X was launched on March 15, 1993, as an internet relay chat (IRC) bot. It originated from a computer at the University of Minnesota in the United States, set up by British researcher Simon King. The world HQ for X is currently located in Bangalore. What is X which features a much looked-up utility called “Statsguru”?

The term ‘petrichor’ was coined in 1964 by Australian scientists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Grenfell Thomas investigating the basics of why rocks and minerals give off a characteristic odour when moistened. Petrichor was derived from Greek ‘petra’ for stone and ‘ichor’ for a mythical fluid said to flow in the veins of the Greek gods. The Tamil term (2 words) for petrichor is also the title of a 1980’s megahit Kollywood movie. What is that term?

This 8-letter word refers to a dining room sideboard or a display cabinet and literally means ‘belief’ or ‘trust’ in Italian. In 16th-century Italy, nobles feared being poisoned by their enemies. A servant would taste the food and drink first to prove it was safe, an action representing ‘trust’ or --------. Over time, the name for the test moved to describe the sideboard or the room where the food sat before being served and then on to its present-day meaning. What 8-letter word is this?

Francis P. Houdina was a former U.S. Army electrical engineer and founder of the Houdina Radio Control Co. He is famous for building and demonstrating the "American Wonder", widely cited as one of the earliest experimental radio-operated “X” in July 1925. What is X (2 words)?

Johann Sebastian Bach enjoyed X so much that he composed the “X Cantata” which described X as “lovelier than a thousand kisses”. In India, South Indians enjoy X more than those in the North. What is X (6 letters)?

The first person known to have used this verb was Larry Page, the Google co-founder, in the year 1998 when he said: “Have fun and keep --------!”. In later years, though, Google discouraged the use of this verb for trademark reasons, worrying that it would be a victim of “genericide”. What 8-letter word (or verb) is this?

What element of the periodic table derives its name from the Arabic ‘al-qalyah’ meaning ‘plant ashes’? (Hint: what you get plenty of when you eat bananas!)

The Cooch Behar Trophy is a BCCI run tournament for the under-19 cricketers and is equivalent to the Ranji Trophy for that age group. All teams that compete for the Ranji Trophy also send teams to the Cooch Behar tournament except these two due to a technicality associated with the fact that the participants are required to be 19 years old or younger. Which 2 teams are these?

The ‘batacchio’ was a comedic tool used in 16th century Italian theatre that made a loud clapping noise when it struck an actor, allowing for the illusion of a harsh hit without any actual pain. What genre of entertainment got its name from this tool?

Com-Pat (London, 1964) and Operation Match (Harvard, 1965) were two of the earliest examples of this type of service whereby participants filled out a questionnaire and mailed it with a prescribed fee. At the receiver’s end the survey responses were processed through computers using punch cards to churn out information that was sent back to the participants. These initiatives were short-lived but were fore-runners of what popular modern-day digital services or applications?

While working on a mystery type of delivery different from the conventional leg-spin or the googly, X was supposed to have discovered Y which essentially is a delivery that imparts a back-spin to the ball and skids straight through low and at quick speed after pitching. Who was X and what is Y?

The South Sea Company was a British public-private entity created in 1711 with the goal of reducing national debt. A key avenue for generating revenue through its first charter was to be through the supply of African slaves to South America, primarily. This entity’s stock value crashed when slave trade did not materialise to the extent anticipated due mainly to Britain’s involvement in the War of Spanish Succession. Many common investors came to financial ruin as a result of the so-called South Sea Bubble including a personality who was reported to have remarked that he could “calculate the motion of stars but not the madness of people”. Who was this personality?

The word X stems from Latin meaning "one who prescribes". Originally, the term lacked the negative, tyrannical connotations it has today. In the Roman Republic, X was an emergency leader temporarily appointed by the Senate with absolute authority to resolve a crisis—such as a military threat. Once the crisis passed or their six-month term ended, X was expected to relinquish power. What is X?

What is the Indian connection between (a) a lightweight sheer cotton fabric used in medical bandaging, bookbinding, summer apparel etc. and (b) an unstoppable force?

