Trivia Questions for Adults (With Answers)

All 111 trivia questions for adults with answers

1. A sonnet traditionally has how many lines?

   Answer: FourteenShakespeare's version splits them into three quatrains and a closing couplet.General Knowledge

2. According to legend, Rome was founded by which twins?

   Answer: Romulus and RemusThe story has them suckled by a she-wolf before Romulus killed his brother and named the city after himself.General Knowledge

3. Genghis Khan founded which empire?

   Answer: Mongol EmpireAt his death in 1227 it already stretched from the Pacific coast to the Caspian Sea.General Knowledge

4. Istanbul straddles the boundary between which two continents?

   Answer: Europe and AsiaThe Bosphorus strait forms the dividing line through the city.Geography

5. Lake Titicaca lies on the border of Peru and which country?

   Answer: BoliviaIt is the highest lake in the world that large boats can navigate.Geography

6. Kilimanjaro stands in which country?

   Answer: TanzaniaIt is a dormant volcano and the highest free-standing mountain on land.Geography

7. A newton is the unit of what?

   Answer: ForceOne newton accelerates a one-kilogram mass by one metre per second every second.Science

8. An animal that eats only plants is described as what?

   Answer: HerbivoreMany have specialised guts or extra stomachs to break down cellulose.Science

9. After the Sun, which star is closest to Earth?

   Answer: Proxima CentauriIt lies about 4.2 light years away, a red dwarf too faint to see with the naked eye.Science

10. Apartheid was the official system of racial segregation in which country?

    Answer: South AfricaIt was dismantled through negotiations in the early 1990s.History

11. By legend, Rome was founded by which pair of brothers?

    Answer: Romulus and RemusThe story says a she-wolf raised the abandoned twins.History

12. Suleiman the Magnificent ruled which empire?

    Answer: The Ottoman EmpireHis sixteenth-century reign is treated as the empire's high point.History

13. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is set largely at what kind of business?

    Answer: A motelHitchcock shot it cheaply in black and white using his television crew.Movie

14. Casablanca is set in a city in which country?

    Answer: MoroccoCasablanca is Morocco's largest city; the film was shot in California.Movie

15. The 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a landmark of which movement?

    Answer: German ExpressionismDirected by Robert Wiene, it used painted, distorted sets to reflect its narrator's state of mind.Movie

16. How many musicians are in a string quartet?

    Answer: FourNormally two violins, a viola and a cello.Music

17. How many symphonies did Beethoven complete?

    Answer: NineSketches for a tenth exist, but he died in 1827 without finishing it.Music

18. Stradivarius instruments were made in which country?

    Answer: ItalyAntonio Stradivari worked in the northern Italian town of Cremona.Music

19. A group of ferrets is known as a what?

    Answer: A businessIt is thought to be a corruption of an older word, "busyness".Funny

20. A group of jellyfish is called a what?

    Answer: A smackA large seasonal gathering is also called a bloom.Funny

21. Brain freeze has a formal medical name. Which is it?

    Answer: Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgiaCold on the palate triggers a nerve bundle that refers the pain to your forehead.Funny

22. How long is a marathon?

    Answer: 42.195 kmThat is 26 miles 385 yards, a distance fixed at the 1908 London Games.Sports

23. How many minutes long is a standard NBA game?

    Answer: 48Four quarters of twelve minutes, longer than the forty-minute international game.Sports

24. The Ashes is a Test series contested between England and which country?

    Answer: AustraliaThe name comes from a mock obituary for English cricket printed in 1882.Sports

25. In which year did the Boston Tea Party take place?

    Answer: 1773Protesters dumped 342 chests of East India Company tea into the harbour.US History

26. Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in which state?

