The correct answer this week was F.  Congratulations to Dragon for her keen eye.  Personally, I think that G looks more like a bunch of plants, but that’s not the right answer, now is it?  As for B, A Fan’s inspired guess, it’s not the figurative “green with envy” but much more literally the color of the boyfriend’s face: red, and growing ever redder as he watches those tourists ogle his beskirted gal.

青　赤　黄　黒　白　緑　紫

So, to finish things off, our lineup consists of blue, red, yellow, black, white, green, and purple.  Also, a point of interest: that first character can also be used to describe bluish green; it’s the color of the sea, the sky, and the “GO” portion of a stoplight.

But that was clearly too easy.  We’re going to ramp up the difficulty now, and see how well you really know your colors.  Can you distinguish between the kanji for scarlet and vermilion?  Magenta and mauve?  Turquoise, aqua, and azure?  Burnt sienna?  Macaroni and cheese?

Just kidding.  As a matter of fact, I was thinking it was about time we learned a little about time.  Since this is a weekly feature, I think you should try to pick out the character that means “week.”

A. 週　B. 時　C. 月　D. 年　E. 日　F. 秒　G. 分

They worked their way back through the slums
To th’incongruous glen
Inside they found Aeris’ mom
“Oh look. It’s you again

“Sit down. Make yourselves at home
Enjoy a cup of tea
And tell me why it’s not your fault
They took my girl from me”

Cloud began the blame game
“It’s all Barret’s fault, you see”
Barret countered with, “Oh yeah?
Who brought her there? Not me!

“Ah, go ahead and blame me
I just came here for one thing”
“Your daughter is safe up there”
Barret up stairs did spring

Aeris’ mom ignored the tea
Instead pulled out a flask
“Are . . . you alright?” Cloud felt the need
To hesitate to ask

This week’s puzzle:

A man returns to a job he doesn’t especially want and pursues an achievement that he would rather no one knew about. A man who lacks control learns how to speak inanely and how not to think.

Last week’s puzzle:

The successor to a long line of leaders discovers that his destiny is out of his control. Inspired by the actions of a menial laborer and his blue-eyed companion, he seizes command and leads his people to a barren wasteland.

And the answer is . . . ▼

Warriors don’t deserve great applause
Of anger, hate- fear is the cause
Judge things not by their size
Do or don’t; give not tries
Sagely words from a wizard named Oz

Event: Birth of Richard Frank Oznowicz (better known as Frank Oz), puppeteer/muppeteer, director, and voice of Yoda
Year: 1944
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Oz

Two correct answers this week!  Very impressive!  The nose was indeed E.  As to why, I can’t really say.  Dragon’s and Shirley’s explanations seem as good as any.  500 points all around in celebration!

Let’s not forget the rest of our kanji friends, however.

顎　頭　顔　口　鼻　耳　目

You may have noticed that the first three all had the same part on the right side, which may have suggested to you that they had similar meanings.  This is a trick that can serve you well when dealing with . . . oh, about 60% of kanji.  For the other 40%, it’s anyone’s guess what the connection is.  In this case, though, it’s easy: they’re all related to the head.  Chin’s on the left, face is on the right, and the one in the middle is the old melon itself.

Next up is the most boring of the list, which happens to be the mouth (needless to say, it’s open).  The nose you know, of course, which leaves us with two more similar-looking characters.  On the far right we have the eye, which, if you turn it on its side, kind of looks like an eye if you round off the corners and color in the middle.  To its left is the ear, which also makes sense, because it’s basically just a . . . pointier . . . eye.  Right . . .

But let’s move on.  This week’s challenge is colors.  Since we’re smack-dab in the middle of Spring at the moment, I suppose the one you should be trying to pick out had better be green.

A. 青　B. 赤　C. 黄　D. 黒　E. 白　F. 緑　G. 紫

Cloud, in fact, had wandered off
He did not care, as such
Sector Seven being gone
Did not affect him much

Aeris, on the other hand
Weighed heav’ly on his mind
Was’t his running into her
That put her in this bind?

“Cloud! Yo, Cloud!” yelled Barret
Who still sounded quite distressed
“You’re taking us to Aeris’ place!”
It was not a request

Tifa scowled. “Don’t be rude
We’ve all been through a lot
We really have to hold on tight
To the friends we’ve still got”

“Come on, Tifa, cut the sap
Don’t make us sound so lame
I don’t care what Barret says
I’d go there just the same

“I’m gonna help Aeris
I’m sort of her bodyguard”
Thinking ‘bout his reward
Made the choice not at all hard

“Also, I’m real curious
About these . . . Ancient . . . things”
In his head, a voice: “Well, yeah
In here that a bell rings”

This week’s puzzle:

The successor to a long line of leaders discovers that his destiny is out of his control. Inspired by the actions of a menial laborer and his blue-eyed companion, he seizes command and leads his people to a barren wasteland.

Last week’s puzzle:

A young man who fell from popularity at an early age pulls a stunt to impress his new friends and is taught a lesson. In the end, he earns the respect of his peers (while alienating his mother), but it does him no good at all.

And the answer is . . . ▼

There are some things that should not be done
Of these things, segregation is one
But way back in the day
The court said ’twas okay
In the case Plessy v. Ferguson

Event: U.S. Supreme Court rules that “separate but equal” facilities for whites and blacks are constitutional
Year: 1896
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson

The correct answer was F, though not because it’s a dollhouse.  I could tell you where the character for mother comes from, but it could be seen as somewhat vulgar, and besides, the picture’s sideways anyway.  The television is the character for older brother, the frazzled aerial means younger brother, and the Boy Scout weenie roast means father.  The two similar-looking ones are, appropriately enough, older sister and younger sister (B and C, respectively).  200 points to everyone who participated, and 153 to everyone who didn’t.

But now let’s move on to your next challenge.  I was recently reminded that several friends of mine just finished their first year of med school.  So let’s see if you’re up on your anatomy.  Can you pick out the nose?  Don’t worry, it’s as plain as . . . whew, just caught myself there.

A. 顎　B. 頭　C. 顔　D. 口　E. 鼻　F. 耳　G. 目

“I . . . I don’t know,” choked Tifa
“I’m not sure I can go on
Wedge and Biggs, Jess, everyone
I can’t believe they’re gone

“What we did was good, I thought
We tried Shinra to halt
I never thought they’d go this far
Is all of it our fault?”

Barret laughed. “Oh yeah, I’m sure
That we’re who Shinra blames
As for me, I’m kickin’ ass
Not both’rin’ to take names

“Our fault? Their fault? I don’t care
All that is in the past
All I know is that my gun
Needs some revenge, and fast

“The Shinra took my girl from me
And for that they will pay
So even if it takes my life
I’ll bring them judgment day”

“Barret, wait! That isn’t true!”
To stop him she did strive
“Remember that girl? She did say
That Marlene’s still alive”

“The hell? What were you waiting for?
Why didn’t you say so?
I’ve got to see her right away
Hey, Cloud . . . now where’d Cloud go?”