Friday quiz · week 44 · the news of 23–29 October
Friday quiz, week 44, 2026: the week's news, with answers
20 questions on the news of 23–29 October, with four options each. Read them here, or play them with the room: the question on a shared screen and everyone answering on their own phone. The answers are at the bottom of the page, behind a click.
Play this one as host →Free · no account · everyone answers on their own phone
The questions
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Sport
Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or on Monday night. Where did Erling Haaland finish?
- A Second
- B Eighth
- C Fifth
- D Twelfth
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Sport
Fourth-tier Fleetwood knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup on Tuesday. What is Fleetwood's home ground called?
- A Deepdale
- B Gigg Lane
- C Highbury
- D Brunton Park
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Sport
Paula Moltzan of the USA won her first World Cup race, the giant slalom in Sölden, on Saturday. What was her winning margin?
- A 0.10 seconds
- B 0.01 seconds
- C 0.52 seconds
- D 1.69 seconds
-
Sport
At which country's Grand Prix did Max Verstappen clinch his second Formula One title, in 2022?
- A Singapore
- B USA
- C Mexico
- D Japan
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Entertainment and celebrities
The Netherlands pulled out of Eurovision 2027 on Tuesday, after first saying yes. It took part in the very first contest. Which year was that?
- A 1960
- B 1956
- C 1949
- D 1964
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Entertainment and celebrities
Dictionary.com named its 2026 word of the year on Monday. Which word won?
- A Maxxing
- B Unc
- C Odyssey
- D Data center
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Entertainment and celebrities
Which album won Beyoncé the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2025?
- A Lemonade
- B Cowboy Carter
- C Renaissance
- D Brat
-
Entertainment and celebrities
Which film won the very first Academy Award for Best Picture, at the 1929 ceremony?
- A Wings
- B The Broadway Melody
- C Cimarron
- D Casablanca
-
World news
Furious about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump told a Michigan rally that Norway "has become a …" What?
- A shithouse country
- B basket case
- C failed state
- D ghost town
-
World news
Serbia held a snap election on Sunday. Who won a majority in parliament?
- A The Student List
- B The Farmers' List
- C The Pensioners' List
- D The Supporters' List
-
World news
Lula won Brazil's presidential election on Sunday. Which term as president will this be for him?
- A Second
- B Third
- C Fourth
- D Fifth
-
World news
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on 28 October 1886. Who built the metal framework inside?
- A Thomas Edison
- B Auguste Rodin
- C Gustave Eiffel
- D Antoni Gaudí
-
Science and technology
A small Southeast Asian snake has a trick all its own when it needs to get away, new research shows. What does it do?
- A It plays dead
- B It jumps
- C It rolls
- D It glides
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Science and technology
Scientists at Kew Gardens have cleared up a mix-up that has lasted since 1781. Which sought-after mushroom was it about?
- A Truffle
- B Reishi
- C Matsutake
- D Chanterelle
-
Science and technology
On Tuesday the WMO reported a new record for SF6, a gas used in power grids. How much stronger a greenhouse gas is it than CO2 over 100 years?
- A About 243 times
- B About 2,430 times
- C About 243,000 times
- D About 24,300 times
-
Science and technology
Which organisation has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times?
- A The International Committee of the Red Cross
- B Amnesty International
- C Doctors Without Borders
- D Greenpeace
-
Odd news
On Sunday over a thousand sheep were driven through central Madrid. What did the shepherds pay the city to pass?
- A One lamb per thousand animals
- B 50 maravedís per thousand animals
- C One cheese per bridge crossed
- D One silver coin per shepherd
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Odd news
Which country has a hill with an 85-character name, one of the longest place names in the world?
- A Wales
- B Iceland
- C Finland
- D New Zealand
-
Odd news
What did Oregon's highway authority use to get rid of a dead whale on the beach on 12 November 1970?
- A A crane
- B A tugboat
- C Dynamite
- D Acid
-
Odd news
The first ARPANET message, the internet's ancestor, was meant to be 'login'. What got through on 29 October 1969?
- A Only 'l'
- B Only 'log'
- C Only 'lo'
- D The whole word
The answers
The answers are at the bottom, so you can read the questions without seeing them.
Show the answers
- B. Eighth Kane is the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001, after 73 goals for Bayern and England. Haaland can take comfort: top ten is still top ten.
- C. Highbury Highbury – the same name as Arsenal's old home. Fleetwood won 5-3 on penalties after 1-1, so Arsenal lost at "Highbury".
- B. 0.01 seconds One hundredth of a second ahead of Albania's Lara Colturi. Moltzan was fifth after the first run, while leader Shiffrin ended up seventh.
- D. Japan The race was shortened, but full points were awarded – and suddenly the title was his.
- B. 1956 The Netherlands was one of seven countries in 1956 and won the year after. Now it's two years in a row with no Dutch entry.
- A. Maxxing It means doing something to the fullest, from "proteinmaxxing" to "sleepmaxxing". Last year's word was "6-7", so standards are holding.
- B. Cowboy Carter Beyoncé beat Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, among others.
- A. Wings Wings won the very first one. The Broadway Melody followed a year later.
- A. shithouse country He said "Norway has become a shithouse country, actually", and Foreign Minister Eide replied that the Nobel Committee is independent.
- A. The Student List The student list took about 52 per cent and roughly 135 to 140 of 250 seats; Aleksandar Vučić, in power for 14 years, conceded on Sunday night.
- C. Fourth Lula (who turned 81 on Tuesday) lost the first round on 4 October but won the runoff with about 51.8 per cent. Nobody in Brazil had come back like that in almost 40 years.
- C. Gustave Eiffel Eiffel built the skeleton while Bartholdi shaped the copper lady – French teamwork.
- C. It rolls It rolls about four times faster than it slithers, while its head stays steady and facing forward. Rock 'n' roll, literally.
- B. Reishi The European relative is now called the 'false lingzhi'. The two species split at least 16 million years ago, so it was about time someone told them. Supplement labels may need a second look.
- D. About 24,300 times About 24,300 times – and it stays in the air for over 1,000 years. CO2 also set a record in 2025, at 426.8 ppm.
- A. The International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross won in 1917, 1944 and 1963 – a clean hat-trick.
- B. 50 maravedís per thousand animals The toll dates from 1418 and is still paid in old coins at Plaza de la Villa. 1,250 sheep and 160 goats – Madrid's only queue where everyone wears wool.
- D. New Zealand Locals call it Taumata. The full name starts Taumatawhakatangihanga… and keeps going for a while.
- C. Dynamite Half a ton of dynamite – a bystander with explosives training said 20 sticks would do.
- C. Only 'lo' The computer crashed after two letters – the internet began with a modest 'lo'.
Published 30 October 2026 · a new quiz every Friday