Masters of Subduction
January 13-14, 2023
On-Air Questions and Songs
Unused questions are shown with gray text.
| Number | 1 |
| Realm | Easy Money |
| Subrealm | It should be, anyway |
| Question | What do you call a dapper bunch of geo students who just aced their Structural Geology final? |
| Answer | Masters of Subduction |
| Song | Metamorphic Rock Song |
| Artist | None Needed |
| Hint | Don't think too hard |
| Number | 2 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | You don't wanna know |
| Question | Which Williams College dormitory boasts a “Goat Room”? |
| Answer | Perry (it's possible there are multiple-maybe also Mears) |
| Song | S.I.M.P (Squirrels in my pants!) |
| Artist | 2 Guyz N the Parque/Phineas and Ferb/Candace |
| Hint | I'm really glad we abolished fraternities |
| Note | According to facilities.williams.edu, "You’ll have to use your imagination on what The Goat Room was formerly used for, but today it’s used as a party and fancy dinner space." |
| Number | 3 |
| Realm | The venerable and hallowed halls of American politics |
| Subrealm | |
| Question | At what event did a 2016 Republican presidential candidate Tweet that his daughter’s first sentence was about butter? For this THREE-POINT PLAY: What building was the photo in? |
| Answer | Iowa State Fair. Second point: Varied Industries Building |
| Song | It's Corn |
| Artist | The Gregory Brothers/Tariq |
| Hint | Gwyn wrote this question |
| Note | The politican was Ted Cruz, and he was standing in front of a large statue of a cow made out of butter. |
| Number | 4 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | Have you been studying? |
| Question | Williams’s Sawyer Library is engraved with the names of an array of white men who got famous a long time ago for writing and saying stuff. One of these names appears it may use an antiquated spelling, but is actually how he signed his name. What is the name (both spellings are acceptable)? |
| Answer | Shakespeare/Shakespere |
| Song | Maria |
| Artist | West Side Story/Bernstein and Sondheim |
| Hint | That's the question. |
| Number | 5 |
| Realm | ENGL 101 |
| Subrealm | Enrollment preferences: not you |
| Question | What is Mercutio’s second-to-last line in Romeo and Juliet? |
| Answer | No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o'both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. |
| Song | Everything At Once |
| Artist | Lenka |
| Hint | A third of Europe's population probably wasn't thrilled by his verbiage |
| Note | The above is Mercutio's second-to-last speech. His last speech has four lines: Help me into some house, Benvolio, / Or I shall faint. A plague on both your houses! / They have made worms' meat of me. I have it, / And soundly too. Your houses! |
| Number | 6 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | logy |
| Question | What tool used by geologists to crush rocks into powder can also be used in pharmaceutical preparation and the grinding of dried marsh grass? |
| Answer | Shatterbox |
| Song | Shake Your Booty |
| Artist | KC and the Sunshine Band |
| Hint | Violet crumble |
| Note | Shatterbox is a brand name for a ring and puck mill for pulverizing dry, brittle samples and slurry grinding. |
| Number | 7 |
| Realm | The MCAT |
| Subrealm | Former premeds, wya? |
| Question | Which coronary artery is most frequently blocked? |
| Answer | Left anterior descending |
| Song | Chasing Cars |
| Artist | Snow Patrol |
| Number | 8 |
| Realm | My only reference for this is an email from a professor |
| Subrealm | And she's retired now |
| Question | In 1976, which country ruled that marriages could be annulled if they failed after one year of separation (rather than three), though the law maintained that marriage was ideally a union for life? |
| Answer | West Germany |
| Song | Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Movement 3 |
| Artist | Beethoven |
| Hint | This country no longer exists |
| Number | 9 |
| Realm | Delicacies |
| Subrealm | Or so we're told |
| Question | This body part is a staple in French cooking, where it is traditionally prepared by removing the red veins, soaking in cold water overnight, and lightly dusting with flour and frying with garlic, parsley, and lemon. |
| Answer | Brain |
| Song | Zombie |
| Artist | The Cranberries |
| Hint | You are what you eat, and the French are romantics… but love doesn't really come from the heart |
| Number | 10 |
| Realm | Unfortunate statistics |
| Subrealm | I'm glad that's not me |
| Question | This infection is almost always fatal, but has four known U.S. survivors: one in 1978, two in 2013, one in 2016. All were children and all were infected during summertime. |
| Answer | Naegleria fowleri/brain eating amoeba |
| Song | Doctor Worm |
| Artist | They Might Be Giants |
| Note | According to the CDC: "Naegleria fowleri infects people when water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose. This typically happens when people go swimming, diving, or when they put their heads under fresh water, like in lakes and rivers. The ameba then travels up the nose to the brain, where it destroys the brain tissue and causes a devastating infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)." 150 of 154 known cases in the United States have been fatal. But it is very rare; only 31 infections are known to have occiurred between 2012 and 2021. |
| Number | 11 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | Do you milk the cow or does the cow milk you (wait, what?)? |
