The Week contest: Zoom design

This week’s question: Zoom meeting participants who have plants or books behind them are perceived as more competent than people with other backgrounds, scientists have determined. If the researchers were to write a self-help book detailing how to parlay a well-arranged video backdrop into career success, what should it be titled?
Click here to see the results of last week's contest: first dog
RESULTS:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
THE WINNER: “Background? Check!”
Michael Coyle, Burlington, Connecticut
SECOND PLACE: “Your Future Is Behind You”
Dave Grossman, Petaluma, California
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
THIRD PLACE: “Bring Your Best Shelf to Work”
Erica Avery, Greenfield, Massachusetts
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
“Skip the Pants But Show the Plants”
Norm Carrier, Flat Rock, North Carolina
“The 7 Habitats of Highly Effective People”
Laurel Rose, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“Think & Grow = Rich”
Tim Mistele, Coral Gables, Florida
“Enlightened Shelf-Interest”
Claire Williams, Louisville, Kentucky
“Pants Optional (But Make Your Bed)”
Rebecca Burgan, Grass Valley, California
“Backdrop It Like It’s Hot”
Jesse Rifkin, Arlington, Virginia
“Put It All Behind You”
Mary Jo Astrachan, Oneida, New York
“Library of Conquest”
Bill Levine, Belmont, Massachusetts
“How to Hype Your Skype”
Jonathan Venazindis, Zelienople, Pennsylvania
“It’s What’s in Back That Counts”
Lynda Brothers, Pearl River, New York
“Screen Saviors”
James Lister Smith, Delancey, New York
-
October 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's editorial cartoons include Pete Hegseth and the press, an absence of government, and George Washington crossing the Delaware
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelago
The Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
AI: is the bubble about to burst?
In the Spotlight Stock market ever-more reliant on tech stocks whose value relies on assumptions of continued growth and easy financing
-
Quiz of The Week: 11 – 17 October
Quiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
The Week contest: Disarmed 007
Puzzles and Quizzes
-
Magazine solutions - October 24, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - October 24, 2025
-
Magazine printables - October 24, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - October 24, 2025
-
Quiz of The Week: 4 – 10 October
Quiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Magazine solutions - October 17, 2025
Puzzle and Quizzes Issue - October 17, 2025
-
Magazine printables - October 17, 2025
Puzzle and Quizzes Issue - October 17, 2025
-
The Week contest: Scary squirrel
Puzzles and Quizzes