Thursday, October 29, 2026

The tidbits, trivia answers and word pairs from Facts & Games on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Play today’s games · All past days · All past tidbits

Six tidbits

Commonly confused words

stalactite vs. stalagmite

stalactite: A mineral spike hanging from a cave ceiling. stalagmite: A mineral spike rising from a cave floor. Stalactites hold tight to the ceiling; stalagmites might reach up.

adapt vs. adopt

adapt: To change to suit new conditions. adopt: To take on as your own. Adapt means adjust; adopt means take on.

elude vs. allude

elude: To escape or avoid. allude: To refer to indirectly. A thief eludes the police; a hint alludes to the truth.

luxuriant vs. luxurious

luxuriant: Growing thickly and richly. luxurious: Very comfortable and expensive. Luxuriant hair; a luxurious hotel.

perspective vs. prospective

perspective: A point of view. prospective: Expected or likely in the future. Prospective is about prospects ahead.

Beatles trivia

1. Which was the first George Harrison song to be an A-side of a Beatles single?Answer: Something. It shared a 1969 double A-side single with “Come Together”.
2. In which Liverpool district was Ringo Starr born?Answer: Dingle. He was born at 9 Madryn Street in the Dingle in 1940.
3. Which small Chicago label put out the band’s early US records before Capitol signed them?Answer: Vee-Jay. Vee-Jay issued “Please Please Me” in the US in 1963.
4. Which Revolver song features a guitar solo played backwards?Answer: I’m Only Sleeping. The solo was recorded and then reversed on tape.
5. What in Liverpool was renamed after John Lennon in 2001?Answer: The city’s airport. It became Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
6. Which Beatle was the first to have a solo No. 1 single after the band split?Answer: George Harrison. George’s “My Sweet Lord” topped the charts in 1970 and 1971.
7. Which John Lennon song was the B-side of the “Get Back” single?Answer: Don’t Let Me Down. Billy Preston plays electric piano on both sides.
8. Which George Harrison song, with backing recorded in Bombay, was the B-side of “Lady Madonna”?Answer: The Inner Light. It was the first George song to appear on a Beatles single.
9. Which group had a 1962 US hit with “Twist and Shout” before the Beatles recorded it?Answer: The Isley Brothers. The band covered it on Please Please Me in 1963.
10. “Please Mr. Postman”, covered on With the Beatles, was first a hit for which Motown group?Answer: The Marvelettes. It was Motown’s first No. 1 on the US pop chart, in 1961.
11. Which George Harrison single, a cover from the album Cloud Nine, topped the US chart?Answer: Got My Mind Set on You. It reached No. 1 in January 1988.
12. Which 1983 Paul McCartney duet with Michael Jackson topped the US chart?Answer: Say Say Say. It spent six weeks at No. 1.
13. Which Beatle married first?Answer: John Lennon. John married Cynthia Powell in August 1962.
14. Which US album’s first cover, showing the band with raw meat and broken dolls, was withdrawn in 1966?Answer: Yesterday and Today. Capitol pasted a new photo over many of the recalled sleeves.
15. In which year was Ringo Starr knighted?Answer: 2018. He was named in the 2018 New Year Honours.
16. Which US network aired the Beatles’ Saturday-morning cartoon series from 1965?Answer: ABC. The cartoons used real Beatles songs but actors’ voices.
17. Which Revolver song uses a brass section in a Motown-inspired style?Answer: Got to Get You into My Life. Paul wrote it as a homage to the Motown sound.
18. What is the name of the Beatles museum at Liverpool’s Albert Dock?Answer: The Beatles Story. It opened in 1990.
19. Paul McCartney and Wings recorded “Live and Let Die” for a film in which series?Answer: James Bond. It was the theme of Roger Moore’s first Bond film, in 1973.
20. Which Magical Mystery Tour instrumental is credited to all four Beatles?Answer: Flying. It was the first track credited to all four members.

