- What retail chain, a subsidiary of Spencer’s Gifts, operates over a thousand seasonal locations, which often start popping up in empty storefronts in the late summer?
- The name of what sweet treat is also the Italian word for “frozen”?
- What patron saint of France played a major role in the siege of Orléans during the Hundred Years’ War?
- The waggle dance is a complex series of movements associated with what type of animals?
- The 1955-1961 TV show Sam & Friends featured a large cast of puppet characters, most of which were performed and voiced by what show creator?
- A subsidiary of Alphabet, Inc., what company began offering driverless car services to the public in 2020?
- What world capital also serves as the capital of the European Union?
- What 2026 chart-topper by Taylor Swift shares its name with an artificiallycreated version of a particular silica mineraloid?
- What term describes a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions but not through the movement of electrons? Sports drinks often contain these substances.
- Among the top 10 highest-grossing films worldwide in 2025 are two live-action remakes of animated films. One is Lilo & Stitch. What is the other?
- Kirsty Coventry is, as of August 2026, serving as the first female president of what organization?
- What character, created by Patricia Highsmith, has been portrayed by Matt Damon and Andrew Scott?
- Deriving from the Latin for “eyelash”, what is the name for the short hair-like protrusions on many eukaryotic cells?
- In terms of commerce, what does MSRP stand for?
- What 20th-century pop artist was cartoonist Art Spiegelman talking about when he said that they “…did no more or less for comics than Andy Warhol did for soup”?
- Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, which was released in May 2026, concerns what modern technology?
- When properly stylized, which of the following band names does not use a “metal umlaut”? Blue Oyster Cult, Motorhead, Spinal Tap, Green Jelly, or Gwar? (Umlauts have been omitted for this question.)
- Danny Trejo’s title character in the R-rated 2010 film Machete actually originated in what very much not R-rated 2000s film franchise?
- In 2023, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart founded what 3-on-3 women’s basketball league with a season that runs during the WNBA’s off-season?
- Frequently compared to Mario Kart, a certain 2013 racing video game featured characters such as Red and Corporal Pig in vehicles that are launched from a slingshot. Fill in the blanks in the name of that game: _____ _____ Go!
- The Pleiades star cluster is often known by what name that is also used to reference a group of historically women’s colleges?
- In her signature 1958 song, what do “you” give Peggy Lee?
- What lustrous variety of coal is also known as hard coal or black coal?
- What term, named for an American policy analyst, describes the spectrum of topics or arguments that are politically acceptable to a population at a given time? This spectrum can (and does) shift, grow, or shrink over time.
- What actor’s film roles include Boogie Nights, Chicago, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Lobster?
- What nation’s flag has a white background and features a red and blue taegeuk surrounded by four black trigrams (one in each corner)?
- A seldom-used punctuation mark called an interrobang is a combination of what other two marks?
- Depicting a group of classical mythological figures, what Sandro Botticelli work is named for the spring season (in Italian)?
- In 2026, what state bird of Minnesota was featured in a reimagining of the Star Wars Rebel Alliance logo? It was widely circulated as a symbol of resistance against ICE agents operating in the Twin Cities.
- What retail company launched in 2010 with a collection of 27 styles of eyeglasses… and one style of monocle?
- In an iconic scene in the movie The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep’s character delivers a monologue about what specific shade of blue?
- The Spanish Magellan-Elcano expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe. What English navigator, sent by Elizabeth I, led the second expedition to circle the globe?
- The father-son duo A.J. & Big Justice found fame on social media for their videos filmed at what retail chain?
- Raku ware, which is often seen in the form of chawan bowls, is a type of pottery that is traditionally used to hold what beverage?
- As of August 2026, the newest U.S. National Park is New River Gorge. In what state is it located?
- What 1988 nonfiction book includes chapter titles such as “Our Picture of the Universe”, “Black Holes Ain’t So Black”, and “The Origin and Fate of the Universe”?
- Named for its French inventor, what type of lens uses divided sections to refract and reflect light, allowing the beam from a light source to be visible from farther away? Due to its use in lighthouses, it is sometimes called “the invention that saved a million ships”.
- What member of 1990s R&B group Dru Hill has had the most successful solo career?
- What television drama that aired from 2010 to 2017 was based on a young adult book series by Sara Shepard?
- In most artistic representations of the Grim Reaper, what agricultural tool is the figure wielding?
- What brand of salt-free seasoning was first introduced in 1983? Despite what you may assume, it was actually developed by a woman with the last name Bernick.
- Which play from August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle was adapted into a criticallyacclaimed 2016 film?
- A 1941 book by writer James Agee and photographer Walker Evans that documents the lives of tenant farmers during the Great Depression is titled Let Us Now Praise… what type of men?
- ATwenty20 (or T20) is a shortened form of what sport, with matches that last just over three hours?
- Citrine and amethyst are both specifically-hued varieties of what mineral?
- What is the only U.S. state capital with a population of less than 10,000 people?
