# The Hardest Quiz Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 6, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772 "2006-01-06T18:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/1 "2006-01-06T18:41:37Z")
Last month in [Esquire Magazine](http://www.esquire.com) they ran “The Hardest Quiz Ever\*”. Now, knowing how you all are like the ultimate brainy, trivia-y bunch in The Whole World, I thought this was perfect. Alas, time and copyright considerations kept me from posting the Quiz here. But joyfully they’ve finally added it to the online site. Here’s the [entire Quiz](http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2005/img/051123_hardquiz.pdf) **WARNING: PDF**. Let’s see how long it takes us to crack the whole thing. I have the answers, but don’t know them. Also, please use SPOILER BOXES to post if you know any answer with 100% certainty, so it doesn’t ruin that portion for anyone else. There are fifty questions, here are a few as a sample (without loading the PDF): 1. What best-selling author was born Howard Allen O’Brien? . . . 2. Who is the only person to receive an Oscar Nomination whose full name (first and last) can be typed on a single row of a keyboard? Don’t forget to use spoiler boxes if you know the answer and it’s not a guess. . . . 42. Who sang the National Anthem at the Muhammed Ali v Michael Spinks rematch in the New Orleans Superdome in 1978? Really, I mean it. I posted these since they’re relatively easy, googleable answers. Also, if you have any really, really tough questions, let’s try and make up a second group of 50. Nominate your 51-100 toughest questions here. \*Unless you Google the hell out of it. But even then, it’s extraordinarily tough. Sure, you’ll find some help on the Web. But many questions require considerable brainpower just to figure out what you’re looking for. Still others exist in a realm completely separate from what you can find online. So cancel any appointments, brew some coffee, and open your mind. Let’s get started. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/2 "2006-01-06T18:43:40Z")
When I tried to open the PDF, I got an error saying the file was damaged and could no be repaired. I have Acrobat Reader 6.0, i don’t need to upgrade, do I? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/3 "2006-01-06T18:46:45Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > When I tried to open the PDF, I got an error saying the file was damaged and could no be repaired. > > I have Acrobat Reader 6.0, i don’t need to upgrade, do I? I think I’m only on 6.0. It does work for me. I’m on Mozilla, though, let me try it in IE. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/4 "2006-01-06T18:49:40Z")
Works for me in Explorer as well. I suppose you could try the upgrade, or I could loan you the hardcopy of my magazine next time you’re down this way. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/5 "2006-01-06T19:03:27Z")
23 Hedy Lamarr 39 Rome. Not the Vatican City, because the colonnades around St. Peter’s square aren’t on Vatican territory. 40 Nestlé ---
**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:** [January 6, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/6 "2006-01-06T19:15:57Z")
30.The ace. The other cards are in alphabetical order; “eight”, “five”, “four”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/7 "2006-01-06T19:17:04Z")
Wow, I know one. 43 Gilligan’s Island ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/8 "2006-01-06T19:21:15Z")
Haven’t gone to the site yet, but the answer to #1 there is Anne Rice ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/9 "2006-01-06T19:34:04Z")
Working my way through … 1. The new words are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. 1. Jerry Garcia (I think) ---
**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:** [January 6, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/10 "2006-01-06T19:41:28Z")
> [@Alma](#): > > Wow, I know one. > 43 Gilligan’s Island Alma, are you sure that was number 43, 'cause I’m thinking 11. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/11 "2006-01-06T19:44:27Z")
Well, my work internet is craptacular, so I’ll try again athome. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/12 "2006-01-06T19:44:31Z")
#3755–atomic weight of cesium neon=10, argon=18… ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/13 "2006-01-06T19:55:38Z")
3 (guess) E Pluribus Unum 10 (wild guess) Sweden 13 (educated guess) Jesse Owens 31 (mostly complete answer) _Hee Haw, Quantum Leap, Alias, That 70’s Show, Bewitched_ (that one’s a guess), \*The Man From U.N.C.L.E. \* (also a guess), \*Futurama, Friends, \*and I’m not sure about the last one. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/14 "2006-01-06T19:58:00Z")
#8 Skim Milk ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/15 "2006-01-06T20:02:48Z")
#14 George Raft all well-known/celeb Georges ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/16 "2006-01-06T20:03:05Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > Alma, are you sure that was number 43, 'cause I’m thinking 11. Ooops, you’re right. Definitely #11. Don’t know where I pulled 43 out of, I hadn’t even read the question. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/17 "2006-01-06T20:08:40Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > 31 (mostly complete answer) > > _Hee Haw, Quantum Leap, Alias, That 70’s Show, Bewitched_ (that one’s a guess), \*The Man From U.N.C.L.E. \* (also a guess), \*Futurama, Friends, \*and I’m not sure about the last one. I think that the E is from _American Idol_ ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/18 "2006-01-06T20:22:04Z")
#10: Canada, because all the listed countries have red and white flags. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/19 "2006-01-06T20:23:46Z")
#48d.song douleur french for pain, pain french for bread; gelogen Dutch for lied, lied Dutch for song ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772/20 "2006-01-06T20:26:35Z")
#46 d.Texas otter is a kind of shawl; taxes are a kind of levy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hardest-quiz-ever/338772.md?page=2)