Trident's Crossword Scavenger Trivia Quiz

Answer: star

Answer key: (Astr)onomical body. Alternatively: Astr(onom)ical body.

The path of the etymology of the word "astronomy" goes from Greek, to Latin, to Old French, to Middle English. "Astronomy" also used to mean the astrological aspects of the form of study, though the two broke apart in the 17th century as different fields. The word "star" finds its roots in Proto-Germanic and Old English. The two words have completely unrelated roots.

Answer: pearl

Answer key: An oyster's (real p)rize.

Though mussels and clams are known to make pearls, they are more commonly made in the oyster. Most people know that an irritant must be introduced in order for an oyster to start making them. Many pearls are perfectly round, though pearls which are oddly-shaped are called baroque pearls. Some jewelers specialize in making jewelry with these imperfect gems.

Answer: oil

Answer key: Liquid t(o li)ght one's lamp with.

Of course, we are talking about oil lamps here, which have been in use for thousands of years. More modern oil lamps began to appear with the invention of the Argand lamp in 1780, which was much brighter than its earlier counterparts.

Answer: kale

Answer key: Vegetab(le ak)in to collard greens.

Kale and many other leafy vegetables are of the same species, Brassica oleracea. In the wild, it is known as wild spinach. However, if you look at its many cultivars, this species includes the vegetables of cabbage, Savoy cabbage, red cabbage, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, and broccolini. Incredibly, all of these plants are of the same plant species, Brassica oleracea.

Answer: tear

Answer key: Rip ap(art e)ffortlessly. Alternatively: Rip a(part) effortlessly.

The word "tear" comes from the Old English word "teran", which was something called a class IV strong verb. It sounds intimidating, but in English strong verbs are those in which the past tense of the verb doesn't come from adding -ed but from changes to the stem vowel: tear/tore - drive/drove - sing/sang.

Answer: crane

Answer key: This creatu(re can) whoop.

The whooping crane is named after its loud whooping sound. They were critically endangered for many years, going from only 21 known individuals in the wild to over 800 in a span of 80 years.

Answer: rave

Answer key: H(ave r)ambling speech.

To "rave" can be to talk incoherently about something, or it can mean to praise something enthusiastically. The latter comes from the fact that some people tend to give a little too much enthusiasm in their praise.

Answer: tick

Answer key: You pi(ck it) off your hound.

Most veterinarians don't recommend a trip to the vet's office if a dog has been bitten by a tick. However, you should watch out for symptoms of Lyme disease in the following days. When removing ticks from a dog, be sure to remove the tick's biting head, which often separates from the body when removing them with tweezers.

Answer: rose

Answer key: Flow(er so)ught by paramours.

Stemming from a belief in a "flower language", giving roses to your lover became popular in Victorian England, though people giving flowers and other plants to those they love had been around for much longer than that. The red rose was also closely tied to the goddess Aphrodite.

Answer: salt

Answer key: It makes food (last) longer.

Salting food is one of the earliest ways invented for preserving it. Salt removes moisture from food, and the introduction of salt leads to a hostile environment for bacteria, fungi, and other organisms, depriving them of the ability to thrive.