That Groundhog Day Feeling Trivia Quiz

Answer: Good-looking

"This is fully intentional and carefully calibrated by your (HANDSOME) quizmaster."

Each question has hidden changes from the introductory text and instructions (which are identical). In this case, the word "handsome" has inexplicably appeared in the text.

"Groundhog Day" was released in 1993, starring Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a grumpy Pittsburgh weatherman out on his annual assignment to cover the Groundhog Day festival. Everything about Punxsutawney makes Phil miserable - the backwoods vibe, his chirpy coworkers, even his annoying former classmate. Then he wakes up the next morning and relives the same day again. And again. And again...

Answer: Sparkling water

"This is fully intentional and carefully (CARBONATED) by your quizmaster."

"Calibrated" has changed to "carbonated." Of the answers, sparkling water is the carbonated one.

Groundhog Day is a real event celebrated every February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The groundhog, also named Phil, can tell the future - the Prognosticator of Prognosticators. If he sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter; if he doesn't, he predicts only six weeks until spring.

Answer: Uncle

"In this puzzle, you may experience some feelings of deja v(U). This is fully inte(N)tional and carefully (C)alibrated by your quizmaster. Keep an eye out for any patterns... and breaks from patterns. Re(L)ax and hav(E) fun with it!"

The letters U N C L E are removed.

In "Groundhog Day," part of Phil (the human)'s annoyance is that he has to relive the EXACT same day over and over again, with NO changes. If this quiz is driving you a little crazy, imagine how he feels! The movie's director, Harold Ramis, has said that Phil lives through ten years' worth of days.

Answer: Not remembering

In this puzzle, you may experience some feelings of (AMNESIA).""

"Deja vu" has turned into "amnesia." Steven Wright once quipped: "Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before."

Punxsutawney Phil is attended by the Inner Circle, a secret society who dress in formalwear and speak fluent Groundhogese. According to lore, Phil is treated to a picnic every summer where he's given an elixir of life, and is over 130 years old. The tradition was brought to America by German settlers, though the groundhog usurped the European badger's pride of place.

In the movie, the reason for Phil Connors' time loop is purposely kept a mystery. Maybe some of the groundhog elixir slipped into the water.

Answer: Jan Feb March Apr Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

"In this puzzle, you (MAY) experience some feelings of deja vu."

"May" is missing from the text, and is missing from the list of months.

Now here's the Groundhog Day truth you've been waiting for: how accurate is the movie? "Punxsy" is pretty small, but not quite as picturesque as the movie shows. The big prognostication is actually done onstage at the top of a hill, Gobbler's Knob, not in the town square. Local school buses begin shuttling visitors to the Knob at 3 AM, where hot coffee, fireworks, and groundhog-themed rock bands await. It's not so much about the rodent; it's about the joy of dancing and celebrating a rodent at 3 AM in freezing temperatures, just because you can.

Answer: Rightful

"Relax and (JUST) have fun with it!"

"Just" has been added to the text. Merriam Webster also gives "justified," "fair," and "deserved" as synonyms for the adjective "just."

Punxsutawney Phil does allow tourists and paparazzi to take photos after his prognostication. Being the reason for the season, the lines are long, and he's kept in a special glass cylinder not unlike the Popemobile. In years past, Phil could be visited on the other 364 days at the local library with his true love, Phyllis. Then in his 137th year, Phil surprised the Circle by giving birth to twins, and the family was moved to a new enclosure on Gobbler's Knob.

The movie's Phil also escapes via true love: he uses his immortality to better himself and win the love of his producer, played by Andie MacDowell.

Answer: Three dots

"Keep an eye out for any patterns(,) and breaks from patterns."

The other questions so far have used an ellipsis (...) where this one uses a comma.

"Three dots and a dash" is the name of a World War 2-era tiki cocktail that mixes allspice and two different rums. The customary garnish is to skewer three cherries (dots) with a toothpick (dash). In Morse code, three dots and a dash are a letter V, for Victory!

In one of my favorite moments in the movie, Andie MacDowell's character drinks sweet vermouth and toasts to world peace. The immortal Connors learns that and then copies her to impress her. She's flattered at first... but the mimicry gets creepy fast. Let that be a lesson on being genuine.

Answer: Clover, grasses, and occasional fruits

"Happy Groundhog (DIET)! In this puzzle, you may experience some feelings of deja vu..."

Clovers, grasses, and fruits feature in the groundhog's diet. The other choices could perhaps describe the diet of an eagle, a panda and a king cobra. Hope I didn't make you think a groundhog is a type of snake.

Despite their other name "woodchuck," groundhogs generally don't eat wood, like their cousins the beavers. They may have a taste for human, though. In his scenes with an actual groundhog, Bill Murray's hands were bitten - and he was wearing chainmail gloves.

Answer: Gold

"Keep an eye out for any patterns... (OR) breaks from patterns."

"And" is replaced with "or." In heraldry, gold is referred to as "or" and represents one of the two metals (the other being silver, "argent"). Both terms derive from Latin.

The cardinal rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal should not touch metal and colors should not touch colors. A great example is the flag of South Africa: gold and silver separate the patches of color.

The town of Punxsutawney chose an official flag in 2025, which prominently features Phil at sunrise.

Answer: BUOYANT

"This is fully intentional and carefully calibrated (BY) your quizmaster. Keep (AN) eye (OUT) for any patterns... "

The capitalized answers might give you the clue that this one involves anagrams. The words "BY," "AN," and "OUT" are missing, and you can rearrange those to make BUOYANT.

Groundhogs, like most mammals, are buoyant. They don't like to swim, but they will doggy-paddle (hoggy-paddle?) if necessary. Being a type of ground squirrel, they can also climb trees!