What invention introduced in 1928 by the American Otto Frederick Rohwedder revolutionised the quality of life in households to such an extent that an enduring phrase was coined around the invention that would serve as a linguistic yardstick for innovation in general? (Hint: The device, which is the subject of this invention, would cut, align and wrap immediately an edible item!)

The Carnatic Raga “Veetavanam” created in 2019 by Chitraveena N Ravikiran honours a well-known personality from the past. Can you name the personality?

This is a highly popular Ugandan street snack made by rolling an omelette (usually mixed with diced vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and cabbage) inside a warm chapati. It was reported in certain quarters that in 2023 this European brand moved to patent and register its trademark in Uganda so as to protect its prestige from being associated with a greasy street snack – although there is no published registration record for the same! Yet, the irony associated with the same name for the two products still endures! What name is this?

This idiom originated in 19th-century horse racing. It refers to a jockey who is so far ahead of the competition that victory is absolutely certain. Confident in the win, the jockey would relax and literally drop these or loosen their grip on the reins before crossing the finish line. What is this idiom (2 words)?

What was first introduced on July 12, 2001, as a response to a massive online demand for pictures of the green Versace dress worn by Jennifer Lopez in February 2000 for the Grammy Awards function?

In describing the virtues of Bazball, the attacking form of Test Cricket pioneered by England coach Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes in 2022 used the example of bowling to X when the latter scored a century at greater than a run a ball, saying "The more we see players like that succeed, the more the negativity around that type of Test cricket will eventually die out because it is so exciting to watch, because cricket is an entertainment business. Yes, you want results but you want people to enjoy watching a spectacle. Yes, cricket has always been a spectacle but it's about doing it differently now. So yeah, cheers X". Who was that Mr. X that Ben Stokes was using as an example?

This word was originally coined in England in the 2nd half of 19th century but is almost exclusively used in the US! The word has a strong ‘association’ with a current global event. What word is this?

“X Spare Motor Wheel Ltd.”, a British company in the early 1900’s, made detachable spare wheels for cars. The company itself was named after X, an area in East London. The company’s product became popular in parts of the British Empire including India and the brand name became a generic noun in South Asia in due course of time. Can you identify X?

To keep worshippers from taking too much holy water, Hero of Alexandria created a device that spurted water when a coin was put in. What was this a very early example of? (2 words)

Foosball (also called table football or table soccer) is a tabletop game played with control rods having miniature figures which are manoeuvred by players to strike a small ball into the opponent’s goal. The American standup comedian Mitch Hedberg once took a funny dig at this sport by saying “I think foosball is a combination of soccer and ----- ------ (5,6)” where the blanks refer to a popular dish of middle eastern origin! Can you fill in the blanks?

The name of this large London HQ’d MNC traces back to the 19th century when Marcus Samuel, a British entrepreneur, established a business that imported and sold decorative items extracted from molluscs (invertebrate creatures found in the oceans). Samuel’s family eventually built another business that grew to be much larger than their original import business. Which MNC is this?

In IT and user-interface design what term is used to denote a navigation aid that shows a user’s current location within a hierarchy and the path taken to get there? For instance, on an e-commerce website one might see: Home > Electronics > Computers > Laptops > Gaming Laptops. Each level can usually be clicked on to let the user jump back to a higher category. [Hint: The 10-letter single word term (sometimes hyphenated) comes from the fairy tale of Hansel & Gretel in which the children drop something along a trail so they can find their way back home.]

The English playwright John Dennis created a system for making a certain type of noise (sound effect) in his tragedy play “Appius & Virginia”. Sadly, the play was a flop and closed soon. While attending another play shortly thereafter, he was surprised to find the same system being used forcing him to state “They will not let my play run, but they ----- -- -------". What commonly used phrase did this incident give rise to? [Hint: Fill in the blanks with a 3-word term (5,2,7)].

