Friday, November 6, 2026

The tidbits, trivia answers and word pairs from Facts & Games on Friday, November 6, 2026. Play today’s games · All past days · All past tidbits

Six tidbits

Commonly confused words

pore vs. pour

pore: To study something closely (over a page). pour: To make a liquid flow from a container. You pore over a map; you pour the tea.

breath vs. breathe

breath: The air taken in or let out (a noun). breathe: To take air in and let it out (a verb). Breathe ends in e, the action word.

imitated vs. intimated

imitated: Copied someone’s actions, voice or style. intimated: Hinted at or suggested without saying it directly. To imitate is to mimic; to intimate is to hint.

personal vs. personnel

personal: Private; relating to one person. personnel: The people employed by an organization. Personnel is the staff.

complement vs. compliment

complement: Something that completes or goes well with another. compliment: A remark that expresses praise. A complement completes; a compliment is what I like to hear.

Beatles trivia

1. Paul wrote “Helter Skelter” after reading a review that praised a loud song by which band?Answer: The Who. Paul read that a Who single was the loudest record ever and set out to make something louder.
2. In Britain, what is a helter skelter?Answer: A spiral slide at a fairground. A helter skelter is a tall fairground tower with a slide spiralling round the outside.
3. The title “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” came from what?Answer: A gun magazine. George Martin showed John the phrase on the cover of a gun magazine.
4. Which song was the B-side of “From Me to You”?Answer: Thank You Girl. “Thank You Girl” backed “From Me to You” in April 1963.
5. Which song was the B-side of “Ticket to Ride”?Answer: Yes It Is. The harmony ballad “Yes It Is” was the B-side of “Ticket to Ride”.
6. Which rock and roll cover closes the UK album Help!?Answer: Dizzy Miss Lizzy. Larry Williams’s “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” is the last track on Help!
7. Which Beatle had a lifelong love of the ukulele?Answer: George Harrison. George collected ukuleles and often gave them to friends.
8. Which New York disc jockey called himself “the fifth Beatle” in 1964?Answer: Murray the K. WINS DJ Murray the K attached himself to the band on its first US visit.
9. Klaus Voormann, the band’s Hamburg friend, later played bass in which group?Answer: Manfred Mann. Voormann was Manfred Mann’s bassist in the late 1960s.
10. What was the lonely woman in “Eleanor Rigby” first called while Paul was writing it?Answer: Daisy Hawkins. Paul’s first draft named her Daisy Hawkins before he settled on Eleanor Rigby.
11. What did NEMS, the name of Brian Epstein’s family business, stand for?Answer: North End Music Stores. The Epsteins’ Liverpool shops were the North End Music Stores.
12. Which Ringo Starr cover of a Johnny Burnette song topped the US chart?Answer: You’re Sixteen. Ringo’s version of Burnette’s “You’re Sixteen” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
13. “Ebony and Ivory” appears on which Paul McCartney album?Answer: Tug of War. The Stevie Wonder duet is on Tug of War, released in 1982.
14. Which Paul McCartney album was made at home during the 2020 lockdown?Answer: McCartney III. Paul played nearly everything himself on McCartney III, released in December 2020.
15. What was George Harrison’s final studio album, finished after his death and released in 2002?Answer: Brainwashed. His son Dhani and Jeff Lynne completed Brainwashed.
16. The title Rubber Soul plays on which phrase Paul had heard used about Mick Jagger’s singing?Answer: Plastic soul. Paul said he heard musicians dismiss Jagger’s style as “plastic soul”.
17. Paul tried singing which Abbey Road song first thing each morning so his voice would sound raw?Answer: Oh! Darling. He came to the studio early on several days to rough up his voice for “Oh! Darling”.
18. On early Apple Records singles, what picture is on the B-side label?Answer: An apple cut in half. The A-side showed a whole green apple and the B-side a sliced one.
19. A painting by which artist inspired the Apple Records logo?Answer: René Magritte. Paul owned a Magritte painting of an apple, which gave the company its symbol.
20. Which song plays as the band romps around a field in the film A Hard Day’s Night?Answer: Can’t Buy Me Love. The playing-field escape is set to “Can’t Buy Me Love”.

