Trivia

Hard

The Term “Loophole” Used To Refer To An Exploit Has Its Origins In?

Knitting Circles
Castle Architecture
Sail Rigging
17th Century Executions
The gate of Glenarm Castle in Northern Ireland.
Man vyi/Wikimedia

Answer: Castle Architecture

In modern use, the term “loophole” is used to refer to an ambiguity, shortcoming, or exploit available in legal or security systems. One often hears of tax “loopholes” that allow large corporations to avoid paying taxes in their country of origin, for example, or a loophole that allows a criminal to avoid trial.

Historically, loopholes had nothing to do with legal code or the like, but everything to do with the design of castle architecture. Loopholes, or arrow slits, were narrow windows carved out of castle walls that allowed defending archers to shoot castle attackers while remaining almost entirely protected.

Later, the term was adapted to mean using the existing system to your advantage, much like the archers used the design of the castle walls to their advantage.

More Trivia Questions

Trivia

Hard

A Phenomenon Known As A “River” Is A Problem In Which Design-Related Field?

Trivia

Hard

Boba Fett Made His First Appearance In Which Of These Star Wars Properties?

Trivia

Easy

Airplane Windows Are Round To Reduce?

Trivia

Easy

What Quick Spreading Computer Virus Relied On Recipients’ Curiosity To Propagate?

Trivia

Easy

The Location Of The World’s Tallest What, Is Kept Secret?

Trivia

Easy

The First Fast-Food Chain In The United States Was?

Trivia

Very Hard

Which Object Has The Longest Orbital Period In Our Solar System?

Trivia

Hard

Peter The Great Of Russia Used Taxes To Banish What?

Trivia

Hard

A Spider In The Amazon Jungle Is Unique In That It?

Trivia

Hard

The Bagheera Kiplingi Spider Is Unique Among Spiders Because Of Its?