Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Persistence of Memory was painted by Salvador Dali.

Today's Question:


One jack and four fives make up a perfect hand in which game?


It's a great hand in poker but I don't know the game in which it is perfect.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 30, 2011; http://thedali.org/history/biography.html; https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppJJqlMgSv0moM6OYuezwn8IVLB8FXe991BgATxblbHNc3BYe8ooC-9zG8iGayie8g2IXvVg1HplvtSyr32x4htn0inEoBZL4-GRORTiiYrVlfkQyTKZXGMiM77Kin6LPNlSd_Ax-6uoV/s1600/the_persistence_of_memory_-_1931_salvador_dali.jpg; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DZXyEEbhEw)

Compiled by Otto & Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:



In the film "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," Mr. Chips taught Latin.





Today's Question:


Who painted "Persistence of Memory?"


I know little about art but have a strong feeling this refers to Salvador Dali.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 29, 2011; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064382/; http://www.yuni.com/library/latin.html; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3wHncrp-qw;
http://www.virtualdali.com/#galleryClassic1)


Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question...

Yesterday's Answer:


The first and last name of the "personal gentleman's gentleman" created by P.G. Wodehouse is Reginald Jeeves.

I wonder if this is the origin of Jeeves as a stereotypical butler's name.

Click picture for Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie; Jeeves and Wooster

Today's Question:


In the film "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," which subject did Mr. Chips teach?


I haven't heard of this film.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 28, 2011; http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/P._G._Wodehouse/; http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/A8656635; http://www.worldofwooster.com)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Formerly, Hungary was known as Magyar.

Today's Question:


Give the first and last name of the "personal gentleman's gentleman" created by P.G. Wodehouse.


Never heard of this one.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 27, 2011; http://atlas.mapquest.com/country/Hungary/?flv=1; http://www.tucsonsurvivors.org/includes/pdfs/Hungary_between_the_Wars.pdf; http://www.pgwodehousebooks.com/)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The Latin phrase "Novus ordo seclorum" (new order of the ages) is found on the back of United States one-dollar bills.

Today's Question:


Give the current name for the country previously known as Magyar.


I don't know this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 26, 2011; http://www.latinphrasetranslation.com/translators/latin_to_english; http://theqleaner.com/images, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5PPRgc5yRg)

Compiled By Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Émile Zola wrote the Rougon Macquart novels that detail the lives of two families in Second Empire France.

Today's Question:


Exactly where are you most likely to see "Novus ordo seclorum" (new order of the ages)?


That's easy to a former numismaticist or for some conspiracy theorists; it's on the back of a dollar bill.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 25, 2011; http://www.online-literature.com/emile-zola/; http://swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.com/tag/rougon-macquart/; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/531445/Second-Empire; http://www.uncg.edu; egante-saulp.blogspot.com; http://www.answers.com/topic/numismatics)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The Shakespearean play that includes this patriotic panegyric come, "This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle/ This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars/ This other Eden, demi-paradise.../ This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England" is "The Tragedy of King Richard the Second."

Today's Question:
Who wrote the Rougon Macquart novels that detail the lives of two families in Second Empire France?


What little French culture I know does not include classic novels.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 24, 2011; http://www.shakespeare-online.com/; http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panegyric; theplantagenets.com; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/531445/Second-Empire)
Otto & Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:



The country of Ghana was previously known as the Gold Coast.

Today's Question:



From which Shakespearean play does this patriotic panegyric come? "This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle/ This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars/ This other Eden, demi-paradise.../ This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."


I don't know this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 23, 2011; http://atlas.mapquest.com/country/Ghana/?flv=1; http://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/goldcoast.htm; http://blazingsun.shopping.officelive.com/images; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Today's Question:


Give the current name for the country previously known as the Gold Coast.


I'm pretty sure this is somewhere in West Africa.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 22, 2011; http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensoftheunitedkingdom/thehanoverians/victoria.aspx; http://tealoverscorner.ning.com; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u56qq_C_hUw)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question...

Yesterday's Answer:


Five U.S. states border the Pacific Ocean.

Today's Question:


Which world-renowned head of state died on January 22, 1901, at the age of 81?


I thought of Bismarck but I think he died in the late 1800s.