    Answer: PennsylvaniaThe speech lasted about two minutes at the dedication of a soldiers' cemetery.US History

27. The First Continental Congress met in 1774 in which city?

    Answer: PhiladelphiaDelegates gathered at Carpenters' Hall to respond to the Coercive Acts.US History

28. A group of geese in flight is called a what?

    Answer: SkeinOn the ground the same birds are a gaggle.Animal

29. A narwhal's long tusk is actually what?

    Answer: An elongated toothIt is a canine tooth that grows out through the upper lip, packed with nerves.Animal

30. Beetles belong to which insect order?

    Answer: ColeopteraThe name means sheath-wing, after their hardened forewings.Animal

31. Arborio is a well known variety of what?

    Answer: RiceIts high starch content is what makes risotto creamy without cream.Food and Drink

32. Broccoli, cauliflower and kale are all cultivated forms of which single wild species?

    Answer: Wild cabbageCenturies of selective breeding turned one plant into a whole vegetable aisle.Food and Drink

33. Saffron threads are which part of the crocus flower?

    Answer: StigmasEach flower yields three, which is why it is harvested by hand.Food and Drink

34. A triangle with all three sides equal is called what?

    Answer: EquilateralIts three angles must each be 60 degrees.Math

35. How many sides does a dodecagon have?

    Answer: TwelveThe same prefix appears in dodecahedron.MathWhy?

36. Rolling two fair six-sided dice, what is the probability the total is seven?

    Answer: 1 in 6Six of the thirty-six outcomes give seven, the most of any total.Math

37. A 1980 cliffhanger asking who shot J.R. came from which television drama?

    Answer: DallasThe resolution episode drew one of the largest US television audiences ever recorded.80s

38. Apple introduced the first Macintosh computer in which year?

    Answer: 1984Its launch advert ran during the Super Bowl and was directed by Ridley Scott.80s

39. Mr. T played which character in the television series The A-Team?

    Answer: B. A. BaracusThe initials stood for Bad Attitude, and the character famously refused to fly.80s

40. Beanie Babies, the collectable plush toys of the late 1990s, were made by which company?

    Answer: TyTy deliberately retired designs to drive a secondary collector market.90s

41. Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, was created at an institute in which country?

    Answer: ScotlandThe Roslin Institute near Edinburgh announced her existence in 1997.90s

42. Radiohead released the album OK Computer in which year?

    Answer: 1997Much of it was recorded in a country house in Bath rather than a studio.90s

43. Better Call Saul stands in what relationship to Breaking Bad?

    Answer: A prequelIt begins years before Breaking Bad, though later episodes catch up and pass it.TV

44. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was set in a Californian town called what?

    Answer: SunnydaleThe town sits over a portal the show called the Hellmouth.TV

45. Only Fools and Horses followed the Trotter brothers in which London district?

    Answer: PeckhamTheir tower block was named Nelson Mandela House.TV

46. A rich drink of eggs, cream, sugar and often spirits, popular at Christmas in North America, is called what?

    Answer: EggnogGlogg is the Nordic spiced wine, and wassail the older English spiced ale.Christmas

47. A traditional British Christmas pudding is usually set alight with which drink?

    Answer: BrandyThe alcohol burns off quickly, leaving a brief blue flame.Christmas

48. Handel's Messiah, now a Christmas concert staple, was first performed in which city?

    Answer: DublinThe 1742 premiere was a charity performance, and the work was written for Easter.Christmas

49. All Saints' Day falls on which date?

    Answer: November 1Halloween is its eve, and All Souls' Day follows on 2 November.Halloween

50. Halloween's roots are traced to which ancient festival?

    Answer: SamhainIt marked the turn from the light half of the year to the dark half.Halloween

51. What is the traditional Irish Halloween fruit loaf containing hidden charms called?

    Answer: BarmbrackFinding the ring in your slice was said to predict marriage.Halloween

52. What is the capital of Australia?

    Answer: CanberraIt was purpose-built between the two rivals that both wanted the title.World CapitalsWhy?

53. What is the capital of Brazil?

    Answer: BrasiliaIt was built inland in the 1950s and became the capital in 1960.World CapitalsWhy?

54. What is the capital of Kyrgyzstan?

    Answer: BishkekAlmaty is in neighbouring Kazakhstan and Dushanbe is in Tajikistan.World CapitalsWhy?

