science -- Close to Deimos

a) Mars

Phobos also revolves around the Red Planet.

Answer 3,100: Geography & Nature -- Destination Delta

a) Atlanta, Georgia

The airline has smaller hubs in Cincinnati and Salt Lake City.

Answer 3,101: Literature & Arts -- Tale Tally

d) 1,001

The witty heroine leaves King Schriyar with a cliffhanger each night so he will want her to continue the story the next evening.

Answer 3,102: Sports & Games -- Backgammon Board

c) Points

The two players move in opposite directions along U-shaped paths through two rows of a dozen points each.

General Trivia Questions #3,097-3,102

Question 3,097: Entertainment & Food -- Macchio Movies

What was Ralph Macchio's most famous movie title role?

a) American Kickboxer
b) American Ninja
c) American Samurai
d) The Karate Kid

Question 3,098: History & Government -- Ruling Rome

What form of government did the Romans have from 509 to 27 B.C.?

a) Democracy
b) Dictatorship
c) Oligarchy
d) Republic

Question 3,099: Math & Science -- Close to Deimos

Around which planet does Deimos orbit?

a) Mars
b) Mercury
c) Uranus
d) Venus

Question 3,100: Geography & Nature -- Destination Delta

What city is the main hub for Delta Air Lines?

a) Atlanta, Georgia
b) Chicago, Illinois
c) Houston, Texas
d) Las Vegas, Nevada

Question 3,101: Literature & Arts -- Tale Tally

In Arabian Nights, how many stories does Scheherazade tell to keep her husband from killing her?

a) 100
b) 365
c) 777
d) 1,001

Question 3,102: Sports & Games -- Backgammon Board

In backgammon, what are the triangular places where the pieces go called?

a) Bars
b) Homes
c) Points
d) Squares

General Trivia Answers #3,091-3,096

Answer 3,091: Entertainment & Food -- Pop Top

d) Whitney Houston

I Wanna Dance With Somebody, featuring the #1 singles "Didn't We Almost Have It All" and the title track, accomplished the feat in 1987.

Answer 3,092: History & Government -- West Wing Westerner

b) Herbert Hoover

The Great Humanitarian was born in West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874 and moved even farther west to attend Stanford University as an undergraduate.

Answer 3,093: Math & Science -- Peacock Constellation

a) Pavo

German astronomer Johann Bayer used an active imagination to name the star cluster around 1600.

Answer 3,094: Geography & Nature -- Second Place Sprinter

a) Antelope (Pronghorn)

The herbivore can run 61 miles per hour, nine miles per hour slower than the cheetah.

Answer 3,095: Literature & Arts -- Transformin' Mormon

b) Joseph Smith

The book states that it was written by the prophet-historian Mormon and his son Moroni in the 4th century.

Answer 3,096: Sports & Games -- The Price Was Right

b) Mattel

Fisher Price became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel in a $1 billion stock swap.

General Trivia Questions #3,091-3,096

Question 3,091: Entertainment & Food -- Pop Top

Who was the first female to have an album debut at number one on the pop charts?

a) Janet Jackson
b) Madonna
c) Sheryl Crow
d) Whitney Houston

Question 3,092: History & Government -- West Wing Westerner

Who was the first U.S. President born west of the Mississippi River?

a) Calvin Coolidge
b) Herbert Hoover
c) Warren Harding
d) Woodrow Wilson

Question 3,093: Math & Science -- Peacock Constellation

What constellation's name means peacock?

a) Pavo
b) Pictor
c) Puppis
d) Pyxis

Question 3,094: Geography & Nature -- Second Place Sprinter

What is the fastest animal over short distances besides the cheetah?

a) Antelope (Pronghorn)
b) Gazelle (Thomson's)
c) Lion
d) Wildebeest

Question 3,095: Literature & Arts -- Transformin' Mormon

Who translated the Book of Mormon into English in 1830?

a) Brigham Young
b) Joseph Smith
c) Mormon
d) Moroni

Question 3,096: Sports & Games -- The Price Was Right

What toy company merged with Fisher Price on August 19, 1993?

a) Hasbro
b) Mattel
c) Parker Brothers
d) Tiger Electronics

General Trivia Answers #3,085-3,090

Answer 3,085: Entertainment & Food -- Drum Role

c) Paul McCartney

Paul also played drums on "Dear Prudence". Ringo was usually the drummer.

Answer 3,086: History & Government -- Bi-Polar

b) Richard Byrd

The Navy pilot had learned to fly during World War I.

Answer 3,087: Math & Science -- Key Bone

b) Clavicle

The collarbone, which was thought to fasten the shoulder, is the most frequently broken bone in the body, especially among teenage boys.

Answer 3,088: Geography & Nature -- Biosphere Bubble

a) Arizona

The scientific experiment attempted to create a viable closed ecosystem in 3.15 acres in Oracle from 1991 to 1993. Biosphere 1 refers to the Earth itself.

Answer 3,089: Literature & Arts -- East Is East

c) Rudyard Kipling

"The Ballad of East and West", about the theft of a horse bridging cultural differences, was published in 1889, a year before his first novel, The Light That Failed.

Answer 3,090: Sports & Games -- Surpassed by Sampras

d) Roy Emerson

The Australian righty captured twelve majors from 1961 to 1967.

General Trivia Questions #3,085-3,090

Question 3,085: Entertainment & Food -- Drum Role

Which member of the Beatles had a rare performance on drums in the song "Back in the U.S.S.R."?

a) George Harrison
b) John Lennon
c) Paul McCartney
d) Ringo Starr

Question 3,086: History & Government -- Bi-Polar

Who was one of the first pair to fly over the North Pole but was more famous for his five expeditions to Antarctica?

a) Matthew Henson
b) Richard Byrd
c) Roald Amundsen
d) Robert Peary

Question 3,087: Math & Science -- Key Bone

What body part's name comes from the Latin word for "key"?

a) Ankle
b) Clavicle
c) Patella
d) Ulna

Question 3,088: Geography & Nature -- Biosphere Bubble

In which state was the Biosphere 2 ecological research project located?

a) Arizona
b) California
c) New Mexico
d) Utah

Question 3,089: Literature & Arts -- East Is East

What author philosophized, "Oh, East is East, and West is West, And never the twain shall meet"?

a) F. Scott Fitzgerald
b) Henrik Ibsen
c) Rudyard Kipling
d) Thomas Hardy

Question 3,090: Sports & Games -- Surpassed by Sampras

What male tennis player had won the most career Grand Slam tournaments before Pete Sampras?

a) Bill Tilden
b) Bjorn Borg
c) Rod Laver
d) Roy Emerson

General Trivia Answers #3,079-3,084

Answer 3,079: Entertainment & Food -- Ma's Mastery

a) Cello

As an 8-year-old prodigy, the future Juilliard and Harvard student performed in a televised Leonard Bernstein concert.

Answer 3,080: History & Government -- Trade Trump

b) Opium

The imbalance led to the Opium War, which ended with the Treaty of Nanking in 1842.

Answer 3,081: Math & Science -- Body Breakdown

d) Oxygen

Two-thirds of each person is oxygen, mostly bound in water molecules.

Answer 3,082: Geography & Nature -- Simpson's Subway?

d) San Francisco, California

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, including the historic transbay tunnel, was proposed in 1946, begun in 1964, and opened to the public on September 11, 1972.

