Wednesday, November 11, 2026

The tidbits, trivia answers and word pairs from Facts & Games on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Play today’s games · All past days · All past tidbits

Six tidbits

Commonly confused words

whose vs. who’s

whose: Belonging to which person. who’s: A short form of who is or who has. The apostrophe marks the missing letters.

continual vs. continuous

continual: Happening often, with breaks in between. continuous: Going on without any interruption. Continuous is one long unbroken stream.

lose vs. loose

lose: To fail to keep something, or to be defeated. loose: Not tight or firmly fixed. Loose has room for an extra o.

eminent vs. imminent

eminent: Famous and respected. imminent: About to happen. Imminent: in a minute.

accept vs. except

accept: To agree to receive or take. except: Not including; apart from. Except excludes: both start with ex.

Beatles trivia

1. Where did the Beatles play their first concert in the United States?Answer: Washington Coliseum. Two days after their first Ed Sullivan Show appearance, they played the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C.
2. Which live album, released years after the band split, was recorded at concerts in Los Angeles?Answer: The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl. George Martin compiled it from their Hollywood Bowl shows of 1964 and 1965.
3. At Kinfauns, George Harrison's bungalow in Esher, the band recorded demos for which album?Answer: The White Album. The Esher demos, made after the trip to India, include many songs that ended up on The Beatles (the White Album).
4. Paul McCartney's London home, a short walk from Abbey Road Studios, is on which street?Answer: Cavendish Avenue. Paul bought the house in St John's Wood in the mid-1960s.
5. Which EMI engineer, nicknamed “Normal” by John Lennon, recorded the band's sessions up to Rubber Soul?Answer: Norman Smith. Norman Smith engineered their EMI recordings until 1965, then Geoff Emerick took over.
6. Which engineer assembled the original Get Back album that was shelved and never released?Answer: Glyn Johns. Glyn Johns made several versions of Get Back; Phil Spector later produced the Let It Be album from the tapes.
7. Where were the January 1969 Get Back sessions filmed before the band moved to Apple's basement studio?Answer: Twickenham Film Studios. The cold, cavernous film stage at Twickenham proved a poor place to make music, so they moved to Savile Row.
8. Which childhood friend of John Lennon played washboard in the Quarrymen?Answer: Pete Shotton. Shotton was Lennon's best friend from boyhood and later worked for the band at Apple.
9. Which guitarist opened a London concert with the song Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band just days after the album came out?Answer: Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix played it at the Saville Theatre with Paul McCartney in the audience.
10. The Beatles' covers of Boys and Baby It's You were first recorded by which group?Answer: The Shirelles. Both songs were Shirelles recordings, and the Beatles put both on Please Please Me.
11. Which American Beatles LP was first issued with the notorious “butcher cover”?Answer: Yesterday and Today. Capitol recalled the cover, which showed the band with meat and doll parts, and pasted a new photo over it.
12. John Lennon wrote many Double Fantasy songs after a sailing trip to which island?Answer: Bermuda. He sailed to Bermuda in 1980, and the songs he wrote there helped bring him back to recording.
13. Paul McCartney helped turn the building of which school, his old one, into the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts?Answer: The Liverpool Institute. Paul and George both went to the Liverpool Institute; LIPA opened in its old building in 1996.
14. Ringo Starr played a Mexican bandit in which spaghetti western?Answer: Blindman. Ringo played a villain named Candy in the 1971 film.
15. What was the name of the official monthly magazine of the Beatles' fan club?Answer: The Beatles Book. The Beatles Book, often called Beatles Monthly, ran from 1963 to 1969.
16. Which song, recorded with Elton John, was John Lennon's first solo No. 1 in the United States?Answer: Whatever Gets You thru the Night. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1974, and Lennon then joined Elton on stage at Madison Square Garden.
17. In autumn 1963 the Beatles made their first tour abroad as a famous band. Which country did they visit?Answer: Sweden. They played a short run of shows in Sweden that October.
18. Which Beatle wrote Only a Northern Song, released on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack?Answer: George Harrison. George's title is a dig at Northern Songs, the publishing company in which he held only a small share.
19. About how long did the Beatles take to record most of their first album, Please Please Me?Answer: One day. They recorded ten songs in a single long session at Abbey Road, adding them to four already released on singles.
20. In Hamburg the young Beatles slept in tiny rooms behind the screen of which cinema?Answer: The Bambi Kino. Club owner Bruno Koschmider put them up in dingy rooms behind the Bambi Kino.

