Past puzzles / #7
Bonsaily #7
Saturday, 7 November 2026 · the day’s tree: Japanese maple (Momiji, 紅葉)
1. Name a city that has hosted the Olympic Games (Summer or Winter)
Target: a Games year closest to 2018. For scale: Nagano, 1998.
Bullseye answers
- Pyeongchang · 2018 — Hosted the Winter Games of 2018 (South Korea).
- Rio de Janeiro · 2016 — Hosted the Summer Games of 2016 (Brazil).
- Tokyo · 2020 — Hosted the Summer Games of 1964 and 2020 (held in 2021) (Japan).
8 more answers scored Close (70–94). 44 answers were valid in all. Source: Wikipedia, List of Olympic Games host cities (2026).
2. Name a chemical element
Target: atomic mass closest to 50 u. For scale: Silicon is about 28.09 u.
Bullseye answers
- Vanadium · 50.94 u — V: standard atomic weight 50.94 u.
- Chromium · 52 u — Cr: standard atomic weight 52 u.
- Titanium · 47.87 u — Ti: standard atomic weight 47.87 u.
11 more answers scored Close (70–94). 110 answers were valid in all. Source: Periodic-Table-JSON (Bowserinator) (2024).
3. Name a director who won the Oscar for Best Director
Target: a winning film year closest to 1989. For scale: Ang Lee, 2005.
Bullseye answers
- Oliver Stone · 1989 — Best Director twice: 1986 and 1989; most recently for Born on the Fourth of July.
- Barry Levinson · 1988 — Best Director for Rain Man (1988).
- Kevin Costner · 1990 — Best Director for Dances With Wolves (1990).
14 more answers scored Close (70–94). 77 answers were valid in all. Source: DLu/oscar_data (Academy Awards database) (2025).
4. Name a country
Target: population density closest to 500 per km². For scale: Jamaica is about 258 per km².
Bullseye answers
- Burundi · 517 per km² — 517 per km²: 14.4 million people on 27,834 km².
- Israel · 487 per km² — 487 per km²: 10.1 million people on 20,770 km².
- South Korea · 516 per km² — 516 per km²: 51.7 million people on 100,210 km².
- Comoros · 474 per km² — 474 per km²: 882,847 people on 1,862 km².
16 more answers scored Close (70–94). 194 answers were valid in all. Source: World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL) (2025).
5. Name a US state
Target: became a state in a year closest to 1819. For scale: Ohio, 1803.
Bullseye answers
- Alabama · 1819 — Admitted to the Union in 1819.
- Illinois · 1818 — Admitted to the Union in 1818.
- Maine · 1820 — Admitted to the Union in 1820.
4 more answers scored Close (70–94). 50 answers were valid in all. Source: Wikipedia, List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union (1959).
6. Name one of the 88 constellations
Target: the 70th largest by area. For scale: Ursa Minor is 56th.
Bullseye answers
- Corvus · 70th — 184 square degrees, the 19th smallest of the 88.
- Canis Minor · 71st — 183 square degrees, the 18th smallest of the 88.
- Delphinus · 69th — 189 square degrees, the 20th smallest of the 88.
10 more answers scored Close (70–94). 88 answers were valid in all. Source: IAU constellation boundaries (Delporte 1930) via Skyfield / Roman 1987 (VizieR VI/42) (1930).