Answer 3,083: Literature & Arts -- Uncas Uncut

c) The Last of the Mohicans

Uncas was a real Indian chief who was born a member of the Mashantucket Pequots but left to form the Mohican tribe in 1634.

Answer 3,084: Sports & Games -- Stretch Stroke

d) Freestyle

Officially, freestyle means that the swimmer can use any stroke. The stroke of choice has been the American crawl since Charles Daniels developed it in the early 1900s.

General Trivia Questions #3,079-3,084

Question 3,079: Entertainment & Food -- Ma's Mastery

What musical instrument has Yo Yo Ma mastered?

a) Cello
b) Flute
c) Piano
d) Violin

Question 3,080: History & Government -- Trade Trump

What product reversed the British trade deficit with the Chinese in the late 1700s?

a) Coffee
b) Opium
c) Silk
d) Tea

Question 3,081: Math & Science -- Body Breakdown

By weight, what is the most common element in the human body?

a) Carbon
b) Hydrogen
c) Nitrogen
d) Oxygen

Question 3,082: Geography & Nature -- Simpson's Subway?

What city's subway system is called the BART?

a) Atlanta, Georgia
b) Boston, Massachusetts
c) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
d) San Francisco, California

Question 3,083: Literature & Arts -- Uncas Uncut

What novel's title character is named Uncas?

a) As I Lay Dying
b) Babbitt
c) The Last of the Mohicans
d) Native Son

Question 3,084: Sports & Games -- Stretch Stroke

Which stroke is used at the end of the individual medley swimming event?

a) Backstroke
b) Breaststroke
c) Butterfly
d) Freestyle

General Trivia Answers #3,073-3,078

Answer 3,073: Entertainment & Food -- Simpsons Sounds

d) Saxophone

Homer had coveted an air conditioner but instead used the money to buy the instrument to encourage his gifted 3-year-old.

Answer 3,074: History & Government -- Porcine President

a) John Adams

The first Vice President and second President was a heavy 5'6".

Answer 3,075: Math & Science -- Cross Constellation

b) Cygnus

Most of its brighter stars form a cross.

Answer 3,076: Geography & Nature -- Favorite Fowl of Five

b) Mockingbird

The cardinal is the most popular state bird, officially representing seven states.

Answer 3,077: Literature & Arts -- Great Grandma

a) Anna

Anna Mary Robertson was born on September 7, 1860 and lived to be 101.

Answer 3,078: Sports & Games -- Batting After the Bambino

a) Cal Ripken, Jr.

Bambino, meaning "little child", was one of Babe Ruth's nicknames.

General Trivia Questions #3,073-3,078

Question 3,073: Entertainment & Food -- Simpsons Sounds

What musical instrument does cartoon character Lisa Simpson play in The Simpsons?

a) Drums
b) Electric guitar
c) Harmonica
d) Saxophone

Question 3,074: History & Government -- Porcine President

Which U.S. President was known as His Rotundity?

a) John Adams
b) Theodore Roosevelt
c) William McKinley
d) Woodrow Wilson

Question 3,075: Math & Science -- Cross Constellation

What constellation is also known as the Northern Cross?

a) Aquila
b) Cygnus
c) Lyra
d) Perseus

Question 3,076: Geography & Nature -- Favorite Fowl of Five

What is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas?

a) Cardinal
b) Mockingbird
c) Robin
d) Sea gull

Question 3,077: Literature & Arts -- Great Grandma

What is artist Grandma Moses's first name?

a) Anna
b) Clara
c) Emma
d) Sara

Question 3,078: Sports & Games -- Batting After the Bambino

In 1999, what Major League Baseball player did the Babe Ruth League rename its Bambino division in honor of?

a) Cal Ripken, Jr.
b) Hank Aaron
c) Mickey Mantle
d) Ted Williams

Toy Time - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) Icosahedron. The largest of the Platonic solids has twenty equilateral triangle faces.
• A2) Erector set. The metal beams, nuts, bolts, pulleys, gears, and motors can be put together in almost any way, but certain kits were designed for specific purposes, like the Mysterious Walking Giant (Kit No. 12 1/2).
• A3) Bratz. Carter Bryant was a Mattel employee when he concocted Bratz, and MGA Entertainment was ordered to pay $100 million in damages, and although the dolls are still available for sale, they are supposed to be removed by next February.
• A4) Tamagotchi. The egg-shaped, three-button, Bandai toy requires its owners to regularly feed and play with a virtual pet to nurture it.
• A5) Aluminum. Turning the display upside down and shaking coats the screen with aluminum powder, which is then scraped off when the horizontal- and vertical-moving knobs are turned. The drawing toy, originally called the Telecran, was invented by French electrician Andre Cassagnes in the late 1950s and debuted in 1960.
• A6) Spirograph. The geared circular discs, with holes at various distances from the center, allow intricate designs to be drawn with a pen by repeatedly rotating and revolving inside or around another shape.
• A7) Tinkertoy. Charles H. Pajeau, inspired by pencils and thread spools, designed the wooden Tinkertoy Construction Set in 1914. The pieces primarily connect at angles in any multiple of 45 degrees, allowing a wide but not infinite variety of possibilities.
• A8) Lite Brite. 347,004 translucent plastic pegs from the Hasbro toy that debuted in 1967 were used to create the enormous glowing shoe.
• A9) Silly String. Although the exact composition of the liquid, which solidifies instantly in the air, is unknown, Wikipedia speculates that it is polyisobutyl-methacrylate and sorbitan trioleate dissolved in a CFC-based solvent.
• A10) K'NEX. Joel and his brother Bob brought their plastic Tinkertoy variation with its color-coded rods and connectors to market in 1993.
• A11) Koosh Ball. With about 2,000 connected rubbery strands, the ball is easy to catch and soft enough for relatively safe indoor use.
• A12) Webkinz. The virtual animals can obtain and wear accessories, build and furnish houses, buy and eat food, and play numerous puzzles and video games to get more KinzCash.

Happy Holidays!

Toy Time - Random Trivia Questions

If you're a long-time reader of the Trivia Why's blog, you know that I'm just a kid at heart. My family wasn't exactly poor growing up, but I didn't have a tenth as many toys as my kids have now. Maybe that's why I often enjoy playing with their toys almost as much as they do! With the holidays here, let's find out what you know about the following famous toys.

Toy Time Questions

• Q1) On what geometrical shape are the answers in a Magic 8-Ball printed?
• Q2) What toy, invented by A.C. Gilbert in 1911, was manufactured in New Haven, Connecticut, for over a half-century?
• Q3) What doll line led to a successful nine-figure lawsuit by Mattel against a former employee?
• Q4) What handheld digital pet has sold over ten million units since Aki Maita created it in 1996?
• Q5) What type of powder inside an Etch-a-Sketch allows the toy to draw lines?
• Q6) What toy, invented by British engineer Denys Fisher and first shown at the 1965 Nuremberg International Toy Fair, is based on hypotrochoids and epitrochoids?
• Q7) What toy did Danny Hillis use to create the Tic-Tac-Toe-playing automaton now on display at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California?
• Q8) On October 7, 2008 what did Vitrorobertson and artist Lori Kanary use to create a 9-foot by 14-foot ASICS sneaker?
• Q9) For what "foamable resinous composition" did Leonard A. Fish and Robert P. Cox receive a U.S. patent in 1972?
• Q10) What toy did Joel Glickman invent after being inspired by flexible drinking straws?
• Q11) What did Scott Stillinger invent in 1986 for his kids to throw and catch?
• Q12) What Ganz stuffed animals, released in 2005, come with a secret code to enable access to a themed web site where an electronic version of the animal can play in an online world of fun and games?

