What trivia should I learn?
July 12, 2016 6:16 PM Subscribe
I am between jobs right now and I'd like to use this time to learn some mostly useless information.
My boyfriend and I do crosswords every night before bed. I'm sure other NYTimes crossword fans have noticed there are a lot of repeats.
Examples:
- The Greek alphabet
- Names of rivers/mountain ranges
- Greek/Roman gods
When doing the crossword I tell myself I'll look these things up and it's gotten me thinking, what else I could learn?
I'm thinking along the lines of the above, capital cities, rulers (kings/queens/presidents).
To clarify I mean categories not specific words.
My boyfriend and I do crosswords every night before bed. I'm sure other NYTimes crossword fans have noticed there are a lot of repeats.
Examples:
- The Greek alphabet
- Names of rivers/mountain ranges
- Greek/Roman gods
When doing the crossword I tell myself I'll look these things up and it's gotten me thinking, what else I could learn?
I'm thinking along the lines of the above, capital cities, rulers (kings/queens/presidents).
To clarify I mean categories not specific words.
Best answer: Characters from famous literature, Shakesphere, etc.
posted by gt2 at 6:40 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by gt2 at 6:40 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: the elements!
there is a song that may help
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 6:51 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
there is a song that may help
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 6:51 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Olympic games location by year.
posted by beccaj at 6:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by beccaj at 6:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Candidates in every US presidential election
Current senators and governors
Countries of the world
Roman numerals
Winners of Nobel prizes, Pulitzers, Oscars, etc
posted by eponym at 6:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Current senators and governors
Countries of the world
Roman numerals
Winners of Nobel prizes, Pulitzers, Oscars, etc
posted by eponym at 6:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Three- and four-letter words. There are lists of these!
Prophets, kings, major characters, evangelists, and books of the Bible. Common Bible references that have passed into culture and been turned into common turns of phrase.
Current and former government acronyms and initialisms (INS became DHS; know both and how they are related.)
Do not neglect Greek/Roman monster and creature names in addition to gods and important legendary figures!
Historical authors and books; major characters in Dickens, Dostoyevsky, Austen, and the Brontes. Basic plots of all the classic novels you were meant to read in high school/college literature.
Common opera names, composers, characters, and plots.
Classical composers and their major works; Orff gets used a lot due to the double-eff.
In addition to presidents: First Ladies and presidential family members. Nonwinning presidential candidates, not necessarily nominated but prominent.
Old commercial slogans and jingles ("Commercial gripe: 'Where's the ____?'" Beef, obviously.) Popular songs-- don't need to go too deep but big hits and songs with historical meaning or nostalgia (White Cliffs of Dover, Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Lili Marlene, Muskrat Luv, etc.) Names of 60's girl groups and novelty acts.
Military ranks and their common abbreviations; WW2 or Vietnam-era military slang.
Diner slang; ice-cream soda names; brand names, often short ones or brands with nostalgia value (Shell Oil, Moxie soda.)
State capitals and city nicknames and abbreviations.
Common cocktail names; common liquors used in cocktails, particularly if they appeared in a movie or play; regions where well-known liqueurs are made.
American legends, i. e. Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Big Blue Ox.
Country names and their capitals; what those capitals/countries are famous for (they won't straight up ask for the capital of Austria, they'll ask about the specialty there.) Country nicknames; nationality nicknames and stereotypes.
Famous firsts-- first man on the moon, first woman senator, etc.
Sports-- if you're working with the NYT, you don't need to know cricket or rugby, and you don't need much soccer knowledge, but you should know the major stars of the last 70 years and have an even stronger knowledge of baseball-- some of the records and major firsts, and who used to hold a record that was beaten in modern times, and how baseball scoring works and some scoring exceptions and concepts like the RBI. If you branch out to UK or international crosswords, pick up rugby, soccer, and cricket terminology. Sports teams and team mascots; where sports teams came from and moved to, famous but defunct stadiums/old names for stadiums and teams (The Giants took over for the Seals, and their stadium is now ATT Park.)