55. In Tangled, what is the name of the long-haired heroine?

    Answer: RapunzelThe 2010 film is Disney's take on the Grimm fairy tale.Disney

56. In what year did Walt Disney World open in Florida?

    Answer: 1971The Magic Kingdom opened in October 1971, five years after Walt Disney's death.Disney

57. Which Disney animated feature of 1937 to 1942 was based on a Felix Salten novel?

    Answer: BambiSalten's novel was published in Austria in 1923.Disney

58. What are the three Deathly Hallows?

    Answer: The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of InvisibilityThe legend behind them is told in The Tale of the Three Brothers.Harry Potter

59. What is the name of Hagrid's giant spider?

    Answer: AragogFang is his boarhound and Buckbeak the hippogriff.Harry Potter

60. Which character keeps a pet toad named Trevor?

    Answer: Neville LongbottomNeville loses him repeatedly in the early books.Harry Potter

61. Which 2008 film launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

    Answer: Iron ManThe Incredible Hulk followed later the same year.Marvel

62. Which actor played Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

    Answer: Chris EvansEvans had earlier played the Human Torch in two Fantastic Four films.Marvel

63. Which actor played Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

    Answer: Benedict CumberbatchBenedict Wong plays the separate character Wong.Marvel

64. How many sons of Jacob give their names to the tribes of Israel?

    Answer: TwelveJoseph's portion is usually counted through his two sons.Bible

65. Which apostle is described in Acts as being converted on the road to Damascus?

    Answer: PaulHe is called Saul before the episode.Bible

66. Which empire is described in the Old Testament as taking the people of Judah into exile?

    Answer: BabylonThe exile follows the fall of Jerusalem in the sixth century BC.Bible

67. Coldplay's debut album, released in 2000, was called what?

    Answer: ParachutesIt won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.2000s

68. Microsoft entered the console market in 2001 with which machine?

    Answer: XboxIts online service, Xbox Live, followed a year later.2000s

69. Blizzard released which massively multiplayer game in 2004?

    Answer: World of WarcraftIt grew out of the earlier Warcraft strategy series.2000s

70. Apple Computer was founded in which year?

    Answer: 1976Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne signed the founding papers.70s

71. Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon in which year?

    Answer: 1973It stayed on the US album chart for well over a decade.70s

72. The 1973 oil crisis followed an embargo declared by which group of countries?

    Answer: Arab members of OPECFuel rationing and speed limits followed in several countries.70s

73. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on which day?

    Answer: The second Monday of OctoberIt gives Canadians a three-day weekend in mid-autumn.Thanksgiving

74. In the American South, which grain commonly replaces bread in the stuffing?

    Answer: CornbreadThe dish is usually baked separately and called dressing there.Thanksgiving

75. Since 1970, a National Day of Mourning has been held each Thanksgiving in which town?

    Answer: Plymouth, MassachusettsIt is organised by United American Indians of New England.Thanksgiving

76. Brazil's lovers' day, Dia dos Namorados, falls in which month?

    Answer: JuneIt is tied to the eve of Saint Anthony's day instead.Valentine's Day

77. In which country is 14 February celebrated as Friend's Day?

    Answer: FinlandCards there are commonly sent to friends rather than partners.Valentine's Day

78. In Denmark, anonymous joking rhymes sent for the day are called what?

    Answer: GaekkebrevThe sender signs only with dots, one for each letter of their name.Valentine's Day

79. A safety, scored when the ball carrier is downed in his own end zone, is worth how many points?

    Answer: TwoThe scoring team also receives the ball via a free kick.NFL

80. Arrowhead Stadium is home to which franchise?

    Answer: Kansas City ChiefsAll four were once AFC West rivals, but only Kansas City plays there.NFL

81. In Super Bowl LI, New England overcame a deficit of how many points?

    Answer: Twenty-fiveThey trailed Atlanta twenty-eight to three before forcing the first Super Bowl overtime.NFL

82. A corner kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line after last touching whom?

    Answer: A defending playerIf an attacker touched it last, the defense gets a goal kick instead.Soccer

83. A goalkeeper who finishes a match without conceding is said to have kept what?

    Answer: A clean sheetThe phrase comes from a scoresheet left unmarked.Soccer

84. Playing the ball through an opponent's legs is known by which nickname?

    Answer: A nutmegThe other three names all describe particular kicking or turning techniques.Soccer

85. How long is the Olympic marathon?

    Answer: 26 miles and 385 yardsThe odd distance was fixed after the 1908 London course was extended.Olympics

86. How many events make up the modern pentathlon?

    Answer: FiveThe name comes from the Greek for five contests.Olympics

87. What did winners at the ancient Olympics receive as their prize?

    Answer: A wreath of olive branchesThe laurel crown belonged to the Pythian Games at Delphi instead.Olympics

88. Between which two dates can Easter fall in the Gregorian calendar?

    Answer: March 22 and April 25The extremes are rare; most Easters cluster in early April.Easter

89. Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on which day?