Battery By-Product -- Quiz Quilt 101 Solution

Category Answers:

Entertainment & Food	CHESS	A woman manages a grandmaster but falls in love with his world chess championship opponent.
Sports & Games	ELS	South African Ernie Els finally won his third major at the 2002 British Open, to accompany his 1994 and 1997 U.S. Open titles.
History & Government	SMITH	Washington native and United Methodist minister Jeff Smith's cooking show ran on PBS from 1988 to 1997.
Literature & Arts	WOUK	Humphrey Bogart starred as Lieutenant Commander Philip Francis Queeg in the movie version of Herman Wouk's novel two years later.
Math & Science	MERCURY	The inner planet can get as cold as -298° Fahrenheit and as hot as 800° Fahrenheit.
Geography & Nature	GABON	Congo, the Central African Republic, and Chad were also liberated from French Equatorial Africa at the same time.

Quiz Quilt Answer: BRUISE (Third letters going up)

If you are battered, you might be bruised.

Battery By-Product -- Quiz Quilt 101 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Entertainment & Food	What musical did Tim Rice compose with Abba's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus in 1984?
Sports & Games	What golfer finished second at the 1999 PGA Championship, the 2000 U.S. Open, and the 2000 British Open, losing to Tiger Woods each time?
History & Government	What chef is better known as the Frugal Gourmet?
Literature & Arts	What author won a Pulitzer for The Caine Mutiny in 1952?
Math & Science	Which planet in our solar system experiences the largest range of surface temperatures?
Geography & Nature	Which West Central African coastal country, whose capital is Libreville, gained independence from France in 1960?

General Trivia Answers #3,067-3,072

Answer 3,067: Entertainment & Food -- Lone Ranger's Ride

c) Silver

The TV show's white stallion won a Patsy Award for Excellence in 1957, the final season of the series's eight-year run.

Answer 3,068: History & Government -- Capacious College

d) Trinity College

Over thirty Trinity graduates have gone on to win Nobel Prizes.

Answer 3,069: Math & Science -- Space Race Place

d) Japan

Muses-A was launched on January 24, 1990. The Soviet Union was the first, with the unmanned Luna 2 crash landing on September 14, 1959.

Answer 3,070: Geography & Nature -- Smallest in the West

a) Iowa

Named for the Native Americans who live in the area, the state is almost 20% smaller than Oklahoma.

Answer 3,071: Literature & Arts -- Chocolate Chapters

d) Recipes

The twelve recipes, one for each month of the year, include Quail in Rose Petal Sauce and Wedding Cake.

Answer 3,072: Sports & Games -- Ball Brand

d) Wilson

The company was founded in Chicago as the Ashland Manufacturing Company in 1913 to turn slaughterhouse by-products into consumer goods.

General Trivia Questions #3,067-3,072

Question 3,067: Entertainment & Food -- Lone Ranger's Ride

What was the name of the Lone Ranger's horse?

a) Bullet
b) Scout
c) Silver
d) Trigger

Question 3,068: History & Government -- Capacious College

What is England's largest college, which Henry VIII founded in 1546?

a) Cambridge University
b) Oxford University
c) Reed College
d) Trinity College

Question 3,069: Math & Science -- Space Race Place

What was the third country to send a spacecraft to the moon?

a) China
b) France
c) Germany
d) Japan

Question 3,070: Geography & Nature -- Smallest in the West

What is the smallest continental U.S. state that is completely west of the Mississippi River?

a) Iowa
b) North Dakota
c) Oklahoma
d) Washington

Question 3,071: Literature & Arts -- Chocolate Chapters

What can be found between the chapters in Laura Esquival's novel Like Water for Chocolate?

a) Jokes
b) Pictures
c) Poems
d) Recipes

Question 3,072: Sports & Games -- Ball Brand

What brand of football has the NFL used since 1941?

a) Nike
b) Rawlings
c) Spalding
d) Wilson

General Trivia Answers #3,061-3,066

Answer 3,061: Entertainment & Food -- Coke Canned

a) Cherry cola

The BBC prohibited commercial references on the air.

Answer 3,062: History & Government -- Billy Beer

b) Jimmy Carter

Billy Beer debuted in 1977.

Answer 3,063: Math & Science -- Extensive Element

b) Hydrogen

Scientists estimate that the simplest element makes up from 75% to 90% of all normal matter.

Answer 3,064: Geography & Nature -- Co-opted Country

a) Kuwait

Saddam Hussein sparked the Gulf War by annexing his neighbor on August 2, 1990.

Answer 3,065: Literature & Arts -- Derelict Detective

b) Cocaine

BBC's 2004 Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking shows him in an opium den, but his main habit was a seven percent solution of cocaine.

Answer 3,066: Sports & Games -- Taller Crawler

b) Dennis Rodman

Despite his increasingly strange behavior at times, the forward earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors for both 1989-90 and 1990-91.

General Trivia Questions #3,061-3,066

Question 3,061: Entertainment & Food -- Coke Canned

On June 3, 1970, what flavor did Ray Davies of the Kinks change the lyrics of "Lola" from Coca-Cola to?

a) Cherry cola
b) Lemon-lime cola
c) Orange cola
d) Root beer

Question 3,062: History & Government -- Billy Beer

Which U.S. President's brother Billy had a beer named after him?

a) Gerald Ford
b) Jimmy Carter
c) Richard Nixon
d) Ronald Reagan

Question 3,063: Math & Science -- Extensive Element

What is the most common element in the universe?

a) Helium
b) Hydrogen
c) Nitrogen
d) Oxygen

Question 3,064: Geography & Nature -- Co-opted Country

What country do Iraqi nationalists call their "19th province"?

a) Kuwait
b) Oman
c) Qatar
d) Yemen

Question 3,065: Literature & Arts -- Derelict Detective

According to the original books, what was Sherlock Holmes addicted to?

a) Cigarettes
b) Cocaine
c) Heroin
d) Opium

Question 3,066: Sports & Games -- Taller Crawler

What NBA player was known as the Worm?

a) Bill Laimbeer
b) Dennis Rodman
c) Isiah Thomas
d) John Salley

General Trivia Answers #3,055-3,060

Answer 3,055: Entertainment & Food -- Margaret, Mary, and More

d) Miss America winners

Gorman, representing Washington, D.C., won the first pageant in 1921. Campbell succeeded her in 1922 and 1923 as the event's only two-time winner.

Answer 3,056: History & Government -- Working Wages

c) 25 cents per hour

The Fair Labor Standards Act also established eight-hour workdays and forty-hour workweeks.

Answer 3,057: Math & Science -- Time Turners

c) Germany

They started adjusting their clocks in 1915, a year before England and three years before the U.S.

Answer 3,058: Geography & Nature -- Very Voluminous

b) Lake Baikal

The Siberian lake is the deepest freshwater lake, going down over a mile.

