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Bar trivia questions and answers

A ready weekly bar trivia night: 50 questions in 5 rounds of 10, each with four choices, a short fact with every answer and an answer key at the end. Print it for the host's table, or play it on the bar's TV while teams answer on their phones.

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Question 1 of 50
0:20

How many sides does a stop sign have?

ASix
BSeven
CTen
DEight
How question 1 looks on your TV. Teams answer on their phones.
Round 1

General knowledge

10 questions
  1. 1

    How many sides does a stop sign have?

    • ASix
    • BSeven
    • CTen
    • DEight
    Show answer

    D. EightIt is an octagon in the US and many other countries.

  2. 2

    How many strings does a standard guitar have?

    • AFour
    • BFive
    • CSix
    • DSeven
    Show answer

    C. SixThey are tuned E, A, D, G, B, E from low to high.

  3. 3

    What is the currency of Japan?

    • AWon
    • BYen
    • CYuan
    • DRinggit
    Show answer

    B. YenIt is written with the symbol ¥.

  4. 4

    Which fruit is dried to make raisins?

    • APlums
    • BGrapes
    • CFigs
    • DCherries
    Show answer

    B. GrapesDried plums are prunes.

  5. 5

    How many cards are in a standard deck, without jokers?

    • A52
    • B48
    • C54
    • D56
    Show answer

    A. 52Four suits of 13 cards each.

  6. 6

    What color do you get when you mix blue and yellow paint?

    • AGreen
    • BOrange
    • CPurple
    • DBrown
    Show answer

    A. GreenBlue and yellow are traditional primary colors in art.

  7. 7

    Which sport uses a shuttlecock?

    • ASquash
    • BBadminton
    • CTennis
    • DTable tennis
    Show answer

    B. BadmintonThe shuttlecock is feathered or plastic.

  8. 8

    Which chess piece moves any number of squares, but only diagonally?

    • ARook
    • BKnight
    • CBishop
    • DPawn
    Show answer

    C. BishopEach bishop stays on one color of square all game.

  9. 9

    What does the www in a web address stand for?

    • AWide World Web
    • BWeb World Wide
    • CWhole Wide Web
    • DWorld Wide Web
    Show answer

    D. World Wide WebTim Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989.

  10. 10

    How many players per team are on the court at once in basketball?

    • AFive
    • BSix
    • CSeven
    • DFour
    Show answer

    A. FiveSubstitutes wait on the bench.

Round 2

Geography

10 questions
  1. 11

    Which river runs through Paris?

    • ALoire
    • BSeine
    • CRhine
    • DThames
    Show answer

    B. SeineNotre-Dame stands on an island in it.

  2. 12

    Which is the smallest country in the world by area?

    • AVatican City
    • BMonaco
    • CSan Marino
    • DLiechtenstein
    Show answer

    A. Vatican CityIt covers under half a square kilometer.

  3. 13

    Which US state is the largest by area?

    • ATexas
    • BAlaska
    • CCalifornia
    • DMontana
    Show answer

    B. AlaskaIt is more than twice the size of Texas.

  4. 14

    What is the capital of Canada?

    • AToronto
    • BMontreal
    • COttawa
    • DVancouver
    Show answer

    C. OttawaIt sits on the border of Ontario and Quebec.

  5. 15

    Mount Everest lies on the border of Nepal and which other country?

    • AIndia
    • BBhutan
    • CChina
    • DPakistan
    Show answer

    C. ChinaThe Chinese side is in Tibet.

  6. 16

    Which is the largest hot desert in the world?

    • AGobi
    • BSahara
    • CKalahari
    • DArabian
    Show answer

    B. SaharaAntarctica is the largest desert overall.

  7. 17

    Which sea lies between southern Europe and North Africa?

    • ABaltic
    • BRed
    • CCaspian
    • DMediterranean
    Show answer

    D. MediterraneanIts name means "middle of the land".

  8. 18

    In which country is the city of Marrakesh?

    • AMorocco
    • BTunisia
    • CEgypt
    • DAlgeria
    Show answer

    A. MoroccoIt is known for its red-walled old city.

  9. 19

    The longest border between two countries separates Canada from which neighbour?

