Unutterably Silly Quiz

[Kumabjorn]

Interesting answers, but no, unfortunately not correct.
I bet you'll all be very surprised. I know I was.

[poohbear_nc]

Leonardo da Vinci?

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Leonardo da Vinci?

Considerably later.

[WT Sharpe]

The crazy thing is that every time I see the question I keep thinking the answer is Sean Connery/James Bond, which on the surface is plainly ridiculous. Or is it? Is my subconscious trying to tell me something? Is there some kind of trickery involved with this question?

[Billi]

Perhaps some Norwegian (Telemark ski) but honestly I think no one. I really can't imagine that a folk that has enough wood and that has more than enough snow from Octobre till May does need anybody else to tell them how to move best in winter.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Billi

Perhaps some Norwegian (Telemark ski) but honestly I think no one. I really can't imagine that a folk that has enough wood and that has more than enough snow from Octobre till May does need anybody else to tell them how to move best in winter.

That's what makes me think this might be some sort of trick question, like who first taught fish to swim?

[poohbear_nc]

Maybe a water ski enthusiast from tropical climes?

[Kumabjorn]

Nope, nope, nope.
Very relevant for this forum.
The Sean Connery connection isn't right but it isn't directly wrong either. But it is considerably earlier than Ian Fleming's hero.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That's what makes me think this might be some sort of trick question, like who first taught fish to swim?

No trick, honest to God existing person, now diseased.

[Bilbo1967]

Diseased?

With the Sean Connery/Scotland thing, how about Wiliam Wallace?

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

It should be an interesting answer considering this forum and its intent.

Since we are focused on all things reading, it makes me think it has to be someone mentioned in a well-knowned book or even an author. Oh, maybe even someone that invented some tech used for reading/printing.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Diseased?

With the Sean Connery/Scotland thing, how about Wiliam Wallace?

Deceased.
These soft keyboards are a PITA.

[Bilbo1967]

Thinking about the authors thing as suggested by dreams, how about Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes died in Switzerland I think, suggesting he had a connection?

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Thinking about the authors thing as suggested by dreams, how about Arthur Conan Doyle - Shertlock Holmes died in Switzerland I think.

Ding, ding, dong!!
We have a winner.
Who would have thought that Sherlock Holmes father, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would be the one to introduce skiing to the Swiss?

[Bilbo1967]

Ooh, go me!

So, from a corner of my mind, a few more questions about people who did surprising things;

1. Who escaped from a POW camp and won a Nobel prize, but is far better known for something else?

2. What famous sportsman was offered the post of King of Albania (but declined)?

3. Who was given the nickname, "merchant of death" early in his career?

4. Who co-invented frequency hopping to help prevent torpedoes from being jammed during the Second World War, and led to the invention of spread-spectrum communications like Wi-Fi?