Riddles With Answers

The Grateful Dead released a 1972 live double album named after which continent?

Asia
Africa
Europe
South America

Fact: In 1972, the Grateful Dead released Europe ’72, a live double album recorded during their celebrated tour across Western Europe. The album captured performances from cities like London, Paris, and Copenhagen, blending their signature mix of rock, folk, and improvisational jams. Unlike most live records, it also introduced several new songs that would become staples of their catalog, including “Jack Straw” and “Brown-Eyed Women.” With its vibrant performances and iconic “ice cream cone kid” cover art, Europe ’72 remains one of the Grateful Dead’s most celebrated and enduring albums.

Correct Answer: Europe

As a child, which future pop superstar provided the voice of Sally Brown in Peanuts TV specials?

Tiffany
Britney Spears
Fergie
Christina Aguilera

Fact: Before achieving fame as the lead singer of the Black Eyed Peas, Fergie — born Stacy Ann Ferguson — lent her voice to the character Sally Brown, Charlie Brown’s younger sister, in several Peanuts animated specials from 1984 to 1986, including It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown and Snoopy’s Getting Married, Charlie Brown. Her early work as a child voice actor was one of her first steps in the entertainment industry, long before she became an international pop sensation with hits like “Fergalicious,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Glamorous.”

Correct Answer: Fergie

What group started out as Linda Ronstadt’s backing band?

Journey
The Eagles
Fleetwood Mac
The Doobie Brothers

Fact: In 1971, Linda Ronstadt assembled a group of talented young musicians to back her on tour — including Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and soon after the tour ended, they decided to form their own band: The Eagles. Blending country, rock, and rich vocal harmonies, they went on to become one of the best-selling and most influential acts in music history, with timeless hits like “Hotel California,” “Take It Easy,” “Desperado,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Life in the Fast Lane.”

Correct Answer: The Eagles

Who is the only U.S. president born on the West Coast of the United States?

Ronald Reagan
Richard Nixon
Herbert Hoover
Harry S. Truman

Fact: …On January 9, 1913, Richard Milhous Nixon was born on his parents’ citrus farm in Yorba Linda, California, a location that became notable when, in 1968, he became the first — and to date, only — U.S. president born on the West Coast of the United States. While it may seem surprising that just one president has hailed from the contiguous West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington, it reflects the nation’s history: the United States originated on the Eastern Seaboard and expanded westward, with those three Pacific states joining the Union relatively late — in 1850, 1859, and 1889, respectively.

Correct Answer: Richard Nixon

Which actress contributed to developing the voice of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial?

Kim Basinger
Meryl Streep
Debra Winger
Susan Sarandon

Fact: The major voice work of E.T. was performed by Pat Welsh, an elderly woman from California. Welsh smoked two packets of cigarettes a day, which gave her voice a quality that sound effects creator Ben Burtt liked. She spent nine-and-a-half hours recording her part, and was paid $380 by Burtt for her services. Burtt also recorded 16 other people and various animals to create E.T.’s “voice.” These included Spielberg; Debra Winger; his sleeping wife, a burp from his USC film professor; as well as raccoons, sea otters, and horses. Debra Winger not only contributed to the voice for E.T., but she also appeared in the film as one of the ghouls in the Halloween sequence.

Correct Answer: Debra Winger

What was Led Zeppelin’s original name?

The New Yardbirds
The Hindenburgs
The London Airships
The Electric Zeppelins

Fact: Before taking the name Led Zeppelin, the group performed briefly as The New Yardbirds in 1968. Guitarist Jimmy Page formed the band after the breakup of The Yardbirds and initially used the temporary name to fulfill remaining performance obligations. Soon after, the band adopted the name Led Zeppelin — inspired by a joke that their music would go over “like a lead balloon” — and went on to become one of the most influential and celebrated rock bands of all time. Their explosive blend of blues, hard rock, and mysticism reshaped the sound of modern rock and helped define an entire era of music.

Correct Answer: The New Yardbirds

Who made history by performing at the London and Philadelphia Live Aid concerts on the same day?

Elton John
George Michael
Phil Collins
Freddie Mercury

Fact: Phil Collins accomplished a remarkable musical feat during Live Aid on July 13, 1985. He first performed at Wembley Stadium in London, then boarded the supersonic Concorde to fly across the Atlantic and take the stage again in Philadelphia the same day. His dual performances—featuring hits like “Against All Odds” and “In the Air Tonight,” along with drum duties for Eric Clapton and the remaining members of Led Zeppelin—helped firmly cement Live Aid as one of the most ambitious and truly iconic charity events in music history.

Correct Answer: Phil Collins

Before pivoting to chewing gum, what product did the Wrigley Company originally sell?

Soap
Tires
Baseballs
Toothpaste

Fact: The Wrigley Company, best known today for iconic gum brands like Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, and Doublemint, didn’t begin in the confectionery world at all. When William Wrigley Jr. founded the company in 1891, his original business was selling soap, and he included chewing gum as a promotional giveaway to help attract customers. The gum soon proved far more popular than the soap itself, prompting Wrigley to shift entirely into gum—a pivot that transformed the company into one of the most recognizable names in American consumer history.

Correct Answer: Soap

Which historical leader is traditionally represented by the King of Hearts in playing cards?

King David
Charlemagne
King Henry VIII
Alexander the Great

Fact: In traditional playing card symbolism, the King of Hearts represents Charlemagne, the powerful medieval ruler who united much of Western Europe and became the first Holy Roman Emperor. The four kings in a standard deck have long been linked to great monarchs of history, and Charlemagne’s legacy of leadership, conquest, and empire-building made him the fitting choice for the King of Hearts. His depiction appears to show him plunging a sword into his own head, a result of centuries of design changes that earned him the nickname the “suicide king.”

Correct Answer: Charlemagne

Who is the only heavyweight boxing champion to retire with an undefeated record?

Mike Tyson
Joe Louis
Muhammad Ali
Rocky Marciano

Fact: Rocky Marciano remains the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire undefeated. Known for his relentless fighting style and formidable punching power, Marciano compiled an astonishing professional record of 49 wins and 0 losses, with 43 victories coming by knockout. He held the heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956, successfully defending it six times before retiring at the age of 32. His unbeaten legacy stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in the entire sport’s storied history, cementing his place as a true boxing legend.

Correct Answer: Rocky Marciano