September 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
September 2014 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. Link each of the following fictional futuristic vehicles with a person who was/is a crew member of that vehicle.
VEHICLES: Tardis, Heart of Gold, Red Dwarf, Enterprise, Millenium Falcon
CREW MEMBERS: Trisha MacMillan, Chewbacca, Geordie La Forge, Dave Lister, Tegan Jovanka
2. What have the following words have in common?
ODE, GUN, ARM, PEA, FLOW
3. According to Princess Diana’s memoirs, how many times did she and Charles meet before they got married: five, thirteen or twenty-one?
4. Where on the US coast did Australia II win the Americas Cup?
5. Lima stands for “L” in the phonetic alphabet. What is the only other city represented in this alphabet?
6. Which British king was Prince of Wales for sixty years before inheriting the throne?
7. True or false: Most American car horns beep with the same musical note
8. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, who had possession of the ring when it was destroyed?
9. Are Elmer Fudd’s shoes red, green or yellow?
10. Give three one-word anagrams for the word “hardest”
HARDER:
11. What is the link between Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael?
12. In what year did half of the Melbourne Police Force strike during the Spring Racing Carnival?
13. Whose were the last footprints to be left on the Moon?
14. In which two years did Australia and New Zealand send a combined team to the Summer Olympics?
15. What was or is the main claim to fame of German Erich Hartmann?
16. On Sept. 15, 2005, Google offered exactly 14159265 shares of Class A stock in the company. Why did they pick that unusual number?
17. In which year were the Oscar Ceremonies delayed by a year due to flooding in Los Angeles?
18. Which classic movie was set in Hadleyville?
19. Which movie was inspired by Kim Peek?
20. What can be either “S laid” or “Z laid”?
September 2014 Skeptical Crossword Puzzle
Theme: Alternative Healing
SEPTEMBER 2014 SKEPTICAL CROSSWORD
September 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
SEPTEMBER 2014 LOGIC & MATHS PUZZLES
August 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
August 2014 “Mixed Bag”Questions
1. Name eight countries that start with I
2. True or false? Sherlock Holmes was praised by the Soviet Union as a “Hero of Logical Thought.”
3. What did Australian boat designer Bob Miller change his name to?
4. In what century did The Black Death kill most people: 12th, 14th or 16th?
5. Which TV series co-starred Ronnie Barker and Kate Beckinsdale’s father?
6. How old was Bryce Courtney when he wrote his first novel?
7. Who portrayed Andy Hardy in a series of movies?
8. Provide an anagram for the word “senator”
9. Which late 1968 Beatles Song was their longest lasting number 1 on Australian, US and UK hit parades?
10. In which country would you find the region of Patagonia?
HARDER:
11. Ferdie Ato Adoboe of Kenya set current world records in 1991 in what unusual athletic discipline?
12. How did Flight Sergeant Nicholas Alkemade become famous in 1943?
13. What record did Fernando Alfonso establish on September 25 2005?
14. How many US states have capital cities which end in the word “city”?
15. Name the filly who in 1876 won VRC Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the VRC Oaks in the space of six days.
16. Why did the United Arab Emirates deport 1,075 camel jockeys in June 2006?
17. Where on your body would you find a lunula?
18. How many railway engines were parked on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 to test its load-bearing capacity?
19. In what year and why were cane toads introduced into Australia?
20. In what year were Flying Doctor Services introduced?
August 2014 Skeptical Crossword Puzzle
AUGUST 2014 SKEPTICAL CROSSWORD
July 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
AUGUST 2014 LOGIC & MATHS PUZZLES
July 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
July 2014 “Mixed Bag”Questions
1. Link each artist or group with an album released by that artist or group.
Artist or Group: Phil Collins, Norah Jones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, The Jefferson Airplane
Album: Cosmo’s Factory, Bridges to Babylon, Surrealistic Pillow, No Jacket Required, Feels Like Home
2. Each of the following is a jumbled type of dinosaur. Unscramble them.
A. Near a runty ox russ
B. Sour at guess
C. On USA or burst
3. Who is Norah Jones’ musical father?
4. Who won the Australian V8 supercar series championship in both 2003 and 2004?
5. “Boer” is Dutch for: A. farmer B. soldier C. renegade
6. Who led the Grande Armee?
7. Was Emma Peel in The Avengers an exponent of Kick-boxing, Tae-Kwon-Do
or Kung-Fu?