Sports terms, even for non-typical sports like rugby or badminton; golf terms and how golf and tennis scoring works.
Major playwrights in addition to Shakespeare: know their big hit, especially if it got made into a movie. Basic highlights and premise of "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Pygmalion," for example.
And I found understanding the crossword conventions to be helpful-- if the clue is plural, the answer is plural, if the clue is abbr. then the answer will be an abbreviation, etc.
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:17 PM on July 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
Prophets, kings, major characters, evangelists, and books of the Bible. Common Bible references that have passed into culture and been turned into common turns of phrase.
Current and former government acronyms and initialisms (INS became DHS; know both and how they are related.)
Do not neglect Greek/Roman monster and creature names in addition to gods and important legendary figures!
Historical authors and books; major characters in Dickens, Dostoyevsky, Austen, and the Brontes. Basic plots of all the classic novels you were meant to read in high school/college literature.
Common opera names, composers, characters, and plots.
Classical composers and their major works; Orff gets used a lot due to the double-eff.
In addition to presidents: First Ladies and presidential family members. Nonwinning presidential candidates, not necessarily nominated but prominent.
Old commercial slogans and jingles ("Commercial gripe: 'Where's the ____?'" Beef, obviously.) Popular songs-- don't need to go too deep but big hits and songs with historical meaning or nostalgia (White Cliffs of Dover, Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Lili Marlene, Muskrat Luv, etc.) Names of 60's girl groups and novelty acts.
Military ranks and their common abbreviations; WW2 or Vietnam-era military slang.
Diner slang; ice-cream soda names; brand names, often short ones or brands with nostalgia value (Shell Oil, Moxie soda.)
State capitals and city nicknames and abbreviations.
Common cocktail names; common liquors used in cocktails, particularly if they appeared in a movie or play; regions where well-known liqueurs are made.
American legends, i. e. Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Big Blue Ox.
Country names and their capitals; what those capitals/countries are famous for (they won't straight up ask for the capital of Austria, they'll ask about the specialty there.) Country nicknames; nationality nicknames and stereotypes.
Famous firsts-- first man on the moon, first woman senator, etc.
Sports-- if you're working with the NYT, you don't need to know cricket or rugby, and you don't need much soccer knowledge, but you should know the major stars of the last 70 years and have an even stronger knowledge of baseball-- some of the records and major firsts, and who used to hold a record that was beaten in modern times, and how baseball scoring works and some scoring exceptions and concepts like the RBI. If you branch out to UK or international crosswords, pick up rugby, soccer, and cricket terminology. Sports teams and team mascots; where sports teams came from and moved to, famous but defunct stadiums/old names for stadiums and teams (The Giants took over for the Seals, and their stadium is now ATT Park.)
Sports terms, even for non-typical sports like rugby or badminton; golf terms and how golf and tennis scoring works.
Major playwrights in addition to Shakespeare: know their big hit, especially if it got made into a movie. Basic highlights and premise of "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Pygmalion," for example.
And I found understanding the crossword conventions to be helpful-- if the clue is plural, the answer is plural, if the clue is abbr. then the answer will be an abbreviation, etc.
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:17 PM on July 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Don't think these will be too useful for crosswords, but anyway.
- Animal/plant taxonomy (while you're at it, check out True Facts)
- Types of rocks/minerals and their cultural/economic relevance
- Astrology stuff
- Human bones/muscles
- Notorious mob bosses
- Flags
- State/military mottos
- Federal/religious holidays + significance/traditions (what's in a Passover meal, &c.)
- Supreme Court justices (& chiefs)
- Different cuts of meat/animals used for meat in different parts of the world
- Religious/ethnic/language/population density makeup of different countries/states
- Basic rules/slang used in x sport
- Top players in x individually-competitive sport
- Rules/slang of basic card/board games (poker varieties, go, mahjong, backgammon, Monopoly)
- Different types of pasta/noodles/rice/grains/cereals/beans/legumes/&c.
