Foul Play

In 2018, why did a Kuwaiti fish shop have to close after a member of staff used some craft supplies?

Since coming home from a work trip, Mr. Edwards tends to drop things by accident. Why?

In the classic 1941 movie Citizen Kane, one scene uses a cost-effective rear projection of a dense jungle to enhance a party's lavish theme.
What did keen-eyed moviegoers find strange about it?

A metal plaque lists the following items: “1 Volkswagen Passat, 6 grizzly bears, 65 luggage bags, 454 chihuahuas, 30,000 Snickers bars.” Why?

At the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, how was a world record broken three times in 1.6 seconds?

In Japan, if you walk from the Agashi research centre towards the local train station, what will you find along the path?

Why were the words “A HIDDEN BASE” printed on one step of an escalator?

The manhole covers in the centre of Oklahoma City have an ornate design with a white dot on them. What does that indicate?

An art exhibition called Circle of Time featured the “Relativity Special” — an everyday, inexpensive vehicle with 11 similar extra spare parts added to it. What was added, and why could the vehicle theoretically let you achieve something extraordinary?

Former French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau fought around 50 duels. On his way to one bout, he bought an item from a clerk who said, “Isn’t that a little pessimistic?” “Not at all,” replied Clemenceau. What did he buy, and what was his explanation?

In 1790s revolutionary France, mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange made a change that meant people needed to pray less often. What was it?

During WWII, why did French shopkeepers start ordering large quantities of Jean-Paul Sartre’s book Being and Nothingness?

Bouquinistes have been trading along the banks of the river Seine for over 500 years. Their green boxes of second-hand books are popular with tourists. What question, unrelated to the book trade, do Parisians often ask them?

On 8 June 1959, the US Navy launched 3,000 letters inside a single missile that successfully landed at a naval station in Florida, around 100 miles away. What was unusual about the launching location?

In 2017, a news segment about a six-year-old girl ordering a doll’s house caused a wave of complaints from adults. Why?

Why did a delegation to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) attempt to remove the woolly mammoth from the “Extinct” list?

Thieves broke into the premises of “Mysterium” in Utrecht, Netherlands. They pried open an antique safe, even though the key was tucked right around the corner. They were confused by what they found inside, and stole a CCTV camera instead. What happened?

In Norway, recordings of an elderly woman telling wartime stories are played from roadside speakers. Why?

Hungarian composer Franz Liszt could be regarded as one of the world’s earliest mass celebrities. As his fandom grew, why was he eventually forced to buy a dog?

Joe is doing a large-scale home renovation to make his house more eco-friendly. Rather than finding instructions in his mother tongue of English, he chooses to search online in Danish. Why?

In 897 AD, Pope Stephen VI ordered his predecessor Pope Formosus to be put on trial. In a courtroom with Stephen as judge and prosecutor, Formosus was charged with offences against the Church. Why else was the trial controversial?

Martial spends three weeks each summer completing paintings of butterflies and owls that will be seen by millions of people worldwide. Why?

In the Jackson Heights Historic District of New York City, there’s a sign for 35th Avenue. Why does it also feature the numbers 1, 4, 1, 4, 1, 1, 1, and 1?

In 1970, a group of activists broke into a government office in Delaware to steal documents. None of them could pick the lock on a security door. How did they defeat the door’s security using only a pen?

During the American Civil War, children would write a number on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in their shoe. This allowed them to swear. What was the number, and why was this done?

A brand-new “light and airy” terminal celebrated its opening with a flyby from a fast jet. What went wrong?

Justin calls his friend William on a telephone landline. When William answers, Justin acts normally, but William is extremely confused. Moments later, they are both amazed. Why?

In 217 BC, during the Second Punic War, Hannibal’s army was trapped in a valley with Roman forces blocking all exits. One night, he “borrowed some horns” to escape without engaging the enemy. What happened?

Over the last 20 years, the missing-sector orbweb spider has thrived in the UK, even though its habitat moves at 34 yards a second. Specifically, where is that habitat?