8. Who wrote the best-selling Australian novel “Cloud Street”?
9. In which western movie did Grace Kelly play Gary Cooper’s wife?
10. Give an anagram for the word “sensual”
HARDER:
11. In which general direction would you fly in going from London to Paris: North, South, East or West?
12. Who is St Martin of Tours the Patron Saint of?
13. What is a manticore?
14. What was the nature of the General Slocum Disaster?
15. When was the only year that Cricket was an Olympic event?
16. Which major cartoon character was voiced by Clarence Nash?
17. “Winnie” and “Pooh” were a pair of big guns used in World War 2. Where were they situated?
18. What place did Australia’s Donald Macintosh achieve in the Live Pigeon Shooting at the 1900 Olympic Games?
19. In what year was Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens established?
20. What is the minimum age for a licenced driver in the Northern Territory?
July 2014 Skeptical Crossword Puzzle
JULY 2014 SKEPTICAL CROSSWORD PUZZLE
July 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
JULY 2014 LOGIC & MATHS PUZZLES
June 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
June 2014 “Mixed Bag”Questions
1. Each of the following phrases has been shortened to just numbers and initials. For example, “26 = L in the A” stands for “Twenty-six letters in the alphabet” Decode the following: a. 12 D of C b. 1 or 2 H on a C c. 15 P in a R U T
2. What was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989?
3. In sport, Kookaburra and Duke are the two what?
4. The Anheuser-Busch (ANN-hi-sir bush) company is the world’s largest producer of what?
5. What was the name of the last emperor of the Aztecs, killed by the Spanish in 1520?
6. In the TV series, before marrying Mike Brady to establish The Brady Bunch, Carol Brady’s marital status was (a) Unmarried mother of three (b) Widowed (c) Divorced (d) Never specified
7. Write the names of four countries which are pronounced in English with only one syllable.
8. The world’s largest casino is run by: A. The Mafia B. An American Indian Tribe C. The Catholic Church
9. True or false: The first electric sign in New York was for Heinz and portrayed a 40 foot long pickle
10. Which is closer to Melbourne: Auckland or Perth? HARDER:
11. What do the fictional characters Jason Todd and Tim Drake have in common?
12. There are two cities in Great Britain which are referred to as The City of Legions. Name either one.
13. Give the surnames of the two rivals in the Bone Wars of 1877 to 1892
14. How do we better know Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru?
15. Loretta Young won her one and only Academy Award for which film?
16. The cocktail Cuba Libre is better known by which common name?
17. What is the main claim to fame of Vladimir Kosma Zworykin?
18. What ubiquitous device was invented by Don Wetzel in 1969?
19. What ubiquitous device was invented by Art Fry in 1974?
20. Ebenezer NSW has Australia’s oldest what type of building?
June 2014 Skeptical Crossword Puzzle
Its theme is Finance & Economics and it can be found
June 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
May 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
May 2014 “Mixed Bag”Questions
1. The following three words were part of a partially solved crossword. Given the clues, solve each word. (a) Fear or unease [11 letters] T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N (b) A sudden violent fit or seizure [8 letters] P _ _ _ X _ _ _ (c) Extremely painful [12 letters] _ _ C _ _ C _ _ _ _ _ _
2. According to the song, how many articles did “my true love give to me” over the entire 12 days of Christmas?
3. Which celebrity’s name is an anagram of “Got weirdos” ?
4. The acronym GT is often used to designate elite cars. What does it mean?
5. Name the three countries which are collectively referred to as The Baltic States
6. Which TV detective drove a 1959 Peugot 403 convertible?
7. In a certain fairy tale, Snow White has a sister. What is that sister’s name?
8. With which city were Batman and Robin associated?
9. Give two anagrams of the word “pre-natal”.
10. In Wayne’s World and its sequel, Mike Myers plays Wayne. What is the name of Dana Carvey’s character? HARDER:
11. A Florida man called Howard Jenkins unexpectedly made financial news in 1994. How?
12. After 16 year old Ralph Lifshitz changed his name he went on to become seriously rich. Now 75, what name did he adopt?
