Mayday! (and the initials of this puzzle's longest answers)

Mayday

In the 1914 Imperial German Navy disaster, a Mayday call was sent to alert nearby ships of the sinking of the passenger liner MV Wilhelm Gustloff. The crew's cries for help were eventually heard and responded to by nearby ships, resulting in the sinking of over 9,000 people.The term "Mayday" was initially used as a distress signal on ships, with the word "Mayday" itself being derived from the English phrase "may day," which was used to signal the start of the day.The word "Mayday" gained widespread use as a signal to alert the public of a distress call, and has been in use since the early 20th century.

Initials

The term "initials" comes from the Latin phrase "in initia," which is used to sign off letters. Early typographers used letters to represent the first letter of each word in a sentence or phrase.The concept of initials was also used in ancient Egypt and Greece as a means of identifying a document or letter.The modern use of initials as a shorthand for names dates back to the 17th century.

Puzzles

The word "puzzle" originates from the Latin word "puzzulus," which was used to describe a rubicon or a rock-encrusted puzzle. This term was used by ancient Greek philosophers to describe the challenges of resolving complex problems.The modern concept of puzzles emerged in the 18th century with the development of logic games and brain teasers.The word "puzzle" has since become a common term in the world of entertainment, used to describe a wide range of activities, including video games and escape rooms.

Longest

The term "longest" comes from the Old English word "longest," which referred to the length of a sword. This term was used to describe a long sword or a long distance.The word "longest" was also used in the 17th century to describe the longest distance traveled by a horse or other animal.The concept of length and measurement has been a constant theme throughout human history.

Answers

The word "answers" comes from the Old English word "ændra," which was used to describe the response or reply to a question. This term was used to describe the answers given by an interpreter or a diplomat.The modern concept of answers emerged in the 17th century with the development of written responses and formal correspondence.The word "answers" has since become a common term in everyday language, used to describe a wide range of situations, including academic and professional inquiries.