The Island of Misfit Toys Trivia Quiz

Answer: Teddy Bears

The Teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually filled with cotton, and have a soft 'fur' covering.

The origin story of the Teddy bear, named after 26th U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt, began with a hunting trip in 1902. Roosevelt's hunting companions had already bagged their game, but the great hunter Teddy had not. Roosevelt's attendants took it upon themselves to track, corner, and subdue a black bear for Roosevelt to shoot, but he would not do so, due to the unsportsmanlike nature of the hunt. The Washington Post published a political cartoon in honor of the incident, and the Teddy bear was born.

Answer: Erector Set

The A.C. Gilbert Company manufactured Erector Set toys from 1913 until the company went bankrupt in 1967 and was bought out by The Gabriel Company, who continued to make identical sets through to the 1980s.

Erector Set consisted of metal strips or beams with regularly-spaced holes for nuts and bolts and screws, along with gears, pulleys and electrical motors to make inventions move or work with power.

Answer: Yo-yo

The etymology of the word 'yo-yo' is somewhat muddled... one origin of the word is from the Philippines, where the toy (the idea that it was used as a weapon is not corroborated in history) carried the name yóyo, while another is from a Tagalog word meaning 'come-come' or 'return'.

The Flores Yo-yo Corporation was bought by Donald Duncan, who continued to produce the toy for many years, revitalizing its popularity after a post-war lull. Today, yo-yos are not only used as toys, but are also as a competitive contest at all levels.

Answer: Betsy Wetsy

The Betsy Wetsy doll was named for the daughter of Ideal Toy Company head Abraham Katz. The doll came with a layette, baby bottles, a plastic bath tub, and it was possible to get further accessories.

A rival company, Effanbee, had previously produced a similar doll named Dy-dee, and they tried to sue the Ideal Toy Company for patent infringement. The judge ruled that drinking and urinating, being natural movements, could not be patented.

Answer: Slinky

Richard James' wife Betty chose the name 'slinky' (definition: sleek and graceful), deciding that it accurately described the sound that the toy made. After some initial difficulties in promotion, it was presented at the 1946 American Toy Fair. Within two years, James Industries sold 100 million Slinkys; at $1 each, you can do the math.

Answer: Silly Putty

According to the Wikipedia page on Silly Putty, the composition of the substance is 65% dimethyl siloxane, 17% silica, 9% Thixatrol ST, and a few other various and sundry chemicals. That said, it's enough to know that it bounces, can transfer newspaper images to other things, and is really fun to play with.

Answer: Etch A Sketch

Cassagnes took his invention to the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany in 1959, and shortly thereafter entered into negotiations with the Ohio Art Company, who managed to make a deal in time to market it for the 1960 Christmas season as Etch A Sketch. It became one of the most popular and memorable toys of the Baby Boomer generation.

Answer: Pet Rock

Dahl's Pet Rock fad only lasted for about six months, during which time it made him a millionaire. The rocks came packaged in boxes with holes (so the rocks could breathe) and soft packing (hay or straw) for the rock's comfort. Also included was a 32-page manual entitled "The Care and Training of your Pet Rock."

Answer: Rubik's Cube

Originally called the "Magic Cube," it was invented by Ernő Rubik, who licensed it to be sold through the Ideal Toy Corporation. Rubik was a Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor at the Budapest College of Applied Art.

As the cube was being developed for sale in North America, both "The Gordian Knot" and "Inca Gold" were considered as names for the puzzle toy. They ended up settling for "Rubik's Cube," thank goodness.

Answer: Tamagotchi

"Tamagotchi" combined the words tamago (egg) and uocchi (watch). The digital pet began as an egg, which would hatch within seconds of activating the toy. After assigning it a name and a gender, it would then be up to the Tamagotchi owner to feed, care for, clean up after, and play with the digital pet. If the owner failed to do so, the digital death of the pet would soon ensue.