Friday, October 30, 2026

The tidbits, trivia answers and word pairs from Facts & Games on Friday, October 30, 2026. Play today’s games · All past days · All past tidbits

Six tidbits

Commonly confused words

farther vs. further

farther: At a greater physical distance. further: To a greater degree or extent; additional. Farther has far in it: use it for distance you can measure.

reign vs. rein

reign: A period of royal rule. rein: A strap used to guide a horse. Free rein comes from riding horses.

flounder vs. founder

flounder: To struggle clumsily or in confusion. founder: To fill with water and sink; to fail completely. A swimmer flounders; a ship founders.

conscience vs. conscious

conscience: An inner sense of right and wrong. conscious: Awake and aware. Your conscience has science in it: it knows right from wrong.

cord vs. chord

cord: A thick string or thin rope. chord: Three or more musical notes played together. Chord has the h of harmony.

Beatles trivia

1. John Lennon’s “I Am the Walrus” drew on a poem by which author?Answer: Lewis Carroll. John borrowed the walrus from Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter”.
2. Before the Beatles, producer George Martin was best known for comedy records with which performers?Answer: Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Martin made hit comedy records with Goons Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan at Parlophone.
3. “Back in the U.S.S.R.” plays on the title of which Chuck Berry song?Answer: Back in the U.S.A.. Paul’s White Album opener is a spoof of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the U.S.A.”.
4. Which prime minister’s government put the Beatles forward for their MBEs in 1965?Answer: Harold Wilson. The band was nominated for MBEs under Harold Wilson, then prime minister.
5. John Lennon’s 1971 album Imagine was largely recorded at his studio in which English country house?Answer: Tittenhurst Park. Most of Imagine was recorded at Ascot Sound Studios in John’s home, Tittenhurst Park.
6. In which New York apartment building did John Lennon live from 1973?Answer: The Dakota. John and Yoko lived at the Dakota, on Central Park West.
7. What is the name of the John Lennon memorial in New York’s Central Park?Answer: Strawberry Fields. Strawberry Fields, named after his song, opened across from the Dakota in 1985.
8. With which composer did Paul McCartney write the 1991 Liverpool Oratorio?Answer: Carl Davis. Paul wrote it with Carl Davis for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s 150th anniversary.
9. The wax figures of the Beatles on the Sgt. Pepper cover were borrowed from where?Answer: Madame Tussauds. Madame Tussauds lent its waxworks of the early, mop-topped Beatles for the cover.
10. Which Beatle plays the harmonica on “Love Me Do”?Answer: John Lennon. John played the harmonica on “Love Me Do” and several other early songs.
11. Which song closed the band’s final paid concert, at Candlestick Park in 1966?Answer: Long Tall Sally. Paul sang Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally” as the last song of the show.
12. Which spoof band, created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes, parodied the Beatles’ story?Answer: The Rutles. The Rutles starred in the 1978 TV mockumentary All You Need Is Cash.
13. What was the name of the Menlove Avenue house where John Lennon grew up with his aunt?Answer: Mendips. John lived at Mendips, 251 Menlove Avenue, with his aunt Mimi.
14. What was the nickname for the band’s early fringed haircuts?Answer: Mop-tops. The shaggy fringes earned the band the nickname “the mop-tops”.
15. Which Liverpool music paper, founded by John Lennon’s art school friend Bill Harry, covered the band early on?Answer: Mersey Beat. Bill Harry launched Mersey Beat in 1961, and John wrote pieces for it.
16. In which city did the band play a three-week run at the Olympia theatre in early 1964?Answer: Paris. The Beatles played the Paris Olympia from January into February 1964.
17. Sean Lennon was born on his father John’s birthday. What date is it?Answer: October 9. John was born on October 9, 1940, and Sean on October 9, 1975.
18. Which room at EMI’s Abbey Road studios did the band use for most of its recordings?Answer: Studio Two. Studio Two was where the Beatles made most of their records.
19. Which Beatles song is subtitled “This Bird Has Flown”?Answer: Norwegian Wood. Its full title is “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)”, from Rubber Soul.
20. Which Scottish folk singer was in Rishikesh with the band in 1968?Answer: Donovan. Donovan studied with the Maharishi alongside the Beatles in Rishikesh.