| Question | The Williams classes of the ‘60s have left behind generous donations: ‘62 Center for Theatre and Dance and the ‘68 Center for Career Exploration, for example. What did the class of 1966 donate to commemorate their 25th reunion? |
| Answer | Rebuild of Sage |
| Song | Scarborough Fair |
| Artist | Simon & Garfunkel |
| Hint | Gwyn wrote this question |
| Note | Sage really needed it. The class of 1966 also sponsored the Environmental Center. |
| Number | 12 |
| Realm | llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch |
| Subrealm | and other Welsh villages |
| Question | What was morning high tide in Penarth, Wales on August 22nd, 2022? Answer should be given in time and meters. |
| Answer | 03:04am (8.8m) |
| Song | Green Green Grass of Home |
| Artist | Tom Jones |
| Hint | Raspberry, but not really |
| Number | 13 |
| Realm | Idols, American and otherwise |
| Subrealm | Otherwise |
| Question | Who is the patron saint of ear infections and dysentery? |
| Answer | Saint Polycarp |
| Song | Weird Fishes/Arpeggi |
| Artist | Radiohead |
| Note | Saint polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna in the first half of the second century AD. He is the patron saint against earaches because it is said he once stated he would rather not hear than hear heretical doctrines. |
| Number | 14 |
| Realm | The venerable and hallowed halls of Iowan politics |
| Subrealm | Deep fried & on a stick |
| Question | In 2022, an Iowa state senate leader's reelection was unsuccessfully challenged for what reason? |
| Answer | Not living in the district he was elected to (living in Ankeny rather than Grimes) |
| Song | Shinigami Eyes |
| Artist | Grimes |
| Note | The senator in question is majority leader Jack Whitver. The Polk County auditor rejected the challenge in December, 2022. |
| Number | 15 |
| Realm | Williamstowniana |
| Subrealm | Betcha wish this place was open right about now |
| Question | Tragically, no Spring Street establishment has matcha lattes on its menu. Where on Spring St (i.e., not Goodrich) can you get one off-the-menu? |
| Answer | Tunnel City Coffee |
| Song | Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go |
| Artist | Wham! |
| Number | 16 |
| Realm | American history |
| Subrealm | moments before disaster |
| Question | On Mon., Sept. 16., 1968, Presidential hopeful Richard M. Nixon appeared on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" and made an historic announcement. What was that historic announcement? |
| Answer | Sock it to me? |
| Song | Respect |
| Artist | Aretha Franklin |
| Hint | Must have double checked his dryer that morning and lost one |
| Note | The presidency has never recovered its dignity since. |
| Number | 17 |
| Realm | Popular music |
| Subrealm | it was at one point, anyway |
| Question | Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique was an extreme piece calling for a massive orchestra and imagery that some would call satanic. When performed today, there are usually two bass tubas in the orchestra. What instruments do they replace? |
| Answer | Serpent and ophicleide |
| Song | Turn Down for What |
| Artist | DJ Snake and Lil Jon |
| Note | According to Wikipedia: "The serpent is a low-pitched early brass instrument developed in the Renaissance era with a trombone-like mouthpiece and tone holes (later with keys) like a woodwind instrument. It is named for its long, conical bore bent into a snakelike shape, and unlike most brass instruments is generally made from wood, usually walnut, and covered with dark brown or black leather. The ophicleide (/ˈɒfɪklaɪd/ OFF-ih-klyde) is a family of conical-bore keyed brass instruments invented in early 19th century France to extend the keyed bugle into the alto, bass and contrabass ranges. Berlioz originally wrote for one serpent and one ophicleide, but quickly switched to two ophicleides after the serpent proved to be difficult to use." |
| Number | 18 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | Quilk |
| Question | In 2021, dozens of athletes were sent home after being busted for partying at a former Williams fraternity house, in violation of College Covid policy. What did this scandal come to be known as? |
| Answer | Wood/Woodgate |
| Song | Swiper No Swiping |
| Artist | Dora the Explorer |
| Hint | Unoriginally named like any good controversy after 1972 |
| Number | 19 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | duck |
| Question | The geoduck is a rather phallic large saltwater clam. It is one of the longest-living animals on Earth, and amazingly, we can determine exact birth and death dates for these clams by studying their accretionary rings–like with trees. Geoducks have been around for awhile. Why can't we use carbon dating on geoduck fossils that are several million years old? |
| Answer | Carbon dating uses radiocarbon isotopes, which decay and only work for things up to like 50,000 years old |
| Song | Radioactive |
| Artist | Imagine Dragons |
| Number | 20 |
| Realm | Odd American Traditions |
| Subrealm | Spooky |
| Question | In which U.S. city has trick-or-treating taken place the night before Halloween since the mid-20th century? |
| Answer | Des Moines (& the metro) |
| Song | Spooky Scary Skeletons |
| Artist | Andrew Gold |
| Hint | Gwyn wrote this question |