What digital revolution did Kyocera’s VP-210 – a Japanese product released in 1999 – unintentionally help usher in? The term associated with this revolution was reportedly first used in this context in Australia in 2002 in an online forum: "Um, drunk at a mate’s 21st, I tripped ofer [sic] and landed lip first (with front teeth coming a very close second) on a set of steps. I had a hole about 1cm long right through my bottom lip. And sorry about the focus, it was a ------."

A ------- button is typically a push-button that seems to have functionality but has no effect when pressed. Such a button can appear to work, by lighting up etc., which gives the user a false sense of control. Common examples are: the ‘close’ button in an elevator; the pedestrian crossing button; the temperature control setting in an office thermostat etc. What are such buttons called (or fill in the blank with a 7-letter term that is commonly used in the medical profession)?

Invented in 1957 in New Jersey (USA), this product was originally intended to be textured wallpaper but did not gain market traction. A subsequent application targeted for greenhouses as a thermal insulator did not succeed either. Breakthrough came in the early 1960’s when the inventors convinced IBM to use the product as a means to protect its computers! This last application helped make this product ‘pop’ular in more ways than one! What amazing product are we talking about here? (Hint: 2 words)

In British naval tradition, three shots fired from a fort on land was considered the equivalent of one fired from a ship which typically carried 7 cannons. What present-day practice arose from this tradition?

In 1777, this country became the first sovereign state to recognise the independence of the United States. The name of this country is derived from the name of its key city which in olden days used to be known as Amur n Yakus (“the land of God”). An interesting feature of this country is that one can ski on its famed mountains and reach desert dunes the same day! Which country is this?

Here is a list of international cricketers who are connected in a way (other than that they played the sport at the highest level!): Denis Compton, Keith Miller, Fazal Mahmood, Mr. X and Kevin Pietersen. Can you identify Mr. X? (Hint: They all modelled for a certain product brand; Compton & Mr. X were in fact dubbed the “ _____ Boys” where the blank stands for the brand name!)

At 6800 km the Amazon is the 2nd longest river in the world, contains more fresh water than any other river, flows through 3 countries (Peru, Colombia and Brazil) and has 30 million people living in its basin. Yet, curiously, it does not have a single one of this facility from its source to eventual discharge – something that is seen in plenty in other major rivers! What are we talking about here?

In Hindu mythology, Trishanku Swarga is a “neither here nor there” situation (caught between the Heaven and Earth). A roughly equivalent description in Christian tradition refers to a region on the border of Hell reserved for pre-Christian saints and has given rise to the phrase “in ____” which denotes a situation where someone is caught between two stages and it is unsure what will happen next. What is the word in the blank?

This American billionaire who has the asteroid 128242 named after her, famously stated in a 2022 commencement address at New York University: “Never be ashamed of trying! Effortlessness is a myth!”. The noted singer-songwriter James Taylor is strongly connected with this personality in one sense. Who is this personality?

Located in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu, this town is known for its silk weaving and ghee. It was also the ancestral town of a legendary Indian novelist who in 1981 was made Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts & Letters. Can you name this town?

What long running US soap opera (1956-2010) that aired on CBS got its name from a quote by its creator Irna Phillips “-- --- ----- -----, we know the bleakness of winter, the promise of spring, the fullness of summer, and the harvest of autumn - the cycle of life is complete.” Which US-based FMCG company produced this drama from 1956 to 2008?

What word (8 letters) was given to the English language by an 18th century British army officer Henry -------- who served in the French and Napoleonic wars and who developed an artillery shell designed to burst in the air and scatter lead balls over enemy troops?

In the US after Reconstruction (that followed shortly after the end of the Civil War), the state of Louisiana required a literacy test to cast a ballot, but exempted people whose ancestors had voted. This discriminatory practice – intended to disenfranchise black voters - was the origin of a popular legal term. What 2-word term is this?

“Gatting’s team was no less impressive in the field. They bowled as a unit, the spinners tying up one end while the seamers attacked from the other. Dilley simply bowled down the “X” and let the ball do the rest” – an excerpt from Peter Roebuck’s Nov 20, 1986 article in The Melbourne Age. This was, by many accounts, the first instance of the use of a now popular 3-word phrase in the cricketing context. What is X?

