Q Without a U Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dvorak

The QWERTY layout was adopted by Remington for the first mass-produced commercial typewriter, the Remington No. 2. It's said that one advantage of this format was that it allowed Remington salesmen to dazzle their customers by quickly pecking out "TYPEWRITER" using the keys in the top row.

The Dvorak keyboard is a well-thought-out alternative that is reputed to allow much higher typing speeds and to cause less hand fatigue. It concentrates the most frequently used keys along the home row ("AOEIUDHTNS" instead of "ASDFGHJKL;"). Unfortunately, with billions of people already familiar with the imperfect QWERTY system, there's not likely to be a mass shift away from it any time soon.

Answer: Sharia

The basis for law in many Islamic countries, Sharia is based on the teachings in the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad collected in the Sunnah. It concerns everything from contracts and trade law to issues of personal morality and hygiene.

In some non-Islamic countries, such as India and Great Britain, Muslims may choose to have certain matters, including family law, judged or arbitrated by a Sharia court.

Answer: Albania

A qindar is equal to one one-hundredth of a lek, the basic unit of Albanian currency. The lek is named for Alexander the Great ("Leka i Madh" in Albanian). Since one lek is worth about one cent (2010), a qindar is really small change. Qindarka are no longer issued as separate currency, but they still exist for the purposes of computing interest and the like.

Answer: String

More properly called a "guqin", or "ancient stringed instrument", the qin has seven strings and no frets. It is played by plucking with the fingers, and its lowest note is tuned to about two octaves below middle C.

Answer: Israel

The shekel replaced Israel's older form of currency, the lira. Its first incarnation suffered from a huge inflation rate, and the "new shekel" was brought on board in 1986 at a rate of one new shekel to 1000 old ones. Interestingly, Israel does not have a mint of its own. Its coins are produced in Korea, and its banknotes are printed in Switzerland.

Answer: Feng shui

Many important buildings throughout China have been built according to feng shui principles. When Hong Kong Disneyland was constructed, several changes were made to the original plans on the advice of feng shui specialists, including relocating the entrance gate. One quick feng shui tip: place a bowl with three, six or nine goldfish somewhere in your living space to attract wealth. Even if this doesn't work as advertised, at least you'll have some companionship.

Answer: Somalia

Street riots resulted when the Supreme Islamic Courts council banned the use of qat. Neighboring countries whose economy depended on growing qat for export protested, too--especially Kenya. Reportedly, before the ban, 20 tons of qat per day were shipped from northern Kenya into Mogadishu.

Answer: Aleph

The Hebrew letter Aleph is derived from a Phoenician equivalent, and its symbol is thought to have originated as a picture of an ox's head. It's hard to see this image when looking at the modern Hebrew letter; it looks more like a fancy "X."

Answer: Madonna

All of the celebrities listed have had some association with the Kabbalah Centre, but Madonna is notable for the depth of her commitment to the organization. The red string, worn tied around the left wrist, is supposed to help ward off the evil eye.

Answer: Muskox

Said to be eighteen times warmer than sheep's wool, muskox wool keeps Inuit families toasty throughout the Arctic's bitterest winters. Muskoxen naturally molt their wool in spring, which is a good thing for qiviut workers. Shearing a notoriously cranky critter that can weigh up to 850 pounds sounds like more of a chore than most of us would be willing to handle. If you want a qiviut garment of your own, better start saving your pennies: a simple scarf can set you back $250 or more.