1. If you’re attending the Wood Memorial Stakes or visiting Flushing Meadows Park, you’re in which New York City borough?
Queens
2. "Shoeless Joe" by W.P. Kinsella is a novel that was adapted to what 1989 film starring Kevin Costner?
“Field of Dreams”
3. What hotdish ingredient is sometimes called “Lutheran Binder” in Midwestern cookbooks? Cream of mushroom soup
4. What Cleveland, Ohio, company uses the advertising slogan “Cover the Earth,” as well as a logo that shows their product doing just that?
Sherwin-Williams (their logo is a paint can pouring paint on a globe)
5. Unaged tequila bottled after distillation is called “blanco,” translating to “white,” or “plata,” which translates to what element on the periodic table?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. French-speakers call the largest lake on the Rhône River “Lac Léman.” What do English-speakers call it?
2. Depending on when you were born, you may remember what actor for her novelty recording of “Santa Baby,” her anti-Vietnam War statements to Lady Bird Johnson, or her role as Madame Zeroni in “Holes”?
3. The Strategic Defense Initiative, or "SDI," was an intercontinental missile-defense system proposed by Ronald Reagan in 1983. It was later given what nickname, after a blockbuster film released six years earlier?
4. Black lung disease is often referred to as “CWP.” The “P” stands for “pneumoconiosis.” What do the “C” and “W” stand for?
5. The Netflix docuseries "Our Great National Parks" is narrated by what former world leader?
1. French-speakers call the largest lake on the Rhône River “Lac Léman.” What do English-speakers call it?
Lake Geneva
2. Depending on when you were born, you may remember what actor for her novelty recording of “Santa Baby,” her anti-Vietnam War statements to Lady Bird Johnson, or her role as Madame Zeroni in “Holes”?
Eartha Kitt
3. The Strategic Defense Initiative, or "SDI," was an intercontinental missile-defense system proposed by Ronald Reagan in 1983. It was later given what nickname, after a blockbuster film released six years earlier?
Star Wars
4. Black lung disease is often referred to as “CWP.” The “P” stands for “pneumoconiosis.” What do the “C” and “W” stand for?
“Coal Worker’s”
5. The Netflix docuseries "Our Great National Parks" is narrated by what former world leader?
Anagramable: Five writers or characters whose names are anagrams.
Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. What Russian-born author didn’t become famous until he began writing in English, and often wrote a character named “Vivian Darkbloom” — an anagram of his own name — into his books?
2. Singer-songwriter Ashley Frangipane borrowed her stage name from the Brooklyn subway station where she used to hang out as a teenager. It also happens to be an anagram of her name. What is that stage name?
3. “Loney M. Setnick” and “Monty Kensicle” are pseudonyms used by what fictional author, which itself is a pseudonym for young-adult author Daniel Handler?
4. A fictional author named Hiraku Makimura appears in the 1988 novel “Dance Dance Dance.” What surrealist author wrote that novel?
5. On Twitter, what nationally syndicated humor columnist goes by the name @RayAdverb?
Anagramable: Five writers or characters whose names are anagrams.
1. What Russian-born author didn’t become famous until he began writing in English, and often wrote a character named “Vivian Darkbloom” — an anagram of his own name — into his books?
Vladimir Nabokov
2. Singer-songwriter Ashley Frangipane borrowed her stage name from the Brooklyn subway station where she used to hang out as a teenager. It also happens to be an anagram of her name. What is that stage name?
Halsey (“Halsey” is an anagram of “Ashley”)
3. “Loney M. Setnick” and “Monty Kensicle” are pseudonyms used by what fictional author, which itself is a pseudonym for young-adult author Daniel Handler?
Lemony Snicket (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”)
4. A fictional author named Hiraku Makimura appears in the 1988 novel “Dance Dance Dance.” What surrealist author wrote that novel?
Haruki Murakami
5. On Twitter, what nationally syndicated humor columnist goes by the name @RayAdverb?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in Monday’s email.
1. Quit While You’re Ahead: There are five MLB teams in the National League West division, three of whom have the best records in the entire league currently. Name as many of the five teams in the NL West as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.
2. René Lacoste was a tennis player and businessman who had what animal nickname, which eventually became the mascot for his clothing brand?
3. What “CBS Evening News” anchor signed off for the last time in 1981 with his signature phrase, “That’s the way it is”?
4. Whitney Houston's rendition of what song became a Billboard Hot 100 hit twice — once in 1991, and again on its re-release 10 years later?
5. Today is May 9. On this day in 1927, the Australian Parliament moved from Melbourne to what city, where it is still located today?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1. Quit While You’re Ahead: There are five MLB teams in the National League West division, three of whom have the best records in the entire league currently. Name as many of the five teams in the NL West as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.
Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies
2. René Lacoste was a tennis player and businessman who had what animal nickname, which eventually became the mascot for his clothing brand?
