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Cruel and Unusual Geography Trivia Quiz

In Terry Pratchett's Discworld there is an 'Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography'. This quiz about him and the Unseen University where he resides.

A multiple-choice quiz by tnrees. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
tnrees

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
313,880

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
339

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who was the 'Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography' at the Unseen University? Hint

Rincewind

Jack Zweiblumen

Ponder Stibbons

Mustrum Ridcully

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Question 2 of 10

2. Egregious now means prominent or distinguished and used to mean outrageous or notorious but it recalls the genuine position of regius professor. What is a regius professor? Hint

The most senior professor in a department.

It is derived from the old French regle meaning rules and meant he was bound by certain rules and has set responsibilities.

One who holds a chair founded by a sovereign or filled by crown appointment (although nowadays the monarch always follows advice).

is derived from religious and meant the professor had to be in holy orders.

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Question 3 of 10

3. One of professor Rincewind's job titles is fretwork teacher - why is fretwork taught at the Unseen University? Hint

It was originally frightwork and meant magic that produced fear - one of the few pieces of magic that has practical use.

The unseen university has taken over several other educational establishments including a craft college.

A 1200 year old curse of a dying Archchancellor sounded like 'May you always teach fretwork' so a chair in fretwork was established.

Fretwork is needed in the manufacture of several magical artefacts.

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Question 4 of 10

4. How many job titles does professor Rincewind have? Hint

At least seven

Five

Six

Six counting one job with two different names.

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Question 5 of 10

5. What benefit does Rincewind get for all the jobs he has? Hint

The right to walk behind the archchancellor in formal processions.

The right to be served a dinner after the archchancellor is rotated among the faculty. He got one second place per job but people with only one job title were second only once per cycle.

One office per job (all of them very small) but together he had more space than the archchancellor.

Extra coal.

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Question 6 of 10

6. Who the in the faculty of the Unseen University has three job titles? Hint

Ponder Stibbons

The dean

The librarian

Dr. Horace Worblehat

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the eight orders of wizardry at the Unseen University is Professor Rincewind a member of? Hint

Mrs Widgery's lodgers.

It is not said.

The order of midnight.

The ancient and truly original sages of the unbroken circle.

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Question 8 of 10

8. How did Rincewind pass his exams at the Unseen University? Hint

He got a faked paper with one question which was 'Name?'

He did not - he never qualified.

There was confusion with another student with a name like Rincewind and abysmal handwriting.

He was actually good at theory - he just had ability for magic like the ability of a turnip to play professional football.

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Question 9 of 10

9. What significant thing was there in the old professor of cruel and unusual geography's office at the Unseen University? Hint

A collection of pictures of people from foreign countries with particular emphasis on those countries where young women do not wear many clothes.

A portal to another location.

Most of the university's funds in the form of high value gold coins.

A huge collection of meticulously catalogued seeds of cabbages and related members of the brassica family.

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is believed to have happened to the previous Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography at the Unseen University? Hint

It is not known. Someone realised the post should be filled but no one had seen an egregious professor in living memory.

Probably something to do with a large dinosaur like lizard with lots of teeth.

He was the last person to try to assassinate archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully.

He turned into the librarian.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the 'Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography' at the Unseen University?

Answer: Rincewind

Jack Zweiblumen is the name Twoflower acquired in a brief dimensional crossover along with Rincewind after they fell off a dragon in a high magical field. Rincewind became Dr. Rjinswand a specialist in breakaway oxidation phenomena in nuclear reactors - also known as fires.
As well as cruel geography there is also a 'Professor of Vindictive Astronomy' among the many positions at the Unseen University.

2. Egregious now means prominent or distinguished and used to mean outrageous or notorious but it recalls the genuine position of regius professor. What is a regius professor?

Answer: One who holds a chair founded by a sovereign or filled by crown appointment (although nowadays the monarch always follows advice).