Taylor Swift trivia

1. Who voiced Swift's male alter ego in the video for “The Man”?Answer: Dwayne Johnson. Dwayne Johnson provided the voice of the character, named Tyler Swift.
2. Which Lover song is named after a street in New York's Greenwich Village?Answer: Cornelia Street. “Cornelia Street” is named after the Manhattan street where Swift once rented a home.
3. Which producer worked with Swift on her first three albums?Answer: Nathan Chapman. Nathan Chapman co-produced Taylor Swift, Fearless and Speak Now with her.
4. In the “Bad Blood” video, which friend of Swift's plays her rival, Arsyn?Answer: Selena Gomez. Selena Gomez plays Arsyn, the rival of Swift's character, Catastrophe.
5. Which duo sings with Swift on “Safe & Sound”?Answer: The Civil Wars. Swift wrote and recorded the Hunger Games song with The Civil Wars and T Bone Burnett.
6. In evermore's “No Body, No Crime,” what is the name of the narrator's friend?Answer: Este. The friend is named Este, after Este Haim, who sings on the song with her sisters.
7. Swift's grandmother Marjorie Finlay had a career as what?Answer: An opera singer. Marjorie Finlay was a professional opera singer, and Swift honored her on evermore's “Marjorie.”
8. Swift has said “'Tis the Damn Season” is sung from the point of view of which evermore character?Answer: Dorothea. Swift explained that the song is Dorothea's side of the story, sung on a visit back to her hometown.
9. Who directed The Eras Tour concert film?Answer: Sam Wrench. Sam Wrench directed the film, shot at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
10. Fans treat which track number on each Swift album as the most emotional one?Answer: Track 5. Swift has said she puts her most vulnerable songs at track 5, such as “All Too Well” and “Dear John.”
11. Which singer joined Swift on a 2019 remix of “Lover”?Answer: Shawn Mendes. Shawn Mendes sings on the remix, which came out in November 2019.
12. “Long Live” closes the standard edition of which album?Answer: Speak Now. “Long Live” is the 14th and final track of Speak Now.
13. What was the lead single from 1989?Answer: Shake It Off. “Shake It Off” came out in August 2014, months before the album.
14. Which Red single's video won Best Female Video at the 2013 VMAs?Answer: I Knew You Were Trouble. The fan-voted award went to the “I Knew You Were Trouble” video.
15. Swift said Midnights tells the stories of how many sleepless nights?Answer: 13. She described the album as the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered through her life.
16. Which album cover is a Polaroid-style photo with the top of Swift's face cropped out?Answer: 1989. The 1989 cover is a Polaroid-style photo that cuts off the upper part of her face.
17. Spotify named Swift its most-streamed artist worldwide in which two years?Answer: 2023 and 2024. Swift topped Spotify Wrapped's global artist list in both 2023 and 2024.
18. How old was Swift when her debut album came out in October 2006?Answer: 16. Born in December 1989, she was 16 when Taylor Swift was released.
19. Which 1989 video casts Swift as a 1950s film star on a movie shoot in Africa?Answer: Wildest Dreams. The “Wildest Dreams” video is set on a film shoot in 1950s Africa.
20. The Eras Tour became the highest-grossing tour ever, passing a record set by which artist?Answer: Elton John. It passed Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in December 2023.

Football trivia

1. Who was named MVP of the first two Super Bowls?Answer: Bart Starr. Packers quarterback Bart Starr won the award in Super Bowls I and II.
2. Which team plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium?Answer: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers' stadium in Tampa is known for the pirate ship in one end zone.
3. Which team plays its home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium?Answer: Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons moved into the Atlanta stadium in 2017.
4. Which two teams share MetLife Stadium?Answer: Giants and Jets. The New York Giants and New York Jets both play at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
5. Which linebacker was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXV?Answer: Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis led the Ravens' defense in a 34–7 win over the Giants.
6. Vince Lombardi coached his final season, in 1969, for which team?Answer: Washington. After leaving Green Bay, Lombardi coached Washington for one season before he died in 1970.
7. Which longtime Raiders owner was known for the motto “Just win, baby”?Answer: Al Davis. Al Davis ran the Raiders from the 1960s until his death in 2011.
8. Who was the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft?Answer: Baker Mayfield. The Cleveland Browns took quarterback Baker Mayfield first.
9. Who was the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft?Answer: Jared Goff. The Los Angeles Rams took quarterback Jared Goff first.
10. In 2017, which team became the second ever to finish a season 0–16?Answer: Cleveland Browns. The Browns matched the 2008 Lions' 0–16 record.
11. On an NFL officiating crew, who wears a white cap?Answer: The referee. The referee leads the crew and is the only official in a white cap.
12. Which defensive coordinator designed the 1985 Bears' famous “46” defense?Answer: Buddy Ryan. Buddy Ryan's 46 defense powered the Bears to a Super Bowl XX win.
13. Which team drafted Terry Bradshaw first overall in 1970?Answer: Pittsburgh Steelers. Bradshaw went on to win four Super Bowls with the Steelers.
14. Which quarterback led the Rams to their win in Super Bowl LVI?Answer: Matthew Stafford. Matthew Stafford won it in his first season with the Rams after 12 years in Detroit.
15. How many times has Patrick Mahomes been named Super Bowl MVP?Answer: Three. Mahomes won the award in Super Bowls LIV, LVII and LVIII.
16. How long is overtime in an NFL regular-season game?Answer: 10 minutes. Regular-season overtime has been 10 minutes since 2017; playoff overtime periods are 15.
17. What is it called when a ball carrier loses the ball before being down?Answer: A fumble. A fumble can be recovered by either team.
18. Which team used to be the Houston Oilers?Answer: Tennessee Titans. The Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997 and became the Titans in 1999.
19. Which kicker won two Super Bowls for the Patriots with last-second field goals?Answer: Adam Vinatieri. Adam Vinatieri's kicks won Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII.
20. Which team began as the Portsmouth Spartans in Ohio?Answer: Detroit Lions. The Spartans moved to Detroit in 1934 and became the Lions.

