I have returned after an absence of these posts due to having a lot more to do at work lately, but I finished these 35 questions on Marco Polo. I think this one might be the trickiest one yet, but also the one with the highest potential for bonus points. Good luck, and have fun.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. The Doctor sends Susan to fetch something to help him begin his repairs to the TARDIS, what is it? | The 2LO (or perhaps 2L0, the Doctor says oh), whatever that is |
| 2. Why is the soup Ping-Cho gives the Doctor cold? | The low pressure from the altitude means the water boils at a lower temperature (though, only by ~10°C, from looking up the elevation of the region) |
| 3. As is tradition for me to ask at this point, what incorrect name for Ian does the Doctor use in the first episode? | Charlton |
| 4. In which modern day country does this story start in, if they are in the Pamir Mountains? | Tajikistan |
| 5. Ping-Cho says she is from Samarkand. Where is Samarkand today? | Uzbekistan |
| 6. Susan erroneously states that fab is what part of speech? | Verb |
| 7. How many water gourds does Marco bring for their trip across the Gobi? | Eight |
| 8. Where did Marco purchase his chess pieces that Barbara was admiring? | Hamutz |
| 9. Shah Mat is the equivalent to checkmate said by Tegana. What does Shah Mat mean specifically? | The King is Dead |
| 10. Where, according to Susan, are there metal seas? | Venus |
| 11. Which Mongol emperor put the Hashashins to death? | Hulagu |
| 12. In Ping-Cho’s story, who was the Old Man of the Mountains, the evil leader who was defeated by the answer to Question 11? | Ala-eddin |
| 13. How did this Old Man of the Mountains get his followers to obey him? | He’d drug them with the hashish draught, and tell them to kill his enemies |
| 14. The hero of Ping-Cho’s story defeated the Old Man of the Mountains by besieging his lair for how long? | Three years |
| 15. Tegana goes to the inner chamber of the Cave of 500 Eyes to meet with two co-conspirators, what were their names? | Malik and Acomat |
| 16. They were thankfully unsuccessful, but how did the Mongol guards choose who got to kill Barbara in the cave? | They rolled dice |
| 17. Who told Tegana, incorrectly, that the Doctor was in his room when Barbara went missing? | Chenchu |
| 18. In the fourth episode, Tegana reveals to his co-conspirator his plans to steal the TARDIS and give it to the warlord he serves. What is that warlord’s name? | Noghai |
| 19. Ping-Cho uses what piece of circumstantial evidence to try and prove Tegana was lying about the Cave? | He referred to the secret passage before it was revealed to be there |
| 20. By what method does Tegana intend to kill the Doctor? | A stake through the heart |
| 21. What is to be the signal for the Mongols to make their attack in the bamboo forest? | Tegana would wave a torch |
| 22. What does Ian use to try and scare away the incoming bandits? | Throwing bamboo on the fire so it explodes |
| 23. What is the name of the courier who brings a message from Kublai Khan? | Ling-Tau |
| 24. What is the name of the man (with the outrageous accent) who takes charge of making sure the TARDIS and their belongings make it to the summer palace? | Wang-Lo |
| 25. What loophole does Ping-Cho find in Marco’s instructions in order to still help Susan? | She was told not to tell Susan where the key is, she just stole it herself, not saying where she got it |
| 26. Ian tells Marco that he and the others are from the future, and Marco, admitting he almost gave over the key, doesn’t believe him. Why? | He knows Ian lied to protect Ping-Cho, making Marco doubt the truth of Ian’s story |
| 27. What is the name of the man who scammed Ping-Cho for all her money | Kuiju |
| 28. What reason does Marco decide to send Tegana instead of waiting for Ian to return with Ping-Cho? | They are opposed to her marriage, making him think Ian just went to recover the TARDIS |
| 29. Along which road was the TARDIS moved instead of being on the way to the summer palace? | Karakorum Road |
| 30. What health condition does Kublai Khan struggle with? | Gout (can also accept arthritis) |
| 31. What animals did the Doctor win (well, temporarily) in his backgammon games against the Khan? | Elephants, Stallions, Tigers |
| 32. What did Marco Polo bring to the Khan from India that the Doctor also won? | The Sacred Tooth of Buddha |
| 33. The Doctor additionally won all of the commerce for a year from where? | Burma |
| 34. What was the Doctor’s consolation prize when he loses his all or nothing bet for the TARDIS? | A piece of paper currency |
| 35. Ping-Cho’s marriage does not go through due to the death of the would-be groom. At what event was he when he died? | At a feast |
| Bonus #1: Name all of the towns they stop at in this serial, one point for each you can name | Lop, Tun-Huang, Su-Chow, Kan-Chow, Lan-Chow, Sinju, Cheng-Ting, Shang-Tu, Peking |
| Bonus #2: Name each individual episode title of Marco Polo, one point for each | The Roof of the World, The Singing Sands, (The Cave of) Five Hundred Eyes, Wall of Lies, Rider from Shang-Tu, Mighty Kublai Khan, Assassin at Peking |
| Bonus #3: Susan and Ping-Cho were comparing fish in a pond to various characters of the story. How did they describe each person’s fish? One point each. | Wang-Lo: fat, smooth, and silky. Marco: solemn. Ian: energetic. Barbara: independent. Susan: wicked. Ping-Cho: pretty |
| Bonus #4: How many of each animal did the Doctor almost win in backgammon? 1 point each | 35 Elephants, 4000 Stallions, 25 Tigers |