    • AThe United States
    • BMexico
    • CRussia
    • DBrazil
    Show answer

    A. The United StatesIt runs about 5,500 miles, counting the Alaska stretch.

  10. 20

    Which continent has no permanent human population?

    • AEurope
    • BOceania
    • CSouth America
    • DAntarctica
    Show answer

    D. AntarcticaResearchers stay there for seasons or a year.

Round 3

Science and nature

10 questions
  1. 21

    Which gas do plants take in from the air for photosynthesis?

    • AOxygen
    • BCarbon dioxide
    • CNitrogen
    • DHelium
    Show answer

    B. Carbon dioxideThey release oxygen in return.

  2. 22

    How many bones are in an adult human body?

    • A187
    • B215
    • C300
    • D206
    Show answer

    D. 206Babies have more, and some fuse as they grow.

  3. 23

    What is the chemical formula of water?

    • AH2O
    • BHO2
    • CH2O2
    • DOH
    Show answer

    A. H2OH2O2 is hydrogen peroxide.

  4. 24

    Which is the hottest planet in our solar system?

    • AMercury
    • BVenus
    • CMars
    • DJupiter
    Show answer

    B. VenusIts thick carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat.

  5. 25

    Which element, with the symbol Hg, is a liquid at room temperature?

    • AGold
    • BMercury
    • CSilver
    • DLead
    Show answer

    B. MercuryIts old name is quicksilver.

  6. 26

    What is the largest animal alive today?

    • ABlue whale
    • BAfrican elephant
    • CGiraffe
    • DSperm whale
    Show answer

    A. Blue whaleIt is the largest animal known to have ever lived.

  7. 27

    What force pulls objects toward the center of the Earth?

    • AMagnetism
    • BFriction
    • CGravity
    • DInertia
    Show answer

    C. GravityIsaac Newton described it in 1687.

  8. 28

    How many hearts does an octopus have?

    • AThree
    • BOne
    • CTwo
    • DFour
    Show answer

    A. ThreeTwo serve the gills and one serves the body.

  9. 29

    About how fast does light travel?

    • A18,600 miles per second
    • B93,000 miles per second
    • C1,860,000 miles per second
    • D186,000 miles per second
    Show answer

    D. 186,000 miles per secondThat is about 300,000 kilometers per second.

  10. 30

    Which blood cells carry oxygen around the body?

    • AWhite blood cells
    • BPlatelets
    • CRed blood cells
    • DPlasma cells
    Show answer

    C. Red blood cellsHemoglobin in them does the carrying.

Round 4

History

10 questions
  1. 31

    In which year did World War II end?

    • A1945
    • B1944
    • C1946
    • D1943
    Show answer

    A. 1945Germany surrendered in May and Japan later that year.

  2. 32

    Who was the first person to walk on the Moon?

    • ABuzz Aldrin
    • BNeil Armstrong
    • CYuri Gagarin
    • DJohn Glenn
    Show answer

    B. Neil ArmstrongHe stepped out on July 20, 1969, during Apollo 11.

  3. 33

    Which civilization built Machu Picchu?

    • AAztec
    • BMaya
    • CInca
    • DOlmec
    Show answer

    C. IncaIt stands high in the Andes of Peru.

  4. 34

    Which ship sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 after hitting an iceberg?

    • ALusitania
    • BTitanic
    • CBritannic
    • DOlympic
    Show answer

    B. TitanicAbout 1,500 people died.

  5. 35

    Who was the first US president to live in the White House?

    • AGeorge Washington
    • BThomas Jefferson
    • CJohn Adams
    • DJames Madison
    Show answer

    C. John AdamsHe moved in in 1800, while it was unfinished.

  6. 36

    In which year did Christopher Columbus first reach the Americas?

    • A1488
    • B1500
    • C1520
    • D1492
    Show answer

    D. 1492He landed in the Caribbean on a voyage funded by Spain.

  7. 37

    The French Revolution began in which year?

    • A1776
    • B1804
    • C1815
    • D1789
    Show answer

    D. 1789The Bastille was stormed on July 14.

  8. 38

    Which queen ruled Britain for 63 years, until 1901?

