Totally Random Trivia - 2025

2. Professor Langdon

2. Robert Langdon

4. Philadelphia, PA

5. Saltimbocca

Answers to Tuesday, July 29, 2025

1. What Greek muse of history is the namesake for awards given to exceptional design in the field of advertising?

Clio
(Clio Awards)

2. “The Secret of Secrets” is an upcoming book by Dan Brown in the same series as “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code,” featuring what fictional Harvard symbologist?

Robert Langdon

3. Even the filmmakers acknowledged the “serious departure from scientific veracity” in adding an expanding neck frill and the ability to spit venom at Newman in their fanciful depiction of which original “Jurassic Park” dinosaur, whose name comes from the Greek for “two-crested lizard”?

Dilophosaurus

4. When the first U.S. Census was taken in 1790, the towns of Northern Liberties and Southwark ranked among the 10 most populous municipalities. They’ve since been absorbed into the city that ranked second at the time. Name that city.

Philadelphia  

5. What Italian dish is made from veal or chicken wrapped in prosciutto, and has a name that means “leaps in the mouth”?

Saltimbocca

Questions for
Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.

1. If you’ve found yourself wanting to bake a replica of “Roach’s 40 Orange Glaze Cake” and listen to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” on repeat, you’re probably a fan of what HBO Max pirate comedy, starring Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi?

2. Late-night colleagues David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog were all on-hand to honor what TV host, writer, and 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize For American Humor?

3. Most human-known examples of animals using tools are mammals or birds. However, some species of what insect will use leaves in order to better broadcast their mating call?

4. The science of medications, including their origin and how they behave in living organisms, or the properties and reactions of a particular drug, are the province of what 12-letter field of study?

5. What TV personality appears in drag on the cover of his 1995 memoir “Lettin’ It All Hang Out,” and ironically appears sans makeup and wig on his 2024 memoir “The House of Hidden Meanings”?

5. Ru Paul

2.  Conan O'Brien

4.  Pharmacology 

3) Crickets 

1. Our Flag Means Death 

Answers to Wednesday, July 30, 2025

1. If you’ve found yourself wanting to bake a replica of “Roach’s 40 Orange Glaze Cake” and listen to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” on repeat, you’re probably a fan of what HBO Max pirate comedy, starring Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi?

“Our Flag Means Death”

2. Late-night colleagues David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog were all on-hand to honor what TV host, writer, and 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize For American Humor?

Conan O’Brien

3. Most human-known examples of animals using tools are mammals or birds. However, some species of what insect will use leaves in order to better broadcast their mating call?

Cricket

4. The science of medications, including their origin and how they behave in living organisms, or the properties and reactions of a particular drug, are the province of what 12-letter field of study?

Pharmacology

5. What TV personality appears in drag on the cover of his 1995 memoir “Lettin’ It All Hang Out,” and ironically appears sans makeup and wig on his 2024 memoir “The House of Hidden Meanings”?

RuPaul

Questions for
Theme Thursday, July 31, 2025

Get Festive, but Safely!: Lollapalooza is this weekend! Whether you’re going or watching the YouTube stream in the comfort of your own home, here’s a round all about staying safe while having fun at summer music festivals.

Answers in tomorrow’s email.

1. Be sure to apply strong sunscreen at least every 2–3 hours, more frequently if you’re sweating or moshing. When you reach for that bottle, remember that SPF stands for “sun protection”… what?

2. Make sure your water bottle is full! But if you want to participate in a viral activity from 2016, Dutch physicists figured out you’ll want it about a third full. Name that trend!

3. The most severe form of hyperthermia above heat exhaustion is marked by a body temperature of 104 degrees. What is it called?

4. If you’re setting a place where you’ll meet up with your group later, you might use what term, which means “present yourselves” in French?

5. Phone networks can be spotty when everyone’s trying to flood TikTok with their festival looks, but you can keep in touch using a device that was called a “packset” by its Canadian inventor in 1937. What cutesy rhyming nickname do we know it better as?

1 Factor

3 Stroke 

5. Walkie talkie

2. Bottle flipping

4. Rendezvous 

Answers to Thursday, July 31, 2025

Get Festive, but Safely!: Lollapalooza is this weekend! Whether you’re going or watching the YouTube stream in the comfort of your own home, here’s a round all about staying safe while having fun at summer music festivals.

1. Be sure to apply strong sunscreen at least every 2–3 hours, more frequently if you’re sweating or moshing. When you reach for that bottle, remember that SPF stands for “sun protection”… what?

“Factor”

2. Make sure your water bottle is full! But if you want to participate in a viral activity from 2016, Dutch physicists figured out you’ll want it about a third full. Name that trend!

Water bottle flipping

3. The most severe form of hyperthermia above heat exhaustion is marked by a body temperature of 104 degrees. What is it called?

Heatstroke

4. If you’re setting a place where you’ll meet up with your group later, you might use what term, which means “present yourselves” in French?

“Rendezvous”

5. Phone networks can be spotty when everyone’s trying to flood TikTok with their festival looks, but you can keep in touch using a device that was called a “packset” by its Canadian inventor in 1937. What cutesy rhyming nickname do we know it better as?

