Pen Names
His real name is Samuel Clemens. You might have read his most famous books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, when you were a child.
Who is Mark Twain?
Jimmy Buffett’s Album A1A refers to the coastal byway in this state.
What is Florida? A1A runs from Georgia to Key West with interruptions along the way. It has come to symbolize the easygoing lifestyle of beachcombing Floridians.
I remove cash from the money drawer all day long—at a bank.
What is a teller? Did you know that according to the United Nations, the banks would have closed during the 2008 global financial crisis if they had not laundered illicit drug money?
Is the Canada Post funded by taxpayer dollars today?
No. In fact, the Crown corporation that runs the Canada Post has not received funding from the government for decades.
What television show features the characters Andy Taylor, Opie, and Barney Fife?
The Andy Griffith Show. The show ended while still at the top of the Nielsen ratings, one of very few shows to accomplish this feat.
This author of Little Women used the pen name A. M. Barnard for her melodramatic plays.
Who is Louisa May Alcott? She wrote poetry and short stories under the pen name Flora Fairfield as well.
These structures once guarded coastlines in North America and warned mariners with their beacons of light.
What are lighthouses? Canada has 51 manned lighthouses. All working lighthouses in the United States have become automated except for one near Boston.
My duties have been performed by Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, and others.
What is a host of The Tonight Show? Johnny Carson was the longest-running host of the show.
What famous silent film actor was an avid stamp collector?
Charlie Chaplin. Many countries have used an image of the actor on their own stamps.
Which planet of our solar system is called the Red Planet?
Mars. It is the fourth planet from the sun and gets its red coloring from iron minerals in its soil.
Mary Ann Evans always used a pen name; the first name was George, and this was the surname. One of her most well-known works was Middlemarch.
What is Eliot? She took the first name from her lover George Henry Lewes, a philosopher.
This 49th state’s coastlines are the most eastern, western, and northern coastlines in the United States.
What is Alaska? It has the nation’s most eastern coastline because the Aleutian Islands stretch so far west that they enter the eastern hemisphere. Alaska also has the longest coastline and the most islands of any U.S. state.
I use illusion and sleight of hand to entertain.
What is a magician? Harry Houdini is often considered the greatest magician and escape artist. He was also an inventor, but he tried to keep that a secret. He received several U.S. patents.
What famous singer and actor served as a postal clerk in Spokane, Washington? Hint: He sang “Swinging on a Star” and starred in White Christmas.
Bing Crosby. He worked as a substitute and routine clerk.
What is a baby kangaroo called?
A joey. Kangaroo joeys are approximately one inch long when born and live in their mother’s pouch for several months.
This founding father, inventor, and author used Silence Dogood as his first pen name.
Who is Ben Franklin? His many pen names include Caelia Shortface, Martha Careful, Busy Body, Anthony Afterwit, Polly Baker, and Benevolus.
California State Route 1 is also known as PCH, which stands for this.
What is Pacific Coast Highway? It offers some of the most spectacular views of the coastline anywhere in the United States.
I work in foreign countries and am attached to the U.S. State Department or equivalent foreign ministry. I’m not necessarily an ambassador.
What is a diplomat? A diplomat represents their home country and its interests at an embassy or consulate.
Who is the famous singer who has secured his place as the bestselling postage stamp? Hint: He’s the “King of Rock and Roll.”
Elvis Presley. The U.S. issued the stamp featuring him in 1993, and more than 500 million were sold.
Complete the slogan: “The best part of waking up is _____ in your cup!”
Folgers. In 2021, Folgers hosted an auction and sold the rights to royalties from the famous jingle.
She was born Howard Allen Frances O’Brien and became an instant best-selling author with the release of her first book, Interview with the Vampire.
Who is Anne Rice? She was named for her father, but after the bullying she received on her first day of school she changed her name to Anne.
The Emerald Coast runs through these two states, and the locals call it the Redneck Riviera.
What are Alabama and Florida? The New York Times is credited with the moniker Redneck Riviera. Instead of taking offense to it, the locals latched onto it and market it as such.
I specialize in treating the interior of a person’s teeth and roots and have undergone two additional years of training than your average dentist.
What is an endodontist? Less than 3 percent of dentists go on to become endodontists.
What’s the term for a letter a woman sends her partner when ending their relationship?
Dear John letter. This phrase was popularized during World War II.
What Canadian hockey player is called the Great One and first played for the Edmonton Oilers in 1979?
Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky started skating at age two and began playing ice hockey by age six.