Search your questions that power our play engine.
Search your questions that power our play engine.
What anise-flavoured spirit is consumed traditionally in France as an apéritif? Created as an alternative following the ban of absinthe, it gets its name supposedly from a French word meaning stylistic imitation.
Known variously as "fugu", "batakari" and "dansika", this is a form of smock worn by both women and men in which West African nation? The Big Six of the United Gold Coast Convention, including first president Kwame Nkrumah, were dressed in it when they declared the country's independence.
According to statistics, 17% of all games between grandmasters begin with which chess opening [pictured], mainly because it is best scoring response to White's move 1.e4? Grandmasters attribute the popularity of this responsive opening to its combative nature although it sounds more like a protective move. It should help in knowing that the name of the opening was first recorded by Italians Giulio Polerio and Gioachino Greco.
Identify this isolated monastery complex, a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic site perched on a basalt plateau in the country's Syunik Province. It is served by "Wings of [blank]", the world's longest reversible aerial tramway.
Identify this chimpanzee, who was frequently in the public eye in the 1980s. This cheerful ape is currently 42 years old and since 2005 he has been residing in a sanctuary in Florida.
In classical architecture, an order refers to the the style of assemblage of parts, each distinguished by proportions and characteristic profiles. The order is usually most readily recognized by the type of column employed. The order of Greek architecture are Doric, Ionic, and what third, most ornamental order? It is characterized by fluted columns and elaborate capitals, and derives its name from an ancient Greek city-state and isthmus.
Named after the goddess featured in a series of paintings, what term refers to the perception of viewers that the goddess is admiring her own reflection in a mirror? Velasquez's sensual painting of her titled "The Rokeby [Blank]" along with paintings by Titian and Veronese called "[Blank] in front of a mirror" are examples of this effect.
What term (6) is used for the most commonly observed lightning shape, where the main discharge channel branches out? This word for the many-pronged branching shape is also used for the shape of a reptilian sense organ.
What term refers to the inscription placed at the end of a book that gives details of its publication, and often accompanied by the publisher's emblem or logo? Historically, it was always located in the back matter, but, nowadays, they're featured in the front matter, after the title page, along with copyright details.
The best way to maximise the effect of a perfume is to apply it on certain specific areas where blood vessels are closely in contact with the skin of your body (visual). The additional heat from these locations activates the perfume molecules causing the scent to be intensified. What alliterative two-word term, also used by medical professionals, describes these sites?
The national flag of which country features a yellow sun that a depicts a tunduk, the opening of the roof of a yurt? Its 40 rays represent the number of tribes united by Manas, its national folk hero, to fight the Mongols.
Which football club, known for their politically charged tifo displays, unfurled this tifo of a man in a gas mask in 2022? The "Green Brigade", the club's fan group, got into trouble for this reference to the 1969 Battle of Bogside that took place in a neighbouring region.
By what two word moniker do we know a certain item mined in a war zone with the intention of financing a war lord's activity? This happened in the late 20th and early 21st centuries during civil wars in Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, among others. This item is not analogous with the term "conflict minerals" used primarily for those mined in the backdrop of Congo Wars.
Which artist created the following work titled "Il Bacio" (The Kiss)? This 1859 work by the Milan-based painter is a well-known depiction of Italian Romanticism associated with the Risorgimento movement, one among many of his grand historical paintings and political allegories.
The Bridge, Da Capo and The Golden Ratio are albums by which Swedish pop group, comprised of siblings? The band's name is inspired by a popular song by Motörhead.
In 2021, food blogger Kristina Cho released a cookbook based on her research of Chinese bakeries that is now a hot favourite for the James Beard award, titled "[blank] and Milk Bread". What very apt Chinese dish eaten during the mid-autumn festival and filled typically with a red bean paste fills the blank?
