Can You Identify These Everyday Items if They're out of Context?

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify These Everyday Items if They're out of Context?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

What could it be? You see them and use them every day but - pull them apart and the pieces can be infuriatingly hard (and loads of fun) to identify!

You can get so used to seeing some objects in their entirely that it never occurs to you that they are actually made up of different parts. Take that sweet-sounding musical instrument with its bridge, headstock and pegs, for example. It's one of the most common stringed instruments around, but few of us ever really stop to look at all the pieces which make it up. 

And, the thing is, that's how it is with many of the items we encounter routinely. Take the quiz to see what we mean!

It's super easy to be stumped when you encounter an item which is normally a part of something bigger. We hope your brain won't be drawing a blank when you see these - even though some of them are a bit tricky. Will you be left scratching your head each time or will you be having some great "A-ha!" moments with these? Go find out!

Ready to prove how good you are at spotting parts of a whole? There's a whole quiz of identifying parts of everyday items waiting for you. Get started!

spokes of a wheel Do you know the name of the rods shown here?
guitar headstock
mixer hook
half of a pair of scissors
spokes of a wheel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The spokes connect the rim of the wheel to the wheel hub (the center of the wheel). The first bicycle wheels had spokes made of wood.

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paint roller cover Do you recognize this device used for adding color to surfaces?
guitar tuning keys
paint roller cover
spray bottle nozzle
eye of a needle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Roller covers are typically made of pile fabric (similar to carpets) but there are models that are made of foam. A roller can be cleaned after each use and reused for another painting job.

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mixer hooks Do you know what part of a common kitchen appliance is in this image?
mixer hook
USB socket
drawer pull
stove burner grate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mixer beaters and dough hooks come in a variety of shapes, usually depending on the brand of mixer. When kneading dough with dough hooks, it is usually advised that you complete kneading by hand to assure you have the right texture.

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Fan Can you identify this component of a cooling appliance?
paint roller cover
tea bag tag
electric fan grill
belt buckle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rotary fans date back to 16th century Europe where they were used to ventilate mines by drawing out stale air. The grill or guard of an electric fan is a safety feature to protect against injury from the rotating blades.

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spray bottle nozzle Which squirting device is in this image?
spray bottle nozzle
shoe heel
crown cork bottle cap stove
pot handle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Original spray bottles used a rubber bulb as the means of drawing up the fluid from inside the bottle and squirting it out in a fine spray. The modern nozzle did not come about until plastic became a popular production material.

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guitar tuning keys Can you identify this part of a popular stringed instrument?
flower petal
shoe heel
mixer hook
guitar tuning keys
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tuning keys on a guitar go by various other names. These include: machine heads, tuners, gear heads and pegheads.

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guitar headstock Do you know the name for this upper part of a stringed musical instrument?
guitar headstock
map legend
half of a pair of scissors
tea bag tag
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The headstock is where the tuning pegs are located. The pegs help to hold the guitar strings at the top of the guitar while the bridge holds them at the lower end.

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light switch plate Do you recognize this wall feature found in almost every room?
blender blade
light switch plate
pencil eraser
brake pedal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The protective cover placed over the light switch is known as the plate. The term “gang” is used to indicate the number of switches each plate covers, for example 2-gang plate or 3-gang plate.

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flower petals What is the name of this colorful part of a blossom?
drawer pull
flower petal
bicycle handlebar
clothespin spring
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Petals are actually leaves that serve the special function of attracting bugs to flowers so they can help with pollination. The term “corolla” refers to all the petals making up a flower.

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crown cork bottle cap Can you name the container cover shown here?
light bulb base
crown cork bottle cap
stove burner knob
spokes of a wheel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The crown cork bottle cap (or crown cap) was invented by American mechanical engineer and inventor William Painter in Baltimore in 1892. Painter is also the inventor of the bottle opener used to open bottles with crown caps.

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Shoe Can you identify this part of most types of footwear?
washing machine agitator
crown cork bottle cap
shoe heel
guitar tuning keys
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The heel of your shoe can serve several purposes. These include improving your posture, making you look taller and allowing you to maintain your balance as you walk.