Taylor Swift trivia

1. Which song is track 5 on The Tortured Poets Department?Answer: So Long, London. “So Long, London” follows “Down Bad” as the fifth track.
2. Which song opens The Life of a Showgirl?Answer: The Fate of Ophelia. “The Fate of Ophelia” is track 1 and was also the lead single.
3. Which song closes her 2006 debut album, Taylor Swift?Answer: Our Song. “Our Song” is the 11th and final track of the standard edition.
4. Which song closes the standard edition of The Tortured Poets Department?Answer: Clara Bow. “Clara Bow” is track 16, the last song on the standard album.
5. Which song is track 5 on Fearless?Answer: White Horse. “White Horse” follows “Hey Stephen” as the fifth track.
6. Which song is track 5 on Reputation?Answer: Delicate. “Delicate” is the fifth of Reputation’s 15 tracks.
7. Which song is track 5 on evermore?Answer: Tolerate It. “Tolerate It” comes after “’Tis the Damn Season” as track 5.
8. How many tracks are on the standard edition of Reputation?Answer: 15. Reputation runs from “...Ready for It?” to “New Year’s Day” in 15 tracks.
9. Which album was Swift’s tenth studio album?Answer: Midnights. Midnights followed nine earlier studio albums, from her debut to evermore.
10. Besides “Safe & Sound”, which Swift song is on The Hunger Games soundtrack?Answer: Eyes Open. “Eyes Open” appeared on The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond.
11. Fans and Swift herself often shorten The Tortured Poets Department to what?Answer: TTPD. The four initials of the title give the nickname TTPD.
12. Swift was one of the “Silence Breakers” who shared which magazine’s 2017 Person of the Year honor?Answer: Time. Time named the Silence Breakers, including Swift, its Person of the Year for 2017.
13. Which Reputation song title ends with three dots?Answer: So It Goes.... “So It Goes...” ends with an ellipsis, while “...Ready for It?” starts with one.
14. Which Lover song title mentions a friend?Answer: It’s Nice to Have a Friend. “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” is track 17 on Lover.
15. Which Fearless song title has an ampersand in it?Answer: Forever & Always. “Forever & Always” was a late addition to Fearless.
16. Which Tortured Poets Department song title ends with “(No Really I Can)”?Answer: I Can Fix Him. The full title is “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”.
17. Which Midnights song title is a phrase for affectionate small talk?Answer: Sweet Nothing. A “sweet nothing” is a tender, meaningless little remark between lovers.
18. Which Red song title repeats the same word three times?Answer: Stay Stay Stay. “Stay Stay Stay” is a bouncy track on Red.
19. Which Folklore song is named after the idea that an unseen thread links people who are meant to meet?Answer: Invisible String. “Invisible String” plays on the old idea of a thread of fate tying two people together.
20. How much notice did Swift give fans before Folklore came out?Answer: Less than a day. She announced Folklore on July 23, 2020, and it came out at midnight that night.

Football trivia

1. Who was the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft?Answer: Matthew Stafford. The Detroit Lions took the Georgia quarterback with the first pick.
2. Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XLI, the Colts’ win over the Bears?Answer: Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning won his first Super Bowl and the game’s MVP award in a rainy Miami.
3. Which Bears defensive end was named MVP of Super Bowl XX?Answer: Richard Dent. Richard Dent led a defense that held the Patriots to 10 points.
4. Which quarterback threw a Super Bowl–record six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX?Answer: Steve Young. Steve Young threw six touchdown passes as the 49ers beat the Chargers 49–26.
5. Which Titans quarterback was nicknamed “Air McNair”?Answer: Steve McNair. The nickname dated back to Steve McNair’s record-setting college days at Alcorn State.
6. Fans of which team do the “Skol” clap chant?Answer: Minnesota Vikings. Vikings fans clap in unison above their heads and shout “Skol,” a Scandinavian toast.
7. “Fly, Eagles Fly” is the fight song of which team?Answer: Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia fans sing it after every Eagles score.
8. The NFL’s official Wilson game ball is nicknamed what, after Giants owner Wellington Mara?Answer: “The Duke”. Wellington Mara was nicknamed Duke, and the ball first carried his nickname in 1941; the name returned in 2006.
9. What is it called when a kickoff or punt is downed in the receiving team’s end zone, so the ball is spotted without a return?Answer: A touchback. On a touchback the receiving team simply takes over at a set yard line.
10. How many regular-season games does each NFL team play?Answer: 17. Each team plays 17 games over 18 weeks, with one bye week.
11. Which offensive lineman snaps the ball to the quarterback?Answer: The center. The center starts every play by snapping the ball back between his legs.
12. Fans of which team call themselves “Bills Mafia”?Answer: Buffalo Bills. Buffalo’s famously devoted fans adopted the name in the 2010s.
13. Who coached the Los Angeles Rams to their win in Super Bowl LVI?Answer: Sean McVay. Sean McVay became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl.
14. Who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their win in Super Bowl LV?Answer: Bruce Arians. Bruce Arians coached Tom Brady’s Buccaneers to a 31–9 win over the Chiefs.
15. Jerome Bettis began his NFL career with which team before starring for the Steelers?Answer: Los Angeles Rams. The Rams drafted Bettis in the first round and traded him to Pittsburgh three years later.
16. Marshall Faulk began his NFL career with which team before joining the Rams?Answer: Indianapolis Colts. The Colts drafted Faulk second overall, then traded him to St. Louis in 1999.
17. Which team’s helmets show a red flag with a skull and crossed swords?Answer: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers’ pirate-flag logo replaced the old “Bucco Bruce” in 1997.
18. In which state do the New York Giants play their home games?Answer: New Jersey. The Giants play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
19. Which Dallas Cowboys receiver was nicknamed “The Playmaker”?Answer: Michael Irvin. Michael Irvin won three Super Bowls with Dallas in the 1990s.
20. Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVII, Dallas’s rout of Buffalo?Answer: Troy Aikman. Troy Aikman threw four touchdown passes in the 52–17 win.

