Wikipedia Trivia
Wikipedia trivia starts with an unusual success story: a free online encyclopedia launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger that grew through open collaboration among volunteer editors. Hosted since 2003 by the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit-backed platform has become a global reference point—making its history, quirks, and behind-the-scenes details especially rich ground for easy, funny, and surprisingly hard trivia.
Easy Wikipedia Trivia
13 questions
These easy Wikipedia trivia questions are great for beginners and kids around age 12 and under.
Question 1
On what date was Wikipedia launched?
Answer: January 15, 2001
Wikipedia launched on January 15, 2001.
Question 2
Which co-founder of Wikipedia has the first name Jimmy?
- A.Jimmy Wales
- B.Larry Sanger
- C.Richard Stallman
- D.Tim Berners-Lee
Answer: Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Wales is one of Wikipedia's co-founders.
Question 3
Which co-founder of Wikipedia has the last name Sanger?
- A.Linus Torvalds
- B.Larry Sanger
- C.Jimmy Wales
- D.Mark Zuckerberg
Answer: Larry Sanger
Larry Sanger is one of Wikipedia's co-founders.
Question 4
What kind of website is Wikipedia?
Answer: A free online encyclopedia
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia.
Question 5
Who writes and edits Wikipedia articles?
Answer: Volunteers
Wikipedia articles are written and edited by volunteers.
Question 6
What are people who edit Wikipedia commonly called?
Answer: Wikipedians
People who edit Wikipedia are commonly called Wikipedians.
Question 7
Since 2003, what foundation has hosted Wikipedia?
Answer: The Wikimedia Foundation
Since 2003, Wikipedia has been hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation.
Question 8
What kind of organization is the Wikimedia Foundation?
Answer: A nonprofit organization
The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit organization.
Question 9
What is the name of the wiki software Wikipedia uses?
Answer: MediaWiki
Wikipedia uses wiki software called MediaWiki.
Question 10
Wikipedia is funded mainly by what source?
Answer: Donations from readers
Wikipedia is funded mainly by donations from readers.
Question 11
What is the English-language version of Wikipedia called?
Answer: The English Wikipedia
Wikipedia's English-language version is called the English Wikipedia.
Question 12
What do you usually use to read Wikipedia on the internet?
Answer: A web browser
Wikipedia can be read through a web browser.
Question 13
Wikipedia is especially known for what approach to building articles?
Answer: Open collaboration
Wikipedia is known for open collaboration on articles.
Wikipedia Family Trivia
12 questions
These family Wikipedia trivia questions are built for mixed-age game nights, classrooms, and groups.
Question 1
What project came before Wikipedia?
Answer: Nupedia
Before Wikipedia, there was an earlier project called Nupedia.
Question 2
Before Wikipedia existed, Nupedia used what kind of review system?
- A.peer-review process
- B.online voting
- C.random selection
- D.live chat approval
Answer: a traditional peer-review process
Nupedia used a traditional peer-review process.
Question 3
What is Wikipedia's mascot/logo symbol called?
Answer: the globe puzzle logo
Wikipedia's mascot is the globe puzzle logo.
Question 4
Look at the top of the Wikipedia logo: what kind of pieces are missing?
- A.letters
- B.book pages
- C.puzzle pieces
- D.stars
Answer: puzzle pieces
The missing pieces at the top of the logo are puzzle pieces.
Question 5
Wikipedia can be read in about how many languages?
Answer: hundreds of languages
Wikipedia has editions in hundreds of languages.
Question 6
True or false: All language editions of Wikipedia are run as one single wiki.?
Answer: False
Each language edition is run is a separate wiki.
Question 7
Which sister project is known as Wikimedia Commons?
Answer: Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons is one of Wikipedia's sister projects.
Question 8
Which sister project shares dictionary-style words and meanings?
- A.Wikisource
- B.Wiktionary
- C.Wikibooks
- D.Wikidata
Answer: Wiktionary
Wiktionary is one of Wikipedia's sister projects.
Question 9
If you wanted a collection of quotations on a sister project, which one would you visit?
- A.Wikibooks
- B.Wikivoyage
- C.Wikiquote
- D.Wikinews
Answer: Wikiquote
Wikiquote is a Wikipedia sister project.
Question 10
Which sister project has the name that sounds like a shelf of learning books?
- A.Wikidata
- B.Wiktionary
- C.Wikiquote
- D.Wikibooks
Answer: Wikibooks
Wikibooks is one of Wikipedia's sister projects.
Question 11
Which sister project would you pick from this list: Wikisource, Wikinews, or Wikivoyage?
- A.Wikivoyage
- B.Wikipedia
- C.Wikisource
- D.Wikinews
Answer: Wikisource
Wikisource is one of Wikipedia's sister projects.
Question 12
Which sister project has 'news' right in its name?
- A.Wikinews
- B.Wikiquote
- C.Wikidata
- D.Wikibooks
Answer: Wikinews
Wikinews is a sister project of Wikipedia.
