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QFTCIMI515 Game 6, Rounds 2-3: poisons, Islam

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Mark Brader

unread,
Apr 25, 2015, 6:47:05 PM4/25/15
to
These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
and should be interpreted accordingly.

On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
the correct answers in about 3 days.

All questions were written by members of MI5, and are used here by
permission, but have been reformatted and may have been retyped
and/or edited by me. For further information see my 2015-02-23
companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
(QFTCI*)".


* Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons

We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
identify the poison.

1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
radioactive element in his teacup.

4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
element in calomel?

5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
name* for the puffer fish?

9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?


* Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam

Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
(On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)

1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
not a synonym.

2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
referred to desert-dwellers?

3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
What is the Arabic word for this activity?

4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
What are these creatures called?

5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
What do they stand for?

8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
fire"?

9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
on drugs. Who were they?

--
Mark Brader | "I don't care HOW you format char c; while ((c =
Toronto | getchar()) != EOF) putchar(c); ... this code is
m...@vex.net | a bug waiting to happen from the outset." -- Doug Gwyn

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Peter Smyth

unread,
Apr 25, 2015, 7:21:14 PM4/25/15
to
Mark Brader wrote:

> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
> and should be interpreted accordingly.
>
> On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
> both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
> Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
> based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
> the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
> the correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> All questions were written by members of MI5, and are used here by
> permission, but have been reformatted and may have been retyped
> and/or edited by me. For further information see my 2015-02-23
> companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> (QFTCI*)".
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the plant.
Hemlock
> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.
Nightshade
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.
Polonium
> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?
Mercury
> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.
Cyanide
> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.
Arsenic
> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?
Lead
> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?
>
> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.
Ricin
> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.
>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?
Saracens
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?
Hajj
> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.
Imam
> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?
Jesus
> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?
Peace Be Upon Him
> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?
>
> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?
Wahabi
> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?


Peter Smyth

Jason Kreitzer

unread,
Apr 25, 2015, 7:31:58 PM4/25/15
to
On Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 6:47:05 PM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
> and should be interpreted accordingly.
>
> On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
> both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
> Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
> based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
> the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
> the correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> All questions were written by members of MI5, and are used here by
> permission, but have been reformatted and may have been retyped
> and/or edited by me. For further information see my 2015-02-23
> companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> (QFTCI*)".
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.
Hemlock
> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.
>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.
> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?
>
> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.
>
> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.
Arsenic
Submission
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?
>
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?
Hajj
> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.
Caliph

Joshua Kreitzer

unread,
Apr 25, 2015, 7:40:47 PM4/25/15
to
m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in news:be-dnUmLOcL0hKHInZ2dnUU7-R-
dn...@vex.net:

> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

wolfsbane

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

plutonium

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?

fugu

> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

ricin

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

cassava; tapioca

>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

submission

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

haj

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?

houri

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

imam

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

peace be upon him

> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

jinn

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabi

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

Assassins

--
Joshua Kreitzer
grom...@hotmail.com

Dan Blum

unread,
Apr 25, 2015, 11:37:34 PM4/25/15
to
Mark Brader <m...@vex.net> wrote:

> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons

> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

wolfsbane

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

mercury

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?

fugu

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

taro

> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam

> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

Musselman

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

hajj

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

mullah

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

praises be unto him

> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

djinn

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabi

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

Hashishim

--
_______________________________________________________________________
Dan Blum to...@panix.com
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."

Erland Sommarskog

unread,
Apr 26, 2015, 3:57:57 AM4/26/15
to
Mark Brader (m...@vex.net) writes:
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

Polonium

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

HCN (That's the chemical forumula, I'm not really sure on the English
name.)

(Addendum: #10 hints that cyanide would be sufficient, oh well.)

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

Arsenic

> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

Hadd

(One these "I recognise when I see it", but I can't really visuallise it
on a Sunday morning.)

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Iman

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabs

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?
>

Assassins

--
Erland Sommarskog, Stockholm, esq...@sommarskog.se

swp

unread,
Apr 26, 2015, 2:13:28 PM4/26/15
to
On Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 6:47:05 PM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

aconite

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

mercury

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?

fugu

> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

ricin

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

cassava


> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

peace

> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

...

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

hadj

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?

virgins

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

ayatollah

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

peace be upon him

> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

djinn

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

wahhabi?

