Trick questions

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:41 am

These are either trick questions, or at least questions with Quite Interesting answers (I hope). A couple of them I have picked up from various other forums, the others I came up with myself. Feel free to add your own.

No Googling!

1. What was the fourth word spoken on the moon?
2. True or false - the Jacksons' song "Blame it on the Boogie" was co-written by Michael Jackson?
3. Who won the 1950 World Cup final?
4. What is the smallest city in England?
5. Quick - what is the national currency of Italy?
6. Barack Obama is the 44th president of the USA. How many men have served as president before him?
7. If you stand in the centre of London, how far away are you from United States territory?
8. Travelling south from Detroit, what's the first country outside the US that you come to?
9. Complete this list: Torres, da Silva, Ruas, Piazza, Santana, Nunes, Filho, Andrade, Venerando, ...
10. What is unusual about the names of English towns such as Penzance, Penrith, Skegness, Torquay, Torbay, Birkenhead, Sheerness, Gravesend, and Southend?

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:58 am

How do we enter? Just post the answers?

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:06 pm

Yes. I mean, maybe use spoilers, especially if you've got the whole lot!

[edit] Wait, is there no [spoiler] tag on this forum?

[edit] OK I suppose you can use something like [ color=#EEEEFF] spoiler text [ /color]. Works in my browser, anyway.

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:09 pm

SPOILER!

Number 3: Nobody did, because it was a league format so it had no final.

Ben Wilson · Post by **Ben Wilson** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:55 pm

Number 1: 'Engine' iirc. #s 1 & 2 were 'Contact Light' followed by 'Okay, engine shutdown'. I might be wrong about them saying 'okay'.

Number 6: 42. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is credited as being 'two different presidents' as it were. In-between spanking Grandpa Simpson.

Number 7: As little as I know about London I'd guess less than five miles to the nearest US embassy.

Peter Mabey · Post by **Peter Mabey** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:39 pm

Number 5:There isn't one - being now part of the Eurozone, they use the international euro.

Tyron Potts · Post by **Tyron Potts** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:50 pm

Ben Wilson wrote:Number 1: 'Engine' iirc. #s 1 & 2 were 'Contact Light' followed by 'Okay, engine shutdown'. I might be wrong about them saying 'okay'.

Re Number 1: I think there is a 'Shutdown' in there somewhere... Probably before the 'Okay' - making 'Okay' the fourth word?

Number 8: Canada - the border loops round under itself south-west of Toronto

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:14 pm

Good work so far.

1. [ The trick, of course, is that you might think the first words uttered were "the Eagle has landed", but that was actually some time after touchdown. It does depend exactly how you parse it, and when you consider the moment of arrival on the moon to be. "Contact light" was when a sensor bar beneath the lander touched the surface, but the lander was still moving at that point. Anyway, the transcript I read went "Contact light. Shutdown. OK. Engine stop. ACA out of Detent." etc., so Tyron had the answer I was thinking of. ]
3. You might think [ it was Uruguay, who beat Brazil in the crucial match. But it was not actually a final, as Kai says. The final phase was a round-robin. ]
5. Not [ Lira, because of course they use the Euro now. This particular trick question is getting less effective with time, I suppose

]
6. Correct, Ben.
7. Pretty sure the land that the US Embassy stands on is still British territory, so it's not that.
8. Tyron correct again. Not [ Cuba or Mexico or whatever, as you might expect. ]

Tyron Potts · Post by **Tyron Potts** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:55 pm

Question 4: I grew up in Somerset and was always told it was Wells. I willing to bet that's not the right answer though.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:22 pm

Is 4 Westminster or is that another urban myth that I absorbed at school? I think the spoilering thing is pointless in the thread, no one's going to read down this far if they don't want to know the answers.

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:40 pm

Yeah, let's drop the spoilers.

For no. 4, Wells is the sensible answer. It being a trick question, though, I'm after the other, still quite defensible, answer. Not Westminster.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:34 pm

Paul Hammond wrote:Yeah, let's drop the spoilers.

For no. 4, Wells is the sensible answer. It being a trick question, though, I'm after the other, still quite defensible, answer. Not Westminster.

The city of London? Dunno it's pretty much a subjective question anyway.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:36 pm

2. True or false - the Jacksons' song "Blame it on the Boogie" was co-written by Michael Jackson?

Educated guess - it was already a cover version when they did it? So no he didn't.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:43 pm

9. Complete this list: Torres, da Silva, Ruas, Piazza, Santana, Nunes, Filho, Andrade, Venerando, ...
10. What is unusual about the names of English towns such as Penzance, Penrith, Skegness, Torquay, Torbay, Birkenhead, Sheerness, Gravesend, and Southend?

