A list of puzzling questions
Editor’s note: Every week, we feature three questions from our quiz master Shantanu Sharma—who is a researcher-writer, and has a side hustle as a professional quiz guru. He’d love to hear from you—so send your feedback/suggestions or just say ‘hi’ over at sharmashantanu312@gmail.com or @shantorasbox on Twitter.
How this works: Every correct answer is worth 10 points. If a question has multiple parts, each is worth 5 points. You have until Friday 12 pm to send in your answers to talktous@splainer.in or via DMs on Insta or Twitter. The correct answers will be published every Tuesday. The grand prize for the winner at the end of the month: a quarterly subscription for anyone of your choice—including the option of adding three months to your sub. That’s Rs 899 in value—so it’s pretty darn good:)
Rule to note: We will pick winners each month using a lucky draw.
The answers to the previous week’s quiz are at the bottom—as are the winners for the month of June.
One: This person’s fashion design—inspired by the country’s rich heritage and craftsmanship—was recently seen in action by millions of celebrating fans worldwide. What has he become famous for?
Two: Connect these elements to identify a notable figure making headlines.
(a) A global media organisation and associated library
(b) No shit Sherlock, you know who he is
(c) A South American diplomatic mission in the UK
Three: Work out the three-word phrase this ice cream flavour is named after—as you binge-watch your favourite series in the cosy company of peanut butter, pretzel, and fudge.
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: Recognized with a Padma Shri for his outstanding sporting achievements, identify the ‘champion’ whose unwavering determination saw him conquer numerous challenges and battlefields. Hint: His life was the subject of a recent biopic.
Answer: Murlikant Petkar
Born in the Sangli region of Maharashtra, Murlikant Petkar joined the Indian Army's Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers. He quickly rose to represent the army in boxing at international events. During the Indo-Pak war, he was hit by nine bullets, leaving him paralyzed from the knees down. To regain strength after his injuries, he took up swimming, and in 1972, he made history as the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, setting a world record in the 50-metre freestyle. The recently released Kabir Khan film ‘Chandu Champion’ has Kartik Aaryan playing the celebrated sportsman.
Two: Think laterally and give a one word connect for the following elements:
(a) A recent Netflix series
(b) An increasingly popular desi-fizzy drink
(c) One of the entrances to the national monument where the tricolour flies high
Answer: Lahore
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut streaming series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is set in pre-Independence Lahore, among courtesans and noblemen who lived in the real-life district of Heera Mandi. Punjab-based Archian Foods, the parent company of beverage brand Lahori Zeera, chose the name Lahore over Amritsar because of the pink salt, known as Lahori, used in their desi fizzy drinks. The main entrance of Delhi's Red Fort, the Lahori Gate, is named for its historical route to Lahore, Pakistan. Surrounded by arcaded apartments called Chhatta Chowk, the three-story gate features various arched panels.
Three: Which of the world's most valuable companies’ early success stories is being highlighted by the CEO in the video below, during a recent commencement address to graduating students?
Answer: Nvidia
Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of technology company Nvidia delivered the keynote address at Caltech's 130th Annual Commencement Ceremony on June 14, 2024. Founded on April 5, 1993, invented the GPU, the graphics processing unit, reshaping the computing industry. Nvidia's dominance in the market has been propelled by its AI-focused chips like the A100 and H100, especially following the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. On June 18, Nvidia's shares closed at $135.58, making it the world's most valuable company. However, the stay at the top did not last long.
And the super quizzers for June are…
How we picked winners: This month, we continue our new system which involves a lucky draw among those with the most correct answers. You can see the lucky draw below:
Here is the leaderboard at the end of June. Congratulations to the lucky three for acing the splainer quiz! We will be emailing you soon with details of your prize—a quarterly splainer sub!
