Phoenix, Ariz.
Tyler used to work for the C.I.A.
$500
In describing the layers of the Earth, geologists often say that beneath the hard rock of the crust lies the what of the mantle?
A: Soft rock B: Smooth jazz
C: Adult contemporary D: Funky R&B
Spoiler
A: Soft rock
$1,000
Representing his status as Heaven’s gatekeeper, St. Peter is often symbolized by what object or objects associated with gaining entry?
A: Laminated backstage pass B: Velvet rope and clipboard
C: Battering ram D: Keys
Spoiler
D: Keys
$2,000
Fittingly, the driver who had the self-control and determination to win the Indianapolis 500 in 2018 is named what?
A: Will Power B: Jim Shorts
C: Mike Drop D: Jack Squat
Spoiler
A: Will Power
$3,000
According to the company, the sticks for Popsicle’s ice pops are made from what wood, whose light color, they say, “is perfect for printing silly jokes!”?
A: Black walnut B: Birch
C: Ebony D: Mahogany
Spoiler
B: Birch
$5,000
In a Vulture article ranking Denzel Washington movies from best to worst, which films ranked #1 and #2, respectively — both earning him Oscar nominations?
A: The Preacher’s Wife & The Pelican Brief B: The Taking of Pelham 123 & Unstoppable
C: Malcolm X & Training Day D: Heart Condition & Carbon Copy
Spoiler
A: 4% B: 9% C: 85% D: 2%
Spoiler
C: Malcolm X & Training Day
$7,000
Now worth an estimated $1.8 billion, what website founded in 2009 by two former Facebook employees lets users collaborate to answer other users’ questions?
A: Quiver B: Quirk
C: Quora D: Quaker
Spoiler
Tyler doesn’t know this so he uses logic. Quiver and Quirk don’t make sense. Quora is the plural of quorum, and Quaker is the Society of Friends.
50/50 leaves Quiver and Quora.
50/50 leaves Quiver and Quora.
Spoiler
Tyler’s niece Erica has this app on her phone. In fact, she asked it what’s it like to be a contestant on WWTBAM.
Spoiler
C: Quora
Commercial break
Tyler and his friends have a band called the Geezers. He’s the youngest one. He’s the lead singer and plays the harmonica.
$10,000
After working as a waitress to pay her way through college and law school, in 2006 who became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri?
A: Dianne Feinstein B: Elizabeth Warren
C: Kirsten Gillibrand D: Claire McCaskill
Spoiler
D: Claire McCaskill
$20,000
Which of these famous fictional characters rides a horse named Tornado?
A: The Lone Ranger B: Don Quixote
C: Zorro D: Paul Bunyan
Spoiler
C: Zorro
Commercial break
$30,000
After a performance in Berlin in 1988, who received a world record 165 curtain calls — amid applause that lasted for over an hour?
A: Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov B: Violinist Itzhak Perlman
C: Singer Luciano Pavarotti D: Actor Laurence Olivier
Tyler has a feeling it’s
Spoiler
Baryshnikov
Spoiler
C: Singer Luciano Pavarotti
Tyler wins $20,000.
Tyler wins $20,000.
Commercial break
QotD
Often used to describe a tough situation, a quagmire is an area of land characterized by which of these conditions?
A: Jagged rocks B: High altitude
C: Extreme winds D: Muddy surface
Spoiler
D: Muddy surface