Basketball trivia

1. Who was the first player to average a triple-double for a whole NBA season?Answer: Oscar Robertson. Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961–62.
2. What did James Naismith use as the first basketball goals?Answer: Peach baskets. Naismith nailed two peach baskets to the gym balcony in 1891.
3. Which college did Charles Barkley play for?Answer: Auburn. Barkley starred at Auburn before the 76ers drafted him in 1984.
4. Which college did Isiah Thomas lead to the 1981 NCAA title?Answer: Indiana. Thomas was named the Final Four's most outstanding player as Indiana won in 1981.
5. Which small college did Scottie Pippen play for?Answer: Central Arkansas. Pippen played at the University of Central Arkansas before the 1987 draft.
6. Which team plays its home games at the United Center?Answer: Chicago Bulls. The Bulls have played at Chicago's United Center since 1994.
7. Which team plays its home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse?Answer: Indiana Pacers. Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis is the Pacers' home.
8. Which Hall of Fame guard was nicknamed “Earl the Pearl”?Answer: Earl Monroe. Earl Monroe earned the nickname for his dazzling moves with the Bullets and Knicks.
9. Which team did the Spurs beat in the 2014 NBA Finals?Answer: Miami Heat. San Antonio beat Miami 4–1 in a rematch of the 2013 Finals.
10. Which team did LeBron James’s Miami Heat beat in the 2012 Finals?Answer: Oklahoma City Thunder. Miami beat Oklahoma City 4–1 for LeBron’s first title.
11. Who set the All-Star Game scoring record with 52 points in 2017?Answer: Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis scored 52 in front of his home fans in New Orleans.
12. Which country is Joel Embiid from?Answer: Cameroon. Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
13. The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year trophy is named after whom?Answer: Hakeem Olajuwon. Since 2023 the award has been the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.
14. What was the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy?Answer: Fouling a poor free-throw shooter on purpose. Teams fouled Shaquille O’Neal deliberately to send him to the line, where he often missed.
15. Which team drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013?Answer: Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee picked him 15th overall.
16. Which rebounding star was nicknamed “The Worm”?Answer: Dennis Rodman. Dennis Rodman got the nickname as a boy for wriggling while playing pinball.
17. In 1976 the Celtics won a famous triple-overtime Finals game against which team?Answer: Phoenix Suns. Boston won Game 5 against Phoenix in triple overtime on the way to the title.
18. Which team did the Bulls beat in 1991 for their first NBA championship?Answer: Los Angeles Lakers. Chicago beat Magic Johnson’s Lakers 4–1.
19. Whom did the Lakers take with the first pick of the 1982 draft?Answer: James Worthy. The Lakers picked James Worthy out of North Carolina.
20. Who won the 2000 MVP award, falling just one vote short of a unanimous choice?Answer: Shaquille O’Neal. Shaquille O’Neal got 120 of the 121 first-place votes.

Baseball trivia

1. Which team plays its home games at Oracle Park?Answer: San Francisco Giants. Oracle Park sits on San Francisco Bay and has been the Giants’ home since 2000.
2. Which team plays its home games at Daikin Park?Answer: Houston Astros. The Astros’ ballpark, formerly Minute Maid Park, was renamed Daikin Park in 2025.
3. Which team plays its home games at loanDepot park?Answer: Miami Marlins. The Marlins’ retractable-roof ballpark in Miami opened in 2012.
4. What is Chipper Jones’s real first name?Answer: Larry. The Braves Hall of Famer was born Larry Wayne Jones Jr.
5. Which Dodgers center fielder was nicknamed “The Duke of Flatbush”?Answer: Duke Snider. Duke Snider starred for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1950s.
6. Who threw a 10-inning shutout to win Game 7 of the 1991 World Series?Answer: Jack Morris. Jack Morris beat the Braves 1–0 in 10 innings for the Twins.
7. Which team did the Giants beat in the 2010 World Series?Answer: Texas Rangers. San Francisco beat Texas in five games for its first title since moving west.
8. Which team did the Red Sox beat in the 2013 World Series?Answer: St. Louis Cardinals. Boston beat St. Louis in six games and clinched at Fenway Park.
9. How many games does each team play in an MLB regular season?Answer: 162. MLB has played a 162-game schedule since the American League adopted it in 1961 and the National League in 1962.
10. How many teams make the MLB postseason under the format begun in 2022?Answer: 12. Six teams from each league qualify.
11. What is the trophy given to the World Series champion called?Answer: The Commissioner’s Trophy. The World Series winner receives the Commissioner’s Trophy.
12. The National League Reliever of the Year award is named after whom?Answer: Trevor Hoffman. The NL award honors Trevor Hoffman; the AL award honors Mariano Rivera.
13. Who became MLB commissioner in 2015?Answer: Rob Manfred. Rob Manfred succeeded Bud Selig in January 2015.
14. Who was baseball’s first commissioner?Answer: Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Judge Landis took the job in 1920 after the Black Sox scandal.
15. Who was the first player taken in MLB’s first amateur draft, in 1965?Answer: Rick Monday. The Kansas City Athletics chose Rick Monday out of Arizona State.
16. In baseball slang, what is a “gopher ball”?Answer: A pitch that is hit for a home run. The batter makes it “go for” the seats.
17. Which country is Mariano Rivera from?Answer: Panama. Rivera grew up in the fishing village of Puerto Caimito, Panama.
18. Who was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues?Answer: Gaylord Perry. Perry won it with Cleveland in 1972 and with San Diego in 1978.
19. Which Yankee was the first designated hitter to bat in an MLB game, in 1973?Answer: Ron Blomberg. Ron Blomberg drew a bases-loaded walk at Fenway Park on April 6, 1973.
20. Which team did the Cubs beat in the 2016 World Series?Answer: Cleveland Indians. Chicago won Game 7 in Cleveland in 10 innings.

