Toy Time - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) Icosahedron. The largest of the Platonic solids has twenty equilateral triangle faces.
• A2) Erector set. The metal beams, nuts, bolts, pulleys, gears, and motors can be put together in almost any way, but certain kits were designed for specific purposes, like the Mysterious Walking Giant (Kit No. 12 1/2).
• A3) Bratz. Carter Bryant was a Mattel employee when he concocted Bratz, and MGA Entertainment was ordered to pay $100 million in damages, and although the dolls are still available for sale, they are supposed to be removed by next February.
• A4) Tamagotchi. The egg-shaped, three-button, Bandai toy requires its owners to regularly feed and play with a virtual pet to nurture it.
• A5) Aluminum. Turning the display upside down and shaking coats the screen with aluminum powder, which is then scraped off when the horizontal- and vertical-moving knobs are turned. The drawing toy, originally called the Telecran, was invented by French electrician Andre Cassagnes in the late 1950s and debuted in 1960.
• A6) Spirograph. The geared circular discs, with holes at various distances from the center, allow intricate designs to be drawn with a pen by repeatedly rotating and revolving inside or around another shape.
• A7) Tinkertoy. Charles H. Pajeau, inspired by pencils and thread spools, designed the wooden Tinkertoy Construction Set in 1914. The pieces primarily connect at angles in any multiple of 45 degrees, allowing a wide but not infinite variety of possibilities.
• A8) Lite Brite. 347,004 translucent plastic pegs from the Hasbro toy that debuted in 1967 were used to create the enormous glowing shoe.
• A9) Silly String. Although the exact composition of the liquid, which solidifies instantly in the air, is unknown, Wikipedia speculates that it is polyisobutyl-methacrylate and sorbitan trioleate dissolved in a CFC-based solvent.
• A10) K'NEX. Joel and his brother Bob brought their plastic Tinkertoy variation with its color-coded rods and connectors to market in 1993.
• A11) Koosh Ball. With about 2,000 connected rubbery strands, the ball is easy to catch and soft enough for relatively safe indoor use.
• A12) Webkinz. The virtual animals can obtain and wear accessories, build and furnish houses, buy and eat food, and play numerous puzzles and video games to get more KinzCash.

Happy Holidays!