Let’s see if you’re ready to pick up the Saturday New York Times and conquer every single clue. There were 20% of you who correctly answered all of the questions in last week’s quiz, but Barbara Poole earns bragging rights for being the first to submit her quiz answers and getting them all correct. Very impressive.
Here are the correct responses and explanations, so the next time someone asks you “What’s another word for “sass,” you’ll have the answer.
1. EROS
Correct answer: Love
In all definitions of eros, love is mentioned. Its original meaning comes from mythology, and refers to Eros as the Greek God of Love, and the Son of Aphrodite. 99% of respondents were able to correctly identify the clue for this winged god.
2. ARIA
Correct answer: Solo
89% of quiz takers must know their performing arts. Aria refers to a solo vocal piece, most often performed in operas.
3. ETNA
Correct answer: Volcano
Don’t explode if you missed this clue. 64% of respondents knew Etna is a reference to Mount Etna, an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. Its last eruption was just a year ago when a lava fountain shot 3,300 feet in the air, followed by an ash plume reaching 23,000 feet, which forced the local airport to halt flights for a few hours until visibility returned.
4. IDOL
Correct answer: Star
Other common clues to lead you to answer ‘Idol’ include ‘American _______’ and even ‘Elvis.’ 94% of you knew an idol is also a person that is “adored, often blindly or excessively,” or more simply – a star.
5. SASS
Correct answer: Guff
Depending on when you grew up, your parents may have told you not to give them any of this. 33% of quiz takers knew ‘guff’ is another way to describe disrespectful talk.
6. SNIT
Correct answer: Tizzy
87% of you didn’t get worked up into a tizzy selecting the correct answer for this one. Though the origin for snit is unclear, according to dictionary.com, it first showed up in Claire Boothe's 1938 play "Kiss the Boys Good-bye," giving us a clue it may have originated in the South.
7. EON
Correct answer: Time
Eon refers to a long period of time. The word has been around since the mid-17th century, which you could say was eons ago. 100% of respondents answered this one correctly.
8. OGLE
Correct answer: Leer
97% of you knew staring at someone in a flirtatious manner is ogling or leering, though the words’ connotations could have been a hint.
9. EAVE
Correct answer: Overhang
Eave most commonly refers to the overhang in a roof, but it can also be used to describe the edge of many other things, like a hat or forest. 93% of you knew the answer to this one.
10. TESLA
Correct answer: Electrical
Even if you weren’t sure of the reference, current news events about Elon Musk’s electric car may have helped 87% of you select the correct answer. Named after inventor Nikolai Tesla, known for his work on electricity supply systems, it describes a unit of magnetic flux density.
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Did you enjoy this quiz? Would you like to see more of them in coming months? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks to everyone who participated!