- Famous presidential speeches (Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex", Nixon's "Checkers"), verbatim
- All of the US's constitutional amendments, verbatim
- The way every [famous person/ruler in x category] died
- Tax rates, zoning codes, the exact geographical borders, &c. in different states/local areas near you
posted by miniraptor at 7:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
- Animal/plant taxonomy (while you're at it, check out True Facts)
- Types of rocks/minerals and their cultural/economic relevance
- Astrology stuff
- Human bones/muscles
- Notorious mob bosses
- Flags
- State/military mottos
- Federal/religious holidays + significance/traditions (what's in a Passover meal, &c.)
- Supreme Court justices (& chiefs)
- Different cuts of meat/animals used for meat in different parts of the world
- Religious/ethnic/language/population density makeup of different countries/states
- Basic rules/slang used in x sport
- Top players in x individually-competitive sport
- Rules/slang of basic card/board games (poker varieties, go, mahjong, backgammon, Monopoly)
- Different types of pasta/noodles/rice/grains/cereals/beans/legumes/&c.
- Famous presidential speeches (Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex", Nixon's "Checkers"), verbatim
- All of the US's constitutional amendments, verbatim
- The way every [famous person/ruler in x category] died
- Tax rates, zoning codes, the exact geographical borders, &c. in different states/local areas near you
posted by miniraptor at 7:55 PM on July 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: famous philosophers' names (song).
posted by andrewcooke at 8:52 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by andrewcooke at 8:52 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The counties and county towns of the UK.
Landmarks or markets in each of Paris's arondissements.
A working knowledge of cricket.
International dialing codes for countries around the world.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:59 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Landmarks or markets in each of Paris's arondissements.
A working knowledge of cricket.
International dialing codes for countries around the world.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:59 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It's less 'lists of things' and more 'collection of facts', but the Reader's Digest books Why in the World and Origins of Everyday Things are absolute treasure troves of interesting, sometimes random, information presented in a very engaging way.
posted by Tamanna at 9:54 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Tamanna at 9:54 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I learned every county in NY. How about every county in NJ?
-Mascot or nicknames of every division I college in USA
-The AAA affiliate for all 30 major league baseball teams
-Winner of every Indy 500 and/or Daytona 500
-Names of all the major battles in the Civil War
-Area codes. Be able to go both ways, tell the state if given an area code and if given a state tell the various area codes.
-There are many industry specific lists that could be interesting and useful. At one point, I knew the clearing number for every US bank/brokerage that self cleared. Could learn every FASB or GASB rule number.
-I have a friend that knows the given name of almost any celebrity you ask. For example, John Wayne was born Marion Wayne.
-Learn the "hometown" of every beer made in the US that you can find.
-Leann Pi out to 50 digits
-Be able to name every prime number between 0 and 1,000
-Learn the name of every college all the US presidents have attended.
-Learn the generic name for the top 100 brand name drugs.
-Learn the names of all the original Mousekateers
-The B side of all the #1 Billboard hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
-Books of the bible
-Memorize the Gettysburg address.
-Memorize MLK's I Have a Dream Speech
-Learn all the heavyweight champs of the 20th century.
-Every #1 song that Elvis had. Or the Beatles.
-I have another friend that can tell you the location (arena or city) of every Grateful Dead show from 1969 through 1995. You give him the date and he gives you the city.
-The address of a country's leader's house such as 1600 Pennsylvania Ave or 10 Downing St.
I would also try to learn a new skill such as card tricks, throwing cards, juggling, writing with both hands simultaneously, lots of jokes, etc.
posted by AugustWest at 9:58 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
-Mascot or nicknames of every division I college in USA
-The AAA affiliate for all 30 major league baseball teams
-Winner of every Indy 500 and/or Daytona 500
-Names of all the major battles in the Civil War
-Area codes. Be able to go both ways, tell the state if given an area code and if given a state tell the various area codes.
