Riddles With Answers

Which athlete married singer Patty Smyth in 1997?

Joe Montana
Wayne Gretzky
Larry Bird
John McEnroe

Fact: Patty Smyth is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who was the frontwoman of the band Scandal. She embarked on a solo career after Scandal broke up and reached the Top 10 with the hit single “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough,” a duet with Don Henley of the Eagles. The former wife of punk rock icon Richard Hell, Smyth has been married to tennis legend John McEnroe since 1997. After retiring from tennis, McEnroe also became a musician, and learned to play guitar with the help of friends Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton. He formed The Johnny Smyth Band; the name was inspired by his wife Patty.

Correct Answer: John McEnroe

What is the only U.S. state where paper money is printed?

New York
Texas
Maryland
Virginia

Fact: U.S. paper currency is produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing at two facilities: one in Washington, D.C., and the other in Fort Worth, Texas. Since Washington, D.C. is not a state, Texas is the only U.S. state where federal paper money is actually printed. The Fort Worth facility began producing currency in 1991 to meet growing nationwide demand and provide additional production capacity outside the nation’s capital. U.S. coins, meanwhile, are produced separately by the United States Mint at facilities in several states across the country.

Correct Answer: Texas

The 1929 stock market crash inspired the name of which popular treat?

Tootsie Roll
Baby Ruth
Rocky Road
Butterfinger

Fact: Rocky Road ice cream was created in 1929, the same year as the stock market crash that helped usher in the Great Depression. The flavor, traditionally made with chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and nuts, was given its memorable name as a reference to the difficult economic times Americans were facing. The idea was to give people something cheerful to enjoy during the “rocky road” ahead. Rocky Road became one of America’s most enduring ice cream flavors and helped popularize the idea of mixing chunky ingredients into ice cream.

Correct Answer: Rocky Road

Which U.S. state is home to the most presidential libraries?

Virginia
New York
Texas
California

Fact: Texas is home to three presidential libraries, more than any other state in the National Archives’ presidential library system. They honor Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin, George H.W. Bush in College Station, and George W. Bush in Dallas. California is close behind with the libraries of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Presidential libraries preserve documents, artifacts, photographs, and other historical materials from an administration while also serving as museums where visitors can explore the lives and legacies of America’s presidents.

Correct Answer: Texas

Which singer references a Ford Deuce Coupe in the lyrics of “Blinded by the Light”?

David Bowie
Bob Seger
Bruce Springsteen
Elton John

Fact: Bruce Springsteen wrote and originally recorded “Blinded by the Light” for his 1973 debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. In the song, he references a “deuce,” meaning a 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe, a car that became an icon of American hot-rod culture. Springsteen’s original recording was not a major hit, but British rock group Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released its own version which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977. It remains the only Springsteen-written song ever to top the U.S. singles chart.

Correct Answer: Bruce Springsteen

“See you in the cafeteria” were the last words spoken on which series finale?

M*A*S*H
Seinfeld
The Golden Girls
Friends

Fact: On May 14, 1998, NBC aired the highly anticipated series finale of Seinfeld, which drew approximately 76 million viewers. The episode ended with Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer being sent to jail in the fictional town of Latham, Massachusetts. In the final scene, Jerry, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, performs a stand-up routine filled with prison-related jokes for his fellow inmates. As a guard escorts him away, Jerry delivers one last line: “Hey, you’ve been great! See you in the cafeteria!” The inmates jeer, Kramer gives him a standing ovation, and one of television’s most iconic sitcoms comes to an end.

Correct Answer: Seinfeld

Which ocean’s swells shape surfing off Santa Catarina?

A. Pacific Ocean
B. Atlantic Ocean
C. Indian Ocean

Fact: Santa Catarina lies on Brazil’s southeastern coast, where surfing conditions are shaped by swells arriving from the Atlantic Ocean.

Correct Answer: Atlantic Ocean

What factor can turn a perfect ride into whitewater?

A. Air temperature
B. Sunlight angle
C. Shape of seafloor

Fact: The underwater landscape influences how waves break, and subtle seafloor changes can transform smooth rides into breaking whitewater.

Correct Answer: Shape of seafloor

What skill sets the best Santa Catarina surfers apart?

A. Listening to waves
B. Lifting heavier boards
C. Swimming long distances

Fact: The most skilled surfers excel by reading ocean cues, interpreting moving water like a language rather than relying solely on strength.

Correct Answer: Listening to waves

Which character on M*A*S*H often wore women’s clothing in hopes of being discharged from the Army?

Hawkeye Pierce
B.J. Hunnicutt
Radar O’Reilly
Maxwell Klinger

Fact: Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger, played by Jamie Farr, famously wore women’s clothing in an attempt to convince the Army that he was mentally unfit for service and earn a Section 8 discharge. His schemes became one of M*A*S*H’s most recognizable running jokes, with Klinger appearing in everything from dresses and hats to elaborate evening gowns. The character was originally intended to appear in only one episode, but proved so popular that Farr became a regular cast member. His outrageous outfits became a signature part of the series.

Correct Answer: Maxwell Klinger