Kabloom #6 explained

Sat, Oct 31 · Fiery: only hard rules after the first few. Spoiler: this page shows the answer.

The start

“Name something American.” 10,418 answers on the volcano's lists fit that. The obvious ones, like Barack Obama, Donald Trump and New York City, never make it to the top.

The rules

1. 1It's a person.

   3,059 answers still standing. New York City is a city, not a person. The United States is a country, not a person. Washington, D.C. is a city, not a person.

2. 2It's from 1900 or later (born, made or invented).

   2,632 answers still standing. George Washington was born in 1732. Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809. Thomas Edison was born in 1847.

3. 3It's from before 1950 (born, made or invented).

   1,208 answers still standing. Barack Obama was born in 1961. Michael Jackson was born in 1958. Bill Gates was born in 1955.

4. 4They died in 1900 or later.

   880 answers still standing. Donald Trump is still alive. George W. Bush is still alive. Joe Biden is still alive.

5. 5They're famous as a writer.

   317 answers still standing. Ronald Reagan isn't famous as a writer. John F. Kennedy isn't famous as a writer. Martin Luther King Jr. isn't famous as a writer.

6. 6They're a man.

   238 answers still standing. Maya Angelou was a woman. Toni Morrison was a woman. Katharine Hepburn was a woman.

7. 7They aren't famous as a scientist.

   225 answers still standing. Carl Sagan is famous as a scientist. Steven Weinberg is famous as a scientist. Dennis Ritchie is famous as a scientist.

8. 8They won a Nobel Prize.

   Only one answer still standing. George H. W. Bush never won a Nobel Prize. Gerald Ford never won a Nobel Prize. Dr. Seuss never won a Nobel Prize.

The answer at the top

John Steinbeck is the only answer that survives all eight rules.

• John Steinbeck was born in the United States, in the Americas.
• Rule 1 (A person): John Steinbeck is a person.
• Rule 2 (From 1900 or later): John Steinbeck was born in 1902.
• Rule 3 (From before 1950): John Steinbeck was born in 1902.
• Rule 4 (Died 1900 or later): John Steinbeck died in 1968.
• Rule 5 (Famous as a writer): John Steinbeck is famous as a writer.
• Rule 6 (A man): John Steinbeck was a man.
• Rule 7 (Not a scientist): John Steinbeck isn't famous as a scientist.
• Rule 8 (Nobel Prize winner): John Steinbeck won a Nobel Prize.

Did you name it first and never switch? That's a Called it: 200 bonus meters on top of the climb.

Want to climb #6 yourself first? Every past daily is in the archive with Kabloom Unlimited.