The document outlines the rules and structure of a quiz event for Literati '25 held by HTL California, including acknowledgments, the format with 24 questions, and a mix of single and two-part questions. It features a series of trivia questions covering various topics such as history, culture, and geography, aiming to challenge participants' knowledge. Additionally, it notes that electronic devices are prohibited during the quiz, and hints may be provided at the discretion of the quiz masters.

1. HTL California
A Quiz by Ramish and Vagish for Literati ‘25

2. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
A/V Check

3. Prelims

4. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Acknowledgments
• The QMs would like to thank Bala, Anish, Debanjan,
Saarthak, Abhik, Aniruddha, Gautam and Varun for GPing
the set and providing valuable feedback.
• The QMs would like to thank Gulia and the QC rep team for
their help in smooth conduct of the quiz.

5. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Rules
• There are 24 questions in the prelims. The
fi
rst 16 are single part
questions and the next 8 are two parters, constituting 320 marks.
• Questions 11 through 18 are star marked (*) and will be used to
resolve ties.
• The use of any and all electronic devices is prohibited during the
quiz. (We request you to keep your phones on silent)
• Hints will be provided at the discretion of the QMs. Please refrain
from asking leading questions.
• The decision of the QMs will be
fi
nal and binding.

6. Prelims

7. Prelims

8. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
1.
Thomas Patrick O’Connor is a member of North Pole, Alaska
city council and has been a candidate in Alaska’s congressional
elections in the past. He is originally from DC and he became a
monk when he moved to Alaska, growing out his beard in the
process. In 2005, he legally changed his name to X, to help raise
awareness for children’s health and welfare and to match his
appearance as a monk.
Identify X.

9. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
2.
For the 5th Episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown,
which aired on 23rd October 2016, Bourdain visited fellow
chefs such as Fergus Henderson, Marco Pierre White and
Nigella Lawson, to try and gauge public response to the
results of what thing ? It was at the top of the concerns of
people at that time at that place.
(Helpful stills on next slide)

10. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

11. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
3.
What 2-word slogan did Kazakhstan tourism adopt in 2020,
derived from the catchphrase of the protagonist of a cultural
phenomenon?
The cultural phenomenon was initially denounced in
Kazakhstan before they decided to utilise it to their bene
fi
t.

12. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
4.
When this location was in deterioration in the 1980s, the city’s
municipal head contacted an event promoter to help raise funds
for renovation. The plan was simple, they would host a free-of-
cost concert and try to make money off of the TV and
merchandising rights. They requested Simon and Garfunkel to
reunite for this cause which concerned their city and the duo were
happy to do so. The concert was a huge success with over 500k in
attendance and since then the location has saw better days.
Identify this location which is literally a jungle contained in a
concrete jungle.

13. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
5.
The origin of this word comes from the name of Walter
Santesso’s character in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960.
The character portrayed in the
fi
lm was a hyperactive
photographer and was therefore itself, named after the Italian
slang for mosquito, as he was like “a buzzing insect, hovering,
darting, stinging” to capture the photographs.
What word?

14. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
6.
X is a book by historian William Darlymple about the First Anglo-
Afghan war. The war was fought between Dost Mohammed Khan
and Shah Shujah Durrani, who had been earlier knocked off the
throne by Dost. This time, Durrani was supported by the British
East India Company and forced Dost to surrender. It was named
so due to the nature of the war, ie. Durrani becoming the emperor
of Afghanistan again.
What was the title (X) given to the book, arrived at by changing
the article in the name of a best picture winner from this
century ?

15. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
7.
The island X was given this rather pleasant name by Erik the
Red in the hopes that it would attract more settlers to settle in
the place. The name by itself is also a misnomer and swapping
names with another nearby island would actually make far
more sense given their respective geographies. Moreover, X is
geographically located in one continent and culturally
associated with another, something which has indirectly led to
it being in the news recently as well.
Identify X.

16. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
8.
There are a couple of common stories behind this dressing tradition, both
concerning Edward VII.
The
fi
rst one says that this thing was started as it allowed the cloth to drape
down properly while riding a horse. This practice caught on and people
decided to do it while not riding a horse too.
The other and more famous one says that Edward VII was a very indulgent
eater, often having 12 meals a day and thus it was physically impossible for
him to do something. People in his court soon started to follow the same out
of respect to the king.
Which practice/norm is being talked about, which might have puzzled a lot
of you at some point ?

17. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
9.
X is a sobriquet mainly associated with a country Y. It
illustrates the failure of massive foreign powers to achieve
military victory in Y in the modern period from the 19th
century onwards, with many attributing the hazardous
mountain terrain, severe winters, desert conditions, and
guerrilla warfare as the primary reasons.
What sobriquet?

18. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
10.
Team Spirit won the Shanghai major in CS2 late last
year. A group of superstitious people pointed out
that this win was basically written in the stars, due
to their logo, the year and the location of the
tournament.
What was the reason that people gave ? something
which is rooted in Chinese beliefs and
superstitions.

19. Star Marked
Questions Begin

20. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
11.*
This is the
fl
ag for which short lived
political union from 1958-1962, whose
legacy lives on in the names of universities
and also in the world of sports?

21. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
12.*
It was originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 to be
recited by the citizens of any country. Upon wider adoption in
his country, the phrase “my
fl
ag” was changed to “the
fl
ag of
___ (non indicative)”. In 1954, it was further changed and a
phrase “under god” was added among much controversy.
Since then, this has remained unchanged.
What am I talking about ?

22. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
13.*
Connect with something in the world of Science(exhaustive)
Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets(62)
Amerigo Vespucci(95)
George Berkeley(97)
Robert Livermore(116)

23. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
14.*
This is a photo of a temple erected in honour
of a Buddhist monk who is most famous for
his travels in the 7th century to India
(speci
fi
cally Bihar), where he translated many
of the Mahayana scriptures.
Who ?

24. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
15.*
King James VI and I, was the successor of Queen Elizabeth I
who ruled the UK from 1603 until his death in 1625. Given the
Queen did not have any natural heirs, James was chosen as her
successor as he was a descendant of King Henry VII,
Elizabeth’s grandfather. However, unlike most other rulers who
usually have just a single numeral suf
fi
xed to their name, James
had two of them, VI and I.
Put funda.

25. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
16.*
In a period starting from 1979, Texas saw a jump in the number of
people vying to become
fi
shermen. These new people were typically
more hard working than the established
fi
shermen in Texas, and thus
many of these new
fi
shermen led older Texan
fi
shermen out of business.
This led to certain violence in Texas, with older inhabitants burning
boats of these newcomers. Even the Ku Klux Klan got involved in some
capacity during the skirmish. In 1981, these newcomers sought help
from the judiciary, which afforded them a
fl
eet of US Marshalls, who
would ensure their safety while
fi
shing.
Who were these people ?

26. 2 Part Questions
begin

27. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
17.*
The Pritzker Architecture Prize, often considered the Nobel of
architecture, honours a living architect based on their contributions to art
and architecture. Since its inception in 1979, only one Indian, X, has won
the prize, back in 2018. During his early life, X got to work under Le
Corbusier and Louis Kahn, X became a pioneer of modernist and brutalist
architecture in India. Some of his noteworthy designs include FLAME
University, NIFT Delhi, IIM Udaipur and Y, which was cited as the
example work that led to him winning the Pritzker Prize. We would have
also seen Y through a 2009 blockbuster
fi
lm that was shot mainly on this
location.
Identify X and Y.

28. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
18.*
Sudama meeting lord Krishna is a commonly known legend of Hindu Mythology.
In a nutshell, Sudama, who is poverty-stricken tries to request help from Krishna,
but is unable to do so when he meets him. Krishna discerns his unrevealed
poverty and helps him out.
It is said that a 2009 movie was loosely based on this legend. The difference being
that the poor person doesn’t go to his richer friend, rather there is a chance
encounter which helps the richer friend realise his counterpart’s depravity.
Identify this movie.
Krishna and Sudama’s reunion is also one of the many legends related to an
auspicious day. Other legends say that the river Ganges descended to earth on this
day and that Ved Vyas began reciting the Mahabharata on this day. Which day ?

29. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
19.
The Commonwealth games village in Delhi, spread over an
area of 63.5 hectares, was divided into 4 zones :- X(Red),
Gond(Blue), Y(Green) and Sanjhi(Purple).
Identify X and Y, two of the more famous members of the non-
exhaustive set which includes Gond and Sanjhi in India.

30. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
20.
Yakshinis are female spirits, mentions of whom can be found in
various Indian mythologies. They are often depicted holding a
fl
owering branch of a tree indigenous to the subcontinent.
Identify this tree which also shares its name with someone from
the history of the subcontinent.
Their male counterparts, the Yakshas are depicted as guardian
deities. They are a staple in the religious art and architecture of a
country,
fi
nding many mentions in the Phra Aphai Mani. Take a
look at one such depiction from there and Identify the country.

31. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

32. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
21.
A rather popular urban legend exists around the early 20th-
century invention of X, suggesting that its name was a
portmanteau of the two cities where research work for X was
performed. However, the research and production of X didn’t
involve any organisation from one of the two cities in the
purported portmanteau; however the other was very prominent
and X was even exhibited in the World’s Fair in the
fi
rst city in
1938. X’s
fi
rst commercial use was in the bristles of a toothbrush
before it was eventually used for a variety of products later.
Identify X and the cities.

33. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
22.
During the end of World War II, one of the
fi
nal orders by
Hitler is now remembered as the ____ decree, subject to many
books such as ‘Is Paris Burning ?’. Whom is the decree named
after ?
A similar decree was passed and not carried out close to home
in the 60s. It is said that Antonio Vassalo e Silva took stock of
the superiority of his opponents and ignored this decree as “a
useless sacri
fi
ce”. What was the subject of this decree ?

34. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
23.
At the height of a political movement, many entertainers were quick to
report on their colleagues and the
fi
lm industry had experienced a purge
following it. When asked about Elia Kazan in 1982, X remembered the
moment and said, “He is a man who sold to ________ all his companions at
a time when he could continue to work in New York at high salary. And
having sold all of his people to ________, he then made a
fi
lm called On the
Waterfront which was a celebration of the informer. And therefore, no
question which uses him as an example can be answered by me.”
Who was the outspoken speaker of the above lines, who would die 3 years
later, having won an academy award and Palme d’or in the 40s and 50s ?
What was the political movement in question ?/ Fill in the blanks.

35. Re - RUN

36. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
1.
Thomas Patrick O’Connor is a member of North Pole, Alaska
city council and has been a candidate in Alaska’s congressional
elections in the past. He is originally from DC and he became a
monk when he moved to Alaska, growing out his beard in the
process. In 2005, he legally changed his name to X, to help raise
awareness for children’s health and welfare and to match his
appearance as a monk.
Identify X.

37. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
2.
For the 5th Episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown,
which aired on 23rd October 2016, Bourdain visited fellow
chefs such as Fergus Henderson, Marco Pierre White and
Nigella Lawson, to try and gauge public response to the
results of what thing ? It was at the top of the concerns of
people at that time at that place.
(Helpful stills on next slide)

38. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

39. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
3.
What 2-word slogan did Kazakhstan tourism adopt in 2020,
derived from the catchphrase of the protagonist of a cultural
phenomenon?
The cultural phenomenon was initially denounced in
Kazakhstan before they decided to utilise it to their bene
fi
t.

40. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
4.
When this location was in deterioration in the 1980s, the city’s
municipal head contacted an event promoter to help raise funds
for renovation. The plan was simple, they would host a free-of-
cost concert and try to make money off of the TV and
merchandising rights. They requested Simon and Garfunkel to
reunite for this cause which concerned their city and the duo were
happy to do so. The concert was a huge success with over 500k in
attendance and since then the location has saw better days.
Identify this location which is literally a jungle contained in a
concrete jungle.

41. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
5.
The origin of this word comes from the name of Walter
Santesso’s character in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960.
The character portrayed in the
fi
lm was a hyperactive
photographer and was therefore itself, named after the Italian
slang for mosquito, as he was like “a buzzing insect, hovering,
darting, stinging” to capture the photographs.
What word?

42. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
6.
X is a book by historian William Darlymple about the First Anglo-
Afghan war. The war was fought between Dost Mohammed Khan
and Shah Shujah Durrani, who had been earlier knocked off the
throne by Dost. This time, Durrani was supported by the British
East India Company and forced Dost to surrender. It was named
so due to the nature of the war, ie. Durrani becoming the emperor
of Afghanistan again.
What was the title (X) given to the book, arrived at by changing
the article in the name of a best picture winner from this
century ?

43. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
7.
The island X was given this rather pleasant name by Erik the
Red in the hopes that it would attract more settlers to settle in
the place. The name by itself is also a misnomer and swapping
names with another nearby island would actually make far
more sense given their respective geographies. Moreover, X is
geographically located in one continent and culturally
associated with another, something which has indirectly led to
it being in the news recently as well.
Identify X.

44. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
8.
There are a couple of common stories behind this dressing tradition, both
concerning Edward VII.
The
fi
rst one says that this thing was started as it allowed the cloth to drape
down properly while riding a horse. This practice caught on and people
decided to do it while not riding a horse too.
The other and more famous one says that Edward VII was a very indulgent
eater, often having 12 meals a day and thus it was physically impossible for
him to do something. People in his court soon started to follow the same out
of respect to the king.
Which practice/norm is being talked about, which might have puzzled a lot
of you at some point ?

45. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
9.
X is a sobriquet mainly associated with a country Y. It
illustrates the failure of massive foreign powers to achieve
military victory in Y in the modern period from the 19th
century onwards, with many attributing the hazardous
mountain terrain, severe winters, desert conditions, and
guerrilla warfare as the primary reasons.
What sobriquet?

46. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
10.
Team Spirit won the Shanghai major in CS2 late last
year. A group of superstitious people pointed out
that this win was basically written in the stars, due
to their logo, the year and the location of the
tournament.
What was the reason that people gave ? something
which is rooted in Chinese beliefs and
superstitions.

47. Star Marked
Questions Begin

48. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
11.*
This is the
fl
ag for which short lived
political union from 1958-1962, whose
legacy lives on in the names of universities
and also in the world of sports?

49. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
12.*
It was originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 to be
recited by the citizens of any country. Upon wider adoption in
his country, the phrase “my
fl
ag” was changed to “the
fl
ag of
___ (non indicative)”. In 1954, it was further changed and a
phrase “under god” was added among much controversy.
Since then, this has remained unchanged.
What am I talking about ?

50. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
13.*
Connect with something in the world of Science(exhaustive)
Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets(62)
Amerigo Vespucci(95)
George Berkeley(97)
Robert Livermore(116)

51. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
14.*
This is a photo of a temple erected in honour
of a Buddhist monk who is most famous for
his travels in the 7th century to India
(speci
fi
cally Bihar), where he translated many
of the Mahayana scriptures.
Who ?

52. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
15.*
King James VI and I, was the successor of Queen Elizabeth I
who ruled the UK from 1603 until his death in 1625. Given the
Queen did not have any natural heirs, James was chosen as her
successor as he was a descendant of King Henry VII,
Elizabeth’s grandfather. However, unlike most other rulers who
usually have just a single numeral suf
fi
xed to their name, James
had two of them, VI and I.
Put funda.

53. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
16.*
In a period starting from 1979, Texas saw a jump in the number of
people vying to become
fi
shermen. These new people were typically
more hard working than the established
fi
shermen in Texas, and thus
many of these new
fi
shermen led older Texan
fi
shermen out of business.
This led to certain violence in Texas, with older inhabitants burning
boats of these newcomers. Even the Ku Klux Klan got involved in some
capacity during the skirmish. In 1981, these newcomers sought help
from the judiciary, which afforded them a
fl
eet of US Marshalls, who
would ensure their safety while
fi
shing.
Who were these people ?

54. 2 Part Questions
begin

55. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
17.*
The Pritzker Architecture Prize, often considered the Nobel of
architecture, honours a living architect based on their contributions to art
and architecture. Since its inception in 1979, only one Indian, X, has won
the prize, back in 2018. During his early life, X got to work under Le
Corbusier and Louis Kahn, X became a pioneer of modernist and brutalist
architecture in India. Some of his noteworthy designs include FLAME
University, NIFT Delhi, IIM Udaipur and Y, which was cited as the
example work that led to him winning the Pritzker Prize. We would have
also seen Y through a 2009 blockbuster
fi
lm that was shot mainly on this
location.
Identify X and Y.

56. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
18.*
Sudama meeting lord Krishna is a commonly known legend of Hindu Mythology.
In a nutshell, Sudama, who is poverty-stricken tries to request help from Krishna,
but is unable to do so when he meets him. Krishna discerns his unrevealed
poverty and helps him out.
It is said that a 2009 movie was loosely based on this legend. The difference being
that the poor person doesn’t go to his richer friend, rather there is a chance
encounter which helps the richer friend realise his counterpart’s depravity.
Identify this movie.
Krishna and Sudama’s reunion is also one of the many legends related to an
auspicious day. Other legends say that the river Ganges descended to earth on this
day and that Ved Vyas began reciting the Mahabharata on this day. Which day ?

57. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
19.
The Commonwealth games village in Delhi, spread over an
area of 63.5 hectares, was divided into 4 zones :- X(Red),
Gond(Blue), Y(Green) and Sanjhi(Purple).
Identify X and Y, two of the more famous members of the non-
exhaustive set which includes Gond and Sanjhi in India.

58. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
20.
Yakshinis are female spirits, mentions of whom can be found in
various Indian mythologies. They are often depicted holding a
fl
owering branch of a tree indigenous to the subcontinent.
Identify this tree which also shares its name with someone from
the history of the subcontinent.
Their male counterparts, the Yakshas are depicted as guardian
deities. They are a staple in the religious art and architecture of a
country,
fi
nding many mentions in the Phra Aphai Mani. Take a
look at one such depiction from there and Identify the country.

59. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

60. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
21.
A rather popular urban legend exists around the early 20th-
century invention of X, suggesting that its name was a
portmanteau of the two cities where research work for X was
performed. However, the research and production of X didn’t
involve any organisation from one of the two cities in the
purported portmanteau; however the other was very prominent
and X was even exhibited in the World’s Fair in the
fi
rst city in
1938. X’s
fi
rst commercial use was in the bristles of a toothbrush
before it was eventually used for a variety of products later.
Identify X and the cities.

61. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
22.
During the end of World War II, one of the
fi
nal orders by
Hitler is now remembered as the ____ decree, subject to many
books such as ‘Is Paris Burning ?’. Whom is the decree named
after ?
A similar decree was passed and not carried out close to home
in the 60s. It is said that Antonio Vassalo e Silva took stock of
the superiority of his opponents and ignored this decree as “a
useless sacri
fi
ce”. What was the subject of this decree ?

62. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
23.
At the height of a political movement, many entertainers were quick to
report on their colleagues and the
fi
lm industry had experienced a purge
following it. When asked about Elia Kazan in 1982, X remembered the
moment and said, “He is a man who sold to ________ all his companions at
a time when he could continue to work in New York at high salary. And
having sold all of his people to ________, he then made a
fi
lm called On the
Waterfront which was a celebration of the informer. And therefore, no
question which uses him as an example can be answered by me.”
Who was the outspoken speaker of the above lines, who would die 3 years
later, having won an academy award and Palme d’or in the 40s and 50s ?
What was the political movement in question ?/ Fill in the blanks.

63. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
24.
At the start of the new tennis season in Brisbane, Novak
Djokovic was spotted carrying an X-themed backpack which
electri
fi
ed a lot of his fans to speculate about the possible
symbolisms. It was eventually decided that X’s position within
a certain index which has over 1000 entries was what held the
symbolism for Djokovic, as he himself goes on a quest for that
particular number in his career in the new season.
Identify X and what position in which index did X hold?

64. Answers

65. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
1.
Thomas Patrick O’Connor is a member of North Pole, Alaska
city council and has been a candidate in Alaska’s congressional
elections in the past. He is originally from DC and he became a
monk when he moved to Alaska, growing out his beard in the
process. In 2005, he legally changed his name to X, to help raise
awareness for children’s health and welfare and to match his
appearance as a monk.
Identify X.

66. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Santa Claus

67. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
2.
For the 5th Episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown,
which aired on 23rd October 2016, Bourdain visited fellow
chefs such as Fergus Henderson, Marco Pierre White and
Nigella Lawson, to try and gauge public response to the
results of what thing ? It was at the top of the concerns of
people at that time at that place.
(Helpful stills on next slide)

68. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

69. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
The Brexit Referendum
Vote
Accept anything close enough to Brexit

70. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
3.
What 2-word slogan did Kazakhstan tourism adopt in 2020,
derived from the catchphrase of the protagonist of a cultural
phenomenon?
The cultural phenomenon was initially denounced in
Kazakhstan before they decided to utilise it to their bene
fi
t.

71. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Very Nice

72. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
4.
When this location was in deterioration in the 1980s, the city’s
municipal head contacted an event promoter to help raise funds
for renovation. The plan was simple, they would host a free-of-
cost concert and try to make money off of the TV and
merchandising rights. They requested Simon and Garfunkel to
reunite for this cause which concerned their city and the duo were
happy to do so. The concert was a huge success with over 500k in
attendance and since then the location has saw better days.
Identify this location which is literally a jungle contained in a
concrete jungle.

73. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Central Park, NYC

74. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
5.
The origin of this word comes from the name of Walter
Santesso’s character in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960.
The character portrayed in the
fi
lm was a hyperactive
photographer and was therefore itself, named after the Italian
slang for mosquito, as he was like “a buzzing insect, hovering,
darting, stinging” to capture the photographs.
What word?

75. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Paparazzi

76. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
6.
X is a book by historian William Darlymple about the First Anglo-
Afghan war. The war was fought between Dost Mohammed Khan
and Shah Shujah Durrani, who had been earlier knocked off the
throne by Dost. This time, Durrani was supported by the British
East India Company and forced Dost to surrender. It was named
so due to the nature of the war, ie. Durrani becoming the emperor
of Afghanistan again.
What was the title (X) given to the book, arrived at by changing
the article in the name of a best picture winner from this
century ?

77. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Return of a King

78. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
7.
The island X was given this rather pleasant name by Erik the
Red in the hopes that it would attract more settlers to settle in
the place. The name by itself is also a misnomer and swapping
names with another nearby island would actually make far
more sense given their respective geographies. Moreover, X is
geographically located in one continent and culturally
associated with another, something which has indirectly led to
it being in the news recently as well.
Identify X.

79. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Greenland

80. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
8.
There are a couple of common stories behind this dressing tradition, both
concerning Edward VII.
The
fi
rst one says that this thing was started as it allowed the cloth to drape
down properly while riding a horse. This practice caught on and people
decided to do it while not riding a horse too.
The other and more famous one says that Edward VII was a very indulgent
eater, often having 12 meals a day and thus it was physically impossible for
him to do something. People in his court soon started to follow the same out
of respect to the king.
Which practice/norm is being talked about, which might have puzzled a lot
of you at some point ?

81. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Why the second button is
unbuttoned in a blazer/coat

82. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
9.
X is a sobriquet mainly associated with a country Y. It
illustrates the failure of massive foreign powers to achieve
military victory in Y in the modern period from the 19th
century onwards, with many attributing the hazardous
mountain terrain, severe winters, desert conditions, and
guerrilla warfare as the primary reasons.
What sobriquet?

83. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Graveyard of Empires for
Afghanistan

84. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
10.
Team Spirit won the Shanghai major in CS2 late last
year. A group of superstitious people pointed out
that this win was basically written in the stars, due
to their logo, the year and the location of the
tournament.
What was the reason that people gave ? something
which is rooted in Chinese beliefs and
superstitions.

85. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
2024 was the year of the
dragon
2024 was the Year of the Dragon as per the Chinese Lunar
Calendar and team spirit were the only team to have a
dragon in their logo.

86. Star Marked
Questions Begin

87. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
11.*
This is the
fl
ag for which short lived
political union from 1958-1962, whose
legacy lives on in the names of universities
and also in the world of sports?

88. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
West Indies

89. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
12.*
It was originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 to be
recited by the citizens of any country. Upon wider adoption in
his country, the phrase “my
fl
ag” was changed to “the
fl
ag of
___ (non indicative)”. In 1954, it was further changed and a
phrase “under god” was added among much controversy.
Since then, this has remained unchanged.
What am I talking about ?

90. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
The Pledge of Allegiance

91. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
13.*
Connect with something in the world of Science(exhaustive)
Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets(62)
Amerigo Vespucci(95)
George Berkeley(97)
Robert Livermore(116)

92. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Non-scientists who have elements
named after them in the periodic
table

93. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
14.*
This is a photo of a temple erected in honour
of a Buddhist monk who is most famous for
his travels in the 7th century to India
(speci
fi
cally Bihar), where he translated many
of the Mahayana scriptures.
Who ?

94. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Hsuen Tsang
Other spelling include :
Xuanzang
Moksadeva
(Accept similar spelling variations as long as they sound
similar)

95. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
15.*
King James VI and I, was the successor of Queen Elizabeth I
who ruled the UK from 1603 until his death in 1625. Given the
Queen did not have any natural heirs, James was chosen as her
successor as he was a descendant of King Henry VII,
Elizabeth’s grandfather. However, unlike most other rulers who
usually have just a single numeral suf
fi
xed to their name, James
had two of them, VI and I.
Put funda.

96. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
VI- King of Scotland
I- King of England

97. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
16.*
In a period starting from 1979, Texas saw a jump in the number of
people vying to become
fi
shermen. These new people were typically
more hard working than the established
fi
shermen in Texas, and thus
many of these new
fi
shermen led older Texan
fi
shermen out of business.
This led to certain violence in Texas, with older inhabitants burning
boats of these newcomers. Even the Ku Klux Klan got involved in some
capacity during the skirmish. In 1981, these newcomers sought help
from the judiciary, which afforded them a
fl
eet of US Marshalls, who
would ensure their safety while
fi
shing.
Who were these people ?

98. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Southern Vietnam Refugees
(Will accept just Vietnam refugees as well)

99. 2 Part Questions
begin

100. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
17.*
The Pritzker Architecture Prize, often considered the Nobel of
architecture, honours a living architect based on their contributions to art
and architecture. Since its inception in 1979, only one Indian, X, has won
the prize, back in 2018. During his early life, X got to work under Le
Corbusier and Louis Kahn, X became a pioneer of modernist and brutalist
architecture in India. Some of his noteworthy designs include FLAME
University, NIFT Delhi, IIM Udaipur and Y, which was cited as the
example work that led to him winning the Pritzker Prize. We would have
also seen Y through a 2009 blockbuster
fi
lm that was shot mainly on this
location.
Identify X and Y.

101. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
BV Doshi
IIM Bangalore

102. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
18.*
Sudama meeting lord Krishna is a commonly known legend of Hindu Mythology.
In a nutshell, Sudama, who is poverty-stricken tries to request help from Krishna,
but is unable to do so when he meets him. Krishna discerns his unrevealed
poverty and helps him out.
It is said that a 2009 movie was loosely based on this legend. The difference being
that the poor person doesn’t go to his richer friend, rather there is a chance
encounter which helps the richer friend realise his counterpart’s depravity.
Identify this movie.
Krishna and Sudama’s reunion is also one of the many legends related to an
auspicious day. Other legends say that the river Ganges descended to earth on this
day and that Ved Vyas began reciting the Mahabharata on this day. Which day ?

103. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Billu (Barber)
Akshaya Tritya

104. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
19.
The Commonwealth games village in Delhi, spread over an
area of 63.5 hectares, was divided into 4 zones :- X(Red),
Gond(Blue), Y(Green) and Sanjhi(Purple).
Identify X and Y, two of the more famous members of the non-
exhaustive set which includes Gond and Sanjhi in India.

105. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Madhubani
Warli

106. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
20.
Yakshinis are female spirits, mentions of whom can be found in
various Indian mythologies. They are often depicted holding a
fl
owering branch of a tree indigenous to the subcontinent.
Identify this tree which also shares its name with someone from
the history of the subcontinent.
Their male counterparts, the Yakshas are depicted as guardian
deities. They are a staple in the religious art and architecture of a
country,
fi
nding many mentions in the Phra Aphai Mani. Take a
look at one such depiction from there and Identify the country.

107. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25

108. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Ashoka Tree
Thailand

109. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
21.
A rather popular urban legend exists around the early 20th-
century invention of X, suggesting that its name was a
portmanteau of the two cities where research work for X was
performed. However, the research and production of X didn’t
involve any organisation from one of the two cities in the
purported portmanteau; however the other was very prominent
and X was even exhibited in the World’s Fair in the
fi
rst city in
1938. X’s
fi
rst commercial use was in the bristles of a toothbrush
before it was eventually used for a variety of products later.
Identify X and the cities.

110. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Nylon
New York and London

111. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
22.
During the end of World War II, one of the
fi
nal orders by
Hitler is now remembered as the ____ decree, subject to many
books such as ‘Is Paris Burning ?’. Whom is the decree named
after ?
A similar decree was passed and not carried out close to home
in the 60s. It is said that Antonio Vassalo e Silva took stock of
the superiority of his opponents and ignored this decree as “a
useless sacri
fi
ce”. What was the subject of this decree ?

112. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Nero
Goa

113. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
23.
At the height of a political movement, many entertainers were quick to
report on their colleagues and the
fi
lm industry had experienced a purge
following it. When asked about Elia Kazan in 1982, X remembered the
moment and said, “He is a man who sold to ________ all his companions at
a time when he could continue to work in New York at high salary. And
having sold all of his people to ________, he then made a
fi
lm called On the
Waterfront which was a celebration of the informer. And therefore, no
question which uses him as an example can be answered by me.”
Who was the outspoken speaker of the above lines, who would die 3 years
later, having won an academy award and Palme d’or in the 40s and 50s ?
What was the political movement in question ?/ Fill in the blanks.

114. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Orson Welles
Mccarthyism

115. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
24.
At the start of the new tennis season in Brisbane, Novak
Djokovic was spotted carrying a X-themed backpack which led
a lot of fans to speculate about possible symbolisms. It was
eventually decided that X’s position within a certain index
which has over 1000 entries was what held the symbolism for
Djokovic, as he himself goes on a quest for that particular
number in his career in the new season.
Identify X and what position in which index did X hold?

116. HTLCalifornia @ Literati ‘25
Pikachu
25

117. "Relax, " said
th
e night man, "We are
programmed t
o
recei
ve
You can check out any time you like,
but you can ne
ve
r lea
ve
"