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 Monday. 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 499 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 second week of October.
One: Whose stellar sports career does this image reflect? Try counting the boxes—it may help you figure out the answer.
Two: Connect the following elements to identify a 150-year-old legacy that may soon fade from sight.
a) Former state-run company formed in London
b) Memorabilia turned artefacts
c) Association fighting for its preservation
Three: Which fashionably dressed American is this head of government determined to hold on to as a resident of his nation’s capital? Also, where might she be moving? (5 + 5)
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: Back in 2007, a two-time Oscar winner played the role of this legendary American singer-songwriter. ID the actor and the film. (5+5)
Answer: Cate Blanchett
Todd Haynes’ unconventional biopic on Bob Dylan, ‘I'm Not There’ (2007) had six actors portraying different periods of his life including Christian Bale and Heath Ledger among others. Blanchett specifically played Dylan during the 1965-1966 era, when he famously/infamously went electric.
Two: Connect these festive treats with an annual celebration, the largest of its kind.
Answer: Oktoberfest
The three delicacies are pretzels, potato salad, and black forest cake. The 2024 Oktoberfest, which concluded on October 6, marked the 189th edition of the world’s largest folk festival. Approximately 6 million visitors from around the globe gathered in Munich to enjoy the festivities. The countdown is already on!
Three: What major announcement has these reporters on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting for the big reveal? How does the answer tie in with the first question? (5+5)
Answer: Nobel Prize. The answer for the second part of the question is Bob Dylan—who won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature.
This is Mats Malm, Professor and Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy announcing the South Korean author Han Kang as the recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Believe it or not, Dylan won the 2016 Nobel for creating new poetic expressions.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the second week of October. Congratulations!