“X” Triangle is a region rich in a certain resource in the Western Hemisphere – a resource that is highly valued in the global “Green” initiative. “X” takes its name for “stone” from Latin as it was originally discovered in a rock sample – to differentiate it from its “element”-ary cousins that were discovered first in plant tissues. What is X?

If Bollywood denotes Mumbai based films and Kollywood, Chennai based offerings then where do Nollywood movies come from? (Hint: The letter N denotes the country of origin; one of the largest film industries in the world with many movies being made in English).

An important recognition came to pre-independent India on April 13, 1947 – something that was first of its kind and laid the foundation in some ways for India’s future diplomatic alignment. What was this early recognition?

Medieval carpenters nailing door nails, had a practice of first striking them all the way in, then hammering the head sideways in a way that ensured it couldn’t be pulled out or used again. What common phrase has this practice inspired?

“The Pan-European Picnic”, a peace demonstration held in the Hungarian border town of Sopron in August 1989, started off a domino-like chain of events that led to a pivotal moment in history. What moment was this?

X is generally regarded as the place where the first public stock exchange came into existence (early 17th century) and Y was the first entity to issue shares of public stock. Can you name X and Y?

Which Bengaluru HQ’d enterprise dealing in a certain edible consumable is named in recognition of the current trend that treats it as an artisanal, high-quality product (rather than a mass commodity) prioritizing origin traceability, direct trade and meticulous production techniques? Earlier phases of this consumable focused on convenience and large-scale access (mid-18th to mid-20th centuries) and subsequently the country of origin as well as store experience became the focus (1960’s to early 2000’s). [Hint: 3 words]

Currently this phrase is mostly used to denote a compromise solution. It had its origin in ancient philosophy and came to be associated strongly with Aristotle’s principle of the Golden Mean. In the 19th century, it gained prominence in England to describe the position of the Church of England as a middle path between Roman Catholicism and Protestant Reform movements. What 2-word phrase is this?

The word “quoit” refers to a ring of iron or rubber thrown in a game to encircle or land as close as possible to an upright peg. What other sport, especially popular in India, took its name from this word?

In 2012, Conoco-Phillips sold their oil refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania. The purchase was considered highly unusual at the time as it was not expected that the buyer would venture into such a deal! The refinery is still owned and operated by this buyer. Can you guess who the high-flying buyer was who purchased the refinery?

What common slang word had its origin in the 18th century practice by American frontiersmen of trading deerskin for buying goods?

This sport was first devised in 1875 in Ooty (Tamil Nadu) by Neville Chamberlain, a British army officer. Its name was actually a derogatory term referring to anyone playing the sport poorly, especially a junior officer! An interesting fact is that in 1969, the BBC introduced a TV series “Pot Black” in order to not only popularise this sport but also to showcase the then new medium of colour television as this sport with its colourful equipment was perfect for that! What sport are we referring to here?

What is one word common to these 3 situations? (1) a computer controlled by another person without the owner's knowledge and used for sending spam or for other illegal activities; (2) a cocktail consisting of several kinds of rum, liqueur and fruit juice; (3) a company that is not growing significantly or reaching profitability but continuing to operate, sustained by existing funding, low operational costs, or founders' bootstrapping. (Hint: a corpse said to be revived through witchcraft).

Referring to the year 2008, which of these names is the odd one out and why? Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Saurav Ganguly.

US based startup “____ Robotics” has recently been in the news for securing a large US Navy contract for cost-effective repair inspection of aging ships using its sensor-loaded robots that can fly, swim and climb infrastructure! This step-out capability is a case of mimicking the action of this creature – after which this startup is named - that can stick to walls and ceilings thanks to microscopic structures on its feet that use van der Waals forces. Complete the name of this enterprise by filling in the blank (5-letter word).