13. (a) What was the pen name of the authoress whose most successful novel was Under Two Flags? (b) How did she arrive at that name?
14. Orogenesis is the process of making what?
15. What is Livermorium?
16. Which father and son pair won Oscars for the same movie?
17. With what sport is the name Ezzard Charles associated?
18. What record is held by Australian Rules Football player Claude Clough?
19. Which country has a capital city called Victoria?
20. What has been the greatest winning margin (in lengths) in the Melbourne Cup?
May 2014 Skeptical Crossword
Theme: Homeopathy
May 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
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April 2014 Picture Puzzles
April 2014 “Mixed Bag”Questions
1. Seven metal elements were already known before 1 AD. List them
2. What links the words thorn, shout, seat and stew?
| 3. Of Which US state is Springfield the capital?
4. Which French painter was famous for scenes painted in his own his Japanese Garden? 5. Some Germans use a tannenbaum from time to time to decorate their house. What is a tannenbaum? 6. What is the smallest mammal? 7. What is a muntrie? 8. Does “Sternutation” mean: sneezing, shedding old skin or losing hair? 9. Name the four tele-tubbies 10. Which Australia performer was “The Sheik of Scrubby Creek”? |
HARDER:
11. In what event did Charles Downing Lay win a silver medal at the 1936 Olympics Games?
12. What is the literal translation of the Italian coffee-flavoured dessert Tiramisu?
13. What is Moo Goo Gai Pan in a chinese menu in English?
14. Is the Autonomous Community of Andalucia in the North, South, East or West of Spain?
15. Julie Andrews’ first credited on-screen film role was for Mary Poppins in 1964. However her voice was used 12 years earlier to overdub an English language version of an Italian film. Name that film.
16. Who owned a white mule called Faddah?
17. Which TV series had a regular character with the name Hiram J Hackenbacker?
18. Which superhero’s alter ego is a radio reporter called Billy Batson?
19. Frederic Dannay & Manfred Bennington Lee jointly wrote what?
20. Which Australian explorer commanded the first submarine to sail under the Arctic ice-sheet in 1931?
April 2014 Skeptical Crossword
Theme: General
April 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
March 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
March 2014 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. If you listed all seven Roman numerals from highest to lowest, what year would that represent?
2. Riddles:
a. I come in different shapes and sizes. Parts of me are curved, others are straight. You can put me any place you like, but there is only one right place for me. What Am I?
b. I can be cracked, I can be made, I can be told, I can be played. What am I?
c. What can be driven but has no wheels, sliced but remains whole?
3. Write three anagrams of the word DRAPE.
4. What four letter word is a diminutive male name, an object ball and a naval flag?
5. For what is Howard Carter famous?
6. What kind of animal is a macaque? A. Parrot B. Monkey C. Tropical Fish
7. What predominant colour are Virgin Blue aircraft?
8. Len Denanovitch became a member of the Australian Cricket team sometime after changing his name to what?
9. What was the Australian name of the film released in the USA as Cry In The Dark?
10. NACRE ( nay – ka) is: A. A defense treaty between Scandanavian countries B. The technical term for belly-button lint C. The lining of an oyster shell “Next Level”
11. Which food item is colloquially known as “Cocky’s Joy”?
12. What type of gun did Albert Pratt receive a UK patent for in 1918?
13. What was unusual about the funeral of Swede Roland Ohisson in 1973?
14. What useful device was patented by Hymen Lipman in 1858?
15.When the Buffalo Sabres play the Florida Panthers, what sport is involved?
