Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th October 2025.

18th October, 2025.

It’s got to be said, I’ve seen silly gonks come and go.

Troll dolls, Cabbage Patch Kids, Furbies, what have you.

The latest … ?

Are the Labubus!

One … ?

I’m grateful my nephew’s not a niece: we’d possibly never hear the last of them.

Two?

Heavyweight tech blogger, Justine Ezarik, is obsessed by the things.

And three?

Tim Cook, the Chief Executive Officer of Apple, has been given a custom Labubu.

What is the world coming to … ??

~≈🪆≈~

You possibly very aware that Britain’s PM, Keir Starmer, has proposed a digital ID scheme for those of us receiving state benefits.

I object: mostly on the grounds of cost.

Others have objected, as well.

There’s more news on a similar theme.

There’s plans to consult on a version of digital IDs: for thirteen to sixteen year-olds.

That also strikes me as potentially bad.

That age groups could well be more vulnerable to all sorts of things: and, again, seems to include no planned, physical, alternative.

Nor any funding.

If a thirteen year old can’t afford a smart phone, who’s going to buy one for them?

It won’t be the Job Centre!

There’s a similar story doing the rounds.

It seems the Government have introduced a digital ID card for military veterans.

The big difference between it, and the one Keir Starmer’s proposing?

One: the digital card runs along side a physical Veterans ID card.

Two: the digital ID is optional.

Were the digital ID Sir Keir is proposing, optional?

Were there a (cheap) physical card one could use instead?

People would be a lot happier.

~≈🪆≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, 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)        Count Bernhard von Bülow became Chancellor: on 18th October, 1900. Chancellor of where: Germany, Austria or Hungary?

Q2)        The Burning of Falmouth took place on 18th October, 1775.   During what: the American Revolution, the US Civil War or the Battle of the Burning Bush?

Q3)        18th October, 1989, saw Erich Honecker step down as leader.   Leader of where: East Germany, West Germany or Brazil

Q4)        Jean-Claude Van Damme was born on 18th October, 1960.   He’s a martial artist from which European country: Belgium, the Netherlands or Luxembourg?

Q5)        Finally … ?   18th October is the feast day of Asclepiades of Antioch.   Antioch is now in which country: the USA, Turkey or Greece?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        The Beer Flood took place on 17th October.   Of which year: 1812, 1814 or 1816?

A1)        1814.

Q2)        The flood took place outside the Horse Shoe what: brewery, tavern or hotel?

A2)        The Horse Shoe Brewery.

Q3)        The Horse Shoe was in which London borough: the City of Westminster, Lewisham or Southwark?

A3)        The City of Westminster.   (The place was on the site of what’s now the Dominion Theatre)

Q4)        The flood consisted of between 128,000, and 323,000, imperial gallons of what: IPA, Porter or Mild?

A4)        Porter.

Q5)        Finally … ?   How many people died as a result of the flood: seven, eight, nine or ten?

A5)        Eight.

Here’s a thought …

“I owe everything to my parents: they always believed in me and in whatever I did.”

Jean-Claude Van Damme, 18th October, 1960.

And a song …

The next ten question set is on 24th October: it’s about Zambia.

Your comments will be published, tomorrow morning.

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

Where possible, we avoid writing these questions with AI.

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        If I recall, correctly, Olga¶?   The charity shops in Brentwood had a habit of selling on CDs and DVDs to the local branch CeX, before it shut: they got immediate cash, even if they didn’t get a good price.   And — if I remember the little I picked up in one local charity shop? — they tend to monitor specialist websites: if they get luxury bags, they can sell them on, and get an immediate sale.

        Is it one of the ones with Huawei’s own operating system … ?   No, it’s Windows 11, isn’t it?   I’ll have to have a look at Deepin, one day.   At any rate, I can’t imagine China’s tracking is any worse than Microsoft’s: or Google’s.   Or Apple’s, come to think of it: although, in Apple’s defence, they do hype their privacy features.

†        Hello, Mum!!!!!!

‡        I’d imagine you could, Debbi!   Mind you, you HAVE been typing quite a lot, here: I’m assuming the botox is working … ?!

        Oh, I’ve just had this float across my timeline … 

¶        If I recall, Olga?   CeX opened a few stores under the Designer Exchange brand: it’s the same sort of concept as CeX, but appalled to luxury goods.   Apparently, it’s still going: although I don’t know if it’s still owned by CeX.   (I’ve looked at the prices for some of the handbags: there’s cheaper Macs!)