Hockey trivia

1. Which team’s mascot is Carlton the Bear?Answer: Toronto Maple Leafs. Carlton the Bear, named after the street of the Leafs’ old home Maple Leaf Gardens, is Toronto’s mascot.
2. What nickname did the rough-and-tumble Philadelphia Flyers of the 1970s earn?Answer: The Broad Street Bullies. The Flyers’ tough, physical teams of the 1970s were known as the Broad Street Bullies.
3. In hockey, what is a “power play”?Answer: When one team has more skaters because of a penalty. A power play happens when the other team is short-handed because a player is serving a penalty.
4. How long is a major penalty in the NHL?Answer: Five minutes. A major penalty, such as for fighting, lasts five minutes.
5. The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy honors what?Answer: Sportsmanship combined with a high level of skill. The Lady Byng goes to the player who best combines gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability.
6. Who receives the Jack Adams Award?Answer: The NHL’s coach of the year. The Jack Adams Award is given each year to the NHL’s best coach.
7. The Ted Lindsay Award for the most outstanding player is voted on by whom?Answer: The players. Formerly the Lester B. Pearson Award, it is voted on by members of the NHL Players’ Association.
8. Which team did Carolina beat in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final?Answer: Vegas Golden Knights. Carolina beat Vegas four games to two to win the 2026 Stanley Cup.
9. In what year did the Carolina Hurricanes win their first Stanley Cup?Answer: 2006. Carolina beat Edmonton in seven games in 2006 for its first Cup.
10. Who holds the NHL record for career regular-season assists?Answer: Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky had 1,963 regular-season assists, more than any other player has total points.
11. Willie O’Ree broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958 with which team?Answer: Boston Bruins. O’Ree debuted for the Boston Bruins in January 1958.
12. Which Detroit defenseman was nicknamed “The Perfect Human”?Answer: Nicklas Lidström. Lidström earned the nickname for his remarkably mistake-free play.
13. Who scored the winning goal for the U.S. against the Soviet Union in the 1980 “Miracle on Ice”?Answer: Mike Eruzione. Captain Mike Eruzione’s third-period goal gave the U.S. a 4–3 win.
14. After the “Miracle on Ice,” which country did the U.S. beat to clinch the 1980 Olympic gold?Answer: Finland. The U.S. came from behind to beat Finland 4–2 two days later.
15. Which country won the men’s hockey gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics?Answer: Canada. Canada beat Sweden 3–0 in the 2014 gold medal game.
16. Which number did Mario Lemieux wear?Answer: 66. Lemieux wore 66, Gretzky’s 99 turned upside down.
17. Before joining Edmonton, Wayne Gretzky played eight games for which WHA team?Answer: Indianapolis Racers. Gretzky began his pro career with the Indianapolis Racers in 1978 before being sold to Edmonton.
18. The Atlanta Thrashers moved in 2011 and became which team?Answer: Winnipeg Jets. The Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011 and took the Jets name.
19. Bobby Orr holds the record for points in a season by a defenseman. How many did he score in 1970–71?Answer: 139. Orr had 37 goals and 102 assists for 139 points in 1970–71.
20. Which brothers, Peter, Anton and Marian, starred together for the Quebec Nordiques in the 1980s?Answer: The Stastnys. The Stastny brothers defected from Czechoslovakia and played together in Quebec.

Soccer trivia

1. Which country won the 1994 World Cup, the first final decided by a penalty shootout?Answer: Brazil. Brazil beat Italy 3–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw.
2. Which country hosted the 2010 World Cup, the first held in Africa?Answer: South Africa. Spain won the final in Johannesburg.
3. Who won the 1998 World Cup?Answer: France. France beat Brazil 3–0 in the final at the Stade de France, with Zinedine Zidane scoring twice.
4. What does a referee show to send a player off?Answer: A red card. A player shown a red card must leave, and the team plays a player short.
5. Which club won the first European Cup in 1956?Answer: Real Madrid. Real Madrid beat Reims 4–3 in Paris and went on to win the first five European Cups.
6. Whose cheeky chipped penalty won the Euro 1976 final shootout for Czechoslovakia?Answer: Antonín Panenka. A soft chip down the middle is still called a “Panenka.”
7. Which U.S. player scored the stoppage-time winner against Algeria at the 2010 World Cup?Answer: Landon Donovan. His goal in the 91st minute sent the U.S. through as group winners.
8. Which country won the Africa Cup of Nations as hosts in early 2024?Answer: Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast beat Nigeria 2–1 in the final in Abidjan.
9. In 2022, which club became the first from MLS to win the CONCACAF Champions League in its modern format?Answer: Seattle Sounders. Seattle beat Mexico’s Pumas UNAM in the final.
10. Which club won the first MLS Cup in 1996?Answer: D.C. United. D.C. United beat the LA Galaxy 3–2 in overtime at Foxboro Stadium.
11. How many players does each team have on the field at once?Answer: 11. Each side fields ten outfield players and a goalkeeper.
12. Which Italian club is nicknamed the “Rossoneri”?Answer: AC Milan. The name means “the red and blacks,” after the club’s striped shirts.
13. Which country’s national team is nicknamed “the Socceroos”?Answer: Australia. The nickname blends “soccer” and “kangaroos.”
14. Which player has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards?Answer: Lionel Messi. Messi won his eighth in 2023.
15. Which Mexico goalkeeper made a string of big saves in a 0–0 draw with host Brazil at the 2014 World Cup?Answer: Guillermo Ochoa. Ochoa’s saves in Fortaleza made him a World Cup favorite.
16. Which French club won the 1993 Champions League, the first season under that name?Answer: Marseille. Marseille beat AC Milan 1–0 in Munich on a header by Basile Boli.
17. What is it called when one player scores three goals in a game?Answer: A hat trick. Fans sometimes throw hats onto the field to celebrate one.
18. Which Dutch club won three European Cups in a row, from 1971 to 1973?Answer: Ajax. Johan Cruyff’s Ajax beat Panathinaikos, Inter Milan and Juventus in the three finals.
19. Which Spanish club is nicknamed “Los Colchoneros” (the mattress makers)?Answer: Atlético Madrid. Its red-and-white stripes recall the old mattress covers of the same colors.
20. Which Norwegian striker won the first women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018?Answer: Ada Hegerberg. Hegerberg, then with Lyon, won the first Ballon d’Or Féminin.