Answer 3,059: Literature & Arts -- Lincoln Logs

c) Frank Lloyd Wright

John Lloyd Wright may have been inspired by his father's design of the basement of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

Answer 3,060: Sports & Games -- Prime Player

b) Lester B. Pearson

The NHL Player's Association dedicated the award in honor of the Nobel laureate following the 1970-71 season.

General Trivia Questions #3,055-3,060

Question 3,055: Entertainment & Food -- Margaret, Mary, and More

Who were Margaret Gorman, Mary Campbell, Ruth Malcomson, and Fay Lamphier the first of?

a) All-female music group
b) Female silent movie actresses
c) Female TV weatherpersons
d) Miss America winners

Question 3,056: History & Government -- Working Wages

What original minimum wage did the 1938 Wages and Hours Act set?

a) 5 cents per hour
b) 10 cents per hour
c) 25 cents per hour
d) 50 cents per hour

Question 3,057: Math & Science -- Time Turners

What was the first country to adopt daylight saving time?

a) England
b) France
c) Germany
d) U.S.

Question 3,058: Geography & Nature -- Very Voluminous

What lake contains the most water?

a) Caspian Sea
b) Lake Baikal
c) Lake Michigan
d) Lake Superior

Question 3,059: Literature & Arts -- Lincoln Logs

Which architect's son constructed the first Lincoln Logs around 1916?

a) Antonio Gaudi
b) Edwin Lutyens
c) Frank Lloyd Wright
d) Walter Gropius

Question 3,060: Sports & Games -- Prime Player

Which Canadian prime minister is the NHL's Most Outstanding Player award named after?

a) Charles Joseph Clark
b) Lester B. Pearson
c) Louis S. St. Laurent
d) Pierre Elliott Trudeau

General Trivia Answers #3,049-3,054

Answer 3,049: Entertainment & Food -- Bette Davis Prize

d) Jezebel

Three years earlier, in 1936, the first female president of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences earned her first Oscar as Joyce Heath in Dangerous.

Answer 3,050: History & Government -- Nombre Numero Uno

a) Garcia

The name ranks 18th in the U.S.

Answer 3,051: Math & Science -- Around to the Ground

c) Monkey

Able, a rhesus monkey, and Baker, a squirrel monkey, traveled on the May 28, 1959 Jupiter flight. The dog Laika went into space earlier but did not survive.

Answer 3,052: Geography & Nature -- Capital on the Colorado

a) Austin, Texas

The city was renamed from Waterloo in 1838 to honor Stephen F. Austin, known as the Father of Texas.

Answer 3,053: Literature & Arts -- Pollock's Paintings

a) Abstract Expressionism

Art critic Robert Coates named the first truly American movement in 1946.

Answer 3,054: Sports & Games -- Baseball Sign

b) Citgo

Home run fans claim the name should be pronounced "See it go".

General Trivia Questions #3,049-3,054

Question 3,049: Entertainment & Food -- Bette Davis Prize

For which movie did Bette Davis win an Academy Award for playing Margo Channing?

a) All About Eve
b) Dark Victory
c) Dead Ringer
d) Jezebel

Question 3,050: History & Government -- Nombre Numero Uno

What is the most common last name in Spain?

a) Garcia
b) Lopez
c) Rodriguez
d) Sanchez

Question 3,051: Math & Science -- Around to the Ground

What kind of animal was the first to return alive from a trip into space?

a) Dog
b) Human
c) Monkey
d) Mouse

Question 3,052: Geography & Nature -- Capital on the Colorado

What is the only U.S. state capital located on the Colorado River?

a) Austin, Texas
b) Denver, Colorado
c) Helena, Montana
d) Phoenix, Arizona

Question 3,053: Literature & Arts -- Pollock's Paintings

What art movement's artists include Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning?

a) Abstract Expressionism
b) Cubism
c) Rococo
d) Surrealism

Question 3,054: Sports & Games -- Baseball Sign

What gas station's large, lit sign is prominently visible from Fenway Park?

a) Chevron
b) Citgo
c) Mobil
d) Sunoco

General Trivia Answers #3,043-3,048

Answer 3,043: Entertainment & Food -- Askin' About Baskin

c) 31

Burt Baskin and his brother-in-law Irv Robbins founded the chain in 1946. Seven years later, they began advertising one flavor for each day of the month.

Answer 3,044: History & Government -- Not a Tax Cut

a) Beards

One of Peter the Great's misguided attempts at westernizing the country was taxing beards to encourage people to shave them off.

Answer 3,045: Math & Science -- Liter Load

c) 2.2 pounds

By definition, it is exactly one kilogram at standard temperature and pressure.

Answer 3,046: Geography & Nature -- River Range

c) Nile River

The African river measures 4,160 miles from Lake Victoria.

Answer 3,047: Literature & Arts -- Modern Metal Movement

a) Art Deco

The movement was called Modernistic or Style Moderne at the time. The term Art Deco was coined in 1925, but British art critic Bevis Hillier popularized it in the 1960s.

Answer 3,048: Sports & Games -- ESP Den

a) Connecticut

The sports station went on the air from Bristol on September 7, 1979.

General Trivia Questions #3,043-3,048

Question 3,043: Entertainment & Food -- Askin' About Baskin

How many flavors of ice cream does Baskin Robbins offer?

a) 25
b) 28
c) 31
d) 34

Question 3,044: History & Government -- Not a Tax Cut

What did Russia start to tax on September 1, 1689?

a) Beards
b) Fingernails
c) Hair
d) Mustaches

Question 3,045: Math & Science -- Liter Load

Approximately how much does a liter of water weigh?

a) 1.2 pounds
b) 1.7 pounds
c) 2.2 pounds
d) 2.7 pounds

Question 3,046: Geography & Nature -- River Range

What is the longest river in the world?

a) Amazon River
b) Mississippi River
c) Nile River
d) Yangtze River

Question 3,047: Literature & Arts -- Modern Metal Movement

What 1920s and 1930s art movement is characterized by sleek, curved lines and the use of metals and modern materials?

a) Art Deco
b) Fauvism
c) Futurism
d) Op Art

Question 3,048: Sports & Games -- ESP Den

In which state are ESPN's headquarters located?

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

Mystery Madness - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) Mary Todd Lincoln. A decade after losing her husband and four years after losing her son Thomas, Abraham's widow spent three months in a mental institution before being released to her sister.
• A2) Archie Moore. The Ole Mongoose knocked out somewhere around 141 of his opponents.
• A3) George Shultz. The Princeton University and MIT graduate performed the first two roles in Nixon's Cabinet and the third in Reagan's.
• A4) Larry Doby. The first black American League player took Johnny Sain deep in the third inning of game four of the 1948 World Series, and the Cleveland Indians would go on to defeat the Boston Braves in six games.
• A5) Dick Van Dyke. Having captured a Tony Award, Van Dyke repeated the role in a television movie three years later.
• A6) Christopher Plummer. The Canadian Shakespeare actor has won two Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers in 1977 and for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for Madeline in 1994.
• A7) John Davidson. The Pittsburgh native hosted two incarnations of The John Davidson Show, from 1969 to 1970 and from 1980 to 1982.
• A8) Ferguson Jenkins. In 1971 during the fifth of six straight 20-win seasons with the Chicago Cubs, the Ontarian posted 24 wins, 263 strikeouts, and a 2.77 ERA.
• A9) Ted Nugent. The Detroit native has released 31 albums as a solo act and with the Amboy Dukes, Damn Yankees, and Damnocracy.
• A10) Jamie Foxx. As an aspiring comedian, the Texan tried to increase his chance of getting on-stage during open mike night by submitting the female-sounding names Stacy King, Tracy Brown, and Jamie Foxx. When the club called the last of these up to the stage, his new name was cemented.
• A11) Sergei Fedorov. The center earned the Hart Memorial Award in 1994 after tallying 56 goals and 64 assists with the Detroit Red Wings.
• A12) Taylor Swift. "Tim McGraw" reached #6 on the country charts while Swift's self-titled debut album hit #1.