Basketball trivia

1. Who was Finals MVP when the Spurs beat the Pistons in 2005?Answer: Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan won his third Finals MVP after a seven-game series.
2. Who was Finals MVP when the Seattle SuperSonics won the 1979 title?Answer: Dennis Johnson. Guard Dennis Johnson starred as Seattle beat the Washington Bullets in five games.
3. Who was Finals MVP when the Golden State Warriors swept the Bullets in 1975?Answer: Rick Barry. Rick Barry led the heavy underdogs to a four-game sweep.
4. Who was Finals MVP when the Pistons beat the Trail Blazers in 1990?Answer: Isiah Thomas. Isiah Thomas led Detroit to its second straight title.
5. Which guard and later TV analyst was nicknamed “The Jet”?Answer: Kenny Smith. Kenny Smith won two titles with the Rockets before joining “Inside the NBA.”
6. Which 76ers Hall of Famer was nicknamed “The Kangaroo Kid” for his leaping?Answer: Billy Cunningham. Billy Cunningham later coached the 76ers to the 1983 title.
7. Which high-flying Toronto Raptors star was nicknamed “Air Canada”?Answer: Vince Carter. Vince Carter’s dunks made him the face of the young Raptors.
8. Rocky the mountain lion is the mascot of which team?Answer: Denver Nuggets. Rocky has been cheering on the Nuggets since 1990.
9. Harry the Hawk is the mascot of which team?Answer: Atlanta Hawks. Harry the Hawk is a fixture at Hawks home games.
10. What is the inside diameter of an NBA rim?Answer: 18 inches. The 18-inch rim is just under twice as wide as the ball.
11. Which team did the Celtics beat in the 1986 NBA Finals?Answer: Houston Rockets. Boston beat the Rockets of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson in six games.
12. Which team did the Houston Rockets sweep in the 1995 NBA Finals?Answer: Orlando Magic. Houston swept Shaquille O’Neal’s young Magic to repeat as champions.
13. Who was the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft?Answer: Andrea Bargnani. The Toronto Raptors took the Italian big man first.
14. What did BAA, the name of the NBA’s forerunner, stand for?Answer: Basketball Association of America. The Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League to form the NBA.
15. Who was the first player to score 30,000 career points?Answer: Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt Chamberlain finished his career with 31,419 points.
16. Who coached the Celtics to NBA titles in 1984 and 1986?Answer: K.C. Jones. K.C. Jones, a former Celtics guard, coached the Larry Bird teams to two titles.
17. Who coached the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles in the 1990s?Answer: Rudy Tomjanovich. Rudy Tomjanovich, a former Rockets star, coached both championship teams.
18. Who coached the Dallas Mavericks to their 2011 championship?Answer: Rick Carlisle. Rick Carlisle coached Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks past the Miami Heat.
19. Who coached the Toronto Raptors to their 2019 championship?Answer: Nick Nurse. Nick Nurse won the title in his first season as Toronto’s head coach.
20. Who coached the Milwaukee Bucks to their 2021 championship?Answer: Mike Budenholzer. Mike Budenholzer coached Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks past the Suns.

Baseball trivia

1. Who broke the American League’s color barrier with Cleveland in 1947?Answer: Larry Doby. Larry Doby debuted for Cleveland in July 1947, about 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson’s NL debut.
2. Which knuckleballer won the 2012 National League Cy Young Award for the Mets?Answer: R.A. Dickey. R.A. Dickey went 20–6 for the Mets and became the first knuckleballer to win the Cy Young.
3. Which award goes to the best offensive player at each position in each league?Answer: The Silver Slugger. The Silver Slugger, first handed out in 1980, honors the top hitter at each position.
4. Which MLB award, named after a Pirates star, honors community service and character?Answer: The Roberto Clemente Award. It was renamed for Roberto Clemente, who died in a 1972 plane crash while bringing aid to Nicaragua.
5. Which Yankees pitcher was nicknamed “Louisiana Lightning”?Answer: Ron Guidry. Ron Guidry, from Lafayette, Louisiana, went 25–3 and won the 1978 AL Cy Young.
6. Who was the first pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts?Answer: Walter Johnson. Walter Johnson passed 3,000 in 1923 and finished with 3,508, a record that stood for more than 50 years.
7. Who holds MLB’s career record for strikeouts as a batter?Answer: Reggie Jackson. Reggie Jackson struck out 2,597 times in his 21-season career.
8. Which team is the only one in MLB history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games?Answer: Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox came back from 0–3 down against the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.
9. Which team won the 1991 World Series in seven games?Answer: Minnesota Twins. The Twins beat the Braves in a series with five one-run games, four decided in the final at-bat.
10. Which team won 114 regular-season games and then the World Series in 1998?Answer: New York Yankees. The 1998 Yankees went 114–48 and swept the San Diego Padres in the World Series.
11. Which commissioner announced Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball in 1989?Answer: Bart Giamatti. A. Bartlett Giamatti announced the ban in August 1989 and died eight days later.
12. USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award goes to whom each year?Answer: The top amateur player in the country. Since 1978 it has honored the best amateur baseball player in the United States, usually a college star.
13. Which Hall of Fame knuckleballer won 318 games, most of them for the Braves?Answer: Phil Niekro. Phil Niekro pitched until he was 48 and won 318 games, 268 of them for the Braves.
14. Which slugger won the batting Triple Crown in both 1942 and 1947?Answer: Ted Williams. Ted Williams of the Red Sox won the Triple Crown twice, matching Rogers Hornsby.
15. In baseball slang, what is a “bandbox”?Answer: A small ballpark where home runs come easily. A bandbox is a cozy, hitter-friendly ballpark with short fences.
16. What is a sacrifice fly?Answer: A caught fly ball that lets a runner score from third. The batter is out, but the runner tags up and scores, and the batter is not charged with an at-bat.
17. In 1962, who became the first Black player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame?Answer: Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was elected in his first year on the ballot, in 1962.
18. Cardinals ace Dizzy Dean pitched alongside his brother Paul, who was known by what nickname?Answer: Daffy. Dizzy and “Daffy” Dean won all four of the Cardinals’ games in the 1934 World Series.
19. Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, who talked to the baseball, pitched for which team?Answer: Detroit Tigers. Fidrych was the 1976 AL Rookie of the Year with the Tigers and a fan sensation.
20. Which Cubs slugger hit 66 home runs in 1998?Answer: Sammy Sosa. Sammy Sosa hit 66, finishing second to Mark McGwire’s 70 in their famous home run chase.

