19 pub quiz question rounds you can use on Zoom or Houseparty

Pub quiz organising is no longer the job of people who are paid to stand in front of a crowd and ask the questions.

We are now all the quizmasters, with Zoom and Houseparty becoming the ‘pubs’ that we’re joining our friends and families in for a bit of trivia-based fun.

If it’s your turn to host the weekly quiz, you’ve likely spent a lot of time on Google trying to compile your list of questions.

So we decided to save you the hassle and put together 19 pub quiz rounds on all sorts of topics so you can lift them right from this page and save yourself the trouble.

All your quizzers will need is a pen and paper, with a beer or a wine optional.

The answers are in bold (so make sure you don’t accidentally read them out).

History

These are generic history questions, which should hopefully get your players scratching their heads and trying to remember their school days.

1. Which two of Henry VIII’s wives were executed?

Anne Boleyn and Kathryn Howard

2. Vietnam claimed independence from which country in 1945?

France

3. How many children did Queen Victoria have?

9 

4. The German attack on which country caused Britain to enter the Second World War?

Poland

5. What was the first name of the doctor who invented the Heimlich manoeuvre?

Henry

6. Which American battle is sometimes referred to as ‘Custer’s Last Stand’?

Battle of the Little Bighorn

7. In which year was the Gunpowder Plot?

1605

8. Which Scottish monarch was convicted of treason and was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire on the 8th February 1587?

Mary I (of Scotland) also known as Mary Queen of Scots

9. How was New York known prior to 1664?

New Amsterdam

10. Who was the first leader of the Soviet Union?

Vladimir Lenin

Capital cities

For this round, you name the country, and those playing have to name the capital city. It seems simple, but definitely isn’t.

1. China

Beijing

2. Canada

Ottowa

3. Brazil

Brasilia

4. Poland

Warsaw

5. Ethiopia

Addis Ababa

6. Pakistan

Islamabad

7. Switzerland

Bern

8. Nigeria

Abuja

9. Turkey

Ankara

10. Estonia

Tallinn

Who said it?

This round is all about quotes. Read the quotes out, and your guests have to guess who said them. Some are from fictional characters, while others are a little more serious and historical.

1. ‘I’ll finally get to see Marilyn.’

Joe Dimaggio

2. ‘If you go home with somebody, and they don’t have books, don’t f*ck ’em!’

John Waters

3. ‘If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.’

Marilyn Monroe

4. ‘I knew what my job was, it was to go out and meet the people and love them.’

Princess Diana

5. ‘It is every parent’s dream to outlive their children.’

Homer Simpson

6. ‘Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.’

TS Eliot

7. ‘That’s the great thing about Catholicism. It’s so vague and no one really knows what it’s about.’

Father Ted

8. ‘My mom said to me, “You know, sweetheart, one day you should settle down and marry a rich man”. I said, “Mom, I am a rich man.”‘

Cher

9. ‘Whoever is happy will make others happy too.’

Anne Frank

10. ‘I am gay. I am broke as sh*t.’

Joe Exotic from Tiger King

Guess the year

For this round, you can choose to give the point to the closest answer. If you’re being a little stricter, they’ll have to guess the exact year that these events happened.

1. Fleetwood Mac’s album ‘Rumours’ was released, Red Rum won the Grand National for the third time and Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Silver Jubilee.

1977

2. The Republic of China was established, the Titanic hit an iceberg, and Arizona became the 48th U.S. state.

1912

3. England crashed out of the World Cup losing to Germany on penalties, Madonna released the song Vogue, and Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in prison.

1990

4. West Germany joined NATO, Anthony Eden became Prime Minister, and James Dean died in a car accident.

1955

5. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson got married, Nintendo released the video game The Legend Of Zelda, and Living Doll by Cliff Richard and The Young Ones was UK number one for three weeks.

1986

6. Will Young won Britain’s Pop Idol and Kelly Clarkson won American Idol, Moors murderer Myra Hindley died aged 60, and Star Wars movie Attack Of The Clones was released.

2002

7. Take That went their separate ways and split up, Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced, and singer Eva Cassidy died of cancer.

1996

8. Conchita Wurst won Eurovision for Austria, Scotland held an independence referendum and voted ‘no’, and Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away.

