Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20-9-2021: The Moomins

20th September, 2021.

Yes: it’s day three of self-isolation — after testing positive for COVID-19 — and walls are being climbed.

It would be nice to go for a walk.

But … ?

Them’s the rules.

They’re frustrating.

Especially when you don’t have a garden to exercise in … 

~≈🦠≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Trevor†, Mum‡ and Debbi^ putting in their answers: with everyone scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1)        The Moomins appeared in English, for the first time: on 20th September, 1954.   In which newspaper: The Times, the Evening News or the Sunday Times?

Q2)        The Moomin tales were originally written in which language: Swedish, Finnish or Sami?

Q3)        The original Moomin books were written by Tove Janssen.   Tove Janssen was from which European country: Sweden, Finland or Samaria?

Q4)        The Moomins lived where: Moominvalley, Moominhole or Moominstad?

Q5)        Finally … ?   The three central characters are Moominpapa, Moominmama and Moomin who: Moominboy, Moomingirl or Moomintroll?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        19th September is Talk Like a Pirate Day: first marked in which year of the 1990s?

A1)        1995.

Q2)        The rough period between 1650s and 1730s was known as the what age of Piracy?

A2)        The Golden Age of Piracy.

Q3)        Buccaneers were pirates who mostly operated, where: the North Sea, Caribbean Sea or the Andaman Sea?

A3)        The Caribbean Sea.

Q4)        Sir Francis Drake was an English privateer. Jean Bart was a French … what: corsair, freebooter or marauder?

A4)        Corsair.

Q5)        Many modern pirates operate in the Gulf of Aden, the Guardafui Channel and the Somali Sea.   In other words, off the coast of which African ‘S’?

A5)        Somalia.

Here’s a thought … 

“The world of the Moomins is threatened by comets and subject to terrifying winters.   The Moomins, however, concentrate on good manners, good coffee and enjoying the summer.”

Frank Cottrell Boyce.

And a song …

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

The quizmaster’s decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        Actually, that came up in a natter with an old friend, Olga.   It useful to have seen the original Candyman, but it’s really not needed: they sum up the first film’s plot at the start of the new film.   In quite a clever way, too, it’s turned into a ghost story.

        Now, I keep meaning to check out Hereditary: Toni Colette’s performance is supposed to be very good!

        I know what you mean, Olga.   I keep thinking that getting hold of Fowler’s, as an extra guide: but keep thinking those little differences could be a killer!

†        Funny you should mention the Lottery, Trevor: my last win was a fiver, as well.   Not that it lasted for long.

        At any rate … ?   I’m now officially waiting for that £50 to clear: it’ll pay for Christmas.   (If I can find out if someone would like a graphic novel, that would help.)

        Sainsbury’s turn up half an hour early, I know that … 

‡        Hello, Mum!   (Can you ask Ruth to check her WhatsApp messages, please?   I’ve seen a cheap 2000AD graphic novel Jude may like.)

^        Handily, Debbi, there’s a US version … he says … !   It’s apostrophes, isn’t it?   I’m hopeless with blessed things.   Times like that, I wish we spoke Japanese.

        Weird old thing: I remember reading a newspaper article, MANY years ago, about a dyslexic fourteen-year-old in Australia.   Apparently, he had a reading age — in English — of about eleven or so.   But a reading age, in Japanese, of about eighteen.   It’s something to do with how the Japanese alphabet/syllabary is organised.   They’re syllables, rather than letters.   (Apparently, traditional Japanese writing goes from top to bottom, then right to left!   Much easier for a lefty!)