-There are many industry specific lists that could be interesting and useful. At one point, I knew the clearing number for every US bank/brokerage that self cleared. Could learn every FASB or GASB rule number.
-I have a friend that knows the given name of almost any celebrity you ask. For example, John Wayne was born Marion Wayne.
-Learn the "hometown" of every beer made in the US that you can find.
-Leann Pi out to 50 digits
-Be able to name every prime number between 0 and 1,000
-Learn the name of every college all the US presidents have attended.
-Learn the generic name for the top 100 brand name drugs.
-Learn the names of all the original Mousekateers
-The B side of all the #1 Billboard hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
-Books of the bible
-Memorize the Gettysburg address.
-Memorize MLK's I Have a Dream Speech
-Learn all the heavyweight champs of the 20th century.
-Every #1 song that Elvis had. Or the Beatles.
-I have another friend that can tell you the location (arena or city) of every Grateful Dead show from 1969 through 1995. You give him the date and he gives you the city.
-The address of a country's leader's house such as 1600 Pennsylvania Ave or 10 Downing St.
I would also try to learn a new skill such as card tricks, throwing cards, juggling, writing with both hands simultaneously, lots of jokes, etc.
posted by AugustWest at 9:58 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
"M as in Mancy"
An easy one, and useful: NATO Phonetic Alphabet.
There's also a 'British' version, too.
posted by porpoise at 12:05 PM on July 13, 2016
An easy one, and useful: NATO Phonetic Alphabet.
There's also a 'British' version, too.
posted by porpoise at 12:05 PM on July 13, 2016
Valid two- and three-letter Scrabble words, especially the ones that contain high-value and/or hard-to-get-rid-of letters. These are a secret weapon for serious Scrabble players.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 1:01 PM on July 13, 2016
posted by escape from the potato planet at 1:01 PM on July 13, 2016
Best answer: This is a pretty good resource from the National Academic Quiz Tournament folks: You Gotta Know - “You Gotta Know” is a series of articles that highlights a category and the list of the (more or less) ten answers that NAQT’s editors have judged the most valuable to know for the purposes of quiz bowl. These will be the people, places, events, or ideas that had the strongest and most far-reaching impact on history (perhaps mixed with those that had the most interesting and memorable stories associated with them). The lists will include very brief summaries of the answers’ importance, but will in no way aspire to be a complete description of the answers’ significance. That exercise is left to the reader…
Here's the link to the page with everything separated by category. There are tons of them.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:24 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Here's the link to the page with everything separated by category. There are tons of them.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:24 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I've completed every NYT crossword for at least the last ten years. About three years ago I decided to learn basic French via Duolingo based on the prevalence of French words in the puzzle clues. It's helped immensely and now I actually can speak/read a pretty fair amount of French!
posted by Fuego at 9:09 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Fuego at 9:09 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Pick up a copy of the original Book Of Lists from the library and read it. If you like it, do the sequels.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 10:59 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 10:59 PM on July 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
One bit of trivia that I think is actually terribly important for everyone to bone up on is some basic political geography (i.e., the locations and borders of nations). There are lots of great resources for self-testing online. Start with the areas you *think* you know well already (locations of US states and Canadian provinces, perhaps). You might be surprised at the gaps in your knowledge!
Once you get the easier stuff out of the way, try whatever the next-hardest thing would be. Countries of South America? Central America? Europe? Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, etc.
Even if you don't get this stuff committed to memory for all time, you will likely find your reading of world events will be enhanced simply by being able to say, "Hey yeah, Malawi! That's in east Africa, next to Zambia and Mozambique and Tanzania!"
posted by duffell at 8:00 AM on July 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Once you get the easier stuff out of the way, try whatever the next-hardest thing would be. Countries of South America? Central America? Europe? Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, etc.
Even if you don't get this stuff committed to memory for all time, you will likely find your reading of world events will be enhanced simply by being able to say, "Hey yeah, Malawi! That's in east Africa, next to Zambia and Mozambique and Tanzania!"
posted by duffell at 8:00 AM on July 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
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