(Sources: America Mensa, email transmission, November 21, 2011; http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/extreme2004/mission/divelocation/pacific.html; http://images.nationmaster.com; http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWbismarck.htm)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Repeat Visitors

If anyone would like to recieve daily trivia in their email there is a place to enter an address further down the right sidebar. Have a nice day.

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


No. The phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson" was never part of any Sherlock Holmes stories as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Today's Question:


How many U.S. states border the Pacific ocean:


I count 5 unless I've overlooked one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 20, 2011; http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/; http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/; http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG55dzJf8mc)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


No. The phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson" was never part of any Sherlock Holmes stories as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Today's Question:


How many U.S. states border the Pacific ocean:


I count 5 unless I've overlooked one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 20, 2011; http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/; http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/; http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG55dzJf8mc)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Sardinia is bounded on the north by the Strait of Bonifacio, on the east by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and on the south and the west by the Mediterranean.

Today's Question:


True or false: In at least one Arthur Conan Doyle story, Holmes says, "Elementary, my dear Watson!"


I read his complete works and do not remember noticing the famous phrase. That was when I was 14 but I think I'm correct.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 19, 2011; http://www.sardi.it/indexuk.htm; http://www.eosnap.com/tag/strait-of-bonifacio/; New World Encyclopedia)


Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question...

Yesterday's Answer:


The Crimea is a peninsula in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Today's Question:


Which island is bounded on the north by the Strait of Bonifacio, on the east by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and on the south and the west by the Mediterranean?


I get the two mixed up but of Corsica and Sardinia I think it's the one that's more north.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 19th, 2011; http://images-partners-tbn.google.com; http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/crimea/newman-text)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


“Twas the night before Christmas __when___ all through the house…" (Moore)

Today's Question:


The Crimea is a peninsula in which body(ies) of water?


Sounds like the Mediterranean Sea to me?


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 17, 2011; )http://www.carols.org.uk/twas_the_night_before_christmas.htm; http://sroblog.com)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Horseshoe crab The "living fossil" with 12 legs, 10 eyes, blue blood and the ability to see in the UV spectrum of light.

Darn, this answer came to me but the blue blood and UV sight threw me off.



Today's Question:
Fill in the one word exactly as it originally appeared: "'Twas the night before Christmas ____________ all through the house…" (Moore)


I thought it was "and" but that's clearly too simple.
(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 15, 2011; http://www.enchantedlearning.com; http://www.lumalier.com/why-uv-works/the-uv-spectrum.html; http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/uv.html)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Thomas Edison electrocuted an elephant to prove the dangers of alternating current.

Today's Question:


Identify the "living fossil" with 12 legs, 10 eyes, blue blood and the ability to see in the UV spectrum of light.


Sounds like a deep water creature but since a living fossil is a creature that was once only known as a fossil and then was found to still live this seems unlikely.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 15, 2011; http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventors/a/Edison_Bio.htm; http://science.howstuffworks.com/electricity5.htm; http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c10000/3c10000/3c10800/3c10811r.jpg; http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/living-fossil-eel/)

Compiled by Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The five events of the modern Olympic pentathlon, pistol shooting, epee fencing, 200-meter freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3-kilometer cross-country run.

Today's Question:


Who electrocuted an elephant to prove the dangers of alternating current?


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 14, 2011; http://www.clearleadinc.com/site/pentathlon.html; http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_1/1.html; http://men.ellamey.com/men/s17.jpg)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


British polymath (Not a mathematics term) philosopher Herbert Spencer coined the phrase "survival of the fittest."

Excerpt about Spencer's insightfulness (VictorianWeb.org) :

Although one of the most influential figures in sociology and psychology, Spencer was overshadowed because of his somewhat controversial ideas. In fact, his theory of evolution actually preceded Charles Darwin's, when he wrote The Developmental Hypothesis in 1852, 7 years before Darwin's Origin Of Species! His theory was not taken into serious consideration largely because of a lack of an effective theoretical system for natural selection. Nevertheless, it was Spencer and not Darwin who first popularized the term "Evolution", and few people outside the field realize that the oft-used phrase "survival of the fittest" was actually coined by Spencer!