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Plunger Do you recognize the drain clearing tool in the photo?
plunger cup
drawer knob
clothespin spring
brake pedal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The cup of the plunger is an indication of where the plunger is to be used. A plunger for a kitchen drain looks like a hollow ball cut in half. A toilet plunger cup, on the other hand, has a narrow cylindrical projection on the end.

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map legend symbol collage Which necessary feature from a “way finder” is this?
blender blade
zipper tab
glasses nose pad
map legend
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A map’s legend or key serves as an explanation of the symbols used on the map. The legend allows the map to remain uncluttered.

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USB socket Can you identify this popular component of electronic devices?
guitar bridge
drill chuck
USB socket
light bulb base
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The USB socket or receptacle allows you to attach other devices (known as peripherals) to your computer. These devices include: a mouse, printer, digital camera and media player.

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Can We Guess What Style Bicycle You Ride 3 Can you spot the part of a bike shown here?
hands of a clock
map legend
tea bag tag
bicycle handlebar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first handlebars used on bicycles were straight bars of either wood or metal. Nowadays, there are many different types of handlebars, many of them featuring a curved design for easier grip and control while steering.

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needle eye Can you identify this section of a sewing implement?
pencil eraser
eye of a needle
stove burner grate
electric fan grill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A hand sewing needle has the point at one end and the eye (which the thread goes through) at the other. Sewing machine needles, however, have the eye at the pointed end. Knitting needles do not have an eye.

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stove burner knob What’s the name of the heat adjusters shown in this picture?
stove burner knobs
curtain tassels
clothes iron sole plates
plunger cups
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A stove’s knobs allow you to adjust the heat on individual burners, the oven and griddle. Many modern stove burner knobs also serve a decorative function.

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Zipper Do you know the name of this part of a common fastener?
zipper tab
guitar headstock
map legend
cotton swab tip
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tab on the zipper is more correctly known as the slider. Sliders are often made with a locking feature which prevents the zipper from opening any further once the lock is engaged.

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Light bulb Which part of an illuminating fixture can you spot in this photo?
drill chuck
light bulb base
clothespin spring
head of a safety pin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The base of a light bulb helps to hold the bulb securely in the socket or receptacle. The base is typically made of metal, ceramic, glass or plastic and in some cases, the base helps to make the electrical connection for the bulb to work.

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Tea Bag Do you know which handy accompaniment to your favorite brew is shown here?
stove burner knob
tea bag tag
guitar bridge
paint roller cover
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tea bag tag or label makes it easy for you to remove the tea bag from your cup once brewing is complete. It also serves as decoration helping to advertise the brand of tea.

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analog clock Can you name the time-telling helpers in this picture?
flower petal
guitar bridge
spray bottle nozzle
hands of a clock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Clocks with hands are called analog clocks. Quite often, analog clocks are designed without numbers but most people are still able to tell the time fairly accurately based on the position of the hands.

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drawer pull Which part of an item of furniture is in this picture?
pot handle
USB socket
head of a safety pin
drawer pull
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The earliest chest of drawers had pulls made of turned wood. Later on, ornamental brass became the material of choice for making drawer pulls.

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belt buckle Which strap fastener is shown in this image?
head of a safety pin
washing machine agitator
hands of a clock
belt buckle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The history of the conventional belt buckle can be traced back to fasteners used on the body armor of Roman soldiers. These fasteners were typically strong, made of bronze and expensive. They served a decorative function, as well.

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drawer knob Do you know which handy device is shown here?
drawer knob
belt buckle
brake pedal
cotton swab tip
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Drawer knobs are one variation of drawer pulls or cabinet pulls. They come in an array of styles and are typically used as much for decoration as for pulling the drawer or cabinet open.

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curtain tassel What’s the name of this decorative part of common window treatments?
drill chuck
curtain tassel
plunger cup
clothes iron sole plate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Apart from being called window treatments, curtains are also referred to as draperies. Curtains hung in a doorway are specifically known as portières.

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half a pair of scissors Which part of a popular cutting tool is shown here?
glasses nose pad
zipper tab
half of a pair of scissors
guitar headstock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Each half of a pair of scissors has a sharpened blade and a handle. Although “scissors” is plural, we do not refer to each half as a scissor.