Taylor Swift trivia

1. Which guitar maker sells a signature “Baby Taylor” model named for Swift?Answer: Taylor Guitars. Taylor Guitars makes a Taylor Swift signature Baby Taylor, a small acoustic guitar.
2. Swift sings on “Renegade” (2021) by which band, made up of Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon?Answer: Big Red Machine. Big Red Machine is Dessner and Vernon's duo; “Renegade” came out in July 2021 featuring Swift.
3. Swift co-wrote “Babe” and sings on the 2018 version by which country duo?Answer: Sugarland. Swift wrote “Babe” with Pat Monahan of Train; Sugarland released it with Swift featured in April 2018.
4. Before Swift's fourth win, which of these artists shared the record of three Album of the Year Grammys?Answer: Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon each won three times; Midnights gave Swift a record fourth in 2024.
5. The “Bejeweled” music video is a playful take on which fairy tale?Answer: Cinderella. The video recasts Cinderella, with Laura Dern as the stepmother and the Haim sisters as stepsisters.
6. In the “Anti-Hero” video's funeral daydream, who inherits most of Swift's fortune?Answer: Her cats. Her will leaves each child 13 cents and the rest, beach house included, to her cats.
7. From which investment firm did Swift buy back the masters of her first six albums in 2025?Answer: Shamrock Capital. Shamrock Capital had owned the recordings since 2020; Swift announced she had bought them back in May 2025.
8. Which of these albums had Swift NOT released as a Taylor's Version by the time she bought back her masters in May 2025?Answer: Reputation. Fearless, Red, Speak Now and 1989 had Taylor's Versions by then; Reputation did not.
9. Which was the first Swift single to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?Answer: Shake It Off. “Shake It Off” entered the Hot 100 at No. 1 in 2014; her earlier No. 1 had climbed to the top.
10. In February 2024, Swift played three Eras Tour nights to about 96,000 fans each at which venue?Answer: Melbourne Cricket Ground. Her three Melbourne Cricket Ground shows drew about 288,000 people, the biggest crowds of her career.
11. In which city did the Eras Tour's European leg begin in May 2024?Answer: Paris. The European leg opened at Paris La Défense Arena on May 9, 2024.
12. Which was the only Southeast Asian country the Eras Tour visited?Answer: Singapore. Swift played six shows at Singapore's National Stadium in March 2024, her only Southeast Asian stop.
13. How many songs are on The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology?Answer: 31. The Anthology added 15 songs to the 16-track standard album, for 31 in all.
14. How many tracks are on the standard edition of The Life of a Showgirl?Answer: 12. The Life of a Showgirl (2025) has 12 tracks, ending with the title song.
15. Which Life of a Showgirl song takes its name from a man-made glass made to look like opal?Answer: Opalite. Opalite is man-made glass that imitates opal; Swift has said she liked the idea of happiness you can make yourself.
16. Swift co-wrote “You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home” for which 2009 film?Answer: Hannah Montana: The Movie. Swift wrote it with Martin Johnson, and Miley Cyrus sang it as Hannah Montana in the film.
17. Swift co-wrote and sang backing vocals on “Best Days of Your Life,” a 2008 single by which singer?Answer: Kellie Pickler. Kellie Pickler and Swift wrote the song together, and Swift sings harmony on it.
18. A snippet of “Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)” first appeared in the trailer for which 2021 animated film?Answer: Spirit Untamed. The re-recording was heard in the Spirit Untamed trailer months before Swift released the full song.
19. Who wrote “Love Story”?Answer: Swift alone. Swift is the song's only writer; Nathan Chapman co-produced it with her.
20. What was the career of Swift's father, Scott?Answer: Stockbroker. Scott Swift worked as a stockbroker and financial adviser at Merrill Lynch.

Football trivia

1. Which head coach led the Chiefs to Super Bowl wins after the 2019, 2022 and 2023 seasons?Answer: Andy Reid. Andy Reid coached Kansas City to victories in Super Bowls LIV, LVII and LVIII.
2. Who coached the Philadelphia Eagles to their win in Super Bowl LIX?Answer: Nick Sirianni. Nick Sirianni's Eagles beat the Chiefs 40–22 in February 2025.
3. Who coached the Denver Broncos to their win in Super Bowl 50?Answer: Gary Kubiak. Gary Kubiak led Denver past Carolina in his first season as the Broncos' head coach.
4. Who coached the Seattle Seahawks to their win in Super Bowl LX?Answer: Mike Macdonald. Mike Macdonald's Seahawks beat the Patriots 29–13 in February 2026.
5. Which team plays its home games at Nissan Stadium?Answer: Tennessee Titans. Nissan Stadium in Nashville has been the Titans' home since 1999.
6. Which team plays its home games at NRG Stadium?Answer: Houston Texans. The Texans have played at NRG Stadium in Houston since their first season in 2002.
7. Which team plays its home games at Levi's Stadium?Answer: San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers moved into Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in 2014.
8. The NFL's Man of the Year award, for charity work as well as play, is named after whom?Answer: Walter Payton. The award was renamed for Walter Payton, a past winner, after his death in 1999.
9. Which team won the AFL's first championship game, played on January 1, 1961?Answer: Houston Oilers. The Oilers beat the Chargers 24–16 in Houston to win the 1960 AFL title.
10. What jersey number did Peyton Manning wear?Answer: 18. Manning wore No. 18 for both the Colts and the Broncos.
11. Which linebacker was named MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII?Answer: Malcolm Smith. Malcolm Smith returned an interception for a touchdown in Seattle's 43–8 win over Denver.
12. Which college did Peyton Manning play for?Answer: Tennessee. Manning starred at the University of Tennessee before the Colts drafted him in 1998.
13. Which college did Joe Montana play for?Answer: Notre Dame. Montana won a national title at Notre Dame before the 49ers drafted him in 1979.
14. Which Hall of Fame running back was nicknamed “The Tyler Rose”?Answer: Earl Campbell. Earl Campbell grew up in Tyler, Texas, a town famous for its rose gardens.
15. Which Dallas Cowboys defensive end was nicknamed “Too Tall”?Answer: Ed Jones. Ed “Too Tall” Jones stood 6 feet 9 inches.
16. Who was the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft?Answer: Myles Garrett. The Cleveland Browns took defensive end Myles Garrett first overall.
17. Which company makes the Vince Lombardi Trophy?Answer: Tiffany & Co.. Tiffany & Co. has made the sterling silver trophy since the first Super Bowl.
18. Besides the Detroit Lions, which team traditionally hosts a game on Thanksgiving Day?Answer: Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have hosted a Thanksgiving game almost every year since 1966.
19. Which Hall of Fame quarterback was nicknamed “Slingin' Sammy”?Answer: Sammy Baugh. Sammy Baugh starred for Washington from 1937 to 1952.
20. Who caught Roger Staubach's famous “Hail Mary” pass against the Vikings in 1975?Answer: Drew Pearson. Drew Pearson's catch gave Dallas a 17–14 playoff win in Minnesota.

