Solution: Kakorrhaphiophobia

Written by Eric Berlin and Andrew Kantor

Hunters were invited four at a time to a play a game show ("Fear of Failure") in which a correct answer earned one point, and a wrong answer lost one point (although no player could ever go below zero).

Whenever any player reached three points, whoever had the lowest score was eliminated; if there was a tie for lowest score, all players with the lowest score were eliminated. This was repeated, if necessary, until only one player remained, who won the round. Eventually, the four players who took the least number of questions to win their round were invited back for a final round, the winner of which took home The Pop-Up Book of Phobias. (Congrats to Dan Katz of SETEC Astronomy, our grand prize winner!)

To solve the puzzle, though, solvers had to take the first and last letters of every trivia answer in order, which revealed a list of Marilyn Monroe movies, and the answer to the puzzle was Marilyn Monroe.

  1. What company’s founder invented the safety razor? Gillette
  2. What famous play includes the line "Hell is other people"? No Exit
  3. What canine character first appeared in a 1938 short story by Eric Knight? Lassie
  4. What New York City thoroughfare is known as the Advertising Capital of the World? Madison Avenue
  5. What is the name given to an alcoholic drink taken at the very end of the day? Nightcap
  6. What 1998 Tony-winning musical was based on a book by E.L. Doctorow? Ragtime
  7. What is the name of the most recent Kevin Costner movie to deal with the subject of baseball? For Love of the Game
  8. What celery-like vegetable can also be a word meaning "heated controversy"? Rhubarb
  9. What musical direction means to play in a smooth, connected manner? Legato
  10. What is the scientific term for one billionth of a second? Nanosecond
  11. The real name of the hospital on St. Elsewhere was St. what? Eligius
  12. What repeated demand did Moses make of the Pharaoh of Egypt? Let My People Go
  13. What trademarked name has come to be synonymous with "petroleum jelly"? Vaseline
  14. What is the chemical name for laughing gas? Nitrous oxide
  15. When he died in 1989, it was found his heart was two and a half times larger than that of the average horse. Who? Secretariat
  16. What 1951 George Pal movie featured astral companions Bellus and Zyra? When Worlds Collide
  17. Who played the title character of "Dr T." in the 2000 movie Dr. T and the Women? Richard Gere
  18. Who is said to have "fiddled while Rome burned"? Nero
  19. According to the nursery rhyme, who was the Piper’s Son? Tom Tom
  20. Who, with 73 electoral votes, tied with Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election, in a race that was ultimately decided by Congress? Aaron Burr
  21. The first attempt at adapting a cinematic Lord of the Rings was directed by the same person who brought you Fritz the Cat, the first X-rated cartoon. Who was he? Ralph Bakshi
  22. What present-day television series takes place in Stuckeyville, Ohio? Ed
  23. When he’s not hurling racial epithets, John Rocker hurls for what baseball team? Atlanta Braves
  24. What Web site shares its name with a race of beings from Gulliver’s Travels? Yahoo
  25. What is the name of Diana Ross’s last solo #1 hit, which topped the charts in 1980? Upside Down
  26. According to the song, what hometown does The Music Man’s Professor Harold Hill claim as his own? Gary, Indiana
  27. What modern-day storyteller’s monologues have been turned into films like Swimming to Cambodia and Monster in a Box? Spalding Gray
  28. On which Hawaiian island is Pearl Harbor located? Oahu
  29. What 1964 Sidney Lumet film ended with the atomic bombing of New York City by the US Air Force? Fail-Safe
  30. Henry Sullivan was the fourth man, but the first American, to swim what body of water? English Channel
  31. In Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the two main characters bounced around time in a time machine that looked like what? Telephone booth
  32. What is the one-word stage name of Cassandra Peterson? Elvira
  33. When keeping track of baseball players in a scorecard, what fielder is designated with the number 6? Shortstop
  34. What actor and regular on The Simpsons is about to be divorced from actress Helen Hunt? Hank Azaria
  35. What is the British term for elevator? Lift
  36. What city is the capital of Alaska? Juneau
  37. Billy Preston has had two #1 hit singles in his career. The first was "Will it Go Round in Circles." What’s the second? Nothing from Nothing
  38. What Nabisco product is also the name of a novel by R.D. Blackmore? Lorna Doone
  39. Who is the creator of both NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues? Steven Bochco
  40. What gas do cows emit in large amounts, possibly contributing to global warming? Methane
  41. Which John Steinbeck novel focuses on the Joad family? The Grapes of Wrath
  42. Who directed Bill Murray in Meatballs, Stripes, and Ghostbusters? Ivan Reitman
  43. What type of orbit, first suggested by Arthur C. Clarke, keeps a satellite over the same spot on the earth’s surface? Geosynchronous
  44. What NASA spacecraft was sent to Jupiter in 1989, where it has been in orbit since 1995? Galileo
  45. "Or What You Will" is the subtitle of what play by William Shakespeare? Twelfth Night