Taylor Swift trivia

1. Swift taped an episode of CMT Crossroads with which British rock band, a favorite from her childhood?Answer: Def Leppard. Swift grew up listening to Def Leppard with her mother, and the band joined her for a CMT Crossroads special.
2. Swift joined the Rolling Stones on stage in Chicago to sing which of their songs with Mick Jagger?Answer: As Tears Go By. She came out at the band's United Center show to duet with Jagger on the 1960s ballad.
3. At the Grammys where Fearless won Album of the Year, Swift sang which Fleetwood Mac song with Stevie Nicks?Answer: Rhiannon. Swift and Nicks sang “Rhiannon” together during the ceremony.
4. Swift sings on a remix of which Ed Sheeran single?Answer: The Joker and the Queen. Sheeran released a new version of the ballad with Swift sharing the vocals.
5. What is the name of Swift's seaside mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island?Answer: Holiday House. Holiday House once belonged to Rebekah Harkness, the socialite in “The Last Great American Dynasty”.
6. Swift sings on “The Alcott”, a song by which band?Answer: The National. The duet appears on the National's album First Two Pages of Frankenstein.
7. Swift is featured on “Us.”, a song by which singer who also opened shows on the Eras Tour?Answer: Gracie Abrams. “Us.” appears on the deluxe edition of Abrams's album The Secret of Us.
8. On the Platinum Edition of Fearless, Swift covered “Untouchable”, first recorded by which band?Answer: Luna Halo. She reworked the Luna Halo rock song into a soft ballad.
9. For a Spotify Singles release, Swift recorded a country-flavored cover of “September” by which band?Answer: Earth, Wind & Fire. Her slowed-down take turned the disco-funk classic into an acoustic country song.
10. Swift sang on the runway at two editions of which televised fashion show?Answer: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She performed while models walked the runway around her.
11. Swift served as a co-chair, alongside Anna Wintour, of which yearly New York fashion benefit?Answer: The Met Gala. The Met Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
12. In which Midwestern city did the Red Tour open?Answer: Omaha. The Red Tour began at Omaha's CenturyLink Center in Nebraska.
13. The Reputation Stadium Tour opened in the same Arizona city where the Eras Tour later began. Which city?Answer: Glendale. Both tours opened at the stadium in Glendale, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
14. Which birds fly across the sky on the cover of 1989 (Taylor's Version)?Answer: Seagulls. The cover shows a smiling Swift with seagulls above her, echoing the original's Polaroid style.
15. What was the film shown in cinemas on the opening weekend of The Life of a Showgirl called?Answer: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl. The short theatrical event premiered the “Fate of Ophelia” video along with behind-the-scenes footage.
16. Which Swift video won Video of the Year at the 2024 MTV VMAs?Answer: Fortnight. The black-and-white “Fortnight” video, made with Post Malone, took the night's top prize.
17. Swift interviewed which music legend for a Rolling Stone “Musicians on Musicians” cover story?Answer: Paul McCartney. The two songwriters talked about writing in lockdown and their early careers.
18. Swift was the first woman to receive which Brit Award?Answer: The Global Icon Award. Elton John, David Bowie and Robbie Williams had received the icon honor before her.
19. Which photography duo shot the cover images for The Life of a Showgirl?Answer: Mert and Marcus. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott had photographed Swift before, and the album reunited them.
20. The Eras Tour concert film had its premiere at which Los Angeles shopping center?Answer: The Grove. The Grove was closed to shoppers for the premiere, which Beyoncé also attended.

Football trivia

1. Which Seattle receiver caught the disputed 'Fail Mary' touchdown against Green Bay?Answer: Golden Tate. Replacement officials ruled Tate's last-second catch a touchdown on a Monday night in 2012.
2. Who holds the NFL record for passing yards in a single game, with 554?Answer: Norm Van Brocklin. Van Brocklin threw for 554 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in a 1951 game against the New York Yanks.
3. Which Rams receiver set the single-game record with 336 receiving yards?Answer: Flipper Anderson. Willie 'Flipper' Anderson piled up 336 yards against the Saints in an overtime win in 1989.
4. Who holds the NFL record for rushing yards in one game, with 296?Answer: Adrian Peterson. Peterson ran for 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers as a Minnesota Vikings rookie in 2007.
5. Who became the first Black starting quarterback in modern pro football, with the Denver Broncos?Answer: Marlin Briscoe. Briscoe started for Denver as a rookie in the AFL in 1968.
6. In which pro league did Warren Moon win five straight championships before joining the NFL?Answer: Canadian Football League. Moon won five Grey Cups in a row with the Edmonton Eskimos before signing with the Houston Oilers.
7. The snowy 'Tuck Rule' playoff game was the last game played at which stadium?Answer: Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots beat the Raiders there in overtime before moving next door to Gillette Stadium.
8. Who was the first Black head coach in NFL history?Answer: Fritz Pollard. Pollard was co-head coach of the Akron Pros in the league's early years, long before Art Shell's hiring in 1989.
9. Which Rams halfback painted horns on the team's helmets, creating the first NFL helmet logo?Answer: Fred Gehrke. Gehrke, who had studied art, painted the horns before the 1948 season.
10. The book and film 'The Blind Side' tell the story of which offensive tackle?Answer: Michael Oher. Oher was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round in 2009.
11. Who was the first commissioner of the American Football League?Answer: Joe Foss. Foss, a World War II fighter ace and former governor of South Dakota, led the AFL from its start.
12. Who holds the NFL record for most points scored in a single game, with 40?Answer: Ernie Nevers. Nevers scored six touchdowns and kicked four extra points for the Chicago Cardinals in 1929.
13. Larry Csonka left the Dolphins to play for which team in the World Football League?Answer: Memphis Southmen. Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield signed with the WFL team that became the Memphis Southmen.
14. Which Jets quarterback fumbled after running into a teammate in the infamous 'Butt Fumble'?Answer: Mark Sanchez. Sanchez ran into guard Brandon Moore's backside against the Patriots on Thanksgiving 2012.
15. In the 1982 'Snowplow Game,' a cleared spot on the field helped which team kick the only score?Answer: New England Patriots. A snowplow driver cleared a spot for John Smith's field goal in the Patriots' 3-0 win over Miami.
16. Which team hosted and won the frigid 'Freezer Bowl' AFC Championship Game?Answer: Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals beat the San Diego Chargers 27-7 with a wind chill near minus 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
17. After the Saints' 'River City Relay' touchdown, which kicker missed the tying extra point?Answer: John Carney. Carney pushed the kick wide right, and the Saints lost 20-19 in December 2003.
18. Who scored the first overtime touchdown in Super Bowl history?Answer: James White. White's short run won Super Bowl LI for New England after the Patriots trailed Atlanta 28-3.
19. Which undrafted rookie intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line to seal Super Bowl XLIX?Answer: Malcolm Butler. Butler's interception with 20 seconds left preserved the Patriots' 28-24 win over Seattle.
20. Who was the first player chosen in the first common draft of the AFL and NFL?Answer: Bubba Smith. The Baltimore Colts took the Michigan State defensive end first overall in 1967.

