The Quizmaster’s Playbook
Writing a good quiz is not about proving how much knowledge you can display — it’s about crafting an experience. A successful quiz night brings people together, sparks lively debates among teammates, and leaves players with a mix of laughter, surprise, and satisfaction. The goal is engagement, not ego. With that in mind, here are the principles for getting it right.
1. Make Questions Guessable
Swinging and hoping is better than not swinging.
A great trivia question should give players something to work with — a clue, a hint, or something that allows players to reduce the problem down to a limited set of possible answers. Nobody wants to stare at a blank sheet of paper (or screen).
Think months of the year, European countries, or famous artists that are also Ninja Turtles. Even if players don’t know the fact, they should be able to take a swing at it.
Consider if it should be a multiple-choice question, particularly if the alternative would be a blank response. Multiple choice should be used as an enabler to include teams but not be so obvious as to make teams who knew the answer resentful of the format.
The best trivia doesn’t punish you for not knowing. If a question leaves you clueless, you should be able to make an educated guess...and then fist-bump your teammates when you land it!
TL;DR: Examples:
Not Guessable: "What is the second moon of Jupiter?" - Europa
Guessable: "Europa is the second moon of which planet in our solar system?" - Jupiter
Not Guessable: "Who is the Philippines named after?" - King Philip II of Spain
Guessable: "Which Southeast Asian country is named after King Philip II of Spain?" - Philippines
2. Avoid Snobbery
Keep the Snobbery at the door.
Trivia should be challenging without being alienating. A question that only appeals to a niche subset of enthusiasts — or one that requires specialist knowledge far outside general cultural literacy — doesn’t add value. It frustrates the majority of players while providing little satisfaction even for those who happen to know the answer.
Consider the example often cited: “What is the name of the dot over a lowercase i or j?" The answer — “a tittle” — might delight a tiny portion of trivia regulars, but for most players it lands flat. The enthusiasts feel underwhelmed because the question is too easy for them, while the rest of the room feels excluded. No one wins.
The best trivia writing strikes a balance: questions should be accessible enough for all players to engage with, but layered with just enough complexity or misdirection to be rewarding. This is why it’s important to step back and ask yourself: “Would an average player have a reasonable chance at this?” If the answer is no, the question should either be rewritten with better clues or left out entirely.
At its core, trivia is about inclusion. It works best when the entire room feels invited into the challenge.
TL;DR: Examples:
Snobbery: “On which exact street in Sarajevo was Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in 1914?” - Franz Joseph Street
Not Snobbery: “The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 is widely considered the spark that started which global conflict?” - World War I
3. Build Debate and Drama
Fuel the friendly fights.
One of the most engaging aspects of a trivia night is not simply getting questions right, but the dynamic discussions that take place within each team. The real energy of the room comes alive when teammates begin to disagree, negotiate, and persuade one another.
It’s the whispered arguments about whether Titanic was released in 1996 or 1997, or the passionate insistence that a song definitely came out “before we finished high school”. These moments create tension, humour, and camaraderie all at once.
A well-crafted question encourages this type of dialogue. It should be challenging enough that people hesitate before committing to an answer, but not so obscure that they give up without trying. The sweet spot lies in questions where there are two or three plausible options, prompting teams to weigh evidence, debate logic, and make their best collective call.
By designing questions that foster deep deliberation, you are not only testing knowledge but also creating the drama and storytelling that make trivia nights memorable. The disagreements, the laughter, the big cheers or the inevitable “I told you so” are the lifeblood of the game.
TL;DR: Examples:
Drama: "In the NBA logo, is the athlete handling a basketball with his left or right hand?" - Left
Debate: "Which song was released first - 'Baby One More Time' or 'Genie In A Bottle'?" - Baby One More Time by less than one year
The Ahh-Right-Under-My-Nose moment.
Some of the most effective trivia questions are not about rare facts or obscure knowledge, but about the familiar things people encounter every day without giving them a second thought. When framed well, these questions produce an “aha” moment — the kind of realisation that makes players laugh, shake their heads, and say, “Of course! I see that all the time.”
Think of the symbols on a computer keyboard, the icons on a washing machine, or the logos of brands we walk past daily. On their own, these details are so ordinary they fade into the background. But in the context of a trivia quiz, they suddenly become puzzles. Players might hesitate, search their memory, and then delight in the realisation that they knew the answer all along — it was simply hidden in plain sight.
