Historical figures · Puzzle #20 · Monday, October 19

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

Most looked-up: 1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025
Namesake: 1 pt per 20 things named after them
Decorated: 1 pt per 2 awards and honors
Portrait sitter: 1 pt per 8 works that depict them
Much studied: 1 pt per 8 works about them
Long life: 1 pt per 5 years lived past 40
Far from home: 1 pt per doubling over 4 miles from birthplace
Known worldwide: 1 pt per 25 Wikipedia languages

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

Enrico Fermi
Built the first nuclear reactor
Photo: Department of Energy-Office of Public Affairs, restored by Yann, Public domain
On this board Enrico Fermi scored best in Far from home (10.0): Enrico Fermi died 4,809 miles from where they were born. Portrait sitter was their weakest fit (0.0): Enrico Fermi appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 449,829 times in 2025 (1.1) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 102 things named after them on Wikidata (5.1) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Decorated
received 13 awards and honors (6.5) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Portrait sitter
appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Much studied
is the subject of 4 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Long life
lived to 53 (2.6) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Far from home
died 4,809 miles from where they were born (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 171 languages (6.8) Source: Wikidata Q8753
Hans Christian Andersen
Teller of The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling
Photo: Thora Hallager, Public domain
On this board Hans Christian Andersen scored best in Known worldwide (9.8): Wikipedia has an article on them in 244 languages. Portrait sitter was their weakest fit (1.5): Hans Christian Andersen appears in 12 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 740,029 times in 2025 (1.9) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 42 things named after them on Wikidata (2.1) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Decorated
received 9 awards and honors (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Portrait sitter
appears in 12 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Much studied
is the subject of 18 books, papers and films on Wikidata (2.3) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Long life
lived to 70 (6.0) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Far from home
died 89 miles from where they were born (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 244 languages (9.8) Source: Wikidata Q5673
Ludwig van Beethoven
Composed the Ninth Symphony while deaf
Photo: Joseph Karl Stieler, Public domain
On this board Ludwig van Beethoven scored best in Namesake (10.0): Ludwig van Beethoven has 398 things named after them on Wikidata. Decorated was their weakest fit (0.5): Ludwig van Beethoven received 1 awards and honors.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.68 million times in 2025 (4.2) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 398 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q255
Decorated
received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q255
Portrait sitter
appears in 31 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (3.9) Source: Wikidata Q255
Much studied
is the subject of 83 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q255
Long life
lived to 56 (3.2) Source: Wikidata Q255
Far from home
died 451 miles from where they were born (6.8) Source: Wikidata Q255
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 273 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q255
Joan of Arc
Teenage peasant who led an army
Photo: Clément de Fauquembergue, Public domain
On this board Joan of Arc scored best in Namesake (10.0): Joan of Arc has 519 things named after them on Wikidata. Long life was their weakest fit (0.0): Joan of Arc lived to 19.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 2.28 million times in 2025 (5.7) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 519 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Decorated
received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Portrait sitter
appears in 185 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Much studied
is the subject of 126 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Long life
lived to 19 (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Far from home
died 219 miles from where they were born (5.8) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 194 languages (7.8) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Niels Bohr
Modeled the atom with electrons in shells
Photo: The American Institute of Physics credits the photo [1] to AB Lagrelius & Westphal, which is the Swedish company used by the Nobel Foundation for most photos of its book series Les Prix Nobel., Public domain
Niels Bohr received 30 awards and honors, so their best fit on this board was Decorated, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Far from home, worth 0.0, since Niels Bohr died 0 miles from where they were born.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 627,861 times in 2025 (1.6) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 32 things named after them on Wikidata (1.6) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Decorated
received 30 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Portrait sitter
appears in 2 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Much studied
is the subject of 4 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Long life
lived to 77 (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Far from home
died 0 miles from where they were born (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 186 languages (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Audrey Hepburn
Star of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Photo: Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Clara Barton
Founder of the American Red Cross
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
On this board Clara Barton scored best in Long life (10.0): Clara Barton lived to 90. Portrait sitter was their weakest fit (0.0): Clara Barton appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 270,879 times in 2025 (0.7) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 7 things named after them on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Decorated
received 3 awards and honors (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Portrait sitter
appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Much studied
is the subject of 6 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.8) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Long life
lived to 90 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Far from home
died 352 miles from where they were born (6.5) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 50 languages (2.0) Source: Wikidata Q188039
Queen Victoria
Queen who gave her name to an era
Photo: Alexander Bassano, Public domain
On this board Queen Victoria scored best in Most looked-up (10.0): their Wikipedia article was read 6.39 million times in 2025. Far from home was their weakest fit (4.1): Queen Victoria died 70 miles from where they were born.
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 6.39 million times in 2025 (10.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 189 things named after them on Wikidata (9.5) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Decorated
received 37 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Portrait sitter
appears in 394 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Much studied
is the subject of 230 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Long life
lived to 81 (8.2) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Far from home
died 70 miles from where they were born (4.1) Source: Wikidata Q9439
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 175 languages (7.0) Source: Wikidata Q9439