Walkie-talkie

Questions for
Friday, August 1, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in Monday’s email.

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: Sylvester Stallone has appeared in three or more installments of four different film series. Name as many of those series as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.

2. A bright red cowboy hat adorns the top of a landmark in northeast Texas built by a local welders’ union in 1993 as a replica of what European edifice — the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world?

3. Golfers with a handicap of zero are referred to with what name, sometimes also given to the devil?

4. A trio of fictional hockey goons and a ’90s pop-band trio all share what surname?

5. Today is August 1. On this day in 1981, MTV aired its first music video, an aptly titled hit from new wave band the Buggles, called what?

4. Hanson 

5. Video Killed The Radio  ?

1) Rocky, Rambo…

Posted by: @greyeagle

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4. Hanson 

5. Video Killed The Radio  ? Star

Finished your answer for you...

Posted by: @gator

↑

1) Rocky, Rambo…

The Expendables

2. Eifel Tower

Posted by: @mnnavy

↑

Posted by: @gator

↑

1) Rocky, Rambo…

The Expendables

 

Escape Plan

3. Scratch

2. Eiffel Tower

Posted by: @mnnavy

↑

Posted by: @greyeagle

↑

4. Hanson 

5. Video Killed The Radio  ? Star

Finished your answer for you...

 

Answers to Friday, August 1, 2025

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: Sylvester Stallone has appeared in three or more installments of four different film series. Name as many of those series as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.

“Escape Plan,” “The Expendables,” “Rambo,” “Rocky”

2. A bright red cowboy hat adorns the top of a landmark in northeast Texas built by a local welders’ union in 1993 as a replica of what European edifice — the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world?

Eiffel Tower
(it’s in Paris, Texas)

3. Golfers with a handicap of zero are referred to with what name, sometimes also given to the devil?

Scratch
(Old Scratch)

4. A trio of fictional hockey goons and a ’90s pop-band trio all share what surname?
Hanson
(Hanson Brothers from “Slapshot” and Hanson Brothers from the band Hanson)

5. Today is August 1. On this day in 1981, MTV aired its first music video, an aptly titled hit from new wave band the Buggles, called what?

“Video Killed the Radio Star”

Questions for
Monday, August 4, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. What type of simple clay flute is featured in the title of a 1998 Nintendo release that stands as the highest-rated video game of all time, according to Metacritic?

2. If a shōgun to whom a samurai has pledged their service dies, they live their lives under what title, meaning “drifter”? Hint: It’s also the name of a 1998 Robert De Niro film.

3. Which world capital — population 690,000 — is located on more than 300 islands and is nicknamed “the Daughter of the Baltic Sea”?

4. If something happens “semiweekly,” how frequently does it occur?

5. In Australia, they call it a “sloppy joe.” In Saskatchewan, they call it a “bunny hug.” What do people in the U.S. call this item of clothing?

2. Ronin

3. Helsinki

4. Twice a week

5. Hooded sweatshirt (with pouch)

Posted by: @chris83

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5. Hooded sweatshirt (with pouch)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mRlEqyoqKM4

Posted by: @karlsson

↑

4. Twice a week

Sooo many people confuse this with bi-weekly. 

Answers to Monday, August 4, 2025

1. What type of simple clay flute is featured in the title of a 1998 Nintendo release that stands as the highest-rated video game of all time, according to Metacritic?

Ocarina
(“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” — and come to “Legend of Zelda” theme nights, all this month!)

2. If a shōgun to whom a samurai has pledged their service dies, they live their lives under what title, meaning “drifter”? Hint: It’s also the name of a 1998 Robert De Niro film.

“Rōnin”

3. Which world capital — population 690,000 — is located on more than 300 islands and is nicknamed “the Daughter of the Baltic Sea”?

Helsinki

4. If something happens “semiweekly,” how frequently does it occur?

Twice per week

5. In Australia, they call it a “sloppy joe.” In Saskatchewan, they call it a “bunny hug.” What do people in the U.S. call this item of clothing?

Sweatshirt (or hoodie)

Questions for
Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.

1. Alaska’s flag shows the Big Dipper plus the North Star, which means it has how many total stars?

2. In 2022, comedian Scott Thompson brought back his character of raconteur and bar owner Buddy Cole in the Amazon Prime revival of what sketch series, which debuted in 1989 on HBO and CBC?

3. What 19th-century American physician and poet whose works included “Old Ironsides” and “The Last Leaf” was a member of the famed “Fireside Poets,” as well as the father of a future Supreme Court Justice?

4. Fittingly, real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco are the stars of what body horror film distributed by the film company NEON?

5. What Weezer song, whose chorus initially name-checked Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, was released on September 7, 1994 — the would-be 58th birthday of its namesake?

1.  8 (could be 7 🤔 )

2. The Kids in the Hall

5. Buddy Holly

4. Together 

Answers to Tuesday, August 5, 2025

1. Alaska’s flag shows the Big Dipper plus the North Star, which means it has how many total stars?

Eight

2. In 2022, comedian Scott Thompson brought back his character of raconteur and bar owner Buddy Cole in the Amazon Prime revival of what sketch series, which debuted in 1989 on HBO and CBC?

