Sharpen your pencil (mentally, at least) and see how you do with today's mix of geography, wordplay, and general knowledge. No cheating — answers are at the bottom!
Which planet spins backwards relative to its orbit, nearly upside-down — a "retrograde" rotation? (Note: Uranus is a borderline case too, tipped on its side with an axial tilt over 90 degrees, but it's often described separately from this planet's true backwards spin.)
In the world of music, what's the standard abbreviation for the Italian word meaning "gradually getting louder"?
Which African country was formerly known as Abyssinia and is one of only two nations on the continent never formally colonized by a European power?
Anagram time: rearrange the letters of "LISTEN" to form another common English word.
What is the smallest country in the world by both area and population?
Answers
Venus — it spins backwards compared to most planets, likely due to an ancient collision.
Cresc. (abbreviation for crescendo)
Ethiopia — along with Liberia, it's commonly cited as never having been formally colonized by a European power. (Liberia was settled by the American Colonization Society, not a European colonial state.)
SILENT (also TINSEL or ENLIST are valid alternates!)
Vatican City
How'd you do? 5/5 is genius-level; 3-4 is sharp as a tack; anything less just means tomorrow's puzzle is calling your name.