Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

Why Switzerland's capital is not its most famous city

Bern is Switzerland's de facto capital, known officially as the "federal city" (Bundesstadt). Zurich is the country's largest city and economic hub, while Geneva hosts many international organisations, which is why so many people assume one of those two must be the capital. In reality, the Swiss federal government has been based in Bern since 1848, and the choice was partly a compromise between rival regions.

A painting made of tiny dots

Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" is one of the most famous examples of pointillism, a technique in which small dots of colour are applied so that the eye blends them from a distance. The painting took Seurat around two years to complete in the 1880s. His careful, almost scientific approach to colour influenced later artists such as Paul Signac, who is often associated with the same movement.

The poem that reshaped modern verse

T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land", published in 1922, is widely regarded as a landmark of modernist poetry. It mixes multiple voices, languages and cultural references, and its fragmented structure puzzled many early readers. Eliot later described the poem as "rhythmical grumbling" and added extensive notes to help explain his allusions, though some critics believe the notes were partly a joke.

What exactly is a frigate?

A frigate is a type of warship, historically used for escorting and patrolling rather than fighting in the main line of battle. In the age of sail, frigates were faster and more lightly armed than ships of the line. Today the term covers modern warships used for a range of escort and combat roles, and several navies still classify vessels as frigates.

A currency shared across borders

Argentina's national currency is the peso, a name used by several other countries as well. The Argentine peso has a long and complicated history, including repeated redenominations as the country struggled with inflation. The guarani, mentioned as a distractor, is actually the currency of neighbouring Paraguay, which can trip up anyone moving quickly through the options.