This style of questioning works for two reasons. First, it levels the playing field. Because the material comes from everyday life, everyone in the room has encountered it before, regardless of age or background. Second, it creates a sense of surprise and satisfaction even if answered incorrectly. Rather than feeling stumped by a fact they could never have known, players feel rewarded for recognising something they already had within their experience.
The best trivia experiences are those where people walk away saying, “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that sooner.” By weaving in everyday details that are so common they’re overlooked, you create questions that are not only fair but memorable — the ones that stay in conversation long after the quiz is over.
TL;DR: Examples:
Hidden-in-plain-sight: "How many Tim-Tas come in a standard tray?" - 11 biscuits
Every-day: "What pasta type is derived from the Italian word for "little worms?" - Vermicelli
Ahh really?: "Which famous US City's name means 'The Meadows' in Spanish?" - Las Vegas
5. Balance Entertainment & Education
Sneaky learning with a smile.
The best trivia questions teach without feeling like a lecture. A great fact lands because it’s surprising, memorable, and often tied to something players already know but hadn’t thought about.
For example the question “Which is the largest ocean on Earth?” — most players wouldn’t be shocked to learn the answer is The Pacific.
However, compare that with“Which is bigger – The Pacific Ocean or all the Earth’s land combined?”.
Learning that the answer is still The Pacific is far more likely to spark the kind of “wow” reaction that makes trivia memorable.
TL;DR: Examples:
Not surprising: “Which is the largest ocean on Earth?” — The Pacific
Surprising: "Which is bigger – The Pacific Ocean or all the Earth’s land combined?” - The Pacific
6. Flip and Refine Questions
From Snooze to Woo-Hoo!
The quality of a trivia question often lies not in the subject matter itself, but in how it is framed. A fact can be fascinating in context yet fall flat if asked in a dull or overly rigid way. The craft of quiz writing is as much about phrasing as it is about content.
By way of example consider this question: “What is the name given to the plastic or metal tip on the end of a shoelace?”
The answer, aglet, is technically correct but underwhelming. To most players, this feels obscure and exclusionary, the type of question that separates “trivia insiders” from everyone else.
Instead, this fact could be reframed or woven into a broader, more inclusive structure as per the example below.
Flipping the question all of a sudden makes the questions accessible to everyone and at the same time follows our first five rules.
TL;DR: Examples:
Not accessible: “What is the name given to the plastic or metal tip on the end of a shoelace?” - Aglet
Accessible: What item that you would likely wear everyday would you be putting on if you were handling an ‘aglet’?” - Shoe
7. Keep It Accurate and Up-to-Date
No Fake News, Please.
Nothing kills the vibe like a dodgy question. Few things undermine a trivia night faster than a poorly researched or outdated question.
Players are quick to spot inconsistencies, and nothing sours the atmosphere more than a room-wide argument over whether the host has the right answer. It shifts the focus from enjoyment to frustration, and in the worst cases, damages the credibility of the entire event.
To avoid this, every question should be built on reliable, verifiable sources. Trivia writers should fact-check carefully, cross-referencing more than one reputable source rather than relying on the first search engine result.
Myths, urban legends, and so-called ‘fun facts’ that circulate online are especially dangerous; while they may sound entertaining, if they’re not accurate they will inevitably be challenged, and the host will be left in a difficult position.
Equally important is recognising that knowledge evolves. Populations change, records are broken, and new discoveries reshape what we know. A question like “How many people have walked on the moon?” becomes outdated as soon as another astronaut makes the journey.
A couple of specifics to avoid.
Populations of cities are fraught with danger as there are no clear boundaries of where the city starts and ends, whether is counts just residents or includes workers and tourists. Avoid.
Country borders don’t work either – look up the 'coastline border paradox' and you’ll see what I mean.
Avoid subjectivity or personal experience and always try to peg a question to something external or a measurement to a third party.
Accuracy, verifiability and clarity are not just about preventing disputes; they demonstrate respect for the players. A well-written, up-to-date question shows that the effort has been made to create a fair contest, and that every team can trust the integrity of the game. In trivia, trust is everything — and it starts with getting the facts right.
TL;DR: Examples:
Not Verifiable: Who is the richest person alive?
Verifiable: According to Forbes Magazine 2025, who was named the world’s richest person?
Not measurable: What is the spiciest chilli pepper?
Measurable: According The Scoville scale which of these chilli peppers are considered the spiciest?
8. Make Cheating Harder
Beat the Googlers.
Every trivia host knows that cheating is a possibility. In an age where nearly everyone has a smartphone within reach, the temptation is always there. And while most players come for the camaraderie and the challenge, a small minority will test the boundaries.
