This week’s challenge is chess luminary and fellow human being Garry Kasparov.

I was able to link Garry Kasparov to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, December 20.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Neel Mehta for winning last week’s challenge by linking Tress MacNeille to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees:

Tress MacNeille > Lucille Ball > George Washington > Thomas Jefferson > Sir Francis Bacon

Tress MacNeille appeared in the video for “Ricky” as Lucille Ball, who is a descendent of George Washington, whose Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson, who was heavily influenced by Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is voice artist Tress MacNeille.

Note that she does a lot of voices on The Simpsons (including the Crazy Cat Lady!) but most of these links are to a page that is a list of recurring characters. Since this is not an individual’s page, it may not be used in this challenge.

Still, I was able to link Tress MacNeille to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, December 13.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Neel Mehta for winning last week’s challenge by linking Washington Irving to Sir Francis Bacon in an amazing two degrees:

Washington Irving > Edgar Allan Poe > Sir Francis Bacon

Washington Irving is said to have encouraged Edgar Allan Poe, who argued that he did not write from the empirical method of modern science set by Sir Francis Bacon.

NOTE: Since Neel’s winning entry, the Poe page has been edited (ostensibly in earnest) to remove the Bacon link. Perfectly eligible for last week’s challenge, the Poe-Bacon link may not be used for this week’s. Such is Wikipedia.

This week’s challenge is Ichabod Crane creator Washington Irving.

I was able to link Washington Irving to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, December 6.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Neel Mehta for winning the last challenge by linking John Edwards to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees:

John Edwards > John Kerry > William Shakespeare > Francis Bacon

John Edwards was the running mate of John Kerry, who protested against the administration of Richard Nixon, who in high school showed a penchant for the writings of William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

UPDATE: This game is no longer active. Neel Mehta posted an unbeatable entry: two degrees!

This week’s challenge is presidential hopeful John Edwards.

I was able to link John Edwards to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, November 15.

Good luck!

And congratulations to UnixMan for winning last week’s challenge by linking Dan Aykroyd to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Dan Aykroyd > Richard Nixon > William Shakespeare > Francis Bacon

Dan Aykroyd appeared on Saturday Night Live impersonating Richard Nixon, who in high school showed a penchant for the writings of William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

I had wanted to use Beldar Conehead this week, to make up for my oversight in yesterday’s riddle, but he doesn’t seem to have a Wikipedia entry. What kind of world are we living in? So I guess this week’s challenge will have to be funnyman Dan Aykroyd.

I was able to link Dan Aykroyd to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, November 8.

Good luck!

And congratulations to UnixMan1960 for winning last week’s challenge by linking Jessica Alba to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Jessica Alba > Hugh Hefner > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Jessica Alba settled a lawsuit with Hugh Hefner, who often misquotes William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

For some reason, this week saw an unprecedented number of visitors to the blog. It seems that there was a combination of words that matched common search terms. People may have come here for a variety of reasons, but some chose to stay, and I’m glad they did. I’m about to reach 7,000 hits, which last week seemed like a goal to shoot for by the end of December.

But while I’m glad for all of the new traffic, I’m not going to suddenly adjust the content of the blog to pander to the masses in a pathetic attempt to snag the random passerby. That’s not what this blog is about.

Anyway, this week’s challenge is actress Jessica Alba.

Jessica Alba has managed to maintain a professional career at a young age, without getting herself into trouble, unlike such stars as Vanessa Hudgens, Lindsay Lohan, or Britney Spears. Perhaps one day we will see her playing Texas Hold ‘Em on television, or on Dancing with the Stars. If I had to invest in the stock market of the famous, I’d go with the World Series champ of celebrities, Jessica Alba.

Well, that ought to do it.

Ringtones!

Okay, I’m done now.

I actually was able to link Jessica Alba to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, November 1.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Neel Mehta for winning last week’s challenge by linking Sir Karl Popper to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Sir Karl Popper > Bertrand Russell > Georg Cantor > Sir Francis Bacon

Sir Karl Popper addressed the problem of induction in a way that was commented on by Bertrand Russell, who studied the work of Georg Cantor, who believed in the Shakespearean authorship of Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is science philosopher Sir Karl Popper.

I was able to link Sir Karl Popper to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, October 25.

Good luck!

