So we've decided to throw a pub quiz for our Hogmanay (New Years) party, including a mini-keg and a pub-luck (pot-luck with a pub grub theme).

I've been stressing over my questions as I'm the quiz-master and been trying to find that fine line between too easy and too hard, which as a Scot in Canada is tough. Theres a few Scots coming, but it's mainly Canadians, Oh and we also have a Chilean coming so need a few questions for him...

Anyway I thought I'd post my questions here over the next few days, see how this community does (without Google of course) as it can both get me feedback and provide a nice distraction as we get closer to Christmas and are trying to procrastinate at work. I've got 8 rounds so will post 2 at a time for the next few days and add up points if you answer.

Rd 1 - Scottish/Canadian/Chilean Geography:

• How far as the crow flies between Calgary and Stirling in KM (within 100km, half point within 200km) (NB most the group are going to a wedding in Stirling next year hence the question and I've already asked this on the invite so not as tough as it first seems)
• On which northern island is the capital of Nunavut, located? Bonus - correctly spell the capital
• Scotland's population is just over 5 million based on the 2006 census, which Canadian province is closest in population size (plus or minus)
• Rank the capital cities of Chile, Canada & Scotland from largest to smallest by population (need capital names)
• Whats shorter, Chile at it's widest point, or the distance between Calgary & Saskatoon by road
• According to the 2006 census there are 4 cities in Scotland that have more than 100,000 people, Glasgow & Edinburgh are the easy two, half point each for the other 2
• There is only one point where 4 provinces/territories meet in Canada, half point for each province/territry at that point
• Ben Nevis is the highest point in Scotland, is it higher or lower than Calgary, bonus how high is it in m to within 100m, half point within 200m
• Name the 3 countries that have land borders with Chile, 1/2 point for 2, full point for all 3

Rd 2 - For the towns listed are they in Scotland, Canada or Both, 10 points available, with 2 bonus for all right, Another bonus for picking the one that's also the name of a crater on an asteroid:

• Bannf
• Bucklaw
• Clackmannan
• Cockburnspath
• Cow Head
• Edmonton
• Falkirk
• Gretna
• Inverness
• Stirling

Good Luck - any feedback appreciated

This has gotta be better than work. Let me get a cup of coffee.... and no Google, I promise!

Rd 1 - Scottish/Canadian/Chilean Geography:

• How far as the crow flies between Calgary and Stirling in KM (within 100km, half point within 200km) (NB most the group are going to a wedding in Stirling next year hence the question and I've already asked this on the invite so not as tough as it first seems) blimey... assuming a crow would fly a Great Circle, I'd guess somewhere around 7,000km?
• On which northern island is the capital of Nunavut, located? Bonus - correctly spell the capital Iqaluit on Baffin Island
• Scotland's population is just over 5 million based on the 2006 census, which Canadian province is closest in population size (plus or minus) Quebec
• Rank the capital cities of Chile, Canada & Scotland from largest to smallest by population (need capital names) Santiago, Edinburgh, Ottawa
• Whats shorter, Chile at it's widest point, or the distance between Calgary & Saskatoon by road Chile at its widest (I'm guessing the counterintuitive answer is the right one, otherwise why ask the question?)
• According to the 2006 census there are 4 cities in Scotland that have more than 100,000 people, Glasgow & Edinburgh are the easy two, half point each for the other 2 Aberdeen, Dundee?
• There is only one point where 4 provinces/territories meet in Canada, half point for each province/territry at that point Ooh, I know that one! MB, SK, NU and NT.
• Ben Nevis is the highest point in Scotland, is it higher or lower than Calgary, bonus how high is it in m to within 100m, half point within 200m no idea how high Calgary is, I'm guessing Nevis is lower. It's well over 3,000ft, I think, so let's say around 1200m?
• Name the 3 countries that have land borders with Chile, 1/2 point for 2, full point for all 3 Argentina, BOlivia, Peru?

