Trivia For Geniuses Quiz | Mixed 20 Questions

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. History: Which of the following was the name of a British aircraft carrier that sank March 27, 1943?

Answer: HMS Dasher

The HMS Dasher, an American converted carrier, was lost in the Firth of Clyde following an aviation fuel explosion, sinking in 3 minutes with the loss of 27 officers and 331 ratings of her company. For more info check out www.johnsteele.free-online.co.uk/dasher.htm

2. Brain Teasers: What is the number of a baker's dozen multiplied by the number of dwarves with a beard multiplied by the number of Marx brothers divided by the number of witches (or people accused as witches) burned at the stake in Salem in 1692?

Answer: none of the above

Ok, here goes. A baker's dozen is thirteen multiplied by the six dwarfs with a beard (Doc, Bashful, Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy, and Sneezy, but not Dopey) is 78. That number is multiplied by the number of Marx brothers, which is five (Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Zeppo and Gummo) divided by the number of witches burned at the stake at Salem, which is 0. (19 were hung and one was killed by being crushed with rocks, but none were burned at the stake.) The denominator is zero. And you CANNOT divide by zero, so the answer is none of the above!

3. Sci/Tech: Which of the following has the key ingredient called cyanoacrylate?

Answer: Super Glue

The Common Bond is . . .Oh wrong quiz. Super Glue is a common bond that can permanently join your finger and your thumb faster than you can say "Common Bond." It's active ingredient is cyanoacrylate, an acrylic resin that makes 'super glue' so super.

4. Hobbies: Free Cell is a variation of what popular game?

Answer: Solitaire

Free Cell is a commonly programmed game on most computers. The object of the game is to play out all of your cards. I have a success ratio of over 94 percent.

5. People: Ruth Elder was a pioneer for women in what field?

Answer: aviation

Ruth Elder (1902-1977) was the first woman to attempt a flight from the United States to Europe. In October 1927, Elder and Captain George Haldeman (pilot) took off from Roosevelt Field for Paris, but heavy weather forced the plane to ditch in the ocean.

6. Animals: Which of the following animals Latin name is Galeocerdo cuvieri?

Answer: Tiger Shark

The Tiger Shark is a dangerous shark found throughout warm oceans of the world. It can be up to 18 feet and it will eat anything.

7. Literature: In which author's work do the characters Damon Wildeve, Thomasin Yeobright and Eustacia Vye appear?

Answer: Thomas Hardy

They are characters in Thomas Hardy's "The Return of the Native," which was published in 1878. Hardy (1840-1928) was one of the few authors who was successful as a novelist and a poet. The book was made into a 1994 movie starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Clive Owen.

8. General: Whom of the following was the Union Commander at the Second Battle of Bull Run?

Answer: John Pope

General question about a General . . .Get it? John Pope was born in Louisville, Kentucky on March 16, 1822. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1842 and served in the Mexican American War. He served in the western campaign, but after taking New Madrid, he was promoted and transfered East in 1862 to take command of the new Army of Virginia.

The second Battle of Bull Run or the Battle of Manassas began on August 28, 1862 as Pope took on Stonewall Jackson. Jackson was reinforced by Lee and the battle turned into a rout for the South and Pope soon lost his command.

9. Religion: Titus Oates was the main accuser in which famous religious scandal?

Answer: The Popish Plot

The Popish Plot of 1678-1681 began when Titus Oates (1649-1705) and a man named Israel Tonge invented a Jesuit conspiracy to kill Charles II and place his Catholic brother James (later James II) on the throne. At first his testamony was believed by the English prosecutors and several important people were hanged.

However, his testamony began to wear thin and he was arrested for perjury and disgraced.

10. Television: In an episode of the British television series "Red Dwarf" entitled "Meltdown", Dave Lister and the Cat transport onto a planet and into a room where they meet Hitler and Joseph Goebbels. They are captured and locked up in jail. Dave looks out the cell window and witnesses an execution. Who is executed by the firing squad?

Answer: Winnie the Pooh

According to Dave, Winnie turned down the blindfold. It turns out that Dave and the Cat did not transport themselves to Earth, but onto a planet of robotic wax figures out of Earth's past. The planet was divided into two sides that between good (Winnie the Pooh, Albert Einstein, Elvis, etc) and evil (Hitler, Napoleon, etc.)

