a Christmas quiz

[calimac]

Jon Carroll's annual Christmas quiz, and the answers.

The only question I was able to answer will full confidence was 14, and that after only recognizing three of the five names. I recognized four of the five names in 8 (as ever when I find myself displaying knowledge of pop culture, I found this depressing) and accurately guessed approximately what they were there for. Was also vaguely confident on 11. Was able to deduce the wrong answer to 13 after accurately recognizing one of the names enabled me accurately to recognize another. If those had been the only two, my answer would have been right, but I still have never heard of the other two, other than what I've read right here.

Knew about half of 15, half of the two of 9, one of 12, and one and a bit of 2.

Guessed the general kind of answer for 10 ("smolts" and "kelt" rang a bell) and vaguely handwaving in the right direction on 3.

Ought to have known 7, but didn't.

I was sure that 6 wasn't (a), and probably not (d), but among the others, no clue.

I hope I may be excused for knowing who the people in 5 were, but not their distinction. No, the additional name wouldn't have made it easier.

No idea on 1 or 4.

Comments

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Okay, running commentary, so I remember. [Comment on answers.]

A guess on 1 [Nope]
Some of the names in 2 sound familiar, but I'm not going to guess. [Good thing I didn't.]
I'll check on 3 [Got the South answer]
Know at least 3 of Q8, and can guess honor [yup, but had forgotten other two]
Know 9 [My first true correct answer.]
Know 10 [I hesitated so won't give myself full credit, but was right]
A guess on 11 [No, but I was close]
Recognize one of 13 [and should have recognized the first as well as third, but didn't guess the relationship]
Know some of 15, but will check [Did pretty well; I knew]

Okay, a lousy showing, but I went fast. And, iirc, better than in previous Carroll Quizzes.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

The only one I came even close was on #11, and I was probably a few thousand miles off on that one.

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

I knew parts of about three of them. I made an accurate guess on Soundabout, I knew Dippy Dawg. I knew who Sumner and Starkey are. I knew all the names in 13 but didn't make the final connection (and I disagree about the merits of about half the series). Fala and Asta, of course I knew.

So I don't know the same trivia as Jon Carroll. Ah.

[19-crows.livejournal.com]

Knew 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14. I never try to even guess the geography ones. I was surprised my mother (84 years old) knew who Asta was but not Fala.

[scribblerworks.livejournal.com]

The Panama City one ... the question is not specific enough. Which Panama City? (There's one in Florida, which drastically changes the answers.)

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

I imagine that the correct Panama City is ascertainable from the reference to "non-Central American country." It'd be pretty difficult to reach Central America by going west from Panama City, Florida.

More ambiguous was an answer last year, which identified several strange, obscure terms as being "kinds of cobbler." But Carroll neglected to say whether they were the kind of cobbler you eat for dessert, or the kind of cobbler that fixes your shoes.