Only the Sharpest Minds Can Name the Objects in These Close-Up Photos

By: Beth Hendricks
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Only the Sharpest Minds Can Name the Objects in These Close-Up Photos
Image: NoSystem images / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The Los Angeles Times once quoted a professional organizer who estimated that the average American household has more than 300,000 items. Things. Stuff. Knick-knacks and do-dads. Stacked on our nightstands. Stuffed in our kitchen cabinets. Hidden under our beds (sorry, Mom). 

But, have you ever thought about how much attention you've actually paid to those things? Whether you have 300,000 or you're more of a minimalist with 3,000, just how closely do you observe the items in your home on a day-to-day basis? Could you identify your favorite things by seeing just a corner of them or by observing a close-up image taken of them? We sure hope so! 

This quiz is packed with everyday objects displayed in a different way ... up close and personal! You'll probably discover that something you recognize when you see it in its entirety becomes harder to identify when you're looking at a "zoomed-in" version of it. And, you might even find something cool or artistic in it by looking at something common in a new and different way.

Use the clues and the photos provided in this quiz to see how many everyday objects you can pinpoint. Try to imagine what this bird's eye view of an item might look like if you "zoomed out." Now, grab your magnifying glass and get to guessing!

Basketball
Steven Errico / DigitalVision / Getty Images
It's round and orange, but you can't eat it. Which of these items is pictured?
Basketball
Sun
Road sign
Cantaloupe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Basketballs have a distinctive pattern that includes, most commonly, a leather exterior marked by things called "ribs" that make the usually black lines around its sphere. Spalding basketballs are among the most popular and serve as the official ball of the NBA.

Advertisement

Button
Kelly bowden / Moment / Getty Images
These can be used to open or close something. What are we referring to?
Saran wrap
Zipper
Clothespin
Button
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Button, button, who's got the button? Whether it's a plain Jane button on a trench coat or a button in the shape of a cat on an ugly Christmas sweater, these fasteners are a common item found on various clothing items.

Advertisement

Match
Sabine Scheckel / DigialVision / Getty Images
Is it getting hot in here or is it just us? What heat-producing item is pictured?
Kindling
Match
Charcoal
Lighter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Believe it or not, the lighter was actually invented before the match we know today came along – 1823 vs. 1826. Of course, people were managing to set things on fire long before either was invented, but they both sure made things easier.

Advertisement

Credit Card
Towfiqu Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these, also pictured, requires a private combination of numbers?
Keypad
Credit card
Padlock
Safe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Credit cards and debit cards all have their own unique personal identification numbers, also known as PINs, necessary for making purchases and accessing funds. Whatever you do, don't share your PIN with anybody else!

Advertisement

Banana
Yevgen Romanenko / Moment / Getty Images
This mystery item is a berry known for its waxy skin. Do you know what's pictured?
Mango
Banana
Starfruit
Pineapple
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

That's right! A banana is technically considered part of the berry family, while the plant on which it grows is considered to be an herb. Peel back that waxy skin and enjoy a portable, potassium-rich snack.

Advertisement

Toilet Paper
Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images
This is one thing you'll find in every American household. What's pictured?
Dishrag
Toilet paper
Carpet
Air filter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Let's face it: Toilet paper is one of those things that needs no introduction or prompting to buy. We all have it because we all need it. Did you know an average person uses 100 rolls of the stuff every single year?

Advertisement

Dental Floss
Sidekick / E+ / Getty Images
Nearly one-third of people lie about how often they use this product. What is it?
Spool of thread
Dental floss
Fishing line
Chicken wire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Shame on you ... er, we mean us! In a study, approximately 30 percent of people admitted to lying to their dentist about how often they use dental floss. The American Dental Association believes that only half of all U.S. citizens floss every day.

Advertisement

Pasta
MirageC / Moment / Getty Images
There are believed to be more than 600 shapes of the item pictured here. What is it?
Pizza
Rice
Ring
Pasta
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You might believe it if you've been down the pasta aisle at the grocery store lately! There are roughly 600 different shapes of pasta out there in the world. Thank goodness Walmart doesn't carry them all.

