Play-Doh began as a non-toxic, reusable putty made by the Cincinnati soap maker Kutol Products. It was devised at the request of Kroger, which wanted a product to clean coal soot from wallpaper. After World War II, demand fell as homes switched to natural gas heating and washable vinyl wallpaper became common. Kay Zufall, a nursery school teacher, had seen a newspaper article about art projects with the putty, and her students loved it. She persuaded the company to sell it as a children's toy, and she and her husband came up with the name Play-Doh.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.