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Square Me a Thought Trivia Quiz

Squares don't have to be boring; try this quiz and hopefully you will encounter some more obscure aspects of our four sided-friends.

A multiple-choice quiz by jimpimslim1. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
jimpimslim1

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
319,286

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
1054

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. According to the popular saying, what would you NOT be able to fit comfortably into a round hole? Hint

a square peg

a square pin

a square log

a square screw

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Question 2 of 20

2. In the British armed forces, a Sergeant Major would call out orders for hapless soldiers to take part in what activity? Hint

square bashing

square dancing

square drilling

square jumping

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Question 3 of 20

3. What was the title of Michael Bentine's 1962 award-winning BBC comedy show? Hint

It's a Square Globe

It's a Square Planet

It's a Square World

It's a Square Sphere

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Question 4 of 20

4. On a trip to Scotland, if you were given something with the name 'Lorne' on your breakfast plate, what would you have been served? Hint

square haggis

square black pudding

square fried bread

square sausage

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Question 5 of 20

5. Which mythical retail organisation have Reg Holdsworth, Alf Roberts, Curley Watts and Fred Elliot all been members of? Hint

The Square Traiders

The Square Dealers

The Square Grocers

The Square Squealers

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Question 6 of 20

6. What would the good citizens of Edinburgh call a fair fight, taking place on an Edinburgh school playground or outside a local hostelry? Hint

a square out

a square on

a square go

a square off

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Question 7 of 20

7. During a game of cricket, what position would you be taking up if you were standing closest to the second umpire whilst representing the fielding side? Hint

square field

square on

square leg

square cover

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Question 8 of 20

8. What were the British Satellite Broadcasting dishes once called? Hint

squarials

squarenets

squaralites

squareonics

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Question 9 of 20

9. What was the name of the Bob Monkhouse noughts and crosses (US tic-tac-toe) quiz game first screened in the UK in 1975? Hint

Stars in Their Squares

Guess the Square

Celebrity Squares

Famous Squares

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Question 10 of 20

10. Which special day is only celebrated nine times every century? Hint

Square Root Day

Square Circle Day

Square World Day

Square Mile Day

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Question 11 of 20

11. If you sit around watching too much television you may get what (according to your mother)? Hint

square glasses

square brain

square eyes

square bottom

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Question 12 of 20

12. What would a traditional draughtsman use to draw parallel and horizontal lines? Hint

T square

L square

H square

X square

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Question 13 of 20

13. What is the cupronickel Australian item with a Kookaburra Design that is much sought after? Hint

square coin

square badge

square medal

square bullet

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Question 14 of 20

14. Lady Raytham, a creation of author Edgar Wallace, wore which precious gem? Hint

square diamond

square ruby

square sapphire

square emerald

15. What would you call an arrangement of the numbers from 1 to n^2 (n-squared) in an nxn matrix, with all numbers occurring precisely once, and such that the total of the entries of whichever column, any row, or any main diagonal amounts to any other? Hint

a magic square

a sequence square

a precise square

an exact square

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Question 16 of 20

16. Mathematician Stan Wagon invented which unusual mode of transport? Hint

square wheeled tractor

square wheeled trike

square wheeled tank

square wheeled skateboard

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Question 17 of 20

17. What is often used to set off an interruption within a direct quotation? Hint

square circles

square angles

square brackets

square marks

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Question 18 of 20

18. What musical instrument would you associate with Johannes Zumpe? Hint

square piano

square drum

square triangle

square guitar

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Question 19 of 20

19. US President Theodore Roosevelt instigated which reform policy? Hint

square meal

square deal

square trade

square statute

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Question 20 of 20

20. Geoffrey Lumsden played which character in the popular UK sitcom 'Dad's Army'? Hint

Sergeant Square

Private Square

Colonel Square

Captain Square

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. According to the popular saying, what would you NOT be able to fit comfortably into a round hole?

Answer: a square peg

The idiom 'You can't fit a square peg into a round hole' has been around for many years. Surely this cannot be the case, simply drill the hole larger than the peg or hit the peg with a heavy enough mallet. The idiom roughly means 'you can't be forced into something that doesn't suit you'.

2. In the British armed forces, a Sergeant Major would call out orders for hapless soldiers to take part in what activity?

Answer: square bashing

Square bashing is British military slang for the drilling of service men and women, in marching and presenting arms. This activity takes place on a barrack square, where a very vocal Sergeant Major barks out commands and hopefully all his charges will move as one.

3. What was the title of Michael Bentine's 1962 award-winning BBC comedy show?

Answer: It's a Square World

The show won a BAFTA in 1962 for Best Comedy Performance. It then followed up the next year with a Golden Rose of Montreux award.

4. On a trip to Scotland, if you were given something with the name 'Lorne' on your breakfast plate, what would you have been served?