Basketball trivia

1. Who was named Finals MVP when the Knicks won the 2026 NBA title?Answer: Jalen Brunson. Brunson scored 45 points in the clinching Game 5 against the Spurs.
2. Who won the NBA MVP award for the 2025–26 season?Answer: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder guard won the award for the second season in a row.
3. Which team plays its home games at the Kia Center?Answer: Orlando Magic. The Magic's arena in Orlando took the name Kia Center in 2023.
4. Which team plays its home games at the Smoothie King Center?Answer: New Orleans Pelicans. The Smoothie King Center is the Pelicans' arena in New Orleans.
5. Which team plays its home games at State Farm Arena?Answer: Atlanta Hawks. State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta is home to the Hawks.
6. Who was the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft?Answer: Cooper Flagg. The Dallas Mavericks took Cooper Flagg out of Duke.
7. Who was the NBA Rookie of the Year for 2024–25?Answer: Stephon Castle. Castle won the award as a guard for the San Antonio Spurs.
8. Who was the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft?Answer: Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers took Ben Simmons out of LSU.
9. Who was the first overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft?Answer: Andrew Wiggins. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Wiggins, then traded him to Minnesota that summer.
10. Which Pistons Hall of Famer was nicknamed “Zeke”?Answer: Isiah Thomas. Isiah Thomas led the “Bad Boys” Pistons to titles in 1989 and 1990.
11. Which player is nicknamed “The Greek Freak”?Answer: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis Antetokounmpo was born and raised in Athens, Greece.
12. Which Celtics center was nicknamed “The Chief”?Answer: Robert Parish. Robert Parish won three titles with Boston in the 1980s.
13. Which team did Wilt Chamberlain play for in his final NBA season?Answer: Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain finished his career with the Lakers in 1973.
14. How long is an NBA overtime period?Answer: 5 minutes. Each NBA overtime period lasts five minutes.
15. How wide is the lane, or paint, on an NBA court?Answer: 16 feet. The NBA lane is 16 feet wide.
16. Which team did the Spurs beat in seven games in the 2005 NBA Finals?Answer: Detroit Pistons. Tim Duncan's Spurs won Game 7 against the defending champion Pistons.
17. Who hit the go-ahead three-pointer late in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals?Answer: Kyrie Irving. Irving's three over Stephen Curry put Cleveland ahead with under a minute left.
18. Which team won the first championship played under the NBA name, in 1950?Answer: Minneapolis Lakers. George Mikan's Lakers beat the Syracuse Nationals in the 1950 Finals.
19. Which player was nicknamed “Agent Zero”?Answer: Gilbert Arenas. Gilbert Arenas wore No. 0 and starred for the Washington Wizards.
20. In 2025, the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to which team?Answer: Houston Rockets. Durant was traded to the Rockets in the summer of 2025.

Baseball trivia

1. Who threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history, in 1940?Answer: Bob Feller. Cleveland’s Bob Feller no-hit the White Sox on Opening Day, April 16, 1940.
2. What share of the baseball writers’ votes does a player need to be elected to the Hall of Fame?Answer: 75 percent. Players on the writers’ ballot need to be named on at least 75 percent of the ballots.
3. Which team’s sluggers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire were called the “Bash Brothers”?Answer: Oakland Athletics. Canseco and McGwire earned the nickname as Oakland teammates in the late 1980s.
4. Which team’s young 1950 pennant winners were nicknamed the “Whiz Kids”?Answer: Philadelphia Phillies. The 1950 Phillies, the “Whiz Kids,” won the National League pennant.
5. Who was the first manager to win the World Series in both leagues?Answer: Sparky Anderson. Sparky Anderson won with the Reds in 1975 and 1976, then with the Tigers in 1984.
6. Who waved his 12th-inning home run fair to win Game 6 of the 1975 World Series?Answer: Carlton Fisk. Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk famously waved the ball fair off the Fenway foul pole.
7. In 1972, which pitcher won 27 games for a Phillies team that won only 59?Answer: Steve Carlton. Steve Carlton went 27–10 for a last-place Phillies team that finished 59–97.
8. Which Negro Leagues team did Jackie Robinson play for in 1945?Answer: Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson played shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs before signing with the Dodgers.
9. Who became the youngest player in modern MLB history when he pitched for the Reds in 1944 at age 15?Answer: Joe Nuxhall. Joe Nuxhall pitched for Cincinnati on June 10, 1944, at 15 years old.
10. The “Crawford Boxes” are left-field seats at which team’s ballpark?Answer: Houston Astros. The Crawford Boxes sit above the short left-field wall in Houston, named for Crawford Street.
11. Which Oakland pitcher won both the AL Cy Young Award and the AL MVP in 1971?Answer: Vida Blue. Vida Blue, 21 years old, swept both awards in 1971.
12. Tom Seaver threw his only no-hitter in 1978 for which team?Answer: Cincinnati Reds. Seaver no-hit the Cardinals on June 16, 1978, pitching for the Reds.
13. What is an “eephus” pitch?Answer: A very slow, high-arcing lob. The eephus is a slow, looping pitch meant to throw off the batter’s timing.
14. About how far is it from home plate to second base?Answer: 127 feet. It is the diagonal of the 90-foot square: about 127 feet, 3⅜ inches.
15. Which team won the first modern World Series, in 1903?Answer: Boston Americans. The Boston Americans, today’s Red Sox, beat Pittsburgh five games to three.
16. Which Giants pitcher of the early 1900s was nicknamed “Big Six”?Answer: Christy Mathewson. Christy Mathewson won 373 games and was known as “Big Six.”
17. Which Twins slugger’s nickname was simply “Killer”?Answer: Harmon Killebrew. Harmon Killebrew, who hit 573 home runs, was known as “Killer.”
18. What was the 2000 World Series between the Yankees and Mets nicknamed?Answer: The Subway Series. New York fans could ride the subway between the two ballparks.
19. Which Yankees pitcher threw a perfect game against the Twins in May 1998?Answer: David Wells. David Wells pitched a perfect game at Yankee Stadium on May 17, 1998.
20. According to a legend later debunked, who invented baseball in Cooperstown in 1839?Answer: Abner Doubleday. A 1907 commission credited Abner Doubleday, but historians have shown the story is a myth.

