Crystal Ball Stumpers 6 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Anomy

Won by satguru of the classical music/mensan team on 8 September, 2017, "anomy" describes the breakdown of ethical and moral standards in a society, or in an individual. The norms in that group or individual have degenerated into chaos and lack of direction.

This can happen, for example, in an over-regimented society where standards and norms haven't been allowed to develop naturally (such as a prison or even, perhaps, an intensely communistic regime) - or in a society where everything it has become accustomed to, has been overturned in a revolution overnight.

The word "anomy" itself derives from an ancient Greek word meaning lawlessness.

Answer: Sinistrality

Won by eunice2 of the team Midwest USA Players on 8 September, 2017, "sinistrality" refers to the left side or hand. This, however, isn't specific to left-handed people by any means, but in every aspect of life where focus on the left side is a dominant factor.

In a fault line in the earth, for example, where the motion occurs to the left of the line, this is known as a sinistral fault. Other examples given occur in some mollusc shells where the coils on the shell develop towards the left or, amazingly, in some fish that only have their eyes on one side of their head. How unfortunate if a predator is approaching on the other side!

Answer: Hippodrome

Won by genoveva of the Devious Demons team on 8 September, 2017, a "hippodrome" was an ancient Greek race course, set out below a slightly sloping hill to allow for seating, and around which horse and chariot racing took place. The most dangerous part of these races were the turning ends of the course, where horses, chariots and drivers jockeyed for position to get around the tight curves. That's where most crashes occurred.

The Greeks usually installed an altar on the spot where these happened. Some consolation, no doubt, for the poor old horses that would have been horribly injured there.

This altar was dedicated to the god Taraxippus, otherwise known as the horse disturber. Did you know that chariot races in the Ancient Greece Homeric era were part of funeral games to honour their fallen heroes? The word "hippodrome" derives from two Greek words of "hippos" (meaning horse) and "dromos" (for course). Even today, several thousand years later, some race courses in the modern world include the word "hippodrome" in their official titles.

Answer: Afflatus

Won by baldricksmum of the Joli Llamas team on 7 September, 2017, "afflatus" is a Latin word that translates into the word "inspiration". It is used to describe a sudden light bulb moment when a new idea out of nowhere popped into a person's mind, leaving him or her momentarily breathless in amazement and appreciation. Usually applied to the genius moments of inspiration that touch writers and poets from time to time, "afflatus" roughly means divine wind.

Answer: Epilithic

Won by a teamless shadow71 on 11 September, 2017, these plants are also known as lithophytes, but are generally described as "epipetric" or "epilithic" when referring to them adjectivally. Obviously there isn't any nourishment to be obtained from rocks to keep them alive, so they feed off any nutrients available in rain, from nearby plants that are dying, and, amazingly (and rather gruesomely), off their own dead tissue instead. Known as carnivorous plants for this ability, these fascinating blooms include orchids, ferns and algae. Have you seen the movie "Little Shop of Horrors" by any chance?

Answer: Prink

Won by Upstart3 from The Internationals team on 11 September, 2017, the quaint word "prink" means the same as preen, or primp, or make fussy little alterations to one's appearance in front of a mirror. If you're ever waiting for someone in a large shopping centre, you'll often see people pausing in front of display windows to do the same thing.

There's a lovely old 1919 song inspired by Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of US President Teddy Roosevelt, that has lines of lyrics in it that captures the meaning of an associated word of "prink" perfectly.

The character has gone out on the town in her new blue gown and sings "In my sweet little Alice Blue gown, When I first wandered down into town, I was both proud and shy, As I caught every eye, And in every shop window, I'd primp - passing by" etc.

The colour, Alice Blue itself was also named after President Roosevelt's daughter, as she was very fond of wearing a specific shade of that colour.

Answer: Ululate

Won by player inkwell from the Canadian Players team on 11 September, 2017, "ululate" (hard to pronounce quickly) is a verb that describes the loud wailing or howling of a person in the throes of a deep emotion. This is usually grief at the death of a loved one and is terribly distressing to witness, but one can also "ululate" with joy and happiness as well. If I ever won the Lotto, you'd better believe I'd be ululating with joy from here to Burke and back.

Did you know that in some countries of the world, particularly in Africa, professional mourners are hired to weep and wail and tear their clothes in displays of grief at the funeral of people whom they've never met in their lives? The purpose of this is to encourage other people at the funeral to burst into tears, and thus show the extent of their feelings of loss at the death of a loved one. Professional mutes were also hired at one stage as well. These people, usually men, would dress in black clothing, coats and top hat, and stand by the door of the church wearing doleful expressions on their faces - but not uttering a sound. A bit like undertakers really. If a professional wailer ever married a professional mute, their children would be SO confused.

Answer: Polemicise

Won by Mommakat of the Lost Connection team on 12 September, 2017, to "polemicise" is to launch a powerful written or verbal attack against another person or thing. Other words to describe such an attack are a rant, invective, or denunciation. Politicians do this all the time, usually against one another, but with them, this is more a case of hot air than anything else. Perhaps a watered down example of this word in action could be Marc Antony's very clever and indirect attack on the moral fibre of Brutus in William Shakespeare's circa 1599 play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar".

Answer: Ebracteate

Won by drewh2os of the Moops team on 12 September, "ebrachteate" is a hard word to define, but an easy word to recognise in plants. As a flower or fruit begins to develop and open, the casing around the bud - like that of a rose - remains supporting the beauty of the rose itself.

Many of these bracts are green and look like modified leaves, others are brightly coloured, but they are differently shaped than the main leaves on the stalk of the plant. These are known as bracts, and if various plants develop without the support of these, such as the lovely wisteria, they are described as "ebracteate".

Answer: Abiotrophy

Won again by drewh20s of the Moops team, this time on 13 September, 2017, "abiotrophy" describes the degeneration of cells or tissues in a being, not due to any external injury or cause, but more as an unfortunate natural progression of life. This sorrowful condition is genetically determined and eventually leads to total loss of ability to function. It's heartbreaking.