- Among the most enduring works by 19th-century artist Gustave Doré are his illustrations for the Vulgate Bible and for what 14th-century work of literature?
- What is the name of the popular Internet series created by (and hosted by) NYC-based comedian Kareem Rahma?
- In 1933, Frances Perkins became the first woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet. What department did she head?
- What crime procedural that debuted in 2024 is the latest spin-off in The Good Wife television universe?
- What feminist author discusses the concept of gender performativity in works such as Gender Trouble (1990) and Undoing Gender (2004)?
- What Robert Heinlein work is mentioned by name in the lyrics of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”?
- A 230-foot-long tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings and the events leading up to it was commissioned in the 1070s by the bishop of what Norman diocese, after which the artwork is named?
- What 19th-century English scientist lends his name to a type of enclosure that can block electromagnetic fields?
- Coined in 2004, what term describes a fill-in-the-blank style template for making a new version of a cliché phrase? Examples include “in space, no one can hear you X”, “to Y or not to Y”, and “X is the new Y”.
- A likely apocryphal story about U.S. troops diluting their espresso with water claims to explain the origin of what coffee drink?
- What 1987 horror movie was the directorial debut of Clive Barker? He also wrote the script, having adapted it from his own novella, The Hellbound Heart.
- What type of animal is Geoffrey, the mascot of the retail chain Toys “R” Us?
- What 1960 children’s novel by Scott O’Dell centers on the story of a Nicoleño girl who is stranded for years off the coast of California?
- Located in the Snowy Mountains, Mount Kosciuszko is the tallest mountain in what southern hemisphere country?
- What artist of works such as the all-black Sky Cathedral and the all-white Dawn’s Wedding Feast was the daughter of a woodcutter, which likely influenced her choice of sculptural materials?
- In what country is the beer brand Snow produced? In recent years, it has been the best-selling beer worldwide.
- The only pair of siblings to have both won Academy Awards for lead acting roles comprises Joan Fontaine and what older sister of hers?
- What jazz musician, who passed away in 2026, was nicknamed Saxophone Colossus?
- What French surname is the equivalent of the English surname Knight?
- Nitro is the name of the paid subscription level for what online communication platform?
- What is the name of the cubic stone building located in Mecca that determines the quibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims?
- Used in lieu of a pocket, a sporran is a pouch-like accessory that is typically made of leather or fur and is worn with what traditional menswear?
- What color explosions are created by fireworks containing calcium compounds?
- The first ever television advertisement simply showed a ticking clock and an outline of the United States with a voiceover saying “America runs on ________ time”. Fill in the blank.
- Starring a teenage Scott Baio as the title character, what 1976 film was a musical comedy spoof of gangster movies?
- What English writer published the novel The Well of Loneliness in 1928, which was subsequently banned in Britain for its lesbian content?
- Chiromancy is another term for what method of fortune-telling?
- Half Dome, Mariposa Grove, and a namesake waterfall are features within what U.S. National Park?
- Ninjago, Bionicle, and Friends are among the product lines that have been produced by what company?
- The American-born socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau is the subject of what 1884 painting by John Singer Sargent?
- Name any of the three primary host countries for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
- What meringue-based dessert is named for the Russian ballerina who created the role of The Dying Swan?
- What television show (which “is not a news broadcast”) was hosted by Robert Stack from 1987 until 2002?
- The Wharton School is a collegiate business school that is part of what Ivy League university?
- In the Victorian era, a particular arsenic-containing green pigment was commonly used in paints, wallpapers, and even food additives, but quickly fell out of favor when its toxicity came to light. Named for it’s Swedish-German inventor, what is this pigment commonly called?
- The species now known as halflings in Dungeons & Dragons was known by what other name in the original 1974 edition? The name was changed to avoid potential trademark infringement.
- What NHL team currently plays their home games at American Airlines Center? City and team nickname are both required.
- Flemish Giant, Holland Lop, and Mini Rex are among the popular domestic breeds of what animal?
- A Homo erectus fossil that was the oldest human fossil at the time of its discovery is named for what island where it was found?
- What pair of pronouns serves as the title for the Netflix thriller series starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson that premiered in 2026?
- What is the title of the “Weird Al” Yankovic song that parodies Pharrell’s “Happy”?
- What Ukrainian-born American clothing manufacturer is today most remembered for his video recording of the assassination of John F. Kennedy?
- Often associated with the evenings of holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, postprandial somnolence is better known by what medically-inaccurate two-word phrase?
- What spin-off sitcom, which debuted in 1987, takes place at the fictional Hillman College?
- The Utah-based chain Swig calls itself “the home of” what two-word style of beverage that consists of a carbonated soft drink with add-ins like cream and flavor syrups?
- While the word Wednesday derives its English name from the Norse god Odin, the word for Wednesday in many Romance languages (including French, Spanish, and Italian) is derived from the name of what Roman god?
- Strike-slip, dip-slip, and oblique-slip are the three main categories of what geologic occurrence?
- The reservation of what Indigenous people in Arizona is surrounded entirely by the Navajo Nation reservation?