Hockey trivia

1. How many times did Wayne Gretzky win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP?Answer: Nine. Gretzky won the Hart nine times, including eight in a row from 1980 to 1987.
2. Which Hall of Fame goaltender was nicknamed “The Eagle”?Answer: Ed Belfour. Ed Belfour, “Eddie the Eagle,” wore an eagle on his mask.
3. Which team plays its home games at Rogers Place?Answer: Edmonton Oilers. Rogers Place in downtown Edmonton opened in 2016.
4. Which team plays its home games at Scotiabank Arena?Answer: Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs have played at the arena, first called the Air Canada Centre, since 1999.
5. Since 1995, what does each member of the Stanley Cup winning team get?Answer: A day with the Cup. Every player and staff member gets a day with the Cup during the summer.
6. Who became the first American-born player to score 50 goals in an NHL season, in 1984–85?Answer: Bobby Carpenter. Washington’s Bobby Carpenter scored 53 goals that season.
7. In hockey, what is a “deke”?Answer: A fake move to get past an opponent. A deke fakes a defender or goalie one way before the player goes the other.
8. In hockey, what is “the slot”?Answer: The prime scoring area in front of the net. The slot runs from the crease out between the faceoff circles.
9. Which team is nicknamed the “Habs”?Answer: Montreal Canadiens. “Habs” is short for “Les Habitants,” a nickname for the Canadiens.
10. Fans of which team dress in white for home playoff games, the “Whiteout”?Answer: Winnipeg Jets. The Winnipeg Whiteout began with the original Jets in the 1980s.
11. Which 6-foot-9 defenseman, nicknamed “Big Z,” captained Boston to the 2011 Stanley Cup?Answer: Zdeno Chára. Zdeno Chára is the tallest player in NHL history and wore the C for Boston.
12. Who scored in the fourth overtime to win the 1987 “Easter Epic” for the Islanders?Answer: Pat LaFontaine. Pat LaFontaine’s goal beat Washington in Game 7 early on Easter Sunday.
13. Gordie Howe played with his sons Mark and Marty for which WHA team?Answer: Houston Aeros. The three Howes joined the Houston Aeros in 1973.
14. Which player was nicknamed “Sid the Kid”?Answer: Sidney Crosby. Sidney Crosby earned the nickname as a teenage phenom.
15. Which trophy goes to the goalies on the team that allows the fewest goals?Answer: William M. Jennings Trophy. The Jennings Trophy goes to the goalie or goalies of the team with the fewest goals against.
16. Who won both the Hart Trophy and the Vezina Trophy in 2025?Answer: Connor Hellebuyck. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck became the first goalie since 2015 to win the Hart.
17. Which old arena was nicknamed the “Madhouse on Madison”?Answer: Chicago Stadium. Chicago Stadium on West Madison Street was famous for its noise.
18. Which trophy goes to the Western Conference playoff champion?Answer: Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. The Campbell Bowl is named after former NHL president Clarence Campbell.
19. Who is the only player to captain two different teams to the Stanley Cup?Answer: Mark Messier. Mark Messier captained Edmonton in 1990 and the Rangers in 1994.
20. The Minnesota North Stars moved in 1993 and became which team?Answer: Dallas Stars. The North Stars moved to Texas and became the Dallas Stars.

