Pub quiz round ideas

The questions matter less than the shape of the night. Six identical general knowledge rounds is a long evening; six different formats is a quiz people ask about again.

Twenty five round ideas below, each with an example and a note on how long it takes to run.

Rounds that need no equipment

• Riddle round - ten riddles read aloud, thirty seconds each. Example: what has hands but cannot clap? A clock.
• Anagram round - untangle ten scrambled town names. Example: DRAB FORD is Bradford.
• Connections round - four answers with one link. Example: Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn - Roman gods and planets.
• Alphabet round - every answer starts with the same letter. Announce the letter after question one for maximum panic.
• True or false - ten statements, fast to mark, good as round two while latecomers arrive.
• Numbers round - every answer is a number, ties broken by closest guess.
• Odd one out - four items, one doesn't belong, one point for the answer and one for why.
• Categories - name five UK cities beginning with L in thirty seconds, one point each.

Rounds that need a speaker

• Music intros - five seconds each, ten songs, points for artist and title.
• One line lyrics - read a lyric flatly with no rhythm; harder and funnier than playing the track.
• Theme tunes - TV themes are more forgiving than film scores for a mixed age crowd.
• Backwards audio - play a chorus reversed once, then forwards for half points.
• Decades round - one song per decade from the 60s to now, name the decade only, good for mixed ages.

Rounds that need paper

• Map round - blank UK map, label ten counties.
• Logo round - ten cropped brand logos, easy to prepare, always the highest scoring.
• Close up round - photos zoomed to 400 percent, reveal at the end for the groan.
• Handwriting round - match ten famous signatures to their owners.
• Wordsearch race - first team to find all ten hidden words wins five bonus points.

Themed rounds worth stealing

• Nostalgia round - 80s and 90s sweets, toys and TV. Pairs perfectly with a nostalgic quiz set.
• Local round - ten questions about your town. Always the loudest round of the night.
• The year you were born - one question per decade, teams pick which to answer.
• Christmas round - number one singles, film quotes and cracker jokes for December quizzes.
• Sweary-free family round - clean jokes and riddles so children can play the first hour.
• Guess the price - ten supermarket items, closest total wins. Bleakly topical every year.
• Who am I - five clues read out, points drop from five to one as clues continue.

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How to write it so it lands

• Alternate a hard round with an easy one so the room never goes quiet for long.
• Prizes should be small and silly - a badge beats a cash pot for atmosphere.
• Print one answer sheet per team per round; collecting a single sheet at the end is chaos.

Where to shop next

• Quiz questions and answers
• Nostalgic quiz questions
• Riddles with answers
• Hard riddles with answers
• Old fashioned party games
• Rainy day activities
• Family card games
• Garden games for a party
• Party supplies
• Work party ideas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

How many rounds should a pub quiz have?

Six is the standard: two general knowledge, one music, one picture or paper round, one themed and one tiebreak-friendly numbers round.

How long does a pub quiz take?

Around ninety minutes for six rounds of ten with a halfway break. Allow ten minutes for marking and reading scores.

What makes a good quiz round?

One everyone can start. If the first two questions are gettable, teams stay engaged even when questions eight to ten are brutal.