Crocodile
3. What “CBS Evening News” anchor signed off for the last time in 1981 with his signature phrase, “That’s the way it is”?
Walter Cronkite
4. Whitney Houston's rendition of what song became a Billboard Hot 100 hit twice — once in 1991, and again on its re-release 10 years later?
“The Star-Spangled Banner”
5. Today is May 9. On this day in 1927, the Australian Parliament moved from Melbourne to what city, where it is still located today?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. A recent episode of HBO’s “The Rehearsal” featured the 2003 hit song “Bring Me to Life” by what alternative gothic band, whose name refers to disappearing or fading away?
2. According to food historians, what condiment was invented around the early 1900s, somewhere along the U.S.–Canada border, on an archipelago in the St. Lawrence River?
3. What tiny country is currently the richest member of the European Union in terms of GDP per capita?
4. The rapper Vanilla Ice shares his surname with a title character from a Washington Irving short story. What is Vanilla Ice’s surname?
5. In 2019, Swedish researchers developed a method to decrease the time it takes to get an MRI from 60 minutes to 70 seconds. What does “MRI” stand for?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1. A recent episode of HBO’s “The Rehearsal” featured the 2003 hit song “Bring Me to Life” by what alternative gothic band, whose name refers to disappearing or fading away?
Evanescence
2. According to food historians, what condiment was invented around the early 1900s, somewhere along the U.S.–Canada border, on an archipelago in the St. Lawrence River?
Thousand Island Dressing
3. What tiny country is currently the richest member of the European Union in terms of GDP per capita?
Luxembourg
4. The rapper Vanilla Ice shares his surname with a title character from a Washington Irving short story. What is Vanilla Ice’s surname?
Van Winkle
5. In 2019, Swedish researchers developed a method to decrease the time it takes to get an MRI from 60 minutes to 70 seconds. What does “MRI” stand for?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. Writer-director Christopher Guest and his wife Jamie Lee Curtis’ many trips to a local dog park inspired him to make what 2000 mockumentary?
2. Prior to World War II, flight attendants were typically required to have come from what previous occupation? This practice was changed during the war because people in this particular occupation were needed elsewhere.
3. What cartoon — first on TV in 1982, adapted into a movie in 1999 — has been credited with predicting tech advancements like laptops, wireless internet, digital maps, Skype, and, perhaps most notably, the smartwatch?
4. Chemours, a spin-off of DuPont, makes one of the world’s best-selling brands of polytetrafluoroethylene. What do they call it?
5. Zheng Haixia became the first Chinese player in the WNBA in 1997. She played alongside Lisa Leslie and Tamecka Dixon for what team, which currently plays home games at Crypto.com Arena?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1. Writer-director Christopher Guest and his wife Jamie Lee Curtis’ many trips to a local dog park inspired him to make what 2000 mockumentary?
“Best in Show”
2. Prior to World War II, flight attendants were typically required to have come from what previous occupation? This practice was changed during the war because people in this particular occupation were needed elsewhere.
Nursing
3. What cartoon — first on TV in 1982, adapted into a movie in 1999 — has been credited with predicting tech advancements like laptops, wireless internet, digital maps, Skype, and, perhaps most notably, the smartwatch?
“Inspector Gadget”
4. Chemours, a spin-off of DuPont, makes one of the world’s best-selling brands of polytetrafluoroethylene. What do they call it?
Teflon
5. Zheng Haixia became the first Chinese player in the WNBA in 1997. She played alongside Lisa Leslie and Tamecka Dixon for what team, which currently plays home games at Crypto.com Arena?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. The “anchor bend,” the “sheepshank,” and the “monkey’s fist” are all types of… what?
2. In Kosovo, “Tonibler” is a name given to young boys that honors what U.K. prime minister’s role in the 1999 air war against Serbia?
3. Japanese producers borrowed the English word “gorilla” and combined it with their own word for “whale” to name a movie character, which they then romanized back to arrive at what name for foreign markets — the star of 38 films and counting?
4. What brand of margarine shares its name with the state flower of Texas?
5. What was the ferocious nickname given to the artistic gymnastics team that won the team gold for the U.S. at the 2012 Summer Olympics?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1. The “anchor bend,” the “sheepshank,” and the “monkey’s fist” are all types of… what?
Knots
2. In Kosovo, “Tonibler” is a name given to young boys that honors what U.K. prime minister’s role in the 1999 air war against Serbia?
Tony Blair
3. Japanese producers borrowed the English word “gorilla” and combined it with their own word for “whale” to name a movie character, which they then romanized back to arrive at what name for foreign markets — the star of 38 films and counting?
Godzilla (“gorilla” combined with “kujira” = “Gojira,” became “Godzilla”)
4. What brand of margarine shares its name with the state flower of Texas?
Blue Bonnet
5. What was the ferocious nickname given to the artistic gymnastics team that won the team gold for the U.S. at the 2012 Summer Olympics?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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