questions
CIG 2008 Pub Quiz
Lyndon While
Captain Stirling, 16/12/08
Welcome!
Teams of four
Seven rounds of questions
– Rounds 1-6: ten questions each
– Round 7: ten questions x 3 points each
Joker
– double your score for one of Rounds 2-6
Baffler
– identify the person from their quotes
Prizes
One prize for the highest score in each round
One prize for solving the Baffler first
Four prizes for the highest total score
One prize for the funniest wrong answer of the night
Rules
For the next three hours,
Lyndon is God!
Baffler
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Round 1
The Ten Most
Influential Scientists in History
England,
1643-1727
Isaac Newton
The Newtonian revolution
Germany,
1879-1955
Albert Einstein
20 th century science
Denmark,
1885-1962
Niels Bohr
The atom
England,
1809-1882
Charles Darwin
Evolution
France,
1822-1895
Louis Pasteur
The germ theory of disease
Austria,
1856-1939
Sigmund Freud
The psychology of the unconscious
Italy,
1564-1642
Galileo Galilei
The new science
France,
1743-1794
Antoine Lavoisier
The revolution in chemistry
Germany,
1571-1630
Johannes Kepler
The motion of the planets
Nicolaus Copernicus
Poland,
1473-1543
The heliocentric universe
Scientists Tie-breaker
Aristotle is sometimes described as
“the first scientist”. When was he born?
384BC
He died in 322BC
Round 2
Board Games
Baffler
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Board Games Q1
What is the name of the official international system used to rate
Chess players?
Board Games Q2
How big is the board in Go?
Board Games Q3
On which continent did Mancala originate in the 6 th century AD?
Board Games Q4
In Draughts/Checkers, how many randomly-chosen moves are forced for each player at the start of a tournament game?
Board Games Q5
Which city provided the venues for the original Monopoly board?
Board Games Q6
In Backgammon, what do players call a point that holds exactly one piece?
Board Games Q7
Which country has provided the most human world champions in
Othello/Reversi?
Board Games Q8
How many tiles are used in Scrabble?
Board Games Q9
On which continent did
Chinese Checkers originate in 1893?
Board Games Q10
In Shogi, do players have more or fewer pawns than in Chess?
Board Games Q1
What is the name of the official international system used to rate
Chess players?
The Elo system
Invented by Arpad Elo in the 1960s
Board Games Q2
How big is the board in Go?
19 x 19 lines
18 x 18 squares
Board Games Q3
On which continent did Mancala originate in the 6 th century AD?
Africa
Around Ethiopia or Eritrea
Board Games Q4
In Draughts/Checkers, how many randomly-chosen moves are forced for each player at the start of a tournament game?
3
The system used is similar to duplicate Bridge
Board Games Q5
Which city provided the venues for the original Monopoly board?
Atlantic City
London came later!
Board Games Q6
In Backgammon, what do players call a point that holds exactly one piece?
A blot
Board Games Q7
Which country has provided the most human world champions in
Othello/Reversi?
Japan
Board Games Q8
How many tiles are used in Scrabble?
100
Board Games Q9
On which continent did
Chinese Checkers originate in 1893?
Europe (Germany!)
The name was chosen by an
American to make it sound “exotic”
The game was mostly introduced to
Chinese regions by the Japanese
Board Games Q10
In Shogi, do players have more or fewer pawns than in Chess?
More: 9 vs. 8
Board Games Tie-breaker
What is the highest known score for a single move in Scrabble?
2,044 points
“sesquioxidizing”
Board Games Tie-breaker
How many languages has Scrabble been translated into?
29
In 121 countries
Board Games Tie-breaker
How many chess players were on the
FIDE rating list in November 2008?
193,794
Round 3
Australia
Baffler
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Australia Q1
WA is Australia’s largest state.
Which state is the second largest?
Australia Q2
Which Australasian dessert was invented to honour a ballet dancer?
Australia Q3
Which was the first colony to split off from New South Wales?
Australia Q4
Australia has five very large cities.
Which city is the country’s sixth largest by population?
Australia Q5
Which is the only country other than Australia that has native monotremes?
Australia Q6
Australia is famous for its eucalyptus trees. How many distinct species are there? (±)
Australia Q7
Which country is Australia’s biggest export market by value?
Australia Q8
Which Australian state has the shortest coastline?
Australia Q9
Which is Australia’s most common religious affiliation?
Australia Q10
In which Australian state was gold first discovered?
Australia Q1
WA is Australia’s largest state.
Which state is the second largest?
Queensland
1,852,642km 2
70% of WA, 266% of Texas
Australia Q2
Which Australasian dessert was invented to honour a ballet dancer?
Pavlova
In 1926: probably in New Zealand!
Australia Q3
Which was the first colony to split off from New South Wales?
Van Diemen’s Land/Tasmania
In 1825
1829 Swan River Colony, 1836 SA,
1840 NZ, 1851 VIC, 1859 QLD
Australia Q4
Australia has five very large cities.