Today's Question:


Name the five events of the modern Olympic Pentathlon.


I do not know this but based on the quantity of events I think it refers to the jumping ones. Hence my guess is: pole vault, high jump, broad jump, lomg jump, and triple jump.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 13, 2011; http://praxeology.net; http://www.victorianweb.org/philosophy/spencer/spencer.html, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u56qq_C_hUw)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The formula for converting Fahrenheit temperature into Centigrade is: °F = (9/5 x °C) + 32 = (1.8 x °C) + 32.

Today's Question:


Who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest?"


Pretty sure that was Darwin though I suppose it may have been Linnaeus.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 12, 2011; http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm; http://chemistry.about.com

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Dividend reinvestment plan (In finance, DRIP means dividend reinvestment plan).

Today's Question:


What is the formula for converting Centigrade temperature into Fahrenheit?

Knew this but can't remember; I think they asked this not long ago.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November, 11, 2011; www.investinganswers.com)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Two adjectives Sparta gave to the English language were Spartan and laconic.

Today's Question:


In finance, what does DRIP mean?


Don't know this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 10, 2011; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Spartan; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/laconic; http://www.sikyon.com/sparta/sparta_eg.html, http://rangevoting.org/SpartaAthens.jpg)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Ancient Spartans would throw unhealthy babies off of cliffs as a means of strengthening their overall "race." (I've since read this was an untrue rumour. I will see if I can recover the email from the 9th)

Today's Question:


List two adjectives Sparta gave to the English language.




(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 9, 2011; http://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-12-11/study-finds-no-evidence-of-discarded-spartan-babies/983848; http://www.history.com)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Crepuscular animals are primarily active during twilight hours.

Today's Question:


Which ancient society outlawed gold and silver money, disposed of its weak children, and allowed a certain amount of freedom and equality for its women?


All I know regarding this is that ancient Spartans would throw unhealthy babies off of a cliff as a means of strengthening their overall "race." I'd guess Sparta but only based on one of four dimensions.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 8, 2011; http://www.wisegeek.com/what-do-the-terms-crepuscular-diurnal-and-nocturnal-mean.htm; http://www.buzzle.com)


Compiled by Patricia and Otto Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The four basic forces that act on an airplane in flight are thrust, lift, weight, and drag.




Today's Question:
When are crepuscular animals primarily active?


I don't know this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 7, 2011; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GIbZiN11ik)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The public-health acronym XDRTB stands for extremely (or extensively) drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Today's Question:


What are the four basic forces that act on an airplane in flight?


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 6, 2011; http://xdrtb.org/; http://www.mdhil.com)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


108 years elapsed between the first modern Olympic games at Athens and the second games at Athens.

Today's Question:


What does the public-health acronym XDRTB stand for?


Don't know.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 5, 2011; http://www.thinkfinity.org/2011-04-06_first-modern-olympic-games; http://todayyearsago.blogspot.com/)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The two largest species of shark are the whale shark and basking shark.




Today's Question:


As of 2009, which country had the highest percentage of its population incarcerated?


Don't know this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, Novmber 3, 2011; http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/descript/whaleshark/whaleshark.html; http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090715-giant-basking-shark-long-island-picture-ap.html; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUMUSFLyZpU)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The Nine Muses were: Clio, Thalia, Erato, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Calliope, Terpsichore, Urania, and Melpomene.

Today's Question:


Which two species of shark are the largest?


My guesses are the Tiger Shark and Whale Shark.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 2, 2011; http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881991.html; http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The 1991 movie, “The Silence of the Lambs,” which swept the Oscars for Best Picture, Actress, Director and Adapted Screenplay, also featured one of the shortest Best Actor-winning roles to date. Anthoy Hopkins was onscreen less than supporting actor winner Jack Palance was in City Slickers.

Today's Question:


Name the Nine Muses.


I'm guessing this is Greek or Roman mythology but am not even sure of that much.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, November 1, 2011; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926/; http://wiki.answers.com/Q/For_what_movie_did_Anthony_Hopkins_win_a_Best_Actor_Oscar_despite_appearing_on_screen_for_less_than_16_of_the_movie's_118_minutes; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001588/; http://www.listal.com)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack