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Follow the classic pub quiz format with questions from your notes

A pub quiz runs in themed rounds with a mix of question types. Upload your notes, slides or a PDF and DeckOwl drafts questions in that structure, each with an explanation for the host.

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How the pub quiz format works, and where your own material fits

A typical pub quiz format splits the night into rounds on different themes, with a short break and answer swap between them. Each round mixes easy and hard questions so that teams with different strengths can score.

  • Rounds can follow a theme, such as music, geography or science, drawn from your own notes.
  • Mixing multiple choice, true/false and open questions keeps teams engaged across the night.
  • Explanations let the host confirm the correct answer quickly when a team challenges it.
  • Exports to PDF or DOCX make printed answer sheets simple to prepare.
Example general knowledge trivia questions
Which planet has the most confirmed moons in the solar system?Saturn. Its moon count has risen sharply as telescopes confirm many small, distant moons.
What is the capital of Australia?Canberra. Sydney and Melbourne are larger, but Canberra was chosen as a compromise between them.
Which element has the chemical symbol Na?Sodium. The symbol comes from its Latin name, natrium.
Who wrote the novel Frankenstein?Mary Shelley. She began the story in 1816 during a stay near Lake Geneva.
True or false: lightning can strike the same place twice.True. Tall, isolated structures are struck repeatedly, which is why they often have lightning rods.
Generate the full set

Multiple choice, true/false and open questions

Mix question types within each round, the way a good quizmaster does, so teams face recognition, judgment and recall.

Explanations for every answer

Each question includes a short explanation, so the host can settle disputes at the bar without flipping through a book.

Export when you are ready

Download to PDF or DOCX on Plus, or to QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML on Pro, to print answer sheets or load questions into a course.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain-text notes or a photo of a page. Text in images is read with text recognition.

Choose the round format

Pick the question types and count you want for each round, then generate the draft quiz from your own material.

Edit, study or export

Check the questions and explanations, run the quiz in the browser, and export it when you need a printed or LMS copy.

If you were hoping for a ready-made printable sheet, DeckOwl does not offer a fixed template library. What it does is build a custom round from the material you already have, such as a history lecture, a film club reading list or a set of trivia notes, so the questions match your theme.

On the free plan you can generate three quizzes a month and run them in the browser. Plus, at $39 a year or $7.99 a month, removes the limit and adds PDF and DOCX export, and Pro adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export.

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Frequently asked questions

How many questions should each pub quiz round have?

Most hosts keep rounds short enough that teams can finish before the next answer swap. Mixing easy and harder questions within a round tends to work better than grouping all the hard ones together.

How do I write good general knowledge trivia questions?

Ask about one clear fact with a single correct answer, and avoid questions where two answers could both be right. Explanations help the host defend the answer if a team disagrees.

Can I export a pub quiz to PDF?

Yes, PDF and DOCX export are included on the Plus plan at $39 a year or $7.99 a month. QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export are on the Pro plan at $14.99 a month.

Can I try it before paying?

Yes, the free plan gives you three generations a month and lets you study in the browser, and no credit card is needed to start. Exports require a paid plan.

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