Following on from yesterday’s set of lists, and continuing this New Year Resolution of sorts, here are some challenges involving things that begin with the letter S (including countries, capital cities and chemical elements) or come 19th numerically (such as the 19th Pope and the 19th President of the USA). In each case you can test yourself first to see how many you can name. The answers appear at the end of this piece.

Challenge: Items beginning with S

Countries: there are 27 countries whose usual English names begin with S. [Hint: 9 in Africa, 7 in Europe, 5 in Asia, 4 in the Americas (including Caribbean island nations), 2 in Oceania.] 2021 Update: Since this piece was originally published, one of the countries in Africa has changed its name, so there are now 26 countries that begin with S, 8 of them in Africa.

Capital cities: there are 18.

Chemical Elements: there are 9 elements that begin with S and 9 whose symbols begin with S. These two lists are not the same.

UK #1 Chart Acts: Over 80 acts beginning with S have reached #1 in the UK charts. Well done if you can name 30 of them.

Songs beginning with S that have reached #1 in the UK Chart: Over 130 songs beginning with S have made it to #1 in the UK. Well done if you can name 50 of them (and if you have time to do so).

Challenge: 19th in a list

Can you name the following?

The 19th Pope (235AD to 236AD).

The 19th President of the USA (1877-1881).

The winner of Superbowl XIX (1985).

The host country and winner of the 19th FIFA World Cup (2010).

Answers: Items beginning with S

Countries (27 when this piece was published, 26 in 2021): Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria. [2021 update: Since the piece was first published, Swaziland has changed its name to eSwatini.]

Capital cities (18): San José, San Marino, San Salvador, Sana’a, Santiago, Santo Domingo, São Tomé, Sarajevo, Seoul, Singapore, Skopje, Sofia, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, St. George’s, St. John’s, Stockholm, Sucre, Suva.

[For the record, capital cities with country name in brackets: San José (Costa Rica), San Marino (San Marino), San Salvador (El Salvador), Sana’a (Yemen), Santiago (official capital of Chile), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), São Tomé (São Tomé and Príncipe), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Seoul (South Korea), Singapore (Singapore), Skopje (Macedonia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (official capital of Sri Lanka), St. George’s (Grenada), St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda), Stockholm (Sweden), Sucre (constitutional) (Bolivia), Suva (Fiji).]

Chemical elements by name (9): samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), seaborgium (Sg), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), silver (Ag), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), sulfur (S).

Chemical elements by symbol (9): S (sulfur), Sb (antimony), Sc (scandium), Se (selenium), Sg (seaborgium), Si (silicon), Sm (samarium), Sn (tin), Sr (strontium).

UK #1 Chart Acts: S Club 7, Sak Noel, Sam & Mark, Sam and the Womp, Sam Bailey, Sam Smith, Sandi Thom, Sandie Shaw, Saturdays, Scaffold, Scissor Sisters, Scott McKenzie, Scouting For Girls, The Script, Sean Kingston, Searchers, SecondCity, Seekers, S’Express, Shadows, Shaggy, Shakespear’s Sister, Shakin’ Stevens, Shakira, Shamen, Shanks & Bigfoot, Shapeshifters, Shawn Mendes, Shayne Ward, Shirley Bassey, Shout For England featuring Dizzee & James Corden, Showaddywaddy, Sigala, Sigma, Simon & Garfunkel, Simon Park Orchestra, Simple Minds, Simply Red, Simpsons, Sinead O’Connor, Sister Sledge, Slade, Slik, Slim Whitman, Small Faces, Smokey Robinson, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Snap, So Solid Crew, Soft Cell, Sonia, Sonique, Sonny & Cher, Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler, Spacedust, Spandau Ballet, Specials, Spencer Davis Group, Spice Girls, Spiller, Spitting Image, St Winifred’s School Choir, Stargazers, Starship, Status Quo, Steps, Stereophonics, Steve Brookstein, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Steve Miller Band, Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, Stevie Wonder, Stiltskin, Storm Queen, Streets, Stylistics, Sugababes, Supremes, Survivor, Suzi Quatro, Swedish House Mafia, Sweet, Sweet Sensation.

Songs beginning with S that have reached #1 in the UK Chart: “Sacrifice” / “Sad Sweet Dreamer” / “Sadness Part 1” / “Sailing” / “Sailor” / “Same Old Brand New You” / “San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)” / “Saturday Night” / “Save Your Kisses For Me” / “Save Your Love” / “Saving All My Love For You” / “Saviours’ Day” / “Say You Won’t Let Go” / “Say You’ll Be There” / “School’s Out” / “Scream & Shout” / “Sealed With A Kiss” / “Seasons In The Sun” / “Secret Love” / “See My Baby Jive” / “See You Again” / “Setting Sun” / “Seven Tears” / “Sex On Fire” / “Sexy Chick” / “Sexyback” / “Shaddap You Face” / “Shakin’ All Over” / “Shallow” / “Shape of You” / “She” / “She Looks So Perfect” / “She Loves You” / “She Makes Me Wanna” / “She Wears Red Feathers” / “She’s Not You” / “She’s The One” / “Shine” / “Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)” / “Shotgun” / “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” / “Shout” / “Shout Out to My Ex” / “Show Me Heaven” / “Show You The Way To Go” / “Side Saddle” / “Sign of the Times” / “Silence Is Golden” / “Silver Lady” / “Sing” / “Singin’ In The Rain” / “Singing The Blues” / “Sixteen Tons” / “Skweeze Me Pleeze Me” / “Skyscraper” / “Sleeping Satellite” / “Slow” / “Smack That” / “Smile” / “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” / “So Sick” / “So What” / “So You Win Again” / “Softly Softly” / “Solo” / “Some Might Say” / “Somebody Help Me” / “Somebody That I Used to Know” / “Someone Like You” / “Somethin’ Stupid” / “Something About The Way You Look Tonight” / “Something I Need” / “Something In The Air” / “Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart” / “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” / “Somewhere Only We Know” / “Son Of My Father” / “Sorry” / “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” / “Sound Of The Underground” / “Space Oddity” / “Spaceman” / “Special AKA Live! (EP)” / “Spectrum (Say My Name)” / “Spice Up Your Life” / “Spinning Around” / “Spirit In The Sky” / “Stan” / “Stand & Deliver” / “Stand By Me” / “Stand By Your Man” / “Star Girl” / “Star Trekkin’“ / “Starry Eyed” / “Start” / “Start Without You” / “Stay” / “Stay Another Day” / “Stay Awake” / “Stay with Me” / “Stickwitu” / “Stitches” / “Stomp” / “Stonk” / “Stop Living The Lie” / “Story Of My Life” / “Stranger In Paradise” / “Strangers In The Night” / “The Streak” / “Stronger” / “Stupid Cupid” / “Such A Night” / “Sugar Baby Love” / “Sugar Sugar” / “Summer” / “Summer Holiday” / “Summer Holiday” / “Summer Nights” / “Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” / “Sun Always Shines On TV” / “Sunday Girl” / “Sunny Afternoon” / “Super Trouper” / “Sure” / “Surrender” / “Survivor” / “Suspicious Minds” / “Swagger Jagger” / “Swear It Again” / “Sweet Like Chocolate” / “Sweet Nothing” / “Sweets For My Sweet” / “Swing The Mood” / “Symphony”.

Answers: 19th in a list

19th Pope: St Anterus (235AD to 236AD).

19th President of the USA: Rutherford B Hayes (1877-1881).

The winner of Superbowl XIX (1985): San Francisco 49ers.

The 19th FIFA World Cup (2010): hosted by South Africa, won by Spain.