BITS Quizzing League 2026 Finals

Transcript

Text from the slides — answers included, so no peeking if you're playing along!

1. 1

   BITS Quizzing League 2026 Finals
   Legacy Quiz
   Prayag Mohanty

2. 2

   Past BQL Winners
   2024

3. 3

   Past BQL Winners
   2025

4. 4

   Past BQL Winners
   2026

5. 5

   Acknowledgements
   • Some of the questions have been sourced from Samanway, Major, Ravi
   Mundoli & Navin Jayaram’s sets, that I’ve attended. Huge shoutout to them!
   • Rest of the questions, are set by moi
   • Thanks to Divyanshu & Amit for GPing the set.

6. 6

   Endgame
   4 Rounds
   1. Theme Round – 5 questions
   2. Clockwise Round – 12 questions
   3. Written Round – 4 questions
   4. Anti-Clockwise Round – 12 questions
   Lessgooo!

7. 7

   Round 1
   • Written Round
   • Theme – BQL
   • 5 questions
   • Every correct answer fetches 10 points
   • No negatives

8. 8

   1
   CCD was founded by VG Siddhartha, who died in 2019.
   Kuppalli is a small village in the Thirthahalli taluk of Karnataka’s Shivamogga district. It is best
   known as the childhood home of a towering figure, buried not far from his ancestral
   residence. His resting place, named Kavishaila, sits atop a small hillock. The memorial,
   composed of large stone slabs, has him laid to rest at its very center. VG Siddhartha was
   responsible for financing the memorial of this literary legend.
   Whose grave is this? What inspired the design of the memorial?

9. 9

   2
   In 2021, 90-year-old William Shatner — best known as the fictional character— became the
   oldest person to ride a rocket into space, aboard a Blue Origin capsule owned by Jeff Bezos.
   Bezos is a huge fan of the fictional series.
   The fictional character is known as the commander of a starship.
   Which series?

10. 10

    3
    "Jizz in My Pants" is an SNLDigital Short which aired on SaturdayNightLiveon 2008.
    It required the then-CEO of NBC’s personal approval to air because of its title. The comedy
    song launched a career that would eventually lead its star to play a New York City detective on
    a beloved police sitcom.
    Who?

11. 11

    4
    “Quid pro quo” is a Latin phrase meaning “something for something” — an exchange where
    one thing is given in return for another.
    The same phrase is rephrased in slang as ___ ___ ___, which is often used in a revengeful
    context.
    Both words are just an old dialectal variant of "tip," meaning a light knock.
    What phrase?

12. 12

    5
    One unexpected casualty of the Epstein files was a 90-year-old company called Lifetouch.
    Its indirect link to Epstein & the company's entire business made parents panic. So, in early
    2026, school districts across the United States began cancelling their annual contracts with
    Lifetouch.
    What does Lifetouch do?

13. 13

    Exchange Answers

14. 14

    1
    CCD was founded by VG Siddhartha, who died in 2019.
    Kuppalli is a small village in the Thirthahalli taluk of Karnataka’s Shivamogga district. It is best
    known as the childhood home of a towering figure, buried not far from his ancestral
    residence. His resting place, named Kavishaila, sits atop a small hillock. The memorial,
    composed of large stone slabs, has him laid to rest at its very center. VG Siddhartha was
    responsible for financing the memorial of this literary legend.
    Whose grave is this? What inspired the design of the memorial?

15. 15

    Kuvempu, regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century

16. 16

    Kuvempu's memorial is based on the Stonehenge

17. 17

    2
    In 2021, 90-year-old William Shatner — best known as the fictional character— became the
    oldest person to ride a rocket into space, aboard a Blue Origin capsule owned by Jeff Bezos.
    Bezos is a huge fan of the fictional series.
    The fictional character is known as the commander of a starship.
    Which series?

18. 18

    Star Trek

19. 19

    3
    "Jizz in My Pants" is an SNLDigital Short which aired on SaturdayNightLiveon 2008.
    It required the then-CEO of NBC’s personal approval to air because of its title. The comedy
    song launched a career that would eventually lead its star to play a New York City detective on
    a beloved police sitcom.
    Who?