16. How did Annie Edson Taylor celebrate her 63rd birthday?
17. Which US State is called The Sunflower State?
18. What is a mullion?
19. For what is August Bartholdi best known?
20.By what name is Harry Longabaugh (LONG-ge-bar) better known to history?
21. Which singer had a major hit record in 1958, had small roles in the films High Noon & The Outlaw Josey Wales, a bigger role in the TV series Rawhide, and recorded his later songs as Ben Colder?
22. The leader of the Government in the state of Victoria has only been called “Premier” since Federation in 2001. What official title was used before then?
23. Who actually wrote the rules of boxing usually ascribed to the Marquess of Queensberry?
24. In what unusual way are the van Gorcum and van Aefferden graves linked?
25. The Treaty of Ghent officially ended war between which two countries?
26. What is the best known work by author Carlo Collodi?
27. For what invention is Doug Englebart best known?
28. Which Australian state has had not only a Premier with alliterative initials, but a Governor with exactly the same name?
29. What kind of weapon was the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Geschütz?
30. King Henry I of England reputedly died after eating too much of one of his favourite foods. What food?
March 2014 Skeptical Crossword
Theme: Hoaxes and Scams
Link to MARCH CROSSWORD
March 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
Link to LOGIC & MATHS PROBLEMS
February 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
February 2014 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. A mother’s age in years and her daughter’s age have digits in reverse order. Last year, the mother was twice as old as the daughter. What are their ages?
2. Why are 2004 10¢ coins worth more than 2003 10¢ coins?
3. In which film did Tom Cruise say “I feel the need-the need for speed”?
4. If you are discalceated, (dis – cal – see – ate – ted) does that mean that you have lost your hat, your underwear or your shoes?
5. What name is shared by 2 Kings of Macedonia, 3 Kings of Scotland,6 Popes, 2 Russian Czars and one former Australian cabinet minister?
6. Who am I ? I was born in 1925 and began entertaining in a singing and dancing triple act with my father and grandfather. I developed my talents to include acting and comedy. I died in 1990
7. Linen yarn is manufactured from the fibres of which plant?
8. Which thrill-seeking activity began as a religious ritual on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu?
9. What are the Christian names of singer/songwriters Hall and Oates?
10. With what business are the firm of Stock Aitken Waterman associated? “Next Level”
11. After what animal is the French Exocet missile named?
12. What former Australian Rules player for Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda shares a name with a former Governor of The Falklands Islands?
13. How are the actors who play Jack Frost and Ernie Trigg in the same British TV series related to each other?
14. What leisure activity did John Spilsbury invent in 1767?
15. Which country will host the next World Scouting Jamboree in 2015?
16. According to an old saying and a 1927 hit song, how many Frenchmen can’t be wrong?
17. What “first” was recorded by Becky Zerlentes on April 3 2005?
18. One of the newer Thomas the Tank Engine characters is called Winston. What is his job?
19. Which civilisation produced Black Figure Pottery?
20.What is the link between Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael?
21. What is Chester Carlson famous for inventing?
22. When a person does something shameful, they are said to have “blotted their escutcheon”. What is an escutcheon when used in this sense?
23. Clark, Pinchgut, Rod, Goat, Cockatoo and Shark are all What?
24. John William Alexander Jackson is recognised as the youngest Australian to do what?
25. Quaggas became extinct in 1883. What are their closest living relatives?
26. Of which family of plants is Vanilla a member?
27. Which famous composer’s skull was stolen in 1809 and only returned in 1954?
28. Where are the neighbouring Cat and Mouse Castles?
29. What groovy item was invented by Englishman Edward Craven Walker in 1963?
30. Who wrote Johnny Preston’s 1959 hit Running Bear?
February 2014 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: Charles Darwin
February 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
January 2014 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
January 2014 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. At a recent visit to the reptile house at a local zoo, I counted a total of 27 heads and 70 feet. I was counting snakes, lizards and people. There were twice as many lizards as there were people. (a) How many snakes were there? (b) How many lizards were there? (c) How many people were there?
