Tolkien Jeopardy!

[Boraxxe]

Who is Frodo? I believe Frodo spills less blood in the tale than anyone, I think the only two strikes recorded by Frodo are against a Barrow-Wight in the Barrow-Downs, and sticking Sting into a troll's foot in the chamber of Mazarbul.

Yes. You have it A-man.
I think it was my third reading when I stumbled upon the realization that Frodo, while going on, and living through, an amazingly dangerous "adventure", comes out at the end being the only one that actually, with arrows flying and blades swinging, never ended up killing anyone or anything.

A peaceful soul to the end.

You have the Jacket!

[Erionor]

Thanks Boraxxe! I haven't been watching the forums as much recently, but just happened to hop in and see that, so I'd better pay attention now I have the jacket!

OK, easy one in the style of a well-known children's book:


"We're trying to get to Mordor,
It's going to be a tough one,
We're not scared!

Look, there's a mountain:
We can't go over it,
We can't go round it,
We'll have to go through it"

[Samwise_Sotall]

"We're trying to get to Mordor,
It's going to be a tough one,
We're not scared!

Look, there's a mountain:
We can't go over it,
We can't go round it,
We'll have to go through it"

What (or Who) is Caradhras, under which Khazad-dûm was built. After a failed attempt to cross the Redhorn Pass beneath Caradhras, the Fellowship entered the "long dark of Moria".

(We're going on a Balrog-hunt, and we're not scared!)

[Erionor]

What (or Who) is Caradhras, under which Khazad-dûm was built. After a failed attempt to cross the Redhorn Pass beneath Caradhras, the Fellowship entered the "long dark of Moria".

(We're going on a Balrog-hunt, and we're not scared!)

It's going to be a big one (covered in flames and with a massive whip and a bad attitude!!!)

Of course, you are right! A perfect answer, 10/10. Wear the jacket with pride

[Samwise_Sotall]

It's going to be a big one (covered in flames and with a massive whip and a bad attitude!!!)

Of course, you are right! A perfect answer, 10/10. Wear the jacket with pride

Thank'ee!

A (supposedly) cotton-headed, friendly co-conspirator.

[Boraxxe]

A (supposedly) cotton-headed, friendly co-conspirator.

Who is Fredegar Bolger?

Also known as "Fatty" to his close friends, he conspired with Merry, Pippin and Sam to keep tabs on Frodo in order to find out what he was up to with Gandalf.

[Samwise_Sotall]

Who is Fredegar Bolger?

A very good guess, but not who I am thinking of.
However, this person did assist Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo.

[Boraxxe]

A very good guess, but not who I am thinking of.
However, this person did assist Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo.

Aha. In that case...

Who is Folco Boffin?

He was another unindicted co-conspirator. He helped Fatty and the others pack up Frodo's goods for the move to Crickhollow.

[Samwise_Sotall]

Aha. In that case...

Who is Folco Boffin?

Another great guess (and it does fit the clues well). But again, not who I was thinking of. This person aids the hobbits after they leave Crickhollow.

[Reaboj]

This person aids the hobbits after they leave Crickhollow.

Not sure about the "cotton-headed" part although...

Who is Tom Bombadil?

[Boraxxe]

Hmmm...

Well, this one didn't conspire with hobbits, but he did work (or was supposed to) with Gandalf to help them once they got to Bree.
"Memory like a lumber-room" and all that fits the "supposedly" cotton-headed remark.

Who is Barliman Butterbur?

Gandalf told him that a hobbit would be traveling through Bree and that he might be in trouble and could be in need of help.
I guess that sort of counts as conspiring.

[Samwise_Sotall]

The clues thus far:

A (supposedly) cotton-headed, friendly co-conspirator.
This person assists Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo after they leave Crickhollow.

Boraxxe was closer.

This person helps to hide information from others, thus the word "conspirator".
And they're called something akin to "cotton-headed".

[Boraxxe]

The clues thus far:

A (supposedly) cotton-headed, friendly co-conspirator.
This person assists Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo after they leave Crickhollow.

Boraxxe was closer.