What term (9) is given to these circular, semicircular or polygonal structures seen in gardens and parks around the world? These structures were very popular in the Victorian Era and large musical groups playing brass instruments performed in these spaces, and thus were designed keeping such acoustics in mind. We'll accept an alternative term (6) even though they're slightly different.
One of the non-fiction books to make The New York Times list of "Ten Best Books of 2024" is The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides. It documents the third and final voyage across the globe by which explorer? It has garnered critical acclaim for its detailed research into Polynesian culture of the 18th Century.
The Gettysburg Address is littered with Biblical allusions. This is attributed to Lincoln's mastery of the sound of which 17th century translation of the Bible commissioned for the Church of England? Noted for its "majesty of style", Lincoln was so well-versed with it that he could effortlessly recast abstract issues of constitutional law in Biblical terms.
Which type of paper is made by treating cellulose-based paper with a solution of pigments derived from lichens? There are several recipes to make DIY versions without using the symbiotic indicator species, instead involving red cabbage, turmeric or elderberries.
This layered baked casserole dish typically alternates aubergine (eggplant) and minced meat, and is topped with béchamel sauce that turns golden-brown in the oven. Its name likely derives from an Arabic word meaning “chilled”, though it is now most closely associated with Greek cuisine. What dish is this?
This marathon, starts and finishes at Plaça d'Espanya, which is at the foot of Montjuïc. It famously passes by the Nou Camp and which monument that in 2010 was declared a minor basillica by Pope Benedict XVI?
This free-floating aquatic plant from South America is an invasive species in many parts of the world. In the wild, it forms dense mats, reducing sunlight for submerged plants and aquatic organisms, crowding out native aquatic plants, and clogging waterways. What is this species, nicknamed "Terror of Bengal", for its invasive nature?
What is the biennial men's golf competition, played between teams representing Europe and the United States, with the venue alternating between courses in the two regions? Originally contested between Great Britain and the United States, it first took place in the United States in 1927, and is named after the English businessman who donated the trophy.
This Indian actor and comedian, known for his works in Hindi Cinema, hails from Andhra Pradesh. He got his screen name after impersonating senior officers from a particular multi-national company, where his father worked. Who is this comedian, who has won the Filmfare Award for Best Comic twice - for Deewana Mastana (1997) and Dulhe Raja (1998)?
What substance has American artist Daniel Colen incorporated into several of his paintings? He has referred to his art-making process as “slow” and “icky”, recruiting friends and studio assistants to work the entity before applying them individually to canvas.
In S04E07 of Mad Men, Don Draper conceives an ad campaign to show the strength of Samsonite suitcases. What 1965 event served as the inspiration for this design? You need to provide both the individuals involved in this event.
The Bible describes a finely woven screen hanging at the heart of the temple that perpetually guarded the entrance to the Holy of Holies and the immediate presence of God. Only twice would it be ripped apart, once when Jesus died and the other at the End of Days. What two-word phrase (4,7) describing the damaged screen during these epochal events is also the title of a 1966 Hitchcock Cold War thriller?
Symbolising excellence, luxury, and nobility, the image of a polo player atop a horse features on a particular product range of which fashion brand in the US? Founded in 1967, this was the company’s first line wherein the emblem initially featured on the cuff before being moved to the chest when they launched the same range in cotton mesh.
What is this mnemonic used for? Although Robert S. Mulliken coined the term in 1932, this concept is associated with Erwin Schrödinger, who put forth a certain likelihood equation.
Sober Physicists Don't Find Giraffes Hiding In Kitchens
Which 2006 song, with a nonsense portmanteau title combining the singer's name and how she supposedly tastes, spells out several words? These include the two words combined in the title, and the word "TASTEY".
On what date is Euler's Number Day celebrated each year? The date represents the first two digits of the transcendental, irrational constant, e. The answer should be in the form "name of month + date".