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

...

swp

Björn Lundin

unread,
Apr 26, 2015, 3:47:52 PM4/26/15
to
On 2015-04-26 00:47, Mark Brader wrote:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
> and should be interpreted accordingly.

>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

Hemlock

>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

Plutonium



>
> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Arsenic


>
>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

Faith


>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

Beduin

>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Iman

>
> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Ishmael


> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

sunni

>
> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

Assassins


--
--
Björn

Calvin

unread,
Apr 26, 2015, 9:51:19 PM4/26/15
to
On Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 8:47:05 AM UTC+10, Mark Brader wrote:

> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

Hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

Anthrax, arsenic

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

Polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

Mercury, cyanide

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

Arsenic, cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Strychnine

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

Arsenic, cyanide

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?
>
> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

Arsenic, cyanide

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

Guava, Taro


> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.
>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

Saracens

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

Hajj

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Ayatollah

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus, Moses

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?
>
> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

Demons

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabi, Sunni

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

cheers,
calvin

Pete

unread,
Apr 26, 2015, 11:32:15 PM4/26/15
to
m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in news:be-dnUmLOcL0hKHInZ2dnUU7-R-
dn...@vex.net:

> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
> and should be interpreted accordingly.
>
> On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
> both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
> Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
> based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
> the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
> the correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> All questions were written by members of MI5, and are used here by
> permission, but have been reformatted and may have been retyped
> and/or edited by me. For further information see my 2015-02-23
> companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> (QFTCI*)".
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

Hemlock

>
> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

Wolfsbane

>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

Radium

>
> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?
>
> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.
>
> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Arsenic

>
> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?
>
> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?
>
> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.
>
> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

Taro

>
>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.
>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

Saracen

>
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

Hajj

>
> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Imam

>
> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

>
> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

Praise Be Upon Him

>
> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?
>
> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Sunni

>
> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?
>

Pete

Marc Dashevsky

unread,
Apr 27, 2015, 3:32:34 AM4/27/15
to
In article <be-dnUmLOcL0hKHI...@vex.net>, m...@vex.net says...
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.
hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.
>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.
polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?
mercury

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.
cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.
arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?
lead

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?
fugu

> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.
ricin

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.
One of its meanings is "submission," which is likely the answer being
looked for. (I'm pretty sure it most generally means peace, since it
feels etymologically related to the Hebrew shalom.)

> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?
Bedouin

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?
haj

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?
houri

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.
imam

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?
Jesus

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?
peace be unto him

> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?
jinn

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?
wahabi

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?
assassins


--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.

Dan Tilque

unread,
Apr 27, 2015, 5:51:55 AM4/27/15
to
Mark Brader wrote:
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

hemlock

>
> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.
>
> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

polonium

>
> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

mercury

>
> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

cyanide

>
> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

arsenic

>
> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead

>
> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?
>
> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

ricin

>
> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

submission

>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

bedouin

>
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

haj

>
> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?

houri

>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

mullah

>
> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

>
> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

peace be unto him

>
> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

djinni

>
> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabi

>
> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

hashassin


--
Dan Tilque

bbowler

unread,
Apr 27, 2015, 9:15:17 AM4/27/15
to
On Sat, 25 Apr 2015 17:47:05 -0500, Mark Brader wrote:

> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23, and
> should be interpreted accordingly.
>
> On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give both a
> right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty. Please post
> all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
> based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote the
> questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal the
> correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> All questions were written by members of MI5, and are used here by
> permission, but have been reformatted and may have been retyped and/or
> edited by me. For further information see my 2015-02-23 companion
> posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
>
>
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the source it's
> derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably the
> most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

Hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic heart
> function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there is a
> connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

Wolfbane

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned by an
> agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this radioactive
> element in his teacup.

Polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century, it
> was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in the body.
> However, laxative preparations of calomel could still be purchased in
> the 20th century. What is the toxic element in calomel?

Mercury Chloride

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within 1 to
> 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used in Nazi gas
> chambers in WW2.

Cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as many as
> 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also used by
> Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of Youth".
> What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not destroyed
> by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails are removed
> before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used in a Japanese
> delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by specially trained
> and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese name* for the puffer fish?