Basketball trivia

1. The 'Malice at the Palace' brawl broke out during a game between the Pistons and which team?Answer: Indiana Pacers. The fight spilled into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills in November 2004.
2. Which franchise began as the Chicago Packers?Answer: Washington Wizards. The Packers became the Chicago Zephyrs, then the Baltimore and Washington Bullets, and finally the Wizards.
3. Which entrepreneur bought the Dallas Mavericks in 2000 and sold a majority stake in 2023?Answer: Mark Cuban. Cuban, who made his fortune with Broadcast.com, owned the Mavericks through their 2011 title.
4. Who recorded the NBA's first official quadruple-double?Answer: Nate Thurmond. In his Chicago Bulls debut in 1974, Thurmond had double figures in points, rebounds, assists and blocks.
5. Which team won an NBA-record 33 games in a row?Answer: Los Angeles Lakers. The 1971-72 Lakers' streak ran from November to January on the way to the title.
6. Which team finished the 1972-73 season with a 9-73 record?Answer: Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers fell from contention to one of the worst seasons in NBA history.
7. Which team set the record for the lowest winning percentage, going 7-59 in a shortened season?Answer: Charlotte Bobcats. The 2011-12 Bobcats won just 10.6 percent of their games.
8. Before the United Center, the Chicago Bulls played home games at which arena?Answer: Chicago Stadium. The Bulls moved from the old Chicago Stadium to the United Center next door in 1994.
9. Who became the first player to win the Slam Dunk Contest three times?Answer: Nate Robinson. The 5-foot-9 Robinson won it three times in five years, once by leaping over Dwight Howard.
10. Which Lakers center set the NBA record with 17 blocked shots in one game?Answer: Elmore Smith. Smith blocked 17 shots against the Portland Trail Blazers in October 1973.
11. Manute Bol, one of the tallest players in NBA history, began his career with which team?Answer: Washington Bullets. The 7-foot-7 shot-blocker led the league in blocks as a Bullets rookie.
12. The high-scoring trio 'Run TMC' played for which team?Answer: Golden State Warriors. Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin starred for Don Nelson's Warriors.
13. John Stockton's buzzer-beating three sent the Utah Jazz to their first Finals by beating which team?Answer: Houston Rockets. Stockton's shot ended Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference finals in Houston.
14. Which Knicks forward was the first Black player to sign an NBA contract?Answer: Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton. Clifton, a former Harlem Globetrotter, signed with New York in 1950.
15. The NBA All-Star Game MVP award is named after which player?Answer: Kobe Bryant. The league renamed the award in February 2020, weeks after Bryant's death.
16. Who was the first player from China to play in the NBA?Answer: Wang Zhizhi. Wang made his debut for the Dallas Mavericks in April 2001, more than a year before Yao arrived.
17. Which team's troubled early-2000s squads were nicknamed the 'Jail Blazers'?Answer: Portland Trail Blazers. Off-court arrests and on-court fights earned Portland the unflattering nickname.
18. Which team's tough, defensive style was known as 'Grit and Grind'?Answer: Memphis Grizzlies. Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Tony Allen led the Grizzlies' Grit and Grind era.
19. The 2007 'We Believe' Warriors beat which 67-win team as an eighth seed?Answer: Dallas Mavericks. Golden State knocked out the top-seeded Mavericks in six games.
20. Which high-flying SuperSonics forward was nicknamed the “Reign Man”?Answer: Shawn Kemp. Kemp’s thunderous dunks for Seattle in the 1990s earned him the nickname.

Baseball trivia

1. Which pitcher struck out 20 batters in a nine-inning game twice, ten years apart?Answer: Roger Clemens. Clemens did it for the Red Sox in 1986 and again in 1996.
2. Who shared the 2001 World Series MVP award with Randy Johnson?Answer: Curt Schilling. The two Arizona Diamondbacks aces were named co-MVPs after beating the Yankees.
3. After retiring as a player, Ted Williams became manager of which team?Answer: Washington Senators. Williams managed the expansion Senators from 1969 and stayed through their first season as the Texas Rangers.
4. Who was the first pitcher to reach 4,000 career strikeouts?Answer: Nolan Ryan. Ryan got there in July 1985 with the Houston Astros, a year before Steve Carlton.
5. Who was the first Hall of Famer inducted with a Toronto Blue Jays cap on his plaque?Answer: Roberto Alomar. Alomar, who won two World Series with Toronto, was inducted in 2011.
6. Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash while delivering earthquake relief to which country?Answer: Nicaragua. Clemente was flying aid to Nicaragua when his plane went down off Puerto Rico on December 31, 1972.
7. Which team, last in the standings in July, became the 'Miracle' champions of 1914?Answer: Boston Braves. The Braves rallied to win the pennant and swept the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.
8. Before Three Rivers Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates played at which ballpark?Answer: Forbes Field. The Pirates played at Forbes Field from 1909 until midway through the 1970 season.
9. The White Sox forfeited the second game of a doubleheader on 'Disco Demolition Night' to which team?Answer: Detroit Tigers. Fans stormed the field at Comiskey Park after a crate of disco records was blown up between games.
10. Who was the last National League player to hit .400 for a season?Answer: Bill Terry. The New York Giants first baseman hit .401 in 1930.
11. Which reliever struck out the final batter as the Phillies won their first World Series?Answer: Tug McGraw. McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to end Game 6 of the 1980 Series.
12. Who threw the first perfect game in San Francisco Giants history?Answer: Matt Cain. Cain struck out 14 Houston Astros in his perfect game in June 2012.
13. Whose walk-off 'Grand Slam Single' won Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS for the Mets?Answer: Robin Ventura. Teammates mobbed Ventura before he could round the bases, so his grand slam went down as a single.
14. Who threw the first no-hitter in New York Mets history?Answer: Johan Santana. Santana ended a drought of more than 8,000 games without a no-hitter on June 1, 2012.
15. Which Astros pitcher started the combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series?Answer: Cristian Javier. Javier and three relievers held the Phillies hitless for the second no-hitter in World Series history.
16. Who threw five scoreless innings of relief to win Game 7 of the 2014 World Series?Answer: Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner, pitching on two days' rest, closed out the Giants' title and was named Series MVP.
17. Whose bat flip after a go-ahead home run became famous in the 2015 ALDS?Answer: José Bautista. Bautista's three-run homer in Game 5 sent the Blue Jays past the Texas Rangers.
18. MLB's award for the best designated hitter is named after which Seattle Mariner?Answer: Edgar Martínez. The Outstanding Designated Hitter Award was renamed for Martínez in 2004.
19. At which ballpark did Willie Mays make 'The Catch' in the 1954 World Series?Answer: Polo Grounds. Mays ran down Vic Wertz's long drive deep in the Polo Grounds' center field.
20. Which team won the first World Series games ever played indoors, in 1987?Answer: Minnesota Twins. The Twins won all four home games at the Metrodome and took the Series in seven.

