# Take the Chronos Literary Trivia Challange-- Win a prize! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882 "2003-06-27T23:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/1 "2003-06-27T23:22:10Z")
Welcome to the first Chronos Literary Trivia Challenge! (and probably the only; you’vn’t any idea how long it took me to come up with all these) Below are fifty trivia questions, from various literary works. Whoever answers the most right, within exactly one week, will win a $15 gift certificate to [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com). Feel free to use any resources available to you, including but not limited to other people, [Google](http://www.google.com), or your local library. If you don’t want folks copying your answers, feel free to [e-mail](mailto:bambeck@physics.montana.edu) them to me. You should also feel free to post wrong or misleading answers in the thread, to confuse others. Or bluff and post right answers that look wrong. Partial credit will be given, where appropriate, and ties will be settled in favor of whomever answered first. You may begin… **now**. Next Friday at 5:30 PM MDT (23:30 GMT), the contest will conclude, and I’ll announce the winner and the correct answers. 01 What is the name of the Many-Colored Death? 02 What was the surname of the Kings and Queens of Cair Paravel? 03 What can penetrate a General Products hull? 04 Who started his naval career by fighting a fair duel with unloaded pistols? 05 What nationality was Alladin? 06 What are the names of the planets interior to Barsoom? 07 What was Charles Ingals’ pet name for his second daughter? 08 Where may one see a painting of a woman from off the street, so shameless but oh so fair? 09 What is the most remarkable property of the Island of Laputa? 10 How might the corpse of Pap Finn be recognized? 11 What former slave has a tree on her back? 12 Who is credited with inventing the waterbed? 13 Which Valar are mentioned by name in _The Lord of the Rings_? 14 What was the name of the swordsmith through whom Domingo Montoya did business? 15 Who speaks for the trees? 16 How does the Dragon of Grindly Grun like his damsels? 17 As precisely as possible, when did Pollux and Castor Stone first set foot on Mars? 18 Our next item up for bids, what is Lot 666? 19 How might one cuss another out, in Lapin? 20 By what name is Artanis better known? 21 What is great for destruction, and would also suffice for the end of the world? 22 By what name was _Le Noir Faineant_ better known? 23 Where does the moon-bird rest in the peppermint wind? 24 What color is Petunia Dursley’s hair? 25 Night turn to noon, and rivers burn with frozen fire, ere what? 26 How does one seriously cramp a wizard’s style? 27 By what name was Hawkeye called (incorrectly, he might add) by his enemies? 28 His name is Mudd. In whose tent were his belongings left after his demise? 29 How would the Story of Henry Sugar have ended, were it fiction? 30 What did the catepillar eat on Saturday? 31 By what element is the _Nautilus_ powered? 32 How much does it cost to whitewash a fence? 33 Who had dogs named Fortinbras and Ananda? 34 Everyone knows that the _Rolling Stone_ gathers no moss. What does it accumulate on its hull instead? 35 Which two of Asimov’s stories feature positronic robots built without regard for the Three Laws? 36 What is Jon Arbuckle’s profession? 37 Against whom was Hephestos matched in the Trojan War? 38 What sport was invented by Bandobras Took? 39 What is the Lenni-Lenape word for “big serpent”? 40 How is The Last Question to be answered? 41 What are Laughs Brightly and Golden Voice called by their closest companions? 42 Upon whose globular figure, her name and three quarters from hip to hip, may one find countries? 43 What is located at Star’s End? 44 Why are the Seven Stars no more than seven? 45 With whom does Time amble? 46 What instrument did Opus the Penguin play? 47 In what base should pi be expressed, to find an image of a circle drawn in the digits? 48 Who or what is Edwin Frazier’s muse? 49 What element did the _Skylark_ use for fuel? 50 If the only surviving output from the most powerful computer ever built is to be trusted, what do you get when you multiply six by nine? ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/2 "2003-06-27T23:34:10Z")
I’ll answer the few I’m sure I know, just for kicks. > [@](#): > > 09 What is the most remarkable property of the Island of Laputa? It floats. > [@](#): > > 16 How does the Dragon of Grindly Grun like his damsels? Medium rare… but they always come out well-done. > [@](#): > > 26 How does one seriously cramp a wizard’s style? Knife him in the back. > [@](#): > > 36 What is Jon Arbuckle’s profession? He’s a cartoonist. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/3 "2003-06-27T23:44:40Z")
05 What nationality was Alladin? Chinese. 07 What was Charles Ingals’ pet name for his second daughter? Half-Pint. 15 Who speaks for the trees? The Lorax (?) 21 What is great for destruction, and would also suffice for the end of the world? Ice. 24 What color is Petunia Dursley’s hair? Blonde. 25 Night turn to noon, and rivers burn with frozen fire, ere what? Ere Dyrnwyn be regained. 42 Upon whose globular figure, her name and three quarters from hip to hip, may one find countries? Nell the kitchen-wench, in _The Comedy of Errors_ 44 Why are the Seven Stars no more than seven? Because they are not eight. 45 With whom does Time amble? With a priest that lacks Latin and a rich man that hath not the gout. 50 If the only surviving output from the most powerful computer ever built is to be trusted, what do you get when you multiply six by nine? 42. (Sigh … all those years of grad school and I seem to know mostly the childrens’ book ones. Oh well.) ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/4 "2003-06-27T23:46:38Z")
Fretful got the ones I knew, I’m spent ---
