TASK DEFINITION: You will be given a trivia clue, and the category it belongs to. You should answer with the best answer that belongs in the category and is described by the clue. For simplicity, answers should be in all lower cased letters.
PROBLEM: Category: TREES
Clue: This type of tree that includes the pecan is common in the eastern U.S., is noted for toughness & can live to 300

SOLUTION: hickory

PROBLEM: Category: 20th CENTURY AUTHORS
Clue: A novel set during the Depression earned this author a 1940 Pulitzer Prize & contributed to him winning a Nobel Prize in 1962

SOLUTION: john steinbeck

PROBLEM: Category: PLAYWRIGHTS
Clue: This Brit won Tonys for Best Play in 1968, 1976, 1984 & 2007; in the '90s he settled for the 1998 Best Screenplay Oscar

SOLUTION:
tom stoppard