11. Seasonal: Which President of the United States established the precedent of 'Thanksgiving' as an official U.S. holiday?

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

George Washington first proposed a day of Thanksgiving, but his idea was widely opposed. However, Abraham Lincoln issued a Proclamation designating Thanksgiving as a holiday on October 3, 1863. The Proclamation helped set a precedent for a 'National' day of Thanksgiving.

After Lincoln, every President procliamed a day of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, although the date was occasionally changed. However in 1941, Congress made it official and established Thansgiving on the fourth Thursday of the month of November.

12. Movies: In the 1967 movie "The President's Analyst", James Coburn is marked for assassination. However operatives from other nations think he might be carrying valuable information and are trying to capture him. In the end he is captured by an organization that is trying to take over the world. What is that organization?

Answer: The phone company

Thoedore J. Flicker directs the 1967 film "The President's Analyst", starring James Coburn as Dr. Sidney Schaefer. Dr. Schaefer is marked for assassination by FBR agents and he has to dodge secret agents from all over the world. He is eventually captured by the Canadian secret service and the Russians before falling into the hands of the phone company.

13. Sports: Which of the following NHL Players, as of 2002-2003, have never won the Selke Award?

Answer: Peter Forsberg

The Frank J. Selke Award is an annual award established in 1978. The Award is presented to the best defensive forward in the game as voted by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the season. Jere Lehtinen won the award in 1998 and 1999 as a member of the Dallas Stars. Guy Carbonneau won the award three times as a member of the Montreal Canadians, in 1988, 1989 and 1992. Michael Peca won the award in 1997 as a member of the Buffalo Sabres and in 2002, as a New York Islander. Peter Forsberg, a member of the Colorado Avalanche, is a heralded offensive forward.

14. Entertainment: What music is played in the circus to secretly alert other circus personnel that something has gone wrong?

Answer: The Stars and Stripes Forever

Also called "The Disaster March," John Phillip Sousa's march "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is only played by the circus band when something goes wrong. It is used to alert other circus personnel that help is needed without alerting or alarming the audience.

15. Music: Which of the following groups recorded the hits "Come Softly to Me" and "Mr. Blue?"

Answer: The Fleetwoods

The Fleetwoods consisted of Gary Troxel, Gretchen Christopher and Barbara Ellis. "Come Softly to Me" and "Mr. Blue" both hit number one in 1959.

16. World: Which of the following is NOT a language of India?

Answer: Tagalog

Tagalog is a largest cultural language in the Philippines. Speakers of Tagalog dominate the city of Manila and the surrounding area.

17. For Children: What animated series featured a genius mouse and his stupid sidekick who spend each night trying to think up ways to conquer the world?

Answer: Pinky and the Brain

Steven Spielberg served as an executive-producer for the television series "Pinky and the Brain" which ran from 1995-1998. The story was set at Acme Labs where each night Brain would devise a plan for taking over the world and each night Pinky would somehow foil it. Maurice LaMarche provided the voice for Brain and Rob Paulsen was Pinky.

18. Humanities: The sentence " It's only one nuclear bomb", is an example of what figure of speech?"

Answer: Litotes

Litotes is understatement for emphasis. Hyperbole is overstatement and an oxymoron is a paradox in which one word seems to contradict the other as in the phrases 'guest-host,' 'pretty ugly' and 'taco bueno.' Metonymy is the substitution of a word for another word that is suggested by it as in referring to the 'Crown' as the King.

19. Celebrities: Which of the following honors was bestowed in 2001 to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani?

Answer: Time's Person of the Year

Rodolph Giuliani was born in Brooklyn in 1944. He attended law school in Manhattan and after law school, he worked for a United States District Judge. In 1981, Giuliani was named Associate Attorney General, and in 1993, he became New York's 107th mayor.

20. Geography: Which of the following countries was formerly called Basutoland?

Answer: Lesotho

Lesotho is located in Southern Africa. It is completely surrounded by South Africa. The capital of the country is Maseru.

Source: Author professorjon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Trivia For Geniuses Trivia Quiz

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