Crystal Ball Stumpers Trivia Quiz

Answer: A handbook or manual

Enchiridion, which is defined as "handbook or manual" is a late Latin word. It can also mean a small dagger, but for this quiz, the former definition is used. The plural of this word is enchiridia. Examples of same could be a set of guidelines for creating a desired product, or one on Roman law, or a training manual, or guidelines for expected behaviour.

There was one floating around at one stage on the net that listed the correct procedures to follow when dying. The brilliant winning player of this obscure Crystal Ball word was FT player, quantockgal.

Answer: Rariora

The Free Dictionary by Farlex defines rariora as "the outstanding item (the prize piece or main exhibit) in a collection". Examples of this word in the everyday world could be a very rare stamp owned by a philalatelist, or an exceptionally rare coin from Ancient Greece that takes pride of place in a coin collection owned by a numismatist.

This Crystal Ball word is so obscure that no Fun Trivia player managed to win it.

Answer: Muslim cleric who calls the faithful to prayer

Muadhdhin is defined as "the Muslim official of a mosque who summons the faithful to prayer from a minaret five times a day". The five pillars of this religion include living a correct life, prayer, caring for the poor and needy, purification and the pilgrimage, at least once in a lifetime if possible, to Mecca.

The prayer pillar is known as Salat. It requires prayers to be said at dawn, noon, afternoon, evening and night, while facing in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. The scintillating winner of this Crystal Ball word in early December was FT player, fringe.

Answer: Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy is defined as "The removal of blood from a vein, usually with a needle and syringe or other container, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes". This doesn't hurt at all beyond one small sting as the needle is first inserted into a vein. It's the thought of the process that's the killer. So if you have an over-active imagination, just study the painting on the wall of your dotor's surgery, making a mental note that you'll possibly hate that work for the rest of your life.

The gifted winner of this early December Crystal Ball word was FT player, satguru.

Answer: Particular qualities of a thing that identifies it alone

Haecceity is defined as "the properties that uniquely defines an object". An example of this could be if you take the general concept of a man - and then take the concept of, say, British actor Colin Firth - then haecceity is the differences between the idea of a man in general, and the unique qualities associated in particular with Colin Firth.

His beautifully expressive eyes, for example, immediately set him apart. Haecceity of course would be a lot harder to apply with identical twins. Nobody won this particular Crystal Ball word.

The individualising differences between it and everyday English were insurmountable.

Answer: Slender spear with an iron tip

Assegai is defined as " A light spear or lance used by Bantu peoples of southern Africa". This slender spear, with a tip either made of iron or hardened in a fire, was once found right throughout Africa before the advent of Europeans and their firearms. Three South African tribes in particular whose men were skilled in its use were the Bantu, Nguni and Zulu. Assegai is also a tall African tree of the dogwood family.

It has very hard wood that is used in the manufacture of furniture, but the first definition is used in this quiz.

This was another Crystal Ball word that stumped players in early December, as nobody worked it out before the clock ticked over.

Answer: A device that measures the density of gas

A dasymeter, as stated above, is defined as "a device that measures the density of gas". Thanks to looney_tunes for the following explanation: "The globe of a dasymeter is suspended on a lever so that the weight on the other end exactly balances it, then it is placed inside a container of the gas whose density is to be measured.

A new measurement of its weight relative to the surrounding gas can be taken by seeing how much the balance on which it is suspended deflects (the sphere goes up if the gas is more dense than it, and down if the gas is less dense).

There is often a scale mounted to measure the deflection and give a relative density reading". The inspired winner of this early December Crystal Ball word was Mugaboo.

Answer: Hebrew measure equivalent to a bushel

Epha, also spelled as ephah, is defined as "An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure, equal to a tenth of a homer or about one bushel". It was originally used in the agricultural world to measure qualities of wheat and other cereal grains. Just to put it into perspective for you, a bushel is the equivalent of a container holding 4 pecks or eight gallons or 36 litres of a substance.

The clever winner of this early December Crystal Ball was drewh2os.

Answer: Type of halo around the sun or moon

Parhelic is defined as "A bright spot sometimes appearing at either side of the sun, often on a luminous ring or halo, caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight by ice crystals suspended in the earth's atmosphere....". This peculiarity, which also occurs with the moon, seldom appears as a full circle but only parts of same. Normally, because of reflection, we see it as mostly misty white in colour, but if you look closer (not at the sun!) parhelic circles usually have a darker or contrasting shade around their circumferences. Nobody perceived this difficult Crystal Ball word in early December.

They were looking in the wrong spot.

Answer: A small cafe selling alcoholic drinks

More precisely, estaminet is defined as "a small café where alcoholic beverages are available for purchase". Springing from French culture, the concept of a modern café is only a couple of hundred years old. Prior to that, if people wished to eat out for a meal, they had to go to their local guild and order a meal there.

In addition to this, they could only eat meals permitted by that guild's registry. There wasn't much choice involved at all - usually none at all in many cases. By the late 1700s, however, small eateries along the lines that we know them as today, were beginning to appear - and these were allowed to sell alcoholic drinks as well to refresh and stimulate the taste buds as only the French know how.

The perspicacious winner of this early December Crystal Ball word was Wally119.