2. Pair up each of the US capital cities with its correct state CITIES: Atlanta, Boston, Montgomery, Phoenix, Springfield STATES: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts
3. What is unusual in the way cartoonist Ken Maynard represents cockatoos?
4. What Australian political record does Francis Forde hold?
5. In early Australian slang, what was referred to as “swipes”?
6. To be vulpine means to have the characteristics of which animal?
7. Who introduced the “wokka wokka” board to popular music?
8. The Australian slang term “Ribuck” is closest in meaning to: (a) O.K. (b) See you later (c) Go Away
9. To get from Helsinki to Stockholm, would you travel North, South, East or West?
10. What was the name of The Hunchback of Notre Dame? “Next Level”
11. Where are the neighbouring Cat and Mouse Castles?
12. What colour is associated with the exclusive London department store Harrods?
13. In a poem by Edward Lear, what is the main distinguishing feature of The Pobble?
14. What was Rudolf Nureyev doing on a trans-Siberian train on 17 March 1938?
15. A landlocked country surrounded only by other landlocked countries may be called a “doubly landlocked” country. There are only two in the world. What are they?
16. What and where in Australia are The Bradshaws?
17. Mary Plain was a popular children’s book character between the 1930s and 1960s. Where did she and her family live?
18. In what year did Popeye and Olive Oyl first appear as a married couple?
19.Last year the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Florida announced the death of Cheetah, Johnny Weissmuller’s Chimpanzee side-kick in several Tarzan films. What age did they claim for him?
20. The author Stephen King has a wife who is also a prolific author. What is her name?
21. Although the Romans were unfamiliar with lenses, the word “lens” is a Latin word. How does the Latin word “lens” translate into English?
22. After events of 23rd February 1885, who was described as “The Man They Couldn’t Hang”?
23. The character Lieutenant Dannl Faytonni in the Star Wars series only had two scenes. Who played him, and which better-known Star Wars character was also played by that actor?
24. What was Michelle Obama’s maiden name?
25. How long is the land boundary between Victoria and Tasmania?
26. In what year was Australia’s Sentinel military tank produced?
27. The Argus, established in 1846 was one of Melbourne’s three morning daily newspapers until it ceased publication in what year?
28. What is a terret?
29. What two characters in the Lord of The Rings trilogy were played by John Rhys-Davies?
30. What is the capital of Namibia?
January 2014 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: Religions, Myths and Superstitions
January 2014 Logic & Maths Puzzles
December 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
December 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. What is the minimum number of ducks that suits this description?
“Two ducks in front of two other ducks, two ducks behind two other ducks and two ducks beside two other ducks”
2. Pair each star with the correct movie
STARS: Eddie Murphy, Daniel Radcliffe, Elijah Wood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ewan MacGregor, Mel Gibson
MOVIES: Titanic, Chicken Run, Attack of the Clones, Shrek, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter
3. True or false: All the clocks in the film Pulp Fiction are set at 4:20
4. In which Australian TV series did Henry Szeps and Judy Morris play a married couple?
5. True or false: “S.O.S.” stands for “Save our souls”
6. What animal is also known by its aboriginal name of warrigal?
7. Which is the world’s most widely-eaten fish?
8. What is Novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe’s best known work?
9. Which Disney film had a villain called Stromboli?
10. What kind of fruit comes in a variety called Greengage?
“NEXT LEVEL”
11. Which Victorian Town used to have the name “Duck Ponds”?
12. Name Marilyn Monroe’s first husband
13. List all six ingredients (apart from water) in Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen’s official pumpkin scones recipe.
14. What is the State Flower of Queensland?
15. Who was the first TV Week King of Pop?
16. What did John Joseph Merlin invent in 1760?
17. As well as being famous for story-telling, to what academic study did the Brothers Grimm make important early contributions?
18.How many christian names did King Edward VIII
(later the Duke of Windsor) have? 1
19.Who was Bona Dea?
20.Why did Queen Kristina of Sweden abdicate in 1654?