“The Kids in the Hall”

3. What 19th-century American physician and poet whose works included “Old Ironsides” and “The Last Leaf” was a member of the famed “Fireside Poets,” as well as the father of a future Supreme Court Justice?

Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr.)
(Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. was the Supreme Court Justice)

4. Fittingly, real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco are the stars of what body horror film distributed by the film company NEON?

“Together”

5. What Weezer song, whose chorus initially name-checked Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, was released on September 7, 1994 — the would-be 58th birthday of its namesake?

“Buddy Holly”

Questions for
Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. In 2019, it was announced that Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will be honored by a planned piece of public artwork recognizing transgender women in the U.S. It's slated for a space blocks away from what New York City inn?

2. What warning, often seen at aquariums or hockey rinks, is also the title of a Tyler, the Creator album released in late July?

3. What actor, who passed away at the end of last year, starred as “final girl” Jess in 1974’s “Black Christmas,” after her lead role as Juliet in 1968’s Best Picture-nominated “Romeo and Juliet”?

4. There are three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls. Name one of them!

5. Reflecting the name of his restaurant group, “Craft of Cooking” is a 2003 cookbook from what celebrity restaurateur and head judge of Bravo’s “Top Chef”?

2 Don't tap the glass

4 Horseshoe, American, Bridal Veil

1.  Stonewall Inn

5.  Tom Colicchio 

3. Olivia Hussey

Answers to Wednesday, August 6, 2025

1. In 2019, it was announced that Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will be honored by a planned piece of public artwork recognizing transgender women in the U.S. It's slated for a space blocks away from what New York City inn?

Stonewall Inn

2. What warning, often seen at aquariums or hockey rinks, is also the title of a Tyler, the Creator album released in late July?

“Don’t Tap the Glass”

3. What actor, who passed away at the end of last year, starred as “final girl” Jess in 1974’s “Black Christmas,” after her lead role as Juliet in 1968’s Best Picture-nominated “Romeo and Juliet”?

Olivia Hussey

4. There are three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls. Name one of them!

American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Horseshoe (or Canadian) Falls

5. Reflecting the name of his restaurant group, “Craft of Cooking” is a 2003 cookbook from what celebrity restaurateur and head judge of Bravo’s “Top Chef”?

Tom Colicchio

Questions for
Theme Thursday, August 7, 2025

What a Bunch of Clowns: It’s International Clown Week! As if this week weren’t bad enough already. Answer these five questions about clowns, you clowns.

Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. Opera buffs and doctors might know that what nine-letter word means “clowns” in Italian?

2. Willard Scott created Ronald McDonald in 1963, and likely based him off of what other clown, whom he had portrayed on television just one year earlier?

3. His real name is Herschel. Luke Perry was his half-brother, and Eartha Kitt was his ex-wife. What’s his stage name?

4. What sketch comedy series introduced its most popular character, Homey D. Clown, during its ninth episode in June 1990?

5. When appearing as a clown, the full name of the titular villain from Stephen King’s “It” is “Pennywise the BLANK Clown.” Fill in that blank.

4 In Living Color 

2.  Bozo The Clown (Guess)

3.  Krusty The Clown

5. Dancing

Answers to Thursday, August 7, 2025

What a Bunch of Clowns: It’s International Clown Week! As if this week weren’t bad enough already. Answer these five questions about clowns, you clowns.

1. Opera buffs and doctors might know that what nine-letter word means “clowns” in Italian?

“Pagliacci”

2. Willard Scott created Ronald McDonald in 1963, and likely based him off of what other clown, whom he had portrayed on television just one year earlier?

Bozo

3. His real name is Herschel. Luke Perry was his half-brother, and Eartha Kitt was his ex-wife. What’s his stage name?

Krusty the Clown
(“The Simpsons”)

4. What sketch comedy series introduced its most popular character, Homey D. Clown, during its ninth episode in June 1990?

“In Living Color”      

5. When appearing as a clown, the full name of the titular villain from Stephen King’s “It” is “Pennywise the BLANK Clown.” Fill in that blank.

“Dancing”

Questions for
Friday, August 8, 2025

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in Monday’s email. 

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: Last Thursday, the Minnesota Twins traded eight players on their 26-man roster. Name as many of those eight players as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.

2. What comic strip character, played by Shelley Duvall in a 1980 movie, was once described by her boyfriend as being “a perfect 19-19-19”?

3. What brand of juice boxes were advertised extensively on the PBS show “Arthur,” using the slogan “100% Juice for 100% Kids”?

4. Langston Hughes’ 1925 poem “The Weary Blues” describes an evening on Lenox Avenue in what East Coast neighborhood?

5. Today is August 8. On this day in 2004, unsuspecting passengers enjoying a Chicago riverboat tour had almost 800 pounds of human waste dumped on them from above. The culprit was a tour bus driver for what band?

2. Olive Oyl