100 trivia categories, each with a sample question

How to pick trivia categories for a mixed office crowd

The best trivia topics for work give every team a round they can win. Six rules that get you there:

1. 1Three broad, one niche, one local. Three categories anyone can play, like geography, food and general knowledge. Add one niche topic and one about your company or city.
2. 2Mix the decades. A round tied to one decade rewards one slice of the room. Pair a 1980s round with a 2000s one, or stick to timeless topics.
3. 3Skip expensive hobbies. Golf courses, luxury brands and far-flung travel favor the people who can afford them. Everyday topics keep every team in it.
4. 4Leave politics and religion out. Also skip breaking news and anything that sorts people into sides. Trivia should be the easiest hour of the week.
5. 5Open every round with a gimme. Put one easy question first in each category so every team scores early and keeps trying.
6. 6Let each team pick one. Offer a shortlist of eight and let every team choose a category. People play harder for a round they picked.

Need the questions too? Start with our 100 trivia questions and answers or the 150 pop culture trivia questions, sorted from easy to hard.

6 round structures that work

Categories decide what the questions are about. The structure decides how the night feels.

1. 1. The classic five

   Five rounds of ten questions, one category each. With scoring and banter it fills 60 to 75 minutes. Spin the five above and you are halfway there.

2. 2. The picture sandwich

   Round 1 general knowledge, round 2 a picture round, round 3 a written category, round 4 an audio round, round 5 a final. People who read and people who listen both get their moment.

3. 3. Category draft

   Put eight categories on a board. Teams take turns picking one, and each pick is played right away. The last team to pick chooses first next time.

4. 4. Joker round

   Before the first question, every team secretly marks one category for double points. Teams that know their strengths get rewarded, and the standings stay close.

5. 5. Lightning finish

   End with 20 questions that each have a one-word answer, ten seconds apiece, all from one category. Fast rounds bring trailing teams back into it.

6. 6. Theme night

   All five categories from one theme. For a fall quiz: Halloween, fall, candy, Thanksgiving and a picture round of costume close-ups.

For scoring, timing and a printable score sheet, read how to host a trivia night. Running it remotely? These Zoom trivia game ideas cover the setup.

Topics for Kahoot and other quiz apps

Quiz apps ask short, timed, multiple-choice questions on everyone’s phone. These 12 Kahoot subjects fit that format best, and they work in any other quiz app too:

• Flags of the world
• Capital cities
• Logos and slogans
• Animal facts
• Space and planets
• Food around the world
• Famous inventions
• Spelling and grammar
• Holidays and traditions
• Sports rules
• Your company's history
• Your team's own fun facts

Writing questions for a quiz app

• Keep each question short enough to read in five seconds. Quiz apps run on a timer.
• Make all four answer options believable, or the question gives itself away.
• Use one picture question every few slides to change the pace.

Kahoot! is a trademark of Kahoot! ASA. KraftyLab is not affiliated with Kahoot!; this page is an independent list of quiz topics.