Season 241

Written for the 1973 Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, this song's brief lyrics feature a dying narrator asking to discard his badge and put his guns in the ground.
Originally a melancholic acoustic track by Bob Dylan, which song was later transformed into a global stadium anthem by Guns N' Roses?

Which German term describes prolonged periods of low wind and solar activity that can severely impact renewable energy output, especially in countries relying heavily on weather-dependent power sources?
Often discussed in the context of Germany’s energy transition, the word combines concepts of darkness and calm.

Which four-letter pseudonym, seen in cryptic and satirical graffiti across downtown Manhattan in the late 1970s, served as an anti-establishment slogan and early sign of a rebellious new voice in the art world?
Originally used by two teenage collaborators, the tag gained underground fame before being publicly declared over with a final spray-painted message.

Which ancient town north of Jerusalem is associated in biblical texts with mourning and exile, particularly as the place where Rachel is said to weep for her lost children?
Cited in both Old and New Testament contexts, its symbolic weight grew from prophetic laments and historical associations with captivity.

Symbiosis is the general umbrella term for biological interactions. Which specific type describes a relationship where both species derive a survival benefit?
Classic examples include bees pollinating flowers, or birds picking food from the teeth of crocodiles.

Which peninsula was home to ancient power centers such as Sparta and Mycenae, and gave its name to a long and brutal war chronicled by Thucydides?
Connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, it has played a central role in the military and cultural history of the Mediterranean.

Which casino card game derives its name from an Italian dialect word for zero, referencing the value assigned to tens and face cards?
In the Chemin de Fer variation favored by James Bond in the original novels, players rotate the role of banker and bet against each other rather than the house.

The following events all took place in which year?
Shinzo Abe is assassinated in Nara, Japan.
The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard reaches a verdict.
Mahsa Amini’s death sparks the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in Iran.
NASA releases the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Tom Cruise returns in the massive box-office hit Top Gun: Maverick.

Heavily backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which decentralized service uses blockchain technology to allow users to trade on real-world outcomes such as elections, scientific breakthroughs, and court rulings?
Often cited as being more accurate than traditional polling institutes, the platform has nonetheless faced significant controversy and fines from U.S. regulators.

Which bestselling novel is told in the first person from the perspective of a teenage boy with autism who investigates the death of a neighbor’s dog, uncovering complex truths about his family in the process?
Written by Mark Haddon and first published in 2003, its title comes from a Sherlock Holmes remark about a clue that lies in what didn’t happen.

Which optical phenomenon occurs when layers of air at different temperatures bend light rays, often creating the illusion of a pool of water on a hot road?
Its name comes from the French for 'to look at' and is shared by a famous line of Dassault fighter jets.

Which 1968 Beatles single was written to comfort a young boy during his parents’ separation and became the band's longest-running number-one hit in the US?
Its emotional build-up and iconic singalong coda helped cement it as one of the band’s most beloved anthems.

Marking a historic first, the 2026 Winter Olympics are officially hosted by two distinct cities: Milan and which ski resort town?
Known as the Pearl of the Dolomites and famous for the ski chase in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, this co-host previously staged the Winter Games in 1956.

Which ancient city-state, founded by Phoenician settlers near modern-day Tunis, grew into a powerful maritime trading empire across the western Mediterranean?
A key rival of Rome, it was ultimately destroyed in the Third Punic War after a series of legendary conflicts including Hannibal's campaign through Italy.