There are regius professors at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St. Andrews (which only has one) and Glasgow (which has the largest number with about 14). One of the chairs at Dublin and Cambridge is regius professor of physic. Physic is the old name for medicine and nothing to do with physics.

3. One of professor Rincewind's job titles is fretwork teacher - why is fretwork taught at the Unseen University?

Answer: A 1200 year old curse of a dying Archchancellor sounded like 'May you always teach fretwork' so a chair in fretwork was established.

Fretwork is not as unlikely as it seems. One of the degrees you can get is a B.EL.L in eldritch lace making (eldritch means weird or uncanny).
In addition to magic the university does have faculties of medicine, minor religions and lore (i.e. history) and covers fringe aspects of magic like shamanism and plumbing.

4. How many job titles does professor Rincewind have?

Answer: At least seven

They are all jobs (with the possible exception of 'Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography') that require nothing more than someone was doing them but do not need anyone competent.
Among the chairs were 'Lecturer in Approximate Accuracy' and 'Chair for the Public Misunderstanding of Magic'. According to "Darwin's Watch" he had 18 jobs other wizards did not want including health and safety officer.

5. What benefit does Rincewind get for all the jobs he has?

Answer: Extra coal.

Most of the mentions of the chair of 'Cruel and Unusual Geography' occur in the book "The Lost Continent". In the course of this book one wizard complains that in the morning there was frost on his blankets so the coal was very useful.
He got the coal because the coal porter was illiterate and delivered one bucket of coal per job title.

6. Who the in the faculty of the Unseen University has three job titles?

Answer: Ponder Stibbons

At Cambridge university a praelector or prelector is a fellow (member) of a college, who formally presents students during the graduation ceremony. The name comes from prae or pre meaning before and lect meaning read.
The librarian is also the archivist so could be said to have two jobs. He is rumoured to have been Dr Horace Worblehat who is or was the sort of person you see in old school photos and say 'Who is that - I think I remember him'.

7. Which of the eight orders of wizardry at the Unseen University is Professor Rincewind a member of?

Answer: It is not said.

There have always been eight orders (a mystical number on the diskworld) but only 'Mrs Widgery's Lodgers' date from the foundation of the university. The name originates from when the only building in the university was the tower of art so overspill students boarded with Mrs Widgery. Mrs Widgery's lodgers is also supposed to be a morris (traditional English folk) dance tune.

8. How did Rincewind pass his exams at the Unseen University?

Answer: He did not - he never qualified.

The faked paper with one question was given to Ponder Stibbons but intended for Victor Tugelbend in the book 'Moving Pictures'. They wanted to get rid of Victor because he had an annuity while he was a student (but he had to score at least 80 in his exams with a pass mark of 88) so he took care never to pass and once successfully appealed when a marking error gave him a pass.
He is described as B. Mgc. Unseen University (failed}.

9. What significant thing was there in the old professor of cruel and unusual geography's office at the Unseen University?

Answer: A portal to another location.

The portal looked like a window in the bathroom showing a beautiful tropical island. The island was in the past and the home of the god of evolution so plants would evolve and grow in a matter of hours to produce whatever you wanted even cigarettes and spoons. There was only one of everything on the island until the wizards gave the god the idea of reproduction.

10. What is believed to have happened to the previous Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography at the Unseen University?

Answer: Probably something to do with a large dinosaur like lizard with lots of teeth.

It is not said what happened to him. He might have been eaten or evolved into the lizard (this is the island of the god of evolution). His boots were found.
Until Mustrum made it too hazardous assassination was considered an acceptable method of obtaining advancement in the unseen university.
The librarian was a human being and most of the time was an orang-utan. During the 'Lost Continent' book he was ill and kept changing shape when he sneezed - but was always covered in red fur. Among other things he was the "Book of Ook!", a penguin and a deck chair - which the archchancellor did not realise was the librarian despite the red fur and sat on it. It is not explained how a deck chair can sneeze.

Source: Author tnrees

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LeoDaVinci before going online.
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