Here are today’s questions. Answers will be published tomorrow. The theme runs from Mon-Thu:

1. What ghost town was destroyed in the 1964 Rameswaram cyclone, and has remained uninhabited since then?
2. Forced Israeli evacuations have led to the partial abandonment of the Old City portion of which ancient city, that houses the Cave of the Patriarchs?
3. Real de Catorce, a now abandoned former mining town, has been used as the backdrop for several Hollywood films, including which 2001 crime comedy starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts?
4. Bodie in California, Macetown in New Zealand, and Ora Banda in Western Australia are all towns abandoned after what kind of activity that temporarily attracted large numbers of people?
5. [Theme: 2 of 4] What is the common first name of a former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan state in India, the leading actor of the 1976 film Balika Badhu, and a record-setting former cricketer?

Here are the answers to 2026: Week 39, Quiz 1:

1. Kylian Mbappe
2. Max Verstappen
3. Luka Doncic
4. Kushal Malla
5. Theme – will be revealed on Friday