Historical figures · Puzzle #15 · Wednesday, October 14

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

Out of this world: 10 pts if a crater is named after them
Portrait sitter: 1 pt per 8 works that depict them
Far from home: 1 pt per doubling over 4 miles from birthplace
Decorated: 1 pt per 2 awards and honors
Ancient history: 1 pt per doubling over 2 years since birth
Namesake: 1 pt per 20 things named after them
Most looked-up: 1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025
Known worldwide: 1 pt per 25 Wikipedia languages

The best board

Franklin D. Roosevelt in Most looked-up: their Wikipedia article was read 5.31 million times in 2025 (10.0)
Ashoka in Ancient history: was born 2,330 years ago (10.0)
Nellie Bly in Out of this world: has a crater named after them (10.0)
Mother Teresa in Far from home: died 4,028 miles from where they were born (10.0)
Edvard Munch in Portrait sitter: appears in 90 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0)
George Frideric Handel in Namesake: has 169 things named after them on Wikidata (8.5)
Stephen Hawking in Decorated: received 41 awards and honors (10.0)
Franz Kafka in Known worldwide: Wikipedia has an article on them in 242 languages (9.7)

The most this board could score: 78.2 of 80.

The lineup, figure by figure

Franklin D. Roosevelt
President of the New Deal
Photo: Leon Perskie, CC BY 2.0
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Portrait sitter
appears in 27 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (3.4) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Far from home
died 851 miles from where they were born (7.7) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Decorated
received 6 awards and honors (3.0) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Ancient history
was born 144 years ago (6.2) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Namesake
has 104 things named after them on Wikidata (5.2) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 5.31 million times in 2025 (10.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 246 languages (9.8) Source: Wikidata Q8007
Ashoka
Emperor who turned to peace after a bloody war
Photo: Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand, CC BY 2.0
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Portrait sitter
appears in 1 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Far from home
died 0 miles from where they were born (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Ancient history
was born 2,330 years ago (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Namesake
has 5 things named after them on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 930,991 times in 2025 (2.3) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 177 languages (7.1) Source: Wikidata Q8589
Nellie Bly
Journalist who raced around the world in 72 days
Photo: H. J. Myers, photographer, Public domain
Out of this world
has a crater named after them (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Portrait sitter
appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Far from home
died 285 miles from where they were born (6.2) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Decorated
received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Ancient history
was born 161 years ago (6.3) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Namesake
has 5 things named after them on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 409,277 times in 2025 (1.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 70 languages (2.8) Source: Wikidata Q230299
Mother Teresa
Nun who cared for the poorest of the poor
Photo: Túrelio, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Portrait sitter
appears in 5 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.6) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Far from home
died 4,028 miles from where they were born (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Decorated
received 26 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Ancient history
was born 116 years ago (5.9) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Namesake
has 56 things named after them on Wikidata (2.8) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.91 million times in 2025 (4.8) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 200 languages (8.0) Source: Wikidata Q30547
Edvard Munch
Painter of The Scream
Photo: Anders Beer Wilse, Public domain
Out of this world
has a crater named after them (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Portrait sitter
appears in 90 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Far from home
died 64 miles from where they were born (4.0) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Decorated
received 2 awards and honors (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Ancient history
was born 163 years ago (6.3) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Namesake
has 11 things named after them on Wikidata (0.6) Source: Wikidata Q41406
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 488,982 times in 2025 (1.2) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 120 languages (4.8) Source: Wikidata Q41406
George Frideric Handel
Composer of Messiah's Hallelujah chorus
Photo: Attributed to Balthasar Denner, Public domain
Out of this world
has a crater named after them (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Portrait sitter
appears in 26 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (3.3) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Far from home
died 520 miles from where they were born (7.0) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Ancient history
was born 341 years ago (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Namesake
has 169 things named after them on Wikidata (8.5) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 421,277 times in 2025 (1.1) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 160 languages (6.4) Source: Wikidata Q7302
Stephen Hawking
Physicist of black holes and A Brief History of Time
Photo: NASA, Public domain
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Portrait sitter
appears in 4 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Far from home
died 67 miles from where they were born (4.1) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Decorated
received 41 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Ancient history
was born 84 years ago (5.4) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Namesake
has 19 things named after them on Wikidata (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 3.45 million times in 2025 (8.6) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 201 languages (8.0) Source: Wikidata Q17714
Franz Kafka
Writer of The Metamorphosis
Photo: Unknown photographer, Public domain
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q905
Portrait sitter
appears in 8 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q905
Far from home
died 149 miles from where they were born (5.2) Source: Wikidata Q905
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q905
Ancient history
was born 143 years ago (6.2) Source: Wikidata Q905
Namesake
has 18 things named after them on Wikidata (0.9) Source: Wikidata Q905
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.83 million times in 2025 (4.6) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 242 languages (9.7) Source: Wikidata Q905