21. In which US state did Ernest Gideon Green help make news in 1957?
22. Which flag is the official flag of the Australian Merchant Navy?
23. On making an Oscar acceptance speech, who said “I Deserve this”?
24. What is tyromancy?
25. What were the thorn and the wynn?
26. When someone is “foist on their own petard” it means that they come to grief because of their own miscalculations. The quote comes from Shakespeare. What is, or was a petard?
27. Lobster Thermidor is a popular dish. Who or What was in named in honour of?
28. What are Ida and Dactyl?
29.Michael Flatley is the original star of Riverdance. Apart from dancing and choreography, what else is he acknowledged as being good at?
30.Who recorded under the name Ayrton Wilbury?
December 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: ALTERNATIVE HEALING PRACTICES
DECEMBER 2013 SKEPTICAL CROSSWORD
DECEMBER 2013 Logic & Maths Puzzles
DECEMBER 2013 LOGIC & MATHS PROBLEMS
November 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
November 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. Assign every letter of the alphabet a number so that A=1, B=2, C=3 and so on. The word CAB would then be worth 3 + 1 + 2 = 6. Now arrange these vegetables from lowest score to highest; carrot, cabbage, leek, pea
2. Find a name that goes after the first name and before the second to make the names of two famous people. For example: Elton Travolta. Putting “John” in the middle gives you Elton John and John Travolta. Your answer would therefore be “John”. Find a suitable middle name for each of the following: (a) Ricky Sheen (b) Boy Clooney (c) Annie Lewis (d) George Douglas (e) James Diaz
3. What was special about the Pelaco Golf Tournament in 1956?
4. Who played Alf Garnett in Till Death Us Do Part?
5. What material does a lapidarist work with?
6. Which is the largest island in the Mediterranean?
7. In what year did these things occur?
• Telly Savalas, Burt Lancaster and John Candy died; Dakota Fanning was born
• Prince Charles had two blank shots fired at him in Sydney
• The Church of England ordained its first female priests
• It was officially announced that Ronald Reagan has Altzheimer’s disease
• Films included The Santa Clause and Dumb and Dumber
8. What was the longest running race for women at the 1980 Olympics?
9. In the children’s story, who ate Chicken Little?
10. Who sang Lydia The Tattooed Lady?
“Next Level”
11. Which British Royal participated in the 1926 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles?
12. What is the main claim to fame of Jan Davis and Mark Lee?
13. Who is Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus?
14. What is Plexicushion Prestige?
15. In what year did Albert Einstein publish his Principle of Special Relativity?
16. In what year did the band Kiss record a live album with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra?
17. In what position did Pope John Paul II play soccer as a young man?
18. In what year did the comic strip hero Popeye make his debut?
19. What two countries were involved in the Pig War of 1859?
20. Which movie director has the most Oscar nominations?
21. Miami Florida and Bermuda are two of the three corners of the so-called Bermuda Triangle. Which city represents the third corner?
22. What is the name of Telstra’s wholly owned publisher of Australia’s White Pages and Yellow Pages telephone directories?