| Note | In Des Moines, October 30th is referred to as Beggar's Night. According to the Des Moines Register: "In most places, the Halloween tradition goes like this: The kid says, 'Trick-or-treat.' The homeowner gives him candy. In Des Moines and surrounding suburbs, it's more like this: The kid says, 'Trick or treat.' The homeowner says 'What's your trick?' Then the kid tells a joke of the sort usually found on Bazooka gum wrappers. Whether or not the homeowner is amused, the kid gets candy." |
| Number | 21 |
| Realm | Categories |
| Subrealm | Subcategories |
| Question | What are "municipal", "industrial", and "hazardous" types of? |
| Answer | Landfills ("waste" also acceptable) |
| Song | I'm Only Happy When it Rains |
| Artist | Garbage |
| Number | 22 |
| Realm | Popular music |
| Subrealm | Actually, I don't think it ever was |
| Question | What moment from Charles Ives’s childhood inspired the beginning and end of the second movement of his symphonic work “Three Places in New England”? |
| Answer | His father having two marching bands march past each other |
| Song | Hail Columbia |
| Number | 23 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | politics |
| Question | Remember those halcyon days of LBJ? And that light-hearted photograph of Lyndon playfully picking his beagle up by the ears? Well, as we all know, LBJ had not one, but TWO beagles. What were their names? |
| Answer | Him and Her |
| Song | I Could've Been Your Girl |
| Artist | She and Him |
| Hint | (Hint: Their initials were NOT "LBJ.") |
| Number | 24 |
| Realm | Scandent plants |
| Subrealm | Vines |
| Question | Per a famous Vine, to what sign would one respond “I sure hope it does”? |
| Answer | Road work ahead |
| Song | Down Under |
| Artist | Men at Work |
| Number | 25 |
| Realm | Hide and Seek |
| Subrealm | Heck, just seek. |
| Question | This small but not microscopic point of interest gets its name from a word or words meaning "little hill" (and another meaning). |
| Answer | the clitoris (kleitoris) |
| Song | In Da Hood |
| Artist | 50 Cent |
| Number | 26 |
| Realm | American Exceptionalism |
| Subrealm | The open road |
| Question | All but one state (well, maybe two) has the same process for this standard - and required - vehicular item. To get the point, tell us both which state it is, and what's the oddity? For a THREE-POINT PLAY, tell us the other state and its oddity. |
| Answer | [intended answer] Vermont/DEbossed license plates, stamped in from the front. All of the others are EMbossed, pressed out from the back. [accept anything that explains this or uses the word "debossed"; DO NOT accept "embossed" as that's the opposite]. Also accept [other answer]: Montana/paper license plates (which are flat) |
| Song | Mountain of Love |
| Artist | Bruce Springsteen |
| Note | The fact that New Jersey is the only state to disallow self-serve gas was not accepted. |
| Number | 27 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | graphy |
| Question | What do Ballina, Cava de Tirreni, Cheongju, and Larreynaga have in common? |
| Answer | Sister cities of Pittsfield, MA |
| Song | Hey, Soul Sister |
| Artist | Train |
| Number | 28 |
| Realm | Legal nonsense |
| Subrealm | It's not fraud, I swear |
| Question | If you're in need of some extra cash, check out your state's website for reclaiming property that you are entitled to but never made its way to you. What is the state's management of property under these conditions known as? |
| Answer | Escheat |
| Song | Money Money Money |
| Artist | ABBA |
| Number | 29 |
| Realm | The Situation Room |
| Subrealm | Big Block of Cheese |
| Question | In the fourth season premiere of The West Wing, seemingly everything goes wrong. What makes the characters late? |
| Answer | Dearborn County, Indiana does not observe daylight savings time |
| Song | The Jackal |
| Artist | Ronny Jordan |
| Note | This song was made famous when CJ sang it on The West Wing. |
| Number | 30 |
| Realm | Questions my grandpa wrote |
| Subrealm | Military history |
| Question | What unique form of observation was used by the Union army during the Civil War? |
| Answer | Hot air balloons |
| Song | Blow It |
| Artist | Tay Money ft. Kali |
| Hint | The carnival of war sure is bloody |
| Number | 31 |
| Realm | Corporate America |
| Subrealm | Failures |
| Question | This retail chain used to employ over 80,000 people at nearly 10,000 locations worldwide. After struggling due to poor leadership and the Great Recession, all corporate stores have now closed and there is only one remaining franchise store, located in Bend, Orgeon. What is the store? |
| Answer | Blockbuster (Video) |
| Song | You Got It (The Right Stuff) |
| Artist | New Kids on The Block |
| Note | Blockbuster, LLC closed all of its corporate stores in 2014, leaving behind 50 franchise stores. The Bend, Oregon Blockbuster became the last remaining Blockbuster in 2019. |
| Number | 32 |
| Realm | Senses |
| Subrealm | Sound |
| Question | What would you expect to hear after the opening notes of this song? |
| Answer | The stock market did badly today |
| Song | Stormy Weather |
| Artist | Red Garland Trio |
| Hint | NOT NPR |
| Note | Stormy Weather is the music that the show Marketplace (produced by American Public Radio) plays when the markets are down. They play "We're in the Money" when the markets are up. |
| Number | 33 |
| Realm | Things that don't exist |
| Subrealm | God and plants |