Which city is the country’s sixth largest by population?
Gold Coast-Tweed
583,657 in 2007
Newcastle had 523,662
Australia Q5
Which is the only country other than Australia that has native monotremes?
Papua-New Guinea
Australia Q6
Australia is famous for its eucalyptus trees. How many distinct species are there? (±)
746
Australia Q7
Which country is Australia’s biggest export market by value?
Japan
Australia Q8
Which Australian state has the shortest coastline?
NSW
2,137km vs. Victoria 2,512km
Australia Q9
Which is Australia’s most common religious affiliation?
Roman Catholic
5,126,884 people
Australia Q10
In which Australian state was gold first discovered?
NSW
In 1823
The Australian gold rush started in Victoria in 1851
Australia Tie-breaker
There used to be a territory called
Central Australia. When was this merged into the Northern Territory?
12 June 1931
CA was founded on 1 February 1927
Round 4
Sport
Baffler
“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equals.”
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Sport Q1
Which European country has won the most soccer world cups?
Sport Q2
What is the maximum number of clubs that a player can use in tournament golf?
Sport Q3
What is the official title of the rules of boxing?
Sport Q4
Which country has the best record in the rugby world cup?
Sport Q5
In which year was the Hawk-eye system first used in a Grand Slam tennis event?
Sport Q6
How many players are in a netball team?
Sport Q7
Which country has lost the most cricket world cup finals?
Sport Q8
Other than the USA, the USSR, and
China, which was the last country to top the Olympic medal table?
Sport Q9
In which year was the Australian
Football League founded? (±)
Sport Q10
How many athletics events were held at the Beijing Olympics? (±)
(count men’s and women’s events separately)
Sport Q1
Which European country has won the most soccer world cups?
Italy
4
Germany 3, England & France 1 each
Brazil 5
Sport Q2
What is the maximum number of clubs that a player can use in tournament golf?
14
Sport Q3
What is the official title of the rules of boxing?
The Marquess of Queensbury rules
Sport Q4
Which country has the best record in the rugby world cup?
Australia
2 wins, plus 1 lost final
Sport Q5
In which year was the Hawk-eye system first used in a Grand Slam tennis event?
2006
At the US Open
Sport Q6
How many players are in a netball team?
7
GS, GA, WA, WD, C, GD, GK
Sport Q7
Which country has lost the most cricket world cup finals?
England
3: 1979, ‘87, ‘92
Sport Q8
Other than the USA, the USSR, and
China, which was the last country to top the Olympic medal table?
Germany (1936)
Also Great Britain (1908) and France (1900)
Sport Q9
In which year was the Australian
Football League founded? (±)
1990
Sport Q10
How many athletics events were held at the Beijing Olympics? (±)
(count men’s and women’s events separately)
47
Sport Tie-breaker
What was the total attendance at the soccer world cup finals in 2006?
3,353,655
TV audience for the final (est.):
715,100,000
Total TV audience (est.):
26,290,000,000
Round 5
The Rest of the World
Baffler
“We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act.”
“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equals.”
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
RoW Q1
What is the name of the deepest spot in the world’s oceans?
RoW Q2
Which age range has the lowest death rate in the USA?
(<1, 1-5, 5-15, 15-25, 25-35, etc)
RoW Q3
In which year did Joseph Stalin take power in the USSR? (±)
RoW Q4
Which is the highest capital city in the world?
RoW Q5
The most poisonous animal in the world is what type of creature?
(most potent poison by weight)
RoW Q6
The most poisonous plant in the world is what type?
RoW Q7
Which continent has the highest proportion of (arid) desert?
RoW Q8
Which is the largest gland in the human body?
RoW Q9
In which modern country would the ancient city of Carthage be?
RoW Q10
Which is the only country in
South-east Asia that was never a European colony?
RoW Q1
What is the name of the deepest spot in the world’s oceans?
The Marianas Trench
10,900m: in the western Pacific near the Philippines
RoW Q2
Which age range has the lowest death rate in the USA?
(<1, 1-5, 5-15, 15-25, 25-35, etc)
5-15
RoW Q3
In which year did Joseph Stalin take power in the USSR? (±)
1924
RoW Q4
Which is the highest capital city in the world?
La Paz (Bolivia, 3,640m)
Lhasa (Tibet, 3,650m)
RoW Q5
The most poisonous animal in the world is what type of creature?
(most potent poison by weight)
Poison dart frog
RoW Q6
The most poisonous plant in the world is what type?
Castor bean
RoW Q7
Which continent has the highest proportion of (arid) desert?
Australia
42.7% vs. Africa 42.3%
RoW Q8
Which is the largest gland in the human body?
The liver
RoW Q9
In which modern country would the ancient city of Carthage be?
Tunisia
RoW Q10
Which is the only country in
South-east Asia that was never a European colony?