Movies trivia

1. Who played Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur (1959)?Answer: Charlton Heston. Heston won the Best Actor Oscar for the role.
2. Who played Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind (1939)?Answer: Clark Gable. Clark Gable starred as Rhett Butler opposite Vivien Leigh.
3. Who won an Oscar for playing the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974)?Answer: Robert De Niro. De Niro won Best Supporting Actor for playing Vito as a young man.
4. In Casablanca (1942), what is the name of Rick’s nightclub?Answer: Rick’s Café Américain. Humphrey Bogart’s Rick runs Rick’s Café Américain.
5. In Jurassic Park (1993), on which fictional island is the park built?Answer: Isla Nublar. John Hammond’s park is on Isla Nublar, off Costa Rica.
6. Who played Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967)?Answer: Anne Bancroft. Anne Bancroft played Mrs. Robinson opposite Dustin Hoffman.
7. Which 2016 musical stars Ryan Gosling as a jazz pianist and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress?Answer: La La Land. Emma Stone won Best Actress for La La Land.
8. Who played Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997)?Answer: Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio played Jack opposite Kate Winslet’s Rose.
9. Which Hollywood star was born Norma Jeane Mortenson?Answer: Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926.
10. Which 1950 film stars Bette Davis as Broadway star Margo Channing?Answer: All About Eve. All About Eve won Best Picture and earned a then-record 14 nominations.
11. Which film won Best Picture at the 2023 ceremony?Answer: Everything Everywhere All at Once. It won seven Oscars at the 95th Academy Awards in March 2023.
12. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), what is Indiana Jones afraid of?Answer: Snakes. Indy’s fear of snakes is tested in the Well of Souls.
13. Who provided the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films?Answer: James Earl Jones. David Prowse wore the suit, but James Earl Jones voiced Vader.
14. What is the name of the hotel in The Shining (1980)?Answer: The Overlook Hotel. Jack Torrance takes a winter caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel.
15. In which 1925 film does Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp cook and eat his own boot?Answer: The Gold Rush. Starving in a cabin, the Tramp boils and eats his shoe in The Gold Rush.
16. Who played Doc Brown in Back to the Future (1985)?Answer: Christopher Lloyd. Christopher Lloyd played inventor Emmett “Doc” Brown.
17. Who played Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction (1994)?Answer: Uma Thurman. Uma Thurman was nominated for an Oscar for the role.
18. “Nollywood” is the nickname for the film industry of which country?Answer: Nigeria. Nigeria’s film industry, one of the world’s most prolific, is known as Nollywood.
19. Who composed the score for Psycho (1960), including its shrieking shower-scene strings?Answer: Bernard Herrmann. Bernard Herrmann wrote Psycho’s all-strings score.
20. In Finding Nemo (2003), what kind of fish is Dory?Answer: A blue tang. Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, is a regal blue tang.