Advertisement

Tea Bag
Jose A. Bernat Bacete / Moment / Getty Images
This item was created entirely by accident. Can you identify it?
Paper towel
Toilet paper
Coffee filter
Tea bag
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When the tea bag was invented in 1908, it was created as a mechanism by which tea samples could be distributed. Recipients of those samples thought the bags themselves were meant to be doused in hot water and the tea bag we're familiar with today came to life.

Advertisement

Lipstick
Craig P. Jewell / Moment / Getty Images
It has been said that Cleopatra needed 70,000 beetles to craft a pound of this substance. What is it?
Lipstick
Play-Doh
Blush
Nail polish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lipstick made of beetles? A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do! It is believed 70,000 beetles were required to create the dye Cleopatra used as lipstick. Luckily, we can just go to the drugstore and buy a tube these days.

Advertisement

Kitchen Sponge
Eduardo Ramos Castaneda / Moment / Getty Images
Scientists claim this item is more germ-packed than a toilet. What is it?
Kitchen sponge
Trash can
Cotton swab
Napkin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hate to gross you out, but it's true. Scientists who took a closer look at kitchen sponges determined they are more riddled with germs and bacteria than a toilet. Cleaning them regularly, as well as good hand-washing procedures, can help reduce this, um, issue.

Advertisement

Razor
Juanmonino / E+ / Getty Images
When you're done with this item, you usually just toss it in the trash. What is it?
Nail
Razor blade
Knife
Screw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Because blades on razors are difficult to sharpen, most models have been made to be disposable. That means you could throw away the entire razor or just the blade cartridge itself.

Advertisement

Light Bulb
MassanPH / Moment / Getty Images
Thomas Edison is credited with inventing this item. What is it?
Record player
Telephone
Light bulb
Thermometer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Incandescent, fluorescent or LED, these little bulbous-shaped contraptions really light up our lives – literally! Thomas Edison is credited with the creation of the incandescent bulb in 1879.

Advertisement

Key
Yevgen Romanenko / Moment / Getty Images
Your car needs one of these and so does your house. Which of these is it?
Key
Window
Air conditioner
Floor mat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nothing strikes fear in your heart faster than losing your keys. After all, they're your lifeline to starting your car and getting inside your house. Get yourself one of those Bluetooth trackers for your keychain and eliminate lost key problems forever.

Advertisement

Rubber Band
Adrienne Bresnahan / Moment / Getty Images
Want this mystery item to last longer? Stash it in the refrigerator. What is the item pictured?
Bottle cap
Masking tape
Staple
Rubber band
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you have room among your milk and veggies, rubber bands will last longer if stored in the refrigerator. The refrigeration process helps the polymers in the rubber stay more supple. The more you know!

Advertisement

Avocado
Manoa / Moment / Getty Images
This fruit boasts just one large seed. What's pictured?
Kiwi
Avocado
Lemon
Banana
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know the mighty avocado is actually a fruit and not a vegetable? It's true! And, not only is it classified as a fruit, but with its 3g of protein per cup, it's also the most protein-packed fruit out there.

Advertisement

Swiss Cheese
MariusFM77 / E+ / Getty Images
Hole-y moley! Which of these hole-filled things is pictured here?
Swiss cheese
Bagel
Human nose
Golf ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are so many cheeses it can be hard to identify one from another. But, Swiss cheese is pretty easily identifiable, thanks to its hole-y nature. The holes in Swiss cheese are actually air pockets created during its creation.

Advertisement

Lighter
Art at its best! / Moment Open / Getty Images
You can carry an element in your pocket with one of these. Do you know what it is?
Stove burner
Wrench
Blowtorch
Lighter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lighters produce fire; therefore, you can carry the element "fire" around in your pocket if you have one of these. One of the very first lighters created, a Zippo, is still among the most popular brands today.

Advertisement

Playing Card
Duncan Nicholls and Simon Webb / OJO Images / Getty Images
Find one of these and you're likely to see 51 others nearby. What's pictured?
Paperclip
Matchstick
Playing card
Cigarette
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A deck of playing cards comes standard with 52 cards, broken down into 13 cards each for four different suits: hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds. Of course, if you're a magician, a deck has however many you want it to have.

