Podcast Script

Welcome back to the LL Study Guide podcast, your quick, post‑match companion for LearnedLeague. I’m here to walk you through Match Day 4, help you lock in the things you missed, and strengthen the things you got right.

Remember, this is meant to be short, friendly, and something you can listen to while you’re doing other things. If you want the full write‑ups, links, and deeper dives, you’ll find all of that in the study notes on our website at llstudyguide.com.

Today’s set has a fun theme under the surface: names that quietly encode meaning. Diseases, financial indexes, dog breeds, historic events, TV stars, and even snack foods. We’ll use each question to pull a little more out of those names, and give you some patterns you can reuse on future match days.

Let’s jump in with Question 1.

Question 1 asked: “The dietary deficiency kwashiorkor, a Ghanaian language word for ‘disease of the baby deposed when the next one arrives’, is predominantly associated with a nutritional lack of what?”

The correct answer is: protein.

Kwashiorkor is a classic term from global health and pediatrics. It describes a severe form of malnutrition where calories might be okay, but protein is seriously lacking. The famous image is a small child with very thin arms and legs but a swollen belly. That swelling is from edema, one of the hallmark signs.

The question itself gives you a big clue with the translation: “disease of the baby deposed when the next one arrives.” The idea is that the older child is pushed off breast milk when a new baby is born. Breast milk is protein‑rich, and in some settings the replacement is a starchy, low‑protein diet. So if you notice it’s tied to early weaning, it should steer you away from vitamins and toward protein.

A useful contrast to remember is kwashiorkor versus marasmus. Kwashiorkor is mainly protein deficiency with edema. Marasmus is overall calorie and protein deficiency, leading to extreme wasting but usually without that big, swollen belly. That pair is a favorite in medical and quiz settings, so keep them linked in your mind.

If you want more details or visuals to lock it in, check the study notes on our website. You’ll find links that show how clinicians describe and photograph kwashiorkor, plus the story of how the term was learned from the Ga language in Ghana.

Adjacent things worth learning here: one, the broader category of protein‑energy malnutrition, including marasmus. Two, the classic vitamin deficiency diseases like scurvy and rickets, so you can quickly rule them out when the story doesn’t fit. And three, the importance of etymology in medical terms—often the origin story gives you the mechanism.

All right, let’s move from medicine to markets.

Question 2: “VIX is an index managed by Cboe Global Markets (formerly the Chicago Board Options Exchange) to measure the market’s expectation of what, as represented by the ‘V’?”

The answer is: volatility.

VIX is short for the Cboe Volatility Index. It’s built from options prices on the S&P 500, and it’s meant to capture how bumpy traders expect the market to be over the next 30 days or so. You’ll often hear it called Wall Street’s ‘fear gauge’ in the news, because big spikes in VIX usually mean people are bracing for a wild ride.

The question nudges you there by saying “market’s expectation of what.” That’s implied volatility, not volume, not value. If you know even vaguely that VIX is the volatility index, the “V” should stand out. In finance clues, letters in tickers tend to be meaningful: V for volatility here, and you’ll see similar tricks in other indexes and ETFs.

On the site, the study notes walk through how VIX is constructed from options prices and why it’s specifically about expectations, not what’s already happened. You don’t need the formula for quiz purposes, but knowing the role of options and implied volatility can give you an extra foothold on future questions.

Related patterns to learn: first, the idea of “implied volatility” in options pricing. Second, other sentiment or fear gauges, like how credit spreads or currency volatility indices get used. And third, the way business and econ questions often hide the key right in a letter or abbreviation: LIBOR, SOFR, CPI, and so on.

Let’s brighten things up with something a bit cuter for Question 3.

Question 3 said: “Perro salchicha is an informal name in many Spanish-speaking areas for what dog breed?”

The answer is: dachshund.

This one is all about translation. Break the Spanish apart: “perro” means dog, “salchicha” means sausage. So “perro salchicha” is literally “sausage dog,” which is the same playful nickname English speakers use for dachshunds.

Dachshunds are those small, long‑bodied, short‑legged dogs that look like walking hot dogs. English nicknames like “wiener dog” or “sausage dog” map perfectly to “perro salchicha.” Spanish also has more formal terms like “teckel” or even “dachshund” itself, but the clue tells you this is informal, so you want the common name tied to that image.

So if you ever see “sausage dog” in any language, picture that long, low hound. And if you blank on the word “dachshund,” try reconstructing it: it’s German, meaning “badger dog,” and it’s all over pop culture and greeting cards.

In the study notes on the website, you’ll see dictionary entries that translate “perro salchicha” directly to “dachshund,” plus alternative Spanish nicknames. That can help your brain recognize the pattern when you see similar clues.

Side topics that pair well with this one: basic pet‑related vocabulary in Spanish—perro, gato, caballo, and so on. Also, other dog breeds with literal descriptive nicknames, like “perro lobo” for wolfdog. And finally, German dog breed names that show up a lot in trivia: dachshund, schnauzer, rottweiler, all with etymologies that can help you guess from context.

Now let’s jump to television and awards history for Question 4.

Question 4: “In the history of the Emmy Awards, there is exactly one woman who has won both Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (doing so in 1999, 2001, 2003), and also Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (in 2010). Name this woman, who was also nominated for her appearance in 30 Rock (2008) and lead role in Law & Order: True Crime—The Menendez Murders (2018).”

The answer is: Edie Falco.

