University Challenge question dubbed ‘trickiest ever’ leaves thousands stumped – but can you solve it?
THIS University Challenge question has been branded the “trickiest ever” leaving thousands of people scratching their head – but can you work it out?
Some of the country’s brightest minds were put to the test on the BBC quiz show, but one question puzzled them.
Jeremy Paxman hosted the renowned show from 1994 to May 2023.
Below is one of his most difficult questions from the show.
Both teams who were competing at the time had trouble answering the question, which entailed naming a colour.
Both of them were baffled by the question, but can you work it out?
The question was: “The packaging for a perfume launched in the 1930s by the designer Elsa Schiaparelli is the origin of the two-word name of which colour, described in a contemporary publication as a ‘crude, cruel shade of rose’?”
Menkus from Imperial College London guessed that the answer might be “Chanel Pink”, but they got it wrong.
The following guess, “Flame Red,” by Goldman of Balliol College, Oxford, was also incorrect.
So do you think you can work it out?
Just a heads up: we’re looking for a two-word name for a colour that sounds like a shade of red or pink from the description.
We know for definite that it’s not “Chanel pink” or “flame red” so what else would it be?
If you were about to answer “hot pink” or “rose blush” or even “Ferrari red” then all these answers are wrong.
Are you ready to see what the answer is?
The answer is shocking pink; this extremely vivid and bright shade of pink was created by well-known fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.
The designer released a perfume called Shocking de Schiaparelli, which came in a brightly coloured packaging.
Did you manage to get the answer right?