Hockey trivia

1. Which goaltender was nicknamed “Cujo”?Answer: Curtis Joseph. Curtis Joseph’s nickname came from his surname and the snarling dog painted on his masks.
2. Which Rangers goaltender was nicknamed “King Henrik”?Answer: Henrik Lundqvist. Henrik Lundqvist spent his whole 15-season NHL career with the Rangers and won the 2012 Vezina Trophy.
3. Which Hall of Fame center was nicknamed “Killer”?Answer: Doug Gilmour. Doug Gilmour earned the name for his fierce play, starring for Calgary and Toronto.
4. Which Swedish defenseman won the Norris Trophy in 2023 after a 101-point season for San Jose?Answer: Erik Karlsson. Erik Karlsson became the first defenseman in more than 30 years to reach 100 points and won his third Norris.
5. Which team plays its home games at Nationwide Arena?Answer: Columbus Blue Jackets. Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, has been the Blue Jackets’ home since 2000.
6. Which team plays its home games at Honda Center?Answer: Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have played at the Anaheim arena, now called Honda Center, since the team began.
7. Which team plays its home games at UBS Arena?Answer: New York Islanders. UBS Arena, next to Belmont Park on Long Island, opened as the Islanders’ home in 2021.
8. When the Arizona Coyotes’ hockey operations moved in 2024, which city got the team?Answer: Salt Lake City. The players and staff went to Salt Lake City, where the team is now the Utah Mammoth.
9. Who coached the “Broad Street Bullies” Flyers to two Stanley Cups?Answer: Fred Shero. Fred Shero led Philadelphia to back-to-back Cups in 1974 and 1975.
10. Who coached Edmonton to its first four Stanley Cups in the 1980s?Answer: Glen Sather. Glen Sather, also the team’s general manager, was behind the bench for Edmonton’s first four Cups.
11. In hockey, what is a “one-timer”?Answer: Shooting a pass right away without stopping the puck. On a one-timer the shooter hits the pass in one motion, giving the goalie little time to react.
12. What is a “natural hat trick”?Answer: Three straight goals by one player. A natural hat trick is three goals in a row by the same player, with no other goals in between.
13. How many points does a team get in the NHL standings for a win?Answer: Two. A win is worth two points, and a loss in overtime or a shootout is worth one.
14. Which longtime “Coach’s Corner” commentator on Hockey Night in Canada was nicknamed “Grapes”?Answer: Don Cherry. Don Cherry, a former Bruins coach, was famous for his loud suits and strong opinions.
15. Who coached the Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup?Answer: Mike Keenan. Mike Keenan coached the Rangers for one season, which ended with their first Cup since 1940.
16. Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin and René Robert formed the “French Connection” line for which team?Answer: Buffalo Sabres. The trio starred for Buffalo in the 1970s and led the Sabres to the 1975 Final.
17. Which Penguins star is known by the nickname “Geno”?Answer: Evgeni Malkin. Evgeni Malkin, from Magnitogorsk, Russia, has won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh.
18. In an NHL shootout, how many shooters does each team get before it goes to sudden death?Answer: Three. Regular-season shootouts are best-of-three, then continue one shooter at a time until one team leads.
19. The Hobey Baker Award goes to the best player in what?Answer: U.S. men’s college hockey. It has gone to the top NCAA men’s hockey player each year since 1981.
20. Peter Forsberg, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with Colorado, comes from which country?Answer: Sweden. Forsberg is from Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, and also scored a famous Olympic shootout winner for Sweden.

Soccer trivia

1. Which Portuguese coach famously called himself “the Special One”?Answer: José Mourinho. Mourinho used the phrase at his first Chelsea press conference after arriving from Porto.
2. Which club’s fans and players are known by the Catalan nickname “Blaugrana”?Answer: Barcelona. Blaugrana means blue and deep red, the colors of Barcelona’s shirts.
3. Which club is River Plate’s great rival in Argentina’s Superclásico?Answer: Boca Juniors. River Plate against Boca Juniors is Buenos Aires’ fiercest derby.
4. Which country won the first Olympic women’s soccer tournament, at the 1996 Atlanta Games?Answer: United States. The U.S. beat China 2–1 in the final in Athens, Georgia.
5. Which England striker won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup?Answer: Gary Lineker. Lineker scored six goals in Mexico, including a hat-trick against Poland.
6. Which Bulgarian forward shared the Golden Boot at the 1994 World Cup?Answer: Hristo Stoichkov. Stoichkov and Russia’s Oleg Salenko both finished with six goals.
7. Which Russian striker scored a record five goals in one World Cup match, against Cameroon in 1994?Answer: Oleg Salenko. Salenko’s five goals in a 6–1 win remain the most by one player in a World Cup game.
8. What nickname was given to Real Madrid’s star-studded teams of the early 2000s?Answer: Los Galácticos. President Florentino Pérez signed a superstar almost every summer, including Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Beckham.
9. Which club’s anthem is “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” sung on the Kop?Answer: Liverpool. Liverpool fans adopted the song in the 1960s; the Kop is Anfield’s famous stand.
10. What is the derby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke called?Answer: The Revierderby. Both clubs come from the Ruhr area, known in German as the Revier.
11. Who won the men’s Ballon d’Or in 2025?Answer: Ousmane Dembélé. The Paris Saint-Germain forward won after leading the club to its first Champions League title.
12. Which Brazilian left back bent a famous free kick around France’s wall at a 1997 tournament?Answer: Roberto Carlos. His swerving shot at the Tournoi de France is one of the most replayed free kicks ever.
13. Which Colombian goalkeeper made a “scorpion kick” clearance against England at Wembley in 1995?Answer: René Higuita. Higuita dived forward and flicked the ball away with his heels over his head.
14. Michael and Brian, two of Denmark’s greatest players, share which surname?Answer: Laudrup. Michael Laudrup starred for Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Brian for Rangers and others.
15. Which country won the women’s soccer gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, played in 2021?Answer: Canada. Canada beat Sweden on penalties in the final.
16. Eric Cantona joined Manchester United from which club?Answer: Leeds United. He had just won the league title with Leeds before moving across the Pennines.
17. What does an assistant referee raise to signal offside?Answer: A flag. The assistant on the touchline raises a flag to tell the referee an attacker was offside.
18. At the 2010 World Cup, which Uruguay striker blocked a goal-bound header with his hands against Ghana?Answer: Luis Suárez. He was sent off, Ghana missed the penalty, and Uruguay won the shootout.
19. Which team did Argentina beat in the 1986 World Cup final?Answer: West Germany. Argentina won 3–2 at the Estadio Azteca, with Jorge Burruchaga scoring the late winner.
20. Which country’s national team is nicknamed “the Black Stars”?Answer: Ghana. The name comes from the black star in the center of Ghana’s flag.