Hockey trivia

1. Which Montreal Maroons goalie was the first to wear a mask in an NHL game?Answer: Clint Benedict. Benedict wore a leather mask in 1930 to protect a broken nose, nearly 30 years before Jacques Plante made masks the norm.
2. The Cleveland Barons merged into which NHL team?Answer: Minnesota North Stars. The struggling Barons were folded into the North Stars in 1978, the last time two NHL teams merged.
3. Who won the Conn Smythe Trophy when the St. Louis Blues won their first Stanley Cup?Answer: Ryan O'Reilly. O'Reilly led the Blues in playoff scoring on the way to their first title.
4. Which team became the first U.S.-based club to win the Stanley Cup?Answer: Seattle Metropolitans. The Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association won the Cup before the NHL even existed.
5. Which 44-year-old Rangers coach and general manager went in goal during a Stanley Cup Final game?Answer: Lester Patrick. Patrick replaced his injured goalie in 1928, and the Rangers won the game in overtime.
6. Who set the NHL record for shutouts in a single postseason, with seven?Answer: Martin Brodeur. Brodeur posted seven shutouts as the New Jersey Devils won the Cup in 2003.
7. The instrumental 'Brass Bonanza' was the goal song of which team?Answer: Hartford Whalers. Hartford played the tune after every goal, and it still brings back memories for Whalers fans.
8. Who became the first European-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy?Answer: Nicklas Lidström. The Swedish defenseman was playoff MVP as the Detroit Red Wings won the Cup in 2002.
9. Who was the first American-born player to score 500 NHL goals?Answer: Joe Mullen. The New York City native reached 500 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was also the first American to 1,000 points.
10. Before they became the Maple Leafs, Toronto's NHL team was called what?Answer: Toronto St. Patricks. Conn Smythe's group bought the St. Patricks in 1927 and renamed them the Maple Leafs.
11. Who was the Atlanta Thrashers' first-ever draft pick, taken first overall?Answer: Patrik Stefan. The expansion Thrashers chose the Czech center with the top pick in 1999.
12. Which team holds the NHL record with 17 straight wins?Answer: Pittsburgh Penguins. Mario Lemieux's Penguins won 17 in a row in March and April 1993.
13. Which team has played home games at the saddle-shaped Saddledome since 1983?Answer: Calgary Flames. The arena's curved roof gave it its name, a nod to the city's famous Calgary Stampede.
14. Who in 2018 became the first Russian captain to lift the Stanley Cup?Answer: Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin captained the Washington Capitals to the franchise's first title.
15. Who is the only NHL player with more than 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes?Answer: Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan scored 656 goals and piled up nearly 2,500 penalty minutes in a Hall of Fame career.
16. Who coached the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups after taking over midseason?Answer: Mike Sullivan. Sullivan was hired in December 2015 and won the Cup in each of his first two springs.
17. Whose triple-overtime goal won the Colorado Avalanche their first Stanley Cup?Answer: Uwe Krupp. The German defenseman scored to finish a sweep of the Florida Panthers in 1996.
18. Who became the first NHL coach to win 1,000 regular-season games?Answer: Scotty Bowman. Bowman reached 1,000 wins with Detroit in 1997 and finished with 1,244.
19. Who was the first player to reach 1,000 career points in the NHL?Answer: Gordie Howe. Howe got his 1,000th point for the Detroit Red Wings in November 1960.
20. Who captained the Tampa Bay Lightning to their first Stanley Cup?Answer: Dave Andreychuk. Andreychuk, then 40, lifted the Cup in 2004 after 22 NHL seasons.

Soccer trivia

1. Which country hosted the 1982 World Cup, the first with 24 teams?Answer: Spain. Spain hosted the 1982 tournament, which grew the field from 16 to 24 teams.
2. Which country hosted the 2018 World Cup?Answer: Russia. Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, with the final at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
3. Who won the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2014 World Cup?Answer: Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi won the award even though Argentina lost the final to Germany.
4. Which Turkish striker scored the fastest goal in World Cup history, about 11 seconds into a 2002 match against South Korea?Answer: Hakan Şükür. Hakan Şükür scored after about 11 seconds in the third-place match.
5. Whose golden goal won the 2003 Women’s World Cup final for Germany against Sweden?Answer: Nia Künzer. Substitute Nia Künzer headed the winner in extra time.
6. What was Pelé’s given first name?Answer: Edson. Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
7. Which English club is nicknamed “the Canaries”?Answer: Norwich City. Norwich City play in yellow and green and are known as the Canaries.
8. Which German club is nicknamed “the Foals” (Die Fohlen)?Answer: Borussia Mönchengladbach. Borussia Mönchengladbach got the nickname for the young, fast team of the 1960s and 1970s.
9. Which country won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations?Answer: Algeria. Algeria beat Senegal 1–0 in the final in Cairo.
10. Which club won MLS Cup 2023, beating LAFC 2–1 in the final?Answer: Columbus Crew. The Columbus Crew won their third MLS Cup at home in Columbus.
11. Portland’s MLS team is called the Portland what?Answer: Timbers. The Portland Timbers joined MLS in 2011; the Sounders, Whitecaps and Rapids are other MLS clubs.
12. Under the Laws of the Game, how far must opponents stand from the ball at a free kick?Answer: 10 yards. Opponents must be at least 10 yards (9.15 meters) away until the ball is in play.
13. How far does the penalty area extend from the goal line?Answer: 18 yards. The penalty area is 18 yards (16.5 meters) deep, which is why it is called the 18-yard box.
14. Who coached the U.S. men at the 1994 World Cup on home soil?Answer: Bora Milutinović. Serbian-born Bora Milutinović led five different nations at World Cups, the U.S. among them.
15. Which Italian city is home to both Juventus and Torino?Answer: Turin. Juventus and Torino contest the Derby della Mole in Turin.
16. Which country won the 2017 Women’s European Championship on home soil?Answer: Netherlands. The Netherlands beat Denmark 4–2 in the final in Enschede.
17. Which club’s women’s team won five straight Women’s Champions League titles, from 2016 to 2020?Answer: Lyon. Lyon’s women won the competition every year from 2016 through 2020.
18. Which Argentine striker was nicknamed “Batigol”?Answer: Gabriel Batistuta. Gabriel Batistuta’s goals for Fiorentina and Argentina earned him the nickname Batigol.
19. Which team did Spain beat 4–0 in the Euro 2012 final?Answer: Italy. Spain thrashed Italy 4–0 in Kyiv to retain the European title.
20. Rival clubs Peñarol and Nacional are based in which city?Answer: Montevideo. Peñarol and Nacional are Uruguay’s two biggest clubs, both from Montevideo.