| Question | What New England religious group, usually rejecting unnecessary ornmentation, went thorugh a revivalist period where they made spiritual art sometimes including imaginary plants? |
| Answer | Shakers (gift/spirit drawings from the Era of Manifestations) |
| Song | Shake It Off |
| Artist | Taylor Swift |
| Note | The Tree of Life is a popular Shaker motif. |
| Number | 34 |
| Realm | Snacktime |
| Subrealm | finger lickin good |
| Question | What crunchy snack flavor was allegedly invented by a janitor at the snack company's factory? |
| Answer | Flamin' Hot Cheetos |
| Song | Extraordinary Machine |
| Artist | Fiona Apple |
| Note | Richard Montañez has been telling the story of how he invented Flaming Hot Cheetos since the late 2000s. But Frito-Lay says he was not involved, and the LA Times found ample evidence that credit should go to a junior employee named Lynne Greenfeld, who developed the brand in the late 1980s. |
| Number | 35 |
| Realm | Fine arts |
| Subrealm | Art is subjective, anyway |
| Question | What demonic-looking public art installation outside an airport fell on its creator, causing him to bleed to death? |
| Answer | Blue horse statue outside DIA (Blucifer) |
| Song | Blue Minor |
| Artist | Chick Webb |
| Number | 36 |
| Realm | Things that don't exist |
| Subrealm | Birds |
| Question | With what agent does Tom Lehrer propose to assassinate avians? |
| Answer | Strichynine |
| Song | Hood Rat Shit |
| Artist | Megan Thee Stallion |
| Note | The Tom Lehrer song in question is "Poisoning Pigewons in the Park." He also uses peanuts coated with cyanide. |
| Number | 37 |
| Realm | Sports |
| Subrealm | the periodic table |
| Question | Ironically, this World Cup country's name is derived from a word meaning "silver" in Latin |
| Answer | Argentina |
| Song | Cocaine Blues |
| Artist | Johnny Cash |
| Note | Ironically, because Argentina had just won the 2022 World Cup the month before this contest. |
| Number | 38 |
| Realm | Legal nonsense |
| Subrealm | Technology is hard |
| Question | What was unusual about a forfeiture hearing in Presidio County, Texas in early 2021? |
| Answer | An attorney had a cat filter on Zoom |
| Song | Raining Tacos |
| Artist | Parry Gripp |
| Note | The lawyer's assistant's daughter had been experimenting with filters on his computer, and the lawyer didn't know how to turn off the filter that made him look like a white kitten. His request to proceed, saying, "I'm here live - I'm not a cat" became one of the more amusing moments of the Covid-19 pandemic. And "I'm Not a Cat" was the name of the runner-up team in the May, 2021 WIlliams Trivia Contest. |
| Number | 39 |
| Realm | Memes |
| Subrealm | Wild animals |
| Question | Why does William McNabb defend the 2nd Amendment? |
| Answer | Need a gun to kill 30-50 feral hogs |
| Song | Born to be Wild |
| Artist | Steppenwolf |
| Note | In response to a debate about assault weapons, Twitter user William McNabb said, "Legit question for rural Americans — How do I kill 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small children play?" His query quickly went viral, with more than 11,000 likes and more than 4,000 responses. Although many assumed the tweet was a joke, Mr. McNabb, from South Arkansas, confirmed his tweet was entirely serious — and that he has fought off feral hogs at least four times. |
| Number | 40 |
| Realm | Snacktime |
| Subrealm | not quite vegan friendly |
| Question | What do the Sami people of northern Norway substitute for egg in their pancakes? |
| Answer | Reindeer blood |
| Song | Titanium |
| Artist | David Guetta |
| Number | 41 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | I wish I had a car on campus |
| Question | Who is the New Jersey Turnpike dedicated to? |
| Answer | Alfred E. Driscoll. |
| Song | Jersey Girl |
| Artist | Bruce Springsteen |
| Note | Alfred E. Driscoll, Williams class of 1925, is also the namesake of Driscoll dining hall. He served as governor of New Jersey form 1947 to 1954, and was a major proponent of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. |
| Number | 42 |
| Realm | Snacktime |
| Subrealm | baked goods |
| Question | What dry ingredient gives snickerdoodle dough a distinctive taste? |
| Answer | Cream of tartar (do not accept cinnamon sugar) |
| Song | He Mele No Lilo |
| Artist | Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu |
| Number | 43 |
| Realm | Sports |
| Subrealm | are harder than they look |
| Question | In the final of which event at the 1912 Olympics were the top-finishing athletes from Canada, Great Britain, Italy, and Denmark (in that order), while all other competitors did not finish or were disqualified? |
| Answer | 10km racewalk (though it's technically possible this applies to another event too) |
| Song | I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) |
| Artist | The Proclaimers |
| Hint | It's all about swaying the hips |
| Number | 44 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | rgia |
| Question | Georgian parliament is usually housed in the capital city of Tbilisi. In which other Georgian city was the parliament briefly located in the 21st century? |
| Answer | Kutaisi |
| Song | Midnight Train to Georgia |
| Artist | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| Note | Parliament met in Kutaisi from 2012 to 2019. This was done in an effort to decentralise power and shift some political control closer to the breakaway region of Abkhazia. |
| Number | 45 |
| Realm | Fancy things |
