The literal meaning of the name of this Mahabharatha character is “pot-headed”. In the epic, he is attributed with incredible powers of flight and his destruction by Karna is considered as a key turning point in the battle – in favour of the Pandavas for whom this character fought! He is venerated in Indonesia in many ways – an example was the naming of their first home-grown passenger aircraft after him! Who was this colourful and powerful character?

This 2-word term originated in 18th-century finance before being applied to politics. The phrase was first recorded in 1761 by writer Horace Walpole to describe stockbrokers who defaulted on their debts and could no longer pay what they owed akin to “an injured creature struggling to keep up with the rest of the group”. The term shifted from finance to American politics in the 1860’s to eventually refer to a leader or an administration that is on its last legs with little or no power. What term?

This word was introduced by Carl Linnaeus into scientific taxonomy in 1758 and is derived from Latin for "first rank". This same word also features in the official title of the Archbishop of Canterbury “______ of All England” which led Sydney Smith the 19th century English wit and clergyman to humorously compare the archbishop to the subject of Linnaeus’ coinage! What word?

The “X” List is a category in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India (Article 246) that contains subjects on which both the Union (central) government and state governments have the power to make laws. What is the word “X” used in this context?

What 2-word term commonly used in the world of commerce had its origin in the early 1700’s when short-selling animal skin traders regularly hoped for prices to fall for them to make a profit?

What term was physicist Robert Dicke credited with using first, in the early 1960’s, to denote a cosmic feature while comparing it to a notoriously cramped prison cell where people entered but virtually none left alive?

Edward Norris Hines (1870-1938), an American printer by trade, is considered one of the great innovators in road development. Hines originated a feature that is now commonly seen on roads through an idea that came to him after watching a leaky milk wagon leave a trail down the street. What road feature is this?

What traces its origin in 1931 to the introduction of Mazda-Go in Japan? Its subsequent spread to South East Asia happened when Japan exported used versions of these in order to expand its influence in the region. In India, the entrepreneur Navalmal Firodia is generally credited with their introduction through his company Jaya Hind Industries when it partnered with the Bachchraj Trading Company in 1948 to engineer a modified “India” version using Piaggio parts!

There were parodic campaigns for US President during the 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988 elections with “X” as the candidate originally nominated by Wavy Gravy (real name: Hugh Romney Jr.) who first became famous as the MC of the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969. The organizers of the campaign even staged a ticker-tape parade down a boulevard in Berkeley, California, with motorcycle police flanking a convertible limousine occupied by X. The campaign's slogans included "Because X is in Washington right now working for you," "X is perfect," and "X should have too much power." Name X, the parodic character! (Hint: 6 letter word).

Cesar ___ (1850-1918) was a Swiss businessman who opened hotels in Paris and London. These establishments came to be associated with luxury and opulence that around 1910, this word “X”, directly derived from this businessman’s last name, entered the English language - to denote anything ostentatiously stylish, expensive or high end! What was the last name of this gentleman? Also, what is that English word which we use commonly today?

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao (1930-2026), the legendary film maker directed a comedy film titled “___ Geetham” as his last effort which was released in June this year. One of his acclaimed films was the 1974 Tamil classic “Dikkatra Parvathi” (“Directionless Parvathi”) which was shot entirely in Thorapalli near Hosur, Tamil Nadu. Fill in the blank to get the full name of this legend’s last movie. Also, can you name the writer of “Dikkatra Parvathi” – the novel on which the film was based?

NBC rejected the very first pilot episode titled “The Cage” of this TV series in 1965 – the reason given was that it was too “cerebral” and too “weird”. This legendary actress whose company produced the pilot played a large part in helping to get this TV series a second chance! After the show moved to a regular series, the production company wanted to take it off the air in 1966 owing to high production costs. The actress stepped in again to veto the company executives and the series got another life. Needless to say, the TV series became a huge hit subsequently becoming a successful franchise eventually – TV, films, video games, novels and comic books! Which TV series is being spoken about here and who was that visionary actress?

The verse below became popular in Australia during 1932-33:

“With a prayer and a curse, they prepare for the hearse,
Undertakers look on with broad grins.
Oh, they'd be a lot calmer in Ned Kelly's armour
When ------- the wrecker begins.”

What was the context for the creation of this verse? Also, fill in the blank with a 7-letter last name of a person.

What brand, wanting sales in cold winter months, started – in the 1930’s - popularising Santa Claus in its ads as the latter’s traditional colours happened to match the brand’s colours?

What brand, now popular in India, had its origins in London in 1877 when it was launched by two Jewish families – Lazarus & Meyers - who were watchmakers & jewellers by tradition?

What part of the human anatomy was named by early scientists in recognition of its extremely small size comparable to human hair?

What common term now used to denote a stimulant made of multiple ingredients supposedly had its origin in the olden day practice of using a ginger suppository to perk up a dull horse?

This phrase which means “to reveal a secret or confidential information” is thought to have originated in the early 20th century in the US. However, the most commonly accepted account traces it back to ancient Greece in the context of election ballots. If the vase containing the ballots (white & black coloured legumes) was accidentally - or deliberately - knocked over, the result would be revealed before it was meant to be. What 3-word phrase is this?

