Wordwise Puzzler No 3 Trivia Quiz

Answer: A drop in the bucket

"A drop in the bucket" means that whatever has been accomplished in any endeavour requiring a lot of effort or work has been so insignificant that it has hardly registered. An example of this could be the work needed to build a house. If a team of builders combined all their efforts on this project, but one of the team only did a couple of hours work, then that person's input wouldn't make very much difference at all towards the project's completion.

Answer: A foot in the door

To have "a foot in the door" is to be one step closer towards an ultimate much larger goal. An example of this could be if you wanted to obtain a university degree in some field. By sending away your application to the university of your choice - and being accepted there to commence studies - you will have commenced your long journey towards achieving your goal.

Answer: Third time lucky

"Third time lucky" is based on a belief that anything that is attempted is more likely to succeed on the third try rather than on the first or second attempt. The origin of this term was believed to be based on a true story of an attempted hanging of a criminal in England in 1885.

After the executioner botched the job three times, the judge altered the criminal's sentence to life imprisonment instead. This is an interesting theory but it isn't true. The expression "Third time lucky" predates that attempted execution.

It's more than likely instead that it's either based on the expression "Try, try, try again" where attempting anything twice wasn't enough, but attempting it four times was a waste of time.

Answer: Safety in numbers

"Safety in numbers" means that, in any perilous situation, where there is a real possibility of harm, it is better to be part of a large group than an individual standing alone. An example of this can be seen in the running of the bulls event in Pamplona where, for the thrill of it, hundreds of people run along in front of a group of panic-stricken bulls that have been let loose in a sectioned off part of the town. Are they crazy?? Sooner or later those poor frantic animals are bound to gore somebody.

The theory however is that the more people there are, the less chance there is for an individual to end up on the receiving end of a set of indignant horns.

Answer: All hands on deck

"All hands on deck" is an expression based on orders for sailors in maritime training or work. It means that everybody available must spring into action immediately. In its broader use today, it means that anyone working in any particular venture must be involved - or, in an emergency, everybody must participate in dealing with same.

It can even apply to a roll call where all participants in any field have to assemble in the one spot to be marked off on a roll.

Answer: Honour among thieves

The belief behind the saying, "Honour among thieves", is that criminals, those noble law-abiding citizens who are anything but, do not betray one another, and that even the worst one of their kind is supposed to live by some sort of criminally noble set of standards. That's worthy of a snort or two. If indeed such a code exists, it's probably more out of a fear of reprisal than anything else.

Answer: A knight in shining armor

"A knight in shining armour" (or armor) is a romantic belief that for every damsel in distress, there is bound to come galloping along a knight in shining armour to rescue her, sweep her up before him on his horse and then canter off together into the sunset. We all fell for that at some time, ladies.

In a broader sense this saying means anybody who has helped another person out of trouble. Though there certainly were knights at one time in history, and though their armour may or may not have been polished to perfection, it's highly likely, because of the incredible weight of that armour, that if there did indeed exist a ravishing damsel in distress, and if our hero did decide to bend down and sweep her up before him on his horse, he probably would have fallen on top of her instead and given her concussion.

Answer: A pig in a poke

"A pig in a poke" refers to some sort of deal or agreement that has been impulsively agreed to without first looking into it further. The history behind this saying is that a poke, a term still used in some parts of the world, was an old word for a sack or a bag. If someone went to market carrying a small pig, or any goods, in such a bag, then any buyer would be very unwise to buy same just on the say-so of the seller, without first checking out the contents. Mind you, it'd have to be a mighty small pig to be carried manually to market.

Some of those animals grow to be huge. The image of anybody staggering along with a fully grown pig in a bag on his back is just a little comical.

Answer: Any port in a storm

"Any port in a storm" means that in any dire situation, where time is of the essence, or an immediate solution or help is required, then even if the only option available is less than ideal, it will have to do.

Answer: All things in moderation

"All things in moderation" means that nothing should be taken or consumed to excess. This is a saying that was apparently found inscribed on the walls of the temple to Apollo at Delphi in ancient Greece. It is also believed to have been written by Chilon of Sparta, who was one of the Seven Sages of Greece approximately 6th century BC.

He had many sayings associated with his name, including "Do not let one's tongue outrun one's sense" and "Do not speak evil of the dead". It is believed by some that he died of joy when his son won the boxing laurel wreath at the Olympic Games. Talk about taking things to excess.