Snake Trivia News and Results

This page most recently updated on December 3, 2011.

Each of the trivia questions is active for about a week, sometimes a bit longer. So don't wait too long to submit your answer.

And here's a hint for those of you who Google in search of the answers: Occasionally you will find an answer to some of the trivia questions at

https://mistero.tripod.com/2011moresnakes.html or https://mistero.tripod.com/snakeartmontage.html.

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So far we are getting about five or six answers for each trivia question, but it is more fun if more people take part.

If you know of anyone who might like to get in on this series of snake trivia questions, send me the person's name (or internet handle) and e-mail address and I will start sending them the questions. By the way, assure your friends that their e-mail addresses will not appear on any of my websites and that they will receive their questions as blind carbon copies. They are welcome to use a handle such as "latinlover" or "swamprat" as a couple of new players have already done.

Also, tell your friends there will be a make-up question for people who start the game late.

For example, a new player who uses the handle "latinlover" joined the game recently. He or she answered #4 correctly as well as a make-up question that was rated at 1.2 points, the mean score of all the players who have earned a score so far. So he or she started the game with a score of 2.2. (By the way, "latinlover" pointed out that "hut" is a more accurate translation of the Latin term than "tent." Apparently he or she is a student of languages rather than a seeker after romance.)

Another new player who calls himself "swamprat" missed #4 but got the make-up question right. So he joined the game with a score of 1.2.

Another new player who calls herself "mambalady39" missed #4 but got half-credit for the make-up question, so she joined the game with a score of 0.6.

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Standings after answering Snake Trivia Question #5:

1. Jack D. -- 4.5
2. Tommy M. -- 4.0
3. latinlover -- 3.2
4. Mac T. -- 3.0
5. Sylvia T. -- 2.0
6. mambalady39 -- 1.6
7. swamprat -- 1.2
8. Mark S. -- 1.0
8. Elmer L. -- 1.0
10. Barbara K. -- 0.5

(3.0 - 4.5 = A; 1.5 - 2.9 = B; 0.1 - 1.4 = C)

Answers to #5 will be accepted until midnight on December 8, 2011.

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One of my Gentle Readers asked how I determined the grading scale. Well, it's based on a well-known statistics concept, the standard deviation. Using my trusty Texas Instruments scientific calculator (TI-30XA), I calculate the standard deviation for the people who have scored points. (Currently the standard deviation is +/- 1.5.)

Then I divided the actual scores into bands one standard deviation in width. From the top score down to one standard deviation below the top score is the "A" band; down one more standard deviation is the "B" band; down one more standard deviation is the "C" band; et cetera; and, sadly, et cetera.

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Previous Questions and Answers:


Full credit answer: Gaboon Viper
Half-credit answer: African Viper


Full credit answer: Queen Snake
Half-credit answer: Garter Snake


Full credit answers: Eastern Worm Snake, Worm Snake
Half-credit answers: Flathead Snake, Crown Snake, Smooth Earth Snake