Soccer trivia

1. Which player headbutted Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final?Answer: Zinedine Zidane. Zidane was sent off in the last match of his career, and Italy won on penalties.
2. Which country won Euro 2008, the first of three major titles in a row?Answer: Spain. Spain followed it with the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
3. Which Brazilian scored both goals in the 2002 World Cup final?Answer: Ronaldo. Ronaldo beat Germany 2–0 in Yokohama and won the Golden Boot with eight goals.
4. Which Spanish club is nicknamed “Los Blancos”?Answer: Real Madrid. The name comes from the club’s all-white kit.
5. Thierry Henry finished his playing career with which MLS club?Answer: New York Red Bulls. He played for the Red Bulls from 2010 to 2014.
6. Which Brazilian won the 2007 Ballon d’Or while playing for AC Milan?Answer: Kaká. Kaká won it after helping Milan win the 2007 Champions League.
7. Which Croatian midfielder won the 2018 Ballon d’Or?Answer: Luka Modrić. He ended Messi and Ronaldo’s ten-year hold on the award.
8. What is a “clean sheet”?Answer: A game in which a team concedes no goals. Goalkeepers and defenders are often judged by how many clean sheets they keep.
9. How long is a regulation soccer match, not counting stoppage time?Answer: 90 minutes. A match has two 45-minute halves.
10. Which U.S. star scored a penalty in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final and won the Golden Ball?Answer: Megan Rapinoe. Her penalty opened the scoring in a 2–0 win over the Netherlands in Lyon.
11. Which English club is nicknamed “the Toffees”?Answer: Everton. The nickname is linked to toffee shops near the club’s early home.
12. Which club has won the most Bundesliga titles?Answer: Bayern Munich. Bayern has won more than 30 German championships.
13. Which Italian club is nicknamed “the Old Lady”?Answer: Juventus. In Italian the nickname is “La Vecchia Signora.”
14. Which Dutch legend coached Barcelona’s “Dream Team” to its first European Cup in 1992?Answer: Johan Cruyff. Barcelona beat Sampdoria 1–0 at Wembley on Ronald Koeman’s extra-time free kick.
15. Which country’s national team is nicknamed “the Azzurri”?Answer: Italy. Azzurri means “the blues,” after the team’s blue shirts.
16. Which country has won the Copa América the most times?Answer: Argentina. Argentina’s 2024 win was its 16th title, one more than Uruguay.
17. What restart is awarded when a defender last touches the ball before it crosses their own goal line?Answer: A corner kick. The attacking team takes it from the corner arc nearest where the ball went out.
18. Which Liberian striker won the 1995 Ballon d’Or, the first African winner?Answer: George Weah. Weah, then with AC Milan, won it in the first year players from outside Europe were eligible.
19. Which country beat host Brazil 7–1 in a 2014 World Cup semifinal?Answer: Germany. Germany led 5–0 within the first half hour in Belo Horizonte.
20. Which London club plays its home games at Stamford Bridge?Answer: Chelsea. Chelsea has played there since the club was founded in 1905.

Movies trivia

1. In The Wizard of Oz (1939), what is the name of Dorothy’s dog?Answer: Toto. Dorothy’s little dog Toto was played by a cairn terrier named Terry.
2. Which song, played by Sam at Rick’s café, is the theme of Casablanca (1942)?Answer: As Time Goes By. “As Time Goes By” is the song that reminds Rick and Ilsa of their time in Paris.
3. Who won Best Actress for playing the title role in Mary Poppins (1964)?Answer: Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews won the Oscar for her very first film role.
4. Who played the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939)?Answer: Margaret Hamilton. Margaret Hamilton played both the Wicked Witch and Miss Gulch.
5. In Star Wars (1977), what is the name of Luke Skywalker’s desert home planet?Answer: Tatooine. Luke grows up on his aunt and uncle’s moisture farm on Tatooine.
6. Who played Mickey, Rocky Balboa’s crusty trainer, in Rocky (1976)?Answer: Burgess Meredith. Burgess Meredith earned an Oscar nomination as trainer Mickey Goldmill.
7. Which 1941 Disney film is about a baby elephant with enormous ears?Answer: Dumbo. Dumbo learns his huge ears let him fly.
8. Hollywood star Grace Kelly left acting to become princess of which country?Answer: Monaco. Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.
9. Who played James Bond in Casino Royale (2006)?Answer: Daniel Craig. Casino Royale was Daniel Craig’s first film as 007.
10. Which film won Best Picture for 1972?Answer: The Godfather. The Godfather won Best Picture at the ceremony held in March 1973.
11. Who played Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979)?Answer: Sigourney Weaver. Sigourney Weaver played Ripley in Alien and its sequels.
12. Which Pixar film takes place inside the mind of a girl named Riley?Answer: Inside Out. Inside Out (2015) stars Riley’s emotions, such as Joy and Sadness.
13. What is the name of the hobbit played by Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings films?Answer: Frodo Baggins. Elijah Wood played Frodo, who carries the One Ring.
14. Which Disney animated film features the song “Under the Sea”?Answer: The Little Mermaid. “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid (1989) won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
15. In which 1955 film does James Dean play troubled teenager Jim Stark?Answer: Rebel Without a Cause. Rebel Without a Cause opened about a month after Dean’s death.
16. What kind of animal is the hero of the 1995 film Babe?Answer: A pig. Babe is a piglet who learns to herd sheep like a sheepdog.
17. Who played the wizard Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings films?Answer: Ian McKellen. Ian McKellen was nominated for an Oscar for playing Gandalf.
18. Which 1964 Stanley Kubrick comedy pokes fun at the nuclear arms race?Answer: Dr. Strangelove. Peter Sellers plays three roles in Dr. Strangelove.
19. How many von Trapp children are there in The Sound of Music (1965)?Answer: Seven. Maria looks after seven children, from Liesl down to Gretl.
20. Who voiced the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin (1992)?Answer: Robin Williams. Robin Williams improvised much of the Genie’s dialogue.