Answer: square sausage

The square sausage is thought to be named after a Scottish comedian called Tommy Lorne. One of his catch phrases was 'sausages are the boys'. It is said that, indeed, he did love his sausages. Square sausage is also known as sliced sausage in some parts of Scotland, fitting neatly between two slices of bread.

5. Which mythical retail organisation have Reg Holdsworth, Alf Roberts, Curley Watts and Fred Elliot all been members of?

Answer: The Square Dealers

The long-running British soap opera 'Coronation Street' is where you would find The Square Dealers. They are loosely based on freemasonry, having elected officers such as Grand Masters.

6. What would the good citizens of Edinburgh call a fair fight, taking place on an Edinburgh school playground or outside a local hostelry?

Answer: a square go

A square go means a fair fight. It is one that is evenly matched with no weapons involved, almost honourable now-a-days!

7. During a game of cricket, what position would you be taking up if you were standing closest to the second umpire whilst representing the fielding side?

Answer: square leg

Cricket has many strange sounding fielding names: silly mid-off, deep square leg and third man, to name but a few. Whilst standing at square leg, a fielder has to be extremely vigilant as he is very close to the batsman. His main duties are to prevent quick singles and take catches.

8. What were the British Satellite Broadcasting dishes once called?

Answer: squarials

British Satellite Broadcasting started in 1986 and lasted until 1990 when it merged with Sky. Very quickly it became obvious that Sky had taken over BSB and, for all intents and purposes, had eliminated the only other satellite broadcasting company in the British market.

9. What was the name of the Bob Monkhouse noughts and crosses (US tic-tac-toe) quiz game first screened in the UK in 1975?

Answer: Celebrity Squares

The show started in 1975 and ran for four years. A group of celebrities would sit in boxes, designed like a traditional noughts and crosses layout. Bob Monkhouse would ask two members of the public questions, they would then pick a celebrity to answer. Depending on the accuracy of the answer, a nought or cross would be placed in the box.

10. Which special day is only celebrated nine times every century?

Answer: Square Root Day

This phenomenon occurs when the date is the square root of the last two digits of the year - when the two elements of the date are the same (i.e. 5/5) and the last two digits of the year is their square.

11. If you sit around watching too much television you may get what (according to your mother)?

Answer: square eyes

No doubt most of us baby boomers have heard this tongue-in-cheek threat many times. There is no scientific basis for this myth associated with watching too much television!

12. What would a traditional draughtsman use to draw parallel and horizontal lines?

Answer: T square

A T square is named after its shape. A draughtsman would use it by laying it on a drawing board, pressing the top of the T against the straight edge of the board and drawing along the shank.

13. What is the cupronickel Australian item with a Kookaburra Design that is much sought after?

Answer: square coin

Square coinage in Australia first appeared around 1919-21, when cupronickel coins were minted as an alternative to the unwieldy bronze pennies and halfpennies. Although none of these coins were officially circulated, in 2002 Australia's first legal tender square coin, a 1/2 ounce Kookaburra adorned square, was introduced.

14. Lady Raytham, a creation of author Edgar Wallace, wore which precious gem?

Answer: square emerald

'The Square Emerald' is a 1926 thriller. It was written by English-born author Edgar Wallace.

Answer: a magic square

A magic square can be as straightforward as 1x1, where the single entry is the number 1. The next magic square would be 3x3, where all rows, columns and diagonals would add up to 15. Positioned in 3 rows of 3, top row 8, 1, 6, middle row 3, 5, 7 and bottom row 4, 9, 2.

16. Mathematician Stan Wagon invented which unusual mode of transport?

Answer: square wheeled trike

The American mathematician perfected a road surface which allows a square wheel to revolve efficiently. A square wheel is able to travel over uniformly spaced bumps of customised shapes known as an inverted catenary.

17. What is often used to set off an interruption within a direct quotation?

Answer: square brackets

Square brackets are used to surround a piece of writing in order to separate it from the core text. In mathematics, square brackets are used as a sign of aggregation, demonstrating that the expression enclosed is to be evaluated first.

18. What musical instrument would you associate with Johannes Zumpe?

Answer: square piano

London-based German Johannes Zumpe produced square pianos dating back to the 1760s. Today the upright piano fills the vacuum created by the decline in popularity of its square predecessor.

19. US President Theodore Roosevelt instigated which reform policy?

Answer: square deal

Roosevelt's 'Square Deal' vowed not to favour any specific group of Americans but to be fair to them all. Roosevelt was President of the United States from 1901-1909.

20. Geoffrey Lumsden played which character in the popular UK sitcom 'Dad's Army'?

Answer: Captain Square

Captain Square likes to get his own way. His uncompromising persona ensures a clash of personalities with Captain George Mainwaring, who was played by Arthur Lowe.

Source: Author jimpimslim1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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