Daily Trivia for August 25, 2026: These 25 Questions Will Put Your Knowledge to the Test

We’re onto the last full week of August, which recognizes a long list of significant moments throughout history. When it comes to anniversaries, August 25 marks 191 years since “The Great Moon Hoax” was published, 87 years since The Wizard of Oz premiered, and 42 years since the death of Truman Capote. How well do you know this day in history? We’ve got a way for you to test your knowledge This Tuesday.

Here at Mental Floss, we recently kicked off our new Trivia of the Day series, challenging our readers’ trivia expertise with a new set of 25 questions each day. We’ll start out with questions regarding August 25 in history, move on to general August questions, and finish off with a few general knowledge topics to end on a high note. Think you have what it takes to get a perfect score?

Find the questions below, followed by an answer key to check your answers.

August 25 Questions

Let’s get the toughest questions out of the way first. The following 10 trivia questions will put your August 25 knowledge to the test. Good luck!

1. Which British explorer began his first voyage to the Pacific aboard HMS Endeavour on August 25, 1768?

2. Which American detective agency founder was born in Scotland on August 25, 1819?

3. Which German philosopher, who famously declared “God is dead,” died on August 25, 1900?

4. Which aviation pioneer completed the first nonstop solo flight across the United States by a woman on August 25, 1932?

5. Allied forces officially liberated which European capital from Nazi occupation on August 25, 1944?

6. Which famous British actor known for playing James Bond in Goldfinger and Thunderball was born August 25, 1930?

7. Which director responsible for Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice was born August 25, 1958?

8. What bizarre newspaper hoax claiming that life had been discovered on the moon began publication on August 25, 1835?

9. Which beloved movie starring Judy Garland opened nationwide in the U.S. on August 25, 1939?

10. Which American author of Breakfast at Tiffany's died on August 25, 1984?

General August Questions

How’d you do on those August 25 questions? If they were a bit too difficult for you this Tuesday, we get it! We’ll try to tone it down a bit with the next set of trivia questions, which focus on August in general. Maybe you’ll do better with these.

11. Which rock-and-roll legend died at Graceland on August 16, 1977?

12. Which illusionist and escape artist performed one of his famous underwater escapes in New York City on August 7, 1912?

13. Which legendary baseball player hit his 500th career home run on August 11, 1929?

14. Which famous American institution was founded on August 10, 1846, after a British scientist left his fortune to the United States?

15. Which famous American folk hero and frontiersman was born in Tennessee on August 17, 1786?

16. Which English novelist who wrote Frankenstein was born on August 30, 1797?

17. Which famous American sharpshooter associated with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show was born on August 13, 1860?

18. Which famous chef, author, and television personality was born August 15, 1912, and helped popularize French cooking in America?

19. Which Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, author of Beloved, died on August 5, 2019?

20. Which landmark novel about a farm run by animals was first published in the United Kingdom on August 17, 1945?

General Knowledge Questions

Feeling a little better about today’s trivia? Let’s get even more general. The last five questions for today will cover totally random topics, from geography to food. You got this!

21. What is the capital of Iceland?

22. Which author created Sherlock Holmes?

23. Which planet rotates on its side relative to the other planets?

24. Which ancient civilization built the city of Chichen Itza?

25. What fruit is dried to make a prune?

Answer Key

Find the answers to all 25 questions below.

1. James Cook.

2. Allan Pinkerton.

3. Friedrich Nietzsche.

4. Amelia Earhart.

5. Paris.

6. Sean Connery.

7. Tim Burton.

8. The Great Moon Hoax.

9. The Wizard of Oz.

10. Truman Capote.

11. Elvis Presley.

12. Harry Houdini.

13. Babe Ruth.

14. The Smithsonian Institution.

15. David Crockett

16. Mary Shelley

17. Annie Oakley.

18. Julia Child.

19. Toni Morrison.

20. Animal Farm.

21. Reykjavík.

22. Arthur Conan Doyle.

23. Uranus.

24. The Maya.

25. A plum.

Were you able to get all 25 correct today? If not, don’t sweat it. It’s still early in the week, and your brain might need some more warming up. Be sure to check back with us tomorrow for the August 26 Trivia of the Day, and in the meantime browse through the Mental Floss quiz page for additional challenges. We deliver daily quizzes covering entertainment, geography, history, and other topics.