Television trivia

1. What is the name of Tony Soprano's psychiatrist?Answer: Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Lorraine Bracco played Dr. Melfi.
2. Which Journey song plays as The Sopranos cuts to black in its final scene?Answer: Don't Stop Believin'. The abrupt ending led many viewers to think their cable had gone out.
3. What is the name of the coffee house where the Friends gang hangs out?Answer: Central Perk. Gunther worked behind the counter.
4. What is the name of Ross's pet monkey on Friends?Answer: Marcel. Marcel was a white-headed capuchin.
5. Which bestselling novelist created the hospital drama ER?Answer: Michael Crichton. Crichton, who trained as a doctor, also wrote Jurassic Park.
6. Ted Lasso arrives in England to coach AFC Richmond after coaching college football in which state?Answer: Kansas. Ted is from Wichita, Kansas.
7. Who plays Ted Lasso?Answer: Jason Sudeikis. The character began in NBC Sports promos for Premier League soccer.
8. Which HBO drama, set in a maximum-security prison, ran from 1997 to 2003?Answer: Oz. It was HBO's first hour-long dramatic series.
9. The Wire was set in which city?Answer: Baltimore. Creator David Simon was a former Baltimore Sun reporter.
10. Which HBO series followed the Fisher family and their funeral home?Answer: Six Feet Under. Alan Ball created it after writing the film American Beauty.
11. The Crown follows the reign of which monarch?Answer: Elizabeth II. Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton each played the Queen.
12. In 2017, which series became the first from a streaming service to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series?Answer: The Handmaid's Tale. The Hulu series is based on Margaret Atwood's novel.
13. Which Amazon series about a 1950s housewife turned stand-up comic won the 2018 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series?Answer: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Rachel Brosnahan played Midge Maisel.
14. Who created and starred in the British comedy Fleabag?Answer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She first performed Fleabag as a one-woman stage show.
15. Who hosted The Daily Show from 1999 to 2015?Answer: Jon Stewart. Stewart took over from Craig Kilborn, the show's first host.
16. Which late-night host is known for the “Mean Tweets” segment, in which celebrities read insults about themselves?Answer: Jimmy Kimmel. The segment began on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2012.
17. On Bob's Burgers, which Belcher kid always wears pink bunny ears?Answer: Louise. Louise is the youngest of the three Belcher kids.
18. In which year did Friends air its finale, “The Last One”?Answer: 2004. The finale aired on NBC on May 6, 2004.
19. On which competition show does Heidi Klum famously tell designers, “You're out”?Answer: Project Runway. Tim Gunn mentored the designers with his catchphrase “Make it work.”
20. On Top Chef, eliminated contestants are told to “Please pack your ___ and go.”Answer: knives. Padma Lakshmi delivered the line for years as host.

Fantasy trivia

1. What is the name of Aragorn’s reforged sword in The Return of the King?Answer: Andúril. It was reforged from the shards of Narsil, the blade that cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand.
2. Which actor played Gollum in Peter Jackson’s films using motion capture?Answer: Andy Serkis. Serkis’s performance helped bring motion capture acting into the mainstream.
3. What Elvish word opens the Doors of Durin into Moria?Answer: Mellon. Mellon means “friend,” the answer to the riddle written over the doors.
4. In which country were Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth films shot?Answer: New Zealand. Jackson, a New Zealander, filmed both trilogies across his home country.
5. What is Black Panther’s real name?Answer: T’Challa. T’Chaka is his father, M’Baku leads the Jabari, and N’Jadaka is Killmonger.
6. In Avengers: Infinity War, which Infinity Stone is hidden on the planet Vormir?Answer: The Soul Stone. Thanos must sacrifice Gamora to claim it.
7. What is the hero name of Reed Richards, the stretchy leader of the Fantastic Four?Answer: Mister Fantastic. Plastic Man and Elongated Man are stretchy heroes from DC.
8. Which actor played Captain America in the MCU?Answer: Chris Evans. Evans first carried the shield in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
9. What is Superman’s Kryptonian birth name?Answer: Kal-El. Jor-El is his father, who sent him to Earth as a baby.
10. Who was the first Robin, Batman’s sidekick?Answer: Dick Grayson. Dick Grayson debuted in 1940 and later became Nightwing.
11. Who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series?Answer: Lynda Carter. Carter starred in the role from 1975 to 1979.
12. What is Aquaman’s human name?Answer: Arthur Curry. Jason Momoa played Arthur Curry in Aquaman (2018).
13. What is the name of Harry Potter’s snowy owl?Answer: Hedwig. Errol and Pigwidgeon belong to the Weasleys, and Crookshanks is Hermione’s cat.
14. From which platform does the Hogwarts Express leave King’s Cross?Answer: Platform 9¾. Students reach it by walking through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
15. Who turns out to be the Half-Blood Prince?Answer: Severus Snape. He took the name from his mother’s maiden name, Prince.
16. What kind of creature is Buckbeak?Answer: A hippogriff. A hippogriff has the front of an eagle and the body of a horse.
17. What is the name of the Stark family’s castle in Game of Thrones?Answer: Winterfell. Winterfell is the ancient seat of House Stark in the North.
18. In Ghostbusters (1984), what name did the green, food-gobbling ghost later become known by?Answer: Slimer. The film crew called him Onionhead; the name Slimer caught on with the 1986 cartoon.
19. Which actor played the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who?Answer: David Tennant. Tennant played the Tenth Doctor and returned to the show in 2023 as the Fourteenth.
20. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which sweet does the White Witch use to tempt Edmund?Answer: Turkish Delight. She conjures the treat to win Edmund over to her side.

