# Common denominators **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 17, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486 "2008-12-17T00:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/101 "2008-12-19T23:38:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Correct! Quite a crew. > > Try these three: > > Henry Fonda > Brendan Frasier > Sam Waterston How about a clue? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/102 "2008-12-20T00:11:33Z")
Fonda and Waterston both played Lincoln – did Frasier? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/103 "2008-12-20T01:14:16Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > _Don Quixote_ > _The Princess Bride_ > _Eaters of the Dead_ All works supposedly taken from previous manuscripts. (Of the 3, only Eaters of the Dead is based on any real pre-existing work, and even there the connection is vague at best.) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/104 "2008-12-20T03:22:58Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > All works supposedly taken from previous manuscripts. > > (Of the 3, only Eaters of the Dead is based on any real pre-existing work, and even there the connection is vague at best.) Excellent! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/105 "2008-12-20T03:38:12Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Charles G. Leland > Jimi Hendrix > Cher They all had work with gypsies in the title? _The Gypsies_ “Band of Gypsys” “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/106 "2008-12-20T15:32:50Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Fonda and Waterston both played Lincoln – did Frasier? Yes! In _Bedazzled_. You got it. Try these: Lily Tomlin Rocky Marciano Gloria Estefan ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/107 "2008-12-20T15:52:49Z")
And since we’re not limited to people: England the Knights Templars the former Soviet republic of Georgia ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/108 "2008-12-20T16:01:00Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Hydrated silica > Pensacola > October Hydrated silica is opal, which is the birthstone for October. Pensacola was hit by Hurricane Opal in 1995. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/109 "2008-12-20T16:02:58Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > And since we’re not limited to people: > > England > the Knights Templars > the former Soviet republic of Georgia They all have red crosses on a white field. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/110 "2008-12-20T16:25:13Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Hydrated silica is opal, which is the birthstone for October. Pensacola was hit by Hurricane Opal in 1995. Yes. After the my previous answer, I wanted another SDMB inside joke. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/111 "2008-12-20T16:29:53Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Julia Child > Sylvia Plath > Nancy Reagan Is it awful that my first thought was wondering if Nancy Reagan has some connection to ovens? > [@Sternvogel](#): > > Eddie Arcaro > Cessna aircraft > Edsel automobile Uh, they all go fast? > [@tdn](#): > > Lyle Lovett > Jenny McCarthy > Larry Flynt > …and me! No idea. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/112 "2008-12-20T16:33:16Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yes. After the my previous answer, I wanted another SDMB inside joke. I thought about adding “…so, buckeyes?” but decided against it. > [@jsgoddess](#): > > Is it awful that my first thought was wondering if Nancy Reagan has some connection to ovens? Way funnier than the answer I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/113 "2008-12-20T17:04:01Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > Eddie Arcaro > Cessna aircraft > Edsel automobile > [@jsgoddess](#): > > Uh, they all go fast? Already answered. > [@twickster](#): > > I thought about adding “…so, buckeyes?” but decided against it. I figured the correct answer was “3”. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/114 "2008-12-20T17:08:16Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Already answered. And the answer was… ? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/115 "2008-12-20T17:13:36Z")
Scroll back up, it’s there. This is rapidly approaching the any-joke-isn’t-funny-if-you-have-to-explain-it stage. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/116 "2008-12-20T17:16:57Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Scroll back up, it’s there. > > This is rapidly approaching the any-joke-isn’t-funny-if-you-have-to-explain-it stage. I saw that you posted “Cite?” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/117 "2008-12-20T17:29:28Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I saw that you posted “Cite?” Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/118 "2008-12-20T19:12:48Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > They all have red crosses on a white field. Correct, the flags of each bear the cross of St. George. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/119 "2008-12-20T21:52:22Z")
Sorry to be dense, but I’m totally not getting the joke. Could someone spoil the answer to Arcaro/Cessna/Edsel for me? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/120 "2008-12-20T22:57:20Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Sorry to be dense, but I’m totally not getting the joke. Could someone spoil the answer to Arcaro/Cessna/Edsel for me? Thanks. I’d love to if I got it myself. But I don’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486.md?page=7)