Mysterious Connections III Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blue

The Smurfs fit into the category named 'Blue'. They originated in Belgium as comic book characters created by Pierre Culliford using the pen name Peyo. They are depicted as blue creatures, wearing Phrygian hats and became popular in films, television series and video games.

Answer: Blue

Bobby Vinton recorded the song 'Blue Velvet' in 1963, taking it to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It did reach number two in the UK too, but not until 1990 after it was used in a television advertising campaign. Vinton also had a hit with 'Blue on Blue' but maybe that is less well known.

Answer: Blue

Capri also fits in the 'Blue' section thanks to its famous Blue Grotto. This sea cave has two sources of light, one from the small external entrance to the sea and the other under the water which makes the water look a deep blue. Capri's isn't the only blue grotto - Malta also claims the name - but is the best known.

Answer: Blue

Brooke Shields starred in 'The Blue Lagoon', a 1980 film directed by Randal Kleiser and co-starring Christopher Atkins. The plot involves two cousins, a boy and girl, who are shipwrecked. Initially they are accompanied by a cook from the ship who stays alive long enough to teach them the basics of staying alive before dying himself.

The children grow up, become attracted to each other and have a baby. The ending, as in a book from which it was adapted, is ambiguous.

Answer: Lake

Vanern is one of the lakes listed. By surface area it is the largest lake in Sweden and the largest in any member country of the European Union. In Europe as a whole only Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega, both in Russia, are larger. The lake was formed by glaciation.

Answer: Lake

Lake Lucerne is situated in central Switzerland and its name in other languages reflects this fact. German, French and Italian all reference four cantons, the regions into which Switzerland is divided. The lake has an unusual shape, with parts extending in several different directions. The city of Lucerne lies on its banks and is a popular tourist destination.

Answer: Lake

Egypt's Lake Nasser is a large, man-made, reservoir which was created by the building of the Aswan dam in the twentieth century. The damming of the River Nile took place between 1960 and 1970 and it is usually known as the Aswan High Dam to distinguish it from an earlier dam.

The lake was named after Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, President of Egypt from 1956 until 1970 and known by the name of Nasser.

Answer: Lake

Officially called Coniston Water, this is one of the lakes in England's Lake District, located in Cumbria in the north west of the country. Among the other lakes there are Windermere, Buttermere and Ullswater. Although it is called the Lake District, only one of the lakes is actually called by that name - Bassenthwaite Lake.

The others have names referencing water, such as water itself, mere and tarn.

Answer: Crooner

Harry Connick jr. is one of the four singers listed who can be described as crooners, referring usually to men who sing in a particular style. Frank Sinatra was a famous crooner, but a bit too well known to include in the group. Although Harry is younger and has a more recent career than the other men in this group, his style falls in the genre of 'easy listening'.

Answer: Crooner

I may have ignored Sinatra, but I have included another member of the Rat Pack in Dean Martin. This multi-talented man began his career in a comedy partnership with Jerry Lewis before establishing himself as an all round entertainer. Martin appeared in several films, including some with John Wayne, and had a long running television show. Among his best known songs are 'That's Amore' and 'Everybody Loves Somebody'.

Answer: Crooner

Bing Crosby can be described as the king of the crooners and one who influenced many of those who followed him. His career encompassed acting with a huge number of films to his credit. Crosby sang in quite a few of them with Academy Awards for Best Song coming his way for four of the songs, including 'White Christmas' in 1942 and 'Swinging on a Star' in 1944.

The latter song appeared in 'Going My Way' and he completed a memorable double by winning the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in this film.

Answer: Crooner

Perry Como was an American crooner whose career lasted from 1932 until 1997, including film roles, television series and many recordings. Como followed the style established by Bing Crosby and came across as a casual, easy-going performer. This didn't reflect the work he put in to make sure each song he recorded was as good as it could be. Como's best known song is probably 'Catch a Falling Star', released in 1957 but it is only one of many successful recordings he made over his long career.

Answer: African Leaders

Kenneth Kaunda is one of the leaders of African countries with three other African leaders to make up a group of four. He was the first President of Zambia, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, when the country gained independence from the British. Kaunda served as President from 1964 until 1991.

Answer: African Leaders

Canaan Banana became the first President of Zimbabwe, known as Southern Rhodesia, another country which gained its independence from Britain. The country's independence came after a Civil War. Ian Smith's white government had unilaterally declared the country to be independent, but blacks still had no say in government.

It took from 1965 until 1980 for Zimbabwe to have a black government with Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister and Canaan Banana as President. Mugabe took on the role of President when Banana stepped down in 1987.

Answer: African Leaders

Jacob Zuma became the fourth President of South Africa in 2009 and remained in the post until 2014. The first president was Nelson Mandela, from 1994, the beginning of the post-apartheid era when black people were treated as equal to whites. Prior to 1994 the position was known as the State President of South Africa.

Answer: African Leaders

Initially Prime Minister and then President of Tanganyika when the country first became independent from Britain in 1961, Julius Nyerere became the first president of Tanzania when Tanganyika merged with Zanzibar and changed its name in 1964. Nyerere remained in office until 1985 when he stood down voluntarily. He remained active politically until his death in 1999.