Pub Quiz Questions and Answers

Pick a pack, print it, and use the separate answer sheet for marking. Rounds are sorted by category and difficulty.

Pack 1Pack 2Pack 3

Round 1: General Knowledge

  1. What is the largest organ of the human body? (Easy)
  2. In which month is Bonfire Night celebrated in the UK? (Easy)
  3. What does the 'BBC' stand for? (Medium)
  4. How many bones are there in the adult human body? (Medium)
  5. Which word describes a word that reads the same backwards as forwards? (Medium)
  6. Which is the longest bone in the human body? (Medium)
  7. What is the most common surname in the United Kingdom? (Medium)
  8. How many hearts does an octopus have? (Medium)
  9. How many pence were in an old pre-decimal pound? (Hard)
  10. Which chemical element has the symbol W? (Hard)

Round 2: History

  1. Which Roman emperor ordered a wall to be built across northern Britain in AD 122? (Easy)
  2. In which year did the Second World War end? (Easy)
  3. What was the surname of the sisters who wrote Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights? (Easy)
  4. In which year did women in the UK first vote in a general election? (Medium)
  5. What was the Roman name for London? (Medium)
  6. Who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815? (Medium)
  7. Who was Lord Protector of England after the Civil War? (Medium)
  8. Which English queen was executed in 1536 on the orders of her husband? (Medium)
  9. Which Prime Minister founded the Metropolitan Police in 1829, giving us the word 'bobbies'? (Hard)
  10. Which English king was executed in 1649? (Hard)

Round 3: Geography

  1. What is the capital city of Scotland? (Easy)
  2. Which ocean lies between Europe and North America? (Easy)
  3. What is the capital of Wales? (Easy)
  4. What is the capital of France? (Easy)
  5. Which city is known as the 'Granite City'? (Medium)
  6. How many countries make up the United Kingdom? (Medium)
  7. Which mountain range separates Europe from Asia? (Medium)
  8. Which desert is the largest hot desert in the world? (Medium)
  9. Which is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area? (Medium)
  10. Lake Titicaca lies on the border of Peru and which other country? (Hard)

Round 4: Science

  1. What gas do plants absorb from the air for photosynthesis? (Easy)
  2. What is the largest planet in our Solar System? (Easy)
  3. Which blood cells help fight infection? (Medium)
  4. What is the pH of pure water at 25°C? (Medium)
  5. What is the speed of light, approximately? (Medium)
  6. What is the chemical symbol for sodium? (Medium)
  7. What is the most abundant element in Earth's crust? (Hard)
  8. How many chromosomes do humans normally have in each body cell? (Hard)
  9. Which Scottish inventor demonstrated the first working television in 1926? (Hard)
  10. Which part of the brain is mainly responsible for balance and coordination? (Hard)

Round 5: Sport

  1. Which team sport has positions called 'wing attack' and 'goal defence'? (Easy)
  2. How many balls are there in a standard over in cricket? (Easy)
  3. How long is a marathon? (Medium)
  4. Which football club plays home games at Anfield? (Medium)
  5. Which boat race is rowed on the Thames between two universities? (Medium)
  6. How many points is a try worth in rugby union? (Medium)
  7. Where is the Grand National horse race run? (Medium)
  8. Which sport uses the terms 'stone', 'house' and 'sweeping'? (Medium)
  9. Which horse race is known as 'The Derby' and is run at Epsom? (Hard)
  10. What is the score of a 'deuce' in tennis? (Hard)

Round 6: Music

  1. Which instrument has 88 keys? (Easy)
  2. Which section of the orchestra does the trumpet belong to? (Easy)
  3. Which band was Freddie Mercury the lead singer of? (Easy)
  4. What was David Bowie's alter ego in 1972? (Medium)
  5. How many lines are there on a musical stave? (Medium)
  6. Which singer was born Reginald Dwight? (Medium)
  7. Which Manchester band released 'Blue Monday' in 1983? (Medium)
  8. Which composer wrote 'Water Music' for King George I? (Hard)
  9. Which Kate Bush song begins with 'Out on the wiley, windy moors'? (Hard)
  10. Which band released 'Parklife' in 1994? (Hard)