2014

9. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in India, Israel was declared an independent state, and Ozzy Osbourne was born.

1948

10. Sylvia Plath killed herself in London, the Beatles released their first album, ‘Please Please Me’ and John F. Kennedy gave his ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech in West Berlin.

1963

Complete the lyrics

1. He was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it any more obvious?

He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?

2. Tell me something, boy. Aren’t you tired tryin’ to fill that void?

Or do you need more? Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore?

3. I hear the drums echoing tonight

But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation

4. My bootscootin’ baby is drivin’ me crazy

My obsession from a western, my dance floor date

5. Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time

I feel alive and the world I’ll turn it inside out, yeah

6. Tommy used to work on the docks, union’s been on strike

He’s down on his luck, it’s tough, so tough

7. I was sick and tired of everything

When I called you last night from Glasgow

8. And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind

Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in

9. I don’t want to see a ghost, it’s a sight that I fear most 

I’d rather have a piece of toast  (And watch the evening news)

10. But February made me shiver

With every paper I’d deliver

Celebrity picture round

Name the celebrity whose feature we’ve picked out. Features like screenshare are handy here, so you can pop the pictures into a powerpoint and let them see each one.

If you want to send this along first, make sure not to screenshot with the answers included.

1. Katy Perry

2. Richard Gere

3. Vladimir Putin

4. Anjelica Huston

5. Goldie Hawn

6. Trevor McDonald

7. Lorraine Kelly

8. Rihanna

9. Boy George

10. Ryan Reynolds

Sport

An easy one for the sports fans among you, but these questions might just trick those of us who aren’t glued to Match of the Day or the Olympics.

1. In which year did Maradona score his ‘hand of God’ goal?

1986

2. What is the name of the Barcelona football stadium?

Camp Nou

3. Who was the champion of the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005?

Lance Armstrong

4. Which football team were known as the ‘Biscuitmen’ up until the 1980s?

Reading

5. How many times has Michael Schumacher been a Formula 1 champion?

Seven

6. What is the highest points total in a season ever achieved by a team in the English Premier League?

100

7. Which American city is home to the following sports teams: Rockets, Astros, Texans, and Dynamo?

Houston, Texas

8. In 1950, India withdrew from the World Cup because FIFA refused to let them do what?

Play barefoot

9. In athletics, what’s the last event in a decathlon?

1500m

10. In which athletics event did Jess Ennis Hill win gold at London 2012?

Heptathlon

Name the song

For this round, read out the lyrics and the players have to say which song it’s from. We’ll also provide the artist, so you can do half a point for each, or give a bonus point for the artist in each question.

1. You know I’m just a fool who’s willing to sit around and wait for you.

Hopelessly Devoted to You, Olivia Newton-John

2. And it’s just like the ocean under the moon, oh it’s the same as the emotion that I get from you.

Smooth, Santana ft Rob Thomas

3. How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?

Blowin’ In The Wind, Bob Dylan

4. I could be your Buzz Lightyear, fly across the globe.

Boyfriend, Justin Bieber

5. You were content to let me shine, that’s your way. You always walked a step behind.

Wind Beneath My Wings, Better Midler

6. There’s a world outside your window, and it’s a world of dread and fear.

Do They Know It’s Christmas, Band Aid

7. I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited, but I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it.

Someone Like You, Adele

8. Remember those walls I built, well baby they’re tumbling down.

Halo, Beyonce

9. Got a little hometown jam, so they put a rifle in my hand.

Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen

10. Scoop, Muck and Dizzy, and Rolly too. Lofty and Wendy join the crew.

Can We Fix It?, Bob the Builder

Literature

Bookworms are sure to ace this one, but for theless well-read among us, it might not be as easy.

1. Holden Caulfield, an icon for teenage angst and rebellion, is a fictional character in which American literary classic?