Movies trivia

1. Who took over the role of FBI agent Clarice Starling in Hannibal (2001)?Answer: Julianne Moore. Julianne Moore stepped in for Jodie Foster, who had played Clarice in The Silence of the Lambs.
2. Who won Best Actor for playing King George VI in The King’s Speech?Answer: Colin Firth. Colin Firth won the Oscar for playing the stammering king.
3. Who won Best Actress for playing Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose?Answer: Marion Cotillard. Marion Cotillard won the Oscar for her performance in French as the singer.
4. Which Oliver Stone film about the Vietnam War won Best Picture for 1986?Answer: Platoon. Platoon also won Oliver Stone the Oscar for Best Director.
5. In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which make of sports car do the friends take from Cameron’s father?Answer: Ferrari. They borrow his prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California.
6. In Pixar’s Up, what is the name of the talking golden retriever?Answer: Dug. Dug speaks through a special collar made by his master, Charles Muntz.
7. Who composed the score for The Magnificent Seven (1960)?Answer: Elmer Bernstein. Elmer Bernstein’s galloping theme became one of the best-known western scores.
8. Who played photojournalist Vicki Vale in Tim Burton’s Batman?Answer: Kim Basinger. Kim Basinger played Vicki Vale opposite Michael Keaton’s Batman.
9. Who played Tony Montana in Scarface (1983)?Answer: Al Pacino. Al Pacino starred as the Cuban immigrant turned Miami drug lord.
10. Who won Best Supporting Actor for playing U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive?Answer: Tommy Lee Jones. Tommy Lee Jones won the Oscar for chasing Harrison Ford’s Dr. Richard Kimble.
11. Who won Best Supporting Actress for playing Mona Lisa Vito in My Cousin Vinny?Answer: Marisa Tomei. Marisa Tomei won the Oscar for her role opposite Joe Pesci.
12. Which film stars Gene Hackman as the coach of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team?Answer: Hoosiers. Hoosiers was loosely inspired by Milan High School’s 1954 state title.
13. Which Alfred Hitchcock film stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burglar on the French Riviera?Answer: To Catch a Thief. In To Catch a Thief, Grant’s John Robie must catch a copycat burglar.
14. Who played the title role in Rudy, about a walk-on Notre Dame football player?Answer: Sean Astin. Sean Astin played Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger in the 1993 film.
15. In which city is The Third Man, starring Orson Welles as Harry Lime, set?Answer: Vienna. The film is set in Vienna just after World War II, ending with a chase through its sewers.
16. Which Disney animated film features the song “Hakuna Matata”?Answer: The Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa sing it to young Simba in The Lion King.
17. Which silent-film star was famous as the “It Girl”?Answer: Clara Bow. Clara Bow earned the nickname after starring in the 1927 film It.
18. Who played the title role in the musical Gigi (1958)?Answer: Leslie Caron. Leslie Caron starred as Gigi in the film that won nine Oscars, including Best Picture.
19. Which Billy Wilder film starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine won Best Picture for 1960?Answer: The Apartment. The Apartment won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
20. Who won Best Actress for playing the title role in Driving Miss Daisy?Answer: Jessica Tandy. Jessica Tandy won at 80, then the oldest winner of the Best Actress Oscar.

