A Categorical Acrostic Trivia Quiz

Answer: Armadillo

This question referred to the armadillo, the animal which has a name meaning 'little armoured one' in Spanish. The armour in question is a shell resembling leather which protects most of the body.. There are various types of armadillo ranging from the pink fairy armadillo to the giant armadillo.

These animals are native to South America with some species having migrated northwards into Central and southern parts of North America. Climate change means that they are spreading even further north.

The category is, of course, Animals.

Answer: Parliament

The answer for this one is Parliament, which is the name giving to the main government in many countries including the United Kingdom, many European countries, Canada and Australia to name just some of them. Parliaments normally have a Prime Minister to head them and are democratic organisations.

This question would be placed in the World category which covers government.

Answer: Helium

Hydrogen is the lightest of the elements with helium coming second. Helium is classed as one of the noble gases, found in group 18 of the periodic table. It is the lightest of the noble gases, with radon being the heaviest. Helium is also the second most abundant element in the universe, by mass, with hydrogen again being greater. The name comes from the Greek name for the sun, helios, as helium was first identified by studying the sun's corona.

As a single question, or in a quiz, this would normally be found in the Sci/Tech category.

Answer: Robert

These three actors all have the first name of Robert. Wagner was born in 1930 and is still living at the time of writing, late 2025. On television he appeared in the detective series 'Hart to Hart', first shown from 1979 until 1984. Wagner also appeared in numerous films. Robert Vaughn is of a similar era, born in 1932 and dying in 2016. He was a regular, along with David McCallum, in 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' a spy series from the 1960s. Vaughn also appeared on the big screen, notably in 'The 'Magnificent Seven' in 1960.

Robert Mitchum was very much a film actor, with numerous movies to his credit including the original 'Cape Fear' in 1962 and 'Farewell, My Lovely' (1975). He did appear on television with his role in 'The Winds of War' series in 1983 being particularly successful. He lived from 1917 until 1997.

I'm hedging my bets on this category which could be Movies or Celebrities depending on the quiz focus.

Answer: Ottoman

The Ottoman Empire dates from around 1300 until it was broken up after the First World War, in 1922. The name comes from its first leader, Osman I in English but Uthman in Arabic. Osman was a Turkmen, a nomadic tribe from Anatolia in the region originally known as Asia Minor but now called Turkey, (or Türkiye for many purposes, since 2022).

The Ottoman Empire spread across Europe, Asia and Africa during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, taking in regions as far as Vienna in Europe and into the northern countries of Africa. Siding with the Central Powers in World War I hastened its end with the victorious Allies dividing up their territories.

The category for this question is History.

Answer: Dire Straits

Dire Straits formed in London in 1977 and remained active until 1988. They reformed in 1990 for another five years. The only constant members were Mark Knopfler, lead guitarist and singer, and John Illsley, the bass player. At the height of their fame, they were joined by two keyboard players in Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher with Terry Williams on the drums. The rhythm guitarists changed regularly and Chris White played saxophone with them without being an official member. Among their hits are 'Sultans of Swing' (1978), 'Brothers in Arms' (1985) and 'Romeo and Juliet' (1981).

This question obviously represents the Music category.

Answer: Ivanhoe

The 1819 novel 'Ivanhoe: A Romance', to give it its full title, was a change of direction for Scott who normally set his stories in Scotland and in more recent (to him) times. This novel told the story of the titular hero, Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman banished by his family. The tale includes thwarted love, jousting and a chivalrous rescue.

As a book, this would fit in Literature although it could also have gone to Television if I'd chosen the late 1950s series which gave Roger Moore his first leading role as the titular character.

Answer: Timothy

The books are known as I Timothy and II Timothy and are usually attributed to Paul, although this is not universally accepted by theologians. They are classed as pastoral epistles as they are filled with advice on how to set up Churches and the qualities needed in leaders, or pastors. They are found in the New Testament. Timothy was working in Ephesus at the time and the epistles were sent to encourage and support him.

Naturally, this question would be put into the Religion category.

Answer: Etching

Intaglio refers to the creation of images, such as pictures or words, by engraving into a flat material, often metal. Etching refers specifically to the use of a chemical, originally an acid, to cut lines into a metal plate to create a design. Ink is then poured into the lines so the design can be printed on paper. The second part of the clue refers to a seductive line used to entice a prospective partner to go into a room they might otherwise avoid - 'come up and see my etchings' is something of a double entendre.

Etching or any kind of intaglio would find a home in Hobbies.

Answer: Aphrodite

The first letters of each answer spell out the name of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. The Roman version is Venus. Her name comes from the Greek word for foam as some stories of her birth refer to her being born from the foam of the sea. The Roman version agrees with this, notably in Botticelli's painting 'The Birth of Venus' which depicts the goddess on a shell after her birth as a fully fledged female.

Mythology is found in the Humanities category.