xotGD
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General Knowledge Quiz
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OhNoAPacer
Member
I think given what happened the last time I set a question I had better throw open the floor.
Can I submit one, centring on the nonsense works of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear? Eight questions: randomly mixed as to which author of those two, is concerned. Please identify the character(s) and the author. I have used "they" when appropriate, to refer to singular characters, so as to obscure their gender. Any additional info given could be fun, but will have no effect on the scoring.
(1) Who experienced the events of their life backwards (effect first, cause afterward); and was expert at believing impossible things?
(2) Who fabricated an ingenious item of personal equipment -- which became closely identified with the character -- to facilitate their largely nocturnal quest for their lost love?
(3) Who performed an aquatic feat of vigour and endurance, which resulted in a modest reduction of their number of body parts; though the episode nonetheless ended in a fairly satisfactory way?
(4) This prominent couple specialised in a "double act" whereby one passed numerous summary sentences involving harsh punishment; whereas their spouse followed behind, quietly undoing these extremes by pardoning the victims. Who were they?
(5) Who remarked, with dismay rather than surprise, that a particular area of their person seemed to be turning into an RSPB reserve?
(6) Who was a prolific thinker-up of devices, mostly of limited or doubtful usefulness, which they however proudly identified as "my own invention"?
(7) Who originated from regions characterised by remoteness and paucity; and engaged in ocean voyaging of a highly unconventional kind?
(8) Who told a tale about closely-related treacle-well-denizens?
(1) Who experienced the events of their life backwards (effect first, cause afterward); and was expert at believing impossible things?
(2) Who fabricated an ingenious item of personal equipment -- which became closely identified with the character -- to facilitate their largely nocturnal quest for their lost love?
(3) Who performed an aquatic feat of vigour and endurance, which resulted in a modest reduction of their number of body parts; though the episode nonetheless ended in a fairly satisfactory way?
(4) This prominent couple specialised in a "double act" whereby one passed numerous summary sentences involving harsh punishment; whereas their spouse followed behind, quietly undoing these extremes by pardoning the victims. Who were they?
(5) Who remarked, with dismay rather than surprise, that a particular area of their person seemed to be turning into an RSPB reserve?
(6) Who was a prolific thinker-up of devices, mostly of limited or doubtful usefulness, which they however proudly identified as "my own invention"?
(7) Who originated from regions characterised by remoteness and paucity; and engaged in ocean voyaging of a highly unconventional kind?
(8) Who told a tale about closely-related treacle-well-denizens?
Gloster
Veteran Member
4 - Was this the King and Queen of Hearts, or v.v.
5 - The man with a beard: four larks and a wren (and others) were to be found in it. (I am afraid that most of the limericks that I can remember are vulgar.)
2 - Could it be the Owl?
5 - The man with a beard: four larks and a wren (and others) were to be found in it. (I am afraid that most of the limericks that I can remember are vulgar.)
2 - Could it be the Owl?
Characters-identification in both, essentially correct: but please could you, "as per", give the authors (Lewis or Edward)?
Gloster
Veteran Member
4 was C.L.Dodgson and 5 Edward Lear.
I added 2 as possibly the Owl, who I think was Carroll again.
Quite correct -- you score two questions rightly answered.
(4) -- in Alice in Wonderland -- it's the ferocious Queen of Hearts, and her gentle and pacific, thus sabotaging, King: he says of her decapitation "thing", that "it's just her way; she doesn't mean anything by it, you know".
I'm afraid not: there is to the best of my knowledge nothing in the offering concerned, which is in any way strigine ("of or pertaining to owls" -- one of my very favourite words !)
OhNoAPacer
Member
1. White Queen; Lewis Carroll
Correct.
Correct throughout (as counselled by his Aunt Jobiska, the Pobble became persuaded that a toeless existence was preferable for their kind anyway).
Five down: nos. (2), (6), and (8) still to go.
Loppylugs
Member
I think 8 is Lewis Carroll's Dormouse ably assisted by the Mad Hatter.
Fully correct: Dormouse's narrative -- successful conclusion already under threat from likelihood of his falling asleep -- is interrupted for good, by the Hatter's "going off on one".
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A hint or two concerning no. (6):
The character comes across in the work, as rather an amiable twit; but the words of their name are used nowadays as a figure of speech for an -- effective -- crusader / defender of the right.
There was an LNER locomotive which shared the character's name.
The character comes across in the work, as rather an amiable twit; but the words of their name are used nowadays as a figure of speech for an -- effective -- crusader / defender of the right.
There was an LNER locomotive which shared the character's name.
6 - Heath Robinson? Doesn't tie in with your clues though.
Loppylugs
Member
Dah, inspiration. Is this from "Through the Looking Glass" no. 60077 The White Knight ? Always fell on his head!
Afraid not; though the character could have been H.R.'s brother in the fantasy realm.
That's right -- the very guy from the very work -- much of the time, mentally elsewhere thinking up crazy inventions.
@peri: you got three, surpassing any other contestant. It thus falls to you to brave the perils of the Tulgey Wood and the Zemmery Fidd, in search of the next question to set.
Gloster
Veteran Member
7 Bonnie Tyler? (Possible apologies for spelling.)
You are correct with her name.
You are correct with both answers.
Gloster
Veteran Member
2 Typically Tropical?
Number 5 will come to me eventually but for now my mind draws a blank!
Gloster
Veteran Member
10 A very vague feeling that it was someone like Duran Duran.
You just clicked something in my mind…not Duran Duran….Human league!