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As 2022 comes to a close, us here at Water Cooler Trivia wanted to take a few minutes to salute the trivia year that was.
Why us you ask? Well as far as we can tell, there is no better source out there for what trivia questions defined MMXXII.
In the past year we’ve distributed 1,322,037 trivia quizzes which amounts to 14,342,202 questions asked. Yeah, big numbers.
As we mentioned before, we ask A LOT of trivia questions. And the banter amongst the writers room here at Water Cooler Trivia is always robust. Narrowing down every question we wrote this year down to ten is nearly an impossible task. But that being said, we were able to select some of our favorite questions from many of our favorite topics from the year. So without further ado, Water Cooler's Trivia Top 10 Questions of 2022:
10. What two-word soccer term is used to describe when a goalkeeper and their defense is able to prevent the other team from scoring the entire match? Around the house, you may hear this term after someone has laundered the bed linens.
The World Cup was obviously a huge source of trivia this year. And this question in particular captures how much fun questions about soccer can be without actually having to know that much about the game. Across all our games, 53% of people got it right.
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9. As of April 2022, the only Broadway musical currently grossing more per week than “Hamilton” is Hugh Jackman’s revival of which musical that includes such notable show tunes as "(Ya Got) Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones," and “Shipoopi?”
For the last number of years, Hamilton has absolutely dominated Broadway trivia. But finally this year, a different show arose to at least challenge it a little bit for the throne. Hugh Jackman is clearly a draw in more ways than one. Across all our games, 41% of people got it right.
8. In 2022, “VR” refers to a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. In 1922, Margery Williams brought VR to the world in a story about a stuffed animal who wants more than anything to be real. What was the title of the story?
It’s always fun to look at things that are turning 100 years old! And of all of this year’s new centenarians, it’s awesome to see such a timeless book on the list. The link to VR is a great hint for those who were deprived of the tale as children. Across all our games, 40% of people got it right.
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7. Of the ten U.S. newspapers with the highest daily circulation, only two are headquartered in the Midwest. One is the Chicago Tribune, located in Illinois. In which U.S. State would you find the other popular paper?
Extra! Extra! Ask all about it! Newspaper trivia is always a crowd pleaser, and this one really got people going. It’s fairly obvious that Illinois would have a very popular daily, but producing the second one is TOUGH! But once you hear it, it makes sense. Across all our games, 17% of people got it right.
6. Until 2017, Truskavets, Ukraine was home to Eternity Restaurant. It was an eatery run by undertakers in a wooden building that Guinness certified as the world’s largest…what?
It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t include one of the myriad Ukraine questions that found their way into trivia games this year. A lot of them were more solemn given the ongoing conflict, but we absolutely loved the whimsical nature of this one. Plus, although it’s closed now, it really made us want to eat there! Across all our games, 39% of people got it right.
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5. If you watched at least one minute of TikTok this summer, you would have seen homemade dances of people all over the world “Feeling fussy, walkin' in [their] Balenci-ussy's” to what singer’s 2022 song “About Damn Time?”
What’s a trivia year in review list without a little TikTok dancing? Obviously there were a ton to choose from, but this one stands out as particularly entertaining! (Honorable mention to “Hi it’s me. I’m the problem, it’s me.”) Across all our games, 68% of people got it right.
4. According to a 2019 ranking by CNN, the two most famous paintings in the world were both painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Don’t overcomplicate it, and just tell us what Italian “V” city he hailed from.
No one likes trick questions. Or do they? Questions like these cause an absolute ruckus amongst trivia games, as some people catch on immediately. And some people have a really disappointed look on their face when they see the right answer. Across all our games, 23% of people got it right.
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3. How many syllables are in the word “Wednesday?”
Now this one is really a doozy. In a question that sees people all over the world clapping their hands like a bunch of elementary school students, the answer can only be two or three. The worst part is that even after you know the right answer, you still may think the other one is right! Across all our games, 59% of people got it right.
2. And you thought they were just annoying little birds that pooped in public parks! But no, one of Queen Elizabeth’s favorite hobbies was racing what type of bird that lends its name to a famous forge in East Tennessee?
After her death in September, it’s almost certain that Queen Elizabeth II was the most asked about person in the trivia world this year. Her life was so diverse, vibrant, and important that there are nearly endless questions to ask. This one brought a smile to our face, so we thought we’d pick it as our favorite queen question. Across all our games, 80% of people got it right.
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1. July, don’t put that in your mouth!! According to Social Security data from 2021, what was the most popular baby name that shares a name with one of the 12 months of the year?
This question is absolutely stunning. There are only 12 possible answers obviously, but most people can narrow it down to three or four. Yet! It’s possible that the correct answer doesn’t even come from that list. Its simplicity is almost as devastating as the feeling if your rival got this right while you didn’t! Across all our games, 9% of people got it right.
So there you have it! The year that was in trivia! Au revoir to a wonderful year, and we can’t wait for the next one!
Keep on trivin’ on!
