Don’t want to gatecrash That Sparrer’s thread, so starting a fresh one.
This caused a certain consternation at an Irish Mensa online gathering (the hardest ever set, apparently). I’m curious to see how Cellarite brains compare. (I think I can safely predict that Q7 shouldn’t be too much of a challenge!)
By the by, I am informed that "Your topic is similar to…
What do the following albums have in common: Queen - Sheer Heart Attack; The Doors - Waiting for the Sun; Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy?
How did Roger Davis inadvertently help make cricketing history on 31 August 1968?
The zoopraxiscope was an early form of what?
The play Green Grow The Lilacs, by Lynn Riggs, was adapted into which Broadway musical?
What is unusual about the final movement of the Piano Concerto by Ferruccio Busoni?
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys is a novel about the early life of which literary
character?
Actress Patricia Greene holds what world record?
The madrigal group The Dowland Consort was formed in 1959 by which Irish composer, broadcaster and academic? [Editor’s note: Not to be confused with the ensemble of the same name founded by Jakob Lindberg in 1985]
In the Monty Python Bruces sketch, what is the sixth Faculty Rule?
The name of which C20 artistic movement is derived from a French term for a hobby horse?
Who won the gold medal for men’s hammer throw at the 1928 Olympics?
Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress is a collection of essays concerning what major literary work of the first half of the C20?
Who sang the role of Parson Nathaniel on the original recording of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds?
Sejong The Great (1397-1450) was king of which Asian country?
What is commonly known in Japan as Nanbāpurēsu —or, colloquially, Nanpure?
Five Million Years To Earth was the US title for the big screen adaptation of which classic BBC sci-fi serial?
Samuel Beckett’s shortest theatrical work, Breath, was first performed as part of what revue?
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band’s 1968 single I’m The Urban Spaceman was produced by “Apollo C. Vermouth”, a pseudonym for Gus Dudgeon and which other musician?
Nadsat is the dialect spoken in which 1962 novel?
The C19 physicist and mountaineer John Tyndall was born in which Irish county?
Not thinking about it, I have six of them that I simply do know; am I allowed to cheat by looking things up? And why is this general knowledge stuff Mensa-fodda?
It’s all very aimed-at-people in their fifties and over, isn’t it…
Just something one of the groups does each month - a general knowledge quiz. I think it started mainly as a way of avoiding embarrassing lulls in online conversations. And 50+ is a pretty good fit for the membership. A lot of retirees
If it’s any help, the answer to 8 isn’t Seán Ó Riada (he of Ceoltóirí Chualann, from which emerged The Chieftains) which was the near-unanimous guess last night.
One is sort of glad poor Mr Davis didn’t bring that catch off. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8u7A0MvB9eg
The Ma said there were a couple of occasions when she saw Sobers batting for Nottingham and meh, and then one day he came out and ‘batted like a god’. She’s not given to poetry on the whole.
What do the following albums have in common: Queen - Sheer Heart Attack; The Doors - Waiting for the Sun; Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy?
Answer
All have “displaced” title tracks (They eventually appeared on News Of The World,Morrison Hotel and Physical Graffitti respectively)
How did Roger Davis inadvertently help make cricketing history on 31 August 1968?
Answer
During Gary Sobers’ record six sixes in a single over (in first class cricket) he actually made a catch off the fifth delivery, but stumbled over the boundary and, under a (short-lived) change to the Laws it was ruled as a six rather than out.
The zoopraxiscope was an early form of what?
Answer
Movie projector
The play Green Grow The Lilacs, by Lynn Riggs, was adapted into which Broadway musical?
Answer
Oklahoma
What is unusual about the final movement of the Piano Concerto by Ferruccio Busoni?
Answer
It includes a (male) chorus
Wide Sargasso Seaby Jean Rhys is a novel about the early life of which literary character?
Answer
The first Mrs Rochester in Jane Eyre
Actress Patricia Greene holds what world record?
Answer
Longest-serving actor in a soap opera (Jill in The Archers since 1957)
The madrigal group The Dowland Consort was formed in 1959 by which Irish composer, broadcaster and academic?
Answer
Brian Boydell
In the Monty Python Bruces sketch, what is the sixth Faculty Rule?
Answer
“There is no Rule Six”
The name of which C20 artistic movement is derived from a French term for a hobby horse?
Answer
Dada(ism)
Who won the gold medal for men’s hammer throw at the 1928 Olympics?
Answer
Pat O’Callaghan. This was the first gold medal for Ireland, rather than GB & Ireland, thus the first time the Irish Tricolour was raised and Amhrán na bhFiann played at an Olympic medal ceremony.
Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progressis a collection of essays concerning what major literary work?
Answer
Finnegans Wake
Who sang the role of “Parson Nathaniel” on the original recording of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds?
Answer
Phil Lynott
Sejong The Great (1397-1450) was king of which Asian country?
Answer
Korea
What is commonly known in Japan asNanbāpurēsu—or, colloquially, Nanpure?
Summary
Sudoku (which is a trademark in Japan)
Five Million Years To Earthwas the US title for the cinema adaptation of which classic BBC sci-fi serial?
Answer
Quatermass And The Pit
Samuel Beckett’s shortest theatrical work, Breath, was first performed as part of what revue?
Answer
Oh! Calcutta!
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band’s 1968 single I’m The Urban Spaceman was produced by “Apollo C. Vermouth”, a pseudonym for Gus Dudgeon and which other musician?
Answer
Paul McCartney
Nadsat is the dialect spoken in which 1962 novel?
Answer
A Clockwork Orange
The C19 physicist and mountaineer John Tyndall was born in which Irish county?
I’m sure they’d love a roadtrip. But I must warn you they are a) bugger-all use; and b) elves. They might sort out the Teenage Badger for you, though, via the medium of barbecue…
Gxx
Ah, yes, I do see…
So you are outing yerself as Onlie Perpetrator? I suppose 12 & 17 & 20* should have made me wonder. Thanks again As I said, it was fun.
*once I had the answer, obvs. I went for Cork… Generally safest to do that;- )
You weren’t alone! And not without reason—the Tyndall National Institute is a part of UCC.
So you are outing yerself as Onlie Perpetrator? I suppose 12 & 17 & 20* should have made me wonder.
I was Shanghaied! Made the mistake of winning the first one I entered—then found out that the “prize” is to set the next one. I’d been warned that 3/20 was not an unusual score—had indeed been the winning score on more than one occasion—so obscurity was definitely the order of the day. It’s really just an excuse to throw out a few topics that we can chat about afterwards (not that this crowd need much encouragement!). I deliberately avoided too many references to current popular culture. This was partly out of consideration for the age profile of the participants (I think I’m the youngest*) but mostly because I couldn’t be arsed to go trawling through tedious reports of the doings of the inexplicably famous. It was bad enough having to check up stuff about sport…
*The yoof (read “not yet retired”) I believe hold are regular online game and puzzle sessions at the weekend, but at the moment Saturday and Sunday are work days for me. (One Tuesday evening a month is just about manageable)
