It's Drab, It's Dour, It's Dark! Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. At first the winter is long if generally humid, then dark. (8)

Answer: Twilight

The words 'at first' indicate that the initial letters of the following eight words, 'The Winter Is Long If Generally Humid, Then', will lead to the eight letter answer - 'twilight', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Twilight' is used to refer to the time when the sun is setting, and it is starting to get dark. It is the name of a series of "vampire-themed fantasy romance novels" (as described by 'Wikipedia') written by Stephanie Meyer; the same name is used for the saga of films based on those books.

2. It's dark in Dover Castle. (8)

Answer: Overcast

The word 'in' shows that inside the words 'D-over Cast-le' is the eight letter answer - 'overcast', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

Apart from referring to dull cloudy weather, 'overcast' is also used to describe stitching at the edge of a piece of fabric to stop it from fraying.

3. Turn rust base dark. (8)

Answer: Abstruse

The word 'turn' indicates an anagram; the letters of 'rust base' can be rearranged to make the eight letter answer - 'abstruse', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Abstruse' is often used in the sense of 'difficult to understand' or 'unclear', which is presumably how it found its way into a list of synonyms for 'dark'.

4. Dark cane returned in Chinese dynasty. (8)

Answer: Menacing

The Chinese dynasty is 'Ming'; the word 'returned' indicates that the letters in 'cane' should be reversed; putting 'enac' inside 'm-ing' gives the eight letter answer - 'menacing', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Menacing' is often used to describe something which is 'threatening'; the word comes from the Latin word 'minae' meaning 'threats'.

5. Every other inn of farm donuts is dark. (8)

Answer: Infamous

Taking alternate letters, as indicated by the words 'every other', of 'InN oF fArM dOnUtS' gives the eight letter answer - 'infamous', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

A person who is 'infamous' is notorious for wrong-doing. The word has also been used as the title of a series of video games.

6. One thousand and fifty go around changing four united nations. (8)

Answer: Mournful

One thousand and fifty in Roman numerals is 'ML'; 'united nations' is 'UN'; that and 'four' can be re-arranged as 'ournfu', which can be placed between 'ml' to give the eight letter answer - 'mournful', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Mournful' is usually used to describe people experiencing grief following bereavement; traditionally people of western cultures would have worn black, or dark, clothes when in mourning.

7. Dark moves short first siren. (8)

Answer: Sinister

'First' can be written as '1st'; '1' in Roman numerals is 'I' giving 'ist'; an anagram of that and 'siren' is the eight letter answer - 'sinister', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Sinister' is the Latin word for 'left' (opposite of 'right'). Words for 'left' get a raw deal when used in English; the French word is 'gauche', which is used to describe an awkward person. In contrast, the Latin word for right is 'dexter', giving us 'dextrous', and the French word, 'droit', gives us 'adroit'.

8. Dark design or antique covering. (8)

Answer: Ignorant

The word 'covering' shows that inside the words 'des-ign or ant-ique' is the eight letter answer - 'ignorant', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Ignorant' is used to mean 'unaware' or 'unsophisticated'; it comes from the Latin word 'ignorare' which means 'to not know'.

9. Moving rifle, Ann finds the dark. (8)

Answer: Infernal

The word 'moving' indicates an anagram; the letters of the words 'rifle Ann' can be rearranged to make the eight letter answer - 'infernal', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

'Infernal' is used to describe something from the underworld or hell; the word comes from the Latin 'infernus' which means 'below ground' or 'subterranean'. It was also the name taken by a trio of performers from Denmark in 1997.

10. For the dark, finally reach to cover heather, cacti disturb colourful waste. (8)

Answer: Horrible

The word 'finally' indicates that the last letters of the following eight words, 'reacH tO coveR heatheR, cactI disturB colourfuL wastE', will give the eight letter answer - 'horrible', which is a synonym for 'dark'.

The word 'horrible' is used to describe something shocking, or which causes horror. Terry Deary wrote a series of books in the UK called 'Horrible Histories'; with individual titles such as 'Terrible Tudors' and 'Vile Victorians', they were designed to appeal to children by giving unusual, quirky facts in cartoon form, unlike the way the children probably encountered history in lessons at school.

Source: Author Lottie1001

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
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Questions		Choices
1. At first the winter is long if generally humid, then dark. (8)		Infamous
2. It's dark in Dover Castle. (8)		Menacing
3. Turn rust base dark. (8)		Mournful
4. Dark cane returned in Chinese dynasty. (8)		Twilight
5. Every other inn of farm donuts is dark. (8)		Overcast
6. One thousand and fifty go around changing four united nations. (8)		Horrible
7. Dark moves short first siren. (8)		Ignorant
8. Dark design or antique covering. (8)		Infernal
9. Moving rifle, Ann finds the dark. (8)		Abstruse
10. For the dark, finally reach to cover heather, cacti disturb colourful waste. (8)		Sinister

My thesaurus lists over seventy synonyms for 'dark'. Two are in the title of this quiz. Can you match the following cryptic [another one] clues with ten more of those obscure [and another] words?