Skipping Stones Trivia Quiz

At the top of Blarney Castle in County Cork sits the Blarney Stone, a block of limestone associated with the idea of gaining eloquence. Reaching it is part of the appeal: visitors have to lean backward over a parapet, gripping metal bars, to kiss the stone.

According to one story, Robert the Bruce gave the stone to Cormac McCarthy (the builder of Blarney Castle) after receiving Irish support in battle. The word "blarney" itself came to mean persuasive or flattering speech, which ties directly to the stone's reputation.

Born in Hayward, California, in 1972, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson grew up with deep ties to professional wrestling. His father, Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, Peter Maivia, were both wrestlers, which shaped the direction of his career early on.

Although he initially pursued football, injuries cut that path short. He shifted to wrestling, where his charisma helped him become one of WWE's most recognizable figures, before moving into film roles in franchises like "The Fast and the Furious" and "Jumanji," as well as voicing Maui in "Moana."

Discovered near the Egyptian city of Rosetta, the Rosetta Stone dates to 196 BCE and is made of granodiorite, a hard, speckled stone. What makes it so important is the text carved into it in three scripts: Greek, demotic, and hieroglyphics. Because scholars could already read Greek, they used it as a reference point.

In 1822, Jean-Francois Champollion matched the Greek text to the Egyptian scripts, finally decoding hieroglyphics and opening up a much clearer understanding of ancient Egyptian language and history.

Rising out of central Australia, Uluru, also called Ayers Rock, is a massive sandstone formation measuring about 1,142 feet (348 meters) high and roughly 5.8 miles (9.4 kilometers) around. Most of its mass lies underground, with only a portion visible above the surface. For the Anangu people, it is a sacred site, marked by caves and rock art tied to creation stories.

At sunrise and sunset, the rock shifts in color, moving through shades of red, orange, and brown as the light changes.

The Rock of Gibraltar, a limestone ridge rising 1,398 feet (426 meters), sits at the southern edge of the Iberian Peninsula, overlooking the narrow strait between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Over time, tunnels were carved into the rock for military use, especially during World War II. Today, those tunnels remain accessible, and the site is also known for its population of Barbary macaques, the only wild monkeys in Europe.

Set into the eastern corner of the Kaaba in Mecca, the Black Stone, known in Arabic as "Al-Hajar Al-Aswad," is a small, dark stone believed to be of meteorite origin. It is surrounded by a silver frame and made up of several fragments bound together.

Islamic tradition holds that it was given to Abraham by the angel Gabriel and later placed in the Kaaba by Muhammad. During the Hajj pilgrimage, many attempt to touch or kiss the stone, an act associated with seeking forgiveness.

Rocky Balboa, a fictional boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, is written as a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His character reflects the city's working-class identity. First appearing in the 1976 film "Rocky," the character launched Stallone's career.

The Koh-i-Noor, meaning "Mountain of Light," originated in the Golconda mines of India more than 900 years ago. Over centuries, it passed through the hands of multiple empires, including the Mughals and the British.

A persistent legend claims the diamond brings misfortune to male owners while favoring female ones, which influenced how it was worn in later periods. Now part of the British Crown Jewels, it is displayed in the Tower of London, though its ownership remains contested by several countries.

In 1971, the first Hard Rock Cafe opened in London's Mayfair district, founded by Americans Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton. Their idea was simple: combine American-style food with a setting centered on rock music. They decorated the space with instruments, costumes, and memorabilia from well-known musicians, many drawn from personal collections. That concept proved popular, leading to expansion, including a second location in Toronto in 1982.

Located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Plymouth Rock is traditionally linked to the Pilgrims' arrival in 1620, though historians debate whether it was actually their landing point. The rock itself weighs about 20,000 pounds and is inscribed with "1620." It has not remained intact over time; it split in 1774 during relocation and was later reassembled with iron bands.