Advertisement

Nail File
Kokouu / E+ / Getty Images
This tool is used for shaping, trimming and buffing. What it is called?
Chisel
Hand saw
Nail file
Surfboard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nail files come in all sizes and shapes, but they all boast the same general purpose: to help the one using them shape, trim and buff an individual's fingernails (and toenails) into shape.

Advertisement

Knife
Barbara Eddowes / Moment / Getty Images
The most expensive one of these sold for a cool $1.2 million. Can you guess what's pictured?
Fork
Knife
Spoon
Belt buckle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It wasn't your ordinary kitchen knife, that's for sure! The most expensive modern-day knife sale belonged to a knife dubbed, "The Gem of the Orient." It was embellished with more than 150 emeralds and diamonds.

Advertisement

Piano
Annie Otzen / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which of these pictured items has more than 10,000 moving parts?
Piano
Drum
Clarinet
Guitar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pianos are large but intricate objects. They have more than 12,000 parts in total, with nearly all of those capable of moving in order to allow it to be played. The first piano was created in the early 1700s.

Advertisement

A Cat's Tongue
©fitopardo.com / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these mystery items is covered with papillae?
A horse's hoof
A dog's tail
A cat's tongue
A rabbit's nose
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You've probably never been certain what to attribute the rough sensation of a cat's tongue to, but it's called "papillae." These small keratin-based structures actually serve several purposes including eating and grooming.

Advertisement

Bobby Pin
AlesVeluscek / E+ / Getty Images
This item was named after a popular haircut. What is it?
Banana clip
Scrunchie
Bobby pin
Hair claw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bobby pin came into existence around the end of World War I and about the same time that the "bob" haircut grew into popularity. It's a good thing it wasn't invented when "the Rachel" was popular or we'd all have a drawer of "Rachel pins" in our bathrooms.

Advertisement

Yo-Yo
Steven Brisson Photography / Moment / Getty Images
The oldest one of these dates back to roughly 500 BC. What do we call it?
Yo-yo
Frisbee
Hula hoop
Silly putty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A painting on a Greek vase, believed to date back to 500 BC, showcases an individual holding a yo-yo. Until roughly the 1960s, yo-yos were made from wood but transitioned to plastic or metal.

Advertisement

Waffle
R.Tsubin / Moment / Getty Images
This food item is said to have inspired Nike's first pair of tennis shoes. What is it?
Pancake
Waffle
Pizza
Bagel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Believe it or not, the waffle's distinctive squared-off pattern inspired Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman to create the company's first sneaker, appropriately dubbed the Waffle Trainer. Bowerman even used a waffle maker to give the shoe its distinctive sole – no syrup required.

Advertisement

Pearl
Adrienne Bresnahan / Moment / Getty Images
This item starts out in the sea, but might end up on your neck. What is it?
Mollusk
Seaweed
Sea shell
Pearl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Finding a real pearl is a rarity, mostly because they are created in the sea by living creatures, whose defense mechanism is emitting a fluid that becomes the pearl itself. According to National Geographic, a pearl with any value is only found in one of 10,000 wild oysters.

Advertisement

Corn Flake
Carol Yepes / Moment / Getty Images
This mystery item got its start with the Seventh-day Adventists. What is it?
Tortilla
Rice
Corn flake
Flour
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Corn Flakes came about when famous Adventist John Harvey Kellogg developed the product – quite by accident – as a meal for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, where he was in charge. Today, you can buy them by the box full at any grocery store.

Advertisement

Tire
Jonathan Kitchen / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Lego is the top manufacturer of which of these popular everyday items?
Block
Steering wheel
DVD
Tire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bypass all of the tires on vehicles on roads all across the country at this very moment. It's Lego that produces the most tires annually, manufacturing more than 300 million Lego-sized tires each and every year.

Advertisement

Lime
Essenin / E+ / Getty Images
This item is an ingredient in a popular recipe in the Florida Keys. What is it?
Mango
Orange
Lime
Lemon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although a Key lime pie requires a specific time of lime popular in the Florida Keys region, limes in general are a popular recipe addition for the acidity and flavor they can add to any dish. They're also a must-have on any bar.