All of these answers were born on December 13, the day this quiz was originally posted. To make it a little easier, they were listed in chronological order, with the birth years being 1818 (Lincoln), 1913 (Moore), 1920 (Shultz), 1923 (Doby), 1925 (Van Dyke), 1929 (Plummer), 1941 (Davidson), 1943 (Jenkins), 1948 (Nugent), 1967 (Foxx), 1969 (Fedorov), and 1989 (Swift).

Mystery Madness - Random Trivia Questions

I was puzzling over this week's theme when I realized that a mystery quiz was long overdue. More likely than not, you'll either realize the connection after a few answers or won't get it at all.

Mystery Madness Questions

• Q1) Which First Lady was committed to a mental institution?
• Q2) What boxer, who holds the professional record for knockouts, did the Associated Press select as the top Light Heavyweight of the 20th century?
• Q3) What economist was the United States Secretary of Labor from 1969 to 1970, the Secretary of the Treasury from 1972 to 1974, and the Secretary of State from 1982 to 1989?
• Q4) Who was the first black baseball player to hit a home run in the World Series?
• Q5) What television actor first became famous for his role as Albert F. Peterson in the 1960 musical Bye-Bye Birdie?
• Q6) In 2005, what actor was nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Emmyfor Our Fathers while his daughter won for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit?
• Q7) In the movie Edward Scissorhands, what real talk show host played himself and had the title character as a guest on his show?
• Q8) Who was the first Canadian to win a Cy Young Award?
• Q9) What rock guitarist is known as the Motor City Madman?
• Q10) What actor was born as Eric Bishop?
• Q11) Who was the first Russian to win the NHL MVP award?
• Q12) What singer's debut single was named for another country singer, Tim McGraw?

West Wind -- Quiz Quilt 100 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	ECUADOR	The nation's 122 people per square mile in 2005 ranked it only 147th in the world, fourteen spots ahead of Colombia.
Literature & Arts	HARDY	The Hardy Boys have appeared in almost 400 books since 1926.
Entertainment & Food	TOUCH	Michelle Stephenson was an original member of the group in 1993 but left for school and was replaced by Emma Bunton before the 1996 name change.
Sports & Games	RUPP	Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp won 876 games over 41 seasons, including the 1948 national championship.
History & Government	MAINE	The compromise maintained the balance of slave states and free states.
Math & Science	LORENTZ	Hendrik Antoon Lorentz's work involved electromagnetic radiation, refining James Maxwell's theories.

Quiz Quilt Answer: ZEPHYR (Last letters going up)

Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and the word now refers to any light wind.

West Wind -- Quiz Quilt 100 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What is the most densely populated country in South America?
Literature & Arts	What is the last name of the famous fictional teenage brother detectives Frank and Joe?
Entertainment & Food	What were the Spice Girls known as before they heard a song called "Sugar & Spice" and took their eventual name?
Sports & Games	Who was the all-time winningest NCAA basketball coach until Dean Smith passed him on March 15, 1997?
History & Government	Which state was admitted to the Union as a free state in the 1820 Missouri Compromise?
Math & Science	What Dutch scientist won the 1902 Nobel Prize for his mathematical theory of the electron?

General Trivia Answers #3,037-3,042

Answer 3,037: Entertainment & Food -- James Renames

d) Iggy Pop

The Michigan-born performer initially called himself Iggy when he was the drummer for The Iguanas in high school.

Answer 3,038: History & Government -- United Nations Translations

a) Arabic

Chinese and Russian were already on the list, along with English, French, and Spanish.

Answer 3,039: Math & Science -- Venus Venture

d) Venera 4

The Soviet spacecraft transmitted information on temperature, barometric pressure, cosmic radiation, and more on October 18, 1967.

Answer 3,040: Geography & Nature -- Fake Lake

c) Uganda

The completion of the Owen Falls Dam in 1954 created the 1,930-square-mile lake.

Answer 3,041: Literature & Arts -- Amontillado Alcohol

d) Sherry

The pale, medium-dry variety is named for Montilla, the region in Spain where it is produced.

Answer 3,042: Sports & Games -- Card Contest

c) Bermuda Bowl

Norman Bach started the team event on the island of Bermuda in 1950.

General Trivia Questions #3,037-3,042

Question 3,037: Entertainment & Food -- James Renames

By what name is singer James Osterburg better known?

a) Boy George
b) Bryan Adams
c) George Michael
d) Iggy Pop

Question 3,038: History & Government -- United Nations Translations

What language was added to the original list of United Nations official languages in 1973?

a) Arabic
b) Chinese
c) Japanese
d) Russian

Question 3,039: Math & Science -- Venus Venture

What was the first spaceship to send data back from Venus?

a) Magellan
b) Mariner 2
c) Pioneer 1
d) Venera 4

Question 3,040: Geography & Nature -- Fake Lake

What country is home to the world's largest man-made lake?

a) Egypt
b) Russia
c) Uganda
d) Zimbabwe

Question 3,041: Literature & Arts -- Amontillado Alcohol

What type of alcoholic beverage does the title of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" refer to?

a) Bourbon
b) Champagne
c) Cognac
d) Sherry

Question 3,042: Sports & Games -- Card Contest

What is the world championship for the card game bridge?

a) Bali Bowl
b) Barbados Bowl
c) Bermuda Bowl
d) Britain Bowl

General Trivia Answers #3,031-3,036

Answer 3,031: Entertainment & Food -- Licorice Location

d) Roots

The plant itself is a legume.

Answer 3,032: History & Government -- Cabinet Chief

d) Thomas Jefferson

The Virginian is the only person to have served as Secretary of State, Vice President, and President.

Answer 3,033: Math & Science -- Sugar Sort

a) Fructose

Besides contributing to obesity and higher LDL cholesterol levels, the monosaccharide cannot be easily digested without the presence of sucrose.

Answer 3,034: Geography & Nature -- Minor Land Mass

d) Turkey

The Greeks called it Anatolia, and the Asian side of the country is still known as the Anatolian peninsula.

Answer 3,035: Literature & Arts -- Detective Deviser

b) Robert B. Parker

Robert Urich played the Boston-based private detective from 1985 to 1988, a few years removed from his similar role as Dan Tanna in Vega$.

Answer 3,036: Sports & Games -- Gruesome Grandmama

c) Larry Johnson

The spots advertised Converse sneakers ("It's what's inside that counts"). The forward also rehashed the role on the show Family Matters in 1993.

