Category: Brain Teasers

The gladiator-slave Spartacus was killed in the Gladiator War of 73-71 BC. What name is this war also known by?

The Club War
Peasants’ Revolt
Prayer Book Rebellion
The Third Servile War
Hussite Wars

The correct answer is The Third Servile War

Tyrone’s Rebellion was a fierce insurrection fought from 1594 to 1603 against English occupation where?

Ireland
Scotland
Australia
Canada
New Zealand

The correct answer is Ireland

The Tiananmen Square uprising — which was successfully suppressed by the Chinese government — took place between April and June of what year?

1981
1984
1986
1989
1992

The correct answer is 1989

Trivia: What shellfish is the national dish of the Bahamas?

Whelk
Mantis shrimp
Conch
Horn snail

The correct answer is Conch

So why is this answer correct? : Conches are large sea snails that have been eaten in the Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean for centuries. The Bahamian national dish is crack conch, which is fried conch seasoned with garlic, pepper, thyme, onion, and marjoram. The dish is often served with peas and rice.

Trivia: What is the world’s largest species of crab?

Spider crab
Snow crab
King crab
Dungeness crab

The correct answer is Spider crab

So why is this answer correct? : Spider crabs have an average leg span of 12.5 feet and weigh up to 45 pounds. They’re found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean near Japan, where they are a delicacy. These giant crabs live deep in the ocean — from 160 feet to 1,600 feet — making them very difficult to fish for. They’re often served steamed, boiled, or grilled and taste similar to lobster.

Trivia: What are the 200 tiny dots on the edge of a scallop’s shell?

Feet
Claws
Eyes
Bioluminescent scales

The correct answer is Eyes

So why is this answer correct? : Scallops have up to 200 tiny bright blue eyes along their mantle margin that act like reflecting telescopes, simultaneously allowing narrow and peripheral views. This distinguishes them from other common mollusks like clams, oysters, and mussels, which do not have eyes.

Trivia: “Aristotle’s lantern” is another name for what?

A species of starfish
The stinging part of an anemone
A sea urchin’s mouth
A bioluminescent coral

The correct answer is A sea urchin’s mouth

So why is this answer correct? : Sea urchins are spiny invertebrates that fall under the shellfish category. Their mouths are on the underside of their bodies, consisting of five toothlike structures and a set of jaws that can move in various directions. As the legend goes, philosopher Aristotle was the first to note the similarity between a sea urchin’s mouth and a five-pane horn lantern, resulting in the unusual moniker “Aristotle’s lantern.”

Trivia: What shellfish was once fed to U.S. prisoners because of its abundance?

Oysters
Clams
Lobsters
Sea urchins

The correct answer is Lobsters

So why is this answer correct? : Now considered a high-brow dish, lobster was once for the poor or imprisoned. In colonial America, lobsters were very plentiful, so their price was very low, which caused them to become a staple among the lower classes. Lobster later made its way up the ranks and became a delicacy by the 19th century.

Trivia: What relative of clams is popular in Northern European cuisine?

Cockles
Sea cucumbers
Langostinos
Barnacles

The correct answer is Cockles

So why is this answer correct? : Cockles are clam-like shellfish most often associated with Ireland and the U.K., where they are abundant in the sea. They’re served raw, steamed, or boiled and often doused in a favorite local condiment: malt vinegar. They’re also popular in soups and stews as an alternative to mussels or oysters.

Trivia: What is another name for Frogmore stew?

Clam chowder
Gumbo
Paella
Seafood boil

The correct answer is Seafood boil

So why is this answer correct? : One of South Carolina’s most famous dishes is the seafood boil, made with shrimp, corn, smoked sausage, and new potatoes. Locals call this Frogmore stew, named after a small fishing community on St. Helena Island, where the dish originated. The stew is seasoned with Old Bay and traditionally served on a picnic table lined with newspaper.