Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A currency that has been renamed more than once

The Russian rouble takes its name from the verb rubit, meaning to chop, a nod to the silver ingots once cut into pieces to make coins. It has survived several rebrandings: the Soviet version gave way in 1991, and the modern rouble was introduced in 1998 after a period of severe inflation. Today it remains the official currency of the Russian Federation.

Budapest, a capital born from a merger

Budapest only became a single city in 1873, when Buda, Óbuda and Pest were formally united. Buda sits on the hilly western bank of the Danube, while Pest sprawls across the flatter eastern side, and the two halves are linked by a series of famous bridges. The city is also known for its thermal springs, which feed a network of public baths.

The Louvre, a fortress turned museum

The Louvre in Paris began life as a medieval fortress before being rebuilt as a royal palace. It only became a public museum after the French Revolution, opening its doors in 1793. Its collection spans thousands of years, from ancient Egyptian antiquities to European painting, and the glass pyramid added in the 1980s now serves as its most recognisable entrance.

Andorra, a small state with two neighbours

Andorra is a tiny principality tucked into the Pyrenees, bordered only by Spain to the south and France to the north. Its co-princes are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell in Spain, a dual arrangement that survives from a medieval agreement. With Catalan as its official language, it is one of the few European states where the language of government is not that of a larger neighbour.

Potassium, an element with an unusual symbol

Potassium's symbol is K, which comes from kalium, the Latin name linked to the word for potash. The element is essential for life: it helps regulate nerve signals and the balance of fluids in the body, and it is found in foods such as bananas, beans and potatoes. Its reactivity means it is never found on its own in nature.