Scottish Hodgepodge Trivia Quiz

Answer: Stomach lining

Although considered quite vile by its nature in most parts of the world, haggis is uniquely Scottish. To make it, you make the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep into a pudding and encase it in the sheep's stomach lining, minced up with a number of additive spices and herbs. Some would call it offal; others would likely...well...

Scottish poet Robert Burns is known for writing the poem "Address to a Haggis", and it's part of why, traditionally, observers will cook their own up every January 25th for supper on Robbie Burns Day.

Answer: Great music

Although the origins of the bagpipe could lead to a discussion that spans many different countries, the Great Highland bagpipe is a wholly Scottish item dating back centuries. Known for its military and traditional uses, the bagpipe is a woodwind instrument; you give a hearty blow into the reed of the device, work the bellows with your arm, and control the melody with a chanter.

It's an acquired taste, undoubtedly, but then again, so is haggis.

Answer: Loch Ness

Although all of the options listed are bodies of water found in Scotland, only Loch Ness can be correct, partly because Urquhart Castle was built on its shore in the Scottish Highlands more than seven hundred years ago and partly because its unexplainable contents, known to most as the Loch Ness Monster, make it stand out from the rest. Loch Ness, found southwest of the city of Inverness, has some of the deepest waters of the country, so it almost seems ideal for an unknown creature to be hiding in its depths, right? The many confusing photographs and accounts of sightings have persisted over the years to make it one of Scotland's most famous folk legends.

Answer: False

Scottish tartans have certainly dated back for centuries, and while there is a certain organization to them, it has nothing to do with 'colour meaning' or anything of the sort. Instead, certain patterns were used by different clans over time, becoming associated with different regions. Tartans are typically seen on kilts, but trends over the years have utilized the pattern (in various shades) on all manner of clothing and accessories. Nowadays, tartans are used in various non-Scottish ways as well-- did you know that many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have their own official tartans?

Answer: Braveheart

Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" won five of the ten awards it was nominated for at the Oscars in 1996; he starred in it and directed as well, taking home an award for the latter (but lacking a nomination for the former). Although many Scottish purists found the film to be a highly fictionalized account of William Wallace's life, the movie was nevertheless an entertaining one; it earned over $200,000,000 in the box office and continued Gibson's long reign in the industry. William Wallace, Gibson's character (despite the fact that Gibson is not Scottish), was the Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland for two years in the late 13th century.

He was executed in London in 1305.

Answer: Glasgow

While Glasgow isn't the capital city of Scotland (that's Edinburgh!), it is the largest city there, home to hundreds of thousands of Glaswegians within its area. Located in Central Scotland on the River Clyde, it was founded more than fifteen centuries ago by the Romans.

It became a major industrial city in the 19th century and grew to draw in more than a third of Scotland's total population. Now, it's a city of diverse architecture (medieval castles and modern structures), culture, and education.

Answer: Sean Connery

Winner of countless awards over the years, Connery has been considered by many to be one of Scotland's greatest actors, filling roles ranging from Shakespearean characters to historical and literary greats to, of course, James Bond (seven times!). He won the best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in "The Untouchables". Connery retired from acting in the late 2000s.

He was knighted in 2000, a year after receiving the Kennedy Center Honors.

Answer: Oak

Scotch whisky is an interesting drink because in order to label a product as 'scotch', it must be made in Scotland. This means that if you're drinking any ol' whisky/whiskey, then it's not scotch. Made from malt and/or grain, scotch must also be aged in oak casks for, at the minimum, three years.

It's the law. Actually. The refined technique to make scotch is akin to the requirements of an organic wine; the product is handled with extreme care, partly because of its intrinsic connection to Scottish identity.

Answer: Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis, found in the Scottish Highlands (which makes sense since it's the highest land in the land), reaches a height of about 1.3km above sea level and was, at one point, a volcano. Nowadays, it acts as an important meteorological and astronomical viewpoint. Visitors to Ben Nevis can, of course, ascend the peak if they choose; there are well-worn paths to the top.

Ben Nevis also makes up the National Three Peaks Challenge in the UK along with the Welsh peak Snowdon and the English mountain Scafell Pike. The goal there is to complete all three peaks in under twenty-four hours.

Answer: Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew's Cross, as it is likely better known, is the official flag of Scotland and is featured on military outfits and official garb. It's also been used for many centuries (as far back as Roman times) as a Christian symbol. The saltire is also tenuously linked to the figure of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, partly because the cross evokes Andrew's crucifixion in Greece in Biblical times.

The image also has interesting uses dating back to medieval times; it's said in folklore that hanging Saint Andrew's Cross over the hearth can ward off witches.