Which figure skater fashioned costumes designed by Vera Wang at the 1998 and 2002 Olympics, winning a silver and a bronze medal respectively? This nine-time U.S. champion turned diplomat is best remembered for her "Fields of Gold" performance at Salt Lake City during which she wore a shimmering Wang creation.
What type of Christian place of worship is typically just a small structure with no priest attached to it? It may serve an institution, such as a convent, or it can be attached to private property, such as a palace.
Which musician, along with Josh Farro, was given co-writing credits for Olivia Rodrigo's pop-punk hit "Good 4 U"? This punk rock singer was made a co-writer after comparisons of "Good 4 U" with the 2007 hit "Misery Business" (visual) were created by fans on TikTok leading to allegations that Olivia had interpolated guitar chords from the emo-punk banger.
Commonly used for Chinese take-out meals, this kind of packaging is known as the [BLANK] Pail, because it was originally created for people who didn’t want to shuck certain seafood items at home, so would get vendors to open them up and place them in such boxes for carrying home. Fill in the blank.
The gastrocnemius (green in the visual) is a muscle in the back part of the lower leg of humans. Its name comes from the shape it confers to the calf region, which was thought to resemble the shape of another organ. Which organ?
A prequel to the Kingsman film series, The King's Man features several references to real life historical figures. Which heir presumptive can be seen here riding in a cavalcade, just before escaping a bombing attempt on his vehicle? This trip however would not end well for him.
The one-word name of which station on the Paris Metro hints at the location's former role as a storage for ice collected from the river Bièvre? One would have to travel to the Alps (or Pyrenees) to see a namesake form of stored ice.
In mathematics education at the primary school level, what term is used for the elementary approach for solving simple division questions by repeated subtraction? To calculate the quotient of dividing a large number by a small number, the student repeatedly takes away [BLANKs] of the large number, where each [BLANK] is an easy multiple of the small number, until they reach either 0 or a number smaller than the small number.
A particular Drosophila gene's role involves guiding nerve cell axons, the long wires of our nervous system, towards their targets. Therefore, it is named after which mythological character who similarly helped out a hero?
This 1924 passion project was heavily delayed because several actors fell ill during the long shooting schedule at Death Valley. The director's rapacity for accuracy saw his 9-hour masterpiece eventually cut into a shell of itself by Irving Thalberg, the head of MGM. Which film, based on the novel McTeague by Frank Norris, is this?
Which raga is accompanied by a description "Expressing the passion and fire of love; Time of Play: As the sun gently sets and lamps are lit, at twilight"? After Tansen was forced to sing this raga on Akbar's insistence, his daughters saved his life by singing Megh Malhar.
The Japanese concept 'Kaizen' signifies gradual, but continuous, improvement in efficiency and effectiveness. Popular among Japanese businesses after World War II, it came to be part of what was known as the "_____ Way" by which overproduction and waiting time was reduced at Japan's largest company and maker of the world's bestselling automobile. Which company?
The 'Mask vs [BLANK]' variant of Lucha de Apuestas is considered more high-stakes than the máscara contra máscara variant. What does this variant require the losing unmasked wrestler to do? This is considered a huge gamble, only taken up by characters who are desperately trying to cling on to the game.
Endemic to the Australian-Guinea region, which species of flightless birds are characterised by a vivid blue face, two red wattles (flaps of skin) hanging from their neck and a hollow "helmet", known as a casque, atop their heads? Even though they're known to have killed all of two humans in the last hundred years, they're widely billed "the most dangerous bird in the world".
Which West German far-left militant group engaged in a series of bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings in late 1977, which led to a national crisis that became known as the "German Autumn"? You may also instead identify its two founders after whom the group is popularly named.
This 2001 film’s plot is an amalgam of storylines from the operas La Boheme (a young man falling in love with a terminally ill girl), La Traviata (love being true and idealistic) and Orpheus in the Underworld (a young man trying to rescue his love from her certain death). Many of its scenes are based on paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who is also a character in the film. Which film, also inspired by its Australian director’s experience of watching Bollywood musicals in Mumbai!
