Holiday Before and After
Flavorful Bases
Actors Over the Decades
Ringing in the New Year
Literary Potpurri
200

The Philadelphia name for a semi-frozen sweetened treat, combined with the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across a frosty lake surface

What is water ice skating?

200

A Latin sofrito usually includes garlic, onions, bell peppers, and this key salsa ingredient.

What are tomatoes?

200

2000s: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

2010s: Crazy Rich Asians

2020s: Wicked

Who is Michelle Yeoh?

200

The 5 interlocking rings in this symbol was originally created in 1913 and believed to represented the inhabited continents of Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

What are the Olympic rings?

200

This author's famous epic novel was almost titled "War: What is it Good For?" It was his mistress that insisted he change it to War and Peace.

Who is Leo Tolstoy?

400

A compilation of all the things you ask of Santa for Christmas with the classic 2009 hit by French band Phoenix from their fourth album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

What is wish-Lisztomania?

400

Known as the "Holy Trinity," the combination of onions, bell peppers, and celery forms the flavor base for this regional American cuisine.

What is Creole/cajun?

400

1990s: The Bridges of Madison County

2000s: The Devil Wears Prada

2010s: Florence Foster Jenkins

Who is Meryl Streep?

400

A ringing sound in one's ear is a symptom of this condition where a person hears a sound that no one else can. 

What is tinnitus?

400

The originally German word that refers to a novel or story that tells the coming-of-age or development of a young protagonist. Some well-known examples include Jane Eyre and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

What is a bildungsroman?

600

Abode made of cookies flavored with nutmeg and cinnamon that also happens to be a prickly medical genius who solves health mysteries

What is Gingerbread House M.D.?

600

Shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and chilies are often combined with the fat in coconut milk to form the base for curry pastes in this country's cuisine.

What is Thai?

600

1990s: Desperado

2000s: Frida

2020s: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Who is Salma Hayek?

600

Prior to the annual ordering of championship Series rings becoming a tradition in the 1930s, players of this sport requested other items in place of rings, including cufflinks and tie bars. 

What is baseball?

600

This literary style, attributed to authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Salman Rushdie, combines real-world settings with supernatural elements.  

What is magical realism?

800

A chemical bond formed with two atoms of similar electronegativity and the classic holiday movie featuring the song "Hot Chocolate."

What is non-Polar Express?

800

Though not part of the core aromatics involved in an Indian flavor base, this spice blend is used in many dishes like butter chicken, tikka masala, and more.

What is garam masala?

800

1990s: Schindler's List

2000s: Maid in Manhattan

2010s: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who is Ralph Fiennes?

800

This centuries-old style of ring was traditionally made with a seal set into it to leave an impression in sealing wax. 

What is a signet ring?

800

The most well-known of these can be seen in Act 3, Scene 1 of Hamlet, as the titular character begins, "to be or not to be." 

What is a soliloquy?

1000

Opening line of "The Christmas Song" that details the cooking method of a holiday street food followed by the thin strip of New York land considered to be an LGBTQ+ utopia.

What is chestnuts roasting on an open Fire Island?

1000

This is the name of the traditional French flavor base of diced vegetables, typically made with a 1:2:1 ratio of onions, carrots, and celery.

What is a mirepoix?

1000

1980s: A Soldier's Story

1990s: Mississippi Masala 

2000s: The Great Debaters


Who is Denzel Washington?

1000
Contrary to popular belief, the origin of this song has not been proven to be linked to the Great Plague or earlier outbreaks of bubonic plague in England.

What is "Ring a Ring o' Roses" or "Ring Around the Rosie?"

1000

This is a pause of break in a line of poetry or prose, usually marked by a punctuation mark or a natural rhythm of speech.

What is a caesura?