Category: Brain Teasers

The Quiz: This sun-kissed stretch of India is known for its beautiful beaches and past ties to Portugal. Where are we?

A Goa
B Kerala
C Tamil Nadu

This beach in the popular tourist town of Arambol is in the Indian state of Goa, the smallest by area in India. For about 450 years until 1961, Goa was ruled by Portugal and known as Portuguese India. The place names and historic sites echo the state’s Portuguese past. Today, Goa is a destination for tourists from around India as well as Europe. The tourism industry has made Goa the wealthiest state in the country measured by per capita GDP, which is 2.5 times the national average.

The correct answer to this quiz is Goa.

Trivia: What is the most uncommon color found on a world flag?

Purple
Red
Blue
Green

The correct answer is Purple

So why is this answer correct? : Only two countries’ flags have purple on them — Dominica and Nicaragua, both introduced in the late 19th century. For most of history, purple dye was far too expensive to use on flags, so artists opted for more affordable hues. Queen Elizabeth I once banned the use of purple outside the royal family, in order to control spending.

Trivia: What does the circular shape on Japan’s flag represent?

The sun
Reincarnation
Lunar eclipse
Peace

The correct answer is The sun

So why is this answer correct? : In the “Land of the Rising Sun,” Japanese mythology tells the story of Amaterasu, the sun goddess from which the imperial family supposedly descended. Evidence of the use of a sun symbol on Japan’s flag dates back to the 12th century, but the current design — a simple red circle, representing the sun, on a white field — was adopted on August 5, 1854.

Trivia: Besides America, which country’s flag has the most stars?

New Zealand
Brazil
Paraguay
Australia

The correct answer is Brazil

So why is this answer correct? : Brazil’s flag features 27 stars, second only to America’s 50-star flag. Unlike the U.S. flag, the stars on the Brazilian flag are scattered across a blue globe. The stars represent the 26 states and provinces in Brazil, along with the Federal District, with the size of each representing the size of each state’s territory.

Trivia: What is the most common color combination used in national flags?

Black and white
Blue, red, and white
Yellow and white
Green, red, and yellow

The correct answer is Blue, red, and white

So why is this answer correct? : There are 195 different national flags in existence, representing the colorful countries and cultures of the world. The U.S. flag shares its colors — red, white, and blue — with 30 other countries, making it the most frequently used color combination in national flags. The majority of countries (nearly 40%) use three colors in their flag designs.

Trivia: What country has the world’s oldest continuously used flag?

United Kingdom
Denmark
Japan
Iraq

The correct answer is Denmark

So why is this answer correct? : Since 1625, Denmark has flown a flag bearing a white cross against a red field. However, a similar rendition of the flag has existed since as far back as the 1370s. Many other countries have used similar designs, with the white cross as a symbol of Christianity. In Denmark, the flag is called the “Dannebrog” or “Danish cloth.”

Trivia: When does the Union Jack fly over Buckingham Palace?

On national holidays
When the country mourns
When the queen isn’t there
At the changing of the guard

The correct answer is When the queen isn’t there

So why is this answer correct? : The Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom, but a different flag usually flies over Buckingham Palace: the Royal Standard, representing the U.K. sovereign. The Royal Standard follows the queen when she travels, so while she’s away from Buckingham Palace, the Union Jack flies in her absence.

Trivia: What animal is featured on Spain’s flag?

Shark
Butterfly
Lion
Eagle

The correct answer is Lion

So why is this answer correct? : Spain’s flag features three horizontal stripes. Emblazoned on the central yellow stripe is the nation’s coat of arms with four quadrants that each contain a heraldic symbol. Representing the Kingdom of León is a lion. The symbol dates back to Roman times and is said to have been first used by a Roman legion in the first century CE.

Trivia: What do all the flags of the Scandinavian countries have in common?

They are blue
They have crosses
They have a crown
They are triangular

The correct answer is They have crosses

So why is this answer correct? : The flags of the Scandinavian countries use different colors and slightly different designs, but they all feature one thing in common: a Nordic cross. The cross — which is vertically oriented and stretched to all four corners of the flag — originated on banners that were once flown during war.

Trivia: Which country has the only flag with more than four sides?

Sweden
Chile
Guam
Nepal

The correct answer is Nepal

So why is this answer correct? : Nepal’s flag connects two pennant shapes, one atop the other, to symbolize the Himalayan Mountains. The top pennant bears a crescent with the sun rising over it, while the bottom half shows the image of the sun alone, both against a red background with a blue border. The sun and moon images signify Nepal’s hope that the country will last as long as those celestial bodies.