Which long-range Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft was designed in the 60s and operated by the US Air Force as well as NASA? It got its popular nickname from its distinctive colour, and although it has been retired for two decades now, its hypersonic successor is not expected to fly before 2025.
Created by Jenji Kohan, this TV series follows Nancy Botwin, a suddenly widowed mother who starts selling drugs to support her family. What is the one-word title of the show, which, according to Kohan, refers to many things including the drug being sold, the black garments traditionally worn by a widow, and finally to hardy plants that are struggling to survive?
As per one historian, this conflict mineral gets its name from an ancient Babylonian ethnic people called the Kassites. Today, while Bolivia and Rwanda have access to this mineral, it is also a cause of conflict in the Walikare territory of DRC. Which silvery-colored chemical element do we derive from this conflict mineral, that is used in the alloy of pewter, soft solders, and food packaging?
Susan Hill's 1993 book Mrs. De Winter is a sequel to which classic novel, featuring the nameless narrator of the original? The original gothic novel was written by a different author in 1938, that was adapted into a 1940 Academy winning movie by Alfred Hitchcock.
The captain of the HMS Beagle, Robert FitzRoy, chose to survey the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean to study the formation of what type of underwater ecosystem? It was the basis for Charles Darwin's first monograph published in 1842.
Each suspect in Oliver's line-up explains their motive for commiting the murder. This is a tribute to which Broadway musical, particularly the Cell Block Tango sequence where six women at the Cook County Jail explain the motives for the crimes they committed? This musical is set in the jazz age and based on a 1926 play of the same title by reporter Maurine Watkins.
In 1996, Pfizer conducted an allegedly illegal test of a new drug to protect against meninginitis in Kano (Nigeria) that led to many deaths. This drug test and the long case that followed inspired which Le Carre novel that was also adapted into a blockbuster film in 2005 that won Rachel Weisz an Oscar?
Which first president of an East African country formalised Ujamaa (lit. extended family) as a concept through the Arusha Declaration? In contrast to Nkrumah’s emphasis on state-led urban development projects, this variant of Afrosocialism stressed on co-operative village development.
This statement engagement ring, valued at a relatively modest $40,000, is now worn by which musician who announced her engagement to a British film star from the Fantastic Beasts franchise? This pop star has been donning the ring during her performances as part of the Radical Optimism tour.
What is the name of The Economist column dedicated to business? It is named after an influential political economist from the early 20th century who also served as the Finance Minister of Austria.
Which shade of blue, defined on the RGB colour wheel as having hue codes between 165 and 195 degrees, is one of the 3 primary colours in a famous subtractive color system? In the additive RGB model, this colour is produced by mixing equal parts of blue and green. The planet Uranus appears to the visible eye to have this colour.
Which constituency was represented in the Lok Sabha by Jawaharlal Nehru during his tenure as Prime Minister of India from 1952 to 1964? One could say it is apt that an anthophile like Nehru was elected from this seat centred around a small town near Allahabad.
Originally a medicinal preparation, the mint julep became popular as a cocktail after it started being awarded in a sterling silver cup to the winner of which sporting event, which has run uninterrupted since 1875?
Identify this long distance runner who had a 2.67% margin of victory in the 5 km event at a 2021 Diamond League event. This Ethiopian beat Joshua Cheptegei's world record in an effort that saw him beat the field by over 38 seconds.
What large, fast-moving, and highly venomous snakes of the genus Oxyuranus endemic to Australia got their name from that of a creator deity in Aboriginal culture? Each of its three known species - inland, coastal, central ranges - are highly dangerous, with its venom content the highest on the planet.
This promotional poster was used for the Biennial of Indigenous Poster Design in which Asian capital city? It uses frayed thread work to evoke folk art while creating a shape reminiscent of the nation's geography, highlighting the delicate subject of its nationhood.