Rd 2 - For the towns listed are they in Scotland, Canada or Both, 10 points available, with 2 bonus for all right, Another bonus for picking the one that's also the name of a crater on an asteroid:

• Bannf Both, but without the typo!
• Bucklaw Scotland definitely, Canada probably, so go with both
• Clackmannan Scotland
• Cockburnspath Scotland
• Cow Head Canada
• Edmonton Canada (but also North London)
• Falkirk both
• Gretna Scotland
• Inverness both
• Stirling both

Good questions. My answers are mostly guesses, some more educated than others, many complete stabs in the dark!

I've done lots of pub quizzes in my time and I'm not thick. I'd say those questions are waaaaaaay too hard for a fun evening.

^^ what S said.

Too hard I agree. You want every one to be able to join in so you need a range of levels of question and a range of subjects. It's a very hard thing that you hav agreed to do!

What about a photo round??? photos of landmarks or somesuch? or famous canadians Maybe celebs with Canadian or not? next to their name.

Been tweaking since I first started, thats why i've thrown it out here though, once you've stared at the questions for so many go rounds any idea of whether they could be easy or hard go out the window... I thought the geography round was getting easier, 2 True/false type questions, a few where you can guess provinces if you really have no clue. The towns one is fun I thought too given the crowd that will be there.

Other rounds I have include, move quotes, sports, TV/Entertainment, nerd/geek, Christmas and general knowledge.

Oakvillain got 14 out of 25 so not too bad, will hold off on the answers in case anyone else wants to give it a shot.

The geography questions are far too hard. Oakvillian is a total nerd and only scored 56%. I also own an anorak and would have fared no better. I know of no Canadian that would get the right answer to any of your questions except by fluke.

well, that's over half marks... can't wait to find out which half! Mind you, I thought I knew some of the answers, so only just over 50% either means I was wrong on some of those I thought I knew, or I was pretty unlucky with guesses!

Maybe you could give a multiple-choice option for some of them (like the distance one, height of Ben Nevis, province with nearest population to Scotland...) so that if somebody has a vague notion of the answer it may help to eliminate the obviously wrong?

OI!!!!!

(guilty as charged, especially when it comes to geography, though. I'd read an atlas like most people read a novel...)

I knew you'd react.

I'm a bit like you. I got the school geography prize (at A-level). Those questions are bloody hard, though. Too hard for a fun quiz.

OK so feedback is leading me to drop the Ben Nevis height (Oakvillain got a half point for that) and the first distance questions.

Also adding in multiple choice of Alberta, BC and Quebec on the population compare.

Any suggestions for geogrpahy type questions to replace them for Canadian/Scots appreciated

Can I say that you also need to simplify how the questions are written. Some are too long and you lose interest, or can't remember the beginning. You should allow for a range of abilities, ie not all nerds are good at reading- dyslexia etc. If you are reading out the questions some may be deafies like me (statistically 1 in 5 in Canada) and so it's hard to follow the questions when they are read out.

Er, there may be an alcohol effect here too, so you need to allow for that too.

Pictures, make a sheet of photos of landmarks in your area. Oh yes repeating myself but its a good idea.

How about a sheet left on the table with anagrams of place names?

Good point on the question length, and I know that drunkeness will play so will do what I can to simplify. Questions getting longer as I tried to simplify them i.e. went from my first try - How high is Ben Nevis, to bringing Calgary into it and so the question gets longer, can't win!!

The towns list I was planning on handing out, along with the movie quotes to do during the two halves that I will split the quiz up into.

Seeing as it looks like I need to do a bit of work to get things easier, I'm going to start putting out more quesitons sooner rather than later to get more feedback...

Rd 3 - Christmas

• On what day of the year does the 12 days of Christmas end
• Which Christmas characters heart was "two sizes too small"
• Name the original 8 Reindeer that are also the names of the Christmas Mountains in Canada (half point for each 2 right). Bonus point which province are the mountains in
• What's the more common name for St Stephens day
• True or False - Coca-Cola invented the modern image of Santa
• Who directed a Nightmare before Christmas
• What was the name of Scrooges assistant in A Christmas Carol? Bonus point if you can get dead his business partner too?
• Where does Kevin's family go when they leave him home alone for the first time?
• What body of water is Christmas Island found

How about

Aberdeen and Fort McMurray are both oil towns. Which is further North?