20. 20

    Andy Samberg

21. 21

    4
    “Quid pro quo” is a Latin phrase meaning “something for something” — an exchange where
    one thing is given in return for another.
    The same phrase is rephrased in slang as ___ ___ ___, which is often used in a revengeful
    context.
    Both words are just an old dialectal variant of "tip," meaning a light knock. Nothing NSFW
    about it.
    What phrase?

22. 22

    Tit for tat

23. 23

    5
    One unexpected casualty of the Epstein files was a 90-year-old company called Lifetouch.
    It’s indirect link to Epstein & the company's entire business - made parents panic. So, in early
    2026, school districts across the United States began canceling their annual contracts with
    Lifetouch.
    What does Lifetouch do?

24. 24

    School photos

25. 25

    Round 2
    • Clockwise Round
    • 12 questions
    • Bounce: +10/0
    • Pounce: +10/-5

26. 26

    1
    This is a watercolor on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art titled Packing_________in
    CantonforShipmenttotheWestwhich shows one of the main exports of Ming and early Qing
    period (1644-1911) China. The goods were packed carefully owing to their delicate nature, and
    something was used as a filler for cushioning.
    Ironically, from the 18th century, the roles were reversed. The filler material became the more
    precious commodity, and the previously traded item became ballast to stabilize the ships that
    carried it.
    What are these items and commodity which swapped roles? [2 x 5]

27. 27

    (picture slide)

28. 28

    Answer Slide

29. 29

    Porcelain (chinaware, ceramic), tea
    Tea leaves were used as filler & discarded later in Europe, possibly contributing to its popularity

30. 30

    2
    Most of us would have encountered this creation (and possibly enjoyed the “experience”),
    mostly during an annoying occurrence. It was created by Sebastien Gabriel, Alan Bettes, and
    Edward Jung in 2014. During development, it was referred to as 'Project Bolan', a nod to lead
    singer Marc Bolan of a particular (relevant) band.
    By design, the entire “experience” is meant to last for 17 million years, so no one will ever
    enjoy the complete package.
    What creation is this? [4]
    Why the choice of 17 million years? [6]

31. 31

    Answer Slide

32. 32

    T-Rex game, They survived for 17 million years

33. 33

    3
    The idiom originated in the United States in the 1920s, stemming from the rise of newly
    electrified household appliances. It uses the metaphor of an immediate, automatic action
    triggered by a simple press to mean intentionally eliciting a strong emotional response or
    reaction, typically annoyance or anger.
    It is only appropriate that the weekly video games newsletter of The Guardian is named after
    this idiom.
    What two-word title is this?

34. 34

    Answer Slide

35. 35

    Pushing Buttons

36. 36

    4
    From July 1905 onwards, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway ran a special train on 26 days over
    13 weeks from July to October. Rich folks from Bombay would put in a morning's worth of
    work, board the train at noon, and be at their destination by 3 pm.
    The next few hours would be spent in a pastime that the destination had become famous for.
    They could then board the return train, have dinner, and be home in time for bed.
    What was the destination? [5]
    Why were these moneybags traveling there? [5]

37. 37

    (picture slide)

38. 38

    Answer Slide

39. 39

    Poona Races

40. 40

    5
    The Mauch Chunk Gravity Railway in Pennsylvania was originally built in the 1820s and 30s to
    transport coal from the Summit Hill mines to the Lehigh River. It was not operational on
    weekends, and the people who ran the hill soon began opening it to onlookers as a way to
    make some extra money. Other railway companies soon followed suit.
    All of this inspired the inventor LaMarcus Thompson to set up an attraction modeled on
    similar principles at Coney Island, leading to several such "scenic railways" being established
    across the United States.
    What is this railway considered the first ever example of in the US?