  46. What maximum security prison, formerly known as "Sing-Sing," is located about 35 miles north of New York City? Ossining
  47. What was Anton Chekhov’s first full-length drama? Ivanov
  48. What young actor co-starred with a homicidal Macaulay Culkin in The Good Son? Elijah Wood
  49. On The Odd Couple, who was Felix Unger’s roommate? Oscar Madison
  50. Charles Sherwood Stratton became better known as what General? Tom Thumb
  51. In what movie did Marlon Brando star as an ex-boxer named Terry Malloy? On the Waterfront
  52. Who wrote the novel Billy Budd? Herman Melville
  53. What’s the British word for traffic circle? Roundabout
  54. What German military man inspired the nickname "The Iron Chancellor"? Otto von Bismarck
  55. The spoken language of what Indian tribe was used as a code by the US government in World War II? Navajo
  56. What snack food was invented in 1893 by Louis and F.W. Ruckheim? Cracker Jack
  57. What was Union General William Sherman’s middle name? Tecumseh
  58. What drink is traditionally made from seltzer, milk, and chocolate syrup? Egg cream
  59. Who is the Egyptian goddess of nature? Isis
  60. What foreign moviemaker’s final film was La Voce della luna, or the Voice of the Moon? (Frederico) Fellini
  61. Who were the losers of the most recent Super Bowl? Tennessee Titans
  62. In a classic series of murder mystery novels by Harry Kemelman, what occupation does lead character David Small have? Rabbi
  63. What Biblical character stood six cubits and a span tall-over 9 feet high by today’s measurement? Goliath
  64. Which movie took home the Best Picture Oscar at the 1998 Academy Awards? Titanic
  65. What Italian dish is traditionally made with Arborio rice? Risotto
  66. Which baseball team plays in Pac Bell Park? San Franciso Giants
  67. In 1958, Vince DeDomenico of San Francisco created what ubiquitous boxed side dish? Rice-a-Roni
  68. V-E day occurred on May 8, 1945. What does V-E stand for? Victory in Europe
  69. What Oscar winner for West Side Story also starred in the 1970s children show, The Electric Company? Rita Moreno
  70. What Issac Asimov novel introduced Hari Seldon, psychohistory, and the successor to the Galactic Empire? Foundation
  71. What philosophical theory states that the simplest explanation is generally the correct one? Occam's Razor
  72. How many planets are currently inside the orbit of Pluto? Eight
  73. A person with O-negative blood - who can therefore give blood to any recipient - is called a what? Universal donor
  74. Whose predictions were made while staring into a bowl of water, and consist of sections call quatrains? Nostradamus
  75. What is the term for a unit of electrical resistance? Ohm
  76. Who started his daredevil career by charging $500 to jump over two cars on his motorcycle? Evel Knievel
  77. On a Risk board, what territory is due north of Mongolia? Irkutsk
  78. What physicist is credited with creating the first atomic pile, at the University of Chicago? Enrico Fermi
  79. What is the name of filmmaker Michael Moore’s cable TV show? The Awful Truth
  80. In Hebrew it’s the Tanakh, but Christians call it the what? Old Testament
  81. Who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award for his work in Forrest Gump? Gary Sinise
  82. "Three Musketeers" candy bars consist of chocolate coating over what sweet stuff? Nougat
  83. While the command module orbited the moon, the Apollo astronauts went to the surface in the LEM. What does LEM stand for? Lunar excursion module
  84. On The Simpsons, what is the first name of Bart’s blue-haired best friend? Milhouse
  85. On Usenet, alt.toys.lego is an example of what kind of online discussion area? Newsgroup
  86. What unit of currency can be divided up into 100 kopecks? Ruble
  87. What famous 1972 children’s book and album was produced by Marlo Thomas? Free to Be, You and Me
  88. What underground cartoonist’s oeuvre includes the "Keep on Truckin’ Man"? R. Crumb
  89. What country is completely surrounded by South Africa? Lesotho
  90. The first line to what Beatles song is "I once had a girl, or should I say she once had me?" Norwegian Wood
  91. What Greek playwright wrote Medea? Euripides
  92. What word meaning "a seducer of women" comes from a fictional character in a 1703 play? Lothario
  93. Who had a voiceover on Michael Jackson’s hit single, "Thriller"? Vincent Price
  94. What university does "the Fighting Irish" fight for? Notre Dame
  95. On the television show Roseanne, who played daughter Darlene? Sara Gilbert
  96. What musical question was the biggest hit for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers? Why Do Fools Fall in Love?
  97. The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Beverly Wilshire are on either end of what famous street? Rodeo Drive
  98. If you walked southeast from the famous "Four Corners" junction, what state would you be in? New Mexico
  99. What term is given to a wrestling match where two wrestlers take turns in the ring? Tag team
  100. What 1977 war movie featured Gene Hackman, Sean Connery, and Ryan O’Neal? A Bridge Too Far
  101. What famous fictional mongoose was created by Rudyard Kipling? Rikki Tikki Tavi
  102. Vincent Price guest-starred on the ‘60’s series "Batman" as what villian? Egghead
  103. Whose musical "project" had its biggest hit in 1982, with "Eye in the Sky?" Alan Parsons
