Quizzes - A guide to quizzes

Quizzing is a quiz game in which participants answer questions to accumulate points and determine a winner. It can take many forms - from TV programmes and pub nights to family parties, teaching and digital apps. The basic idea is always the same: someone asks questions, others try to answer, and the result is both entertaining and brain-teasing.

Quizzes can be customised to suit almost any situation. It can be a simple quiz walk, a multi-round pub night with music and picture rounds, or sophisticated TV productions with big prizes. At the centre is the combination of knowledge, guessing, strategy and excitement as the answers are revealed.

History and development

• Quizzes have their roots in old riddles, parlour games and academic duels. As early as the 19th century, newspapers and associations organised quizzes, often as crossword-like challenges or knowledge tests.
• With the advent of radio and television in the 20th century, quizzes quickly became popular. Radio quiz shows attracted listeners who followed the contestants' struggle for honour, glory and prizes. As television became more mainstream, the genre grew further with quick answers, knockout duels and well-known hosts.
• In Sweden, quiz shows have had a strong presence in both public service and commercial television. Simple forms such as quiz walks have been popular in public parks, schools and sports clubs, while more advanced formats have inspired pub quizzes and digital games.
• The 21st century has seen the digitalisation of quizzes. Apps, web platforms and social media make it possible to participate remotely, play against friends or strangers and create your own question banks. At the same time, the classic pub quiz night has enjoyed a renaissance, with projectors, mobile submission of answers and live scoreboards.

Interested in similar topics? Read about Quizzes  here.

Common formats

Whiskers come in many formats, but some recur frequently:

• Pub quiz/quiz night: Teams of 2-6 people answer questions in several rounds and submit answers in writing or digitally. Questions can be general educational or thematic, often with music or car rounds.
• Tip walk: participants walk a course of questions and mark answers on a tip sheet (A, B or C). Common in schools, associations and family parties.
• Quick quiz: the presenter asks verbal questions, and participants respond by raising their hands, pressing buttons or answering aloud. Time is often limited for pace and excitement.
• Personalised online quiz: Players respond via app or web, and the system scores and compares with others on leaderboards.
• Team-based competition: In the workplace or school, quizzes are used for team building or teaching, where teams discuss answers together.
• Each format can be varied in length, difficulty, scoring system and number of rounds. A typical pub night has 3-5 rounds with 8-12 questions per round, plus a knock-out question. Digital quizzes can be faster paced with shorter questions and instant scoring.

Topics and types of questions

Pimples can cover almost any topic:

• General education: History, geography, culture and society.
• Sport: Major tournaments and records.
• Music: Guess the song, artist or year from short clips.
• Film and TV: Quotes, actors and year of premiere.
• Science and technology: facts and discoveries.
• Pop culture: celebrities, social media and current phenomena.
• Food, drink and destinations: Sometimes linked to the pub or venue.

Questions can be:

• Multiple choice questions: choose from options.
• Open questions: Answer yourself, e.g. year or name.
• Picture questions: Identify the subject.
• Music questions: Guess the song, artist or year.
• True or false: quick claims, often as a warm-up.
• The combination of different types makes squinting dynamic and fun.
• Squinting in social contexts
• Pimples are popular in bars, restaurants and community centres. It gives participants an active social experience and can create regulars. During a pub night: teams gather, order food and drinks, receive questionnaires or digital code. The quizmaster leads, reads questions, plays clips and keeps track of scores.
• Kviss are also used for team building, family reunions and other social events. Team members contribute with different knowledge, making everyone involved. Local issues strengthen the community.

Scoring system and structure

A well-planned quizzes requires a clear structure:

• Introduction of the quizmaster, rules and answer method.
• Easy round to get you started.
• 1-2 medium rounds with mixed topics or themes.
• Music or car tour.
• Final round with more difficult questions and a knockout question.
• Judging, scoring and awarding of prizes.
• The scoring system should be clear: usually 1 point per correct answer, bonus points for full pot or difficult questions. In digital quizzes, speed can give extra points.

Digital squeegee and interactive tools

• Digitalisation has made quizzes flexible. Apps and web systems allow live scoring, sound and images, and remote participation. Many combine analogue and digital quiz with streaming, projector and online forms.
• Individuals can play apps anytime, challenge friends or practice for pub quizzes. Niche apps focus on films, sports or music, while broad apps are updated daily.

Creating your own biscuit

Creating pimples is easy but requires planning:

• Determine the target group and level of difficulty.
• Choose mixed questions or themes (film, sport, music, local history).
• Make more questions than necessary.
• Test on reference person.
• Have clear facts with short explanations.
• Think dramaturgy: easy start, more challenging middle, end with a mix of tricky and easy. Tie-breaker question used in case of equal scores.

Advantages of biscuits

• Quizzes provide entertainment, mental exercise and social interaction. It trains memory, broadens general education and strengthens co-operation and communication. Wrong guesses and unexpected facts lead to laughter and discussion. Schools can use squiggles for rehearsal and learning.
• Variations and themes
• Kviss can be customised according to culture, language and interests:
• Film trivia: Classics and Oscars.
• Music wise: Specific decade or genre.
• Sports: Major championships or local teams.
• Christmas quiz: general knowledge + festive questions.
• Speciality: Role-playing games, comic books, science fiction.

The format and level of difficulty can be adjusted for children, mixed groups or international participants. Kviss can be combined with live music, sports or literary events.

Quizzes are simple at their core: questions are asked, answers are given, points are awarded. Around this core is a rich culture of pub quizzes, TV programmes, apps and home games. Generating laughter, discussion and new discoveries, Quizzes offer the timeless joy of guessing, waiting for the answer and sharing the experience with others.