41. 41

    (picture slide)

42. 42

    Answer Slide

43. 43

    Rollercoasters
    The Mauch Chunk Railroad was a 9-mile downhill stretch that used gravity to propel the carts

44. 44

    6
    The Anglo-American _____ Chess matches were a series of yearly chess matches played
    between teams from the US and UK from 1896 to 1911. The matches were made possible by the
    completion of a technological project involving the ship SSGreatEastern(among others) in
    the 1860s.
    The mementos/trophies issued as part of these events paid tribute to the technology itself.
    FITB. [4]
    What is special about the mementos/trophies? [6]

45. 45

    (picture slide)

46. 46

    Answer Slide

47. 47

    Cable/telegraph lines
    Cross section of the cable lines were
    part of the mementos

48. 48

    7
    X Y is a poem by 4-time individual National Poetry Slam champion Patricia Smith. In this poem,
    she deftly mixes 2 genres X and Y of written and spoken/sung word to create a nice fusion.
    Watch the video and name the poem. [2 x 5]
    [Answer will be of the form ‘Techno Sonnet']

49. 49

    Q
    X Y is a poem by 4-time individual National Poetry Slam champion Patricia Smith. In this poem,
    she deftly mixes 2 genres X and Y of written and spoken/sung word to create a nice fusion.
    Watch the video and name the poem. [2 x 5]
    [Answer will be of the form 'Bluegrass Sonnet']

    ▶ Video (YouTube) — play it in the viewer

50. 50

    7

51. 51

    Answer Slide

52. 52

    Hip-Hop ghazal
    The vibe is hip-hop but the rhyming scheme (especially the refrain, poet’s name) is ghazal

53. 53

    8
    Mohammad Abdur Rahman Khan was arguably the most well-known name in Hyderabad in a
    certain field in pre-independent India. He had first become interested in them as a schoolboy
    at the Madrasa-i-Aliya in Hyderabad in the late 1880s.
    Later, a development in 1910 reinvigorated his interest in the field. An eminent physicist of the
    times even borrowed some of the items from Khan's personal collection for X-ray analysis at
    his lab at Dhaka University. Additionally, Khan also attempted to find the origins of an object
    in West Asia using his expertise.
    What fueled his interest? [3]
    Which scientist? [4] What object? [3]

54. 54

    (picture slide)

55. 55

    Answer Slide

56. 56

    The arrival of the Halley’s Comet

57. 57

    Satyendra Nath Bose

58. 58

    The Black Stone of Ka’aba in Mecca

59. 59

    9
    In the 19th century, senior British army officers wore hats that were adorned with oak leaves
    that had the appearance of being made of gold as a way to reflect their status.
    While very few were made from actual gold, a less-expensive, lustrous alloy was used to give
    this appearance.
    Which two-word term originates from this?

60. 60

    Answer Slide

61. 61

    Top Brass

62. 62

    10
    The most important purpose behind this practice is to provide a medium for the energy
    absorption from all the impact forces by undergoing a temporary change in its contact
    relationship.
    The other reasons include drainage of water, an even distribution of load, and the prevention
    of the growth of vegetation that can cause a potential problem. It is usually 0.5 meters thick,
    with a substantial ' shoulder' in place, to prevent lateral displacement and flooding. The item
    commonly used for this purpose in India is something that is named from Latin for its coarse
    texture.
    What practice are we talking about?

63. 63

    Answer Slide

64. 64

    Why you always see crushed stones (gravel) alongside railroad tracks
    “gravis”, meaning heavy

65. 65

    11
    Connect
    LongGrassandButterflies,
    Van Gogh
    NewYorkCity1, Piet Mondrian LaBateau,Henri Matisse (15 minutes)
    (75 years) (47 days)

66. 66

    Answer Slide

67. 67

    They were hung upside
    down in galleries

68. 68

    12
    St. Joseph’s High School, Arpora, is Goa’s first _______ school, started by Fr. William Lyons, a
    visiting British priest, in 1887.
    Lyons was said to have been suffering from a skin ailment, and to cure it, he traveled all across
    India. Finally, someone advised him to go to Goa, where a particular spring in ‘Siquerim’ with
    medicinal properties would cure the disease. His ailment was cured, and as a token of gratitude,
    he started this school.
    As the principal, he introduced an activity into the educational curriculum. This activity
    represented all the ideals of Christian manhood – discipline, strength etc.
    What is St. Joseph’s High, the first of in Goa? [5] What did he introduce? [5]

