Mandela effect quiz

Answer key

1. Berenstain Bears. The authors’ surname and the book series are spelled Berenstain, with an a in the final syllable.
2. Looney Tunes. Warner Bros. uses Looney Tunes. The word is Tunes, even though the series contains cartoons.
3. Froot Loops. The brand uses Froot, a deliberate spelling that differs from the ordinary word fruit. This question tests the printed name, not what the cereal contains.
4. Jif. Jif is the peanut butter brand. Jiffy is a different name, familiar from baking mixes.
5. Chick-fil-A. The restaurant’s name begins Chick and uses fil between the hyphens.
6. Febreze. Febreze has one e between r and z. The common misspelling Febreeze follows the familiar spelling of breeze, which can make it seem plausible.
7. Skechers. Skechers omits the t found in the ordinary word sketch. The brand spelling is therefore different from simply adding -ers to sketch.
8. Oscar Mayer. The brand is named Oscar Mayer, with an a in Mayer.
9. Cheez-It. Cheez-It is the name printed on the package. Saying Cheez-Its for several crackers is conversational pluralization, not a different official brand name.
10. Cap’n Crunch. The brand uses the shortened Cap’n rather than spelling out Captain.
11. Double Stuf. Double Stuf uses one final f in the product name. The ordinary English word stuff has two, which is the distinction this spelling question tests.
12. Totino’s. The pizza and pizza-roll brand is Totino’s, without an s after the first to.
13. 7-Eleven. The chain uses the numeral 7 followed by a hyphen and Eleven. The answer concerns the written brand name, not the capitalization of individual logo letters.
14. Krispy Kreme. Krispy Kreme uses K in both words. Its brand spelling differs from the ordinary words crispy and cream while keeping similar sounds.
15. McDonald’s. The familiar brand is McDonald’s, with Mc at the beginning.
16. Frosted Flakes. Frosted Flakes is the printed cereal name. The other options alter the spelling or change frosted to frosty; this is a close-reading question.
17. No. The standard Mr. Monopoly character has no monocle. Mr. Peanut is a different mascot who does wear one.
18. No cornucopia. Fruit of the Loom’s official FAQ says a cornucopia has never been part of its logo.
19. No. Curious George’s familiar design has no tail. The question concerns the published character, so assumptions about how real monkeys look can lead you astray.
20. No. Standard Pikachu has black-tipped ears, which may be confused with its tail. The familiar lightning-shaped tail is yellow with brown near the base.
21. A silver lower leg. C-3PO’s right lower leg is silver in the original film, a detail easily missed next to his gold body.
22. Right. The Lincoln portrait on the penny faces to the viewer’s right. It is easy to mentally reverse familiar coin designs.
23. Magic. The animated film begins the address with Magic Mirror, rather than the commonly repeated Mirror, mirror.
24. No. The line begins No. Luke’s name is often added when people repeat it outside the scene.
25. You’re. Brody addresses Quint with You’re. The warning is often repeated with We’re instead.
26. Was. In that scene, Forrest recalls what his mother said using was. Other adaptations and retellings can use different wording.
27. Sex and the City. The title uses and rather than in. The 2008 film continues the characters from the HBO series and keeps the same title.
28. Interview with the Vampire. The title uses the definite article the before Vampire. Interview with a Vampire changes that small word and is not the novel’s title.
29. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde’s novel is The Picture of Dorian Gray: Picture, and Gray with an a.
30. The Flintstones. The name Flintstones retains the t in flint, a kind of stone. Flinstones drops that letter despite sounding similar when spoken quickly.
31. 101 Dalmatians. Dalmatians contains an a after the t. The title refers to the spotted dog breed; spelling it Dalmations changes the ending.
32. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The book’s title begins How the Grinch Stole Christmas, without Who.
33. Popeye. Popeye is a single word. Pop Eye separates the name into ordinary words, which is not the character’s published spelling.
34. Tinker Bell. Disney writes Tinker Bell as two words, with Bell ending in two l’s. Tinkerbell joins the words and Tinker Belle adds a final e.
35. Aykroyd. Dan Aykroyd’s surname includes ay at the beginning and oy near the end.
36. Nicolas. Nicolas Cage uses Nicolas without an h. Nicholas is another real spelling of the first name, but it is not his professional spelling.
37. McEntire. Reba’s surname is McEntire: Mc followed by Entire. McIntyre changes both the vowel after Mc and the ending.
38. Somers. Suzanne Somers used Somers, with one m and an o.
39. Smokey Bear. The official character name is Smokey Bear. The phrase the Bear became familiar through a song.
40. Kazaam. Shaquille O’Neal starred in the 1996 film Kazaam. The exact title has a K and two a’s in the middle, rather than the similar-sounding Shazaam.
41. 2013. Mandela died on December 5, 2013. The effect’s name refers to an earlier mistaken recollection about his death.
42. 1990. Mandela was released on February 11, 1990, after 27 years in prison. He became president in 1994, so release and election belong to different years.
43. Yes, in 1994. He became South Africa’s president in 1994, after the country’s first fully democratic national election.
44. KitKat or Kit Kat. The brand is written KitKat or Kit Kat depending on presentation and market; a hyphen is not part of the usual brand name.
45. His shorts. The familiar design pairs red shorts with yellow shoes and white gloves. Costumes can vary in different works.
46. Minnie. Minnie’s familiar outfit includes a bow. Specific costumes vary, so this question concerns the standard character designs.
47. No. The siren-only design introduced in 2011 has no words. Remembering an older ring reading Starbucks Coffee can be accurate memory of an earlier logo.
48. Pluto. Pluto’s classification changed in 2006. Remembering the older nine-planet lesson is a real historical difference, not proof of a false memory.
49. A shared recollection that differs from the documented facts. The term describes shared false recollections. It does not establish supernatural explanations for them.
50. Yes. Check dates, countries, and versions before labeling a difference a false memory. Some remembered versions were genuinely used.