And congratulations to DeLisa for winning last week’s challenge by linking Benjamin Franklin to Sir Francis Bacon in a record two degrees:

Benjamin Franklin > Thomas Jefferson > Sir Francis Bacon

Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers along with Thomas Jefferson, who was heavily influenced by Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is, according to the Firesign Theatre, the only U.S. President never to be a U.S. President. It’s Founding Father and polymath Benjamin Franklin.

I was able to link Benjamin Franklin to Sir Francis Bacon in fewer than six degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, October 18.

Good luck!

UPDATE: This game is no longer active. DeLisa posted an unbeatable entry: two degrees!

This week’s challenge is the controversial Revolutionary War figure Benedict Arnold.

I was able to link Benedict Arnold to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, August 2.

Good luck!

I’ve been thinking about the office of the Vice President and the men who have held it in my lifetime, such as George HW Bush, Al Gore, and Dick Cheney. Whatever you may think of their politics or behavior, these were some serious dudes who brought a lot to the table in experience and gravitas.

Is it really possible, then, that we had a lightweight like Dan Quayle in the VP slot for four years? Was he really a heartbeat away from the presidency? Did we all just imagine it? All I remember is him spelling potato with an E, and feuding with Murphy Brown, who happened to be a fictional character from a sitcom. Was that really our VP?

Hey, come to think of it, why isn’t he running for president? It should be about time for him. If Nixon could have a comeback, anybody could. Besides, Quayle is someone you’d like to have a beer with, and that’s all that really matters. Plus, this time, he’d have Fox News on his side. Wouldn’t it be cool if Al Gore and Dan Quayle were the nominees? They could have a rematch of the 1992 VP debate, my favorite political debate EVER.

I don’t know how many degrees it would take to link Dan Quayle to Sir Francis Bacon, but the two men have a lot in common. Each was a politician. Each was an Aquarius. Bacon said “Knowledge is power.” Quayle said “What a waste it is to lose one’s mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is.” Bacon published The Advancement of Learning. Quayle insisted “We’re going to have the best-educated American people in the world.” Bacon developed the scientific method. Quayle observed “Mars is essentially in the same orbit… Mars is somewhat the same distance from the Sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe.”

Ah yes, I remember one other thing. At the time, we were all horrified that a hardcore conservative simpleton with no empathy might possibly become the president, embarrass the nation with his constant misstatements, bulldog a right-wing agenda, and lead us to perpetual war. How silly we all were back then.

This week’s challenge is Sicko filmmaker Michael Moore.

I was able to link Michael Moore to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, July 5.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Lee for winning last week’s challenge by linking Tony Soprano to Sir Francis Bacon in five degrees:

Tony Soprano > Junior Soprano > Dominic Chianese > Gilbert and Sullivan > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Tony Soprano is the nephew of Junior Soprano, who was played by Dominic Chianese, who appeared in the work of Gilbert and Sullivan, whose Yeoman of the Guard resembled the language of William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is everybody’s favorite mob boss, the gruff but lovable Tony Soprano.

I was able to link Tony Soprano to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, June 28.

Good luck!

This week’s challenge is Pulizer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.

I was able to link August Wilson to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 31.

Good luck!

And congratulations to DeLisa for winning last week’s challenge by linking Paul Wolfowitz to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Paul Wolfowitz > Richard Nixon > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Paul Wolfowitz worked for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency under President Richard Nixon, who in high school showed a penchant for the writings of William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is disgraced former head of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz.

I was able to link Paul Wolfowitz to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 24.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Kenneth W. Davis for winning last week’s challenge by linking Ken Jennings to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Ken Jennings > King Henry VIII > Queen Elizabeth I > Sir Francis Bacon

Ken Jennings was eliminated from Last Man Standing by incorrectly answering King Henry VIII, who was the father of Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned during the time of Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is Jeopardy champion and Brainiac Ken Jennings.

I was able to link Ken Jennings to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 17.

Good luck!

And congratulations to DeLisa for winning last week’s challenge by linking Jimmy Wales to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees:

Jimmy Wales > Ayn Rand > Fyodor Dostoevsky > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Jimmy Wales is a follower of the Objectivist philosophy developed by Ayn Rand, who was heavily influenced by Fyodor Dostoevsky, who was heavily influenced by William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

You are given a famous person from the past or the present, and you have to connect that person to Sir Francis Bacon in Wikipedia in as few links as possible.

First, read the rules of the game.

We’ve been talking a lot about Wikipedia lately, so this week’s challenge will be its founder, the outlaw Jimmy Wales.

I was able to link Jimmy Wales to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 10.

Good luck!