General Trivia Questions #3,031-3,036

Question 3,031: Entertainment & Food -- Licorice Location

What part of the plant does licorice flavoring come from?

a) Berries
b) Flowers
c) Leaves
d) Roots

Question 3,032: History & Government -- Cabinet Chief

Which U.S. President had been the first U.S. Secretary of State?

a) James Madison
b) James Monroe
c) John Adams
d) Thomas Jefferson

Question 3,033: Math & Science -- Sugar Sort

What type of sugar is usually made for consumption by the hydrolysis of beet or cane sugar?

a) Fructose
b) Galactose
c) Glucose
d) Sucrose

Question 3,034: Geography & Nature -- Minor Land Mass

What country is Asia Minor now part of?

a) Iran
b) Iraq
c) Syria
d) Turkey

Question 3,035: Literature & Arts -- Detective Deviser

What author's best-selling novels formed the basis for the TV show Spenser: For Hire?

a) Erle Stanley Gardner
b) Robert B. Parker
c) Ross Macdonald
d) Sydney Sheldon

Question 3,036: Sports & Games -- Gruesome Grandmama

What NBA player appeared as Grandmama in TV commercials in the early 1990s?

a) Alonzo Mourning
b) David Robinson
c) Larry Johnson
d) Shaquille O'Neal

General Trivia Answers #3,025-3,030

Answer 3,025: Entertainment & Food -- Movie Money Maker

d) Star Wars

The first six movies in the series had raked in over 4.3 billion dollars through December 2008.

Answer 3,026: History & Government -- Initial Instances

a) J.

The ten J's are John Adams, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield, John F. Kennedy, and Jimmy Carter.

Answer 3,027: Math & Science -- Planet Partner

d) Pluto

The dwarf planet's diameter is only about double its satellite Charon's.

Answer 3,028: Geography & Nature -- Dead Sea Shore

b) Jordan

The 390-square-mile sea is the saltiest lake in the world, and the top of the lake is the lowest point on the Earth's surface, 1,395 feet below sea level.

Answer 3,029: Literature & Arts -- Diary Dwelling

a) Amsterdam

While her family hid from the Nazis behind a warehouse, the teenager maintained her diary from June 12, 1942 to August 4, 1944.

Answer 3,030: Sports & Games -- Cup Competition

a) America's Cup

Queen Victoria authorized the creation of the 8-pound 6-ounce, 27-inch, solid silver cup in 1848.

General Trivia Questions #3,025-3,030

Question 3,025: Entertainment & Food -- Movie Money Maker

What movie series has grossed the most at the box office worldwide?

a) Batman
b) Jurassic Park
c) Raiders of the Lost Ark
d) Star Wars

Question 3,026: History & Government -- Initial Instances

What is the most common first initial among U.S. presidents?

a) J.
b) M.
c) R.
d) W.

Question 3,027: Math & Science -- Planet Partner

Which planet or dwarf planet in the solar system has a moon that is closest in size to it?

a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Neptune
d) Pluto

Question 3,028: Geography & Nature -- Dead Sea Shore

What country other than Israel borders the Dead Sea?

a) Egypt
b) Jordan
c) Lebanon
d) Syria

Question 3,029: Literature & Arts -- Diary Dwelling

In what city did Anne Frank record her famous diary?

a) Amsterdam
b) Berlin
c) Brussels
d) Frankfurt

Question 3,030: Sports & Games -- Cup Competition

What sporting event's winner receives the One Hundred Guinea Cup?

a) America's Cup
b) Davis Cup
c) Ryder Cup
d) Solheim Cup

General Trivia Answers #3,019-3,024

Answer 3,019: Entertainment & Food -- Second Scout

c) Life

Eagle Scout is the highest rank.

Answer 3,020: History & Government -- Justice of Prejudice

c) Roger Taney

Eleven years after Scott originally filed his case, Taney denied his freedom. He ruled that Scott did not even have the right to file suit because he was a slave.

Answer 3,021: Math & Science -- Virus Undesirous

c) Polio

Botulism comes from a bacteria-generated nerve toxin, lyme disease is a microorganism-produced disease, and typhus is a bacteria-spread disease.

Answer 3,022: Geography & Nature -- April Architecture

d) Portugal

The structure was named for the date of the Carnation Revolution in 1974, when soldiers put flowers in their rifles.

Answer 3,023: Literature & Arts -- Superhero Hall or Hol

b) Hawkman

The archaeologist-turned-crimefighter debuted in "Flash Comics #1".

Answer 3,024: Sports & Games -- River Ratings

b) 6

They range from Easy (Class I) to Extreme (Class VI).

General Trivia Questions #3,019-3,024

Question 3,019: Entertainment & Food -- Second Scout

What is the second highest rank that a Boy Scout can attain?

a) Bear
b) Eagle
c) Life
d) Wolf

Question 3,020: History & Government -- Justice of Prejudice

Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who issued the Dred Scott decision in 1857?

a) John Marshall
b) Oliver Ellsworth
c) Roger Taney
d) Salmon Chase

Question 3,021: Math & Science -- Virus Undesirous

What is the only disease below that is caused by a virus?

a) Botulism
b) Lyme disease
c) Polio
d) Typhus

Question 3,022: Geography & Nature -- April Architecture

In what country is the April the 25th Bridge located?

a) Austria
b) Belgium
c) Liechtenstein
d) Portugal

Question 3,023: Literature & Arts -- Superhero Hall or Hol

What superhero was introduced in 1940 as Carter Hall, which was later respelled Katar Hol before reverting in 1961?

a) Aquaman
b) Hawkman
c) Iceman
d) Iron Man

Question 3,024: Sports & Games -- River Ratings

How many classes are rivers divided into for rafting and other activities?

a) 5
b) 6
c) 7
d) 8

General Trivia Answers #3,013-3,018

Answer 3,013: Entertainment & Food -- Short People

a) Actor Danny DeVito

Actress Rhea Perlman's husband is five feet tall, two inches shorter than Simon, three shy of Bogues, and four below Fox.

Answer 3,014: History & Government -- Last of the Independents

a) George Wallace

Although the Alabama governor had previously run as a Democrat, Wallace garnered 46 electoral votes in 1968 as an American Independent.

Answer 3,015: Math & Science -- Head of the Classifications

b) Kingdom

The sequence from general to specific is kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

Answer 3,016: Geography & Nature -- Concentrated Country

c) Singapore

The nation had 16,654 people per square mile in 2004.

Answer 3,017: Literature & Arts -- Bridge Breaker

c) For Whom the Bell Tolls

The hero believes that "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for."

Answer 3,018: Sports & Games -- Full Fencing

a) Epee

In foil, only the trunk of the body is legal, while in sabre all touches above the waist scores points.