Round 7: Film & TV

  1. In which city was the Doctor Who spin-off 'Torchwood' mainly set? (Medium)
  2. Which film won the first ever Academy Award for Best Picture? (Medium)
  3. Who played Mary Poppins in the 1964 film? (Medium)
  4. Which hotel was run by Basil Fawlty? (Medium)
  5. Which film features the line 'May the Force be with you'? (Medium)
  6. Who directed the films 'Jaws' and 'E.T.'? (Medium)
  7. Which British studio made 'Chicken Run'? (Hard)
  8. In the 1966 TV series, who played Batman? (Hard)
  9. What was the first feature-length animated film by Disney? (Hard)
  10. Who directed 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)? (Hard)

Round 8: Food & Drink

  1. Which pie is made with minced lamb topped with mashed potato? (Easy)
  2. What is the main ingredient of a traditional Yorkshire pudding batter, besides eggs and milk? (Easy)
  3. Which nut is used to make marzipan? (Easy)
  4. Which herb is the main ingredient of pesto? (Medium)
  5. What is the Japanese dish of raw fish served without rice? (Medium)
  6. Which county is Cheddar cheese originally from? (Medium)
  7. Which cut of beef is used for a traditional Beef Wellington? (Medium)
  8. What is the name of the Spanish cold soup made from raw vegetables? (Medium)
  9. Which Lancashire town is famous for its cakes made with currants in flaky pastry? (Hard)
  10. Stilton cheese can legally be made in which three English counties? (Hard)

Answer sheet – Pack 1

Round 1: General Knowledge

  1. The skin – Skin covers the whole body and is counted as its largest organ.
  2. November – Bonfire Night falls on 5 November, marking the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
  3. British Broadcasting Corporation – It became the British Broadcasting Corporation under a Royal Charter in 1927.
  4. 206 – Babies have around 300 bones, many of which fuse to make 206.
  5. Palindrome – Words like "level" and "racecar" are palindromes.
  6. Femur – The femur, or thigh bone, is the longest and strongest bone.
  7. Smith – Smith has long been the most common surname in the UK.
  8. 3 – Octopuses have two gill hearts and one systemic heart.
  9. 240 – There were 20 shillings of 12 pence, making 240 pence.
  10. Tungsten – W comes from wolfram, the old German-derived name for tungsten.

Round 2: History

  1. Hadrian – Hadrian's Wall ran 73 miles from the Solway Firth to the Tyne.
  2. 1945 – The war ended in Europe in May 1945 and in the Pacific in September 1945.
  3. Brontë – Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre and Emily wrote Wuthering Heights, both in 1847.
  4. 1918 – Some women over 30 gained the vote in 1918; equal voting age followed in 1928.
  5. Londinium – Eboracum was York, Deva was Chester and Camulodunum was Colchester.
  6. The Duke of Wellington – Wellington led the allied army with Prussian support under Blücher.
  7. Oliver Cromwell – Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector from 1653 to 1658.
  8. Anne Boleyn – Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, was beheaded at the Tower of London.
  9. Robert Peel – Robert Peel founded the force as Home Secretary, before he became Prime Minister.
  10. Charles I – Charles I was beheaded outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

Round 3: Geography

  1. Edinburgh – Edinburgh has been Scotland's capital since the 15th century.
  2. Atlantic – The Atlantic is the world's second-largest ocean.
  3. Cardiff – Cardiff was officially made the capital of Wales in 1955.
  4. Paris – Paris has been France's capital for most of its history.
  5. Aberdeen – Many of Aberdeen's buildings are made of local grey granite.
  6. 4 – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  7. Ural Mountains – The Urals run north to south through western Russia.
  8. Sahara – The Sahara covers most of North Africa.
  9. Loch Lomond – Loch Lomond is largest by area; Loch Ness holds the most water.
  10. Bolivia – It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world.

