Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A car named after an inventor

Tesla takes its name from Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American engineer whose work on alternating current helped shape modern electrical systems. The company was founded in 2003 in California, which is why the United States is the answer here. Fittingly, the brand built its reputation on electric powertrains rather than the internal combustion engines that dominated the industry for a century.

Biryani's contested origins

Chicken biryani is most closely associated with India, where the dish is a staple of celebrations and family gatherings. Its layered rice, spiced meat and saffron or turmeric colouring reflect centuries of trade and courtly cooking on the subcontinent. Regional versions differ sharply, from the fragrant Hyderabadi style to the milder Awadhi preparations of Lucknow.

Austen's quiet revolution

Jane Austen published Pride and Prejudice in 1813, though she had written an early version years earlier under the title First Impressions. The novel follows Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy through misunderstandings of class, pride and money. Austen's sharp dialogue and ironic narration turned ordinary domestic life into some of the most enduring satire in English literature.

Mozart's restless genius

Don Giovanni, first performed in 1787, retells the legend of the unrepentant seducer Don Juan as a blend of drama and comedy. Mozart composed it for Prague, where his music was warmly received, and the opera's final descent of the title character remains one of the most famous scenes in the repertoire. It sits alongside The Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte in his celebrated collaborations with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte.

The end of an empire

The Byzantine Empire, the eastern half of the Roman world, fell when Ottoman forces captured Constantinople in 1453. Sultan Mehmed II led the siege, and the city's fall reshaped trade routes and prompted scholars to carry Greek manuscripts westward. That movement of texts and people is often linked to the intellectual ferment that fed the Renaissance in Italy.