Solve the Mystery Trivia Quiz

Answer: bladed weapon

The kukri, or khukuri, is the short sword (or possibly big knife) emblematic of the Gurkha soldier from Nepal. The blade hooks sharply away from the hilt, and looks quite fearsome. Despite this warlike appearance, the Gurkha, whether serving in the British army or that of India, utilises his kukri for a multitude of purposes, including wood chopping, meal preparation and digging in the ground.

Answer: bladed weapon

The scimitar is a sword with a curved blade, often associated with horsemen of the Middle East. Lightweight and with a relatively short, curved blade, the scimitar was deemed ideal for close fighting from horseback.

Answer: bladed weapon

The kris is a type of dagger from Indonesia, with what I can only describe as a "wavy" blade. Also called a keris, this dagger from the island of Java is also used in the martial art pencak silat. Some are believed to be lucky, while others carry bad luck with them.

Answer: bladed weapon

A dirk is a long-bladed dagger, such as those carried by Scots highlanders. The word is derived from the Scots Gaelic word "dearg", but can also be used for blades carried by naval officers, or from other regions. The dirk should not be confused with the sgian dubh, which is shorter and easier to conceal.

Answer: bladed weapon

Most often associated with pirates, the cutlass has a short curved blade useful for hand to hand combat when boarding a targetted ship. You might have seen Errol Flynn or Johnny Depp wielding one in the movies.

Answer: sporting equipment

Favoured by a number of major league baseball players, the Louisville slugger is a particular brand of baseball bat, manufactured under that name since the 1890s. Ownership of the name has changed over the years, but the quality of the bat has been maintained.

Answer: sporting equipment

Mallets are used in croquet to tap wooden balls through hoops around a course, usually laid out on someone's lawn. Mallets are also used in polo, to thwack the ball along the ground whilst leaning precariously from one's horse's back.

Answer: sporting equipment

The word "cesta" is Spanish for "basket" and in sporting terms, the cesta is the wicker appendage worn by jai alai players to manipulate the ball, or pelota, around the court. Speeds in excess of 170 mph (273 kph) have been achieved.

Answer: sporting equipment

If you golf (even if you don't), you probably know that the thingamajig that you stick in the ground and set your ball on is called a tee. Another, larger, tee is used (sometimes) in various forms of football (American, Canadian, Rugby) for kicking off, but generally not for field goals or extra points.

Answer: sporting equipment

You might know the shuttlecock better as a badminton birdie. Apparently, serious badminton players prefer the term "shuttlecock", which derived from the way the feathered cork item shuttled back and forth across the net, whilst resembling a rooster (or cock). The feathers probably played a part in the alternate name as well.

Answer: dwelling

Traditional yurts (or gers) have been dwelling places in central Asia, especially Mongolia, for over two thousand years. They are portable, consisting of a light circular wooden frame covered in material (often felt) and insulated against the weather. In more recent times North Americans have adapted yurts to various purposes.

Answer: dwelling

The igloo, or snow hut, in the 21st century is used most often as a temporary shelter, though in earlier times the larger versions were at least semi-permanent dwellings. The word "iglu" in the Inuit languages, in fact, means any dwelling, building materials notwithstanding.

Answer: dwelling

In this instance, the word "caravan" is used to mean a trailer or mobile home, used either in a permanent position, or as a nomad's mobile dwelling. It could also refer to a Romany caravan, still to be found in some parts of the world.

Answer: dwelling

A bungalow is a smallish, single storey dwelling, possibly with a verandah or an extra bedroom under the eaves, with a dormer window. The architectural style developed in the Bengal region of India, but variations like the California bungalow have made changes.

Answer: dwelling

In Canada, a duplex is a building with two separate dwelling units, usually with a common wall between them. The units may be side by side or one above the other, but each one is entirely separate from the other.