| Subrealm | if I were a rich man |
| Question | What do Stuart, Cullinan II, and the Black Prince have in common? |
| Answer | Gems on the Imperial State Crown |
| Song | Bicycle Race |
| Artist | Queen |
| Number | 46 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | Triviana |
| Question | What was the answer to the 94th question of the third time BOMO hosted this esteemed contest? |
| Answer | Heartshaped dumpling, marshmallow meatballs, and poached oysters. |
| Song | On Top of Spaghetti |
| Note | The current Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom was made in 1937. The crown is adorned with 2,901 precious stones, including the Cullinan II diamond, St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby. |
| Number | 47 |
| Realm | Childhood characters |
| Subrealm | please, Mr. Pooh was my father |
| Question | What is Winnie the Pooh's proper name? |
| Answer | Edward Bear |
| Song | Puff the Magic Dragon |
| Artist | Peter, Paul, and Mary |
| Note | Pooh was a nickname given to Edward Bear by Christopher Robin. |
| Number | 48 |
| Realm | Hot and sticky... |
| Subrealm | ... and wet? |
| Question | The volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022, almost exactly a year ago today, "was the largest recorded since the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883". It "triggered tsunami waves of up to 15m". "Ashfall covered an area of at least five square kilometres." Despite massive "damage to the international and domestic undersea telecommunications" and a lot of local property damage, the locals were relatively lucky: the volcano and tsunami didn't kill more than a handful of people directly or indirectly. Tell us: where was this eruption? |
| Answer | Tonga |
| Song | Ti Mon Bo |
| Artist | Tito Puente |
| Number | 49 |
| Realm | Fantasy |
| Subrealm | what about second breakfast? |
| Question | What special custom do hobbits have on their birthdays? |
| Answer | They give presents instead of receiving them. |
| Song | Symphony No. 1, movement 1, "Gandalf" |
| Artist | Johan de Meij |
| Number | 50 |
| Realm | Childhood characters |
| Subrealm | discrimination |
| Question | From "Peanuts," when Snoopy went to the World Arm-Wrestling Championship in Petaluma, California, he was disqualified. Why? |
| Answer | He didn't have a thumb. |
| Song | 19th Nervous Breakdown |
| Artist | Rolling Stones |
| Number | 51 |
| Realm | Literature |
| Subrealm | MURDER |
| Question | Okay, all you scholars out there, we want the ORDER OF DEATH of the six main characters in "Hamlet." |
| Answer | (Must be in order:) Polonius, Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius, Laertes, and the Dane himself. |
| Song | Ophelia |
| Artist | The Lumineers |
| Number | 52 |
| Realm | The hosts' hobbies |
| Subrealm | Micropaleontology |
| Question | What is unique about acritarch phylogeny? |
| Answer | By definition, acritarchs do not have a known taxonomic affinity |
| Song | Mister Mysterio |
| Artist | Lasette |
| Note | Acritarchs are organic microfossils, known from approximately 1800 million years ago to the present. The classification is a catch all term used to refer to any organic microfossils that cannot be assigned to other groups. |
| Number | 53 |
| Realm | Fantasy |
| Subrealm | we've all been there |
| Question | The dastardly Black Beast is furiously chasing our heroes, Arthur and company. What saves them from imminent destruction at the teeth of the Beast? |
| Answer | The animator dies of a heart attack. |
| Song | Take Me To Church |
| Artist | Hozier |
| Hint | Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
| Number | 54 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | MURDER |
| Question | Name the winner of the most recent KAOS–sorry, NERF–game |
| Answer | Sam Ojo |
| Song | Hammer Smashed Face |
| Artist | Cannibal Corpse |
| Number | 55 |
| Realm | Ancient History |
| Subrealm | The fifties |
| Question | What mid-20th century beverage commercial series featured murderous muppets? |
| Answer | Wilkins coffee |
| Song | Mahna Mahna |
| Artist | The Muppets/The Snowths |
| Note | Jim Henson made a series of short commercials for local Washington, DC coffeemakers Wilkins in the 1960s. Most featured two puppets, Wilkins and Wonkins. Wilkins would almost always physically assault Watkins for not liking Wilkins coffee. The spots were a big hit, and were remade for many other businesses around the country. |
| Number | 56 |
| Realm | GEOS |
| Subrealm | 410 |
| Question | When was the last time the Earth had no glaciers? |
| Answer | About 60 million years ago (source) |
| Song | Ice Ice Baby |
| Artist | Vanilla Ice |
| Number | 57 |
| Realm | Historical slang |
| Subrealm | world's oldest profession |
| Question | Why are sex workers sometimes known as "hookers"? |
| Answer | It first appeared in 1845 as a reference to an area of New York known as "the Hook", where there were lots of sex workers (note: do not accept answers referring to the Union General Joseph Hooker) |
| Song | Milkshake |
| Artist | Kelis |
| Number | 58 |
| Realm | Music icons |
| Subrealm | I never understood this song anyway |
| Question | In the Beatles movie "Yellow Submarine," what is the full name of the Nowhere Man? |
| Answer | Jeremy Hillary Boob, PhD |
| Song | Yellow Submarine |
| Artist | The Beatles |
| Number | 59 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | metry |
| Question | Why is it bad luck to walk under a ladder? |