This city was named in recognition of the fact that it was discovered by early explorers on New Year’s Day in 1502. An interesting fact is that this city, though located outside Europe, once served as the capital of a European power that colonised it – during 1808-1822! Which city is this that is also home to one of only two of the Seven Modern Wonders of the world located in the southern hemisphere?

This ancient Indian raga is supposed to evoke sentiments of romantic longing. Its name is derived by combining 2 words – the first meaning “strong or formidable” in Sanskrit and the second referring to a tree with bright red blossoms called “flame of the forest”. The second part of the name also refers to a historic place in Bengal (derived directly from the name of the tree) where a pivotal battle took place in the 18th century. Name the raga.

Derived from French, this 7-letter word meaning “part or portion of a larger piece” has found prominence in the recent past – especially in the context of the infamous Epstein files! This word finds extensive use in the financial world too – to denote, for example, an instalment of funds. Interestingly, the term “------- warfare” was coined as a word-play during the 2008 financial crisis to describe the legal battles that arose amongst investors on how their assets should be handled. What word?

Belonging to the mint family, this odourless leaf (botanically known as “pogostemon cablin”) gives rise to a strong scented perfume oil of the same name which is derived from the Tamil language. Today, about 90% of this perfume oil is produced in Indonesia. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, both the perfume and incense (also derived from this leaf) became popular in the US & Europe mainly through the hippie culture. The 1976 pop/rock hit “Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart mentions this perfume by name! What is the 9-letter name for this leaf/perfume?

This historical town in northern Karnataka was formerly known as Vatapi and served as the capital of the Chalukyas during 6th-8th centuries. Its current name comes from the red-brown colour of the sandstone cliffs surrounding the town – akin to the colour of a popular variety of nut. Which town is this?

This 2-word term commonly used in sporting tournaments (especially the early stages of tournaments) had its origin in 17th century France when government officials and others would sign petitions with signatures attached to a circular ribbon to hide who signed first. What term is this?

What common phrase has its origin from the nautical world wherein a ship sailing well both “close to the wind” and “with the wind behind” was supposed to handle conditions well “-- --- -----“? (3 words 2,3,5).

In 1765, a French entrepreneur Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau started to serve up tiny cups of soup made with broth, salted poultry and fresh eggs on marble tables near the Louvre. He called his offering ---------- meaning “food that refreshes and revives strength”. With this was born a popular concept that is now ubiquitous! What concept is this? (The 10-letter word in the blank!)

Coined in 1947 by American copywriter Frances Gerety for De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd, this is one of the most successful advertising slogans in history. Ad Age voted this as the top slogan of the 20th century! What 4-word slogan is this? (Hint: The 3-word title of this 1971 Hollywood spy thriller is the plural form of the 4-word slogan!)

In the first landmark social media addiction trial that is currently ongoing in California against Meta and YouTube, lawyers for the plaintiff have likened the design of these platforms to those of other common addictive habits/products. Specifically, these lawyers cite these social media practices: (1) the infinite scroll and recommendations being similar to a -------- scenario which uses rewards and feedback loops; (2) marketing strategies akin to a historic industry practice aimed at promoting --------- ------- despite awareness of addiction and harm. What addictive practices are being compared to here in these two scenarios respectively?

In the Indian Railways notation of train stations, if SBC is Bengaluru City, MAS is Chennai Central and TVC is Trivandrum Central, then what is CAPE?

The birth of this much-loved Indian product/brand traces back to the first World War when Sir M Vishveswaraiah co-founded a production facility to help address the domestic surplus of an Indian commodity which is a key precursor for making this product – the war in Europe prevented regular export to a major market where it was put to use. Historically, this product/brand has been popular mainly in South India but starting with 2006 when MS Dhoni was appointed its first brand ambassador, there has been a concerted drive to popularise it across India. Which product/brand is this?

This sporting term (2 words) reputedly has its origin in the cry of a circus acrobat about to leap. In sports, this term first appeared in the 1950’s when used by the San Francisco 49’ers of the NFL to describe a high arcing pass from their quarterback to a wide receiver who would outleap smaller players of the opposition for touchdown receptions. Ironically, this term is now used predominantly in basketball! What term is this?

