Ken Jennings Trivia

[Don Enrico]

1. In addition to their day jobs as peasants, what did hoplites do in ancient Greece?

I believe they where specifically soldiers equipped with spears.

[chillas]

1. Foot soldiers.

2. So, they're looking for Ophelia on this one, but it's worth noting that in Richard III, the Duke of Clarence is stabbed then may or may not have been drowned in wine off-stage (First murderer: "...if all this will not do / I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within").

3. Coal.

4. COBRA.

5. Joan Crawford.

6. All I can think of is GAGA.

[Richard W]

I missed a week... and I'm a bit late to this one.

1. Spearmen, if I'm remembering strategy games correctly.

2. Ophelia.

3. The name means woodstone so coal I suppose.

Don't know 4 or 5, and for 6 I clearly haven't read any popular science books about evolution recently enough because I used to know the four DNA base pairs off the top of my head and now I can't remember them. I'm not sure I'd know the singer even if I could, though.

And I don't know anything about opera either, although luckily I don't need to, because the answer was included.

(eta) If that's the answer for 6, it's a short enough string that it must surely appear in the DNA of pretty much every organism ever... I wonder if it's repeated a lot in this particular fern, or something.

[Dr. Winston O'Boogie]

Can I claim to have gotten 2 question 7s in a row?

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Gotten, yes; answered, no.

Seaboe

[DadOf3]

Happy Tuesday, all.

Sorry again about question 7 last week (and thanks, UEL). I'll get it right this time!

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS

1. In addition to their day jobs as peasants, what did hoplites do in ancient Greece?
When they weren't tilling the earth or whatever, hoplites got called up to military service. They were citizen-soldiers.

2. Who's the only Shakespearean character to die by drowning?
The legend about Ophelia choking on a ham sandwich is not true. She drowned.

3. Lignite is the "brown" type of what material?
It's coal...just not very good coal, because of its low carbon content.

4. The 1986 law allowing employees to continue their healthcare coverage between employers is usually referred to by the name of what reptile?
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act that mandated that new health insurance program is called COBRA, for short. Now you know...and knowing is half the battle.

5. In classic films, what actress played title characters Letty Lynton, Sadie McKee, Mildred Pierce, Daisy Kenyon, and Harriet Craig?
Most of those are pretty missable, but Mildred Pierce is a stone-cold classics. All starred Joan Crawford.

6. In 2012, a new genus of ferns was named in honor of what singer, because her name is spelled out in base pairs in its DNA?
Not only are the ferns sexually fluid, not only do they look like a memorable dress worn to the 2010 Oscars, but their DNA spells out guanine-adenine-guanine-adenine in honor of...Lady Gaga. One species is even called Gaga germanotta. Another is called Gaga monstraparva in honor of Gaga's "little monster" fans. Thanks everyone for sticking around to see all this additional information...I just wanted to take another look at you.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. What 1756-1763 conflict has been called "World War Zero" because it involved every major European power and took place on five continents?

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what?

3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel?

4. Before her 2003 retirement, Cathy Freeman won two Olympic track medals for what nation?

5. What kind of food would you bake by "shirring"?

6. Before The Golden Girls began in 1985, two of the four lead actresses had starred together in what other TV series?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. cities, listed in this order? Lexington, Casper, Norfolk, St. Louis, Cleveland, Huntington, Hartford, Miami, Great Falls.

Enjoy!

[Floater]

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what?

Teeth or baleens

4. Before her 2003 retirement, Cathy Freeman won two Olympic track medals for what nation?

Australia

[dfresh]

1. What 1756-1763 conflict has been called "World War Zero" because it involved every major European power and took place on five continents?

Seven Years War/French and Indian War

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what?

Teeth


3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel?

Skyrim

[GenYus234]

1. What 1756-1763 conflict has been called "World War Zero" because it involved every major European power and took place on five continents? Seven Years War, called the French and Indian war in the American colonies.

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what? Teeth.

3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel? Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

5. What kind of food would you bake by "shirring"? Fud sumun else wants too.

[dfresh]

Well done on number 5, GenYus.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by DadOf3

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. What 1756-1763 conflict has been called "World War Zero" because it involved every major European power and took place on five continents?

Is this the War of the Spanish Succession?

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what?

Teeth, which is revealed by the use of "odonto" in the name.

3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel?

A game I've never heard of or played.

4. Before her 2003 retirement, Cathy Freeman won two Olympic track medals for what nation?

Botswana (first country that came to mind, seriously).

5. What kind of food would you bake by "shirring"?

Eggs. ETA: seriously did not expect to be first with this one.

6. Before The Golden Girls began in 1985, two of the four lead actresses had starred together in what other TV series?

I'm going to make a wild guess that the answer isn't Maude or the Mary Tyler Moore Show. I do not, however, know what the answer is.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. cities, listed in this order? Lexington, Casper, Norfolk, St. Louis, Cleveland, Huntington, Hartford, Miami, Great Falls.

They are all the sites of big land frauds, the first in their states. Although I must admit I'm not sure where Huntington is.

Seaboe

[GenYus234]

There is a Huntington in West Virginia, but I do not know if that is the one he is referring to.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

The first thing I wondered was whether this was Lexington, KY, or Lexington, MA (I think it's MA). I'd say it was something to do with capitals, but as far as I know, Great Falls has never been the capital of Montana.

Seaboe

[musicgeek]

1. What 1756-1763 conflict has been called "World War Zero" because it involved every major European power and took place on five continents? The French and Indian War? If so, I'll have to do some more reading - didn't know about the five continents!

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what? teeth (vs. baleen)

3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel? Not much of a gamer - is that Skyrim? (Only one I can think of that sounds like a place name.)

5. What kind of food would you bake by "shirring"? I believe that's an egg.

6. Before The Golden Girls began in 1985, two of the four lead actresses had starred together in what other TV series? Guessing Maude.

[Richard W]

1. I think that's just the Seven Years War.

2. Teeth (as opposed to baleen).

3. Skyrim.

I don't know any others.

[chillas]

1. Seven Years War.

2. Teeth.

3. Skyrim.

4. Don't know.

5. Egg.

6. Maude?

7. Nothing comes to mind.

[erwins]

For 7, if Seaboe is not correct (I have no idea), it strikes me that some of these are fairly large cities where there is another city of the same name in a different state. But that is obviously not enough for an answer. Just mentioning it in case it Sparks something. Also, Portland is not listed, so if it has anything to do with that, that omission might be significant. Or it might show that it's just a coincidence. . . .

[Morning]

My guess for number 7 is that it has something to do with the cities being ports on rivers, because Cincinnati and Huntington are both on the Ohio. However, Lexington isn't on the river. So I am changing my guess to "cities that people think are the capitols of their states, but are not. (Those would be for those three Columbus, Charleston, and Frankfort.) But why would they have to be in order for that? So I know I'm wrong.

[TallGeekyGirl]

2. The two broad types of whales, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, are divided based on whether or not they have what? Teeth.

3. What title setting of a 2011 video game is the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel? Sky-- FUS ROH DAH! Skyr-- FUS ROH DAH! Dammit! SKYRIM!

5. What kind of food would you bake by "shirring"? Eggs?

6. Before The Golden Girls began in 1985, two of the four lead actresses had starred together in what other TV series? Maude?

[UEL]

1. That would be the Seven Years War

2. That would be teeth

3. Red Dead Redemption is my guess

4. I would guess Jamaica

5. I am guessing potatoes. I love baked potatoes

6. I only know Bea Arthur from another series, so by default, I guess Maude.

7. I am guessing that they had their college football teams lose in overtime.

I think I'm 2 for 7 this week.