Historical figures · Puzzle #19 · Sunday, October 18

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

Long life: 1 pt per 5 years lived past 40
Most looked-up: 1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025
Known worldwide: 1 pt per 25 Wikipedia languages
Namesake: 1 pt per 20 things named after them
Out of this world: 10 pts if a crater is named after them
Decorated: 1 pt per 2 awards and honors
Born in Asia: 10 pts if born in Asia
Ancient history: 1 pt per doubling over 2 years since birth

The best board

The best board is hidden while some of these items are still in play: they're on a board again within 14 days.

The lineup, figure by figure

Zheng He
Admiral of vast treasure fleets
Photo: hassan saeed from Melaka, Malaysia, CC BY-SA 2.0
On this board Zheng He scored best in Born in Asia (10.0): Zheng He was born in Asia. Out of this world was their weakest fit (0.0): Zheng He has no crater named after them.
Long life
lived to 64 (4.8) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 367,580 times in 2025 (0.9) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 154 languages (6.2) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Namesake
has 8 things named after them on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Born in Asia
was born in Asia (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Ancient history
was born 655 years ago (8.4) Source: Wikidata Q7333
Rosa Parks
Refused to give up her bus seat
Photo: John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Rosa Parks lived to 92, so their best fit on this board was Long life, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Out of this world, worth 0.0, since Rosa Parks has no crater named after them.
Long life
lived to 92 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.61 million times in 2025 (4.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 128 languages (5.1) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Namesake
has 82 things named after them on Wikidata (4.1) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Decorated
received 12 awards and honors (6.0) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Ancient history
was born 113 years ago (5.8) Source: Wikidata Q41921
Johannes Gutenberg
Brought movable-type printing to the West
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Paul Cézanne
Painter of apples and Mont Sainte-Victoire
Photo: Unknown; Cézanne was born in 1839 and died in 1906, Public domain
Paul Cézanne has a crater named after them, so their best fit on this board was Out of this world, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Decorated, worth 0.0, since Paul Cézanne received 0 awards and honors.
Long life
lived to 67 (5.4) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 313,538 times in 2025 (0.8) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 139 languages (5.6) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Namesake
has 60 things named after them on Wikidata (3.0) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Out of this world
has a crater named after them (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Ancient history
was born 187 years ago (6.5) Source: Wikidata Q35548
Archimedes
Shouted "Eureka!" in the bath
Photo: Domenico Fetti, Public domain
On this board Archimedes scored best in Out of this world (10.0): Archimedes has a crater named after them. Decorated was their weakest fit (0.0): Archimedes received 0 awards and honors.
Long life
lived to 75 (7.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 835,076 times in 2025 (2.1) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 246 languages (9.8) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Namesake
has 39 things named after them on Wikidata (2.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Out of this world
has a crater named after them (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Ancient history
was born 2,313 years ago (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8739
Aretha Franklin
The Queen of Soul, who sang Respect
Photo: Atlantic Records (Life time: Published before 1978 without a copyright notice), Public domain
Aretha Franklin received 24 awards and honors, so their best fit on this board was Decorated, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Out of this world, worth 0.0, since Aretha Franklin has no crater named after them.
Long life
lived to 76 (7.2) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.96 million times in 2025 (4.9) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 116 languages (4.6) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Namesake
has 8 things named after them on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Decorated
received 24 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Ancient history
was born 84 years ago (5.4) Source: Wikidata Q125121
Prince
Star of Purple Rain
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, based on File:Prince promo picture (1988; cropped).png, Public domain
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Adam Smith
Economist of The Wealth of Nations
Photo: Etching created by Cadell and Davies (1811), John Horsburgh (1828) or R.C. Bell (1872)., Public domain
Adam Smith's best fit on this board was Known worldwide, worth 9.0: Wikipedia has an article on them in 225 languages. Their weakest was Out of this world, worth 0.0, since Adam Smith has no crater named after them.
Long life
lived to 67 (5.4) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 666,483 times in 2025 (1.7) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 225 languages (9.0) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Namesake
has 9 things named after them on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Out of this world
has no crater named after them (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Decorated
received 3 awards and honors (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Born in Asia
wasn't born in Asia (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q9381
Ancient history
was born 303 years ago (7.2) Source: Wikidata Q9381