This country is unique in that its largest export is hydro-electricity. Quite often this country has likened itself to an “egg caught between two rocks”. Archery is this country’s national sport. Which country?

This cricketing term had its origin from an old English slang meaning “to trick or deceive” someone. The idea was that it described something that would “do a ------” meaning it would completely beat or trick someone, especially a countryman visiting London. What term?

The American Academy of Dermatology distinguishes five types of ------‘s: traumatic; amateur; professional; cosmetic; and medical. Its name is derived from a Polynesian word meaning “to strike”. The explorer James Cook was said to have remarked in 1779 “Its universality is a curious subject for speculation”. Virat Kohli once remarked, “I love ------‘s. And mine symbolise who I really am.”
What is the 6-letter word being referred to here?

What tongue-in-cheek idiom has its origin in the original travelling circus of 19th century promoted in the US by Henry Gentry as “Gentry’s Equine & Canine Paradox”?

This celebrity published his first novel “Operation Bellows” - set during World War II - in serial form before turning 11 years of age! In 1978, at the age of 22 years, he became the youngest, at that time, to receive a PhD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University (Massachusetts, USA). In 2006, he narrowly lost out becoming the Secretary General of the UN when the US vetoed his candidature. He was famous for saying, during a speech in May 2015: “The sun never set on the British Empire because even God couldn’t trust the English in the dark.” Can you identify this colourful personality?

SpoGomi is a sport invented in 2008 in Japan. The SpoGomi World Cup was held for the first time ever in Japan in 2023 and won by Great Britain. In this sport, teams of three compete within designated playing areas; each team gets an hour to complete a core activity and an additional 20 minutes for post-activity analysis. Teammates cannot be more than 10 metres apart from each other, and are not allowed to run. Teams are not allowed to enter rivers, oceans and private property. Points are awarded to teams for both quantity and quality of their collections. What activity do SpoGomi participants engage in? (2 words)

A statute passed in 1275 AD in England decreed that any point in time prior to July 6, 1189 AD when Richard I began his reign would be denoted thus. What is this phrase that has passed on to routine usage? (2 words)

This breed of dog was originally developed in the 19th century by a German tax collector, Karl Friedrich Louis ________ as a cross breed to protect him. Fill in the blank to identify the breed.

A somewhat shortened name of this place used to be Tavau and translates to “alpine meadow”. Much before this location shot to current prominence, it was famous as a health resort, chiefly its TB sanatoria, owing to its clean air. R.L. Stevenson, for instance, spent almost a year here during 1880-81 for TB treatment. Thomas Mann drew inspiration for his epic novel “The Magic Mountain” from this place! Can you identify this location that is now associated with the jet-set?

This company was founded in 1935 in Mumbai by Khwaja Abdul Hamied as the “Chemical, Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories”. In 1984, the name of this company was changed to the current name. Which company is this?

What low-cost art form which originated in 18th century Europe and that typically uses black colour for the subject in outline form was named after a French minister known for his austere economic policies?

What invention dating back to 1849 - and still in use today in its original form – was sold to W.R. Grace Corporation for $400 by its inventor ending up making millions of $ in profits for the company? The story goes that this inventor was fretting over a $15 debt by twisting a piece of brass wire when he got the inspiration for this device!

The US bought the Virgin Islands in 1917 for $25 million. What was the chief non-monetary concession made as part of this purchase by the US?

This phrase means “good fortune” especially in the sporting context and traces its origin to the 16th century in lawn bowling referring in particular to imperfections or obstacles on the playing surface that diverted a bowl. It was later adopted by golf for similar accidental deflections meaning a stroke of good or bad luck. What is this phrase? (Hint: 4 words)

_________ Jadeja was a 19th/20th century personality who acquired the nickname “Smith” owing to his colleagues having difficulty pronouncing his first name; eventually the nickname gave way to a shorter version of his first name. During 1920-23, he was part of the Indian delegation to the League of Nations – one of the earliest to secure this opportunity. In 1934, an iconic annual event was named after him to mixed reception with many believing he did not deserve this honour! Who was this personality who carried the title “Colonel” in front of his name?