69. 69

    Answer Slide

70. 70

    First English school
    Goa was a Portuguese colony in 1887

71. 71

    Football

72. 72

    Round 3
    • Written Round
    • 4 questions
    • Every correct answer fetches 10 points

73. 73

    1
    What in the world of literature is the Hawking Index, popularized by American
    mathematician Jordan Ellenberg in his blog?
    The bestseller FiftyShadesofGreystands at 25.9
    Hilary Clinton’s HardChoicesis at 1.9
    Which work is at 6.6, from which the index gets its name? [2 x 5]

74. 74

    2
    The origin of this animal’s name is Germanic and has been attributed largely to either Dutch
    or Old Norse. The Old Norse word for 'horse-whale' (not entirely inaccurate description of the
    creature itself) is thought to have passed in an inverted form (animal positions swapped) to
    both Dutch and German.
    Several place names in Iceland, Greenland, and Norway may originate from breeding sites,
    such as Hvalfjord, Hvallatrar, and Hvalsnes.
    What animal? [10]

75. 75

    3
    Minhwa is a folk art form practiced in a particular part of the world, and had its heyday from
    the 14th to the 20th centuries. These artworks were mostly made by anonymous craftsmen
    with no formal training and were believed to possess beneficial magical powers that protected
    their owners.
    One recurring Minhwa motif is Hojakdo, which depicts two specific living things and
    symbolizes guarding against evil spirits and serves as a harbinger of good news.
    Why did souvenirs based on it see a huge rise in sales in 2025?

76. 76

    (picture slide)

77. 77

    4
    This is an abstract strategy board game for 2-4 players designed by Gordon Hamilton in 1985.
    He published the all-white wooden version in 2004.
    What is the 1-word name of the game whose look and name is inspired by the architecture
    of cliffside villages on a certain European island?

78. 78

    (picture slide)

79. 79

    Exchange Answers

80. 80

    1
    What in the world of literature is the Hawking Index, popularized by American
    mathematician Jordan Ellenberg in his blog?
    The bestseller FiftyShadesofGreystands at 25.9
    Hilary Clinton’s HardChoicesis at 1.9
    Which work is at 6.6, from which the index gets its name? [2 x 5]

81. 81

    The Hawking Index is the measure of
    how far into a book a reader goes
    before giving up.
    A Brief History of Time

82. 82

    2
    The origin of this animal’s name is Germanic and has been attributed largely to either Dutch
    or Old Norse. The Old Norse word for 'horse-whale' (not entirely inaccurate description of the
    creature itself) is thought to have passed in an inverted form (animal positions swapped) to
    both Dutch and German.
    Several place names in Iceland, Greenland, and Norway may originate from breeding sites,
    such as Hvalfjord, Hvallatrar, and Hvalsnes.
    What animal? [10]

83. 83

    Walrus
    The Old Norse word hrosshvalr means ‘horse-whale’

84. 84

    3
    Minhwa is a folk art form practiced in a particular part of the world, and had its heyday from
    the 14th to the 20th centuries. These artworks were mostly made by anonymous craftsmen
    with no formal training and were believed to possess beneficial magical powers that protected
    their owners.
    One recurring Minhwa motif is Hojakdo, which depicts two specific living things and
    symbolizes guarding against evil spirits and serves as a harbinger of good news.
    Why did souvenirs based on it see a huge rise in sales in 2025?

85. 85

    (picture slide)

86. 86

    The magical tiger and magpie in KPopDemonHunterswere based on the
    Hojakdo motif

87. 87

    4
    This is an abstract strategy board game for 2-4 players designed by Gordon Hamilton in 1985.
    He published the all-white wooden version in 2004.
    What is the 1-word name of the game whose look and name is inspired by the architecture
    of cliffside villages on a certain European island?

