What makes a good quiz? Hard questions, big prizes, fierce competition, good company, plentiful alcohol, a sense of fun? If you're planning to run a quiz, then you need to aim for a few of these. In moderation.

Hard questions

It's a myth that quizzes need fantastically hard questions to be good. The success of most TV quizzes (Mastermind being one notable exception of course) rests on the participation of the audience, who feel as though they too are competing with the on-screen contestants. Experienced regular quizzers certainly want to be challenged, and they definitely don't want to hear the same old questions time and time again. However, if you're running a quiz either for fun, as a fundraiser or as a regular event designed to build up customers on a quiet evening in the pub, then you need to strike a balance. 

A well-structured quiz should include a group of questions that everyone can answer easily, so the casual pariticpant doesn't feel excluded. A few impossible questions for laughs and a few multiple choice questions so that even those who know they are 'bad' at quizzes can have a go also lighten the mix. 

The really hard questions should be no more than 25% of the quiz - enough to separate out those teams that spend their every evening quizzing, but not so many as to depress the occasional visitor!

Big Prizes

Another myth - although it can attract the serious competitor, most people are there for the fun, the ambience and the challenge. Many pubs just run their quizzes for free beer, some offer prizes derived from the entry fees - the more that play, the higher the prize. We have put together a list of suggested prizes and methods for generating them.

Good Company

Crucial - quizzes are about people huddling in groups and sharing knowledge (or moaning about their lack of it). The quizmaster is the key to this - if he or she has the right approach - good humoured, patient, competent, authoritative, then everyone feels relaxed. A nervous quizmaster unsure of the answers, and not clear over the microphone, can be a sure-fire recipe for a bad evening. So practice. 

Plentiful Alcohol

Not essential of course - school and children's party quizzes should probably avoid hard liquor! But a relaxed party atmosphere can make the evening much more than a school exam - it should be fun fun fun.

A Sense of Fun

It should be fun fun fun. OK, we said that already, but the occasional joke question, one so daft that if makes everyone laugh, a light and friendly atmosphere and a good sense of humour from the host and quizmaster - all these things lead to a quiz that is fun to deliver and fun to take part in. That's the idea.