Guardian’s April Fool’s Day Quiz

The Guardian has an April Fool's Day quiz that lets you test your skills at separating real news stories from April Fool's Day jokes. I got 9 out of 9, so I did very well. However, I also spotted a mistake in their test. Question Five asks: Telescopes belonging to the Chicago Times discovered a penal colony on the moon in 1876 (True or April Fool). The correct answer, according to the test, is that it's an April Fool. That's not totally accurate. The story was a hoax, but it wasn't an April Fool. It was published in February 1876, as I have noted here on my site (scroll down to the paragraph titled 'Prisoners of the Moon'). I figure that for finding the mistake on the test I really scored 10 out of 9. I also figure that I deserve a prize.

April Fools Day

Posted on Thu Mar 31, 2005


Comments

I got 8 out of 9, for some stupid reason I answered the German ruins one wrong...

If anyone would have said that back then, they wouldn't have lived to design buildings, or so I would assume...

And you all know what assume does.
Posted by Rod  on  Thu Mar 31, 2005  at  10:01 PM
Unfair! It changed one of my answers from false to true. If it hadn't, I would've come up with 8 out of 9 too.
Posted by Smerk  on  Thu Mar 31, 2005  at  10:28 PM
There's an April Fools story on the Guardian website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,2763,1449949,00.html

It's about Tony Blair making Prince Charles the 'Countryside Tsar'. It's pretty funny, especially if you're a Brit. Some of the references to recent political events may be lost on a foreign audience.
Posted by Smoth  on  Fri Apr 01, 2005  at  12:05 AM
"...to give the prince some hands-on experience of running something in preparation for his future role as king."

:lol:
HAHAHAHAAA!
:lol:

The only thing that guy's ever going to run is the water hose.

Well, it's true.
Posted by Rod  on  Fri Apr 01, 2005  at  12:18 AM
By Alex's rules I got 10 outr of a possible 9, too. I've obviously spent FAR too much time in the museum:)

The lead story in the Guardian this morning also has to be an April Fool:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,2763,1449922,00.html

Sensitive mics picking up Charles' sotto voce mutterings:

>> "I hate doing this," he muttered under his breath and, "Bloody people," as he smiled wryly.

>> Urged by a member of the press to "look like you know each other", the two princes leaned into their father, who put his arms around them.

>> Charles then muttered: "What do we do?"

>> William replied: "Keep smiling, keep smiling."
Posted by Paul in Prague  on  Fri Apr 01, 2005  at  12:24 AM
Paul, I've seen the footage of that event. Prince Charles said:
"Bloody people. And I hate that man. He's awful, he really is."

or words to that effect.
I say good on him.
Posted by Boo  on  Fri Apr 01, 2005  at  01:27 AM
Crumbs, you're right, Boo - it's being reported on the BBC site now. Sometimes one *can* be too bloody sceptical, 'twould seem!
Posted by Paul in Prague  on  Fri Apr 01, 2005  at  01:38 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.