In the late noughties /early twenty tens, I enjoyed a wonderful daily distraction courtesy a website called Worldatlas.com and its genial enterprising owner, American, John Moen, and I’m assuming many orienteers, with their love of maps and wide geographical knowledge could be similarly diverted.
John would post on his site two obscure clues to a (not necessarily obscure) geographical location anywhere in the world, at a very precise moment, e.g., 9.00 am EST (Eastern Standard Time). The first person in the world to post the correct answer would win $100. He would give a very short additional clue (often critical to its solution) simultaneously on Twitter and Facebook. Participants would sit at their PCs or laptops (not so many iPhones then) at one minute before 9.00 am EST frantically refreshing to catch the clues as soon as they appeared. Sometimes the correct answer would be posted within minutes or even seconds, but it usually took longer, sometimes days, and very occasionally, no one got it right, even after an additional clue.
Another American lady realised that, if you’d already posted your answer, you could then ‘blab’ it to the world at large, because, if it was right, no one could beat you as you’d already posted it. She set up a Facebook page called ‘Blab your Answers’ which generated an extraordinary amount of good-natured banter with great deal of ridiculing of ‘answers’. Although occasionally good ‘wrong’ answers could elicit approbation.
There was also an occasional $500 quiz with single clues to 5 locations, where the first person to post 5 correct answers won the prize. I‘ve kept a record of one of these quizzes in which it took a considerable amount of time (many days) for a winner (a previous serial winner) to emerge as the first to get all 5 right to win $500. In the meantime only 2 people had got 4 right (including me) and 3 had got 3 right. Each of these won $100.
The 5 questions in this quiz will be posted on this thread at precisely 7.00 pm (19.00hrs) GMT on Saturday 28th March 2020
Please email your answers to me at cvdesign@globalnet.co.uk You can send them through one or several at a time, but, if you add to you answers progressively, always include your previous answers, which you can change if you like. I shall not reveal any of the answers, or tell you whether you’re right until responses have dried up or someone has got them all right! Multiple attempts at answers are acceptable, but please always include them all with each attempt (I can’t collate your emails, i.e., one email per attempt). If any of the questions are not answered correctly, I may give an additional clue before revealing the answer. For interest, during the quiz, I may reveal how many correct answers I have received to how many questions, without of course revealing any of the answers , submittees’ identities, or to which questions. I’m hoping this quiz is sufficiently historical (2009) to have disappeared completely from the Net and anyone’s memory. If however, you participated, or remember any of the answers, then you are ineligible.
PS Sadly John sold his website in 2014, and the new owner stopped the quizzes. They were very much an extension of John’s personality, and, also sadly, I can’t afford a $500 prize, especially at the current $ to £ exchange rate!
BTW Orienteers, being generally pretty smart people, I’m expecting quick submission of 5 correct answers – prove me right!
Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Moderators: [nope] cartel, team nopesport
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Excellent idea. I look forward to it as I look forward to the equally fiendish IPC Technet Element of the Week quiz each Friday.
This quiz has Dave Hillman posting a series of clues to an element where each clue could relate to more than one element but when taken together narrow it down to a single element. For example, one from many years ago:
The Question:
This element is essential for life. The ratio of two of this element's isotopes has been used to trace the origins of skeletons. This element in its liquid state is a pale blue color and has magnetic properties. What is the element is being described?
The only prize offered are the "services" of Clumpy and Kloumpios for a week where winners just relate activities at work and home they've been occupied with.
This quiz has Dave Hillman posting a series of clues to an element where each clue could relate to more than one element but when taken together narrow it down to a single element. For example, one from many years ago:
The Question:
This element is essential for life. The ratio of two of this element's isotopes has been used to trace the origins of skeletons. This element in its liquid state is a pale blue color and has magnetic properties. What is the element is being described?
The only prize offered are the "services" of Clumpy and Kloumpios for a week where winners just relate activities at work and home they've been occupied with.
- pigweed
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Quiz Questions:
Question 1:
On most maps this massive landform (one of the largest of its type in the world) is dissected by a dashed imaginary line.
Question 2:
There is an old building here (now a museum) that was the site of the absolute first utilisation of a now well-used natural resource.
Question 3:
This man-made wonder of engineering required so many workers to complete that a town was built just to accommodate them. That town is a busy tourist attraction today.
Question 4:
Separating two continents, it has more given names than you can count on two hands.
Question 5:
Founded by a man with controversial religious beliefs, it is one of the five largest cities within a familiar geographical shape.
Please email your answers to me at cvdesign@globalnet.co.uk You can send them through one or several at a time, but, if you add to you answers progressively, always include your previous answers, which you can change if you like. I shall not reveal any of the answers, or tell you whether you’re right until responses have dried up or someone has got them all right! Multiple attempts at answers are acceptable, but please always include them all with each attempt (I can’t collate your emails, i.e., one email per attempt). If any of the questions are not answered correctly, I may give an additional clue before revealing the answer. For interest, during the quiz, I may reveal how many correct answers I have received to how many questions, without of course revealing any of the answers , submittees’ identities, or to which questions. I’m hoping this quiz is sufficiently historical (2009) to have disappeared completely from the Net and anyone’s memory. If however, you participated, or remember any of the answers, then you are ineligible.
