Latest answers

Latest answers

Saturday, June 9, 2018

406. A mother's tears?


This aromatic tree gets its name from the mother of Adonis. She was transformed into a tree after having had intercourse with her father and gave birth to Adonis as a tree (as shown in the painting). According to legend, the aromatic exudings of the tree are her tears. Name the tree, which is native to West Asia and Horn of Africa and whose resin has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense, and medicine? Additional point for identifying the painter.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

405. Corny Beginnings?

His remains were relinquished to an unmarked grave in Kolkata, India, until the fact was unearthed by a keen eyed researcher only a few years ago.  He is probably the reason why many in India have to partake of  a portion of their yearly earnings to the government exchequer, though that is probably the least known fact about him. Something that he established in the 19th century had a rather corny inspiration but continues to thrive in the modern age today and in 2007, started publishing a lifestyle focused spin-off, named after the year of its (the 19th century something's, not the spin-off's) own birth.

Who was this champion of free-trade? What did he establish? When? 

Sunday, June 3, 2018

404. (Not) a very childish pastime....

Though now associated with a fun "thing" for kids by virtue of the work done in sequence by an engineering count and an author with some intelligence, some believe that its ultimate origins were far from kiddish. The first half (a double word construct) comes from an innocuous enough Sanskrit word with an epistolary nature that was borrowed by the Tommies. In the lonely barracks of World War Two, this may have been bonded with the second half (another double word construct) for the whole to signify that the bearer now had permission to partake in the pleasures of the "maisons tolérées".


What? Which author?