    • AVictoria
    • BElizabeth I
    • CAnne
    • DMary I
    Show answer

    A. VictoriaShe reigned from 1837.

  9. 39

    In which US state did the Wright brothers make their first powered flight in 1903?

    • ANorth Carolina
    • BOhio
    • CVirginia
    • DCalifornia
    Show answer

    A. North CarolinaThe flights took place at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk.

  10. 40

    Which treaty formally ended World War I with Germany in 1919?

    • ATreaty of Paris
    • BTreaty of Versailles
    • CTreaty of Utrecht
    • DTreaty of Vienna
    Show answer

    B. Treaty of VersaillesIt was signed on June 28, 1919.

Round 5

Music, film and TV

10 questions
  1. 41

    Which band released the 1969 album Abbey Road?

    • AThe Rolling Stones
    • BLed Zeppelin
    • CThe Who
    • DThe Beatles
    Show answer

    D. The BeatlesThe cover shows them on a zebra crossing.

  2. 42

    Who directed the 1975 film Jaws?

    • AGeorge Lucas
    • BSteven Spielberg
    • CRidley Scott
    • DJames Cameron
    Show answer

    B. Steven SpielbergIt is often called the first summer blockbuster.

  3. 43

    In which TV sitcom do the characters hang out at the Central Perk coffee shop?

    • AFriends
    • BSeinfeld
    • CCheers
    • DFrasier
    Show answer

    A. FriendsIt ran from 1994 to 2004.

  4. 44

    What is the name of the school of magic in the Harry Potter books?

    • AHogwarts
    • BBeauxbatons
    • CDurmstrang
    • DIlvermorny
    Show answer

    A. HogwartsThe first book appeared in 1997.

  5. 45

    Which singer is known as the King of Pop?

    • APrince
    • BElvis Presley
    • CMichael Jackson
    • DJustin Timberlake
    Show answer

    C. Michael JacksonHis album Thriller came out in 1982.

  6. 46

    In which 1999 sci-fi film does Neo choose between a red pill and a blue pill?

    • AThe Matrix
    • BBlade Runner
    • CTron
    • DDark City
    Show answer

    A. The MatrixThe Wachowskis wrote and directed it.

  7. 47

    How many keys does a standard modern piano have?

    • A76
    • B88
    • C92
    • D100
    Show answer

    B. 88That is 52 white keys and 36 black keys.

  8. 48

    Which 1994 Disney film features a lion cub named Simba?

    • ATarzan
    • BBambi
    • CThe Lion King
    • DMadagascar
    Show answer

    C. The Lion KingMadagascar is a DreamWorks film, not Disney.

  9. 49

    Which actor first played Captain Jack Sparrow on screen?

    • AOrlando Bloom
    • BJohnny Depp
    • CBrad Pitt
    • DGeoffrey Rush
    Show answer

    B. Johnny DeppThe first film came out in 2003.

  10. 50

    The first Star Wars film, from 1977, was later given which subtitle?

    • AThe Phantom Menace
    • BRogue One
    • CThe Force Awakens
    • DA New Hope
    Show answer

    D. A New HopeEpisode IV: A New Hope was added to its title in 1981.

Answer key: all 50 answers (show)

Round 1: General knowledge

  1. D. Eight It is an octagon in the US and many other countries.
  2. C. Six They are tuned E, A, D, G, B, E from low to high.
  3. B. Yen It is written with the symbol ¥.
  4. B. Grapes Dried plums are prunes.
  5. A. 52 Four suits of 13 cards each.
  6. A. Green Blue and yellow are traditional primary colors in art.
  7. B. Badminton The shuttlecock is feathered or plastic.
  8. C. Bishop Each bishop stays on one color of square all game.
  9. D. World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989.
  10. A. Five Substitutes wait on the bench.