**Author:** ![king\_of\_spain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@king\_of\_spain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/king_of_spain)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/5 "2003-06-27T23:47:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*19 How might one cuss another out, in Lapin? > \*\* You mean Lapine, right? By weird coincidence, this morning I finished re-reading that book for the first time in almost ten years. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/6 "2003-06-28T00:00:09Z")
I managed to get **two** more! > [@](#): > > 11 What former slave has a tree on her back? Sethe. > [@](#): > > 31 By what element is the _Nautilus_ powered? Sodium. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/7 "2003-06-28T00:28:03Z")
02 What was the surname of the Kings and Queens of Cair Paravel? A: Pensie 03 What can penetrate a General Products hull? A: Gravity (and anti-matter destroys it) 05 What nationality was Alladin? Arabic 06 What are the names of the planets interior to Barsoom? Jasoom is Earth 12 Who is credited with inventing the waterbed? A: Robert A. Heinlein 15 Who speaks for the trees? A: The Parliament of The Trees? 21 What is great for destruction, and would also suffice for the end of the world? A: Ice 34 Everyone knows that the Rolling Stone gathers no moss. What does it accumulate on its hull instead? A: Bicycles. 35 Which two of Asimov’s stories feature positronic robots built without regard for the Three Laws? A: Robot AL-76 Goes Astray 37 Against whom was Hephestos matched in the Trojan War? A: Hera 38 What sport was invented by Bandobras Took? A: Golf 40 How is The Last Question to be answered? A: “Let there be light.” 46 What instrument did Opus the Penguin play? A: Electric bass ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/8 "2003-06-28T00:42:09Z")
02 What was the surname of the Kings and Queens of Cair Paravel? Pevensie 20 By what name is Artanis better known? Galadriel 30 What did the catepillar eat on Saturday? chocolate cake, ice cream, a pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, a cupcake, and watermelon. (OK so I needed to Google, but I knew what bok it was.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/9 "2003-06-28T05:47:31Z")
> [@](#): > > (OK so I needed to Google, but I knew what bok it was.) Very important to know your boks, of course ;). And out of curiousity, what Google terms did you use? ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/10 "2003-06-28T06:28:24Z")
What the heck, I’ll try to answer a few. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\* > > 03 What can penetrate a General Products hull?\*\* Well, anti-matter ain’t good for it. \*\* > [@](#): > > 43 What is located at Star’s End?\*\* The Second Foundation, baby. \*\* > [@](#): > > 50 If the only surviving output from the most powerful computer ever built is to be trusted, what do you get when you multiply six by nine? \*\* 42 ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/11 "2003-06-28T08:18:01Z")
Googled for (“Very hungry caterpillar” foods saturday). I I do know myboks. Story boks, refernce boks, springboks, gemsboks… ---
**Author:** ![sotally\_tober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@sotally\_tober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sotally_tober)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/12 "2003-06-28T10:56:25Z")
What is the name of the Many-Coloured Death? I’m surprise this hasn’t been answered. 😃 Grograman the Fire Lion. The others i know have alas been taken… ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/13 "2003-06-28T11:11:39Z")
_03 What can penetrate a General Products hull? A: Gravity (and anti-matter destroys it)_ And it’s transparent to visible light. _29 Henry Sugar_ He would have died for violating the code of the yogi, in an unusual and interesting manner, such as having a blood clot break free and reach his heart (as he watched, horror-stricken). ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/14 "2003-06-28T16:44:54Z")
Hey, I feel really chuffed when I got some of those. There’s only a couple other people haven’t posted - I’ll come back and post them when I decide whether to enter or not bother. ::applause:: nice idea, Chronos. ---
**Author:** ![sc913](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sc913](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sc913)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/15 "2003-06-28T17:01:07Z")
A few that haven’t been answered yet: 13 Which Valar are mentioned by name in _The Lord of the Rings_? Orome (imagine there’s an umlaut there) and Varda 22 By what name was _Le Noir Faineant_ better known? King Richard the Lionheart 28 His name is Mudd. In whose tent were his belongings left after his demise? Yossarian ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/16 "2003-06-28T17:09:09Z")
46 What instrument did Opus the Penguin play? saxaphone 39 What is the Lenni-Lenape word for “big serpent”? - Maxa’xàk ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/17 "2003-06-28T17:32:17Z")
1. Nutrinos 2. by demonstration, as there was no one to tell the answer to. 3. 42! It was a cock up, you see, what with the Golgafrinchins and all… ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/18 "2003-06-28T17:45:41Z")
1. Ajax. He cleaned up. 2. by making him take Willow with him 35)“Robbie (Strange Playfellow)” and “Liar!” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/19 "2003-06-28T17:53:06Z")
1. also the Nestor series of robots with a modified First Law. Can’t remember the story name. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882/20 "2003-06-28T17:56:24Z")
1. “Little Lost Robot” whew! The Nestor series had the First Law modified to: “A robot may not harm a human,” leaving out the “or through inaction allow a human to come to harm” clause because of the harsh and dangerous working conditions… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-chronos-literary-trivia-challange-win-a-prize/184882.md?page=2)