The Thing About Shedd
Beneath the Waves
Sweet Home, Chicago
Eureka!
Dial-Up Days (2000s)
Throwback Thursday (2010s)
Vibe Check (2020s)
200

This is the middle name of Marshall Field's executive John G. Shedd, who donated $3 million to build Chicago's beloved aquarium.

What is Graves?

200

This Arctic wanderer comes equipped with nature’s most extravagant tooth: a specialized canine that spirals outward and can grow more than 8 feet long.

What is a narwhal?

200

The "Chicago Mix" combines cheese popcorn with this other flavor.

What is caramel?

200

This organ is famously known as the "powerhouse of the cell."

What is mitochondria?

200

Launched in 2003, this early social networking site let users customize profiles with HTML chaos, auto-playing music and a Top 8 feature.

What is MySpace?

200

In 2014, millions dumped buckets of ice water over their heads to raise awareness for this disease.

What is ALS?

200

Launched by OpenAI in 2022, this AI chatbot became the fastest-growing consumer app in history.

What is ChatGPT?

400

Grandad, the world's oldest fish who saw 104 million guests across eight decades at Shedd, was a member of this ancient group of fish that can breathe air.

What is a lungfish?

400

Unlike most birds that shed gradually, penguins lose all their feathers simultaneously in this dramatically named process.

What is a catastrophic molt?

400

Founded in 1988 and named for a local bird species, this brewery helped pioneer Chicago's craft beer scene.

What is Goose Island Beer Company?

400

This 1928 discovery by Alexander Fleming led to the first widely used antibiotic.

What is penicillin?

400

Directed by Jon Favreau, this 2008 film is the first installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

What is Iron Man?

400

The 2018 "royal wedding" between Prince Harry and this American actress dominated global media coverage.

Who is Meghan Markle?

400

This Netflix streaming drama about financially desperate contestants competing in deadly games became a worldwide phenomenon.

What is Squid Games?

600

Shedd opened to the public on May 30, 1930, with this type of fish as one of the first to appear on exhibit. 

What is a Blue Tetra?

600

This giant filter feeder, the second-largest fish species, is named for a tendency to swim near the surface as if sunbathing.

What is a basking shark?

600

Created by Jane's Addiction in 1991, this iconic Chicago festival's name means "an extraordinary or unusual thing."

What is Lollapalooza?

600

This measurement is not a unit of heat itself, but a scale based on water’s freezing and boiling points.

What is the Celsius scale?

600

Often referred to as "The Bean," this sculpture was unveiled in 2004 and quickly became one of Chicago's most iconic sights.

What is Cloud Gate?

600

In 2016, this [redacted] mobile game sent players into the real world to catch virtual creatures.

What is Pokemon GO?

600

This actor, known for playing Steve Harrington on Stranger Things, also makes music under the name Djo and has ties to Chicago.

Who is Joe Keery

800

This slow-going Animal Engagement ambassador may not look the part, but its shelled species is a critical seed disperser across its native South American habitat.

Who is Big Red?

800

At an estimated 40 lbs, this supersized star of Chicago's celebrity animal lineup can often be spotted sunbathing along the Chicago River.

Who is Chonkosaurus?

800

According to local lore, this dense chocolate dessert was invented at the Palmer House Hotel. 

What are brownies?

800

This layer of Earth behaves like a very slow-moving lava lamp that drives continents to drift like puzzle pieces.

What is the mantle

800

In this 2004 alt-rock hit, the narrator claims he's "coming out of his cage" and he's "been doing just fine."

What is Mr. Brightside?
800

Completed in 2016 at a cost of $100 million, this project helped turn a working waterway into one of downtown Chicago's most popular recreational destinations. 

What is the Chicago Riverwalk?

800

This phrase is used when something is slightly embarrassing but also funny or endearing, much like using it as a clue in this game.

What is cringe or cringy?

1000

Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, one of Chicago's most prestigious architectural firms, designed Shedd Aquarium. Name another iconic Chicago building designed by the firm.

What are Field Museum, Wrigley Building, Merchandise Mart, Civic Opera House, Chicago Fed?

1000

This arthropod species has roamed Earth's oceans for more than 450 million years and has blue blood due to copper-based hemocyanin.

What is a horseshoe crab?

1000

The Chicago River's three branches meet at this downtown point marked by a large civic plaza.

What is Wolf Point?

1000

This brain chemical is often associated with reward, motivation, and the feeling of “this is a good idea.”

What is dopamine?

1000

This stretchy, shiny fabric was a staple of matching Juicy Couture and Baby Phat tracksuits, worn by celebrities and mall shoppers alike.

What is velour?

1000

Short-form video app TikTok was originally known by this name before rebranding in 2018.

What is Musical.ly?

1000

In 2020, this singer became the youngest artist to ever win all four major Grammy categories in the same year.

Who is Billie Eilish?

1200

The Abbott Oceanarium's Whale Harbor is Shedd's deepest habitat, clocking in at this depth.

What is 34-feet deep?

1200

The longest bony fish every recorded belongs to this ribbon-like species often associated with sea-serpent legends.

What is an oarfish?

1200

Hockey fans hear this anthem by The Fratellis every time the Chicago Blackhawks score a goal.

What is Chelsea Dagger?

1200

This bone is commonly known as the collarbone.

What is the clavicle?

1200

This 2001 video game about raising digital pets on your desktop computer involved feeding, cleaning, and hoping they didn’t die when you weren’t looking.

What is Neopets?

1200

This is how many years the Chicago Cubs waited between World Series championships before their 2016 victory.

What is 108 years?

1200

Acquired by the NYT in 2022, this digital word game challenges players to guess a five-letter word in six tries.

What is Wordle?