Broadway trivia

1. Which playwright wrote Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple?Answer: Neil Simon. Neil Simon wrote both comedies; Barefoot in the Park opened in 1963 and The Odd Couple in 1965.
2. Who originated the role of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady on Broadway?Answer: Rex Harrison. Rex Harrison played Higgins opposite Julie Andrews in 1956 and won a Tony for it.
3. In The Producers, what is the musical that Max and Leo hope will flop?Answer: Springtime for Hitler. They plan to get rich from a sure-fire flop, Springtime for Hitler, which becomes a surprise hit.
4. Which Disney musical features a magic carpet that flies over the stage?Answer: Aladdin. Aladdin, which opened on Broadway in 2014, flies Aladdin and Jasmine on a carpet during “A Whole New World.”
5. Which musical is set at a county spelling bee?Answer: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened on Broadway in 2005, with audience volunteers joining the bee.
6. Jim Dale won a Tony playing which famous showman in a 1980 musical?Answer: P. T. Barnum. Dale won Best Actor in a Musical for the title role in Barnum.
7. Which musical about two helper robots won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Musical?Answer: Maybe Happy Ending. Maybe Happy Ending won Best Musical and five other Tonys in June 2025.
8. Which Disney musical is about New York newsboys who go on strike in 1899?Answer: Newsies. Newsies, based on the 1992 film, opened on Broadway in 2012 with songs by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman.
9. Which show is the longest-running revival in Broadway history?Answer: Chicago. The revival of Chicago has run since November 1996.
10. In Hamilton, which character sings “You'll Be Back”?Answer: King George III. King George III sings it to the rebellious colonies.
11. In Les Misérables, which character sings “Stars”?Answer: Javert. Inspector Javert sings “Stars” as he vows to catch Valjean.
12. Who originated the title role in Sweeney Todd on Broadway?Answer: Len Cariou. Len Cariou created the role in 1979 and won a Tony for it.
13. The musical Spamalot is adapted from which film?Answer: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Eric Idle adapted the 1975 King Arthur comedy; Spamalot won the 2005 Tony for Best Musical.
14. On a theatre sign, what does “SRO” mean?Answer: Standing room only. SRO means every seat is sold and only standing room is left.
15. Usnavi runs a bodega in which musical?Answer: In the Heights. Usnavi, played on Broadway by Lin-Manuel Miranda, owns a corner store in Washington Heights.
16. Which Sondheim musical tells of Japan opening up to the West in the 1850s?Answer: Pacific Overtures. Pacific Overtures (1976) follows Japan after Commodore Perry's arrival in 1853.
17. Gypsy is based on the memoirs of which burlesque star?Answer: Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical draws on Gypsy Rose Lee's 1957 memoir about her mother, Rose.
18. Fiorello! is about which New York City mayor?Answer: Fiorello La Guardia. Fiorello! (1959) follows La Guardia's rise, and it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
19. Who wrote the play Angels in America?Answer: Tony Kushner. Tony Kushner wrote both parts, Millennium Approaches and Perestroika.
20. Who composed the music for Next to Normal?Answer: Tom Kitt. Tom Kitt wrote the music and Brian Yorkey the book and lyrics; they shared the 2010 Pulitzer Prize.

U.S. History trivia

1. Who led the 1497 English voyage that reached the coast of North America?Answer: John Cabot. Cabot, an Italian sailing for England’s Henry VII, landed in North America, probably Newfoundland, in 1497.
2. Which 1775 appeal asked King George III to avoid further fighting with the colonies?Answer: The Olive Branch Petition. Congress adopted it in July 1775, but the king refused to receive it.
3. The June 1775 battle fought mostly on Breed’s Hill is known by what name?Answer: Battle of Bunker Hill. Most of the fighting near Boston on June 17, 1775, took place on nearby Breed’s Hill.
4. Which American general plotted to hand West Point over to the British in 1780?Answer: Benedict Arnold. The plot was uncovered when British Major John André was captured carrying papers about it.
5. Which 1798 laws made it easier to deport foreigners and punished false writings against the government?Answer: The Alien and Sedition Acts. John Adams signed them during tensions with France.
6. Which blacksmith built a steel plow in Illinois in 1837?Answer: John Deere. His polished-steel plow cut through sticky prairie soil far better than iron plows.
7. Which 1850 law required people in free states to help return those who had escaped slavery?Answer: Fugitive Slave Act. It was one of the laws that made up the Compromise of 1850.
8. Which Union general commanded the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg?Answer: George Meade. Meade had taken command only three days before the battle began.
9. What was the Union’s plan to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi River called?Answer: The Anaconda Plan. General Winfield Scott’s plan aimed to squeeze the Confederacy like a giant snake.
10. Who led an 1831 rebellion of enslaved people in Southampton County, Virginia?Answer: Nat Turner. Turner was captured after weeks in hiding and executed later that year.
11. What were the early-1900s journalists who exposed corruption and abuses called?Answer: Muckrakers. Theodore Roosevelt popularized the name in a 1906 speech.
12. What did the 16th Amendment, ratified in 1913, allow Congress to collect?Answer: A federal income tax. It allowed an income tax without dividing it among the states by population.
13. Which amendment, ratified in 1913, lets voters elect U.S. senators directly?Answer: 17th. Before it, most senators were chosen by state legislatures.
14. The best-known Marine Corps code talkers of World War II spoke which Native American language?Answer: Navajo. Navajo code talkers sent and received messages in the Pacific that the enemy never deciphered.
15. Which Chief Justice wrote the Supreme Court’s unanimous Brown v. Board of Education opinion?Answer: Earl Warren. Warren became Chief Justice in 1953 and delivered the ruling in May 1954.
16. Who was the first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, in 1962?Answer: James Meredith. Federal marshals and troops were sent to protect him on campus.
17. Which company did Bill Gates and Paul Allen found in 1975?Answer: Microsoft. They started it in Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to the Seattle area.
18. Which Spanish explorer is linked by legend to a search for the Fountain of Youth in Florida?Answer: Juan Ponce de León. He reached and named Florida in 1513; the Fountain of Youth story was attached to him later.
19. What was the Dutch colony that later became New York called?Answer: New Netherland. The English took it in 1664 and renamed it for the Duke of York.
20. The Central Pacific built the first transcontinental railroad together with which company?Answer: Union Pacific. The two lines met at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869.

