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.
One: These two books offer contrasting perspectives on the two rivals in the space race. The book on the left tells a story of brave men who took on great odds in one program. The second exposes the PR-manufactured hype of the other. Both have almost the same title—except for a single five-letter word. Hint: One word is the antonym of the other.
Two: This Asian skyscraper’s curved, UV-blocking glass facade reduces its carbon footprint. Which floral emblem—which is also visible on the region's flag—inspired the design of this office building?
Three: Imagine if tennis legend Roger Federer staged a remarkable comeback at Wimbledon 2024, sealing a victory in three straight sets. What would the scoreboard read if it was represented by these popular baked items?
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: This image from a past Under-19 Cricket World Cup shows a proud coach standing with two of his prodigies. There’s Sandeep Singh on the right—whose swing bowling you may have seen during the IPL. Identify the bowler on the left, whose recent exploits have captivated cricket fans beyond India.
Answer: Saurabh Netravalkar
This image is from the 2010 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, with coach Chandrakant Pandit in the middle. Indian-American Saurabh Netravalkar became a social media sensation after leading the USA to a stunning victory over Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He moved to New York in 2015 to pursue a Master's degree at Cornell. There, he played recreational cricket and made his List A debut for the USA in 2018. Check out Netravalkar’s LinkedIn profile for the perfect blend of academic and sporting achievements. You can also check out our Big Story on the USA Team.
Two: Think laterally and give a single word that connects all of the following three:
(a) Home of this masterpiece
(b) This psychologist’s theory on motivation
(c) Mid-2010s documentary on an investigation into an “active and lifestyle nutrition brand”
Answer: Pyramid
The three elements are the Louvre Museum, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and the documentary ‘Betting on Zero’ (2016).
In 1966, the Louvre selected the Salle des États, the palace's largest room, as a fitting backdrop to showcase the ‘Mona Lisa’. In the 1980s, architect IM Pei undertook a bold transformation of the Louvre, introducing the monumental Pyramid entrance. This iconic addition not only modernised but also expanded the museum, making it one of the few with a work of art as the entrance hall. While Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is widely recognized in management studies, there's little evidence that he depicted it as a pyramid. The pyramid we commonly associate with the theory was credited to Charles McDermid, a consulting psychologist, by researchers in a 2019 paper. Ted Braun’s documentary ‘Betting on Zero’ questioned whether the company Herbalife operated as a massive pyramid scheme, exploiting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable individuals in the US and globally.
Three: An edtech platform—known for competitive exam prep—has branched out into new territory with a new mascot: Una the cat—who will be taking on a certain green owl.
Name the edtech unicorn, and its new offering. (5+5)
Answer: Unacademy and a foreign language
Unacademy's CEO, Gaurav Munjal, announced that their latest app ‘Unacademy: Learn Spanish’ has gained over 10,000 users, with 100 paid customers. The app currently provides Spanish lessons, with French lessons scheduled for release on July 10, and plans to introduce Indian languages further down the line. Duo, the green owl is the official mascot of the popular language learning app, Duolingo.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the second week of June. Congratulations!