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

2. Which author’s breakthrough book was decribed by Salman Rushdie as a ‘book so bad it makes bad books look good’?

Dan Brown

3. What do the two initials stand for in C. S. Lewis?

Clive Staples

4. The title of which D. H. Lawrence book is also a meteorological phenomenon?

The Rainbow

5. How old was Adrian Mole?

13 and three quarters

6. In which Dickens novel does Mr Micawber appear?

David Copperfield

7. What was Mary Ann Evans’ pen name?

George Eliot

8. Which is the longest of Shakespeare’s plays?

Hamlet

9. Aldous Huxley’s book Brave New World was banned in which country?

Ireland

10. At which railway station does one board the Hogwarts Express?

King’s Cross

Movies

This round is much like the others, so ask as normal and see how much of the silver screen your guests know.

1. Which American actor starred alongside Kim Basinger in the film Nine and a Half Weeks?

Mickey Rourke

2. I Saw the Light was a 2016 biopic of which country music legend?

Hank Williams

3. Who is Donald Sutherland’s actor son?

Kiefer

4. Which child actress played Susan Walker in the 1994 film version of Miracle on 34th Street, Matilda in the 1996 film version of Roald Dahl’s book of the same name ,and Natalie Hillard in Mrs Doubtfire?

Mara Wilson

5. Name three people who have played Spiderman in live-action films.

Three of: Nicholas Hammond, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Tom Holland

6. What is the name of the little dragon in the animated movie Mulan?

Mushu

7. How many Oscars did Titanic win?

Eleven

8. Who played Mrs Robinson in The Graduate?

Anne Bancroft

9. In The Matrix, does Neo take the blue pill or the red pill?

Red

10. Which pop vocal group performs at the wedding in Bridesmaids?

Wilson Phillips

Food and drink

If your favourite subject at school was lunch, this could be the round where you shine.

1. Name the Greek dip that features yoghurt, mint, and cucumber.

Tzatziki

2. Which type of pasta’s name means little worms?

Vermicelli

3. What’s the best selling flavour of Haagen Dazs ice cream?

Vanilla

4. What does CAMRA stand for?

The Campaign for Real Ale

5. In the UK we refer to them as baked beans, but what type of bean are they?

Haricot

6. In Italy, what is a Mortadella?

A sausage

7. With which bovine body part would you make Rocky Mountain oysters?

Testicles

8. You either love it or hate it, but what is Marmite made of?

Yeast extract

9. ‘Why have cotton when you can have silk?’ was used to advertise which chocolate bar?

Galaxy

10. In which country is the wine making region of the Yarra Valley?

Australia

Celebrity children

Test your celebrity knowledge with these questions. We’ve given you the first name or names of famous people’s children, and it’s your quizzers’ jobs to say who their parents are.

Go easy on them by only requiring the name of one parent, or offer bonus points for both.

1. Apple and Moses

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

2. Angel Iris

Eddie Murphy and Melanie Brown (Mel B)

3. Suri

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

4. Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, Buddy Bear Maurice, and River Rocket Blue Dallas

Jamie and Jools Oliver

5. Honey Kinney, Betty Kitten, Harvey Kirby

Jonathan Ross and Jane Goldman

6. Stormi

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott

7. Chester Marlon (also known as Chet) and Truman Theodore

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

8. Kaia Jordan and Presley Walker

Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber

9. Aimee, Kelly, and Jack

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

10. Malia and Sasha

Barack and Michelle Obama

Flags

Much like in the picture round, this one requires you to share the photos with your teams (screenshare is easy enough) for them to pick out the answers.

1. Uganda

2. New Zealand

3. Russia

4. Mexico

5. Sweden

6. Egypt

7. Croatia

8. Argentina

9. Saudi Arabia

10. Nigeria

UK politics

Brush up on your cabinet knowledge with these politics questions.

1. Which actor is Tony Blair’s father in law?

Anthony Booth

2. If an MP applies for the Chiltern Hundreds what are they doing?

Resigning

3. Who succeeded Neil Kinnock as Leader of the Labour Party?

John Smith

4 Who is the only woman to ever be selected as Speaker of the House of Commons?

Betty Boothroyd

5. Which position in the Conservative government did Theresa May hold prior to becoming Prime Minister?

Home Secretary

6. Since 2017 what parliamentary position has been held by Sarah Clarke?

Black Rod

7. Which politician once worked as a presenter on This Morning?

Anna Soubry

8. Who is currently the youngest MP currently in Parliament, coloquially known as the ‘baby of the house’?

Nadia Whittome

9. What do the following have in common: Eastleigh, Salisbury, Bexhill and Battle, South Thanet, Bromley and Chislehurst, and Buckingham?

