Extreme Geography
Despite being a single country, Russia spans this incredible number of different time zones.
What is 11?
This specific four-letter Russian word is used to describe a severe, agonizing hangover.
What is Pohmelie?
This vibrant, deep-red beet soup is traditionally served hot or cold and is almost always topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.
What is Borscht?
Software engineer Alexey Pajitnov created this legendary, block-stacking puzzle game in 1984 while working for the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
What is Tetris?
This iconic 1969 stop-motion character is a furry, large-eared creature who lives in a phone booth and travels with Gena the Crocodile.
Who is Cheburashka?
At its closest point in the Bering Strait, Russia is separated from the United States by a distance of only this many miles.
What is 2.5 miles?
This term refers to a secondary country house or cottage where Russians traditionally spend their summers growing vegetables.
What is a Dacha?
For over a thousand years, this classic cabbage soup has been the predominant first course in Russian cuisine, enjoyed by the rich and poor alike.
What is Shchi?
Dmitri Mendeleev formulated this fundamental scientific framework in 1869 after reportedly seeing the grid layout in a dream.
What is the Periodic Table?
Russians always do this for a few silent seconds right before leaving the house to embark on a long journey.
What is sitting down?
Holding 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater, this ancient Siberian marvel is the deepest lake on Earth.
What is Lake Baikal?
This beautiful untranslatable word describes a state of deep, soulful, existential melancholia or longing without a specific cause.
What is Toska?
This vibrant pink, spicy horseradish sauce gets its color and mild sweetness from mixed-in grated beets.
What is Chrain (or Khren)?
Invented in Russia in the 18th century, these massive wooden structures used for winter thrills inspired modern roller coasters.
What are Ice Slides?
If you accidentally do this to a friend, you must let them do it back to you immediately to avoid a future fight.
What is stepping on their foot?
This hyper-remote Russian region is home to the Valley of Geysers, the second-largest concentration of geysers in the world.
What is the Kamchatka Peninsula?
If you are acting excessively entitled, arrogant, or insolent, a Russian might accuse you of having this specific five-letter noun.
What is Hamsvo (or Khamstvo)?
This ancient fermented drink is made from rye bread and has a tiny alcohol content under one percent.
What is Kvass?
Leon Theremin invented this eerie-sounding musical instrument in 1920, which is played completely without physical contact.
What is the Theremin?
This infamous Slavic witch flies around in a giant mortar, wields a pestle, and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs.
Who is Baba Yaga?
Located in Siberia, this settlement is officially recognized as the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth.
What is Oymyakon?
This verb literally means "to go on a multi-day, uncontrollable drinking binge."
What is Zapor?
These small, triangle-shaped pastries from Tatarstan are stuffed with juicy minced meat, onions, and diced potatoes.
What are Echpochmaks?
In 1965, Alexei Leonov became the first human in history to successfully complete this dangerous 12-minute cosmic feat.
What is a spacewalk?
This terrifying, hairless humanoid creature was allegedly found in the Ural mountains in 1996 and became a massive urban legend.
Who is the Kyshtym Alien (Aleshenka)?