Movies trivia

1. Who played Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump?Answer: Gary Sinise. Sinise earned an Oscar nomination for playing Forrest’s commanding officer in Vietnam.
2. Who played Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid?Answer: Pat Morita. Pat Morita was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
3. Who played Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde?Answer: Warren Beatty. Beatty also produced the film.
4. In Speed, what happens if the bus Keanu Reeves boards drops below 50 miles per hour?Answer: A bomb on board explodes. Dennis Hopper’s villain rigged the bus with a bomb set to go off below 50 mph.
5. In Pixar’s Up, what lifts Carl Fredricksen’s house into the sky?Answer: Thousands of balloons. The retired balloon salesman ties thousands of helium balloons to his house.
6. In the Terminator films, what is the name of the artificial intelligence that turns on humanity?Answer: Skynet. Skynet is the defense network that becomes self-aware; Cyberdyne Systems is the company that builds it.
7. Who won Best Supporting Actress for playing a fake psychic in Ghost?Answer: Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg won the Oscar for playing Oda Mae Brown.
8. Which film won Best Picture for 1998?Answer: Shakespeare in Love. It famously beat Saving Private Ryan at the Oscars in March 1999.
9. Who played the groovy secret agent Austin Powers?Answer: Mike Myers. Myers also played the villain Dr. Evil in the same films.
10. Which British comedy troupe made Life of Brian?Answer: Monty Python. Monty Python followed Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Life of Brian.
11. In The Wizard of Oz, what does the Tin Man hope the Wizard will give him?Answer: A heart. The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Lion courage and Dorothy a way home.
12. Who directed Taxi Driver and Raging Bull?Answer: Martin Scorsese. Both films star Robert De Niro, Scorsese’s most frequent leading man.
13. Which comedy spoofs disaster movies aboard an airliner whose crew falls ill?Answer: Airplane!. Airplane! was written and directed by Jim Abrahams and David and Jerry Zucker.
14. Who played the title role in Edward Scissorhands?Answer: Johnny Depp. It was the first of Depp’s many films with Tim Burton.
15. Who played Juror 8, the lone holdout, in 12 Angry Men?Answer: Henry Fonda. Fonda also co-produced the film.
16. Who played Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List?Answer: Liam Neeson. Ralph Fiennes played the camp commandant Amon Göth and Ben Kingsley the accountant Itzhak Stern.
17. In which city is Rocky set?Answer: Philadelphia. Rocky Balboa famously runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
18. Who played Morpheus in The Matrix?Answer: Laurence Fishburne. Hugo Weaving played the villainous Agent Smith.
19. Who played the Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman?Answer: Jack Nicholson. Nicholson starred opposite Michael Keaton’s Batman.
20. Who won Best Actress for playing a ballerina in Black Swan?Answer: Natalie Portman. Portman played Nina Sayers, a dancer cast in Swan Lake.