U.S. Presidents trivia

1. Who was the 29th president?Answer: Warren G. Harding. Harding served from 1921 until his death in 1923.
2. Who was the 37th president?Answer: Richard Nixon. Nixon served from 1969 to 1974.
3. Who was the tenth president?Answer: John Tyler. Tyler took office in 1841 after Harrison, the ninth president, died.
4. Who was Ulysses S. Grant’s first vice president?Answer: Schuyler Colfax. Colfax served from 1869 to 1873; Henry Wilson was Grant’s second vice president.
5. Who was Theodore Roosevelt’s vice president from 1905 to 1909?Answer: Charles W. Fairbanks. Roosevelt had no vice president until his own full term, when Fairbanks served.
6. Which president was nicknamed “the Rail-Splitter”?Answer: Abraham Lincoln. The nickname, used in his 1860 campaign, recalled his frontier youth splitting fence rails.
7. Which president was nicknamed “Old Kinderhook”?Answer: Martin Van Buren. The name came from his hometown of Kinderhook, New York.
8. Which president signed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906?Answer: Theodore Roosevelt. He signed it the same day as the Meat Inspection Act.
9. Which president had been Secretary of Commerce under Harding and Coolidge?Answer: Herbert Hoover. Hoover ran the Commerce Department from 1921 to 1928.
10. Which president had been governor of Georgia?Answer: Jimmy Carter. Carter was governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.
11. Which president hosted the first White House Easter Egg Roll, in 1878?Answer: Rutherford B. Hayes. Children were invited onto the White House lawn after Congress barred egg rolling on the Capitol grounds.
12. Which president’s library is at Texas A&M University in College Station?Answer: George H. W. Bush. The George Bush Presidential Library opened there in 1997.
13. Whose profile appears on the Purple Heart medal?Answer: George Washington. The medal grew out of Washington’s 1782 Badge of Military Merit.
14. Which future president served as Secretary of State under James Monroe?Answer: John Quincy Adams. Adams held the job from 1817 to 1825 and helped shape the Monroe Doctrine.
15. Which president was the first sworn in by a woman, Judge Sarah T. Hughes?Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson. She gave him the oath aboard Air Force One in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
16. Which president had served as Secretary of War under Theodore Roosevelt?Answer: William Howard Taft. Taft held the post from 1904 to 1908 before winning the presidency.
17. Lucretia was the wife of which president?Answer: James A. Garfield. Lucretia Garfield was first lady during her husband’s short term in 1881.
18. Which president signed the 1916 law creating the National Park Service?Answer: Woodrow Wilson. Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act on August 25, 1916.
19. Who was president when Alaska and Hawaii became states?Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both joined the Union in 1959, during Eisenhower’s second term.
20. Which president was called “the Sage of Monticello”?Answer: Thomas Jefferson. Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia, was Jefferson’s home.

Geography trivia

1. What is the capital of Romania?Answer: Bucharest. Bucharest is Romania’s capital and largest city.
2. What is the capital of Ecuador?Answer: Quito. Quito sits high in the Andes, close to the Equator.
3. Which river flows through Warsaw?Answer: Vistula. The Vistula is Poland’s longest river.
4. The Dolomites mountains are in which country?Answer: Italy. The Dolomites are in northeastern Italy.
5. Bergen and Trondheim are cities in which country?Answer: Norway. Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city and Trondheim its third.
6. Which U.S. state is nicknamed the Keystone State?Answer: Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was the keystone of the arch of the 13 original colonies.
7. What is the capital of Oregon?Answer: Salem. Salem is the capital, though Portland is the biggest city.
8. Which channel separates Madagascar from mainland Africa?Answer: Mozambique Channel. The Mozambique Channel lies between Madagascar and Mozambique.
9. What is the highest mountain in Antarctica?Answer: Vinson Massif. Vinson Massif, in the Ellsworth Mountains, rises about 4,890 metres.
10. Which country’s flag shows an eagle eating a snake?Answer: Mexico. Mexico’s flag shows an eagle on a cactus devouring a snake.
11. The Sargasso Sea lies in which ocean?Answer: Atlantic Ocean. The Sargasso Sea is in the North Atlantic and has no land coastline.
12. Kampala is the capital of which country?Answer: Uganda. Kampala lies near the northern shore of Lake Victoria.
13. What is the largest island of the Philippines?Answer: Luzon. Luzon is home to the capital, Manila.
14. The Okavango Delta is in which country?Answer: Botswana. The Okavango River fans out into a huge inland delta in Botswana.
15. Which is the only U.S. state that borders just one other state?Answer: Maine. Maine’s only neighboring state is New Hampshire.
16. Which sea lies between Great Britain and Norway?Answer: North Sea. The North Sea is bordered by Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
17. What is the longest river in Australia?Answer: Murray. The Murray runs about 2,500 km, mostly along the New South Wales–Victoria border.
18. Which island is nicknamed the Emerald Isle?Answer: Ireland. Ireland is called the Emerald Isle for its green countryside.
19. Perth is the capital of which Australian state?Answer: Western Australia. Perth is the capital of Western Australia, Australia’s largest state.
20. What is the largest country in Central America by area?Answer: Nicaragua. Nicaragua covers about 130,000 square kilometres.