Television trivia

1. Which reality show's first season stranded its castaways on an island off Malaysia?Answer: Survivor. The first season, Survivor: Borneo, was filmed on Pulau Tiga.
2. Who has hosted American Idol in every one of its seasons?Answer: Ryan Seacrest. Brian Dunkleman co-hosted only the first season.
3. Who won the very first season of American Idol?Answer: Kelly Clarkson. She beat runner-up Justin Guarini in the 2002 finale.
4. What is the name of the diner where Jerry and his friends hang out on Seinfeld?Answer: Monk's Café. Its exterior shots show Tom's Restaurant in Manhattan.
5. On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will moves to his aunt and uncle's mansion from which city?Answer: Philadelphia. Will Smith's character comes from West Philadelphia.
6. Which 1990s sitcom starred Tim Allen as the host of a TV show called Tool Time?Answer: Home Improvement. Allen played Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor on ABC.
7. Which Nickelodeon cartoon hero lives in a pineapple under the sea?Answer: SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob lives in Bikini Bottom with his pet snail, Gary.
8. On Rugrats, what is the name of Tommy Pickles' bossy older cousin?Answer: Angelica. Angelica was famous for bossing around “you dumb babies.”
9. Which drama won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, from 2000 to 2003?Answer: The West Wing. Aaron Sorkin's White House drama won for each of its first four seasons.
10. On The Great British Baking Show, which judge is famous for rewarding great bakes with a handshake?Answer: Paul Hollywood. Bakers prize the “Hollywood handshake” as the show's top compliment.
11. That '70s Show takes place in a fictional town in which state?Answer: Wisconsin. The gang hangs out in Eric Forman's basement in Point Place, Wisconsin.
12. Which Seth MacFarlane cartoon debuted on Fox right after a Super Bowl?Answer: Family Guy. The Griffin family lives in Quahog, Rhode Island.
13. On King of the Hill, what does Hank Hill sell for a living?Answer: Propane. Hank works at Strickland Propane in Arlen, Texas.
14. Which talk-show host famously gave every member of her studio audience a new car in 2004?Answer: Oprah Winfrey. All 276 audience members drove away with a Pontiac G6.
15. Which 2013 political drama starring Kevin Spacey was Netflix's first big original series?Answer: House of Cards. All 13 episodes were released at once, helping popularize binge-watching.
16. Who played Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City?Answer: Sarah Jessica Parker. Carrie wrote a newspaper column about dating in New York.
17. Which city's ZIP code gave a 1990 teen drama its title?Answer: Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills, 90210 followed the Walsh twins at West Beverly High.
18. On Breaking Bad, what alias does Walter White use in the drug trade?Answer: Heisenberg. He borrowed the name of German physicist Werner Heisenberg.
19. Who was the original host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on ABC in 1999?Answer: Regis Philbin. Philbin's question “Is that your final answer?” became a catchphrase.
20. Grey's Anatomy is set at a hospital in which city?Answer: Seattle. The fictional hospital started as Seattle Grace.

Fantasy trivia

1. What is the name of Bilbo Baggins’s home in the Shire?Answer: Bag End. Bag End is a hobbit-hole dug into the Hill at Hobbiton.
2. Who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films?Answer: Ian McKellen. McKellen earned an Oscar nomination for The Fellowship of the Ring.
3. What fiery creature does Gandalf face on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm?Answer: A Balrog. The Balrog was an ancient demon awakened by the Dwarves of Moria.
4. Which of these Tolkien books was published first?Answer: The Hobbit. The Hobbit came out 17 years before The Fellowship of the Ring.
5. Which 2008 film launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe?Answer: Iron Man. Iron Man opened in May 2008, about six weeks before The Incredible Hulk.
6. What is the name of Thor’s hammer?Answer: Mjolnir. Stormbreaker is the axe Thor forges in Avengers: Infinity War.
7. Which artist co-created Spider-Man with writer Stan Lee?Answer: Steve Ditko. Ditko drew Spider-Man’s first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15.
8. Which nearly unbreakable metal is bonded to Wolverine’s skeleton?Answer: Adamantium. Vibranium is the Wakandan metal in Captain America’s shield.
9. In which fictional city does Clark Kent work as a reporter?Answer: Metropolis. Clark works at the Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis.
10. Who played the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)?Answer: Heath Ledger. Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
11. What is the name of Wonder Woman’s home island?Answer: Themyscira. Themyscira, once called Paradise Island, is home to the Amazons.
12. What is the name of Batman’s loyal butler?Answer: Alfred Pennyworth. Edwin Jarvis is the Avengers’ butler in Marvel comics.
13. What position does Harry play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?Answer: Seeker. He becomes the youngest house player in a century in his first year.
14. Which spell knocks the wand out of an opponent’s hand?Answer: Expelliarmus. Expelliarmus, the Disarming Charm, became Harry’s signature spell.
15. What is the Weasley family’s home called?Answer: The Burrow. The Burrow is a crooked, magically propped-up house near Ottery St Catchpole.
16. What is the name of Hagrid’s three-headed dog?Answer: Fluffy. Fluffy guards the trapdoor leading to the Sorcerer’s Stone.
17. What does the Doctor’s TARDIS look like from the outside?Answer: A police box. Its chameleon circuit broke, leaving it stuck as a 1960s London police box.
18. In Ghostbusters (1984), what form does Gozer take to attack New York?Answer: The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Ray Stantz pictured the cheerful marshmallow mascot when told to choose the destroyer’s form.
19. Who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia?Answer: C.S. Lewis. Lewis and Tolkien were friends at Oxford and both belonged to the Inklings writing group.
20. Which district is Katniss Everdeen from in The Hunger Games?Answer: District 12. District 12 is Panem’s coal-mining district.