This geographical location literally means “the Gate of Grief”. It was believed to be a key point for trans-continental human movement in the ancient times. In 1799, the British East India Company unilaterally seized a key island here on behalf of its Indian empire with the key aim of controlling maritime traffic before ceding to local administration in 1967. Name this strategic location which has been in the news lately.

This cricketing legend once said: "We were definitely the precursor but we were perhaps a bit ahead of our time." The innovation that this legend introduced ran in New Zealand for 7 years before it was pitched in 1998 to English authorities leading to its modification and wider adoption. Who is this legend and what innovation is being referred to here?

Baluswami Dikshitar (1786-1859) was the younger brother of the legendary Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776-1835) who is part of the famous trinity of Carnatic Music composers. Baluswami himself was credited for a revolutionary innovation inspired from his exposure to British military and orchestral bands while living in Manali (North Madras). What was his innovation which, in the Indian context, required the use of one’s ankle and chest instead of the chin as per Western practice?

What metallic element derives its name from Greek for “smell” or “odour” as its oxide when first isolated possessed a strong garlicky odour? This metal has the highest density (22.6 g/cc) of all naturally occurring elements on Earth. [Hint: A pioneering lighting company of the early 20th century was named partly after this metal’s chemical symbol].

What ‘precious’ and pioneering landmark was established in Madras in December 1964 by the visionary businessman Yeshwant Veecumsee?

A “____ assize” is a historical legal term for a court session (an assize) where there are no criminal cases or prisoners to be tried. In old English legal circuits, when a town had zero criminal cases during a judge's visit, it was considered unpolluted by crime. During these clean sessions, the local sheriff would traditionally present the visiting judge with a pair of white _____ to mark the occasion. Fill in the blanks with terms that are also used in the game of cricket. [Hint: The first term (1 word) is a word that means “untouched” or “virgin” – “untouched by crime” in the legal context; “untouched by runs” in the cricketing context.]

What cricketing law came into force after a notorious incident during the Benson & Hedges limited overs tournament in 1979 involving Brian Rose, the then captain of Somerset who was accused of manipulating the tie-breaking rule, in existence then, that ranked teams with superior (read, lower) overall bowling averages higher than those with poorer (read, higher) bowling averages?

What drug smoking process, often dangerous to human health, derives its name from the practice of converting that same drug in salt form to one that allows it to be easily vaporised and inhaled? Cocaine is a common example of this practice.

What name (7 letters) is common to the following: (a) the inauguration of the first ever suburban train service in Chennai that ran between Madras Beach and Tambaram on April 2, 1931; (b) a reservoir in Mettur Dam, Tami Nadu; (c) a famous landmark in the Chennai suburb of Royapuram.

This word was believed to have originated in early 16th-century Scotland as an exclamation of surprise, sorrow, or admiration. In the form that it was originally written, it appears that it could have meant ‘promise’. What ubiquitous word is this that reads the same in a mirror image?

What innovation did American educator Frederick J Kelley introduce in 1914 in order to address the twin challenges that teachers faced when marking students’ exams: subjectivity & productivity? In a funny twist, this invention gets a mention by Charlie Brown of Peanuts who says “Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, ‘Is life a ___ (3 words) or is it a true or false test?’ Then a voice comes to me out of the dark and says, ‘We hate to tell you this but life is a thousand-word essay.’”

What 2-word phrase had its origin after a self-critique by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922 when he described his own miscalculation in launching a widespread civil disobedience campaign? The phrase gained its modern meaning of a catastrophic, large-scale strategic failure after the 1962 war between India and China - in particular, after the release of a book by Brigadier Dalvi with the same name as the 2-word phrase.

Great Britain originally introduced the modern gold standard in 1821 when Parliament and the UK Mint formally adopted it. However, the ball was set rolling in 1717 when the then Master of the Royal Mint overvalued the gold guinea accidentally thereby setting a de facto gold standard. Who was that ‘master bungler’?

What road transport feature in Chennai (then Madras) witnessed a radical change on June 3, 1973 to mark the occasion of the 50th birthday of the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi?

The Greek physician Herophilus (c. 335–280 BCE) first named this part of the human physical system “dodekadaktylon”, meaning "twelve finger widths long". Around the 12th century, the term moved to a Latin version which is the one in use currently. What internal part of the human body is being referred to here?

This Sanskrit word referring to a honorarium or fee has its origin in the habit of handing such a payment using one’s right hand. What word is that?

Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) in Siena, Italy, founded in 1472, is the oldest surviving “X” in the world and Italy's third largest. This entity was started by the magistrates of the Republic of Siena as a charitable organization intended to protect the underprivileged citizens. What is X?

In 1939, at the beginning of WW2, Britain enforced strict blackouts in London and surrounding areas in anticipation of the German bombing. Yet, Britain’s first major civilian casualty problem of the war wasn’t German bombs. What was the initial spurt in civilian casualty attributed to?

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).

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!)