Historical figures · Puzzle #40 · Sunday, November 8

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
Long life: 1 pt per 5 years lived past 40
Portrait sitter: 1 pt per 8 works that depict them
Most looked-up: 1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025
Known worldwide: 1 pt per 25 Wikipedia languages
Much studied: 1 pt per 8 works about them
Namesake: 1 pt per 20 things named after them

The best board

Niels Bohr in Decorated: received 30 awards and honors (10.0)
John F. Kennedy in Most looked-up: their Wikipedia article was read 6.62 million times in 2025 (10.0)
Joan of Arc in Portrait sitter: appears in 185 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0)
Martin Luther in Much studied: is the subject of 335 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0)
James Dean in Far from home: died 1,899 miles from where they were born (8.9)
Nicolaus Copernicus in Namesake: has 222 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0)
René Descartes in Known worldwide: Wikipedia has an article on them in 254 languages (10.0)
Marcel Marceau in Long life: lived to 84 (8.8)

The most this board could score: 77.7 of 80.

The lineup, figure by figure

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. That is where the best board puts them as well.
Decorated
received 30 awards and honors (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Far from home
died 0 miles from where they were born (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Long life
lived to 77 (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Portrait sitter
appears in 2 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.3) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 627,861 times in 2025 (1.6) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 186 languages (7.4) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Much studied
is the subject of 4 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q7085
Namesake
has 32 things named after them on Wikidata (1.6) Source: Wikidata Q7085
John F. Kennedy
President who aimed for the Moon
Photo: Cecil W. Stoughton, Public domain
On this board John F. Kennedy scored best in Most looked-up (10.0): their Wikipedia article was read 6.62 million times in 2025. Long life was their weakest fit (1.2): John F. Kennedy lived to 46. The best board puts them there too.
Decorated
received 19 awards and honors (9.5) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Far from home
died 1,546 miles from where they were born (8.6) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Long life
lived to 46 (1.2) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Portrait sitter
appears in 39 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (4.9) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 6.62 million times in 2025 (10.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 249 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Much studied
is the subject of 28 books, papers and films on Wikidata (3.5) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Namesake
has 207 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9696
Joan of Arc
Teenage peasant who led an army
Photo: Clément de Fauquembergue, Public domain
On this board Joan of Arc scored best in Portrait sitter (10.0): Joan of Arc appears in 185 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata. Long life was their weakest fit (0.0): Joan of Arc lived to 19. The best board puts them there too.
Decorated
received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Far from home
died 219 miles from where they were born (5.8) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Long life
lived to 19 (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Portrait sitter
appears in 185 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 2.28 million times in 2025 (5.7) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 194 languages (7.8) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Much studied
is the subject of 126 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Namesake
has 519 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q7226
Martin Luther
Nailed 95 theses to a church door
Photo: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Public domain
On this board Martin Luther scored best in Much studied (10.0): Martin Luther is the subject of 335 books, papers and films on Wikidata. Decorated was their weakest fit (0.0): Martin Luther received 0 awards and honors. The best board puts them there too.
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Far from home
died 0 miles from where they were born (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Long life
lived to 62 (4.4) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Portrait sitter
appears in 260 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.64 million times in 2025 (4.1) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 259 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Much studied
is the subject of 335 books, papers and films on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
Namesake
has 414 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9554
James Dean
Star of Rebel Without a Cause
Photo: In-house publicity still, Public domain
James Dean died 1,899 miles from where they were born, so their best fit on this board was Far from home, worth 8.9. Their weakest was Long life, worth 0.0, since James Dean lived to 24. That is where the best board puts them as well.
Decorated
received 3 awards and honors (1.5) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Far from home
died 1,899 miles from where they were born (8.9) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Long life
lived to 24 (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Portrait sitter
appears in 1 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 1.71 million times in 2025 (4.3) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 112 languages (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Much studied
is the subject of 3 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Namesake
has 2 things named after them on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q83359
Nicolaus Copernicus
Put the Sun, not the Earth, at the center
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
On this board Nicolaus Copernicus scored best in Namesake (10.0): Nicolaus Copernicus has 222 things named after them on Wikidata. Decorated was their weakest fit (0.5): Nicolaus Copernicus received 1 awards and honors. The best board puts them there too.
Decorated
received 1 awards and honors (0.5) Source: Wikidata Q619
Far from home
died 103 miles from where they were born (4.7) Source: Wikidata Q619
Long life
lived to 70 (6.0) Source: Wikidata Q619
Portrait sitter
appears in 22 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (2.8) Source: Wikidata Q619
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 816,320 times in 2025 (2.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 214 languages (8.6) Source: Wikidata Q619
Much studied
is the subject of 28 books, papers and films on Wikidata (3.5) Source: Wikidata Q619
Namesake
has 222 things named after them on Wikidata (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q619
René Descartes
"I think, therefore I am"
Photo: After Frans Hals, Public domain
René Descartes's best fit on this board was Known worldwide, worth 10.0: Wikipedia has an article on them in 254 languages. Their weakest was Decorated, worth 0.0, since René Descartes received 0 awards and honors. That is where the best board puts them as well.
Decorated
received 0 awards and honors (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Far from home
died 1,110 miles from where they were born (8.1) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Long life
lived to 53 (2.6) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Portrait sitter
appears in 26 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (3.3) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 812,136 times in 2025 (2.0) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 254 languages (10.0) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Much studied
is the subject of 36 books, papers and films on Wikidata (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Namesake
has 90 things named after them on Wikidata (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q9191
Marcel Marceau
Mime of the character Bip
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Marcel Marceau lived to 84, so their best fit on this board was Long life, worth 8.8. Their weakest was Portrait sitter, worth 0.0, since Marcel Marceau appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata. That is where the best board puts them as well.
Decorated
received 9 awards and honors (4.5) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Far from home
died 414 miles from where they were born (6.7) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Long life
lived to 84 (8.8) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Portrait sitter
appears in 0 paintings, statues, films and more on Wikidata (0.0) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Most looked-up
their Wikipedia article was read 211,980 times in 2025 (0.5) Source: Wikimedia pageviews, 2025
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on them in 60 languages (2.4) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Much studied
is the subject of 3 books, papers and films on Wikidata (0.4) Source: Wikidata Q157191
Namesake
has 2 things named after them on Wikidata (0.1) Source: Wikidata Q157191