Tag: general knowledge

Brush up

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I’m going along to a charity quiz this evening, and let’s just say that it’s been a while since I have had to remember anything trivia-esque. That’s why I find myself brushing up on the stuff I really should know, like the speed of light (299,792,458 ms-1), the capital of Togo (Lomé), and how many weeks Bryan Adams’ song Everything I Do (I Do It For You) stayed at number one in the UK singles chart (it was 16) (eish).

Before I head out, I’ll also be asking AI to give me a 250 word summary of the last couple of months in South African politics (a subject I have actively avoided of late), in case there is a Current Affairs round. Of course, AI might make up fanciful stories about recent goings-on, but they surely can’t be any more ridiculous than the actual facts. And if you know you’re going to get a question wrong at a charity quiz, you should at least try to provide some amusement for the quizmaster or mistress.

I don’t know how seriously we’re planning to take things this evening. It’s nice to challenge for the top spot, but if people are just there to have a bit of a laugh, I’ll happily sit back and let the waves of mediocrity and enjoyment gently wash over me.

I have a couple of good posts planned for next week: this is quite unusual – firstly the “good” bit, and secondly the “planned” bit – that’s not my usual style. But I plan to write in the rain this weekend and so there might actually be actual content on the blog next week.

I guess I’m telling you not to forget to pop in at some stage in the next few days.

Different names

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I was binge-watching Only Connect again last night.
I got as far as Series 11. Episode 21.
The Scientists vs The String Section.
Gripping stuff.

And while there were many brilliant questions on offer, there was one which stood out for me, so I’ve elaborated upon it a little and reproduced it here.

All you’re looking for is the thing which connects these clues. The sooner you get it (correctly, of course), the more points you score.

Here we go:

Strudel (Israel)

Sleeping Cat (Finland)

Monkey’s Tail (The Netherlands)

Elephant’s Trunk (Denmark)

Snail (Italy)

Curled Alpha (Norway)

Wild A (Serbia)

 

That’s your lot, I’m afraid. If you’re still struggling (or if you’re not), the answer is down below. How quickly did you get it? Did you get it? Leave me a comment and tell me how you got on.
I’m guessing that my resident Israeli reader might have got this one sewn up. Unless she actually went for “apple pies”. Because it’s not them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The earliest yet discovered reference to this thing is a religious one; it features in a Bulgarian translation of a Greek chronicle written by Constantinos Manasses in 1345. Held today in the Vatican Apostolic Library, it features it in place of the capital letter alpha “A” in the word Amen. Why it was used in this context is still a mystery.

It first appeared on a typewriter in 1889.

And it has no official name in English.

The answer is… the @ symbol.

Well done if you got it.