Medium
Explorers & Discovery
Voyages & First Ascents
The expeditions that redrew the map, credited accurately.
Sample question
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Which expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe?
Explorers & Discovery
The voyages that redrew the map, and their costs.
Exploration is one of the most romanticised parts of history and one of the most complicated, since almost every voyage of discovery arrived somewhere already inhabited. This category covers the major expeditions across several traditions, European, Arab, Chinese and Polynesian, along with the polar and mountaineering feats of the modern era. The explanations give credit accurately, including to the crews and guides usually left out of the headline, and note where a famous claim needs qualifying. The aim is an honest account rather than a heroic one, without losing what was genuinely remarkable about the journeys.
Difficulty mix
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Voyages & First Ascents
The expeditions that redrew the map, credited accurately.
1 medium
2 hard
7–8 min each
3 quizzes in Explorers & Discovery
Hard
Explorers & Discovery
Polar Journeys and What They Cost
Ships crushed in ice, disputed claims, and the people whose names were left off the reports.
Sample question
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Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance was lost in 1915 in what way?
Hard
Explorers & Discovery
Rivers, Deserts and First Crossings
Inland journeys, the guides who made them possible, and the names that were already there.
Sample question
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The first descent of the Amazon by a European party, in 1541 and 1542, was led by whom?
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Questions
About Explorers & Discovery quizzes
How many Explorers & Discovery quizzes are there?
3 published quizzes in this subject, 30 questions in total. Every one is researched, written and checked by hand.
How hard are they?
The mix here is 1 medium and 2 hard. Difficulty is about how obscure the answers are, not how fast you have to be — there is no timer on any quiz.
How long does one take?
About 8 minutes on average, ranging from 7 to 8. Playing every explorers & discovery quiz would take roughly 23 minutes.
Which one should I start with?
"Voyages & First Ascents" is the gentlest way in — 10 questions, about 7 minutes, rated medium.
Do I need an account?
No. Every quiz is free and playable straight away. An optional free account only saves your scores across devices.
Do you explain the answers?
Yes — every question has a short explanation of why the right answer is right, shown the moment you answer, whether you got it or not.