Television trivia

1. Which sitcom followed the Winslow family of Chicago?Answer: Family Matters. Family Matters, a Perfect Strangers spin-off, centered on Carl Winslow’s family in Chicago.
2. On M*A*S*H, what was Radar O’Reilly’s favorite drink?Answer: Grape Nehi. Radar was rarely without a bottle of Grape Nehi.
3. Who took over NBC’s Late Night after Conan O’Brien left to host The Tonight Show?Answer: Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon hosted Late Night from 2009 until he moved to The Tonight Show in 2014.
4. Which family drama followed Reverend Eric Camden, his wife and their children?Answer: 7th Heaven. 7th Heaven followed the Camden family, headed by a minister in a California town.
5. Which future movie star played Sweathog Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter?Answer: John Travolta. John Travolta became a teen idol as Vinnie Barbarino before Saturday Night Fever.
6. On Laverne & Shirley, which letter did Laverne wear on her clothes?Answer: L. Laverne DeFazio’s sweaters and blouses carried a cursive letter L.
7. Glee is set at which Ohio high school?Answer: William McKinley High School. Glee’s New Directions sang at William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
8. Which NBC comedy follows a study group at Greendale Community College?Answer: Community. Community, created by Dan Harmon, followed a mismatched study group at Greendale.
9. Which drama starred Kiefer Sutherland as agent Jack Bauer, with each season covering a single day?Answer: 24. Each season of 24 unfolded in real time over 24 hours.
10. Which Shonda Rhimes drama starred Kerry Washington as Washington fixer Olivia Pope?Answer: Scandal. Kerry Washington led Scandal as crisis manager Olivia Pope.
11. Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med come from which producer?Answer: Dick Wolf. Dick Wolf, creator of Law & Order, also built the One Chicago franchise.
12. The Muppet Show’s two grumpy hecklers in the balcony are Statler and who?Answer: Waldorf. Statler and Waldorf are named after two famous New York hotels.
13. Bob Keeshan played which children’s TV host, a friend of Mr. Green Jeans?Answer: Captain Kangaroo. Bob Keeshan was Captain Kangaroo for nearly 30 years on CBS.
14. Which actor played Steve McGarrett on the original Hawaii Five-O?Answer: Jack Lord. Jack Lord starred as McGarrett, the detective who said “Book ’em, Danno.”
15. Which sitcom starred Michael J. Fox as the deputy mayor of New York City?Answer: Spin City. Fox played Mike Flaherty, deputy mayor, on Spin City.
16. Roseanne was set in which fictional Illinois town?Answer: Lanford. The Conner family lived in Lanford, Illinois.
17. Who played the teenage doctor Doogie Howser?Answer: Neil Patrick Harris. Neil Patrick Harris starred in Doogie Howser, M.D. as a 16-year-old physician.
18. On which reality show do entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to investors called Sharks?Answer: Shark Tank. Shark Tank is the American version of a format that began in Japan.
19. Who created the animated series South Park?Answer: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Trey Parker and Matt Stone created South Park and still voice many of its characters.
20. On Happy Days, what was the name of Richie Cunningham’s younger sister?Answer: Joanie. Joanie Cunningham later got her own spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi.

Fantasy trivia

1. Which ship made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs?Answer: The Millennium Falcon. Han Solo boasts about the Falcon’s Kessel Run record in Star Wars.
2. Who played Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy?Answer: Natalie Portman. Natalie Portman played Padmé, Queen and later Senator of Naboo.
3. What are the hooded scavengers who capture R2-D2 on Tatooine called?Answer: Jawas. The Jawas sell R2-D2 and C-3PO to Luke’s uncle Owen.
4. Which Star Trek: The Next Generation officer wears a VISOR to see?Answer: Geordi La Forge. Geordi La Forge, born blind, sees through his VISOR.
5. In Star Trek: The Next Generation, which all-powerful being is played by John de Lancie?Answer: Q. John de Lancie played the mischievous, godlike Q.
6. Who played Lady Jessica in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films?Answer: Rebecca Ferguson. Rebecca Ferguson played Paul’s mother, the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica.
7. In Dune’s Litany Against Fear, fear is called the what?Answer: Mind-killer. The Bene Gesserit litany, recited by Paul, begins by calling fear the mind-killer.
8. Who played the android David in Prometheus?Answer: Michael Fassbender. Michael Fassbender played David in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.
9. Who played Niobe in The Matrix Reloaded?Answer: Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada Pinkett Smith played Niobe, captain of the Logos.
10. Who played Legolas in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films?Answer: Orlando Bloom. Orlando Bloom played the Elf archer Legolas.
11. What is the name of King Théoden’s golden hall in Edoras?Answer: Meduseld. Meduseld, the Golden Hall, is the seat of the kings of Rohan.
12. Who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films?Answer: Emma Watson. Emma Watson was cast as Hermione at age nine.
13. Who is Harry Potter’s godfather?Answer: Sirius Black. Sirius Black was James Potter’s best friend and Harry’s godfather.
14. Which actor played Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?Answer: Robert Downey Jr.. Robert Downey Jr. played Iron Man from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame.
15. In the Marvel films, what is Ant-Man’s real name?Answer: Scott Lang. Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang, who inherits the suit from Hank Pym.
16. Who played the title role in the 2019 film Joker?Answer: Joaquin Phoenix. Joaquin Phoenix won the Oscar for Best Actor for Joker.
17. What is the name of Bruce Wayne’s family home?Answer: Wayne Manor. The Batcave lies beneath Wayne Manor.
18. In The Hunger Games, which bird becomes the symbol of the rebellion?Answer: The mockingjay. Katniss’s mockingjay pin becomes the emblem of the uprising.
19. Who played Jon Snow in Game of Thrones?Answer: Kit Harington. Kit Harington played Jon Snow for all eight seasons.
20. Who played Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park?Answer: Jeff Goldblum. Jeff Goldblum played the chaos-theory mathematician Ian Malcolm.

