— GUIDE —

Quiz question ideas for live streams.

The best quiz questions for a live stream are short, multiple-choice questions on topics everyone can have a go at: music, general knowledge, TV and film, food and drink, picture questions and mixed rounds. Viewers can read them in a second and answer by typing A, B, C or D, so everyone joins in, not just the experts.

The rules

What makes a good live quiz question?

  • Keep it short. Viewers are reading on a phone while the clock runs. If a question takes more than a few seconds to read, people give up.
  • Use multiple choice. Four options (A, B, C, D) mean everyone can answer quickly with a single letter, and nobody is stuck on spelling.
  • Have one clear answer. Avoid questions where two options could be argued as right. Arguments slow the show down.
  • Make the wrong options believable. Good wrong answers make people think. Silly ones make the question too easy.
  • Mix easy and hard. Easy questions keep newcomers playing, and the odd tough one gives your regulars something to brag about.
  • Avoid anything that dates fast or upsets people. Leave out current events that change week to week, and anything divisive.
6 topics

What topics work best on a live?

Six topics that always work, with example questions you can use straight away (correct answers ticked).

1. Music

Music gets the chat talking because everyone has an opinion. Mix decades so every age group gets a turn.

  • Which band released “Wonderwall”?
    A) Blur  B) Oasis ✓  C) Pulp  D) Coldplay
  • How many members were in the Spice Girls?
    A) 4  B) 5 ✓  C) 6  D) 3
  • How many keys does a standard piano have?
    A) 76  B) 88 ✓  C) 92  D) 64

2. General knowledge

The backbone of any quiz. Great for warm-up rounds because anyone can have a go.

  • What is the capital of Australia?
    A) Sydney  B) Melbourne  C) Canberra ✓  D) Perth
  • How many sides does a hexagon have?
    A) 5  B) 6 ✓  C) 7  D) 8
  • Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
    A) Venus  B) Jupiter  C) Mars ✓  D) Saturn

3. TV and film

Shared memories make for great chat between questions, like “who remembers this one?”.

  • In which city is the TV series “Friends” set?
    A) Los Angeles  B) Chicago  C) New York ✓  D) Boston
  • What is the name of the wizarding school in Harry Potter?
    A) Hogwarts ✓  B) Durmstrang  C) Beauxbatons  D) Ilvermorny
  • In “Finding Nemo”, what kind of fish is Nemo?
    A) Clownfish ✓  B) Pufferfish  C) Goldfish  D) Angelfish

4. Food and drink

Everyone eats, so everyone can play, and it sparks plenty of “I love that!” in the chat.

  • Which country does paella come from?
    A) Italy  B) Portugal  C) Spain ✓  D) Mexico
  • What is the main ingredient in guacamole?
    A) Pea  B) Avocado ✓  C) Cucumber  D) Lime
  • Which nut is used to make marzipan?
    A) Walnut  B) Hazelnut  C) Almond ✓  D) Cashew

5. Picture questions

Pictures work brilliantly on a live because everyone sees the same thing at once. Ideas that always go down well:

  • Logos with the name hidden
  • Famous landmarks, or a close-up crop of one
  • Flags
  • Zoomed-in everyday objects (“what is it?”)
  • Album covers or film posters with the title covered

6. Mixed rounds

A question from each topic keeps everyone guessing and gives every viewer a round they're strong in. Mixed rounds are a great way to finish a night.

Difficulty

How do you pitch the difficulty?

  • Start easy. The first few questions should be ones most people get right. It warms up the chat and welcomes newcomers.
  • Build up gradually. Make each round a little harder than the last, so the leaderboard starts to separate.
  • Save the hardest for the end. A tough final question keeps people watching to the last second. On the @quizgameslive Monday quiz, the night ends with “The One Question”, a brain teaser worth triple points (see how to run a pub quiz on TikTok Live).
  • Watch the chat. If almost nobody is getting them right, ease off. If everyone is, turn it up.

Writing questions takes time. In QuizGames Live you can type a topic into the AI Quiz Builder and it drafts a full set of multiple-choice questions, ready for you to check and edit.

Real lives

From our own lives.

On the @quizgameslive lives, the topics the chat loves most are music, general knowledge, TV and film, food and drink, picture questions and mixed rounds. What works best is simple: short questions and multiple choice. Viewers can read them at a glance and answer in a single tap, so the whole chat joins in.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

How many questions should a live quiz have?

A round of 5 to 10 questions works well, and a full show of around 30 gives you a proper night with a big finish.

Should live quiz questions be multiple choice?

For a live, yes. Four options let everyone answer quickly with a single letter, and nobody loses out on spelling.

Where can I find quiz questions for my live?

Write your own around topics your audience loves, or use the AI Quiz Builder in QuizGames Live to draft a set from any topic, then check and edit it.

How hard should live quiz questions be?

Start easy so everyone can join in, build up through the rounds, and save the hardest question for the end.

Can I use pictures in a live quiz?

Yes. Picture questions work brilliantly on a live because everyone sees the same image at once. QuizGames Live lets you add images to your questions.

More guides: 12 live quiz formats for streamers · how to run a pub quiz on TikTok Live · all guides

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