This person helps to hide information from others, thus the word "conspirator".
And they're called something akin to "cotton-headed".

Well, Sotall, you've led us on a merry chase.

I think I've got it now...

Who is Nob?

Nob was called a "woolly-footed slowcoach" by Butterbur when the hobbits first arrived at the Prancing Pony.
But later, in The Return of the King, when the group returns to Bree on their way back to the Shire, he calls him a "woolly-pated ninny".
I think that covers the "cotton-headed" attribution.

Also during the first Bree visit, he helped Strider set up the "simulation" in their rooms.

‘Well Masters,’ said Nob, ‘I’ve ruffled up the clothes and put in a bolster down the middle of each bed. And I made a nice imitation of your head with a brown woollen mat, Mr. Bag – Underhill, sir,’ he added with a grin.

J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings (p. 174). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

I think that covers the "hide information" part.

[Samwise_Sotall]

I think I've got it now...

Who is Nob?

Well done! Excellent reasoning and presentation. The jacket is yours.

[Boraxxe]

The jacket is yours.

Ah. Nice to have it back. It is a comfortable thing you know. Quite warm, without being heavy.

Now for the next riddle:

This was when, we as readers, might have first begun to suspect that a certain wizard might not be quite human. (Or at least, when he seemed to demonstrate non-human abilities.)

[Boraxxe]

This was when, we as readers, might have first begun to suspect that a certain wizard might not be quite human. (Or at least, when he seemed to demonstrate non-human abilities.)

Hint:

Shortly after this the music began.

[Boraxxe]

This was when, we as readers, might have first begun to suspect that a certain wizard might not be quite human. (Or at least, when he seemed to demonstrate non-human abilities.)

Shortly after this the music began.

A new hint:

This occurs in the first novel that brought notoriety to JRRT.

[Boraxxe]

This was when, we as readers, might have first begun to suspect that a certain wizard might not be quite human. (Or at least, when he seemed to demonstrate non-human abilities.)

Shortly after this the music began.

This occurs in the first novel that brought notoriety to JRRT.

We have again hit my 3-day arbitrary limit...Here's another hint:

After seeing this display, Bilbo felt a bit embarrassed by what he had done on the previous morning.

[Boraxxe]

This was when, we as readers, might have first begun to suspect that a certain wizard might not be quite human. (Or at least, when he seemed to demonstrate non-human abilities.)

Shortly after this the music began.

This occurs in the first novel that brought notoriety to JRRT.

After seeing this display, Bilbo felt a bit embarrassed by what he had done on the previous morning.

Ok, last hint before I pass on this one and provide the solution:

14 individuals witnessed this display.

[ItaOperor]

What are green smoke rings?

[Boraxxe]

What are green smoke rings?

There it is!

Then they went back, and found Thorin with his feet on the fender smoking a pipe. He was blowing the most enormous smoke-rings, and wherever he told one to go, it went— up the chimney, or behind the clock on the mantelpiece, or under the table, or round and round the ceiling; but wherever it went it was not quick enough to escape Gandalf. Pop! he sent a smaller smoke-ring from his short clay-pipe straight through each one of Thorin’s. Then Gandalf’s smoke-ring would go green and come back to hover over the wizard’s head. He had a cloud of them about him already, and in the dim light it made him look strange and sorcerous. Bilbo stood still and watched— he loved smoke-rings— and then he blushed to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent up the wind over The Hill.

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Hobbit (p. 13). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

You have won the Jeopardy! Jacket.

Wear it with pride!.

Your turn.

[ItaOperor]

There it is!


You have won the Jeopardy! Jacket.

Wear it with pride!.

Your turn.

Thank you


It smote the Impenetrable

[Boraxxe]

Thank you


It smote the Impenetrable

What is The Black Arrow used by Bard the bowman to take down Smaug the Impenetrable?

[ItaOperor]

What is The Black Arrow used by Bard the bowman to take down Smaug the Impenetrable?

Correct

The jacket is yours.

[Boraxxe]

Ok, here's the next one:

It had a golden beak and black eyes.