Quizzes & Puzzles 51

Some new problems with which to exercise the brain. But first a look at answers and solutions to Quizzes & Puzzles 50. New problems below the image (cartoon).

Answer to Quiz 50:1

If you compare these fonts, the letters at the bottom have a small line at the end of the strokes - what is such a little line called?

It is called a “serif”. A font without serif is called “sans serif”.

@Sylv_Sylv knew the right answer, serif. Obviously @Trifecta did so as well.

Answer to Quiz 50:2

One of the most famous comic strips ever, is Peanuts. Who created it?

If you don't know about Peanuts, let me give you one clue: One of the main characters is a dog named Snoopy.

Charles M. Shulz. His Peanuts has been extreemely successful, perhaps it is the most successful comic strip ever. No doubt, it has profoundly influenced subsequent comics, not at least by setting standards for the form of comic strips.

@Sylv_Sylv and @Ling01 answered this question correctly.

Answer to Quiz 50:3

In the history of Islam, all caliphates have been Sunni Muslim, except one that was Shia Muslim; which one was that? What was it called?

It was the Fatimide caliphate, which had its centre in Egypt. About caliphates, I quote my Muslim Titles: Caliph, Sultan, Vizier:

The word "caliph" stems from Arabic khalīfah, meaning "successor" or "deputy". In Islam, it occurs in the sense of “khalīfa rasūl Allāh”, meaning "Deputy of God's Messenger", a title worn by the Prophet Muhammed's successor as the leader of all Muslims. The title existed from the year 622, when Abu Bakr adopted it as he succeeded the Prophet Muhammed, and until 1924, when it was abolished by Kemal Atatürk. Subsequent attempts to re-establish a caliphate (title and jurisdiction of a caliph) have never gained general recognition.

From the beginning, Sunnites and Shi'ites had different views on what was required for someone to be a caliph. For the Sunnites, the view was that he should be elected according to some procedure; for the Shi'ites he must be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammed.

In practice, historical caliphates have been hereditary within different dynasties and there have been occasions with several rival caliphates at the same time. All caliphates have been Sunni Muslim except the Fatimid Caliphate, which was a Shia caliphate.

The following historical caliphates are usually reckoned with:

• Rashidun Caliphate 632–661. Immediate successor of the Prophet Muhammed.

• Ummayyad Caliphate 661-750.

• The Abbasid Caliphate of Baghdad (750–1258).

• The Abbasid Caliphate of Cairo (1261–1517).

• The Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171).

• Ummayyad Caliphate of Cordoba (929-1031).

• Almohad Caliphate (1121-1269).

• The Ottoman Caliphate (1362-1924).

For more specifically about the Fatimides, I recommend you to read another article of mine: The Fatimids of Egypt, The Only Shi'ite Caliphate in History.

Answer to Quiz 50:4

The French republic (and the revolution) is symbolised by a woman in Phrygian cap. What's her name?

If you have ever collected stamps, you'll probably seen her on French stamps.

Her name is Marianne.

Answer to Quiz 50:5

Who was the actor who played Frankenstein's monster in the classical movies “Frankenstein” from 1931, “Bride of Frankenstein” from 1935, and “Son of Frankenstein” from 1939? His appearance in the films came to be normative for how people imagine the looks of this monster.

His name was Boris Karloff.

Answer to Quiz 50:6

How is a lemniscate shaped?

Like the infinity symbol, or a number eight rotated 90 degrees. @Ling01 knew this.

Answer to Quiz 50:7

Karkadé (also called, for instance, Arhul ka phool, sorrel or roselle) is a blood red tea with many health benefits. From which plant is it made?

Hibiscus. This is quoted from my article Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects. If you want to read about its effects on health, please read the full article.

“Hibiscus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, gives a blood-red tea - also called karkadé, Arhul ka phool, sorrel, roselle, or some other of a number of different local names - which has been used around the world for a long time. It contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, the glycosid hibiscin, plus a number of other compounds. The colour comes from the anthocyanins delphinidin and cyanidin, two biologically very potent bioflavonoids.”

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

Quiz 51:1

Which of the following substances are not B-vitamins?

• Pantothenic acid

• Nicotinic acid

• Ascorbic acid

• Pyridoxine

• Cholecalciferol

• Orotic acid

• Melatonin

• Riboflavin

• Pangamic acid

• Salicylic acid

• Thiamin

• Methionine

Quiz 51:2

Cleopatra is a famous Egyptian ruler from history. However, she (the one we normally call just Cleopatra) was not the only one in her family (the Ptolemaic family) with that name, and she was definitely not the first. So, if we would be strict, we would also add a number to her name - which number?

Quiz 51:3

What is the highest number on a normal roulette wheel?

Quiz 51:4

Who is the only person who has received two unshared Nobel Prizes?

Quiz 51:5

From which mineral was genuine ultramarine made? It was one of the most expensive pigments in the world (although nowadays it is made synthetically).

Quiz 51:6

Which Italian Renaissance prince was called “Il Magnifico”, and over which city state did he rule?

Quiz 51:7

The first animal to circle earth in a spacecraft was a dog; what was its name?

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.

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

(All the images are in the Public Domain.)