Round 2: Geography

  1. B. Seine Notre-Dame stands on an island in it.
  2. A. Vatican City It covers under half a square kilometer.
  3. B. Alaska It is more than twice the size of Texas.
  4. C. Ottawa It sits on the border of Ontario and Quebec.
  5. C. China The Chinese side is in Tibet.
  6. B. Sahara Antarctica is the largest desert overall.
  7. D. Mediterranean Its name means "middle of the land".
  8. A. Morocco It is known for its red-walled old city.
  9. A. The United States It runs about 5,500 miles, counting the Alaska stretch.
  10. D. Antarctica Researchers stay there for seasons or a year.

Round 3: Science and nature

  1. B. Carbon dioxide They release oxygen in return.
  2. D. 206 Babies have more, and some fuse as they grow.
  3. A. H2O H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide.
  4. B. Venus Its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat.
  5. B. Mercury Its old name is quicksilver.
  6. A. Blue whale It is the largest animal known to have ever lived.
  7. C. Gravity Isaac Newton described it in 1687.
  8. A. Three Two serve the gills and one serves the body.
  9. D. 186,000 miles per second That is about 300,000 kilometers per second.
  10. C. Red blood cells Hemoglobin in them does the carrying.

Round 4: History

  1. A. 1945 Germany surrendered in May and Japan later that year.
  2. B. Neil Armstrong He stepped out on July 20, 1969, during Apollo 11.
  3. C. Inca It stands high in the Andes of Peru.
  4. B. Titanic About 1,500 people died.
  5. C. John Adams He moved in in 1800, while it was unfinished.
  6. D. 1492 He landed in the Caribbean on a voyage funded by Spain.
  7. D. 1789 The Bastille was stormed on July 14.
  8. A. Victoria She reigned from 1837.
  9. A. North Carolina The flights took place at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk.
  10. B. Treaty of Versailles It was signed on June 28, 1919.

Round 5: Music, film and TV

  1. D. The Beatles The cover shows them on a zebra crossing.
  2. B. Steven Spielberg It is often called the first summer blockbuster.
  3. A. Friends It ran from 1994 to 2004.
  4. A. Hogwarts The first book appeared in 1997.
  5. C. Michael Jackson His album Thriller came out in 1982.
  6. A. The Matrix The Wachowskis wrote and directed it.
  7. B. 88 That is 52 white keys and 36 black keys.
  8. C. The Lion King Madagascar is a DreamWorks film, not Disney.
  9. B. Johnny Depp The first film came out in 2003.
  10. D. A New Hope Episode IV: A New Hope was added to its title in 1981.

Host tips

  1. Run five rounds of ten. Allow about 20 seconds a question and a few minutes of scoring between rounds, and the night lasts roughly 75 minutes.
  2. Order by difficulty. Start each round with an easy question so every team scores early, and put the hardest one last.
  3. Settle ties with one closer question. Ask for a number, such as a year, and let the nearest guess win.
  4. Take a break after round three. A pause gives the bar time to serve, so announce it before the round starts.
  5. Read the answer and its fact out loud. A short story behind the answer settles disputes faster than a rule book.
  6. Keep a scoring sheet per team. One line per round is enough. Collect the sheets after each round, and have a second person check the totals before you announce the leaderboard.

Questions hosts ask

How many questions should a bar trivia night have?

Most weekly nights run 40 to 50 questions in 4 or 5 rounds, which fits in about an hour and a quarter.

How long do teams get for each question?

About 20 seconds works well for multiple choice. Give longer to questions that need a calculation or a guess at a number.

Can I reuse these questions every week?

Not with the same crowd. Use this pack once, then rotate in a new pack so regulars do not see repeats. Every pack on the free hub is a new set.

Do teams need an app?

No. Players scan a QR code on the TV and answer in the browser on their phones. The free plan covers up to 25 phones.

How do I pick teams and team sizes?

Teams of two to six work best. Larger tables win too often, so many hosts cap a team at six. Let singles and pairs join any table that has room.

What do I do when two teams dispute an answer?

Read the fact line, make one ruling and move on. Decide before the night starts that the host's ruling is final, and say so when you explain the rules.

What prizes work for a weekly night?

A bar tab credit or a round of drinks for the winners, and a smaller prize for last place, keeps every team coming back. Prizes are your call, and the pack does not need any.

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