Fugu

> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a delay
> that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking Bad", Walt
> poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar substitute she
> stirs into her chamomile tea.

ricin

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly prepared,
> and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

Manioc, taro

> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam
>
> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge of
> vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render it in
> the way that is usual when writing in English.)
>
> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.
>
> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally referred
> to desert-dwellers?
>
> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

Hajj

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty. What
> are these creatures called?
>
> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head of the
> faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Ayatollah

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus

Rob Parker

unread,
Apr 28, 2015, 8:54:26 AM4/28/15
to
> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons
>
> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.
>
> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

hemlock

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

wolf's bane

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

polonium

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

mercury

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

cyanide

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

arsenic

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

lead (?)

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

cassava

> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam

> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

god (?)

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

hajj

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

imam

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

jesus

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

sunni


Rob

Mark Brader

unread,
Apr 29, 2015, 4:22:42 AM4/29/15
to
Mark Brader:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2015-02-23,
> and should be interpreted accordingly... I will reveal the correct
> answers in about 3 days.

Sorry, I lost count of days there.

> For further information see my 2015-02-23 companion posting on
> "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


> * Game 6, Round 2 - Science - Poisons

> We'll give you a short description of a deadly poison or the
> source it's derived from; unless instructed otherwise, you
> identify the poison.

> 1. This highly toxic flowering plant, also called conium, was
> popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill off their
> prisoners. It acts as a paralytic that keeps the mind awake,
> so death comes from waking asphyxiation. Socrates is probably
> the most famous victim of the poison. Name the *plant*.

Hemlock. 4 for Peter, Jason, Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen, Björn,
Calvin, Pete, Marc, Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob.

> 2. This poison comes from the plant monkshood. It leaves only
> one post-mortem sign, that of asphyxia, as it causes arrhythmic
> heart function leading to suffocation. In pop culture, there
> is a connection between this plant and lycanthropy.

Aconite or wolfsbane. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen, Pete,
Bruce, and Rob.

> 3. Alexander Litvinenko fell ill on 2006-11-01 in London, England,
> and died 3 weeks later. It is believed that he was poisoned
> by an agent of Russia's Federal Protective Service who put this
> radioactive element in his teacup.

Polonium (210). 4 for Peter, Dan Blum, Erland, Stephen, Calvin,
Marc, Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob.

> 4. Calomel used to be a popular medicine, routinely prescribed for
> teething and infection, and as a laxative. In the 19th century,
> it was realized that it was very toxic when it accumulated in
> the body. However, laxative preparations of calomel could
> still be purchased in the 20th century. What is the toxic
> element in calomel?

Mercury. I scored "mercury chloride" (which describes the *compound*
containing the toxic element) as almost correct. 4 for Peter,
Dan Blum, Stephen, Calvin, Marc, Dan Tilque, and Rob. 3 for Bruce.

> 5. This poison is found in a great variety of substances, including
> almonds, apple seeds, apricot kernels, and tobacco smoke.
> It's a rapid killer; depending on the dose, death occurs within
> 1 to 15 minutes. In its gaseous form, this was an agent used
> in Nazi gas chambers in WW2.

Cyanide. I scored "hydrogen cyanide" (which is the gaseous form)
as almost correct. 4 for Peter, Dan Blum, Stephen, Marc, Dan Tilque,
Bruce, and Rob. 3 for Erland. 2 for Calvin.

> 6. In the 19th century this poison was known as "inheritance
> powder". Englishwoman Mary Ann Cottone reputedly poisoned as
> many as 21 people between 1865 and 1872 with it. It was also
> used by Mortimer Brewster's spinster aunts in a Broadway play.

Arsenic. 4 for Peter, Jason, Joshua, Dan Blum, Erland, Stephen,
Björn, Pete, Marc, Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob.

> 7. To achieve a dead-white complexion, Elizabeth I and the ladies
> of her court used ceruse as a face mask known as the "Mask of
> Youth". What was the toxic ingredient in this cosmetic?

(White) lead. 4 for Peter, Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen, Marc,
Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob.

> 8. The poisonous substance in the puffer fish is the tetrodotoxin
> found in its ovaries and other organs. This poison is not
> destroyed by cooking, although experts say that if the entrails
> are removed before cooking, the fish is harmless. It is used
> in a Japanese delicacy that can only be cooked and prepared by
> specially trained and licensed chefs. What is the *Japanese
> name* for the puffer fish?