In recognition of this author, the geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres (22,000 mi) above the equator is officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union as the _____ Orbit. A humorous quote attributed to this personality: I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we are sceptical. Who is this multi-faceted personality?

Can you name this Indian city which was mentioned by the Greek philosopher Ptolemy as “Orthoura”? This city was also famed for its cheroots which were locally produced and exported.

The Land Rush of 1889 was a massive, chaotic event where tens of thousands of settlers raced into this US state’s "Unassigned Lands" on April 22, 1889, to claim free plots of land under the so-called Homestead Act. Many rushed in ahead of the federally designated date to claim territory leading this state to be branded the “------ State”. Name this US state whose 2-letter abbreviation sounds like everything is alright. What is its nickname (the 6-letter blank).

This 4-letter slang is sometimes used to denote the instance of a batsman scoring four consecutive ducks in cricket. What word is this? (Hint: Think European brand!)

The name of this European country literally means “Little Fortress” in Old German. The "Little Fortress" was vital due to its location on a key military route connecting Frankish and Germanic lands, earning it the nickname "Gibraltar of the North". Which country is this?

All road traffic was stopped on September 3, 1967 at 4.50 AM for precisely 10 minutes throughout Sweden. What was the reason? Hint: This historic event, known as Dagen H (H-Day), was the largest logistical undertaking in Swedish history and left them out of step with England!

Which locality of Bangalore was developed after the grant of 4000 acres of agricultural land in 1882 by King Chamaraja Wodeyar to David Emmanuel Starkenburgh _____, founder of the European and Anglo-Indian Association?

In cricket, what slang term is given to the region between wide long-on and deep mid-wicket where very few batsmen aim to score deliberately leading to the concept that ____ could roam freely & undisturbed in this area? (Hint: Two words; 3-letter first word followed by a 6-letter word)

Which river (348 km long) rises in the Nandi Hills (Chikkaballapura District), flows eastward as an underground water body for some distance before emerging above ground and finally flows into the Bay of Bengal?

What exactly happened on November 13, 2012 in Mirpur (Bangladesh) off the very first ball delivered in a cricket Test match – something that gained a Guinness book entry?

What term refers to money/currency that is not backed by a physical commodity (such as gold), can be printed only by the issuing government and is used as legal tender by government decree? INR, USD and other currencies are all examples of this type of currency. (Hint: The name is the same as that of a famous European automobile brand).

This American MNC founded in 1910 by Jesse Schwayder in Denver, Colorado has its registered office in Luxembourg and a manufacturing plant in Nashik (India). The company was named after a Biblical strongman. Which company is this?

In economic theory pertaining to income inequality, the term “----- ---- Index” is sometimes used to denote the proportion of the population’s total income that, if redistributed, would give perfect income equality. What term is this? (Hint: 1st word – 5 letters; 2nd word – 4 letters).

In January 1939, Swedish parliamentarian and Social Democrat Erik Brandt did something unthinkable and was roundly criticized for his act and labeled a traitor. Brandt claimed that this was an act of irony on his part and that he was not being serious when he committed this act. This episode clearly showed how dangerous it was to use irony in a heated political setting. What “sin” did Erik Brandt actually commit?

He started out as a comedian and entertainer. In 2015, he created and starred in the highly successful TV serial “Servant of the People” in which he played the President of a country. In 2018, he formed a political party with the name “Servant of the People” which ran successfully in the national elections. In 2022, Time magazine named him “Person of the Year”. Who is this dynamic and versatile personality? (Hint: He is the news almost daily these days!)

This sporting term X comes from the 19th-century American slang Y meaning "excellent" or "amazing". The sporting term X originated in Atlantic City, New Jersey, around 1903 when one A.B. Smith called his shot a "Y of a shot". Can you identify X (6 letters) & Y (4 letters)?