I think these are the only two unsolved ones, and I don't have them!

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:08 pm

4. Correct, the City of London. Technically it is a city in its own right. Permanent population about 8,000, only a square mile in area. So, smaller than Wells. Whether it should really be considered a city is debatable.

So that leaves:

2. Which, although it may seem kind of dull, is probably my favourite quiz question ever. Martin is correct that it was a cover version. I will say no more than that.

7. If you stand in the centre of London, how far away are you from United States territory?

9., Which is closely related to another question in subject matter. There are two names missing. I invite people who are interested in the subject to count the number of names.

10. Which is just something unusual I noticed about the names of certain towns, and was startled to realise how rare it is. Something rather basic, not "the name has an even number of vowels in it" or anything like that. Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive list of English town names.

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:51 pm

I recognise most of the nine names in question 9 as footballers, and Torres for one plays with a 9 on his back, but at least two of the others are defenders. Seem to be Spanish, Portugese, Brazilian. Number nines in winning World Cup, Euro Nations Cup?

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:54 pm

Not that Torres. Another, equally famous player.

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:59 pm

The one who was about seven feet tall and played with Eusebio? If I can't use Google, I'm stuck.

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 12:01 am

Yeah, I think at this point I must allow Googled answers. But hopefully a certain amount of forehead slapping will ensue.

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 12:03 am

Already done it. There's a few going by names I didn't recognise! Good night.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:42 am

I just Wikipediaed (oooh ugly word) Blame it on the Boogie and it turns out that the authors were David and Mick Jackson , not Michael Jackson. So it was written by two Jacksons, but nothing to do with the Jackson Five!

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:50 am

Paul Hammond wrote:10. What is unusual about the names of English towns such as Penzance, Penrith, Skegness, Torquay, Torbay, Birkenhead, Sheerness, Gravesend, and Southend?

My only stab, which I don't think is right, is that you can divide them into two common words (i.e. no capital letter). This definitely words for Southend, Gravesend, Torbay and Torquay; but for the others it either doesn't, or it's some words I don't know. I'm about 95% this isn't right.

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:38 am

Paul Hammond wrote: 7. Pretty sure the land that the US Embassy stands on is still British territory, so it's not that.

Nah, embassy grounds are definitely legally defined as belonging to the territory of whichever country they represent. Given that you're looking for a different answer, I'd assume that there's a war memorial or somesuch that falls under American juristiction. Or possibly a military base somewhere. Some bloody pedantry anyway.

Paul Howe · Post by **Paul Howe** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:45 am

Maybe there's a town called London in the continental US. They've nicked all our other place names so it makes sense.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 12:01 pm

Ian Volante wrote:
Paul Hammond wrote: 7. Pretty sure the land that the US Embassy stands on is still British territory, so it's not that.
Nah, embassy grounds are definitely legally defined as belonging to the territory of whichever country they represent. Given that you're looking for a different answer, I'd assume that there's a war memorial or somesuch that falls under American juristiction. Or possibly a military base somewhere. Some bloody pedantry anyway.

Not so. The embassy territory still belongs to the host nation, even though the laws and taxes of the represented nation apply.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:15 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:Is 4 Westminster or is that another urban myth that I absorbed at school? I think the spoilering thing is pointless in the thread, no one's going to read down this far if they don't want to know the answers.

Paul Hammond wrote:4. Correct, the City of London. Technically it is a city in its own right. Permanent population about 8,000, only a square mile in area. So, smaller than Wells. Whether it should really be considered a city is debatable.

Having looked on the Wikipedia (obviously 100% on everything) it seems that both the City of London and the City of Westminster have official city status. Apparently while the City of London is the smallest city in England, St David's in Wales is the smallest in the UK. So what's the capital city then? And is the rest of London not in a city, or are there other London cities as well?

However, this "official city status" is a loads of bollocks to me. The concept of "city" has been around for much longer than the government decided to hijack it and decide for itself what is allowed to be a city. I recognise it no more than if the government came up with "official bread status" and decided that some loaves did not fulfil the criteria. I don't recognise the government as a city-determining body.

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:26 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote:I don't recognise the government as a city-determining body.

I don't recognise you as a city-determining-determining body.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:32 pm

Jon O'Neill wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:I don't recognise the government as a city-determining body.
I don't recognise you as a city-determining-determining body.

I don't recognise you as a city-determining-determining-determining body.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:32 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote:However, this "official city status" is a loads of bollocks to me. The concept of "city" has been around for much longer than the government decided to hijack it and decide for itself what is allowed to be a city. I recognise it no more than if the government came up with "official bread status" and decided that some loaves did not fulfil the criteria. I don't recognise the government as a city-determining body.