General Trivia Questions #3,013-3,018

Question 3,013: Entertainment & Food -- Short People

Who is the shortest of the following famous people?

a) Actor Danny DeVito
b) Actor Michael J. Fox
c) Basketball player Muggsy Bogues
d) Singer Paul Simon

Question 3,014: History & Government -- Last of the Independents

Who was the last candidate who was not a Democrat or a Republican to win electoral votes in a U.S. presidential election?

a) George Wallace
b) John Anderson
c) Ross Perot
d) Strom Thurmond

Question 3,015: Math & Science -- Head of the Classifications

What is the highest of the seven levels of classifications in biology?

a) Class
b) Kingdom
c) Order
d) Phylum

Question 3,016: Geography & Nature -- Concentrated Country

What is the most densely populated country in Asia?

a) Cambodia
b) Japan
c) Singapore
d) Taiwan

Question 3,017: Literature & Arts -- Bridge Breaker

What novel tells the story of Robert Jordan blowing up a bridge?

a) Battlefield Earth
b) The Bridge of San Luis Rey
c) For Whom the Bell Tolls
d) The Good Soldier

Question 3,018: Sports & Games -- Full Fencing

In what style of fencing is the entire body a target?

a) Epee
b) Foil
c) Sabre
d) all of the above

Store Stories - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) William. William T. Dillard started his flagship department store in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1938.
• A2) William. William Filene's Sons Co. opened in Boston, Massachusetts in 1881. The famous Automatic Bargain Basement debuted in 1909.
• A3) James. James Cash Penney and William Henry McManus, renamed the Golden Rule Store in Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1912.
• A4) Sebastian. Sebastian S. Kresge followed up his S.S. Kresge dime store chain with his new business in Garden City, Michigan in 1962.
• A5) Max. Max Kohl had started Kohl's Food Stores in 1946 then branched out to Kohl's Department Store in Brookfield, Wisconsin in 1962.
• A6) Alex. Alex Loeb opened his first clothing store in Meridian, Mississippi in 1887.
• A7) Lucius. Lucius S. Lowe started Lowe's North Wilkesboro Hardware in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina in 1921. The name was changed to Lowe's in 1946.
• A8) Rowland. Rowland Hussey Macy, a Quaker, founded R. H. Macy & Company on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City in 1858.
• A9) John. John W. Nordstrom, a Swedish immigrant born as Johan Nordström, founded the company as a shoe store in Seattle, Washington in 1901.
• A10) Andrew. Andrew Saks opened his first store in 1867 and the store that would become Saks & Co. in 1898. The Saks Fifth Avenue name was given to the eponymous New York City location in 1924 after a merger between Saks & Co. and Gimbel Brothers, Inc.
• A11) Richard. Richard Warren Sears started by selling watches, first on foot, then via mail order before teaming up with Alvah Roebuck to create Sears, Roebuck and Co. in Chicago, Illinois in 1886.
• A12) Charles. Charles R. Walgreen, Sr. started the company as a drug store in Chicago, Illinois in 1901.

Store Stories - Random Trivia Questions

With the holiday shopping season in full flow, I present you with a dozen questions about the stores that you may frequent either in person or on the Internet. Can you give the first names of the founders of the following businesses? Ignore company name changes as long as the founder's last name remained part of the store name.

Store Stories Questions

• Q1) Dillard's
• Q2) Filene's
• Q3) J.C. Penney*
• Q4) Kmart
• Q5) Kohl's
• Q6) Loeb's
• Q7) Lowe's
• Q8) Macy's
• Q9) Nordstrom
• Q10) Saks Fifth Avenue
• Q11) Sears*
• Q12) Walgreen

* bonus point for the partner's first name

Seoul Food -- Quiz Quilt 99 Solution

Category Answers:

Geography & Nature	OKAPI	The giraffe's closest living relative bears the trademark stripes, albeit in black-and-white, on its hindquarters and legs.
Entertainment & Food	HINES	Big band leader Earl "Fatha" Hines also teamed up with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.
Literature & Arts	AMEN	In Judaism, the word is considered to be an acronym for "Al MElech Ne'eman" ("Lord King, who is Trustworthy").
Sports & Games	SCHENKEL	Four-time National Sportscaster of the Year Chris Schenkel appeared in several movies as himself, including the bowling-themed Dreamer and Kingpin.
History & Government	CHIRAC	Jacques Chirac, known for his ambitious nature, was elected president in 1995.
Math & Science	NICKEL	Cobalt is also magnetic.

Quiz Quilt Answer: KIMCHI (Second letters going down.)

Kimchi, also spelled kimchee and gimchi, is a spicy, pickled vegetable appetizer and ingredient that is the national dish of Korea.

Seoul Food -- Quiz Quilt 99 Puzzle

Category Questions:

Geography & Nature	What nocturnal, ruminant, giraffe-like mammal is found in the rain forests of the upper Congo River?
Entertainment & Food	What African-American jazz pianist and composer is known as the Father of Modern Jazz Piano?
Literature & Arts	What Hebrew word means "so be it"?
Sports & Games	What ABC sports commentator debuted on Monday night boxing shows in 1952 and covered bowling and other sports?
History & Government	Which French president was nicknamed the Bulldozer?
Math & Science	In 1751, what was the second metal that was discovered to be magnetic, although to a much lesser degree than iron?

General Trivia Answers #3,007-3,012

Answer 3,007: Entertainment & Food -- Know-Name Nook

a) Cheers

Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo collaborated on the catchy tune in 1982.

Answer 3,008: History & Government -- Barnard's Brother

b) Columbia

They were joined loosely in 1893 and formally in 1900.

Answer 3,009: Math & Science -- Bone Zone

b) Hands

Each hand has 27 bones: eight in the wrist, five in the palm, and fourteen in the fingers.

Answer 3,010: Geography & Nature -- Mis-State-d

a) East Wales

New South Wales is one of the country's eight states and territories though.

Answer 3,011: Literature & Arts -- Copied from Carroll's Carpenter

a) Cabbages and Kings

The short story collection appeared in 1904.

Answer 3,012: Sports & Games -- Name the Game

d) Hockey

Dryden played goalie for the Montreal Canadiens for eight seasons and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year that the book came out.

General Trivia Questions #3,007-3,012

Question 3,007: Entertainment & Food -- Know-Name Nook

What TV show's theme song observed, "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name"?

a) Cheers
b) Taxi
c) Twin Peaks
d) WKRP in Cincinnati

Question 3,008: History & Government -- Barnard's Brother

Which Ivy League university is affiliated with the Barnard College for women?

a) Brown
b) Columbia
c) Harvard
d) Pennsylvania

Question 3,009: Math & Science -- Bone Zone

Which part of the human body below has the most bones?

a) Feet
b) Hands
c) Head
d) Mouth

Question 3,010: Geography & Nature -- Mis-State-d

Which of the following is not a state of Australia?

a) East Wales
b) Northern Territory
c) South Australia
d) Western Australia

Question 3,011: Literature & Arts -- Copied from Carroll's Carpenter

Which O. Henry work's title comes from Lewis Carroll's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter"?

a) Cabbages and Kings
b) "The Gift of the Magi"
c) The Last Leaf
d) A Retrieved Reformation

Question 3,012: Sports & Games -- Name the Game

What sport is Ken Dryden's 1983 bestseller The Game about?

a) Baseball
b) Basketball
c) Football
d) Hockey

General Trivia Answers #3,001-3,006

Answer 3,001: Entertainment & Food -- Second Song

a) Pat Benatar: "You Better Run"

Rod Stewart's "She Won't Dance With Me" was third.

Answer 3,002: History & Government -- Hitler's Hero

c) Henry Ford

In 1933, the U.S. Congress investigated the possibility that Ford may have helped finance Hitler's early foray into politics, but the results were inconclusive.