Television trivia

1. On Cheers, what is barfly Norm’s last name?Answer: Peterson. George Wendt played Norm Peterson; Clavin, Malone and Boyd are Cliff’s, Sam’s and Woody’s surnames.
2. Who played Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld?Answer: Michael Richards. Michael Richards won three Emmys as Jerry’s neighbor Kramer.
3. Who played Jim Halpert on The Office?Answer: John Krasinski. John Krasinski played the prank-loving paper salesman Jim.
4. Who played John Locke on Lost?Answer: Terry O’Quinn. Terry O’Quinn won an Emmy for playing the mysterious Locke.
5. Who played Dr. Gregory House on House?Answer: Hugh Laurie. English actor Hugh Laurie used an American accent for the role.
6. On Twin Peaks, what is the name of the FBI agent who investigates Laura Palmer’s murder?Answer: Dale Cooper. Kyle MacLachlan played the coffee-loving Special Agent Dale Cooper.
7. Who succeeded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show?Answer: Jay Leno. Jay Leno took over when Carson retired in 1992.
8. Who plays Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit?Answer: Mariska Hargitay. Mariska Hargitay has played Benson since the show began.
9. Which soap opera began on radio and ran on CBS television until 2009?Answer: Guiding Light. Guiding Light started on radio in the 1930s and is the longest-running drama in broadcast history.
10. Who played press secretary C.J. Cregg on The West Wing?Answer: Allison Janney. Allison Janney won four Emmys for the role.
11. Monty Hall was the longtime host of which game show?Answer: Let’s Make a Deal. Monty Hall co-created and hosted Let’s Make a Deal, with its famous three doors.
12. Which comedian was famous as the center square on Hollywood Squares?Answer: Paul Lynde. Paul Lynde held the center square for years with his quick one-liners.
13. Who played stick-up man Omar Little on The Wire?Answer: Michael K. Williams. Michael K. Williams’ Omar robbed Baltimore’s drug dealers.
14. Who played Don Draper on Mad Men?Answer: Jon Hamm. Jon Hamm played the ad man for all seven seasons.
15. Which series follows the Gallagher family of Chicago, led by their drunken father, Frank?Answer: Shameless. William H. Macy played Frank Gallagher on Showtime’s Shameless.
16. Who won the first season of Survivor?Answer: Richard Hatch. Richard Hatch won the first season, set in Borneo.
17. Who played Carmela Soprano on The Sopranos?Answer: Edie Falco. Edie Falco won three Emmys for playing Tony’s wife.
18. On which cable channel does The Daily Show air?Answer: Comedy Central. The Daily Show has aired on Comedy Central since it began.
19. On which western did the Cartwright family run the Ponderosa ranch?Answer: Bonanza. Bonanza followed Ben Cartwright and his three sons near Virginia City, Nevada.
20. Who played Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer?Answer: Sarah Michelle Gellar. Sarah Michelle Gellar starred as the slayer for all seven seasons.

Fantasy trivia

1. Who played the young Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story?Answer: Alden Ehrenreich. Alden Ehrenreich took over the role made famous by Harrison Ford.
2. In which Star Wars film does Jar Jar Binks first appear?Answer: The Phantom Menace. The clumsy Gungan debuted in Episode I, The Phantom Menace.
3. Who played Jedi Master Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels?Answer: Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel L. Jackson played Mace Windu, a senior member of the Jedi Council, in all three prequels.
4. Who played communications officer Uhura in the original Star Trek series?Answer: Nichelle Nichols. Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Uhura on TV and in six films.
5. Who plays Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?Answer: Anson Mount. Anson Mount first played Pike in Star Trek: Discovery before leading Strange New Worlds.
6. Who directed Alien 3, his first feature film?Answer: David Fincher. David Fincher made his feature debut with Alien 3 before going on to Se7en.
7. In The Matrix, what is the name of Morpheus’s ship?Answer: Nebuchadnezzar. Morpheus’s hovercraft is named after the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.
8. In The Lord of the Rings, who is Aragorn’s father?Answer: Arathorn. Aragorn is the son of Arathorn, a Chieftain of the Dúnedain.
9. Whom does Samwise Gamgee marry after returning to the Shire?Answer: Rosie Cotton. Sam marries Rosie Cotton and they raise a large family at Bag End.
10. What is Doctor Strange’s first name?Answer: Stephen. The Sorcerer Supreme is Dr. Stephen Strange, once a brilliant surgeon.
11. Blind lawyer Matt Murdock is the secret identity of which Marvel hero?Answer: Daredevil. Matt Murdock fights crime in Hell’s Kitchen as Daredevil.
12. What is Harley Quinn’s real name?Answer: Harleen Quinzel. Harleen Quinzel was a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum before falling for the Joker.
13. Who played Lex Luthor in Superman (1978)?Answer: Gene Hackman. Gene Hackman played the scheming villain opposite Christopher Reeve.
14. Which actor played the Ninth Doctor when Doctor Who returned in 2005?Answer: Christopher Eccleston. Christopher Eccleston played the Doctor for one series before David Tennant took over.
15. In Back to the Future, what is the name of Doc Brown’s dog?Answer: Einstein. Einstein becomes the first time traveler; Copernicus was the dog Doc had in 1955.
16. What is the name of the Ghostbusters’ car?Answer: Ecto-1. Ecto-1 is a converted 1959 Cadillac ambulance.
17. Who played paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park?Answer: Laura Dern. Laura Dern played Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant’s colleague.
18. Which Narnia book follows the boy Shasta and the talking horse Bree?Answer: The Horse and His Boy. In The Horse and His Boy, Shasta and Bree flee Calormen for Narnia.
19. Who wrote The Hunger Games novels?Answer: Suzanne Collins. Suzanne Collins wrote the trilogy and its prequels.
20. In Star Wars, what is the name of Luke Skywalker’s uncle on Tatooine?Answer: Owen Lars. Luke grows up on the moisture farm of his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru.

