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Quiz about AnkhMorpork Post Office Handbook

Ankh-Morpork Post Office Handbook Quiz

A quiz on Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs' (with illustrations by Paul Kidby) 2007 "Discworld" diary. Some knowledge of 'Going Postal' is also needed.

A multiple-choice quiz by tnrees. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
tnrees

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
272,837

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
270

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The handbook starts with a description of the early post office in days of yore. How long ago were 'days of yore'? Hint

225 years before olden days

So long ago everyone has forgotten the exact date

225 years ago

Long enough ago that you can be poetic rather than accurate

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Question 2 of 10

2. On the subject of highwaymen, what was a common disguise used by the undercover mail coach guards set up by postmaster Palmer? Hint

Rich idiot.

Humble priest

Travelling salesman for a liquor firm who has sampled too much of his own samples.

Young lady travelling alone to her sister's wedding with an expensive present.

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Question 3 of 10

3. Is it true that in the diary section of the book there is an entry for Sunday 29 Grune saying it is 'Uberwald league of Temperance day - remember not one drop'? Hint

No - it is on the 22nd of Grune

No - apparently the league is not considered relevant to a post office diary.

Yes

No - there are only round world dates in the diary

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the Octeday section of the diary some heroes of the post office are noted. Which of these is not a genuine hero? Hint

Senior postman Granville Roberts who wrote the extremely confusing instructions on completing official forms.

Miss Honoria Maccalariat who saved 1000s of dollars by getting the pens chained to the counter.

All of them are

Sir Arthur Brady who wrote the tunes played by the mail coach drivers.

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Question 5 of 10

5. Foreign stamps are also mentioned. What country issues stamps in BLZOTS? Hint

Lancre

Howondaland

Klatch

Bad Blintz.

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Question 6 of 10

6. What connects Howondaland, Twoshirts and Genua but not Klatch? Hint

They are the largest places that have no mail service from Ankh-Morpork

There is a surcharge on mail owing to the danger of delivering there.

They have not introduced postage stamps.

They are offensive acronyms and are forbidden.

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the following does not feature in the illustrations that often appear in the Octeday section of the diary? Hint

Adora Belle Dearhart

All of them appear

Lady Beatrice Counterblast

Mr Pump

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Question 8 of 10

8. There is a picture of Crispin Horsefry in the diary. Who is he? Hint

The first person to buy one of the new fangled postage stamps.

The post office cat

A member of the board of the post office's rivals - the grand trunk clacks company

The last postman to make a delivery before the post office system collapsed.

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Question 9 of 10

9. There is a picture of extremely senior postman Anghammerad in the diary. Who is he? Hint

The post office cat

A golem

The worshipful master who initiates new postmen

The last postman to make a delivery before the post office system collapsed.

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Question 10 of 10

10. There is a picture of Gladys in the diary. Who is or was she? Hint

The post office cat

The first person to buy one of the new fangled postage stamps.

A golem

The post offices first female employee

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The handbook starts with a description of the early post office in days of yore. How long ago were 'days of yore'?

Answer: 225 years before olden days

This is 200 years later than ancient times. In a similar spirit the handbook mentions that in those days highwaymen were rife which is worse than endemic but better than ubiquitous.

2. On the subject of highwaymen, what was a common disguise used by the undercover mail coach guards set up by postmaster Palmer?

Answer: Humble priest

These guards did use feminine disguise despite most of them having more scars then teeth and not bothering with a gallows, just delivering the miscreants in a bucket.

3. Is it true that in the diary section of the book there is an entry for Sunday 29 Grune saying it is 'Uberwald league of Temperance day - remember not one drop'?

Answer: No - it is on the 22nd of Grune

The diary has Discworld and Roundworld dates (they are usually the same butGrune is July) including a section for Octeday with no day number. Octeday usually has a note about post office history or a picture of a VIP so it is not much use for writing in.

4. In the Octeday section of the diary some heroes of the post office are noted. Which of these is not a genuine hero?

Answer: Senior postman Granville Roberts who wrote the extremely confusing instructions on completing official forms.

The person honoured for causing confusion was Miss Amelie Willet who had the idea of revising the forms every day.
One of Sir Arthur's calls was 'make sure there's a clear run to the privy when we draw up'
Miss Maccalariat still has relatives working for the post office.
Although Mr Roberts was honoured for saving a fragile package so was another postman who suggested filling the handles of 'fragile' stamps with lead shot.

5. Foreign stamps are also mentioned. What country issues stamps in BLZOTS?

Answer: Bad Blintz.

This is the country where the book 'The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents' is set.
They also produce miniature stamps for the rodent population.

6. What connects Howondaland, Twoshirts and Genua but not Klatch?

Answer: They are offensive acronyms and are forbidden.

There is no information on what the acronyms mean. Acronyms include SWALK (on both the round world and Discworld) meaning sealed with a loving kiss and the round world ITALY - I trust and love you.

7. Which of the following does not feature in the illustrations that often appear in the Octeday section of the diary?

Answer: Lady Beatrice Counterblast

Lady Beatrice is a running character in the great 1960s BBC radio comedy 'Round the Horne'.
Mr Pump is a golem - Pump is actually his original function - he was the 'engine' in a pump.
Miss Dearhart is a young lady with some formidable high heels. They both play major rolls in 'Going Postal'.

8. There is a picture of Crispin Horsefry in the diary. Who is he?

Answer: A member of the board of the post office's rivals - the grand trunk clacks company

He was identified as the weak link in the grand trunk's schemes by Lord Vetinari but was killed before he could reveal anything.

9. There is a picture of extremely senior postman Anghammerad in the diary. Who is he?

Answer: A golem

He was a messenger who failed to deliver a message. He believed history is cyclical and waited 19000 years for history to repeat itself (and was prepared to wait a lot longer) so he could deliver the message (so he was a typical golem). Unfortunately a fire combined with a collapsing water tank destroyed him.

10. There is a picture of Gladys in the diary. Who is or was she?

Answer: A golem

Golems were all normally known as Mister. This resulted in Miss Maccalariat (a descendant of the employee in question four) objecting to someone who was apparently male cleaning the ladies facilities so Gladys was renamed.

Source: Author tnrees

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