Broadway trivia

1. Who wrote the music and lyrics for The Music Man?Answer: Meredith Willson. Willson also co-wrote the story with Franklin Lacey.
2. South Pacific is based on a Pulitzer-winning book by which author?Answer: James A. Michener. Rodgers and Hammerstein adapted his Tales of the South Pacific.
3. Which musical mixes human characters with puppets on a New York street?Answer: Avenue Q. Avenue Q's puppets are worked in full view by actors.
4. Which 1971 Sondheim musical is set at a reunion in a theatre about to be torn down?Answer: Follies. Former Weismann Follies performers gather one last time in their old theatre.
5. The Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse is based on which Shakespeare play?Answer: The Comedy of Errors. Both tell of two sets of identical twins separated at birth.
6. In Annie, what is the name of Annie’s dog?Answer: Sandy. Annie adopts the stray mutt Sandy early in the show.
7. Hamilton was inspired by a biography written by which historian?Answer: Ron Chernow. Lin-Manuel Miranda read Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton on holiday.
8. Nearly all of August Wilson’s ten-play Century Cycle is set in which city?Answer: Pittsburgh. Nine of the ten plays take place in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.
9. Which musical opens with the number “Comedy Tonight”?Answer: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Sondheim wrote the opener for the show’s Broadway tryout.
10. In theatre, what is a matinee?Answer: An afternoon performance. Broadway matinees usually play on Wednesdays and weekends.
11. Which jukebox musical tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?Answer: Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys won the Tony for Best Musical in 2006.
12. Who composed the music for West Side Story?Answer: Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein wrote the score, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
13. Which musical’s first act ends with the rousing ensemble number “One Day More”?Answer: Les Misérables. The song brings all the main characters together on the eve of the uprising.
14. Which songwriting team wrote Little Shop of Horrors?Answer: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Menken and Ashman later wrote The Little Mermaid for Disney.
15. What is Tevye’s job in Fiddler on the Roof?Answer: Milkman. He delivers milk with his horse in the village of Anatevka.
16. Which musical closed in 2023 as the longest-running show in Broadway history?Answer: The Phantom of the Opera. It played 13,981 performances over 35 years.
17. Dreamgirls is loosely inspired by which Motown group?Answer: The Supremes. Its trio the Dreams echoes the rise of Diana Ross and the Supremes.
18. In Wicked, Glinda becomes known as Glinda the what?Answer: Good. Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch while Glinda becomes Glinda the Good.
19. Who wrote the musical Six?Answer: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. They wrote it as students for the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe.
20. Which Irish playwright wrote Waiting for Godot?Answer: Samuel Beckett. Its first Broadway production opened in 1956.

U.S. History trivia

1. Which colony did the Pilgrims found in 1620?Answer: Plymouth Colony. Plymouth was absorbed into Massachusetts Bay in 1691.
2. Who was the first U.S. Secretary of War?Answer: Henry Knox. Knox, Washington’s artillery chief, took the post in 1789.
3. Which U.S. state was once an independent kingdom with its own royal family?Answer: Hawaii. The Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown in 1893.
4. Which December 1944 German offensive in Belgium and Luxembourg is known by a nickname?Answer: The Battle of the Bulge. The attack pushed a bulge into the Allied lines in the Ardennes.
5. Which island battle is famous for the flag raising on Mount Suribachi?Answer: Iwo Jima. Marines raised the flag there on February 23, 1945.
6. Sequoyah created a writing system for which Native American nation?Answer: Cherokee. His syllabary let thousands of Cherokee read and write within a few years.
7. Who led the 1869 expedition that ran the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon?Answer: John Wesley Powell. The one-armed Civil War veteran led the first known trip through the canyon.
8. Which 1919 law put Prohibition into effect?Answer: The Volstead Act. It defined the intoxicating liquors banned by the 18th Amendment.
9. What were the Federalist Papers written to support?Answer: Ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote them for New York newspapers.
10. Cornelius Vanderbilt made his fortune in which businesses?Answer: Shipping and railroads. He started with ferries and steamships before building a railroad empire.
11. What name was given to the 1919 scandal in which White Sox players threw the World Series?Answer: The Black Sox Scandal. Eight players were banned from baseball for life.
12. Which city served as the U.S. capital from 1790 to 1800?Answer: Philadelphia. The government moved there while Washington, D.C., was being built.
13. Who was the first Postmaster General appointed by the Continental Congress?Answer: Benjamin Franklin. Congress appointed him in 1775.
14. Who led the FBI and the bureau it grew out of from 1924 until his death in 1972?Answer: J. Edgar Hoover. He headed the Bureau of Investigation, renamed the FBI in 1935.
15. Daniel Boone blazed a trail through the Cumberland Gap into which future state?Answer: Kentucky. His Wilderness Road carried settlers west into Kentucky.
16. Which 1966 Supreme Court case requires police to tell suspects about their rights?Answer: Miranda v. Arizona. The warnings read to suspects are called Miranda rights.
17. Which Founding Father was killed in an 1804 duel with Aaron Burr?Answer: Alexander Hamilton. The duel took place at Weehawken, New Jersey.
18. The 1942 Battle of Midway was fought mainly between U.S. and which nation’s aircraft carriers?Answer: Japan. The U.S. sank four Japanese carriers in the battle.
19. Which crop powered the economy of colonial Virginia?Answer: Tobacco. John Rolfe’s tobacco became Virginia’s main export.
20. Which wall fell in November 1989, a symbol of the Cold War’s end?Answer: The Berlin Wall. East German guards opened its crossings on November 9, 1989.

