Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
Literature
Which Tolstoy novel begins “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”?
Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016?
Who wrote A Child’s History of England?
Who succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in Nov 1850?
Apart from his novels, what is Anthony Trollope remembered for?
Which two-word term was popularised by a 1948 Robert Heinlein novel of the same name, which inspired a science fiction franchise centring on a character named Tom Corbett?
Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
General History
How long, in days, was the year 46BC? 445 days; the longest year in human history. It had three extra leap months inserted by Julius Caesar as preparation to make his new Julian Calendar match up with the seasonal year.
According to the 1516 Bavarian Reinheitsgebot, what are the only ingredients allowed in beer? Water, barley & hops, although yeast was also used but not stated.
Who was the first woman to die in an aviation-related incident? Sophie Blanchard (a balloonist who died in 1812)
In what year was the Battle of Lepanto? 1571
In 1800, the capital of the USA was transferred to Washington DC from which city? Philadelphia
The War of Jenkins’ Ear (a term coined by British historian Thomas Carlyle), 1739-1748, between Britain and Spain, was fought where? Caribbean
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
General History
How long, in days, was the year 46BC?
According to the 1516 Bavarian Reinheitsgebot, what are the only ingredients allowed in beer?
Who was the first woman to die in an aviation-related incident?
In what year was the Battle of Lepanto?
In 1800, the capital of the USA was transferred to Washington DC from which city?
The War of Jenkins’ Ear (a term coined by British historian Thomas Carlyle), 1739-1748, between Britain and Spain, was fought where?
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
Biology
What is the fastest land animal?
How many hearts does an octopus have?
Gentoo, Adelie and Macaroni are all species of what?
What comic strip’s joke name for the row of spikes on a stegosaurus’s tail, the “thagomizer,” ended up becoming the official name?
Which fruit did many people in the Western world think was poisonous until 1820?
What is the natural compound present in green plants that gives them their colour?
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
World Affairs
Which political figure became Baroness of Kesteven?
What year was the United Nations established?
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus became the head of which United Nations agency in 2017?
Who was US President in the year 2000?
What was the name of the treaty signed between the Allies and Germany that officially ended WWI?
The border between North Korea and South Korea is about 257km long and 4km wide. What is this buffer zone known as?
Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
General Knowledge (2)
What is a grimoire? A textbook of magic, typically including instructions on creating magical objects, performing spells & divination, and summoning supernatural entities
Which British coin was introduced in February 1971 and withdrawn from circulation in December 1984? Half New Penny
The wood of a cricket bat is traditionally from which type of tree? Willow
In the United States, who is second in presidential line of succession after the Vice President? The Speaker of the House of Representatives
Which film concerns the declaration of war by Freedonia against neighbouring Sylvania? Duck Soup
The Velocipede was a nineteenth-century prototype of what? The bicycle
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
General Knowledge (2)
What is a grimoire?
Which British coin was introduced in February 1971 and withdrawn from circulation in December 1984?
The wood of a cricket bat is traditionally from which type of tree?
In the United States, who is second in presidential line of succession after the Vice President?
Which film concerns the declaration of war by Freedonia against neighbouring Sylvania?
The velocipede was a nineteenth-century prototype of what?
Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
Geography
In what country would you find Mount Kilimanjaro? Tanzania
What is the largest desert in Asia? Gobi Desert
Which river flows through the Grand Canyon? Colorado River
Which country bordering India measures it’s success in terms of “gross national happiness”? Bhutan
Which country makes up more than half the western coastline of South America? Chile
There’s a town in the Peloponnese region of Greece with a namesake food item known for its purple colour and smooth meaty texture. What is this fruit? Kalamata Olive
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
Eccentric looks at life through the thoughts of a retired working thinker