Answer 3,003: Math & Science -- Step Brothers

a) Australopithecus

Based on structural similarities, scientists believe that Australopithecus walked upright about three million years ago.

Answer 3,004: Geography & Nature -- Bierce Birthplace

d) Ohio

Other famous Buckeyes include Drew Carey, George Custer, Thomas Edison, James Garfield, John Glenn, Lil' Bow Wow, Paul Newman, Pete Rose, Steven Spielberg, and James Thurber.

Answer 3,005: Literature & Arts -- Cay Woe

d) Theodore Taylor

The book about a shipwrecked boy and man was made into a TV movie in 1974.

Answer 3,006: Sports & Games -- Masters Master

a) Arnold Palmer

The Pennsylvanian won in every even-numbered year from 1958 to 1964.

General Trivia Questions #3,001-3,006

Question 3,001: Entertainment & Food -- Second Song

What was the second video ever played on MTV?

a) Pat Benatar: "You Better Run"
b) The Pretenders: "Brass in Pocket"
c) Styx: "Rockin' the Paradise"
d) The Who: "You Better You Bet"

Question 3,002: History & Government -- Hitler's Hero

What American businessman's photograph did Adolf Hitler have in a frame on the wall behind his desk?

a) Andrew Carnegie
b) Benjamin Franklin
c) Henry Ford
d) Thomas Edison

Question 3,003: Math & Science -- Step Brothers

What was the first primate to walk on two feet?

a) Australopithecus
b) Homo erectus
c) Homo habilis
d) Homo sapiens

Question 3,004: Geography & Nature -- Bierce Birthplace

In which U.S. state were Ambrose Bierce, Clark Gable, and Neil Armstrong all born?

a) Indiana
b) Michigan
c) Minnesota
d) Ohio

Question 3,005: Literature & Arts -- Cay Woe

Who was the author of the 1969 novel The Cay?

a) Allen Tate
b) Lowell Thomas
c) Paul Theroux
d) Theodore Taylor

Question 3,006: Sports & Games -- Masters Master

Who was the first golfer to win the Masters four times?

a) Arnold Palmer
b) Ben Hogan
c) Jack Nicklaus
d) Sam Snead

General Trivia Answers #2,995-3,000

Answer 2,995: Entertainment & Food -- Re-Phil

d) 42

The number corresponds to the six weeks of winter predicted by the groundhog.

Answer 2,996: History & Government -- $2 Tidbit

d) Thomas Jefferson

The first American $2 bill in 1862 featured Alexander Hamilton. Though rarely seen in circulation, the currency is still being issued, with the most recent printing in 2004.

Answer 2,997: Math & Science -- Punchcard Columns

b) 80

Teletypes and dumb terminals continued to hold eighty columns of characters decades later.

Answer 2,998: Geography & Nature -- Four for Fifty

b) Mesa, Arizona

The city ranked #43 with 396,375 residents and is now the largest suburban city in the country.

Answer 2,999: Literature & Arts -- Esperanto Ending

d) 'o'

An 'a' finishes all adjectives, and an 'e' terminates all adverbs.

Answer 3,000: Sports & Games -- Perfect Pair

d) Nebraska

Tom Osborne's Cornhuskers went 13-0 the first year, edging Miami in the Orange Bowl, and 12-0 the second, destroying Florida in the Fiesta Bowl.

General Trivia Questions #2,995-3,000

Question 2,995: Entertainment & Food -- Re-Phil

How many times does Bill Murray's character Phil relive Groundhog Day in the 1993 film?

a) 21
b) 28
c) 35
d) 42

Question 2,996: History & Government -- $2 Tidbit

Whose portrait has been on the U.S. $2 bill since 1869?

a) James Madison
b) John Adams
c) Theodore Roosevelt
d) Thomas Jefferson

Question 2,997: Math & Science -- Punchcard Columns

How many columns are on a standard IBM punchcard?

a) 64
b) 80
c) 100
d) 128

Question 2,998: Geography & Nature -- Four for Fifty

In the 2000 U.S. Census, what was the only four-letter city in the top fifty in population?

a) Erie, Pennsylvania
b) Mesa, Arizona
c) Reno, Nevada
d) Waco, Texas

Question 2,999: Literature & Arts -- Esperanto Ending

Which vowel do all singular subject Esperanto nouns end with?

a) 'a'
b) 'e'
c) 'i'
d) 'o'

Question 3,000: Sports & Games -- Perfect Pair

What college won back-to-back NCAA football championships in 1994 and 1995?

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

General Trivia Answers #2,989-2,994

Answer 2,989: Entertainment & Food -- Colada Content

c) Rum

Rum is created by the distillation of fermented molasses or sugar cane juice.

Answer 2,990: History & Government -- Boer War

a) Diamonds

The British had taken over the Transvaal three years earlier, but returned it after the Boers defeated them in battle.

Answer 2,991: Math & Science -- Core Colors

d) Yellow

Colors of light are additive, with blue and green making cyan, blue and red making magenta, and green and red making yellow.

Answer 2,992: Geography & Nature -- Chopping Up China

a) 1

In 1980, the Chinese government decreed that the entire country would share the same time zone.

Answer 2,993: Literature & Arts -- Dean of the Diptera

b) A pig's head

William Golding's first novel initially drew little interest in 1954 but eventually became a bestseller and a 1963 movie.

Answer 2,994: Sports & Games -- Club Soda

b) Denver Broncos

They named themselves for the soft drink because their uniforms were orange.

General Trivia Questions #2,989-2,994

Question 2,989: Entertainment & Food -- Colada Content

With what type of alcohol are Daiquiris and Pina Coladas made?

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

Question 2,990: History & Government -- Boer War

In 1880, what was the First Boer War waged over?

a) Diamonds
b) Gold
c) Religion
d) Slavery

Question 2,991: Math & Science -- Core Colors

Which of the following is not one of the primary colors of light?

a) Blue
b) Green
c) Red
d) Yellow

Question 2,992: Geography & Nature -- Chopping Up China

How many time zones does China have?

a) 1
b) 4
c) 7
d) 10

Question 2,993: Literature & Arts -- Dean of the Diptera

What does the title of the book Lord of the Flies refer to?

a) Jack
b) A pig's head
c) Ralph
d) An unseen monster

Question 2,994: Sports & Games -- Club Soda

Which NFL team's defense was known as the Orange Crush in the 1970s?

a) Atlanta Falcons
b) Denver Broncos
c) New Orleans Saints
d) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

General Trivia Answers #2,983-2,988

Answer 2,983: Entertainment & Food -- Will's World

d) Philadelphia

Smith was born in the City of Brotherly Love on September 25, 1968.

Answer 2,984: History & Government -- Rim Reeds

c) 118

A quarter has 119 ridges, a half dollar 150, and a Susan B. Anthony dollar 133.

Answer 2,985: Math & Science -- Record RPMs

a) 33 rpm

The Hungarian immigrant created the long-playing (LP) record for CBS.

Answer 2,986: Geography & Nature -- Dam Nation

d) Tajikistan

Rogun is 1,099 feet high, and Nurek is 984 feet high.

Answer 2,987: Literature & Arts -- Frankenstein's First

d) Victor

The name belongs to the scientist, not the monster.

Answer 2,988: Sports & Games -- Torn by Tornado

d) Utah Jazz

The Delta Center suffered major damage but was repaired.