- Occurring in consecutive years, name either of the NFL teams that have won the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
- What U.S. state fills in the blank in the title of singer Megan Moroney’s debut single? “______ Orange”
- Camp Damascus, Bury Your Gays, Trans Wizard Harriet Porber and the Bad Boy Parasaurolophus, and various shorter works with explicit titles are among the works by what author and Internet icon?
- The first known reference to what legendary character comes from the 14thcentury Middle English poem Piers Plowman?
- “How Conservative Women in America Act” and “Mega Church Pastors LOVE Money” are two of the most popular skits by what one-named influencer and comedian?
- What fitness program with a portmanteau name was founded in 1969 by Judi Sheppard Missett and gained widespread popularity in the 1980s?
- What character has been portrayed by Nicolas Cage in Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as well as in a 2026 television show named for the character?
- “Get Twisted” is a slogan used by what eastern US-based food franchise, often seen at shopping malls?
- The male crabs in the family Ocypodidae typically have one claw that is significantly larger than the other. These crabs have a common name that references what musical instrument?
- What isthmus connects the Peloponnesian peninsula to the mainland of Greece?
- A 2026 novel by Ann Patchett has the same name as a mountain in Canada and a 19th-century painter. What is that shared name?
- What award show has been hosted by Marcello Hernández (2026), Serena Williams (2024), and John Cena (2016)?
- What DC Comics superhero is the child of Zeus and Hippolyta and hails from the nation of Themyscira?
- What star of the 1943 film Stormy Weather sang the title song? In the 1980s, she debuted her one-woman show, subtitled “The Lady and Her Music”, on Broadway.
- What produce item was once commonly referred to as an alligator pear?
- The geologic term tephra refers to any material that becomes airborne during what type of natural event?
- Songwriter Bernie Taupin cites a Ray Bradbury short story as the inspiration for what 1972 song, which reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100?
- The music groups The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club and the movies Sorry to Bother You and I Love Boosters are all projects of what multi-talented person?
- What term refers to an artistic technique in which pigmented wax is applied to a surface, typically a wood panel?
- With 14 neighbors each, name the two countries with the largest number of neighboring nations with land borders.
- Sharing a surname with a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, what Norwegian footballer famously returned home from the 2026 World Cup toting a taxidermied raccoon?
- What name was given to the real-life seal who formed a lifetime bond with Rockport, Maine, harbormaster Harry Goodridge beginning in 1961? This was also the name of the fictionalized seal in a 1994 film inspired by the story.
- What Jamaican-born woman notably provided supplies and care to troops during the Crimean War from the British Hotel? She went on to write the first autobiography by a Black woman to be published in Britain.
- Cedar, Imes, and Roseman are among the title structures in what 1992 romance novel that was adapted into a film in 1995?
- ____ _____ Pirate Baird O’Connell. Name the pop star’s name who has been redacted here. The redacted names are what they go by professionally.
- A plush toy named Blåhaj, sold at IKEA, unexpectedly became a queer icon thanks to a series of memes in the late 2010s. What type of animal is Blåhaj?
- Percival Everett’s 2024 novel James is a reimagining of what picaresque 1885 work?
- The 2017 musical Titanique (which moved to Broadway in 2026) features the music of, and is presented from the perspective of, what nonfictional person?
- Popular podcaster Bill Simmons is also the founder of what sports and pop culture website that launched in 2016?
- Eric B. is one half of an influential hip hop duo that formed in New York in 1986. What rapper makes up the other half?
- Although one co-writer was on board (Merle Kilgore), the estate of the other co-writer (June Carter Cash) blocked Preparation H from using what song in an advertisement in the early 2000s?
- What contemporary Chinese artist is most widely-known for his installation pieces such as Forever Bicycles (2011) and Sunflower Seeds (2010)? Despite his surname, he is very much a human.
- What Chicago Cubs player had 30-30 seasons in both 2025 and 2026? That is: he had at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in each of those seasons. Either the player’s name or the three initials he’s commonly known by are acceptable.
- The title of what 2010s HBO drama refers to the 98% of Earth’s population who did not suddenly disappear in a mysterious, global event?
- What nation was the last on the African mainland to gain independence directly from a European nation? It achieved this in 1980.
- The Arundo donax (also known as giant cane) is the primary source for the manufacturing of what musical implement?
- What 6-word phrase is missing from this iconic cup design? The official design of the cup is called Anthora.
- In what country is this line art located?
- What is the name of the instrument, a type of horn, being played here?
- What two words are missing from this logo? Both words end with the same two letters.
- This quilt pattern is commonly referred to as the “star” of what U.S. state? One possible reason for the name involves the story of Mary Leary Langston, the first Black woman to attend Oberlin College.
- What is the name of the circled part of the ear (as well as the piercing that goes through it)?
- What Olympic event is this person competing in?
- Released by the FBI in 1972, this is a police sketch of a man who went by what alias?
- What figure from Greek mythology gives his name to the common name of this house plant?
- What Pennsylvania city is pictured here?