Not Just Any Quiz - the Nnnn-y Quiz

Answer: NY - New York

Designer Milton Glaser, famous for his psychedelic album poster of Bob Dylan, was charged with creating a slogan to promote tourism in New York State in 1977. He was in a New York taxi cab when inspiration came to him and he scribbled "I [heart] NY" in red crayon on the back of a torn envelope.

He had no idea it would become not just an enduring New York success but a global pop-culture icon. The original envelope and design is displayed in MOMA's art collection where you can view it on-line. Glaser made no money from it, having done the original work pro bono.

The heart symbol is the first symbol to enter a dictionary as a word in its own right; it was included in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2011.

Answer: Non compos (mentis)

The origin of the word "nincompoop" is not definitively known but Dr Johnson, in his famous dictionary, hypothesized the connection and although other theories have been put forward, his theory still carries support.

Non compos mentis means "not in control of the mind" (not of sound mind). Ne plus ultra means "nothing further beyond" (the highest point, the ultimate). Nil desperandum is a popular motto and means "never despair". Nota bene means "note well" and is usually written as N.B.

Answer: a 99 (ninety-nine)

No one knows why it is called a 99, but the name has been around since at least the 1930s. One persistent explanation is that it's an homage from Italian ice-cream sellers to an Italian king that had 99 bodyguards, but that is probably pure urban myth. Cadbury's website once claimed that their chocolate bars (Flake 99s) are the source, but they weren't manufactured until much later so it's more likely that the chocolate was named after the ice-cream. Either way, it's a traditional summertime favourite and considered a classic. First-time visitors to the UK or Ireland should note that 999 is not an ice-cream, it is the emergency phone number for police/ambulance/fire brigade.

Answer: Nimble (and quick)

This rhyme dates from at least the 18th century. The whole rhyme is: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick". Origins of nursery rhymes can be notoriously speculative as the rhymes are passed down through the generations by speech rather than in print. "Jack Be Nimble" may refer to an old English game of leaping over a fire or candle, played at festivities or gatherings.

A candlestick is placed on the floor and if you can jump over it without extinguishing the flame it's a foretelling of good luck.

It may also refer to an English pirate called Black Jack who was known for his many nimble escapes from the law.

Answer: Charles Dickens

"The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" was an instant best-seller. It was published in installments in a journal, which may explain the rambling plot. The first installment appeared in 1839 and it out-sold Dickens' previous best-seller, "The Pickwick Papers", with an unprecedented 50,000 journals sold per month for the 18 months it took to serialise.

His colourful characters and dramatic storylines were particularly liked by actors. It is estimated that by 1850, when Dickens was at the height of his fame, there had been about 240 stage productions of his various books; a quarter of them were versions of "Nicholas Nickleby". Dickens' own mother is considered to be the inspiration for the character of Nickleby's mother.

Answer: Noughts and Crosses

Noughts (or Naughts) and Crosses is thousands of years old. Variations of the game have been found all through the Roman Empire, dating back to the first century AD when it was called Terni Lapilli, but it could arguably have come from the Ancient Egyptians.

It first appears in print as "Noughts and Crosses" in the mid-19th century in Britain. There was also a children's game then called Tick-Tack-Toe with a similar grid but each square contained a number, and the game was to blindly stick a pin in the grid to score the corresponding number points. It wasn't until the 20th century that the name Tic-Tac-Toe became attached to the current x-and-o game in the US.

Answer: Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela wasn't born with the name Nelson. His birth name was Rolihlahla Mandela. He was re-named Nelson by his teacher when he attended school under the British colonial system, where it was the custom for African children to be given anglicised names.

His original name means "pulling the branch of the tree", which also translates as "troublemaker". Mandela and former president de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their part in the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa and their work towards an inclusive democracy.

Answer: Nancy

Nancy Sinatra is the daughter of Frank Sinatra, and is probably best known for her song "These Boots Were Made For Walking". Nancy Reagan was the beloved wife of former US president Ronald Reagan. Nancy Drew is a popular fictional detective, first appearing in print in 1930.

The name Nancy began as a medieval nickname for Annis (a form of Agnes, meaning "pure"). Annis fell by the wayside in the 17th century, but the nickname was saved when Nancy was adopted as a nickname for Ann (meaning "grace"). By the mid-18th century it had become a name in its own right.

Answer: Norm!

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. George Wendt played Norm Peterson, a witty barfly with a long tab. Norm was the only customer to appear in every single episode of "Cheers". Both Wendt and John Ratzenberger auditioned for the role.

After Wendt was given the part, Ratzenberger suggested to the writers that there should be a local know-it-all character in the bar, thus Ratzenberger's character, Cliff Clavin, was born.

Answer: Daffodil

The proper name for all types of daffodils, jonquils, and similar flowers, is Narcissus. Narcissus was a youth from Greek legend who fell so in love with his own reflection in the water that he starved to death whilst admiring himself. The narcissus plant is said to have taken on his spirit and grown where he died so that he could continue to gaze into the stream.

The more practical reason behind the name is that daffodil bulbs are toxic (a narcotic) and narcissus means "numbness" in Greek. The scented oil from jonquil flowers is widely used in the perfume industry.