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 weekly winners.
One: Five chief executives have come and gone, but this feline has remained a constant presence for over a decade. Who will be his new companion?
Two: Figure out the calendar connection among the following elements:
a) An insatiable champion ‘hungry’ for more
b) This iconic painting of the first draft a historic document
c) A colourful spectacle put on by this famous brand
Three: The exquisite trophy you see below will be awarded to the winners of a World Cup tournament that is currently underway. Name the sport, where skillful fingers do all the talking.
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
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?
Answer: The jersey of the Indian T20 World Cup squad
This is Aaquib Wani, a self-taught designer. In 2018, he launched his eponymous design studio, Aaquib Wani Design in Delhi. Emphasised maximum comfort in their jersey designs, they tested a variety of colours, fabrics, and patterns over months. Unveiled last June, the new ODI, T20I, and Test kits are inspired by India's textile industry and the national animal, the tiger, embodying Aaquib’s less is more philosophy. He is also the creative force behind Team India’s Paris 2024 Olympic kit. See the promo for Team India’s Olympics jersey here. Below is the jersey they wore for T20I.
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
Answer: Julian Assange
The three elements are the WikiLeaks logo, Benedict Cumberbatch, and the Embassy of Ecuador, London.
Founded by Julian Assange in 2006, WikiLeaks specialises in analysing and publishing large datasets of censored or restricted official materials. It has released over 10 million documents related to issues such as war, espionage, and corruption. Assange expressed his disapproval of the biopic ‘The Fifth Estate’ (2013), writing an angry letter to Benedict Cumberbatch who played him on screen. Julian Assange sought asylum at Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over rape allegations. He lived there for seven years in a converted office bedroom. Ecuador revoked his asylum in 2019. He was released from Belmarsh prison last week under a special deal with the US authorities after serving a five-year sentence.
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.
Answer: Netflix & Chilll'd
Ben & Jerry's teamed up with Netflix to introduce a new, chillaxing creation, Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Sweet & Salty Pretzel Swirls & Fudge Brownies, that's sure to please every sweet or salty snack lover. The first use of 'Netflix and Chill' was in a tweet by user NoFaceNina. In 2015, the phrase gained sexual undertones and became widely recognized after its inclusion in the Urban Dictionary, becoming a viral meme status across social media platforms.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the first week of July. Congratulations!