Broadway trivia

1. “All That Jazz” opens which musical?Answer: Chicago. Velma Kelly sings “All That Jazz” at the start of Kander and Ebb’s Chicago.
2. “Willkommen” opens which musical?Answer: Cabaret. The Emcee welcomes the audience to the Kit Kat Klub with “Willkommen”.
3. “Tradition” opens which musical?Answer: Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye introduces Anatevka and its customs in “Tradition”.
4. “Aquarius” opens which musical?Answer: Hair. Hair begins with the tribe singing “Aquarius”.
5. “Circle of Life” opens which Broadway musical?Answer: The Lion King. Rafiki leads “Circle of Life” as the animals parade down the aisles.
6. “Summertime” comes from which Gershwin work?Answer: Porgy and Bess. Clara sings the lullaby “Summertime” early in Porgy and Bess.
7. In Dear Evan Hansen, who is Evan supposed to address his letters to?Answer: Himself. His therapist asks him to write encouraging letters to himself, beginning “Dear Evan Hansen”.
8. In The Phantom of the Opera, where does the Phantom live?Answer: In a lair beneath the Paris Opera House. His hidden home lies beside an underground lake below the opera house.
9. In Annie, who runs the orphanage where Annie lives?Answer: Miss Hannigan. The bitter Miss Hannigan rules the Hudson Street orphanage.
10. In Oklahoma!, who is Curly’s rival for Laurey?Answer: Jud Fry. The surly farmhand Jud Fry also wants to take Laurey to the box social.
11. In West Side Story, who is Maria’s brother?Answer: Bernardo. Bernardo leads the Sharks and is Maria’s older brother.
12. In Grease, who leads the Pink Ladies?Answer: Rizzo. Betty Rizzo is the tough-talking leader of the Pink Ladies.
13. Who wrote the music, lyrics and book of Hadestown?Answer: Anaïs Mitchell. Anaïs Mitchell first made Hadestown as a folk opera album before it reached Broadway.
14. Who wrote The Book of Mormon with South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone?Answer: Robert Lopez. Robert Lopez, a co-creator of Avenue Q, wrote the show with Parker and Stone.
15. Who originated the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady on Broadway?Answer: Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews played Eliza on Broadway; Audrey Hepburn played her in the film.
16. Who originated the role of Maria in West Side Story on Broadway?Answer: Carol Lawrence. Carol Lawrence played Maria, while Chita Rivera played Anita.
17. What does the TKTS booth in Times Square sell?Answer: Discounted theatre tickets. TKTS sells discounted tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
18. In theatre, what is an understudy?Answer: An actor who learns a role to step in if the regular performer is out. Understudies usually play smaller roles in the show and step up when needed.
19. Hamilton received a record how many Tony Award nominations?Answer: 16. Its 16 nominations are the most for any Broadway show; it won 11.
20. Which A Chorus Line song is the gold top-hat finale?Answer: One. The whole company returns in gold costumes and top hats to sing “One”.

U.S. History trivia

1. Which longtime governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony described it as a “city upon a hill”?Answer: John Winthrop. John Winthrop used the phrase in a sermon to the Puritan colonists he led.
2. Which 1776 document, drafted mainly by George Mason, helped inspire the Bill of Rights?Answer: The Virginia Declaration of Rights. Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights listed freedoms that later shaped the Bill of Rights.
3. Which nickname is linked to a woman said to have carried water to soldiers and fired a cannon at the Battle of Monmouth?Answer: Molly Pitcher. Molly Pitcher became the legendary heroine of the 1778 battle in New Jersey.
4. Which 1807 law banned American ships from trading at foreign ports?Answer: The Embargo Act. Jefferson’s Embargo Act tried to pressure Britain and France but badly hurt American trade.
5. When no candidate won an Electoral College majority in 1824, who chose the president?Answer: The House of Representatives. Under the 12th Amendment, the House picked John Quincy Adams.
6. In 1979, who became the first real woman shown on a circulating U.S. coin?Answer: Susan B. Anthony. The Susan B. Anthony dollar was first issued in 1979.
7. Which veteran general was the Union Army’s general-in-chief when the Civil War began?Answer: Winfield Scott. Winfield Scott, a hero of the Mexican–American War, retired in late 1861.
8. Which Civil War surgeon is the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor?Answer: Mary Edwards Walker. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker received the medal for her service with Union troops.
9. Which company, formed in 1901, was the first in the world valued at over $1 billion?Answer: U.S. Steel. J.P. Morgan created U.S. Steel by combining Carnegie Steel with other firms.
10. Which naturalist co-founded the Sierra Club and became its first president?Answer: John Muir. John Muir led the Sierra Club from its founding until his death in 1914.
11. Who were the Rough Riders of 1898?Answer: A volunteer cavalry regiment in the Spanish–American War. The 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, nicknamed the Rough Riders, fought in Cuba.
12. In 1911, the Supreme Court ordered which giant company broken up?Answer: Standard Oil. The Court ruled Standard Oil an illegal monopoly and split it into 34 companies.
13. Which 1941 FDR speech named freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear?Answer: The Four Freedoms speech. Roosevelt gave the Four Freedoms speech in his State of the Union message in January 1941.
14. Which 1944 conference in New Hampshire planned the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank?Answer: Bretton Woods. Delegates from 44 Allied nations met at Bretton Woods in July 1944.
15. Who first flew faster than the speed of sound, in the Bell X-1 in 1947?Answer: Chuck Yeager. Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier over California.
16. Which 1962 book by Rachel Carson warned about the dangers of pesticides like DDT?Answer: Silent Spring. Silent Spring helped launch the modern environmental movement.
17. Which federal agency was created in 1970 to protect the environment?Answer: The Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA opened in December 1970.
18. The 1978 Camp David Accords were a peace agreement between Israel and which country?Answer: Egypt. President Carter hosted Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Menachem Begin at Camp David.
19. Which Spanish explorer wandered across the Southwest for eight years after a 1528 shipwreck on the Gulf Coast?Answer: Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Cabeza de Vaca and three companions finally reached Spanish Mexico in 1536.
20. Which 1754 plan, proposed by Benjamin Franklin, would have united the colonies under one council?Answer: The Albany Plan of Union. Colonial delegates at Albany approved Franklin’s plan, but no colony adopted it.

