I’m sorry Ikrupp.
A mild correction. The grey circle with a white check mark means that the thread has not been solved, i.e., the OP has not marked a response as “Best Answer,” therefore, “Solved.”
An orange star will appear when something is marked as helpful, and you were correct on the “Black Apple.”
To the OP:
These three “symbols” can appear in a row, next to each other, for each thread.
To learn how many points each of these symbols are valued at, within the ASC points system, please see: Share what you know and get recognized - Apple Support.
I hope this is enlightening. Have a wonderful day! 😊