Historical figures · Puzzle #28 · Tuesday, October 27

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

Known worldwide: 1 pt per 25 Wikipedia languages
Much studied: 1 pt per 8 works about them
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
Ancient history: 1 pt per doubling over 2 years since birth
Decorated: 1 pt per 2 awards and honors
Portrait sitter: 1 pt per 8 works that depict them

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

Voltaire
Wit behind Candide
Photo: Nicolas de Largillière, CC0
Voltaire's best fit on this board was Known worldwide, worth 10.0: Wikipedia has an article on them in 256 languages. Their weakest was Decorated, worth 1.0, since Voltaire received 2 awards and honors.
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 256 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Much studied
is the subject of 49 books, papers and films on Wikidata (6.1) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Long life
lived to 83 (8.6) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 907,465 times in 2025 (2.3) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 133 things named after them on Wikidata (6.7) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Ancient history
was born 332 years ago (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Decorated
received 2 awards and honors (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Portrait sitter
appears in 40 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (5.0) Source: Wikidata Q9068
Colonel Sanders
Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Photo: Norman Rockwell, Public domain
Colonel Sanders lived to 90, so their best fit on this board was Long life, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Namesake, worth 0.1, since Colonel Sanders has 1 things named after them on Wikidata.
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 52 languages (2.1) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Much studied
is the subject of 2 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Long life
lived to 90 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.23 million times in 2025 (3.1) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 1 things named after them on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Ancient history
was born 136 years ago (6.1) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Decorated
received 3 awards and honors (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Portrait sitter
appears in 2 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q120450
Galileo Galilei
Turned a telescope on Jupiter's moons
Photo: Justus Sustermans, Public domain
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Euclid
Wrote the Elements, the geometry textbook
Photo: Justus van Gent, Public domain
Euclid was born 2,349 years ago, so their best fit on this board was Ancient history, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Long life, worth 0.0, since Euclid lived to 38.
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 203 languages (8.1) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Much studied
is the subject of 12 books, papers and films on Wikidata (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Long life
lived to 38 (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 389,817 times in 2025 (1.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 35 things named after them on Wikidata (1.8) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Ancient history
was born 2,349 years ago (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Portrait sitter
appears in 6 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.8) Source: Wikidata Q8747
Augustus
The first Roman emperor
Photo: Joel Bellviure, CC BY-SA 4.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Tupac Shakur
Rapper of California Love
Photo: State of California DMV, Public domain
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Louis XIV
The Sun King of Versailles
Photo: Hyacinthe Rigaud, Public domain
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Maya Angelou
Poet of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
On this board Maya Angelou scored best in Decorated (9.5): Maya Angelou received 19 awards and honors. Namesake was their weakest fit (0.3): Maya Angelou has 5 things named after them on Wikidata.
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 145 languages (5.8) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Much studied
is the subject of 3 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Long life
lived to 86 (9.2) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 996,637 times in 2025 (2.5) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Namesake
has 5 things named after them on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Ancient history
was born 98 years ago (5.6) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Decorated
received 19 awards and honors (9.5) Source: Wikidata Q19526
Portrait sitter
appears in 3 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q19526