U.S. Presidents trivia

1. Who was the 44th president?Answer: Barack Obama. Obama served as the 44th president from 2009 to 2017.
2. Who was the third president?Answer: Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson served from 1801 to 1809, after Washington and John Adams.
3. Who was the 40th president?Answer: Ronald Reagan. Reagan served as the 40th president from 1981 to 1989.
4. Who was Woodrow Wilson’s vice president?Answer: Thomas R. Marshall. Thomas R. Marshall served as vice president for both of Wilson’s terms.
5. Who was Andrew Jackson’s first vice president?Answer: John C. Calhoun. Calhoun served under Jackson from 1829 until he resigned in 1832.
6. Which president was nicknamed “the Little Magician”?Answer: Martin Van Buren. Van Buren earned the nickname for his political skill.
7. Which president was known as “Give ’Em Hell Harry”?Answer: Harry S. Truman. Truman picked up the nickname during his feisty 1948 campaign.
8. Which president was nicknamed “Dubya”?Answer: George W. Bush. The nickname comes from the Texan way of saying his middle initial, W.
9. Which president’s library and museum is in Boston?Answer: John F. Kennedy. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library stands on Columbia Point in Boston.
10. Which president’s library and museum is in Atlanta?Answer: Jimmy Carter. The Carter Presidential Library is in Atlanta, Georgia.
11. Besides Abigail Adams, which first lady was both the wife and the mother of a president?Answer: Barbara Bush. Barbara Bush was married to George H. W. Bush and the mother of George W. Bush.
12. Seven presidents were born in which state, second only to Virginia?Answer: Ohio. Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, McKinley, Taft and Harding were all born in Ohio.
13. Which former president argued the Amistad case before the Supreme Court in 1841?Answer: John Quincy Adams. Adams helped win freedom for the Africans who had taken over the ship Amistad.
14. Which of these people on U.S. paper money was never president?Answer: Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, on the $10 bill, was the first secretary of the treasury.
15. Which president had earlier been governor of New Jersey?Answer: Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913.
16. Montpelier in Virginia was the home of which president?Answer: James Madison. Madison lived at Montpelier, his family’s plantation in Orange County, Virginia.
17. Mamie was the wife of which president?Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mamie Eisenhower was first lady from 1953 to 1961.
18. After the vice president, who is next in the line of presidential succession?Answer: The Speaker of the House. The Presidential Succession Act puts the Speaker of the House next after the vice president.
19. How many electoral votes are there in total?Answer: 538. There are 538 electors, so 270 is a majority.
20. Which president trained as a geologist at Stanford and worked as a mining engineer?Answer: Herbert Hoover. Hoover graduated from Stanford and made his fortune as a mining engineer.

Geography trivia

1. What is the capital of Denmark?Answer: Copenhagen. Copenhagen is Denmark’s capital and largest city.
2. What is the capital of Finland?Answer: Helsinki. Helsinki sits on the Gulf of Finland.
3. What is the capital of Uruguay?Answer: Montevideo. Montevideo lies on the Río de la Plata.
4. What is the capital of Senegal?Answer: Dakar. Dakar is on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of mainland Africa.
5. Denver is the capital of which U.S. state?Answer: Colorado. Denver is known as the Mile High City.
6. Which U.S. state is nicknamed the Bluegrass State?Answer: Kentucky. Kentucky’s nickname comes from the bluegrass that grows in its pastures.
7. Which river flows through Moscow?Answer: Moskva. The city takes its name from the Moskva River.
8. Which river flows into the Atlantic at Lisbon?Answer: Tagus. The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula.
9. Which country’s flag has a red-and-white checkerboard shield?Answer: Croatia. The checkerboard shield is Croatia’s coat of arms.
10. What is the longest river in Africa?Answer: Nile. The Nile flows north to the Mediterranean through Egypt.
11. The Sinai Peninsula belongs to which country?Answer: Egypt. The Sinai is the part of Egypt that lies in Asia.
12. Which U.S. state is called the Land of 10,000 Lakes?Answer: Minnesota. The nickname appears on Minnesota’s license plates.
13. Which strait separates Sicily from mainland Italy?Answer: Strait of Messina. The Strait of Messina is only about 3 kilometers wide at its narrowest.
14. The Gulf of Bothnia lies between Sweden and which country?Answer: Finland. The gulf is the northern arm of the Baltic Sea.
15. Which is Canada’s largest province by area?Answer: Quebec. Quebec is the largest province; only the territory of Nunavut is bigger.
16. Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain on the mainland of which country?Answer: Australia. Kosciuszko is in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
17. The Matterhorn stands on the border of Switzerland and which country?Answer: Italy. The peak rises between the Swiss town of Zermatt and Italy’s Aosta Valley.
18. The Yucatán Peninsula lies mostly in which country?Answer: Mexico. Most of the peninsula is in Mexico, with smaller parts in Belize and Guatemala.
19. Ulaanbaatar is the capital of which country?Answer: Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar is home to nearly half of Mongolia’s people.
20. The island of Zanzibar is part of which country?Answer: Tanzania. Zanzibar joined Tanganyika in 1964 to form Tanzania.