Historical figures · Puzzle #10 · Friday, October 9

Historical figures: the board

Eight items, eight categories, one place each. Here is the board with every figure and where it comes from, and the best way to place them. Play today's Historical figures.

The categories

Far from home: 1 pt per doubling over 4 miles from birthplace
Long life: 1 pt per 5 years lived past 40
Most looked-up: 1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025
Namesake: 1 pt per 20 things named after them
Born in Asia: 10 pts if born in Asia
Much studied: 1 pt per 8 works about them
Big family: 1 pt per child
Portrait sitter: 1 pt per 8 works that depict them

The best board

Jane Austen in Long life: lived to 102 (10.0)
Charlie Chaplin in Big family: had 11 children (10.0)
Pablo Picasso in Much studied: is the subject of 105 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0)
Elvis Presley in Most looked-up: their Wikipedia article was read 5.49 million times in 2025 (10.0)
Ernest Shackleton in Far from home: died 7,601 miles from where they were born (10.0)
Hokusai in Born in Asia: was born in Asia (10.0)
Nelson Mandela in Namesake: has 186 things named after them on Wikidata (9.3)
Mahatma Gandhi in Portrait sitter: appears in 68 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (8.5)

The most this board could score: 77.8 of 80.

The lineup, figure by figure

Jane Austen
Novelist of Pride and Prejudice
Photo: Cassandra Austen, Public domain
Far from home
died 12 miles from where they were born (1.6) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Long life
lived to 102 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 3.29 million times in 2025 (8.2) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 9 things named after them on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Much studied
is the subject of 25 books, papers and films on Wikidata (3.1) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Big family
had 0 children (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Portrait sitter
appears in 7 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.9) Source: Wikidata Q36322
Charlie Chaplin
Silent-film star of the Tramp
Photo: Strauss-Peyton Studio, Public domain
Far from home
died 468 miles from where they were born (6.9) Source: Wikidata Q882
Long life
lived to 88 (9.6) Source: Wikidata Q882
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 2.8 million times in 2025 (7.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 28 things named after them on Wikidata (1.4) Source: Wikidata Q882
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q882
Much studied
is the subject of 17 books, papers and films on Wikidata (2.1) Source: Wikidata Q882
Big family
had 11 children (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q882
Portrait sitter
appears in 8 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q882
Pablo Picasso
Co-founder of Cubism, painter of Guernica
Photo: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain
Far from home
died 767 miles from where they were born (7.6) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Long life
lived to 91 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.99 million times in 2025 (5.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 111 things named after them on Wikidata (5.6) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Much studied
is the subject of 105 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Big family
had 4 children (4.0) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Portrait sitter
appears in 38 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (4.8) Source: Wikidata Q5593
Elvis Presley
The King of Rock and Roll
Photo: MGM, Public domain
Far from home
died 98 miles from where they were born (4.6) Source: Wikidata Q303
Long life
lived to 42 (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q303
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 5.49 million times in 2025 (10.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 20 things named after them on Wikidata (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q303
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q303
Much studied
is the subject of 26 books, papers and films on Wikidata (3.3) Source: Wikidata Q303
Big family
had 1 children (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q303
Portrait sitter
appears in 6 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.8) Source: Wikidata Q303
Ernest Shackleton
Survived Antarctica after his ship Endurance sank
Photo: Nadar, Public domain
Far from home
died 7,601 miles from where they were born (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Long life
lived to 47 (1.4) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 763,021 times in 2025 (1.9) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 21 things named after them on Wikidata (1.1) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Much studied
is the subject of 14 books, papers and films on Wikidata (1.8) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Big family
had 3 children (3.0) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Portrait sitter
appears in 9 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (1.1) Source: Wikidata Q957543
Hokusai
Made the woodblock print The Great Wave
Photo: missing name, CC0
Far from home
died 1 miles from where they were born (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Long life
lived to 88 (9.6) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 370,492 times in 2025 (0.9) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 3 things named after them on Wikidata (0.2) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Born in Asia
was born in Asia (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Much studied
is the subject of 15 books, papers and films on Wikidata (1.9) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Big family
had 2 children (2.0) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Portrait sitter
appears in 1 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q5586
Nelson Mandela
Freed after 27 years to lead his country
Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel, CC BY-SA 2.0
Far from home
died 402 miles from where they were born (6.7) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Long life
lived to 95 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 2.59 million times in 2025 (6.5) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 186 things named after them on Wikidata (9.3) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Much studied
is the subject of 20 books, papers and films on Wikidata (2.5) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Big family
had 5 children (5.0) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Portrait sitter
appears in 21 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (2.6) Source: Wikidata Q8023
Mahatma Gandhi
Led a nation to independence through nonviolence
Photo: Elliott & Fry, Public domain
Far from home
died 676 miles from where they were born (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Long life
lived to 78 (7.6) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 3.68 million times in 2025 (9.2) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 132 things named after them on Wikidata (6.6) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Born in Asia
was born in Asia (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Much studied
is the subject of 41 books, papers and films on Wikidata (5.1) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Big family
had 4 children (4.0) Source: Wikidata Q1001
Portrait sitter
appears in 68 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (8.5) Source: Wikidata Q1001