Historical figures · Puzzle #33 · Sunday, November 1

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

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

1. Harry Houdini

   Escape artist who slipped every chain

   

   Harry Houdini died 4,624 miles from where they were born, so their best fit on this board was Far from home, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Portrait sitter, worth 0.0, since Harry Houdini appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.

   Decorated

   received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Far from home

   died 4,624 miles from where they were born (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Known worldwide

   Wikipedia has an article on them in 96 languages (3.8) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Ancient history

   was born 152 years ago (6.2) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Most looked-up

   their Wikipedia article was read 1.09 million times in 2025 (2.7) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025

   Long life

   lived to 52 (2.4) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Portrait sitter

   appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q131545

   Much studied

   is the subject of 4 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q131545

2. Leo Tolstoy

   Novelist of War and Peace

   

   Leo Tolstoy's best fit on this board was Known worldwide, worth 10.0: Wikipedia has an article on them in 282 languages. Their weakest was Portrait sitter, worth 1.9, since Leo Tolstoy appears in 15 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.

   Decorated

   received 4 awards and honors (2.0) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Far from home

   died 102 miles from where they were born (4.7) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Known worldwide

   Wikipedia has an article on them in 282 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Ancient history

   was born 198 years ago (6.6) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Most looked-up

   their Wikipedia article was read 1.19 million times in 2025 (3.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025

   Long life

   lived to 82 (8.4) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Portrait sitter

   appears in 15 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (1.9) Source: Wikidata Q7243

   Much studied

   is the subject of 37 books, papers and films on Wikidata (4.6) Source: Wikidata Q7243

3. Elizabeth I

   The Virgin Queen who beat the Spanish Armada

   

   Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.

4. Jane Austen

   Novelist of Pride and Prejudice

   

   Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.

5. Thomas Edison

   Inventor of the phonograph and a practical light bulb

   

   Thomas Edison received 20 awards and honors, so their best fit on this board was Decorated, worth 10.0. Their weakest was Portrait sitter, worth 0.3, since Thomas Edison appears in 2 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata.

   Decorated

   received 20 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Far from home

   died 437 miles from where they were born (6.8) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Known worldwide

   Wikipedia has an article on them in 254 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Ancient history

   was born 179 years ago (6.5) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Most looked-up

   their Wikipedia article was read 1.58 million times in 2025 (4.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025

   Long life

   lived to 84 (8.8) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Portrait sitter

   appears in 2 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q8743

   Much studied

   is the subject of 30 books, papers and films on Wikidata (3.8) Source: Wikidata Q8743

6. Sacagawea

   Guide and interpreter for Lewis and Clark

   

   On this board Sacagawea scored best in Long life (10.0): Sacagawea lived to 95. Much studied was their weakest fit (0.3): Sacagawea is the subject of 2 books, papers and films on Wikidata.

   Decorated

   received 2 awards and honors (1.0) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Far from home

   died 620 miles from where they were born (7.3) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Known worldwide

   Wikipedia has an article on them in 51 languages (2.0) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Ancient history

   was born 238 years ago (6.9) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Most looked-up

   their Wikipedia article was read 564,108 times in 2025 (1.4) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025

   Long life

   lived to 95 (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Portrait sitter

   appears in 4 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q238960

   Much studied

   is the subject of 2 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q238960

7. Friedrich Nietzsche

   Philosopher of "God is dead" and the Übermensch

   

   Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.

8. Tutankhamun

   Boy pharaoh of the golden mask

   

   Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.

All of puzzle #33 · The archive