88. 88

    (picture slide)

89. 89

    Santorini

90. 90

    Round 4
    • Anti-Clockwise Round
    • 12 questions
    • Bounce: +10/0
    • Pounce: +10/-5

91. 91

    1
    This geographical term was coined by the Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa in
    1513 as he encountered something for the first time after crossing the Isthmus of Panama. If
    you looked at a map from far away, it would seem that the expression was a cardinal mistake,
    but if you zoomed into the section near Panama, Balboa's terminology makes sense.
    What expression, which went on to become a somewhat generic term for "exotic“ places like
    Oceania and Polynesia also?

92. 92

    (picture slide)

93. 93

    Answer Slide

94. 94

    South Seas
    The Isthmus of Panama runs east-west, and the canal actually
    runs north-south

95. 95

    2
    On a chilly winter's night in 1845, he was returning home after a round of heavy drinking at a
    Glasgow pub. He either missed his footing or was too drunk to watch where he was going, but
    he tripped and fell into the ice-cold river.
    As he pulled himself out of the water, he realized there was no way to describe how he was
    feeling then, and so began working on a way to quantify it.
    What resulted? [5]
    How did he pay tribute to the river that had a role to play in all this? [5]

96. 96

    Answer Slide

97. 97

    Absolute Zero, Renamed to Lord Kelvin
    William Thomson chose to name himself Lord Kelvin after the river

98. 98

    3
    The legend behind the Kodandarama temple in Hiremaglur, Karnataka, says that
    Parashurama’s pride and anger were subdued by Rama at this spot. As a token of his devotion,
    Parashurama asked Rama to show him a certain form of his, which is why the representation of
    Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in this temple does not conform to usual traditional
    representations of the trio.
    What is different/uncommon about the representation of the trio at this temple? [5]
    What form did Parashurama request Rama to show, which justifies this representation?
    [5]

99. 99

    (picture slide)

100. 100

     Answer Slide

101. 101

     Sita standing to the right of Rama
     Traditionally, she’s depicted on Rama’s left

102. 102

     Parashurama requested Rama to show him the scene of his marriage

103. 103

     4
     The suffix 'teen' is used in English to form the names of numbers from 13 to 19.
     'Teen Series' is an informal term used to describe a set of four well-known products released
     over time by three different American companies. Interestingly, the earliest of these –
     chronologically - was the only ever exported to Iran. It also brought an unexpected windfall of
     $1 million to the US government in the mid-1980s, thanks to a rather unconventional
     circumstance.
     What is the 'Teen Series’? [5]
     What was the source of the $1 million? [5]

104. 104

     Answer Slide

105. 105

     Fourth-generation American combat aircraft
     (F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet)

106. 106

     The rent provided to the US Navy by the makers of TopGun

107. 107

     5
     In this sport, players typically hold the piece by the top, which is the standard grip.
     This grip is practical as it allows for easier lifting and placement without disturbing nearby
     pieces. In contrast, the bottom grip is considered stylistic and is less common among players.
     Which sport? [10]

108. 108

     Answer Slide

109. 109

     Chess

110. 110

     6
     ChintayamiManasais a collection of essays in which Gujarati writer Suresh Joshi provides
     critical commentary on a variety of topics, including the works of Sartre, Paz, Poulet, etc.
     Upon being picked as the 1983 winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, it drew criticism around
     originality - that it lacked the author’s own critical thinking, instead relying on those of
     Western criticism.
     The award wasn't eventually given, creating the only such instance in the history of the Sahitya
     Akademi.
     Who opposed this award?

111. 111

     Answer Slide

112. 112

     He himself
     This is the only time the award didn't go to the
     winner because the recipient refused to accept it,
     saying their own work wasn't deserving.