23. What links the names Alexander, Borrowdale and Charlotte?
24. How old was Mary Bell when given an indefinite sentence for manslaughter in 1968?
25. What feat did Fred Baldasare achieve on July 11 1962?
26. For what discovery did Australian Norman McAlister Gregg become world famous?
27. What pseudonym did Florence Nightingale Graham choose?
28. Where did all seven unmanned Surveyor spacecraft complete their journeys during 1966 – 1968?
29. Which national cricket team dismissed West Indies for 25 runs in 1969?
30. What remarkable feat was performed by Nicholas Alkemade during World War 2?
November 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: CONSPIRACY THEORIES
NOVEMBER 2013 SKEPTICAL CROSSWORD
November 2013 Logic and Maths Puzzles
NOVEMBER 2013 LOGIC & MATHS PROBLEMS
October 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
October 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. How many times do the hour and the minute hands of a clock cross each other in any twelve-hour period? 2. Politically, which of these western Mediterranean Islands is “odd one out”? Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Elba 3. What year were Video Cassette Recorders first sold in Australia? 4. Where would you find carpal bones and tarsal bones respectively? 5. Which actor played the love interest to Margaret Dumont in a series of comedies? 6. Which continent produces the most cocoa beans? 7. What is unusual about the political status of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea? 8. What six letter “F” word is an aniseed – flavoured shrub? 9. In which British TV series was the character Cathy Gale succeeded by Emma Peel, and name the actresses who portrayed these women. 10. What “P” word means an artificial body part? “Next Level” 11. What useful article did British engineer Harry Beck produce in his spare time in 1931? 12. What do The Pearl, Wotan and Old Rowley have in common? 13. For what invention is Dr Cyril Callister mainly remembered? 14. Where did stylites live? 15. What Swedish village has given its name to four of the 92 natural chemical elements? 16. According to a 2007 study by the World Resources Institute, which country has the highest per capita consumption of coffee? 17. Miriam Smith, of South Carolina was charged with animal cruelty in January 2011. What did she do to deserve that 18. What internationally useful product was developed by Dr Arthur Farnsworth of CSIRO in 1957? 19. What Australian product was briefly renamed “Parwill” in 1929? 20. In what city is the Topkapi Palace? 21. What were the surnames of the three men hanged at Green Berry Hill, London, for the murder of Sir Edmund Berry? 22. Sir Francis Drake completed his circumnavigation of the globe in The Golden Hind. What was the name of the ship he started out in? 23. In what unusual way did Draco, the Athenian law-maker die in 620 BC? 24. What did Josephine Cochrane invent in 1886? 25. Who was born Fingal O’Flahertie Wills & died Sebastian Melmoth? 26. In what unusual way did Martin I of Aragon die? 27. Osama Bin Laden’s father Mohammed was the wealthiest non-Royal person in Saudi Arabia. What was his occupation? 28. Which Australian actor provided the voice for John Tracy in the Thunderbirds TV series? 29. Who wrote The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules? 30. How did Michael Fagen make headlines in July 1982?
October 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: LOGICAL FALLACIES (3)
For LOGICAL FALLACIES (1) see our July 2012 Skeptical Crossword. LOGICAL FALLACIES (2) was last month’s (September 2013) Crossword
October 2013 Logic and Maths Puzzles
September 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
September 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. What English word contains five S’s, four E’s, two L’s. one P and one N? 2. What is 1/2 of 2/3 of 3/4 of 4/5 of 5/6 of 6/7 of 7/8 of 8/9 of 9/10 of 1000? 3. Which Community Chest card in Monopoly gives you $10? 4. From what fruit is the spirit Kirsch distilled? 5. What five letter “E” word means a poetic lament for the dead? 6. The first son of the British sovereign gets to be Prince of Wales. What title is traditionally reserved for the second son? 7. Of these domesticated animals, which have the greatest number of distinct breeds; Sheep, Cows or Pigs? 8. What was the Gossamer Condor? 9. From which Shakespearean play do we get the expression “He wants his pound of flesh”? 10. Who said: “A woman drove me to drink, and I never had the courtesy to thank her”; Groucho Marx, WC Fields or Dean Martin? “Next Level” 11. Why was English Queen Anne’s body buried in a square coffin? 12. The common name for the constellation Leo is “The Lion”. What is the common name for the constellation Apus? 13. What is the Mercalli Scale used to measure? 14. What was unusual about the sinking of the submarine USS Tang in October 1944? 15. Historically, which of the 26 letters of the English alphabet was the last to be added? 16. Which US State Capital was once known as “Pig’s Eye”? 17. Raimondo and his brother Piero dÍnzeo were to first athletes to do what? 18. Which high-profile annual event is celebrated at Gobblers Knob, Pennsylvania? 19. What is a baby llama called? 20. Candice Bergen’s father Edgar was a popular ventriloquist. Apart from the fact that it was made of wood, what was special about the design of the honorary Oscar he received in 1937? 21. Which annual event’s inaugural winner was Captain Arthur Waite in 1928? 22. Who was Western Australian State Horse Ploughing Champion in 1993 and 1994? 23. Which Australian invention was designed by Lyster Ormsby and built by John Bond? 24. Which State of the USA does not have a rectangular flag? 25. What is composer Irving Szathmary’s best-known composition? 26. In 1969 a war started between two countries over a football game. Name the two countries. 27. Kenneth Kennedy was the first to represent Australia in which Olympic event? 28. Who is Barfing Barb? 29. What place does Sam Poo have in Australian history? 30. Which state of the USA is the Nutmeg State?
