12 Great Gifts for Trivia Buffs

12 Great Gifts for Trivia Buffs

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Some people live for the thrill of hearing a trivia question—be it in a bar, during a board game, on a quiz show, or elsewhere—and knowing the answer immediately. Here are 12 gifts, from books to games and beyond, that will help them hone their skills and share that thrill with others.

1. The Ultimate Book of Pub Trivia by the Smartest Guy in the Bar; $13

the ultimate book of pub trivia cover

Become the smartest in the bar. | Workman Publishing Company/Amazon

The self-proclaimed “smartest guy in the bar” is Jeopardy! champion and longtime pub trivia host Austin Rogers, which does make him uniquely qualified to write a book filled with entertaining trivia. This one has more than 300 10-question rounds whose categories run the gamut from catch-all (e.g. “Random Stuff You Might Know”) to extremely esoteric (e.g. “Hudson Valley, New York”). There’s also a sidebar on each page featuring even more fun facts.

Buy it: Amazon

2. Wit’s End; $40

wit's end board game

Don’t be at your wit’s end. | Game Development Group/Amazon

Wit’s End is a board game in which players (or teams) compete to reach the center of the board first. Each space you land on corresponds to one of four types of trivia questions: “Teaser,” where you solve a riddle; “Odd-1-Out,” where you choose the item that doesn’t belong in a given group; “Sequence,” which asks you to put items in a certain order; and “Wild Card,” which speaks for itself. It’s a great gift “Think You Know It All?” is a challenging activity for those who enjoy testing their general knowledge. It takes a deep dive into various topics, such as naming all 12 birthstones, all 38 Shakespeare plays, or all the James Bond films in order. Similar to a crossword puzzle, you can start this activity alone and then seek help from others to fill in any missing information. It’s perfect for those who love Sporcle and miss the days of completing workbooks in grade school. All of these are well-known classics, making the guessing component easy if you’re looking at the finished puzzle. However, it becomes much more challenging and enjoyable when you’re trying to identify a movie with only half the words and half the image assembled. Linkee; $8

'Linkee' party game

It’s all about making connections. | Bananagrams/Amazon

Linkee requires players to make connections between four trivia questions, with the answers forming a common link. So if the answers to the questions “Keanu Reeves played Johnny Utah in what 1991 movie?” “Which candy was named after a horse?” “What is the nickname for the French flag?” and “What do you call a baby kangaroo?” are Point Break, Snickers, Tricolore, and Joey, respectively, the common link is Friends. The game includes 1400 questions—plenty to keep you and your friends entertained. It’s won several awards, including the UK’s Best Family Game.

Buy it: Amazon