Past puzzles / #9
Bonsaily #9
Monday, 9 November 2026 · the day’s tree: Japanese maple (Momiji, 紅葉)
1. Name a country
Target: area closest to 800,000 km². For scale: Ecuador is about 276,841 km².
Bullseye answers
- Mozambique · 801,590 km² — Area 801,590 km² (309,496 sq mi); capital Maputo.
- Türkiye · 783,562 km² — Area 783,562 km² (302,535 sq mi); capital Ankara.
- Namibia · 825,615 km² — Area 825,615 km² (318,772 sq mi); capital Windhoek.
- Chile · 756,102 km² — Area 756,102 km² (291,933 sq mi); capital Santiago.
- Zambia · 752,612 km² — Area 752,612 km² (290,585 sq mi); capital Lusaka.
- Pakistan · 881,912 km² — Area 881,912 km² (340,508 sq mi); capital Islamabad.
29 more answers scored Close (70–94). 195 answers were valid in all. Source: mledoze/countries (2025).
2. Name a film that won the Oscar for Best Picture
Target: film year closest to 2010. For scale: Nomadland, 2020.
Bullseye answers
- The King's Speech · 2010 — Best Picture for 2010 films, at the 83rd Academy Awards.
- The Artist · 2011 — Best Picture for 2011 films, at the 84th Academy Awards.
- The Hurt Locker · 2009 — Best Picture for 2009 films, at the 82nd Academy Awards.
16 more answers scored Close (70–94). 98 answers were valid in all. Source: DLu/oscar_data (Academy Awards database) (2025).
3. Name one of the 88 constellations
Target: area closest to 1,000 square degrees. For scale: Libra is about 538 square degrees.
Bullseye answers
- Aquarius · 980 square degrees — 980 square degrees, the 10th largest of the 88.
- Centaurus · 1,060 square degrees — 1,060 square degrees, the 9th largest of the 88.
- Leo · 947 square degrees — 947 square degrees, the 12th largest of the 88.
- Ophiuchus · 948 square degrees — 948 square degrees, the 11th largest of the 88.
15 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).
4. Name a driver who has won a Formula One Grand Prix
Target: Grand Prix wins (to the end of 2025) closest to 8. For scale: Mika Häkkinen is about 20.
Bullseye answers
- Charles Leclerc · 8 — 8 wins to the end of 2025; first at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix.
- Daniel Ricciardo · 8 — 8 wins to the end of 2025; first at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix.
- Denny Hulme · 8 — 8 wins to the end of 2025; first at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix.
- Jacky Ickx · 8 — 8 wins to the end of 2025; first at the 1968 French Grand Prix.
24 more answers scored Close (70–94). 115 answers were valid in all. Source: F1DB (Formula 1 database) (2025).
5. Name a chemical element that is solid or liquid at room temperature
Target: density closest to 10 g/cm³. For scale: Zinc is about 7.14 g/cm³.
Bullseye answers
- Actinium · 10 g/cm³ — Ac: density 10 g/cm³.
- Lutetium · 9.84 g/cm³ — Lu: density 9.84 g/cm³.
- Bismuth · 9.78 g/cm³ — Bi: density 9.78 g/cm³.
- Molybdenum · 10.3 g/cm³ — Mo: density 10.3 g/cm³.
- Silver · 10.5 g/cm³ — Ag: density 10.5 g/cm³.
29 more answers scored Close (70–94). 81 answers were valid in all. Source: Periodic-Table-JSON (Bowserinator) (2024).
6. Name a US vice president
Target: vice-presidency number closest to 29. For scale: Spiro Agnew is 39.
Bullseye answers
- Calvin Coolidge · 29 — The 29th vice president, from March 1921; later president.
- Charles G. Dawes · 30 — The 30th vice president, from March 1925.
- Thomas R. Marshall · 28 — The 28th vice president, from March 1913.
10 more answers scored Close (70–94). 50 answers were valid in all. Source: unitedstates/congress-legislators (executive.yaml) (2025).