Mixed Bag
Relax, breathe, and tell me: a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism shares what Z-word name with a state of calm attentiveness?
A. Zither
B. Zephyr
C. Zenith
D. Zen
D. Zen
Which of these deserts is incorrectly matched with the continent where it is located?
A. Gibson Desert – Australia
B. Namib Desert – Africa
C. Atacama Desert – North America
D. Gobi Desert – Asia
C. Atacama Desert – North America
Fun Fact: The Atacama Desert is located primarily in Chile (with a small portion in Peru) on the continent of South America. It is widely regarded as the driest non-polar desert on Earth.
Which war officially ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon?
A. The Korean War
B. The Gulf War
C. The Vietnam War
D. World War II
C. The Vietnam War
Fun Fact: The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, leading to the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.
The word PRIEST has multiple anagrams, including what word that means an elf or fairy and that is also a brand of lemon-lime flavored soda?
Sprite
The Washington Capitals defeated what team in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final—a team playing in its inaugural NHL season?
A. Nashville Predators
B. Vegas Golden Knights
C. Winnipeg Jets
D. San Jose Sharks
B. Vegas Golden Knights
Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was built as a ceremonial burial monument for Egyptian pharaohs?
A. The Great Pyramids of Giza
B. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
C. The Lighthouse of Alexandria
D. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
A. The Great Pyramids of Giza
Which of these states or provinces is incorrectly matched with the federal country it is part of?
A. Kerala – India
B. Victoria – Canada
C. Oaxaca – Mexico
D. Bavaria – Germany
B. Victoria – Canada
Fun Fact: Victoria is an Australian state. In Canada, Victoria is a city and the capital of British Columbia.
The United States gained control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines following which war?
A. World War I
B. The Philippine-American War
C. The Mexican-American War
D. The Spanish-American War
D. The Spanish-American War
Fun Fact: The war lasted only a few months in 1898 and ended Spain’s colonial rule in the Americas.
Ask Gary Cooper: what word for a specific time of day can be spelled the same forwards and backwards, and upside down when put in all caps?
NOON
Stamford, Connecticut is the home of what media and entertainment company known for "Sports Entertainment," as Vince McMahon liked to call his performance product?
A. TNA Wrestling
B. Ring of Honor
C. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
D. All Elite Wrestling (AEW)
C. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
What musical artist headlined the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show?
A. Lady Gaga
B. Bruno Mars
C. Katy Perry
D. Beyoncé
C. Katy Perry
Which of these countries is incorrectly matched with the only country it has a land border with?
A. Denmark – Sweden
B. Qatar – Saudi Arabia
C. Lesotho – South Africa
D. Portugal – Spain
A. Denmark – Sweden
Fun Fact: Denmark’s only land border is with Germany. The Øresund Bridge connects Denmark and Sweden, but it is not a natural land border.
The Zimmermann Telegram was a major event that helped bring the United States into which war?
A. The Civil War
B. World War I
C. World War II
D. The Korean War
B. World War I
Fun Fact: In the Zimmermann Telegram, Germany secretly promised Mexico that if it joined the war against the United States, Mexico could regain Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if Germany won.
William Archibald Spooner lent his name to a certain kind of mixed-up wordplay. For example, when you’re laying down kibble, you’re not “deeding the fog.” You’re doing what pet parent act?
Feeding the dog
If you're using a broom to guide the rock to the house, what winter team sport are you playing?
A. Bocce
B. Shuffleboard
C. Curling
D. Croquet
C. Curling
Which two months of the year are named after mortal men?
A. March and May
B. July and August
C. January and February
D. June and October
B. July and August
Fun Fact: July honors Julius Caesar, and August honors Augustus Caesar. They are the only two months named after actual historical people rather than Roman gods, festivals, or numerical positions in the ancient calendar.
Which of these mountains is incorrectly matched with the mountain range in which it is found?
A. Matterhorn – Pyrenees
B. Aconcagua – Andes
C. K2 – Karakoram
D. Elbrus – Caucasus
A. Matterhorn – Pyrenees
Fun Fact: The Matterhorn sits on the border of Switzerland and Italy and is part of the Alps, not the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees form the natural border between Spain and France.
When the White House was found to be in danger of collapsing, it was completely gutted and rebuilt with a steel-frame interior during a three-year renovation. Who was the U.S. president during this project?
A. Jimmy Carter
B. Dwight D. Eisenhower
C. Harry S. Truman
D. John F. Kennedy
C. Harry S. Truman
Fun Fact: The Truman Reconstruction (1948–1952) preserved the White House's exterior walls while replacing almost everything inside. During the renovation, President Truman and his family lived across the street at Blair House.
Since it’s a bit tricky to articulate, the phrase “Sheena leads, Sheila needs” is an example of what tricky alliterative word play?
Tongue twister
The Cincinnati Reds play in what home run–friendly ballpark, opened in 2003, which gets its name from a well-known national insurance company?
A. Great American Ball Park
B. Citizens Bank Park
C. American Family Field
D. Progressive Field
A. Great American Ball Park
Fun Fact: Great American Ball Park is named after Great American Insurance Group.
What's the only African country with a flag that's red, white, and blue—and no other colors?
A. Senegal
B. Liberia
C. Sierra Leone
D. Namibia
B. Liberia
Which of these cities is incorrectly matched with its former name?
A. Harare – Salisbury
B. Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi
C. St. Petersburg – Leningrad
D. Chennai – Madras
B. Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi
Fun Fact: Ho Chi Minh City was formerly known as Saigon. Hanoi is a separate city and the capital of Vietnam.
All four of the U.S. presidents listed below have appeared on discontinued U.S. paper currency. Which president was featured on the highest-denomination bill ever printed?
A. Grover Cleveland
B. James Madison
C. Woodrow Wilson
D. William McKinley
C. Woodrow Wilson
Fun Fact: Woodrow Wilson appeared on the $100,000 Gold Certificate, the largest-denomination U.S. bill ever printed. It was used only for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks and was never circulated to the public.
What two state names cannot be spelled with a regulation bag of tiles from the English language version of Scrabble?
Connecticut and Kentucky.
The Suzanne Lenglen Cup is the official name of the trophy awarded to the women's singles champion of which tennis Grand Slam event?
A. French Open
B. Wimbledon
C. US Open
D. Australian Open
A. French Open