Quizzes & Puzzles 10
Some new problems with which to exercise the brain. But first a look at answers and solutions to Quizzes & Puzzles 9. New problems below the image (cartoon).
Answer to Quiz 9:1
One of the most well known knights of world literature, probably THE most well known, a figure being a bit ridiculous, stems from a place also being known for the cultivation of a certain spice.
3 questions: What spice? What knight? What place?
The spice is saffron. The knight is Don Quixote, and the place is La Mancha in Spain. The quote below is from Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's famous novel, “Don Quixote”
"En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no hace mucho tiempo que vivía un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocín flaco y galgo corredor."
[In a village in La Mancha, whose name I do not care to recall, there lived, not very long ago, one of those gentlemen who keep a lance in the lance-rack, an ancient shield, a skinny old horse, and a fast greyhound.]
Answer to Quiz 9:2
What material, according to old Chinese lore, is the petrification of the soul of a dead Tiger?
In some other traditions, the material has been associated with tears or sunshine.
The material is amber, which is really a remarkable substance. You can read more about amber in my two articles: Amber, Organic Gem with a Long History & Many Properties, Part I and Amber, Organic Gem with a Long History & Many Properties, Part II.
Answer to Quiz 9:3
Which colour pigment was originally made from a substance secreted by cuttlefish? Now made synthetically, the colour is still called the same.
The colour is sepia. You can read more details about this colour in the first part of this article: Sepia, Grisaille & Verdaille: Monochrome Art... and how about Japan?
Answer to Symmetry Problem 9:4
Try to classify this figure regarding reflection symmetry, rotation symmetry and chirality.
Classifying this figure (above) regarding reflection symmetry, rotation symmetry and chirality is (for most people) not easy. The plain truth is that the figure has no symmetry at all. An “almost symmetry” cheats the eye to believe there is rotation symmetry, but if you look closely at the orange-coloured figures, they are not the same at all. That becomes obvious when we cut the picture in two and rotate the right one by 180 degrees.
Why do few people see this difference in the original picture, unless someone is pointing it out to them?
One reason is that one figure is upside-down (compared to the other one), which confuses the mind. The brain has a sense of up and down and does not observe what it perceives as upside-down as clearly as what it perceives as being in the “correct” position. This makes a comparison of figures more difficult, when one is, or might be, the other seen upside-down.
Another reason might be that many who expect to see symmetry will do so, if there is the slightest semblance of there being one. You see what you believe you'll see.
You can read more about symmetry in Symmetry, Asymmetry, Chirality.
And now some new exercises for brain & memory...
Quiz 10:1
Which vitamin can, if the conditions are right, be produced by sunlight on the skin and absorbed that way?
Quiz 10:2
One mammal uses echo-location in order to navigate in its environment and to find food. Which mammal?
Quiz 10:3
Which country share its borderline with all other countries on its continent – except two?
Problem 10:4
This problem was given me by a friend-puzzlist. I don't know who is the original creator, but it represents a type of problem, of which many examples exist. Here we go...
When Carl was one year younger than John was when Henry was half as old as John will be 3 years from now, Henry was twice as old as John was when Henry was 1/3 as old as Carl was 3 years ago. But when John was twice as old as Carl, Henry was 1/4 as old as John was one year ago. Carl is over 50.
How old are Carl, John and Henry?
You'll find answers and solutions in the next “Quizzes & Puzzles”.
Quizzes & Puzzles has now its own label in my Index, where all issues of the series can be found.
In my INDEX, you can find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic.
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Images of the symmetry problem are mine: Copyright © Meleonymica. All Rights Reserved.
(Cartoon by Christian Dorn/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)
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