Edie Falco is an Emmy powerhouse. She won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series three times for playing Carmela Soprano on The Sopranos—those wins were in 1999, 2001, and 2003, lining up with the show’s peak reputation years. Then she crossed categories and won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2010 for Nurse Jackie, where she played Jackie Peyton, a complicated ER nurse with a dark comedic edge.

Those four wins make her the only woman to take lead‑acting Emmys in both drama and comedy. The question gives you more breadcrumbs: she had a guest‑actress nomination for 30 Rock in 2008, as Jack Donaghy’s love interest C. C. Cunningham, and a lead nomination for portraying defense attorney Leslie Abramson in Law & Order: True Crime—The Menendez Murders in 2018. Put The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie in the same clue, and the safe guess is always Edie Falco.

On the website, the study notes link to Emmy records and award lists that show all of Falco’s nominations and wins, which is handy if you like memorizing award trivia.

Related things to tuck away: one, other performers with cross‑genre Emmy achievements, like actors who’ve won in comedy and limited series, or drama and variety. Two, the key roles that define Edie Falco in quizland: Carmela Soprano and Jackie Peyton. And three, how awards‑questions are often anchored in very specific year clusters; noticing those dates can help you match them to shows in your memory.

Let’s go back in time, much farther, for Question 5.

Question 5 asked: “In 622, Muhammad and Abu Bakr left Mecca to live among the people of Yathrib (later Medina) in an event whose Arabic name means ‘migration’ or ‘breaking of ties.’ What is this event called?”

The answer is: the Hijra, also spelled Hijrah or Hegira.

The Hijra is one of the central turning points in Islamic history. In 622, the Prophet Muhammad and his followers left Mecca, where they faced opposition and persecution, and migrated to Yathrib, which later became known as Medina. That move allowed them to form the first organized Muslim community and laid the foundations for the growing Islamic state.

The word “hijra” in Arabic comes from a root meaning to leave or to emigrate. You’ll often see it glossed as “migration,” and in some sources as “breaking of ties,” capturing the idea of leaving behind old alliances and kinship networks. The year of the Hijra is so important that it marks year 1 of the Islamic, or Hijri, calendar.

From a quiz perspective, the date 622 plus “Mecca to Medina” is almost always signaling “Hijra” or “Hegira.” Abu Bakr being named in the clue is an extra confirmation, since he’s traditionally described as Muhammad’s companion on that journey.

In the study notes on the website, you can read more about how the Hijra reoriented the early Muslim community, and why Medina becomes such a key city afterward.

Adjacent topics to learn alongside this: one, the basics of the Islamic calendar and what “AH” or “Hijri” years mean. Two, key early Islamic events like the first revelations in the cave of Hira and the Constitution of Medina. And three, remembering that transliterations can vary—Hijra, Hijrah, and Hegira are all the same event.

Finally, let’s end with a little modern snack‑food law for Question 6.

Question 6 said: “Smuckers has sued Trader Joe’s, alleging that the grocer has copied its popular thaw-and-eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What is the brand name of Smuckers’ version?”

The answer is: Uncrustables.

Uncrustables are those frozen, sealed, crustless sandwiches you’ll see in the freezer section—most famously peanut butter and jelly. You just thaw them and eat. They’re made by the J. M. Smucker Company, which you probably already associate with jams, jellies, and peanut butter.

The brand name is actually a nice little wordplay clue: “Uncrustables” clearly suggests “without crusts.” So even if you’ve only half‑noticed these in a grocery store, you might be able to reconstruct the name if a question mentions round, sealed, crustless PB and J sandwiches.

In 2025, Smucker’s sued Trader Joe’s, claiming that Trader Joe’s own frozen, crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches copied the design and look of Uncrustables—things like the round shape, the crimped sealed edge, and even blue‑themed packaging. That’s exactly what this LearnedLeague question is riffing on.

The study notes on the website link out to news coverage of the lawsuit and some background on how big the Uncrustables business actually is now—closing in on a billion dollars a year in sales, which is wild for a school‑lunch snack.

Side topics to keep in mind from this: first, how brand names often directly describe the product but with a slightly playful twist—Uncrustables, Lunchables, Gatorade, and so on. Second, the idea of trade dress and product design being protected, not just logos and names. And third, the general category of iconic packaged foods that show up a lot in trivia: Oreos, Pop‑Tarts, Lunchables, Hot Pockets, and now, Uncrustables.

So, stepping back from all six questions, there’s a pattern you can practice. Names are doing a ton of work:

– Kwashiorkor’s Ga origin hinting at early‑weaning protein loss. – VIX’s “V” standing for volatility. – Perro salchicha literally telling you “sausage dog.” – The way The Sopranos plus Nurse Jackie instantly point at Edie Falco. – Hijra literally meaning migration, flagging the event. – Uncrustables being almost a mini definition of the product.

If you train yourself to slow down for just a second and ask, “What is this name actually saying?” you’ll steal a few extra points on future match days, even when you don’t know the topic cold.

If you’d like to go deeper on any of these—medical malnutrition, options and volatility, Spanish dog nicknames, Emmy history, early Islamic chronology, or trademark fights over grocery products—check the study notes on our website at llstudyguide.com. We’ve collected short explanations and links so you can turn a missed question into something you’ll never miss again.

Thanks for listening to this Match Day 4 review. Come back next time and we’ll walk through another set together, help you spot more patterns, and hopefully give you a slight edge before the next season. Until then, happy studying, and I’ll talk to you after the next match day.