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 month of February.
One: This is from an Indian artist and conservationist’s collection of folk art. Identify this species—which primarily breeds in a northeastern state. Also, identify the divinely named art form originating from a sacred site on a river. (5+5)
Two: Name the team that connects these two Asian and one former Caribbean players (non-exhaustive list).
Three: Name the person who wore these swanky shoes around his shackled ankles in a courtroom recently. Hint: He has become the most unlikely heartthrob.
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
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)
Answer: International Mother Language Day and Dhaka
The Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, Bangladesh is a national monument honoring those killed during the 1952 Bengali Language Movement protests in then East Pakistan. On 21-22 February, police opened fire on students and activists demanding official status for Bengali, leading to several deaths near Dhaka Medical College. Bangladesh later proposed International Mother Language Day, which UNESCO approved in 1999. Since February 21, 2000 (Ekushey February) has been observed globally to promote linguistic diversity and the importance of mother tongues. In 2025, the 25th anniversary marks a milestone in language preservation, education, and cultural heritage.
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
Answer: Kendrick Lamar
The three elements are Frank Duckworth, ‘Straight Outta Compton’, and Joseph Pulitzer.
A week after winning five Grammys, Kendrick Lamar rocked the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance on February 9. Born as Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, he grew up in Compton, California. Frank Duckworth (first image) was the co-creator of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method for rain-affected cricket matches, who passed away last year. The 2015 film ‘Straight Outta Compton’ takes viewers to the late '80s, where teens form Niggaz Wit Attitude or N.W.A., using rap as their way out. Kendrick’s 2018 Pulitzer for DAMN. made history—the first for a non-classical or jazz artist. The Pulitzer Prizes honoring excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917 are named after Joseph Pulitzer. Kendrick’s Super Bowl halftime show drew 133.5 million viewers, surpassing the game itself.
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.
Answer: Truck De India!
Rajat Ubhaykar hitchhiked 10,000 km with truckers across India for ‘Truck De India!’, an unplanned journey through a rugged, male-dominated world. Highways revealed hidden stories—from corruption and ghostly folklore to the vibrant art on trucks and the struggles of nomadic shepherds. Women were almost absent, a reality Ubhaykar found familiar from his all-male schooling. Despite the tough conditions, truckers showed him unexpected generosity, treating him as a guest, which left him both humbled and reflective. A former journalist, Rajat is now a government official with the Indian Foreign Service.
And the super quizzers for February are…
Editor’s note: We didn’t use a lucky draw for the monthly winners this time as the scores had a straightforward winner.
Here is the leaderboard at the end of February. Congratulations to the lucky three for acing the splainer quiz! We will be emailing you soon with details of your prize—a quarterly splainer sub!
