A new genius
[Eon's POV: ]
They had to create a common catalyst for the first round and there are many ways one can go about solving this 'question' presented by the competition hosts.
One can state the same thing that was given to them, the thing that was on the display like many of the participants would do, some can do like the masters and at the others and create something slightly better than that, some can go about it in another way and start it as something unique and daring like Miss Mia was doing by creating something that was closely related to it but not the same thing.
Some can interpret the 'question' in some inferential ways as well and since this competition was about the 'art' of Alchemy, there was no set answer to the 'question' presented before them.