    Answer: Good FridayThe cross on top is why they belong to that day.Easter

90. Quadragesima is the Latin name for which season?

    Answer: LentIt simply means fortieth, after the length of the fast.Easter

91. Almost every Friends episode title begins with which two words?

    Answer: "The One"The convention imitates how viewers describe episodes to each other; the pilot and the finale are the main exceptions.Friends

92. Chandler eventually quits his corporate job and starts again as an intern in which industry?

    Answer: AdvertisingHe takes an unpaid advertising internship in season nine after years in data analysis.Friends

93. In the later seasons Rachel works in fashion for which real company?

    Answer: Ralph LaurenShe is headhunted from Bloomingdale's, and a Louis Vuitton job offer in Paris drives the final season.Friends

94. Andy Bernard was played by which actor?

    Answer: Ed HelmsAndy arrives with the Stamford branch merger in season three.The Office

95. Andy repeatedly calls Jim by which nickname?

    Answer: Big TunaThe name comes from a tuna sandwich Jim ate on Andy's first day at Scranton.The Office

96. Erin Hannon was played by which actress?

    Answer: Ellie KemperErin arrives as the replacement receptionist after Pam moves into sales.The Office

97. Anakin Skywalker in the second and third prequel films was played by which actor?

    Answer: Hayden ChristensenChristensen took the role for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.Star Wars

98. Cloud City hangs in the atmosphere of which planet?

    Answer: BespinIt is a tibanna gas mining colony administered by Lando.Star Wars

99. Qui-Gon Jinn was played by which actor?

    Answer: Liam NeesonQui-Gon is Obi-Wan's master and dies at the end of The Phantom Menace.Star Wars

100. Besides Frodo and Sam, which two hobbits join the Fellowship?

     Answer: Merry and PippinTheir full names are Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took.Lord of the Rings

101. Boromir was played by which actor in the films?

     Answer: Sean BeanBoromir dies at the end of the first film, defending Merry and Pippin.Lord of the Rings

102. In the book, which Elf-lord carries the wounded Frodo to the Ford, a role given to Arwen in the film?

     Answer: GlorfindelArwen barely appears in the narrative of the novel, so the films expanded her considerably.Lord of the Rings

103. After gaining possession in the backcourt, how many seconds does a team have to advance the ball past halfcourt?

     Answer: EightThe NBA cut the old ten-second rule to eight in 2001 to speed play up.NBA

104. Before moving to Salt Lake City in 1979, the Utah Jazz played in which city?

     Answer: New OrleansThe jazz nickname made much more sense in Louisiana and simply travelled with the club.NBA

105. Chase Center is the home arena of which NBA team?

     Answer: Golden State WarriorsIt opened in San Francisco's Mission Bay district in 2019.NBA

106. A pitcher who finishes a game without allowing a single hit has thrown a what?

     Answer: No-hitterA perfect game is stricter still: no hits, no walks and no baserunners at all.Baseball

107. How far is the pitcher's rubber from the back point of home plate?

     Answer: 60 feet 6 inchesThe distance was set in 1893 and has not changed since.Baseball

108. How many stitches are there on a regulation Major League baseball?

     Answer: 108The two figure-eight leather panels are sewn together by hand with waxed red thread.Baseball

109. Death Valley lies mostly within which state?

     Answer: CaliforniaA small eastern portion of the national park crosses into Nevada.US States

110. Frankfort is the capital of which state?

     Answer: KentuckyLouisville and Lexington are both far larger cities.US States

111. Jefferson City is the capital of which state?

     Answer: MissouriIt was named for Thomas Jefferson and laid out specifically to be a capital.US States