| Answer | A ladder against a wall forms a triangle with the ground indicitive of the Holy Trinity, so wealking beneath it would disrupt a sanctified space and risk divine wrath |
| Song | Ex's and Oh's |
| Artist | Elle King |
| Note | Also, the ladder might fall on you. |
| Number | 60 |
| Realm | Historical slang |
| Subrealm | old timey |
| Question | Why is someone with a lot of nerve reffered to as being "full of moxie"–a phrase that surely would never be used on your beloved hosts? |
| Answer | Dr. Augustine Thompson marketed a soft drink as Moxie Nerve Food which would allegedly give you lots of energy, i.e., false nerve |
| Song | Intermittently |
| Artist | Barenaked Ladies |
| Number | 61 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | why is it so expensive |
| Question | We all know that the Williams yearbook is called The Gulielmensian. What we want to know is what does Gulielmensian mean? |
| Answer | "Williams Thing" in Greek. |
| Song | Long Live |
| Artist | Taylor Swift |
| Hint | Ironically it's a lifestyle Williams hasn't had on campus in decades |
| Number | 62 |
| Realm | Calling all premeds |
| Subrealm | Booboos |
| Question | Everyone knows that the best way to heal a wound is to have someone kiss it. How did this ritual begin? |
| Answer | Sucking out venom from a snakebite |
| Song | Anaconda |
| Artist | Nicki Manaj |
| Number | 63 |
| Realm | Richard of York |
| Subrealm | Gave Battle in Vain |
| Question | What meteorological phenomenon cannot be observed at noon? |
| Answer | A rainbow |
| Song | Dua Lipa |
| Artist | Levitating |
| Hint | The 90 degree angle at noon is ironically straight |
| Number | 64 |
| Realm | Musicals |
| Subrealm | theater kids, reveal yourselves |
| Question | At least FIVE Broadway musicals have had songs in them called "Maria." If you can name two, we'll give you a point, and for a THREE-POINT PLAY if you can name four of the five, we'll give you two points (and four tickets to the Broadway show of your choice)! |
| Answer | West Side Story; The Sound of Music; You Never Know (Cole Porter); Revenge with Music (Dietz and Schwartz); Music Hath Charms. (definitely possible there are more by now) |
| Song | The Producers/Matthew Broderick |
| Artist | I Wanna Be a Producer |
| Number | 65 |
| Realm | Eat the rich |
| Subrealm | Except for rich alums who will give us jobs |
| Question | If you spent a dollar every second, about how long would it take you to spend a billion dollars? |
| Answer | about 32 years |
| Song | C.R.E.A.M. |
| Artist | Wu-Tang Clan |
| Note | "Pi seconds is a nano-century" is a good thing to remember, and approximately true. So a billion seconds is 1/pi centuries, or about 32 years. |
| Number | 66 |
| Realm | Calendars |
| Subrealm | Gregorian |
| Question | Which two sets of months begin on the same day of the week as each other every ordinary (i.e., non-leap) year? |
| Answer | September and December; February, March, November |
| Song | September |
| Artist | Earth, Wind, and Fire |
| Note | Also April and July. |
| Number | 67 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | centrism (and other things supported by monks) |
| Question | What French monk gave us a word referring to asking for handouts? |
| Answer | Lambert de Begue; to beg |
| Song | Le Festin |
| Artist | Camille/Ratatouille |
| Hint | Pleeeease? |
| Note | Lambert Le Bègue was a priest in Liège, Belgium, about the middle of the 12th century. Probably at this period he organized the association known as Béguines, whose name cannot be derived philologically from "to beg" (i.e. to pray), but is probably derived from the name bègue (stammerer) given to Lambert. |
| Number | 68 |
| Realm | Calendars |
| Subrealm | Spooky |
| Question | Which two consecutive months can both have a Friday the 13th? |
| Answer | February and March |
| Song | Secret |
| Artist | The Pierces |
| Number | 69 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | perfect place for a party |
| Question | Where is Smedley Terrace? |
| Answer | It's a small terrace in the Berkshire (Currier) Quad between Fitch and Prospect, overlooking Driscoll Dining Hall. |
| Song | Summer Girls |
| Artist | LFO |
| Note | Of course, Smedley Terrace is also the name of the team that ran the May, 1983 Trivia contest. |
| Number | 70 |
| Realm | Television history |
| Subrealm | still before my time |
| Question | What holiday is "for the rest of us"? |
| Answer | Festivus |
| Song | Montero (Call Me By Your Name) |
| Artist | Lil Nas X |
| Hint | *slap bass* bu dun dun diddly dun duuuun du du duuu |
| Note | Festivus, celebrated on December 23rd, is a holiday made popular on the sitcom Seinfeld. |
| Number | 71 |
| Realm | Wordplay |
| Subrealm | do I even speak English |
| Question | What do all the nouns on this list have in common? PATRIOT, MISSION, PACT, BAT, FORT, PASSION, MOTION, PROMISE, MUTATION, PETITION. |
| Answer | Each becomes a new noun when prefixed by "com". |
| Song | Karma Chameleon |
| Artist | Culture Club |
| Number | 72 |
| Realm | Computer science |
| Subrealm | Duane would be proud |
| Question | On what coding website did the developers once make a typo in the code of their own website, accidentally leaving a semicolon at the bottom of every webpage, which is now regularly memorialized/mocked by website users? |
| Answer | Scratch |
| Song | The Old Gumbie Cat |
| Artist | Andrew Lloyd Webber/Cats |