Fugu. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen, Marc, and Bruce.

> 9. This is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin produced
> in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It acts as a toxin by
> inhibiting protein synthesis, so symptoms emerge only after a
> delay that varies from a few hours to a full day. In "Breaking
> Bad", Walt poisons Lydia by putting this poison in the sugar
> substitute she stirs into her chamomile tea.

Ricin. 4 for Peter, Joshua, Stephen, Marc, Dan Tilque, and Bruce.

> 10. *What commonly eaten tropical root* contains cyanide in high
> enough concentrations to lead to death if it is improperly
> prepared, and indeed frequently does kill the women preparing it?

Cassava, manioc, or tapioca root. 4 for Joshua (the hard way),
Stephen, and Rob. 3 for Bruce.


> * Game 6, Round 3 - History - The Vocabulary of Islam

> Islam is often in the headlines. This round tests your knowledge
> of vocabulary relevant to the faith, in Arabic and English.
> (On questions requiring an Arabic word as answer, please render
> it in the way that is usual when writing in English.)

> 1. First things first. What is the literal meaning of "Islam"?
> We are looking for the most widely accepted word in English,
> not a synonym.

Submission. And despite the question wording, "surrender" was also
accepted on a protest, so I'm taking that too. 4 for Jason, Joshua,
Marc, and Dan Tilque.

> 2. Which synonym for Muslim, common in medieval literature and
> still seen attached to cricket and rugby teams, originally
> referred to desert-dwellers?

Saracen. 4 for Peter, Calvin, and Pete.

> 3. A pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.
> What is the Arabic word for this activity?

Hajj. 4 for Peter, Jason, Joshua, Dan Blum, Erland, Stephen, Calvin,
Pete, Marc, Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob.

> 4. Once in Jannah, or paradise, true believers will have their
> needs seen to by squads of black-eyed nymphs of perfect beauty.
> What are these creatures called?

Houris. 4 for Joshua, Marc, and Dan Tilque.

> 5. This word in Arabic means "leader". Depending on the branch
> of the faith, it can be applied to the supreme temporal head
> of the faith or simply to the leader of Friday prayers.

Imam. 4 for Peter, Joshua, Erland, Björn, Pete, Marc, and Rob.

> 6. What do we call the well-known figure known in the Koran as Isa?

Jesus. 4 for Peter, Joshua, Dan Blum, Erland, Stephen, Pete, Marc,
Dan Tilque, Bruce, and Rob. 3 for Calvin.

> 7. In many English-language newspapers in the Islamic world,
> the name of Mohammed is inevitably followed by the letters PBUH.
> What do they stand for?

Peace be upon him. Not "praise" and not "unto". 4 for Peter,
Joshua, and Stephen.

> 8. Allah created three orders of sentient beings: humans, angels,
> and which supernatural entities said to be made of "smokeless
> fire"?

Jinns or genies. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen, Marc,
and Dan Tilque.

> 9. Which puritan Muslims continue to dominate Saudi Arabia?

Wahhabis. 4 for Peter, Joshua, Dan Blum, Erland, Stephen, Marc,
and Dan Tilque. 3 for Calvin.

> 10. These medieval Shiite extremists were terrorists of an earlier
> age. It is said that they undertook their missions while high
> on drugs. Who were they?

Assassins. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Erland, Björn, Marc,
and Dan Tilque.


Scores, if there are no errors:

GAME 6 ROUNDS-> 2 3 TOTALS
TOPICS-> Sci His
Joshua Kreitzer 28 36 64
Marc Dashevsky 32 32 64
Stephen Perry 40 20 60
Dan Tilque 28 28 56
Peter Smyth 28 24 52
Dan Blum 32 20 52
Bruce Bowler 38 8 46
Rob Parker 32 12 44
Erland Sommarskog 11 20 31
Pete Gayde 12 16 28
"Calvin" 14 14 28
Jason Kreitzer 8 8 16
Björn Lundin 8 8 16

--
Mark Brader | "The conversation never became heated, which would
Toronto | have been difficult in any argument where there
m...@vex.net | is a built-in cooling-down period between any
| remark and its answer." --Hal Clement, STAR LIGHT
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