Round 4: Science

  1. Carbon dioxide – Plants use carbon dioxide, water and light to make sugars.
  2. Jupiter – Jupiter is more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined.
  3. White blood cells – White blood cells are a key part of the immune system.
  4. 7 – A pH of 7 is neutral.
  5. 300,000 km per second – Light travels at about 299,792 km per second in a vacuum.
  6. Na – Na comes from natrium, sodium's Latin name.
  7. Oxygen – Oxygen makes up nearly half the crust by mass, mostly in rocks.
  8. 46 – Humans have 23 pairs, making 46 chromosomes.
  9. John Logie Baird – Baird gave a public demonstration in London in January 1926.
  10. Cerebellum – The cerebellum sits at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum.

Round 5: Sport

  1. Netball – Netball positions are marked by letters on players' bibs.
  2. 6 – An over consists of six legal deliveries.
  3. 26.2 miles – The marathon is 26 miles 385 yards, or 42.195 km.
  4. Liverpool – Liverpool have played at Anfield since 1892.
  5. The Boat Race – Oxford and Cambridge have raced each other since 1829.
  6. 5 – A try has been worth five points in rugby union since 1992.
  7. Aintree – The Grand National is run at Aintree, near Liverpool.
  8. Curling – Curlers slide granite stones towards the house, a target on the ice.
  9. The Derby – The Epsom Derby was first run in 1780.
  10. 40–40 – At deuce a player must win two points in a row to take the game.

Round 6: Music

  1. Piano – A standard modern piano has 88 keys.
  2. Brass – Trumpets, trombones, horns and tubas make up the brass section.
  3. Queen – Freddie Mercury fronted Queen from 1970 until his death in 1991.
  4. Ziggy Stardust – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust was released in 1972.
  5. 5 – Notes are written on and between the five lines of a stave.
  6. Elton John – Elton John was born in Pinner, Middlesex, in 1947.
  7. New Order – Blue Monday became the best-selling 12-inch single of all time.
  8. Handel – Handel's Water Music was first performed on the Thames in 1717.
  9. Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush wrote it at 18, and it reached number one in 1978.
  10. Blur – Parklife was Blur's third studio album.

Round 7: Film & TV

  1. Cardiff – Torchwood's hub was beneath Cardiff Bay.
  2. Wings – Wings won at the first ceremony in 1929.
  3. Julie Andrews – Julie Andrews won the Oscar for Best Actress for the role.
  4. Fawlty Towers – John Cleese played Basil in just 12 episodes.
  5. Star Wars – The original Star Wars was released in 1977.
  6. Steven Spielberg – Spielberg made Jaws in 1975 and E.T. in 1982.
  7. Aardman Animations – Aardman is based in Bristol.
  8. Adam West – Burt Ward played Robin alongside Adam West.
  9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Snow White was released in 1937.
  10. David Lean – David Lean also directed Doctor Zhivago and Brief Encounter.

Round 8: Food & Drink

  1. Shepherd's pie – Shepherd's pie uses lamb; cottage pie uses beef.
  2. Flour – Yorkshire pudding batter is flour, eggs and milk.
  3. Almond – Marzipan is made from ground almonds and sugar.
  4. Basil – Classic Genovese pesto is basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil.
  5. Sashimi – Sushi involves vinegared rice; sashimi is just sliced raw fish.
  6. Somerset – It is named after the village of Cheddar in Somerset.
  7. Fillet – Beef fillet is coated in mushroom duxelles and wrapped in pastry.
  8. Gazpacho – Gazpacho comes from Andalusia in southern Spain.
  9. Eccles – Eccles and Chorley both have cakes, but Eccles cakes use flaky pastry.
  10. Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire – Ironically, it cannot be made in the village of Stilton in Cambridgeshire.

Printable quiz packs

Each pack has several themed rounds with questions marked easy, medium or hard, followed by an answer sheet with short explanations, so the quizmaster can settle arguments. Use the Print button for a clean printout without the website around it.

Tips for running a pub quiz

  • Mix easy and hard questions in every round so everyone stays involved.
  • Read each question twice and give a set time to answer.
  • Swap answer sheets between teams for marking.
  • Add a picture or music round for variety.
  • Keep a tie-breaker question ready (for example “How many…?” closest wins).

Frequently asked questions

Are the pub quiz questions free to use?

Yes, for pub, school, club and charity quiz nights.

How many questions are in a pack?

Each pack has several rounds of questions across different categories, plus a full answer sheet.