| Note | The scratch community made a joke of the sdemicolon bug, and it has been reinstated on 7 April Fools' Days from 2016-2022. |
| Number | 73 |
| Realm | Questions my grandpa wrote |
| Subrealm | The Wild West |
| Question | What famous outlaw escaped from a jail which is now a parking ramp? |
| Answer | Billy the Kid |
| Song | Bad Guy |
| Artist | Billie Eilish, KIDZ BOP |
| Hint | Santa Fe. Source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=73714 |
| Number | 74 |
| Realm | Biology |
| Subrealm | horse girls, you got this |
| Question | Evolutionarily, the hoof of a modern horse is made of which "finger(s)"? |
| Answer | The middle fingers/toes |
| Song | Fuck You |
| Artist | Cee Lo Green |
| Number | 75 |
| Realm | The hosts' hobbies |
| Subrealm | Shiny Stockings |
| Question | John Coltrane is known as one of the Jazz All Time Greats. However, in his prime, he recorded an album as a side man, with one particularly catchy tune named after a bank. What was the song and, to make this a THREE-POINT PLAY, who was the lead artist on the album? |
| Answer | Wells Fargo, Wilbur Harden |
| Song | HandClap |
| Artist | Fitz and the Tantrums |
| Hint | Does the song playing right now remind you of any recent commercials? |
| Number | 76 |
| Realm | Gyo |
| Subrealm | za |
| Question | What three tools do you need to properly eat xiao long bao? |
| Answer | Two chopsticks and a spoon |
| Song | Chopsticks |
| Artist | Euphemia Allen (not needed for point) |
| Number | 77 |
| Realm | Superheroes |
| Subrealm | I read the comics before it was cool |
| Question | Everybody knows that Superman is the Man of Steel, that his hometown is Metropolis, and that he works as a reporter. But there are a couple of facts that people might not know. We're going to see if you do. Tell us, what is the name of the city that he keeps in a bottle, and where does he keep the bottle? |
| Answer | Kandor; kept in Superman's Fortress of Solitude. |
| Song | 4'33" |
| Artist | John Cage |
| Number | 78 |
| Realm | Sponsored by SimpliSafe |
| Subrealm | and Magic Spoon |
| Question | What podcast did we take this audio clip from? |
| Answer | Serial |
| Song | Reese's Puffs Rap |
| Note | The audio clip was played at the beginning of each episode of season 1 of Serial. |
| Number | 79 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | who keeps changing these names anyway |
| Question | What do boomers–ahem, respected and beloved alumni–call Currier Quad? |
| Answer | Berkshire Quad |
| Song | World's Smallest Violin |
| Artist | AJR |
| Note | Gen-Xers call it that too. |
| Number | 80 |
| Realm | The hosts' hobbies |
| Subrealm | Hearing loss |
| Question | What type of hearing aids bypass the outer and middle ear? |
| Answer | Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) --do not accept cochlear implants, they are not hearing aids |
| Song | Bad to the Bone |
| Artist | George Thorogood & The Destroyers |
| Number | 81 |
| Realm | Rule Number One |
| Subrealm | Don't Blink |
| Question | We figured all-night trivia is just the beginning, so now we're looking for your assistance in developing next weekend's plans. How long would it take you to watch every episode of the Sixth Doctor of Doctor Who back-to-back? |
| Answer | 17 h 18m 4s |
| Song | My Angel Put the Devil in Me |
| Artist | Composed Murray Gold, performed Yamit Mamo (either is fine as long as they specify which) |
| Number | 82 |
| Realm | Geo |
| Subrealm | biology |
| Question | What mode of preservation would you expect to see in very well-preserved petrified wood? |
| Answer | Permineralization/mineral replcaement |
| Song | Willow Weep For Me |
| Artist | Nina Simone/Ann Ronell |
| Number | 83 |
| Realm | Roadside attractions |
| Subrealm | on my bucket list |
| Question | We've got a stop for your next cross country roadtrip: A 2007 tornado destroyed much of Greensburg, Kansas, including a visitor center for a tourist attraction–but not the attraction itself. The center has since reopened, including an exhibit on the tornado. The attraction is billed as being the biggest of its kind in the world, but others in Egypt and Italy claim to be larger. What is the attraction? |
| Answer | The Big Well (claims to be the largest hand-dug well in the world) |
| Song | All Too Well |
| Artist | Taylor Swift |
| Number | 84 |
| Realm | Questions my grandpa wrote |
| Subrealm | Guns |
| Question | At the end of the Civil War, which rifle manufacturer beat out Sharps for the last official carbine contract? |
| Answer | Starr |
| Song | Dancing in the Moonlight |
| Artist | The Limestones |
| Number | 85 |
| Realm | Pagans |
| Subrealm | Pagans and Plants |
| Question | What ancient culture believed holly was a symbol of eternal life? |
| Answer | Celtic |
| Song | Buddy Holly |
| Artist | The Moog Cookbook |
| Hint | Not to be confused with a Boston sports team |
| Number | 86 |
| Realm | Your Balanced Breakfast |
| Subrealm | Grits |
| Question | Marisa Tomei deservedly won an Oscar for her performance in a film where she testified that the tire tracks from a metallic mint green car outside a shop where a crime had been committed could only have been left behind by a car with two features: independent rear suspension and what else? |
| Answer | Positraction |
| Song | Peaches |
| Artist | Presidents of the United States of America |
| Note | From My Cousin Vinny. |
| Number | 87 |
| Realm | Spain |
| Subrealm | monarchy drama |