U.S. Presidents trivia

1. Who was the sixth president?Answer: John Quincy Adams. John Quincy Adams served from 1825 to 1829.
2. Who was the 18th president?Answer: Ulysses S. Grant. Grant served two terms, from 1869 to 1877.
3. Who was the 25th president?Answer: William McKinley. McKinley took office in 1897 and was assassinated in 1901.
4. Who was the 38th president?Answer: Gerald Ford. Ford served from 1974 to 1977.
5. Who was the 43rd president?Answer: George W. Bush. George W. Bush served from 2001 to 2009.
6. Who was James K. Polk’s vice president?Answer: George M. Dallas. George M. Dallas of Pennsylvania, for whom Dallas, Texas, may be named.
7. Who was Franklin Pierce’s vice president, who died weeks after taking the oath?Answer: William R. King. King took the oath in Cuba, where he had gone for his health, and died in April 1853.
8. Who was Ulysses S. Grant’s second vice president, who died in office?Answer: Henry Wilson. Henry Wilson died in 1875, during Grant’s second term.
9. Who was William Howard Taft’s vice president?Answer: James S. Sherman. James S. Sherman died in office shortly before the 1912 election.
10. Who was Warren G. Harding’s vice president?Answer: Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge became president when Harding died in 1923.
11. Who was Grover Cleveland’s vice president in his second term?Answer: Adlai E. Stevenson. Adlai E. Stevenson was the grandfather of the 1950s presidential candidate of the same name.
12. Sarah was the wife of which president?Answer: James K. Polk. Sarah Childress Polk also worked as her husband’s close political aide.
13. Florence was the wife of which president?Answer: Warren G. Harding. Florence Kling Harding was known as “the Duchess.”
14. Helen, who helped bring Washington’s famous cherry trees from Japan, was the wife of which president?Answer: William Howard Taft. Helen Taft and the wife of Japan’s ambassador planted the first trees in 1912.
15. Caroline, the first President General of the Daughters of the American Revolution, was the wife of which president?Answer: Benjamin Harrison. Caroline Harrison led the DAR from its founding in 1890.
16. Springwood, in Hyde Park, New York, was the home of which president?Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR was born at Springwood and is buried in its rose garden.
17. Which president made the Thanksgiving turkey pardon an official yearly ceremony in 1989?Answer: George H. W. Bush. Earlier presidents spared some birds, but Bush began the formal annual pardon.
18. Him and Her were beagles owned by which president?Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson. LBJ caused a stir when he was photographed lifting Him by the ears.
19. Which president had served as governor of California?Answer: Ronald Reagan. Reagan was governor of California from 1967 to 1975.
20. What does the S in Harry S. Truman stand for?Answer: Nothing; it is just the letter S. The S honored both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young.

Geography trivia

1. What is the capital of Bangladesh?Answer: Dhaka. Dhaka sits on the Buriganga River.
2. What is the capital of Namibia?Answer: Windhoek. Windhoek lies on a high plateau in the middle of the country.
3. What is the capital of Botswana?Answer: Gaborone. Gaborone became the capital when Botswana won independence in 1966.
4. What is the capital of the Dominican Republic?Answer: Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo is the oldest European-founded city in the Americas still standing.
5. What is the capital of the Bahamas?Answer: Nassau. Nassau is on the island of New Providence.
6. What is the capital of Uzbekistan?Answer: Tashkent. Tashkent is the largest city in Central Asia.
7. What is the capital of Wyoming?Answer: Cheyenne. Cheyenne is also Wyoming’s largest city.
8. What is the capital of Maryland?Answer: Annapolis. Annapolis is also home to the U.S. Naval Academy.
9. Which U.S. state is nicknamed the Sooner State?Answer: Oklahoma. The name recalls settlers who sneaked in “sooner” than the official land runs allowed.
10. Which U.S. state is nicknamed the Cornhusker State?Answer: Nebraska. Nebraska took the nickname from its university’s sports teams.
11. Montreal stands on an island in which river?Answer: St. Lawrence. The Island of Montreal lies where the Ottawa River meets the St. Lawrence.
12. Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, stands on which river?Answer: Mekong. The city sits where the Tonlé Sap River joins the Mekong.
13. Which country’s flag has a navy-blue wheel at its center?Answer: India. The wheel is the Ashoka Chakra, with 24 spokes.
14. Which country’s flag shows the Union Jack, the Southern Cross and a large seven-pointed star?Answer: Australia. The big star under the Union Jack is the Commonwealth Star.
15. What is the world’s second-highest mountain?Answer: K2. K2, on the Pakistan–China border, rises 8,611 meters.
16. Which is the largest Scandinavian country by area?Answer: Sweden. Sweden covers about 450,000 square kilometers.
17. Lake Maracaibo is in which country?Answer: Venezuela. It is one of the oldest lakes on Earth and opens to the Gulf of Venezuela.
18. Which sea lies between Australia and New Zealand?Answer: Tasman Sea. It is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.
19. Mount Rainier is in which U.S. state?Answer: Washington. The volcano towers over the Seattle–Tacoma area.
20. The Iberian Peninsula is shared mainly by Spain and which country?Answer: Portugal. Tiny Andorra and Gibraltar are on the peninsula too.