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 third week of February.
One: This monument in an Asian capital city stands as a tribute to the people who lost their lives while demanding an official recognition. What is the literary legacy of this remembrance, now observed worldwide? Name the capital city. (5+5)
Two: Connect the lateral hints to work out the hottest talk of the town.
a) Late English statistician known for his contribution to cricket
b) Mid-2010s biography of this artist group
c) Annual Awards named after this media mogul
Three: Do a wordplay on a beloved desi sports film to work out the title of a highway travelogue, documenting this former journalist’s ride-seeking journey.
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: This artist has worked with a wide range of international clients. One of his recent artworks includes this lovely detail—a tiger in a Rajasthani shirt marching in a parade. Who is he and where did you see this work less than a month ago? (5+5)
Answer: Rohan Dahotre and 2025 Republic Day Google Doodle
Google celebrated India’s 76th Republic Day with a special Doodle illustrated by Pune-based artist Rohan Dahotre. The artwork features a wildlife parade, symbolizing India's rich cultural and geographical diversity. Each animal in the illustration represents a different region of the country. For instance, the tiger (as you can see above) is adorned in a traditional Rajasthani shirt with bandhani motifs, a textile art form from Gujarat and Rajasthan known for its intricate diamond-like patterns.
Two: Look at these happy faces recreating iconic moments and visiting popular movie locations in a city. Identify the group of people and the city? (5+5)
Answer: Air India cabin crew and New York City
To celebrate the launch of its A350-900 non-stop flights between Delhi and Newark (EWR), Air India’s cabin crew recreated iconic New York moments at some of the city's most famous film locations. This follows the airline’s A350 service to JFK, which began on November 1, 2024. In a nod to history, the crew reimagined the legendary 1932 ‘Lunch Atop a Skyscraper’ photograph, capturing the essence of New York’s skyline. They also visited Gapstow Bridge in Central Park, a scenic spot featured in classics like ‘Home Alone 2’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Lastly, no tribute to NYC would be complete without its iconic yellow taxis, a staple of countless films, symbolizing the city's nonstop energy and vibrant urban life.
Three: Identify the proud mother (blocked out) standing next to her son—celebrating the tenth anniversary of his bibliophilic venture. Name the venture. (5+5)
Answer: Sudha Murty and Murty Classical Library of India (MCLI)
Founded by Rohan Murty, Murty Classical Library of India (MCLI) is translating Indian literary texts from the past two millennia into English, in collaboration with Harvard University Press. Rohan shared the success of MCLI at an event in Bengaluru last month, held to mark its 10th anniversary. So far, MCLI has released nearly 50 volumes in 14 Indian languages.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the third week of February. Congratulations!