As a questions writer we can aim to design the game in a way that makes it far less appealing and far less effective.
The most effective strategy is to ask questions that cannot be easily searched. Traditional fact-based prompts are easy prey for a quick Google search, so variety in question types is essential.
Image rounds, for instance, work well when pictures are cropped, distorted, or presented out of context. Audio rounds can be equally powerful — short sound clips, music samples, or even voice snippets that are too brief for recognition apps to capture.
Wordplay questions, such as anagrams or riddles, also resist quick digital shortcuts because they rely on reasoning rather than recall.
Another layer is the time factor. By pacing rounds well and keeping momentum high, you reduce the opportunity for players to discreetly search for answers. The less time available to step outside the flow of the game, the less likely players are to reach for their phones.
Players respect a quiz where their skills and memory are rewarded — and they will return for the challenge precisely because the game feels fair. Designing cheat-resistant questions is therefore not just about protecting the rules, but about protecting the spirit of trivia itself.
If all else fails...do not be shy to deduct points from bad actors.
TL;DR: Examples:
Questions that can't easily be Googled; not plain facts
Images, cropped, distorted, out of context
Video and audio questions
Wordplay and puzzles
Time limits
Threats of deducting points!
9. Design for Easy Scoring
Save the Host’s Sanity.
One of the most overlooked elements of good trivia writing is how easily a question can be scored. While players focus on the fun of debating answers, the host or scorer is responsible for sorting through dozens of responses in a short period of time. If the question allows for multiple interpretations, or equally valid variations, the process becomes slow, inconsistent, and unnecessarily frustrating.
Clear, tightly framed questions are essential. The ideal question leads to a single, unambiguous answer.
For example, “What year did Sydney host the Olympics?” only has one correct response: 2000. It is fast to mark and leaves no room for dispute (although not the most exciting question).
By contrast, a question like “Name a country that has the same name as its capital city?” – for starters there are four answers. Singapore, Monaco, Vatican City and San Marino…but what about Mexico City or Kuwait City…do they count? And let’s not get into Brasilia in Brazil.
In this case, scoring can quickly become a burden, as the host will probably start having to do some Googling of their own...which is far from ideal.
This doesn’t mean all questions must be rigidly narrow, but writers should always consider how questions will be interpreted and how answers will be submitted.
If a broader question is used, it helps to clearly define parameters in the phrasing, or to provide a multiple-choice structure. The goal is to reduce ambiguity without sacrificing creativity.
When correcting and scoring is straightforward, the quiz flows smoothly. Rounds turn over quickly, the energy of the night is maintained, and disputes are minimised. In short, writing with scoring in mind is not just a kindness to the host — it is an investment in the overall pace, fairness, and enjoyment of the trivia night.
TL;DR: Examples:
Easy to score: “What year did Sydney host the Olympics?” - 2002
Difficult to score: “Name a country that has the same name as its capital city?” - Singapore, Monaco, Vatican City, San Marino…what about Mexico City, Kuwait City…Brasilia...?
10. Cross-Category Connections
Where Music Nerds Meet Movie Buffs.
A well-designed quiz is not just a test of individual knowledge, but an exercise in teamwork. The real magic happens when different areas of expertise and ages within a group overlap — the music enthusiast, the film buff and the history teacher are also the student, executive and grandparent - each contribute their own piece of the puzzle.
For example, a “name the year” style question might reference a song, a film, and a historical event from the same period. Each team member brings their own specialty, and only by combining perspectives does the correct answer emerge.
A photograph of a city street, for instance, might require players to notice the language on a shop sign, connect it to a national sports jersey in the background, and recall a landmark partially hidden at the edge of the frame. No single player may have all the knowledge, but together the team can piece it together step by step.
This kind of design strengthens the social experience of trivia and makes victories feel earned through collaboration rather than luck or individual brilliance.
Teams are not just satisfied with the result, but also with the feeling that each member had a role to play in achieving it. That sense of shared success is what keeps people coming back week after week.
TL;DR: Examples:
Questions designed to target broad interests and groups.
The most successful teams have a wide range of interests, age groups and specialisations.
This makes victories feel earned through collaboration.
That sense of shared success is what keeps people coming back week after week.
Wrap-Up
At its core, writing a great trivia quiz isn’t about proving how clever you are — it’s about creating moments. The guesses, the debates, the forehead slaps, the high-fives.
Get these right, and your quiz will have people coming back again and again.