Question 1

Which 17th-century Dutch painter, virtually unknown during his lifetime, is now considered one of the greatest masters of light in Western art — with his painting 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' sometimes called the 'Mona Lisa of the North'?

Accepted Answer

Johannes Vermeer. Johannes Vermeer sold very few paintings during his lifetime and died deeply in debt, but his extraordinary mastery of interior light — particularly in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' — made him posthumously one of the most celebrated Dutch Golden Age painters.

Question 2

Which famous band sang the 1981 hit 'Don't You Want Me,' a song that reached number one in both the UK and US and is widely credited with helping launch the synth-pop genre into mainstream success?

Accepted Answer

Human League. The Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' became a defining synth-pop anthem — frontman Philip Oakey famously didn't think it was good enough to be a single, while band manager Bob Last insisted it be released over his objections, making it a massive number-one hit.

Question 3

Which sport awards a 'Golden Bagel' to a player who wins a set 6-0, with the term allegedly coined because the zero on the scoreboard resembles a bagel?

Accepted Answer

Tennis. In tennis, winning a set 6-0 is informally called 'bageling' your opponent, since the zero resembles a bagel — a playful piece of tennis slang that has been in use since at least the 1970s.

Question 4

Which African country contains 37 of the world's 43 known species of the rare and ancient cycad plant, earning it the nickname the 'cycad capital of the world'?

Accepted Answer

South Africa. South Africa hosts an extraordinary diversity of cycads, ancient seed plants that predate dinosaurs, and actively protects them from poachers who sell them illegally for thousands of dollars each.

Question 5

Which element on the periodic table is so reactive that it must be stored under oil to prevent it from exploding on contact with air or water, and produces a vivid violet flame when burned?

Accepted Answer

Potassium. Potassium is so reactive with moisture and oxygen that it is stored submerged in mineral oil; when burned, it produces a characteristic lilac or violet flame, a property used in flame tests to identify it.

May 25, 2026 Trivia

1. Which 17th-century Dutch painter, virtually unknown during his lifetime, is now considered one of the greatest masters of light in Western art — with his painting 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' sometimes called the 'Mona Lisa of the North'?

2. Which famous band sang the 1981 hit 'Don't You Want Me,' a song that reached number one in both the UK and US and is widely credited with helping launch the synth-pop genre into mainstream success?

3. Which sport awards a 'Golden Bagel' to a player who wins a set 6-0, with the term allegedly coined because the zero on the scoreboard resembles a bagel?

4. Which African country contains 37 of the world's 43 known species of the rare and ancient cycad plant, earning it the nickname the 'cycad capital of the world'?

5. Which element on the periodic table is so reactive that it must be stored under oil to prevent it from exploding on contact with air or water, and produces a vivid violet flame when burned?