Everybody in the pool! Quiz Guy John Chaneski’s puzzle is inspired by the call-and-response game “Marco Polo.” The object is to guess the similarly assonant second names of fictitious explorers whose first name is also Marco. For example, which Marco discovered the now-extinct flightless birds on the island of Mauritius? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Play the Quiz: What Comes After “Marco” Besides “Polo”?”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
And what ho, our quiz guy, John Chaneski, approacheth.
Hey, Martha.
And there he is.
So listen, if I may, I just want to try something for one second.
I just want to say, Marco.
Polo.
Wait, I see now, it never fails.
When you say Marco, people will shout out Polo.
It does sometimes fail, but yeah.
Sometimes, but I got to say, I mean, when I do trivia, anytime, usually about twice a year, the answer to a question is Marco Polo.
And when I say the answer is Marco, by the time I get to the end of the Marco, people are already yelling Polo.
And I love it.
You know, what I think is confusing about the game Marco Polo is that Marco Polo, you know, didn’t actually invent the game of Polo.
Did you know that?
I didn’t know that.
Yeah, so I thought, why not liven up the game by inserting explorers who did invent or discover things that have the O-O sound?
Let me explain. Here’s an example.
He discovered the flightless birds on the island of Mauritius, which are now sadly extinct.
I would say, Marco.
Dodo.
Dodo, yes, you would say Dodo. Marco Dodo.
Note, these are not actual historical figures. There was no Marco Dodo.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, sorry to say.
Now, these answers, they may be one word or two. Everybody in the pool, here we go.
Marco Polo rode in a caravan to China, but this explorer did it on a bouncy stick.
Marco.
Pogo.
Pogo, yes, very good.
A pioneer in the field of neckwear, he invented that cool little string tie that they wear down in Texas.
Marco.
Polo.
Polo, yes, very good.
This explorer discovered the recipe for hot chocolate.
Marco.
Coco.
Coco.
Coco, yes.
Very nice.
Yummy.
Now, handy to have around in a drought, he invented shower heads that use much less water than regular shower heads.
Marco.
Low flow.
Low flow.
Low flow, yes.
Very obscure inventor, Marco Low flow.
This character eschewed exploring for music, specifically a double reed woodwind instrument.
Marco.
Oboe.
Marco Oboe.
This explorer also invented the camera.
Marco.
Oh.
Camera.
This might be too simple.
Maybe.
Camera.
Photo.
Yes, Marco photo.
This traveler somehow ended up in northern Utah at Brigham Young University.
Marco.
Provo.
Marco Provo.
Yes.
Finally, this explorer had a side gig in advertising.
He developed the Nike swoosh, McDonald’s Golden Arches, and the Michelin Man.
Wow.
Yeah.
Marco.
Logo.
Logo.
Logo, yes.
He has a lot to answer for.
He really does.
Okay, now that we’ve played Marco whoever, I know exactly where you two guys are.
You’re in San Diego.
There we go.
Thank you, John.
I guess you’ve got to go-go.
I do have to go-go, yes.
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