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clothes iron sole plate Can you identify this part of a device used for pressing garments?
plunger cup
curtain tassel
clothes iron sole plate
eye of a needle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Irons for smoothing clothes have been around since the first century CE. The modern clothes iron has a sole plate (hot plate) made of either stainless steel or aluminum. The plate is polished to an extremely smooth finish and heated by​ electricity.

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stove burner grate Do you know what this covering used on a cooking appliance is called?
drawer knob
stove burner grate
cotton swab tip
propeller blade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Enclosed clay stoves were used in China from as early as 200 BCE. Similar stoves were also used in Japan from about the third century CE.

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Drill What’s the name of this part of a handy power tool?
light switch plate
glasses nose pad
drill chuck
drawer pull
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The drill chuck holds drill bits. When the bits are very thin, a pin chuck is used.

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Pencil Can you spot the item found on top of a common writing tool?
stove burner knob
pencil eraser
light switch plate
bicycle handlebar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The modern pencil of graphite (mistakenly called lead) encased in wood was designed by an Italian couple in 1560. The first design for a pencil with an eraser attached was patented in 1858.

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Gas Pedal 3 Can you identify the part of a car’s stopping mechanism shown here?
pencil eraser
eye of a needle
brake pedal
electric fan grill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Foot-operated brake pedals have always been a feature of cars. Regardless of whether a vehicle is designed for left-hand or right-hand drive, the brake pedal is always located to the left of the accelerator pedal.

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guitar bridge What part of a popular musical instrument is shown here?
propeller blade
spokes of a wheel
shoe heel
guitar bridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The guitar bridge is located at the lower front end of the instrument. It holds the stings in place just as the pegheads do at the top of the guitar.

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Safety Pins Which section of a popular fastener is shown here?
spokes of a wheel
drawer knob
head of a safety pin
light bulb base
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The head or clasp of the safety pin is designed to keep it closed and to protect the user from the pin’s sharp point. Large safety pins used on infant cloth diapers have an extra mechanism to ensure it is harder for them to open unintentionally.

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cotton swab tip Which part of a common hygiene item is this?
flower petal
cotton swab tip
guitar tuning keys
half of a pair of scissors
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The very first cotton swabs, named “Baby Gays,” were invented in the 1920s. The brand name was later changed to Q-Tips Baby Gays and then later to simply Q-Tips (with the “Q” meaning “Quality”). In many countries nowadays, all cotton swabs are referred to as Q-Tips.

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clothes pin spring Do you recognize the helpful laundry item shown here?
belt buckle
clothespin spring
curtain tassel
stove burner grate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Clothespins were originally made from a solid bit of wood split at one end. The current style with two separate halves joined by a spring did not come into being until the middle of the 19th century.

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washer machine agitator Which part of an indispensable laundry day appliance is shown here?
washing machine agitator
bicycle handlebar
propeller blade
USB socket
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Washing machine agitators are either “straight-vane” or “dual-action.” Their main function is to cycle clothes from the top to the bottom of the washer and back again.

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glasses nose pad Can you identify this part of most types of eyewear?
glasses nose pad
zipper tab
clothes iron sole plate
spray bottle nozzle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Glass balls are often cited as the very first vision correcting devices, used in about 1000 CE. The balls were used by farsighted persons and acted as a kind of magnifying glass for them to view near objects.

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Blender Do you recognize the chopper from a kitchen appliance in this image?
paint roller cover
washing machine agitator
blender blade
pot handle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The shape and speed of a blender’s blades help to create a vortex to circulate the contents of the blender past the blade for chopping. The shape of the jar also contributes to how well the blender creates the vortex.

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pot handle Do you recognize this section of basic cooking vessels?
hands of a clock
light switch plate
pot handle
blender blade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pot handles come in a wide assortment of shapes, lengths and diameters. The angle of attachment of the handle also varies among brands, as does the height along the side of the pot at which the handle is placed.

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propeller blade Which propulsion device is shown in this image?
mixer hook
crown cork bottle cap
electric fan grill
propeller blade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The common screw propeller is based on a design by Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer Archimedes who lived in the third century BCE. Some of the biggest propellers used on modern marine vessels are over 30 feet high (about the height of a three-story​ building).

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