Advertisement

Quarter
Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images
George Washington is well-acquainted with the item pictured. What is it?
Quarter
Dime
Washer
Knife blade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though he wasn't around to see it, the George Washington quarter was first minted in the early 1930s. This decision corresponded with the 200th anniversary of the first president's birth in 1732.

Advertisement

Steel Wool Pad
Mikroman6 / Moment / Getty Images
So abrasive! Which of these items commonly used in household cleaning is pictured?
Duster
Toilet brush
Glass cleaner
Steel wool pad
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most popularly marketed under the brand name Brillo or S.O.S., steel wool pads offer an abrasive cleaning solution for residential and household use. The first steel wool pads were created in the early 20th century.

Advertisement

Wrench
Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images
If you need to tighten or loosen something, this mystery item's got you covered. What's pictured here?
Hammer
Wrench
Pliers
Screwdriver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wrenches are tools that are useful for helping to loosen or tighten nuts or bolts. They're used by placing the shaft around the piece that needs to be adjusted. Some wrenches are even adjustable themselves!

Advertisement

Toothbrush
Yagi Studio / DigitalVision / Getty Images
This apparatus has roughly 2,500 bristles. What is it a picture of?
Toothbrush
Toilet brush
Paint brush
Hair brush
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Years ago, toothbrushes were made from cow hair. Ick! Today, however, these bristles are mostly made of nylon. A single toothbrush can boast more than 2,000 bristles (in soft or medium, of course).

Advertisement

Cork
Katsumi Murouchi / Moment / Getty Images
Most of this material comes from trees in the Mediterranean. Do you know what it is?
Linen
Cork
Rubber
Granite
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tree known as the Quercus suber, or cork oak, is responsible for most of the cork produced in the world, including the cork used as wine bottle stoppers. Cork is the preferred material for these bottles because it lets the least amount of oxygen in.

Advertisement

Mushroom
Muriel de Seze / DigitalVision / Getty Images
This item is actually 90 percent water. Do you know what it is?
Mushroom
Turnip
Shoe
Tooth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's true! Mushrooms are made up of roughly 90 percent water and grow in size accordingly as they acquire more water in their cells. Mushrooms also feed off of the nutrients of dead plants around them.

Advertisement

Book
Copyright by June Marie Sobrito / Moment / Getty Images
If you're a bibliophile, you'll probably get this one quickly. What's pictured?
Book
Record
Magazine
Mini-blinds
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Books, glorious books! Did you know there are approximately 140 million books in print across the globe? That's a lot of reading to attend to! Though a lot of readers have turned to e-books or audiobooks, there's nothing quite like holding a book in your hands. Prove us wrong.

Advertisement

Adhesive Bandage
AlesVeluscek / E+ / Getty Images
You might reach for one of these if you have a boo-boo. What's pictured?
Adhesive bandage
Ibuprofen
Elastic bandage
Cotton pad
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

BAND-AID, the commercial name for a popular brand of adhesive bandages, was first introduced commercially in the 1920s. In the early days of production, they were made by hand. Today, of course, many other companies make these bandages.

Advertisement

Ink Pen
Guillaume Seguin / Moment / Getty Images
The construction of this device relies on a small rotating ball. Which of these items are we talking about?
Mechanical pencil
Ink pen
Crayon
Permanent marker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Commonly referred to as a "ballpoint pen," the writing utensil earned that name for a good reason. A small "ball" at the writing end (or "point") of the instrument rotates to release the ink stored inside.

Advertisement

Hairbrush
Emilija Manevska / Moment / Getty Images
An old wives' tale supposed that 100 strokes a day with this item was good for you. What is it?
Toothbrush
Golf club
Hairbrush
Paintbrush
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The story of brushing your hair for 100 strokes every night before bed is mostly a myth, according to experts. While regular brushing is good for your hair's overall health, overdoing it can have a negative impact.

Advertisement

You Got:
/40
NoSystem images / E+ / Getty Images