Thailand
RoW Tie-breaker
In which year did the world’s population reach one billion?
1804
2bn 1927
3bn 1961
4bn 1974
5bn 1987
6bn 1999
RoW Tie-breaker
How many people died in Australia in
2007?
137,854
Round 6
Computer Games
Baffler
“The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.”
“We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act.”
“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equals.”
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Computer Games Q1
Which PlayStation marsupial do fans consider the Sony equivalent of
Super Mario?
Computer Games Q2
Which videogame are the characters in The Sims 2 able to play?
Computer Games Q3
What was Pac-Man called when the game was originally launched in
Japan?
Computer Games Q4
Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong: what was he called?
Computer Games Q5
What is the name of the principal land in The Legend of Zelda?
Computer Games Q6
What is Pokemon short for?
Computer Games Q7
What is the name of Sonic the
Hedgehog’s principal antagonist?
Computer Games Q8
In which movie did the phrase
Need for Speed originate?
Computer Games Q9
Which was the first (the only?) real city used as a setting in a
Grand Theft Auto?
Computer Games Q10
In which country was Tetris invented?
Computer Games Q1
Which PlayStation marsupial do fans consider the Sony equivalent of
Super Mario?
Crash Bandicoot
Computer Games Q2
Which videogame are the characters in The Sims 2 able to play?
The Sims
Computer Games Q3
What was Pac-Man called when the game was originally launched in
Japan?
Puck Man
Computer Games Q4
Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong: what was he called?
Jumpman
Computer Games Q5
What is the name of the principal land in The Legend of Zelda?
Hyrule
Computer Games Q6
What is Pokemon short for?
Pocket monsters
Computer Games Q7
What is the name of Sonic the
Hedgehog’s principal antagonist?
Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik
Computer Games Q8
In which movie did the phrase
Need for Speed originate?
Top Gun
Tom Cruise 1986:
“I feel the need: the need for speed.”
Computer Games Q9
Which was the first (the only?) real city used as a setting in a
Grand Theft Auto?
London
Computer Games Q10
In which country was Tetris invented?
Russia
Computer Games Tie-breaker
Possibly the first depiction of a video arcade game in a movie was in
Soylent Green. In which year was this movie released?
1973
Soylent Green was set in 2022
The game was Computer Space, released in 1971
Round 7
“Name the three”
Baffler
“We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities, still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.”
“The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.”
“We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act.”
“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equals.”
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
Name3 Q1
Name the three biggest grossing movies ever at the box office worldwide.
(e.g. Indiana Jones)
Name3 Q2
Name the three most populous metropolitan areas in the world.
Name3 Q3
Name the three most eaten fruits in the USA, by weight.
Name3 Q4
Name the three largest islands in the world (excluding Antarctica and Australia).
Name3 Q5
Name the three most expensive breeds of dog.
(e.g. terrier)
Name3 Q6
Name the three countries with the largest Muslim populations.
Name3 Q7
Name the three largest companies in the world by revenue.
Name3 Q8
Name the three biggest-selling video game franchises worldwide.
Name3 Q9
Name the three most prolific
Olympic gold medal winners ever.
Name3 Q10
Name Australia’s three biggest exports by value.
Name3 Q1
Name the three biggest grossing movies ever at the box office worldwide.
Titanic
Lord of the Rings 3
Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Name3 Q2
Name the three most populous metropolitan areas in the world.
Tokyo
Seoul
Mexico City
Name3 Q3
Name the three most eaten fruits in the USA, by weight.
Banana
Apple
Orange
Name3 Q4
Name the three largest islands in the world (excluding Antarctica and Australia).
Greenland
New Guinea
Borneo
Name3 Q5
Name the three most expensive breeds of dog.
Husky
Bulldog
Spaniel
Name3 Q6
Name the three countries with the largest Muslim populations.
Indonesia
Pakistan
India
Name3 Q7
Name the three largest companies in the world by revenue.
Wal-Mart
Exxon Mobil
Royal Dutch Shell
Name3 Q8
Name the three biggest-selling video game franchises worldwide.
Mario
Pokemon
The Sims
Name3 Q9
Name the three most prolific
Olympic gold medal winners ever.
Michael Phelps
Larissa Latynina
Paavo Nurmi
Name3 Q10
Name Australia’s three biggest exports by value.
Coal
Iron ore
Education
Name3 Tie-breaker
Name the largest countries in the world, by area.
Russia
Canada
China
USA
Brazil
Australia
India
Argentina
Kazakhstan
Sudan
Algeria
Congo
Overall Tie-breaker
Name a country where the capital is not the largest city.
Baffler
“What a book a devil’s chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering, low, and horribly cruel work of nature!”
“We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities, still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.”
“The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.”
“We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act.”
“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equals.”
“I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions.”
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes better than, the establishment of a new truth or fact.”
(About Australia) “He who thinks with me will never wish to walk again in so uninviting a country.”