Yeah, it's like the bloody dictionary - words had been around for ages until that Johnson bloke showed up and started telling us what our words were meant to mean. Political correctness gone mad, I say.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:25 pm

Paul Hammond wrote:4. Correct, the City of London. Technically it is a city in its own right. Permanent population about 8,000, only a square mile in area. So, smaller than Wells. Whether it should really be considered a city is debatable.

If I am not mistaken, this question was actually asked on QI, during the 'E' series and the 'England' episode, but I couldn't remember the answer.

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:25 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:
Ian Volante wrote:
Paul Hammond wrote: 7. Pretty sure the land that the US Embassy stands on is still British territory, so it's not that.
Nah, embassy grounds are definitely legally defined as belonging to the territory of whichever country they represent. Given that you're looking for a different answer, I'd assume that there's a war memorial or somesuch that falls under American juristiction. Or possibly a military base somewhere. Some bloody pedantry anyway.
Not so. The embassy territory still belongs to the host nation, even though the laws and taxes of the represented nation apply.

Right you are, my memory of the semantics of the definition went awry somewhere...

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:40 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:
Paul Hammond wrote:10. What is unusual about the names of English towns such as Penzance, Penrith, Skegness, Torquay, Torbay, Birkenhead, Sheerness, Gravesend, and Southend?
My only stab, which I don't think is right, is that you can divide them into two common words (i.e. no capital letter). This definitely words for Southend, Gravesend, Torbay and Torquay; but for the others it either doesn't, or it's some words I don't know. I'm about 95% this isn't right.

So what's the answer?

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:03 pm

I think there's a piece of land in Runnymede given to the Americans for JFK's memorial.

So about 8 miles west of the centre.

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:13 pm

Yes, I was thinking of the JFK memorial at Runnymede. About 20 miles west of the centre of London. Again, maybe a slight stretch to describe it as US territory, but Wikipedia does so it must be etc. etc.

For the town names, the answer is that they have the stress on the final syllable, which is very rare in English town names (and I'm not actually sure whether Gravesend is gravesEND or GRAVESend). Here's a list of towns in England if you don't believe me.

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:22 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:I just Wikipediaed (oooh ugly word) Blame it on the Boogie and it turns out that the authors were David and Mick Jackson , not Michael Jackson. So it was written by two Jacksons, but nothing to do with the Jackson Five!

And of course, Mick Jackson's full name is Michael Jackson, so the statement is both true and false - Michael Jackson did co-write it, but not THE Michael Jackson.

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:28 pm

I pronounce all of those towns stressing the first syllable.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:34 pm

Paul Hammond wrote:Yes, I was thinking of the JFK memorial at Runnymede. About 20 miles west of the centre of London. Again, maybe a slight stretch to describe it as US territory, but Wikipedia does so it must be etc. etc.

For the town names, the answer is that they have the stress on the final syllable, which is very rare in English town names (and I'm not actually sure whether Gravesend is gravesEND or GRAVESend). Here's a list of towns in England if you don't believe me.

How about Leeds?

Paul Hammond · Post by **Paul Hammond** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:45 pm

No, Leeds is definitely not US territory.

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:06 pm

Paul Hammond wrote:No, Leeds is definitely not US territory.

Great questions, Paul, cheers for those. Especially the Jacksons one, I honestly had no idea that it was a cover version in the first place and I know all sorts of ridiculously esoteric pop trivia.

Adam Dexter · Post by **Adam Dexter** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:21 pm

Martin Gardner wrote:
Paul Hammond wrote:Yes, I was thinking of the JFK memorial at Runnymede. About 20 miles west of the centre of London. Again, maybe a slight stretch to describe it as US territory, but Wikipedia does so it must be etc. etc.

For the town names, the answer is that they have the stress on the final syllable, which is very rare in English town names (and I'm not actually sure whether Gravesend is gravesEND or GRAVESend). Here's a list of towns in England if you don't believe me.
How about Leeds?

Not sure, but I think Leeds might be a city

David Roe · Post by **David Roe** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:55 pm

The trick in question 10 - is it that Torbay isn't a town?

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:47 pm

Only just seen this thread, so I'll answer before looking much further down, and so not seeing any possible answers.

Now I've read on and seen that we're not using spoilers, so I've cut them out.

1. step
3. pure guess - Brazil
4. London (one square mile), or maybe Westminster
5. Euro
6. 43
7. Depends where you regard the centre of London. Probably about one mile, as the nearest US territory in their embassy in Mayfair
8. another guess - Antartica

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:41 pm

Hmm yeah, some of these don't have any "trick" element at all, but most of them do.