Naked, Nude, Bare, Starkers... Quiz

Answer: The Streak

"The Streak" was a funny song by Ray Stevens. Born Harold Ray Ragsdale, in Georgia in 1939, Stevens has had a long career. He released a new CD in 2003. Other hits included "Along Came Jones" and "Ahab the Arab". He also wrote and performed the melodic "Everything is Beautiful".

The "Alvin Purple" song did celebrate a nude hero, but the lines mentioned were not part of it. "Let's Get Physical", an Olivia Newton-John hit, didn't use them either, and I made up "The Nudie Tune".

Answer: mitts

Quite so! The English language is littered with slang terms for human bits and pieces, many of which are colourful and fun. The odd thing is that many of them are more user-friendly in polite company than the technical terms. "Mitts" is slang for hands... and hands are usually visible.

Answer: "Naked on the Ice" was a book and a film.

"Naked on the Ice" was a book (and film) written by author Kathleen Darcy before she disappeared. Seven years later, a contest is held for the right to produce a sequel. Elizabeth Peters' heroine, Jacqueline Kirby, is one of the contenders.

Answer: Maslins Beach

Nudity was legalised for Maslins Beach in 1974. Apparently there was an earlier (legal) nudist beach about two years earlier. The other three beaches mentioned are all real places, but you'd better pack your cossie / bathers / swimming tights.

Answer: "The Door into Summer"

A lot of characters got naked in Heinlein's books (though never in "Farmer in the Sky", which was a children's title), but the delightful "The Door into Summer" is the book in question. Dan Davis, the hero, time-travels via cold sleep from 1970 into the early 21st Century, and then has to find a way to get back.

He is amazed to meet John and Jenny wearing "smooth coats of tan" and thinks he must have missed the year. But all is well... this is the Colorado Sunshine Club! The book was published in 1957.

Answer: "Glory Road"

Oscar "Scar" Gordon was absolutely horrified to be confronted by three naked ladies... they were the wife and two daughters of his host! How was he to know he was offending everyone enormously by asking them to leave?

Answer: Michelangelo's "David"

Michelangelo's "David" is stark naked. He has been fig-leafed at some points in his five hundred year history, but is now allowed to appear as Michelangelo intended. "Venus de Milo" doesn't wear arms, but she does have some draperies, while only Galatea is bare in Santini's statue. Botticelli's "Venus" is wearing nothing but her hair, but she's a painting, not a statue.

Answer: 1916

"Daughter of the Gods" (directed by Herbert Brenon) came out in 1916. A few days later "The Ragged Princess", starring a bare June Caprice, also appeared.

Answer: Pants for female dogs.

Bitches' britches are cotton pants made especially for female dogs to wear during a heat. Ladies' tight shorts are usually called "Shorts" or "Hotpants", cellulite is usually called... well, "cellulite", and the underwear from the 60s was "Witches' Britches".

Answer: streaker

The first sporting match streak seems to have been achieved by an Australian named Michael O'Brian, who disrupted a rugby match in England in 1974. A policeman used his helmet to put an end to Mr O'Brian's fun.