Slippery Sultan Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cheating chieftain

The answer is a cheating chieftain.

The first clue is 'Change, it becomes deceitful'. The word becomes indicates an anagram, and then rearranging the eight letters in 'change it' leads to the answer 'cheating'. To cheat is defined as to act unfairly or dishonestly to obtain an advantage. The word comes from a shortened form of the middle English 'escheat', which is derived through the Old French 'eschete' from the Latin 'excidere', meaning fall away.

The second clue is 'A captain comes from moving finite calcium and hydrogen'. Calcium is Ca, and hydrogen is H; an anagram of 'finite Ca H', as suggested by the word, moving, is the answer 'chieftain'. A chieftain is defined as a leader of a clan or people. The word comes from the Old French 'chevetaine' derived from the Latin 'capitaneus', meaning a captain or a commander.

Answer: Elusive emperor

The answer is an elusive emperor.

The first clue is 'Crafty moves, vile use'. The word moves suggests an anagram; rearranging the seven letters in the words 'vile use' gives the answer 'elusive'. Elusive is defined as being difficult to catch or find. It is an eighteenth century word, which is derived from the Latin 'eludere' meaning to elude.

The second clue is 'The largest penguin could be a leader'. The largest species of penguin is the emperor penguin, so that is the answer. An emperor or empress is the ruler of an empire; the word is derived from the Latin 'imperare', which means to command.

Answer: Furtive foreman

The answer is a furtive foreman.

The first clue is 'Five, if true, become crafty'. Five is the Roman numeral which is represented by the letter V; making an anagram of that with the six letters in 'if true' gives the answer furtive. The word is defined as characterised by evasive or guilty secrecy; it is a seventeenth century word which is taken from the French 'furtif', which comes from the Latin 'furtum', meaning theft.

The second clue is 'Oman ref overturns a director'. This is another anagram, as indicated by the word overturns; rearranging the seven letters in 'Oman ref' gives the answer foreman. The word is used for a worker who oversees other members of a team, or for the spokesperson of a jury in a court of law. It is a Middle English word, possibly derived from the Dutch 'voorman', who is a prominent person.

Answer: Greasy governor

The answer is a greasy governor.

The first clue is 'Get ready everyone, a strawberry yoghurt begins to become lubricated'. The word begins indicates that the initial letters of the preceding six words will give the six letter answer greasy. As well as referring to something covered in grease, the word is also used to describe someone who is effusively polite in a repellent and insincere way. The word comes from the Old French 'graisse' which is derived from the Latin 'crassus' meaning thick or fat.

The second clue is 'Running over Norwich, hiding a director'. The word hiding means that the answer is hidden inside the clue; using the end of running, all of over, and the start of Norwich gives the answer governor. The word is used for an official appointed to govern a geographic area, or a person who is the head of a public institution. The word comes through Middle English from the Old French 'governeour', and is derived from the Latin 'gubernare' which means to rule or steer.

Answer: Mendacious monarch

The answer is a mendacious monarch.

The first clue is 'Deceitful moves dim no cause'. The word moves is used to indicate an anagram; rearranging the ten letters in the words 'dim no cause' leads to the answer mendacious. The word means untruthful. It is a seventeenth century word which comes from the Latin 'mendax' which means lying or deceitful.

The second clue is 'Charm on around leader'. This is another anagram as indicated by the word around; rearranging the letters in 'charm on' gives the answer monarch. A monarch is a sovereign head of state. The word comes through Middle English from the Latin 'monarcha', which is derived from the Greek words 'monos' meaning alone, and 'arkhein' meaning to rule.

Answer: Questionable queen

The answer is a questionable queen.

The first clue is 'As quiet noble turns deceitful'. The word turns indicates an anagram; rearranging the letters in 'as quiet noble' leads to the answer questionable. The word is defined as being of suspect honesty or morality. It comes through Middle English and Old French from the Latin 'quaerere' meaning to ask or seek.

The second clue is 'Alternately equus, eve, one will find a leader'. Taking every other letter from the words 'equus, eve, one' leads to the answer queen. The word is used for a female ruler of an independent state, and can also refer to the consort of a king (a male ruler). It comes from the Old English 'cwen'; it is related to quean, which comes from the Old English 'cwene' meaning a woman.

Answer: Perfidious president

The answer is a perfidious president.

The first clue is 'For two eastern puds become deceitful'. Two is a Roman numeral, represented by the letters II, eastern is used for the letter E; making an anagram of those three letters with the seven letters in 'for' and 'puds' gives the answer perfidious. The word is the adjective derived from the noun perfidy, which means untrustworthy or deceitful. It is a sixteenth century word which comes from the Latin 'perfidia' meaning treachery or faithlessness.

The second clue is 'Present about an identity for a leader'. The identity is ID; placing those letters into the middle of the word 'present' gives the answer president. The word is used for the elected head of a republican state. It comes through Middle English and Old French from the Latin 'praesidere' which means to superintend or preside over.

Answer: Rascally ruler

The answer is a rascally ruler.

The first clue is 'Crafty changes, all scary'. The word changes leads to an anagram of the letters in the 'all scary' to make the answer rascally. The word is used to describe a rascal, who is a cheeky or mischievous person. It comes through Middle English from the Old French 'rascaille' meaning a rabble.

The second clue is 'A leader for you all, take cover at the end'. The words 'at the end' indicate that the last letters of the preceding five words, 'or you all, take cover', should be used to give the answer ruler. The word is used to describe someone exercising dominion or government. It comes through Middle English and Old French from the Latin 'regulare', which means to direct or regulate.

Answer: Sly sovereign

The answer is a sly sovereign.

The first clue is 'Has cool lolly, finally crafty'. The word finally indicates that the last letters of the preceding three words should be used for the answer sly. The word describes someone with a deceitful and cunning nature. It comes through Middle English from the Old Norse 'sloegr' meaning cunning.

The second clue is 'No GIs ever move a leader'. The word move indicates an anagram; rearranging the letters in 'No GIs ever' gives the answer sovereign. The word is defined as a supreme ruler. It comes through Middle English from the Old French 'souverain' which comes from the Latin 'super' meaning above.

Answer: Tricky tsar

The answer is a tricky tsar.

The first clue is 'Crafty star witch, Kay, alternates'. Taking every alternate letter from the words 'star witch, Kay' gives the answer tricky. The word can be defined as crafty or deceitful. It comes through Middle English from the Old French 'trichier' meaning to deceive.

The second clue is 'At first the soldiers are really finding a leader'. The words 'at first' indicate the initial letters of the following four words will lead to the answer tsar. The word was used for a Slavic leader, and particularly for the leaders of Russia before the revolution. It is derived from the Latin 'caesar' which developed from a family name into the title used by the emperors of Rome.