Westminster seats that Nigel Farage has stood for (but failed to gain)

10. What colour are the seats in the House of Commons?

Green

Name the retro TV show

Use these hints to point you to some classic and retro TV shows.

1. One of the biggest storylines in this show was ‘Who shot JR?’.

Dallas

2. Airing in the 90s, this comedy showed the lives of Richard Richard and Edward Elizabeth Hitler.

Bottom

3. At the venue this show is set in ‘everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came’.

Cheers

4. Characters in this show include a dog called Eddie, a Mancunian carer called Daphne, and a character called Maris who’s never seen.

Frasier

5. This Liverpool-based soap ran for 21 years, finishing in 2003.

Brookside

6. The main characters in this show lived in a building called Nelson Mandela House.

Only Fools and Horses

7. ‘The Carlton dance’ that debuted in this show recently ended in a legal battle with Fortnite (which was later withdrawn) after they included it in their game.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

8. This hard-hitting children’s show saw actor Lee MacDonald playing a young boy with a heroin addiction, and spawned the song Just Say No.

Grange Hill

9. Bottles of Bollinger, bottles of Stolichnaya, and cigarettes would have been the main props used in this show.

Absolutely Fabulous

10. This show was where Ant and Dec met for the first time.

Byker Grove

Science and nature

Biology, chemistry, and physics are the name of the game here.

1. ‘Zr’ is the symbol for which chemical element?

Zirconium

2. Which type of creature is a barramundi?

Fish

3. Vanilla is a member of which plant family?

Orchid

4. How many ribs do humans have?

24

5. What is the body part the axilla also known as?

The armpit

6. Which geological era came first: Mesozoic, Paleozoic or Cenozoic?

Paleozoic

7. What is a Portuguese Man-o-War?

Jellyfish

8. What does an apiartist keep?

Bees

9. How many humps does a dromedary camel have?

One

10. What is the male part of the flower called?

The stamen

Who’s the artist?

If you studied sculpture at St Martin’s College you’ll have no problem naming the artists that created these famous works.

1. Everyone I Have Ever Slept With

Tracy Emin

2. The Return of the Prodigal Son

Rembrandt

3. The Kiss

Gustav Klimt

4. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

Frida Kahlo

5. The Scream

Edvard Munch

6. A Bigger Splash

David Hockney

7. Away from the Flock

Damien Hirst

8. Girl with a Pearl Earring

Johannes Vermeer

9. Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees

Yayoi Kusama

10. Remembering

Ai Weiwei

Famous landmarks

Intrepid travellers might have been to a few of these tourist hotspots. But can you name the cities that they’re all in?

1. The Valley of the Kings

Luxor, Egypt

2. St. Basil’s Cathedral

Moscow, Russia

3. The Little Mermaid sculpture

Copenhagen, Denmark

4. The Taj Mahal

Agra, India

5. Bran Castle

Transylvania, Romania

6. Sagrada Familia

Barcelona, Spain

7. Stonehenge

Wiltshire, England

8. Mount Rushmore

Keystone, South Dakota, USA

9. Table Mountain

Cape Town, South Africa

10. Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco, USA

What’s the connection?

For this round, you have to answer each question as normal, with the final question tying them all together.

1. What animal is the character from the Toy Story franchise called ‘Weezy’?

Penguin

2. What is the book that Douglas Adams is most famous for?

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

3. Which sporting event first took place on 29 March 1981?

The London Marathon

4. What was the occupation of Fred Housego, who won Mastermind in 1980?

Taxi Driver

5. Which band sang the songs Under the Boardwalk, Saturday Night at the Movies, and Save the Last Dance For Me?

The Drifters

6. Which character from The Wizard of Oz was looking for courage?

Lion

7. Which novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall featured Lieutenant William Bligh?

Mutiny on the Bounty

8. Name the film directed by Peter Weir that depicted three schoolgirls and their teacher mysteriously disappearing on Valentines Day in 1900.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

9. What is the name of the song that begins with the lyrics: ‘It’s a God-awful small affair to the girl with the mousy hair’?

Life on Mars

10. What is the connection between all these answers?

Chocolate bars

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