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—as will the monthly leaderboard. 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: this is all about who sends in the correct answers first.
The answers: to the previous week’s quiz are at the bottom.
One: If you want to take a photo of this star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you’ll have to pick a very different camera angle than the rest. Why is that? Who is the recipient of this star—someone who embodies both the gift of gab and the jab? Both parts carry 5 points.
Two: Connect the two elements below to arrive at a luminous Indian from the world of science.
(a) One of NASA’s four great satellite observatories
(b) A Google Doodle celebrating a discovery about the evolution of stars
Three: This avant-garde filmmaker embarked on a monumental adaptation of a sci-fi work during the mid-1970s. The production included an unusual line-up of celebrity cast and crew members. However, the price tag proved far too high for the studios, and his ambitious project remained unrealized. Name the herculean adaptation that a Canadian filmmaker recently succeeded in bringing to life?
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the third edition of the splainer quiz:
One: This currency note—which is no longer in circulation—from a European country depicts a creator and his designs. Identify the Indian connection with the designer. Also: Name the country that issued these notes. Both parts carry 5 points.
Answer: The designer is Le Corbusier—who was the architect of Chandigarh and the country that issued these notes is Switzerland.
This currency note is part of the eighth series of Swiss franc banknotes which entered circulation in the mid-90s. The obverse side depicts Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, the Swiss-French architect, designer, and urban planner, better known as Le Corbusier. On the reverse side is the ground plan and impressions of the Vidhan Sabha and Punjab and Haryana High Court buildings. These buildings are part of the Capitol Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands as a shining testament to the brilliance of Corbusier, a visionary whose influence profoundly shaped modern Indian architecture.
Two: Think laterally and connect the following elements. Hint: Be as specific as possible.
- a) A country in Eastern Europe
- b) Never address this iconic character from a sitcom with this name.
- c) An English monarch who occupied the throne not via marriage
Answer: Vodka Cocktails
The three elements are White Russian, Cosmo, and Bloody Mary.
The phrase White Russia is the literal translation of the word Belarus. The White Russian, a remarkably simple cocktail, blends vodka, Kahlúa, and cream effortlessly. The character of Kramer from Seinfeld remained nameless for five and a half seasons, and only in the middle of season six, was Cosmo revealed to be his first name. Toby Cecchini, a bartender from New York City, developed Cosmopolitan, also known as Cosmo, the vodka and cranberry juice cocktail in the late 1980s. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Queen Mary I’s infamous reputation as Bloody Mary is unjustified as she was no more bloodthirsty than her father, Henry VIII, or other monarchs of England. The classic Bloody Mary cocktail is said to have comprised seven essential ingredients: vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, celery salt, Tabasco, and lemon juice.
Three: The Norwegian hip-hop dance group Quick Style toured and performed in India last year. Besides live shows, they also did a lot of promotional shoots. One such video was shot inside a palace. In which city in central India is this palace located?
Answer: Rajwada, Indore
Situated in Indore, Rajwada is a stunning monument built in the 18th century by Malhar Rao Holkar. It served as the residence for the Holkar rulers and witnessed many royal ceremonies and cultural events. The palace’s seven floors adorned with detailed carvings, arches, and pillars, display the craftsmanship of its builders. Quick Style started as Quick Crew in 2006 by the founding members Suleman Malik, Bilal Malik, and Nasir Sirikhan who grew up in Oslo. In 2009, they won ‘The Norwegian Got Talent.’ They performed in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Indore as part of their India tour. Check out their wedding video from 2022 that went viral.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the first week of April. Congratulations!
