Quizzes & Puzzles 41

Some new problems with which to exercise the brain. But first a look at answers and solutions to Quizzes & Puzzles 40. New problems below the image (cartoon).

Answer to Quiz 40:1

• Linseeds (Flaxseeds)

• Mackerel

• Walnuts

What has these three foodstuffs in common?

Linseeds, mackerel, and walnuts are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. If you want to know more about fats and the importance of getting the right fats, read Understanding Dietary Fats Part 1 (of 2) and Understanding Dietary Fats Part 2 (of 2).

Answer to Quiz 40:2

Which migrating Germanic tribe created a state in Northwest Africa (including some Mediterranean islands), a state lasting for about a century, finally ending up incorporated into the Byzantine empire?

Clue: They have given name to a province in Spain, and a word for destruction.

This was the Vandals. I previously wrote about them, in Lactose Intolerance, Vandals & Germanic Migration. I quote the part that is relevant for this quiz:

The Vandals were a Germanic people, who supposedly resided in Silesia around 100 AD. In 406 they crossed the Rhine, went through Gaul; and reaching the Iberian peninsula they got territory by the Romans. In 429 they continued to Africa, and in 440 their king, Geyseric, forced Rome to hand over to him a large part of Roman Africa. There he founded a state, controlling most of the north-western African coastline, as well as Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic islands.

In 533, a Byzantine army under Belisarius defeated the Vandals, and their kingdom was incorporated into the Byzantine empire. The Vandal history was at an end.

In 455, the Vandals arrived to Italy with an army, took and plundered Rome. There, it is said, they brought a destruction that was extraordinary - even for their time. This bad reputation is the origin of the modern meaning of the word "vandal", or "vandalism", but there is no evidence that they deserve it. Probably they were neither better nor worse than others.

Abbé Gregoire is often mentioned as the official "inventor" of the word. He used it, "vandalisme", in his description of the French Revolution in 1794. Yet there are sources claiming that it was used earlier than that, even as far back as in the 17th century. I have not been able to verify that.

The Spanish province Andalusia (Andalucia) got its name by the Vandals, who resided there for a time before continuing to Africa. It was called Vandalusia, or Vandalita; the former later becoming Andalusia.

Answer to Quiz 40:3

Miskatonic University is a literary creation. Who wrote about it?

H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) wrote about Miskatonic University. It's named after the Miskatonic River, a fictional river and can be found in Ankham, a fictitious town. All these are products of the author's imagination, but he placed all of it in Massachusetts.

Miskatonic University figures in several stories by Lovecraft (in his Cthulhu Mythos), and also in numerous works by subsequent authors. It is famous for it's collection of occult literature, including the infamous “Necronomicon”, which is probably the most famous book that doesn't exist. Lovecraft refers to it, and so does his followers (other authors). However, while, indeed, Necronomicon doesn't exist, it has got a literary presence by being repeatedly referred to, and it frequently turns up in popular culture. Books called Necronomicon have also been produced and sold by unscrupulous publishers, but none of them is the real thing, since the real thing is only imaginary.

According to Lovecraft, the original of Necronomicon was in Arabic, “Kitab al-Azif“, written by Abdul Alhazred, the “Mad Arab”.

Lovecraft was a very influential author, most appreciated by other authors, but is still relatively unknown to the general international public (contrary to, for instance, Edgar Allan Poe). You can read about him in my article Lovecraft was More than Horror.

Answer to Quiz 40:4

Which film-maker, active for over 60 years, was known as “The Master of Suspense”?

Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980). He is one of the most important film-makers in history, his work is often studied even by modern directors. He was a pioneer who developed the art of film-making considerably. His specialities were suspense and horror (according to the view of the time).

Answer to Quiz 40:5

"There was a young lady in Riga,

who went on a ride with a tiger;

they returned from the ride

with the lady inside

and a smile on the face of the tiger.

What is this sort of verse called?

It is called a limerick, which @Trifecta knew.

You can read more about limericks and other verses in Rhyme & Reason: Verse, Structure, & Memory. There are also two more examples of limericks.

Answer to Quiz 40:6

“Royal blue” is a shade of blue that was invented for a dress to a British queen, which queen?

It was invented for a dress to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818), that is British Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III. Incidentally, she is said to have introduced the Christmas tree to Britain in 1800.

And now some new exercises for brain & memory...

Quiz 41:1

The world's smallest army was founded in 1506. It still exists, 110 men strong. Where do we find this army?

Quiz 41:2

Apart from eyes of some species, one hardly sees blue colour in mammals. There is one exception though – what?

Quiz 41:3

Who did receive the very first Nobel Prize in Physics?

Why was he awarded the prize?

Quiz 41:4

What is the name of the Hunchback of Notre Dame? And who wrote the book about him?

Quiz 41:5

Why should you never ingest (eat or drink) anything sour that has been packed in aluminium (foil or can)?

Quiz 41:6

This is an illustration for “The Man with the Twisted Lip”, a Sherlock Holmes story. The story was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but who made the classical illustrations (including the one displayed here) when the stories were first published? This illustrator created the appearance of Holmes, as we still think of him.

You'll find answers and solutions in the next “Quizzes & Puzzles”.

Quizzes & Puzzles has 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.

Copyright © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved

(Cartoon by Christian Dorn/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)

(All the images are in the Public Domain.)