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 March.
One: This actor-author duo is reminiscing about their cinematic collaboration from 30 years ago. Adapted from a novel of the same name, the film centered on a civil servant’s experiences in a small town. Name the film and the author. (5+5)
Two: Originating in the Victorian era, these outdoor platforms soon spread to British colonies. Identify these structures, named after the purpose they served—as performance spaces for musical ensembles.
Three: This is a clip from an Indian late-night talk show—a nugget of nostalgia for the ‘90s kids but a latent find for Gen Z. What timely announcement has been muted in the vid’s intro?
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: Which in-the-news personality connects these two financial institutions located on either side of the Atlantic Ocean? Also, identify the institutions. (5+5)
Answer: Mark Carney, and Bank of Canada and Bank of England
Mark Carney, an economist and political newcomer, was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister last week amid a trade war with US President Donald Trump. He has vowed that Canada would “never” become part of the US. He reshaped Canada’s cabinet, reducing its size from over 30 members under Trudeau to 24, eliminating roles like deputy prime minister. His newly sworn-in team includes a mix of Trudeau holdovers, newcomers, and reshuffled ministers. Carney made history in 2013 as the first non-British governor of the Bank of England, serving till 2020. He had previously led the Bank of Canada through the Great Recession (2009-2013).
Two: Connect these lateral hints to work out the entity that recently made its India debut.
a) Don’t stir the pot.
b) ‘90s kids, mark your attendance in One, Two, Three…
c) Got late, it seems!
Answer: Green Day
Lollapalooza India 2025 took place at Mumbai’s Mahalakshmi Racecourse on March 8-9, with Green Day headlining their much-anticipated India debut. The punk rock legends wowed fans with hits like ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’, ‘Holiday’, ‘American Idiot’, ‘21 Guns’, and ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ (referenced in 3rd image). As for their name, Green Day was inspired by marijuana. Watch frontman Billie Joe Armstrong confirming in an interview here. A “green day” refers to a day spent entirely smoking pot with little regard for anything else. In 2012, the band showcased their versatility with a three-part album release—‘¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré!’—blending punk, rock, and pop over five months (the second image references Ricky Martin’s 1995 single ‘Un, Dos, Tres María’).
Three: This powerful photo from a few years ago captures this country’s chronic economic turmoil. Name the country—once synonymous with wealth—and the currency. (5+5)
Answer: Argentina and Peso
Photographer Irina Werning captures how Argentinians navigate chronic inflation, showing stark realities like peso bills being cheaper than wallpaper. Once among the world’s richest nations, Argentina—named after argentum (Latin for silver)—was a symbol of prosperity. The phrase ‘riche comme un Argentin’ (as rich as an Argentine) reflected its wealth in the early 20th century. However, a century of political instability, military coups, and economic mismanagement led to its decline. Some, like President Milei, blame socialism, while others point to decades of policy failures. As for some silver lining, Now, under Milei’s austerity measures, inflation has slowed, dropping to 2.2% in January 2025, its lowest since mid-2020.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the third week of March. Congratulations!