Broadway trivia

1. In 'Oklahoma!', which character sings 'I Cain't Say No'?Answer: Ado Annie. Flirtatious Ado Annie Carnes sings I Cain't Say No.
2. In 'The Sound of Music', how many von Trapp children are there?Answer: Seven. Maria becomes governess to the captain's seven children, from Liesl to Gretl.
3. In 'Chicago', who is Roxie Hart's rival, a vaudeville star also jailed for murder?Answer: Velma Kelly. Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart compete for headlines in the Cook County Jail.
4. Which Disney stage musical features the song 'Friend Like Me'?Answer: Aladdin. The Genie's show-stopping Friend Like Me is a highlight of Aladdin.
5. In 'Mean Girls', who is the queen bee who leads the Plastics?Answer: Regina George. Regina George rules North Shore High with Gretchen and Karen at her side.
6. In 'The Lion King' on Broadway, which character is the wise mandrill who presents Simba?Answer: Rafiki. Rafiki, the mandrill shaman, lifts baby Simba before the animals in Circle of Life.
7. In 'Wicked', what is the name of Elphaba's younger sister?Answer: Nessarose. Nessarose, who uses a wheelchair, becomes the Wicked Witch of the East.
8. In 'The Phantom of the Opera', who is the opera house's temperamental leading soprano?Answer: Carlotta. La Carlotta is the prima donna whom Christine replaces.
9. In 'Mary Poppins', the Banks family lives on which street?Answer: Cherry Tree Lane. Mary Poppins arrives at 17 Cherry Tree Lane to look after Jane and Michael Banks.
10. In 'Matilda the Musical', who is the tyrannical headmistress?Answer: Miss Trunchbull. Agatha Trunchbull, a former hammer thrower, terrorizes the pupils of Crunchem Hall.
11. In 'Beauty and the Beast', what is the name of the enchanted candelabra?Answer: Lumière. Lumière, the French candelabra, leads the number Be Our Guest.
12. In 'Pippin', the young prince Pippin is the son of which emperor?Answer: Charlemagne. Pippin is the eldest son of Charlemagne, King of the Franks.
13. In Lerner and Loewe's 'Camelot', who is King Arthur's queen?Answer: Guenevere. Guenevere's love for Lancelot threatens Arthur's court in Camelot.
14. In 'Damn Yankees', Joe Boyd sells his soul to help which baseball team beat the Yankees?Answer: Washington Senators. Joe becomes young slugger Joe Hardy to lift his beloved Washington Senators.
15. In 'Evita', which character narrates the story of Eva Perón?Answer: Che. Che serves as narrator and skeptical commentator throughout Evita.
16. In 'Peter Pan', what is the name of Peter's fairy companion?Answer: Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell is Peter's jealous fairy friend, shown on stage as a darting light.
17. Which Arthur Miller play centers on longshoreman Eddie Carbone in Brooklyn?Answer: A View from the Bridge. A View from the Bridge is narrated by the lawyer Alfieri and set in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
18. In Cole Porter's 'Anything Goes', what is the name of the nightclub singer and former evangelist?Answer: Reno Sweeney. Reno Sweeney sings I Get a Kick Out of You and Blow, Gabriel, Blow.
19. In 'Les Misérables', which student leads the rebels at the barricade?Answer: Enjolras. Enjolras leads the student revolutionaries of the ABC Café.
20. In 'Dear Evan Hansen', what is the name of the classmate whose death sets the story in motion?Answer: Connor Murphy. Evan's letter is found on Connor Murphy, leading his family to think the boys were close friends.

U.S. History trivia

1. The deadly flu pandemic that swept the U.S. near the end of World War I is commonly called what?Answer: The Spanish flu. The 1918 influenza pandemic is widely known as the Spanish flu, though it did not start in Spain.
2. Which Ford car, first sold in 1908, put millions of Americans behind the wheel?Answer: Model T. The affordable Model T, nicknamed the Tin Lizzie, sold more than 15 million cars.
3. In which Ohio city did Orville and Wilbur Wright run their bicycle shop?Answer: Dayton. The Wright brothers built their early aircraft in their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.
4. Sacco and Vanzetti, whose 1920s murder trial drew protests around the world, were immigrants from which country?Answer: Italy. Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian-born anarchists executed in Massachusetts.
5. The Wounded Knee Massacre took place in which present-day state?Answer: South Dakota. U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Lakota at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
6. Which Union general was nicknamed 'Fighting Joe'?Answer: Joseph Hooker. Joseph Hooker commanded the Army of the Potomac before losing at Chancellorsville.
7. Which Kentucky senator was known as 'the Great Compromiser'?Answer: Henry Clay. Henry Clay helped broker several deals between North and South, including the Compromise of 1850.
8. Who invented the safety elevator, which stopped a car from falling if its cable broke?Answer: Elisha Otis. Elisha Otis famously demonstrated his safety brake by having the rope cut beneath him.
9. Which Illinois senator, nicknamed 'the Little Giant', debated Abraham Lincoln?Answer: Stephen Douglas. Stephen A. Douglas faced Lincoln in seven famous debates during their Senate race.
10. Who wrote the poem that became the words of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?Answer: Francis Scott Key. Francis Scott Key wrote it after watching the British bombard Fort McHenry.
11. Which state was formed when its western counties broke away from Virginia during the Civil War?Answer: West Virginia. West Virginia's counties stayed loyal to the Union and became a separate state.
12. In 1919, a burst storage tank flooded Boston's North End with a deadly wave of what?Answer: Molasses. The Great Molasses Flood sent millions of gallons of molasses through the streets, killing 21 people.
13. In July 1863, New York City was torn by riots against what?Answer: The military draft. The New York City draft riots broke out over the Union's new conscription law.
14. Who was the governor of the Roanoke colony who returned from England to find it deserted?Answer: John White. John White, grandfather of Virginia Dare, found only the word CROATOAN carved on a post.
15. Which Puritan woman was banished from Massachusetts Bay for her religious teachings?Answer: Anne Hutchinson. Anne Hutchinson was tried and banished for challenging the colony's ministers.
16. Which World War II naval battle, in which U.S. carriers sank four Japanese carriers, turned the tide in the Pacific?Answer: Midway. At Midway, U.S. dive bombers sank four Japanese aircraft carriers.
17. Which Southern city did William T. Sherman capture before beginning his March to the Sea?Answer: Atlanta. Sherman took Atlanta and then marched his army to Savannah on the coast.
18. Which American businessman led the effort to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable?Answer: Cyrus Field. Cyrus West Field backed the Atlantic cable projects that finally linked America and Britain.
19. Which U.S. general commanded coalition forces in the Gulf War against Iraq?Answer: Norman Schwarzkopf. General H. Norman Schwarzkopf led the coalition in Operation Desert Storm.
20. Which inventor received an early patent for a lockstitch sewing machine?Answer: Elias Howe. Elias Howe patented his lockstitch sewing machine and later won royalties from Isaac Singer.

