23-Jan-2025 Theme: 'Semaphore'

(1) In what kind of eastern Australian habitats would you find the Semaphore crab (Heloecius cordiformis)?

Answer: Mangroves.

(2) What letter in the semaphore alphabet - represented by one flag raised vertically, the other held down vertically - also represents the number 4?

Answer: D.

(3) In which Australian city is the suburb of Semaphore?

Answer: Adelaide.

(4) What was the semaphore-based system invented in France by Claude Chappe, and used around the world (including Tasmania) until the 1850s.

Answer: Optical Telegraph (series of towers with mechanical arms to relay messages).

(5) What was the 1965 Beatles album which featured the band members supposedly spelling out a word in semaphore? (bonus: what conspiracy theory did it feed?).

Answer: Help! (bonus: the signs actually spelt something like ‘NUJV’, interpreted by conspiracists as ‘New Unknown John Vocalist’, supposed evidence that John Lennon was dead or would be replaced).

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