Mark Brader:

These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on the dates
indicated, and should be interpreted accordingly. If any answers
have changed due to newer news, you are still expected to give the
answers that were correct on that date... For further information
please see my 2024-08-30 companion posting on "Questions from the
Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".

* Game 7 (2025-11-03), Round 1 - Current Events

1. This week it was reported that Amazon will cut thousands of
corporate jobs as the online retail giant ramps up spending on
technology that would help to reduce its corporate workforce in
the next few years. What technology does it intend to ramp up?

(Generative) artificial intelligence. 4 for everyone -- Joshua,
Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum.

2. Melissa, the most powerful hurricane of 2025, unleashed heavy
rain, powerful winds, and surf across the Caribbean. On Tuesday,
October 28, it made landfall as a Category 5 storm -- on which
island nation?

Jamaica. 4 for Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum. 3 for Joshua.

3. Authorities declared a reelection victory for President Paul
Biya, allowing him to continue, at 92, as the world's oldest
head of state. What country is he president of?

Cameroon. 4 for Erland.

4. This respected British actress best known for her role as Sybil
Fawlty, the unflappable foil to John Cleese as her hotheaded
husband Basil on the sitcom "Fawlty Towers", died on Monday at
her home in London at age of 93. Who was she?

Prunella Scales. 4 for Joshua and Dan Blum.

I left the question as written, but I always considered that Sybil
was just as flappable as Basil, only in different ways. If they
had a foil it was Polly Sherman (Connie Booth, who was married to
Cleese at the time).

5. The Bank of Canada lowered its key interest rate on Wednesday,
marking its first cut since March, as the central bank moves to
stimulate a weakened economy. What is the interest rate now,
within 1 percentage point?

2.25% (accepting 1.25-3.25%). 4 for Erland.

6. Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage broke a 76-year-old record in
Wednesday's Game 5 of the World Series when he stuck out 12
Dodgers. Why was this a record? (He set other records during
the series, but we want this one.)

Most strikeouts in a World Series game by a rookie.

The previous recordholder was Don Newcombe with 11 in 1949.

7. It was announced this past week that the King is removing all of
Prince Andrew's remaining honors, including the title of Prince.
How is the man formerly known as prince now to be referred to?
Be exact.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 4 for Joshua and Dan Tilque.

8. Which company just became the first to surpass $5,000,000,000,000
US in market value?

NVIDIA. 4 for Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum. 2 for Joshua.

9. It was announced last week that this Canadian transportation
company is slashing its capital spending and laying off managers
as the tariff war crimps freight shipments between Canada and
the United States. Which company is it?

Canadian National Railway (CN Rail).

10. Sudan's military retreated from *which key city* in the Darfur
region, leaving paramilitary fighters in control?

El Fasher. 4 for Erland.

* Game 8 (2025-11-10), Round 1 - Current Events

1. This past week which company decided to purchase Kenvue, the
company behind Tylenol and other consumer brands?

Kimberly-Clark.

2. Which former Republican vice-president passed away last week
at the age of 84?

Dick Cheney. 4 for everyone.

3. On Tuesday, which soccer legend was knighted by King Charles
III for his services to sports and charity.

David Beckham. 4 for Joshua, Erland, and Dan Blum.

4. Which Nova Scotia MP resigned on Tuesday from the Conservative
caucus and joined the governing Liberals, in a move that's a
blow to his party and a boon for the minority government as it
works to pass its first budget.

Chris d'Entremont (not Matt Jeneroux, who just resigned on Thursday).

5. After an episode captured on video last week that raised
questions about security, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum,
announced on Wednesday that she had reported the incident to
the police as a crime. What happened?

A man groped her on the street. 4 for Erland and Dan Tilque.

6. The Grammy Award nominations were announced on Friday.
Which artist received the most nominations?

Kendrick Lamar (9 nominations).

7. On Thursday Canada's food-safety agency says professional
marksmen killed hundreds of this animal at a B.C. farm overnight
after the failure of farmers to secure a last-minute legal
reprieve from the bird-flu cull. What type of animal?

Ostrich. 4 for Dan Tilque.

8. On Tuesday the federal government announced it will shrink the
size of the public service over 5+years, a component of a budget
plan to find nearly $60,000,000,000 billion in internal savings.
Within 5,000, how many public service jobs will go?

40,000 (accepting 35,000-45,000).

9. On Tuesday Nawat Itsaragrisil, a Thai businessman and an
executive with the Miss Universe Organization, was seen on
livestream on Tuesday scolding F?tima Bosch, the contestant
from which country?

Mexico. 4 for Joshua.

10. A jewel from the Hapsburg dynasty was thought to be lost for
over a century, but its heirs have admitted it was in a bank
vault in Canada. What it known as?

The Florentine Diamond.


Scores, if there are no errors:

GAMES-> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 BEST SIX
Joshua Kreitzer 12 12 19 20 16 16 17 12 100
Erland Sommarskog 12 8 8 3 20 8 24 12 84
Dan Blum 4 8 0 15 16 16 16 8 79
Dan Tilque 4 8 4 12 12 16 16 12 76
Pete Gayde 8 4 -- -- -- -- -- -- 12

--
Mark Brader | "Continuing to be predictable, I looked at Wikipedia
Toronto | and saw that some people agree with you
msb@vex.net | and some don't." --Jerry Friedman

My text in this article is in the public domain.

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