U.S. Presidents trivia

1. Which president signed the law making 'The Star-Spangled Banner' the national anthem?Answer: Herbert Hoover. Herbert Hoover signed the act making it the official anthem on March 3, 1931.
2. The first White House bowling alley was built as a birthday gift for which president?Answer: Harry S. Truman. Friends from Missouri paid for the lanes, built in the West Wing in 1947.
3. Which golf-loving president had a putting green installed outside the Oval Office?Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower's putting green was put in on the South Lawn in 1954.
4. Which president, a skilled wrestler in his youth, is honored in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame?Answer: Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a celebrated frontier wrestler, and the hall honors him as an Outstanding American.
5. Which president bought what are now the U.S. Virgin Islands from Denmark?Answer: Woodrow Wilson. The Wilson administration paid Denmark $25 million for the islands, which changed hands in 1917.
6. Who was president when the Erie Canal opened?Answer: John Quincy Adams. The canal opened in October 1825, months after John Quincy Adams took office.
7. Which president attended the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge?Answer: Chester A. Arthur. Chester Arthur walked across the bridge with New York's governor at its opening in May 1883.
8. Which president dedicated Hoover Dam?Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt. Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the dam in September 1935; it now bears his predecessor’s name.
9. Who was president when the Wright brothers made their first powered flight?Answer: Theodore Roosevelt. The Wrights flew at Kitty Hawk in December 1903, during Theodore Roosevelt's first term.
10. Which president welcomed Charles Lindbergh home after his solo flight across the Atlantic?Answer: Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge presented Lindbergh with the Distinguished Flying Cross in Washington in June 1927.
11. Who was president when the Berlin Wall fell?Answer: George H. W. Bush. The wall opened in November 1989, during George H. W. Bush's first year in office.
12. Who was president during the nation's Bicentennial celebrations?Answer: Gerald Ford. Gerald Ford led the July 4, 1976, celebrations of the nation's 200th birthday.
13. Who was president when the first Super Bowl was played?Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson. The first Super Bowl was played in January 1967, during Lyndon Johnson's presidency.
14. Who was president during the Apollo 13 emergency?Answer: Richard Nixon. Nixon greeted the Apollo 13 crew in Hawaii after their safe return in April 1970.
15. Who was president when the U.S. hockey team pulled off the 'Miracle on Ice'?Answer: Jimmy Carter. Carter phoned the team to congratulate them after their gold-medal win at Lake Placid in February 1980.
16. Who was president when the first space shuttle flew?Answer: Ronald Reagan. Columbia launched in April 1981, a few months into Ronald Reagan's first term.
17. Who was president when the Pony Express began carrying mail?Answer: James Buchanan. The Pony Express started in April 1860, near the end of James Buchanan's term.
18. Thomas Edison showed off his new phonograph at the White House for which president?Answer: Rutherford B. Hayes. Edison demonstrated the phonograph for Rutherford Hayes in April 1878.
19. Who was president when John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth?Answer: John F. Kennedy. Glenn orbited Earth in February 1962, and Kennedy presented him with a NASA medal days later.
20. Who was president when Samuel Morse sent his famous telegraph message from Washington to Baltimore?Answer: John Tyler. Morse sent 'What hath God wrought' in May 1844, during John Tyler's presidency.

Geography trivia

1. Which bay between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia has the highest tides in the world?Answer: The Bay of Fundy. Tides in the Bay of Fundy can rise and fall by more than 15 meters.
2. What is the capital of Burkina Faso?Answer: Ouagadougou. Ouagadougou is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso in West Africa.
3. What is the capital of Mozambique?Answer: Maputo. Maputo, once called Lourenço Marques, lies on a bay of the Indian Ocean.
4. Which river, sacred to Hindus, flows past the holy city of Varanasi?Answer: The Ganges. Pilgrims bathe in the Ganges along Varanasi's riverside steps, called ghats.
5. What is the name of Australia's largest lake, a salt lake that is usually dry?Answer: Lake Eyre. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre in South Australia fills with water only after rare heavy rains.
6. Which river is the longest in Pakistan?Answer: The Indus. The Indus flows from Tibet through the length of Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.
7. Which great river flows across Venezuela to the Atlantic Ocean?Answer: The Orinoco. The Orinoco forms a huge delta on Venezuela's Atlantic coast.
8. Which cold ocean current flows north along the west coast of South America?Answer: The Humboldt Current. The Humboldt Current brings cold, nutrient-rich water up the coasts of Chile and Peru.
9. Which island nation off southeast Africa is the only natural home of lemurs?Answer: Madagascar. Lemurs live in the wild only on Madagascar and a few nearby islands.
10. Which sea is the only one with no coastline, bounded instead by ocean currents?Answer: The Sargasso Sea. The Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic is defined by the currents that circle it.
11. Which African lake is the longest freshwater lake in the world?Answer: Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika stretches about 670 kilometers through four countries.
12. What is the geography term for a ring-shaped coral island or reef surrounding a lagoon?Answer: Atoll. Atolls form when coral grows around a volcanic island that later sinks beneath the sea.
13. What is the geography term for a flat-topped hill with steep sides, common in the American Southwest?Answer: Mesa. Mesa is Spanish for table; a butte is a smaller, narrower version.
14. What is the term for a long, narrow sea inlet between steep cliffs, carved by a glacier?Answer: Fjord. Fjords are found in Norway, Chile, New Zealand and other once-glaciated coasts.
15. Which volcano buried the Roman town of Pompeii?Answer: Mount Vesuvius. Vesuvius, near Naples, erupted in AD 79 and buried Pompeii and Herculaneum.
16. What is the name of the long valley system that runs from the Red Sea down through East Africa?Answer: The Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley formed where the African plate is slowly pulling apart.
17. What is the term for the wide mouth of a river where fresh water mixes with tidal seawater?Answer: Estuary. In an estuary, the river's fresh water meets and mixes with salt water from the sea.
18. What is the name of the dry grassland belt that runs along the southern edge of the Sahara?Answer: The Sahel. The Sahel stretches across Africa from Senegal to Sudan.
19. Which ancient region's name means 'the land between the rivers'?Answer: Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in today's Iraq.
20. Which warm Atlantic current carries tropical water from the Gulf of Mexico toward Europe?Answer: The Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream helps give western Europe its mild winters.