Important:
Please do not post any chat whatsoever about your ‘answers’ or difficulty with the questions on here until after I have revealed all the answers. Please make comments only to me privately by email.
Many thanks
Question 1:
On most maps this massive landform (one of the largest of its type in the world) is dissected by a dashed imaginary line.
Question 2:
There is an old building here (now a museum) that was the site of the absolute first utilisation of a now well-used natural resource.
Question 3:
This man-made wonder of engineering required so many workers to complete that a town was built just to accommodate them. That town is a busy tourist attraction today.
Question 4:
Separating two continents, it has more given names than you can count on two hands.
Question 5:
Founded by a man with controversial religious beliefs, it is one of the five largest cities within a familiar geographical shape.
Please email your answers to me at cvdesign@globalnet.co.uk You can send them through one or several at a time, but, if you add to you answers progressively, always include your previous answers, which you can change if you like. I shall not reveal any of the answers, or tell you whether you’re right until responses have dried up or someone has got them all right! Multiple attempts at answers are acceptable, but please always include them all with each attempt (I can’t collate your emails, i.e., one email per attempt). If any of the questions are not answered correctly, I may give an additional clue before revealing the answer. For interest, during the quiz, I may reveal how many correct answers I have received to how many questions, without of course revealing any of the answers , submittees’ identities, or to which questions. I’m hoping this quiz is sufficiently historical (2009) to have disappeared completely from the Net and anyone’s memory. If however, you participated, or remember any of the answers, then you are ineligible.
Important:
Please do not post any chat whatsoever about your ‘answers’ or difficulty with the questions on here until after I have revealed all the answers. Please make comments only to me privately by email.
Many thanks
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
No correct answers yet received to any of the questions.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Still no correct answers received to any of the questions.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Have still received no 'right' answers to any of the questions, but have I received good 'wrong' answers to 3 of them that are on the right lines. One 'wrong' answer was very good indeed!
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Still no 'right' answers to any of the questions. Think laterally and of alternatives.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
I've now had an answer that is arguably at least as good and very similar to the 'right' answer. It shows up Mr Moen's inevitable American bias when compiling his quizzes. Incidentally, I got Mr Moen's answer as one of my 4 'right' answers to his original quiz, as must have the winner (an American) who got all Mr Moen's answers. I shall accept either answer.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Time for some hints:
Question 1: Think wet
Question 2: Think wet
Question 3: Think large
Question 4: Think wide (relatively), and remember you have a minimum of ten fingers on two hands
Question 5: Think small
Question 1: Think wet
Question 2: Think wet
Question 3: Think large
Question 4: Think wide (relatively), and remember you have a minimum of ten fingers on two hands
Question 5: Think small
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Two more hints:
Question 1: Think (relatively) small
Question 4: Think (relatively) narrow
Question 1: Think (relatively) small
Question 4: Think (relatively) narrow
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Gnitworp wrote:I've now had an answer that is arguably at least as good and very similar to the 'right' answer. It shows up Mr Moen's inevitable American bias when compiling his quizzes. Incidentally, I got Mr Moen's answer as one of my 4 'right' answers to his original quiz, as must have the winner (an American) who got all Mr Moen's answers. I shall accept either answer.
Several people have now come up with this answer, and one has included a reference to the correct answer without bothering to research it (he's just lazy!)
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Gnitworp wrote: One 'wrong' answer was very good indeed!
A second person has submitted this same 'wrong' answer, which is very close indeed in more ways than one to the 'right' answer.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Still only 2 questions almost answered.
I'm being to realise that aficionados of Mr Moen's quizzes (including me) had developed an understanding over several years of his devious mind with his daily quizzes, nevertheless the winner proved that a solution was possible (without the additional clues that I'm giving you) to all the admittedly somewhat equivocal clues in this quiz. There were of course a lot more people worldwide participating.
Being realistic, I'm still hoping for 5 correct answers, even if each is submitted by a different person.
I'm being to realise that aficionados of Mr Moen's quizzes (including me) had developed an understanding over several years of his devious mind with his daily quizzes, nevertheless the winner proved that a solution was possible (without the additional clues that I'm giving you) to all the admittedly somewhat equivocal clues in this quiz. There were of course a lot more people worldwide participating.
Being realistic, I'm still hoping for 5 correct answers, even if each is submitted by a different person.
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
More Hints:
Question 1: Wet and seventh largest
Question 2: US first?
Question 3: Wet and largest
Question 4: Many current names
Question 5: In the absolute smallest
Question 1: Wet and seventh largest
Question 2: US first?
Question 3: Wet and largest
Question 4: Many current names
Question 5: In the absolute smallest
- Gnitworp
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Re: Fiendishly Difficult Quiz
Three right answers received this morning!
Keep going!
No excuses now with the extra hints, which have, to a considerable extent, plugged Mr Moen's ambiguities.
Keep going!
No excuses now with the extra hints, which have, to a considerable extent, plugged Mr Moen's ambiguities.
- Gnitworp
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