September 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: LOGICAL FALLACIES (2)
For LOGICAL FALLACIES (1) see our July 2012 Skeptical Crossword. LOGICAL FALLACIES (3) is next month’s (October 2013) crossword
September 2013 Logic and Maths Puzzles
August 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
August 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. Each of the following is an anagram for a popular board game. Un-jumble them. (a) Loom pony (b) A citron yip (c) Leo cud (d) Virtual stir it up (e) Dr Ken sends a salad 2. A group of soldiers are on parade, facing West. They are then given the consecutive commands; Right turn! About turn! Left turn! In what direction are they now facing? 3. Which country owns the Azores Islands? 4. In what field of study would you encounter a vinculum? 5. Which is “odd one out”? Verdun, Stalingrad, El Alamein, Tobruk 6. Except for sex cells, all human cells contain 46 what? 7. In what year? • Arthur Ashe won at Wimbledon • Colour Television transmissions began in Australia • Fawlty Towers and Welcome Back Kotter began. • Rod Stewart’s Sailing and The Bay City Rollers’ Bye Bye Baby featured on Australian hit parades • Five Australian-based journalists were killed in East Timor 8. Who was the cartoon uncle of Morty and Ferdy? 9. Which popular variety of tea is flavoured by bergamot? 10. Petula Clark had a 60’s hit with This Is My Song. Who wrote it?
August 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: ALT-MED
August 2013 Logic and Maths Puzzles
July 2013 Picture Puzzles
Each of the following seven puzzles decodes to a word, phrase, song title, book, or film.
July 2013 “Mixed Bag” Questions
1. Link each of these artist’s surname with the correct given name. Given names: Rembrandt, Salvador, Claude, Pablo, Michelangelo Surnames: Buanorotti, Dali, Picasso, Renoir, Van Rijn 2. Link each author to a book by that author. Author: Frank McCort, Bryce Courtenay, Colleen McCulloch, Salmon Rushdie, Frank Hardy, Dan Brown Book: Power Without Glory, The Da Vinci Code, Angela’s Ashes, The Thorn Birds, The Satanic Verses, The Power of One 3. How many episodes of the TV series MASH were made: 201, 251, 301 or 351? 4. Who is the only person to have won a Formula 1 championship in a car of his own design? 5. In literature and movies, who was Gepetto the father of? 6. Elvis’s first movie was: A. Love Me Tender B. Flaming Star C. Jailhouse Rock 7. The Twelve Apostles is a coastal feature off the great Ocean Road. As at January 2005, how many of them are left which actually stick out above the water? 6, 7, 8 or 9? 8. Which Scottish TV policeman was portrayed by Robert Carlyle? 9. Who am I?
- I was born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano in New York in 1931.
- I am an actress and film producer.
- My films include The Graduate and Elephant Man
- I married Mel Brooks in 1964
10. What is the name of the helicopter that is the hero of a children’s book by Sarah, Duchess of York?
July 2013 Skeptical Crossword
THEME: SECTS & CULTS
July 2013 Logic and Maths Puzzles
PUZZLES ARCHIVES
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 1 (AUGUST 2010 to APRIL 2011)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 2 (MAY 2011 to SEPTEMBER 2011)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 3 (OCTOBER 2011 to NOVEMBER 2012)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 4 (December 2012 to June 2013)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 5 (July 2013 to September 2014)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 6 (October 2014 to December 2015)