But what if I could leave behind just one post that combines all of my regular features for the week? Why, we’d just have to call that a Shakespeare Teacher Special Feature! Here’s how it breaks down:

• I. Please find below eight brand-new riddles. This should more than satisfy fans of the Thursday Morning Riddle. Each answer will be one word. Please tell us which number you’re solving and your one-word answer.
• II. Once the riddles have been solved, place the eight one-word answers in the Venn Diagram below, using the numbers as guides. This will be your Conundrum. Can you guess the rules? Venn diagram explanation and sample here.
• III. The answer to Circle A (Riddles 1,3,5,7) will be a place. To stand in for the fact vs. fiction Headline Game, can you name three fictional television shows (of at least four seasons each) that are set in this real-life place?
• IV. The answer to Circle B (Riddles 2,3,6,7) will be a question. This is the Question of the Week. Once the games are done, feel free to discuss this question in the comments below. I have already registered my opinion elsewhere on the blog.
• V. The answer to Circle C (Riddles 7,4,6,5) will be a historical person. I was able to link this person to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, March 22.

Use the comments section below to register any and all answers, discussion, and comments. I won’t be around much the next couple of days to moderate this, so please work together. If someone posts an answer you think is right, go ahead and say so and offer some words of encouragement. Also, feel free to pass this along to anyone you think may be interested. Here is the direct link.

If this is all too overwhelming or confusing, then just enjoy these eight riddles, and I’ll be back soon to talk about something simple, like Shakespeare.

The Riddles:

1. I act Maynard G. Krebs, and I Gilligan feign;
I’m the Mile High hub; leaving on a jet plane;
With the dinosaurs gone, I’m the last to remain;
And peppers, ham, onions, and eggs I contain.

2. I’m a weave, or the shirt type for which it is known;
I’m the college of Thatcher and William Gladstone;
I’m an unabridged lexicon, standing alone;
And I’m also the clay that preserves a fish bone.

3. I was first worn by Chaplin before his divorce;
I’m a race to be run by a three-year-old horse;
When in cars, I’m a wreck; when on skates, I use force;
And the kids on their soap boxes follow my course.

4. I’m the former first lady of all New York State;
A Nobel-winning chemist who won for a date;
A survivor on Lost with too sudden a fate;
And an ex-Cheney aide who is now an inmate.

5. A brigade made of Wolverines served my command,
When the Sioux and Cheyenne boldy tried to expand.
But the Little Big Horn didn’t go quite as planned,
When I stood up to Sitting Bull – that’s my last stand.

6. If you’re bringing me home, it can be quite a slog;
You can link me to Hoffman or to Skip the Dog;
I’m a fried strip of meat from the gut of a hog;
And a regular feature right here on the blog.

7. I am not Robert Browning, but captured his soul;
I am Stanton, and Hurley, and Taylor, and Dole;
Though I lost that which Shakespeare in Love from me stole;
It was won back by Helen for playing my role.

8. Both the lion and lamb are my two weather guides;
I’m the music of Sousa; the steps it provides;
When in basketball, madness; in history, strides;
In the middle, a novel; Beware of the Ides!

Who are we? 

UPDATE: Riddles 1-6 and 8 solved by Andrew.  Riddle 7 solved by DeLisa.  Circles B and C solved by Annalisa.  See comments for all answers. 

This week’s challenge is science fiction and fantasy writer Ursula K. Le Guin.

I was able to link Ursula K. Le Guin to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Wednesday, March 14.

Good luck!

And congratulations to Kenneth W. Davis for winning last week’s challenge by linking Ferdinand Magellan to Sir Francis Bacon in three degrees:

Ferdinand Magellan > Priest John > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Ferdinand Magellan had a plan that might have led to contact with the legendary Priest John, who is mentioned in Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

This week’s challenge is the later, greater, circumnavigator Ferdinand Magellan.

I was able to link Ferdinand Magellan to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, March 8.

Good luck!

This week’s challenge is only the richest person in the whole wide world, but otherwise probably just like you and me, Microsoft macrostar Bill Gates.

I was able to link Bill Gates to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, March 1.

Good luck!

And congratulations once again to Lee for winning last week’s challenge by linking Master Shake to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees:

Master Shake > Meatwad > Abraham Lincoln > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Master Shake appears in Aqua Teen Hunger Force with Meatwad, who has the ability to take the shape of a samurai version of Abraham Lincoln, who schooled himself in the works of William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.