  104. What product, in a recent television ad campaign, warned consumers: "Buy any other beverage and you could be making a terrible mistake"? Yoo-Hoo
  105. What 1997 Oliver Stone movie starred Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez? U-Turn
  106. What chocolate company was founded in 1926 by Joseph Draps? Godiva
  107. What duet between Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson went to #1 in 1983? Say Say Say
  108. What hit song by the Platters later went on to be the title of a 1994 movie starring Marisa Tomei? Only You
  109. On the periodic table of elements, what is the symbol for iron? Fe
  110. What is the Spanish word for Spanish? Español
  111. Comedy Central is presently running a game show entitled Don’t Forget Your… what? Toothbrush
  112. What six-letter word is the motto of California? Eureka
  113. What word, when taken as a noun, is a kind of seafood, and when taken as a verb means to bake in a sauce and cover in bread crumbs? Scallop
  114. What musical instrument is associated with jazz musician Toots Thielman? Harmonica
  115. Fred Durst is a member of what rock band? Limp Bizkit
  116. Whose organization makes use of the vessels Calypso, Calypso II, and Alcyon? Jacques Cousteau
  117. When he went solo, Bruce Wayne’s sidekick Dick Grayson dumped the name "Robin" and became who? Nightwing
  118. Who played actor Richard Hatch’s father on Battlestar Galactica? Lorne Greene
  119. What word can mean either a drink made with Kahlua and cream, or a large hat? Sombrero
  120. What golden oldie singer had a voice that earned him the nickname, "The Velvet Fog"? Mel Tormé
  121. What Benjamin Hoff book connected Asian philosophy to a certain children’s literary character? The Tao of Pooh
  122. Who is actress Isabella Rosellini’s mother? Ingrid Bergman
  123. What clothing company’s logo consists of a question mark inside a triangle? Guess (Jeans)
  124. What interjection was first used during parachute jumps at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1940? Geronimo
  125. What 1999 animated film was loosely based on a 1968 children’s science fiction novel by Ted Hughes? The Iron Giant
  126. What word can mean either "remarkable" or "unresolved"? Outstanding
  127. In Roman numerals, what is C minus XCVI? IV
  128. What boxer did Mike Tyson famously bite in 1997? Evander Holyfield
  129. What hunter appears in the northeastern American sky in fall and winter? Orion
  130. What turn-of-the-century baseball player was nicknamed "The Georgia Peach"? Ty Cobb
  131. What do you call a follower of radical capitalist Ayn Rand’s philosophy? Objectivist
  132. What is the common measure for the decay or transmutation of a radioactive element? Half-life
  133. In the science of sleep, what does REM stand for? Rapid eye movement
  134. What 1995 movie had Dustin Hoffman attempting to contain the fictional "Mutaba" virus? Outbreak
  135. What Japanese video-game giant started its life in 1889 making playing cards? Nintendo
  136. What literary genre is William Gibson’s Neuromancer often credited with ushering in? Cyberpunk
  137. What car company made the Gloria, the Spitfire, the Dolomite, and the TR7? Triumph
  138. What’s the Latin phrase meaning "of many, one"? E pluribus unum
  139. What state borders Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Iowa? Illinois
  140. What car company makes the Testerossa? Ferrari
  141. Together, Minneapolis and St. Paul are known as the what? Twin Cities
  142. The boxed game is called Othello, but what’s the generic name for the "game of dramatic reversals"? Reversi
  143. According to the Bible, what is Sodom’s sister city? Gomorrah
  144. What movie, in theaters now, has the tag line "No one gets away clean"? Traffic
  145. What was the name of the character played by Desi Arnez on "I Love Lucy"? Ricky Ricardo
  146. What sign follows Scorpio on the zodiac chart? Sagittarius
  147. What children’s singer’s albums include "Evergreen Everblue," "Bananaphone," and "Everything Grows"? Raffi
  148. What French writer is quoted as saying, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him"? Voltaire
  149. Who played Joe Pesci’s cousin, who stands accused of murder, in My Cousin Vinny? Ralph Macchio
  150. In Fahrenheit 451, what was the occupation of Guy Montag? Fireman
  151. Although it took place in November, thanks to their use of the old style Julian calendar, in what month do Russians celebrate the Bolshevik revolution? October
  152. What country is on the northeastern tip of the African continent? Egypt
  153. What constellation’s name translates to "the great bear"? Ursa Major
  154. In Greek mythology, who fell in love with his own reflection? Narcissus
  155. In IBM’s OS/2, what does the "OS" stand for? Operating system
  156. What kind of alcohol is added to gasoline to create "gasohol"? Ethynol or ethyl alcohol
  157. Whether she actually used it or not, what murder weapon was under Sharon Stone’s bed at the end of Basic Instinct? Icepick
  158. In a 1969 hit for Three Dog Night, who is "coming"? Eli
  159. What Norton Juster novel featured Rhyme, Reason, Milo, Tock, and the kingdoms of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis? The Phantom Tollbooth
  160. What Elmore Leonard novel was turned into a 1998 movie starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez? Out of Sight