113. 113

     7
     In the sample collected from the Ellora cave, scientists found a 10 percent share of something
     in the mix of mud or clay plaster.
     This is the reason why no insect activity is found at Ellora. With these findings, it is no surprise
     that the set of 34 caves at Ellora, with their temples and monasteries, remain so well
     preserved. While at Ajanta, in the neighboring caves, signs of insect activity and degradation
     have been observed.
     What botanical produce thus causes the difference between Ajanta and Ellora?
     A familiar name, I’m sure.

114. 114

     Answer Slide

115. 115

     Cannabis sativa

116. 116

     8
     The pyramid hierarchy traditionally shows a wide base of junior employees supporting a small
     apex of senior leaders.
     With Al now handling most entry-level tasks, the need for a large junior base is shrinking. As a
     result, this is now being reimagined as a similar, but leaner structure.
     CEO
     Vice Which shape/structure is it being imagined as?
     President
     Director
     Manager
     Individual Contributor
     Entry - Level

117. 117

     Answer Slide

118. 118

     Obelisk
     CEO
     Vice Client
     President Leaders
     Director
     Engagement
     Manager
     Individual Contributor
     AI
     Facilitators
     Entry - Level

119. 119

     9
     "Ebony and Ivory" is a 1982 single by Paul McCartney featuring Stevie Wonder.
     During the apartheid era, the South African Broadcasting Corporation banned the song after
     what specific gesture from Stevie Wonder, a couple of years later? [5]
     The title of the song was inspired by a quote from Spike Milligan that Macca heard. What
     (that symbolized racial harmony) inspired it? [5]

120. 120

     ▶ Video (YouTube) — play it in the viewer

121. 121

     Answer Slide

122. 122

     Wonder dedicated his 1984 Oscar to Nelson Mandela.

123. 123

     The song uses the ebony (black) and ivory (white) keys on a piano as a metaphor
     for racial harmony

124. 124

     10
     He has played Ranji Trophy and List-A cricket for Madhya Pradesh (2017-2019) and was also
     part of the Rajasthan Royals squad from 2018-2019, albeit without any games.
     The next slide shows a scorecard from a game he played alongside Rajat Patidar.
     Who is being spoken of? (Full name) [10]

125. 125

     (picture slide)

126. 126

     Answer Slide

127. 127

     Aryaman Birla

128. 128

     Score check

129. 129

     11
     The 2013 film Oongais a story of a little Adivasi boy's obsession with becoming Lord Rama
     (after watching a local play). The movie is set against the backdrop of corrupt land-mining
     activities threatening to destroy his village and the civil strife it leads to. So, he does
     something that also acts as a camouflage to rescue his village from the "bauxite mafia".
     What aspect did he borrow from his hero? [5]
     The story of Oonga found its seed in a small anecdote Devashish Makhija heard while in
     Koraput, Odisha. He recalls Sharanya Nayak, the local head of ActionAid there, telling him that
     she had taken a group of Adivasis to watch a dubbed version of a global blockbuster.
     Which film? [5]

130. 130

     Answer Slide

131. 131

     Painted himself blue

132. 132

     Avatar

133. 133

     Before the last q…

134. 134

     Thank you BGQC!

135. 135

     12
     What is the source of these lines? [3]
     What does the highlighted phrase literally mean? [4]
     An Indian company with this name today globally dominates the apparel space for this sport.
     Which sport? [3]

136. 136

     Answer Slide

137. 137

     Hamlet; head-to-foot; shooting

138. 138

     That’s all folks!

139. 139

     Tie Breakers
     • Sudden death
     • Pounce:+1/-1

140. 140

     1
     Starting with Mombasa, Kenya, in 1953, this Indian bank, named after a wealthy princely state,
     currently has over 80 overseas branches, contributing approximately 15.91% to its total
     business.
     One of its most significant foreign branches was opened in 1976 in a European capital city to
     facilitate international trade for a specific type of business from Bombay and Surat.
     Which business & which bank?

141. 141

     2
     MenwithBroomsis a Canadian rom-com that tells the story of a team from a small Canadian
     town as they work through their personal issues and struggle to win the championship for the
     sake of their late coach.
     Which sport?