| Question | What did King Juan Carlos I say to his lover when she attempted to go public with his abuse? |
| Answer | You could end up like Diana |
| Song | Bonito |
| Artist | Jarabe De Palo |
| Hint | another famous European monarchy |
| Number | 88 |
| Realm | Puppets |
| Subrealm | Muppets |
| Question | What piece of fabric created Kermit? |
| Answer | an old turquoise coat his mother threw in the dustbin |
| Song | Funny Little Frog |
| Artist | Belle and Sebastian |
| Hint | brrr |
| Note | "One day while taking care of his ailing grandfather, Jim Henson took his mother’s old turquoise coat and created a puppet; one with a sliced ping pong ball for eyes, and a simple design." |
| Number | 89 |
| Realm | Hollywood's Hottest Stars |
| Subrealm | Michael Cera |
| Question | How many takes did it take Michael Cera to successfully throw a parcel in the bin during the production of the movie for which Brie Larson sings a cover of this song? |
| Answer | 33 |
| Song | Black Sheep |
| Artist | Metric |
| Hint | League of Evil Matthews |
| Number | 90 |
| Realm | Editing Decisions |
| Subrealm | Controversial |
| Question | The American version of this novel omits a controversial last chapter that presents its main character as reformed |
| Answer | A Clockwork Orange |
| Song | Looking down the barrel of a gun |
| Artist | Beastie Boys |
| Hint | Ultra-Violence |
| Number | 91 |
| Realm | Famous Jews |
| Subrealm | dating drama |
| Question | THREE-POINT PLAY: this author of a famous pro-vegetarian memoir left his wife for a this famous actress he convinced himself was in love with him (she was not) |
| Answer | Jonathan Saffron Foer / Natalie Portman |
| Song | Eat Your Salad |
| Artist | Citi Zeni |
| Hint | his ex-wife is Nicole Krauss |
| Number | 92 |
| Realm | The worst of the best |
| Subrealm | The truth is out there |
| Question | How long is the not-so-great second feature film from an otherwise fantastic series: The X Files: I Want to Believe |
| Answer | 2849 meters (also accept 2851), source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443701/technical |
| Song | A TV Show Called Earth |
| Artist | Philip Labes |
| Number | 93 |
| Realm | Questions my grandpa wrote |
| Subrealm | Maritime studies |
| Question | What tool was used both for ventilation of 19th century ships and mines? |
| Answer | Wind sail |
| Song | Wellerman |
| Artist | Nathan Evans |
| Number | 94 |
| Realm | Categories |
| Subrealm | Riddles |
| Question | What is an island, a cocktail, and a WWII mission? |
| Answer | Manhattan |
| Song | Good Vibrations |
| Artist | Beach Boys |
| Number | 95 |
| Realm | TV shows |
| Subrealm | before my time |
| Question | What was Rin Tin Tin's military rank in the TV show? |
| Answer | Private |
| Song | Finding Private Ryan |
| Artist | Boston Symphony Orchestra |
| Number | 96 |
| Realm | Williamsiana |
| Subrealm | we appreciate staff |
| Question | Who is Henry Seely? |
| Answer | The janitor memorialized on the plaque in the entrance to Hopkins Hall. |
| Song | WAP |
| Artist | Cardi B |
| Number | 97 |
| Realm | Immigration |
| Subrealm | landlocked countries |
| Question | We all remember Georg and Yortuk. What we are very anxious to know is, what did they do in Czechoslavakia for work, and what do they do in America? |
| Answer | In Czechoslavakia, they were brain surgeons. In America, they sell decorative bathroom fixtures. |
| Song | Crash Course in Brain Surgery |
| Artist | Metallica |
| Note | Georg and Yortuk are the two Wild and Crazy Guys played by Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live. |
| Number | 98 |
| Realm | Television history |
| Subrealm | before my time |
| Question | What was the name of the telephone operator on the original "Lassie"? |
| Answer | Jenny |
| Song | Telephone |
| Artist | Lady Gaga, Beyonce |
| Number | 99 |
| Realm | Horticulture Fridays |
| Subrealm | Organismal phenology |
| Question | What crop is said to be “knee high by the fourth of July”? |
| Answer | Corn/wheat/Great Plains grains |
| Song | People Will Say We're in Love |
| Artist | Oklahoma!/Rodgers and Hammerstein |
| Number | 100 |
| Realm | Late night television |
| Subrealm | live music |
| Question | Who replaced Doc Severinsen on "The Tonight Show" when he went on vacation? |
| Answer | Tommy Newsom. |
| Song | A Night in Tunisia (severinsen verion) |
| Artist | Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie |
| Number | 101 |
| Realm | Historical figures |
| Subrealm | girlbosses |
| Question | Name the historical figure who has been played on the screen by Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, Tallulah Bankhead and Jeanne Moreau. |
| Answer | Catherine the Great. |
| Song | Rasputin |
| Artist | Boney M. |
| Number | 102 |
| Realm | Once Upon a Time |
| Subrealm | Long ago and far away |
| Question | December 7th is Pearl Harbor Day. December 14th is also an anniversary, though of a somewhat different kind. What was December 14th, 2022 the 50th anniversary of? |
| Answer | the day Man (ie. humankind/humans/people) last set foot on the Moon. (see refs) [Apollo 17/Eugene "Gene" Cernan and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt left on December 14th,1972 and we haven't gone back yet - accept their names as long as the description is correct. DO NOT accept "man walked on the Moon" without mention of it being the LAST TIME this happened.] |
| Song | Walking on the Sun |
| Artist | Smash Mouth |