Presidents' hobbies in office
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Presidents' Hobbies in Office — Daily trivia Wednesday, April 15, 2026: questions and answers
All 10 questions with answers and explanations. Play this daily
Q 01Which President had a single-lane bowling alley added in the White House basement?
- ARichard Nixon
- BJimmy Carter
- CRonald Reagan
- DLyndon B. Johnson
Show answer
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon added the one-lane alley in the basement, and his administration also turned Franklin Roosevelt's old indoor pool into the modern press briefing room.
Q 02Which US president played tenor saxophone on a late-night talk show during his campaign?
- ARonald Reagan
- BBill Clinton
- CGeorge H.W. Bush
- DJimmy Carter
Show answer
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton famously played the saxophone, and his appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show during his 1992 campaign helped introduce him to a wider audience.
Q 03Which President was known for his passion for basketball, playing regularly while in office?
- AGeorge W. Bush
- BBarack Obama
- CJohn F. Kennedy
- DDonald Trump
Show answer
Barack Obama
Barack Obama played varsity basketball in Hawaii and continued to play recreationally throughout his life, including during his presidency.
Q 04Which former general and avid golfer had a putting green installed at the White House?
- ADwight D. Eisenhower
- BUlysses S. Grant
- CWilliam Howard Taft
- DDonald Trump
Show answer
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower golfed so devotedly that he had his golf balls painted black so he could see them against snow.
Q 05Theodore Roosevelt trained in the White House with Yoshitsugu Yamashita in which martial art?
- AKarate
- BKendo
- CSumo
- DJiu-jitsu
Show answer
Jiu-jitsu
Theodore Roosevelt's jiu-jitsu training with Yamashita made him urge it for soldiers, and he boxed as president until a blow left him blind in his left eye, kept quiet for years.
Q 06Which Founding Father and President was also an accomplished violinist?
- AThomas Jefferson
- BJames Madison
- CGeorge Washington
- DJohn Adams
Show answer
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was a polymath whose interests included architecture, famously designing Monticello, and he was also a skilled violinist.
Q 07Which President's White House cats, Tabby and Dixie, were a gift from Secretary of State William Seward?
- AUlysses S. Grant
- BAbraham Lincoln
- CAndrew Johnson
- DJames Buchanan
Show answer
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln doted on the cats and reportedly said Dixie was smarter than his whole cabinet; his dog Fido had stayed behind in Illinois.
Q 08Which former college football center had an outdoor pool built at the White House?
- AJohn F. Kennedy
- BRonald Reagan
- CGeorge H.W. Bush
- DGerald Ford
Show answer
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford swam twice a day before becoming president, and to ease budget worries his outdoor pool was paid for entirely by private donations, capped at $1,000 each.
Q 09Which President enjoyed early-morning nude swims in the Potomac while in office?
- AAndrew Jackson
- BMartin Van Buren
- CJohn Quincy Adams
- DJames K. Polk
Show answer
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams swam naked in the Potomac in the early mornings; by a likely apocryphal tale, journalist Anne Royall sat on his clothes until he answered her questions.
Q 10What did Lyndon Johnson sometimes do to startle unsuspecting guests at his Texas ranch?
- AHosting elaborate rodeos
- BBreeding exotic animals
- CSteering visitors into a lake
- DStaging fake cattle stampedes
Show answer
Steering visitors into a lake
Steering visitors into a lake was the joke: the president rolled his Amphicar down a hill shouting that the brakes had failed, and guests only then learned it could float.
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