Fun Wikipedia Trivia
13 questions
These fun Wikipedia trivia questions highlight surprising moments and playful facts for game-night groups.
Question 1
What Hawaiian phrase gave Wikipedia its speedy-sounding name?
Answer: wiki wiki
The word 'wiki' in Wikipedia comes from the Hawaiian term 'wiki wiki,' meaning 'quick.'.
Question 2
Which slogan once appeared on the English Wikipedia main page: 'The Free Encyclopedia' or 'The Infinite Library'?
- A.The Free Encyclopedia
- B.The Infinite Library
- C.Knowledge for Everyone
- D.The Open Almanac
Answer: The Free Encyclopedia
The English Wikipedia main page once used the slogan 'The Free Encyclopedia.'.
Question 3
If Wikipedia’s main page wants to tempt you with a quirky factoid, which section title does that job?
Answer: Did you know ...
One of the main page sections is called 'Did you know ...'.
Question 4
Which main page section on Wikipedia highlights anniversaries of notable events?
- A.Today in the archive
- B.Datebook
- C.On this day
- D.This week in history
Answer: On this day
Wikipedia’s main page includes a section called 'On this day.'.
Question 5
Where on Wikipedia’s main page would you look for current-events updates?
Answer: In the news
The main page features a section titled 'In the news.'.
Question 6
What is the regular main page spotlight called when Wikipedia puts one article center stage?
Answer: Today's featured article
Wikipedia regularly spotlights a 'Today's featured article' on its main page.
Question 7
Some top Wikipedia articles wear which badge of honor?
- A.bronze star
- B.silver quill
- C.gold globe
- D.blue ribbon
Answer: bronze star
Featured articles are marked with a bronze star.
Question 8
Which button is perfect for readers who want Wikipedia to surprise them with whatever comes next?
Answer: Random article
Wikipedia has a 'Random article' feature for jumping to an unpredictable page.
Question 9
True or false: Wikipedia’s globe logo uses characters from just one alphabet.?
Answer: False
The globe logo includes characters from multiple writing systems.
Question 10
When editing Wikipedia, what punctuation is often used to make links?
- A.parentheses
- B.square brackets
- C.curly braces
- D.angle brackets
Answer: square brackets
Wikipedia often uses square brackets in its editing markup to create links.
Question 11
What’s the charming name of the page that tells Wikipedia editors how to behave?
Answer: Wikiquette
A page that tells editors how to behave on Wikipedia is called 'Wikiquette.'.
Question 12
What are Wikipedia’s humorous community awards called?
Answer: barnstars
Wikipedia’s community gives humorous awards called barnstars.
Question 13
What name does Wikipedia use for its annual editing competitions?
- A.write-offs
- B.page sprints
- C.citation cups
- D.edit-a-thons
Answer: edit-a-thons
Wikipedia has annual editing competitions known is edit-a-thons.
Funny Wikipedia Trivia
13 questions
These funny Wikipedia trivia questions highlight playful moments, odd facts, and inside jokes.
Question 1
On Wikipedia, what color of link is basically the site's way of saying, "This page is still imaginary"?
Answer: A red link usually means the linked page does not exist yet.
Wikipedia uses a red link to show that the linked page has not been created yet.
Question 2
Which memorable shortcut is Wikipedia's catch-all reminder that the encyclopedia is not everything under the sun?
- A.WP:WHY
- B.WP:EVERYTHING
- C.WP:NOT
- D.WP:ALL
Answer: WP:NOT
WP:NOT is the shortcut for the guideline explaining what Wikipedia is not.
Question 3
True or false: Wikipedia really has an advice page called "Don't panic."?
Answer: True
"Don't panic" is a real advice page in Wikipedia's editing community.
Question 4
What is the title of Wikipedia's essay that gently tells editors the clock is not chasing them?
Answer: There is no deadline
Wikipedia has a real essay titled "There is no deadline.".
Question 5
What charming nickname does Wikipedia use for an editor who quietly fixes typos like a tiny cleanup wizard?
Answer: wikignome
A "wikignome" is a joke-like but real nickname for an editor who does small maintenance tasks such is fixing typos.
Question 6
When two editors keep undoing each other over and over, what battle-flavored term does Wikipedia use?
Answer: edit war
Wikipedia calls repeated back-and-forth changes to a page an "edit war.".
Question 7
What is Wikipedia's common name for an automated program that makes edits without needing coffee breaks?
Answer: bot
An automated editing program on Wikipedia is commonly called a bot.
Question 8
Which abbreviation names Wikipedia's deletion discussion venue "Articles for deletion"?
- A.ARD
- B.XfD
- C.AfD
- D.DfA
Answer: AfD
"Articles for deletion" is often shortened to AfD.
Question 9
What does Wikipedia call a very short article that is basically a sandwich short of a full lunch?
Answer: stub
A very short Wikipedia article needing expansion is called a stub.
Question 10
If a page is locked down so most users can't edit it, what is that page called?
Answer: protected page
A page protected from editing by most users is called a protected page.
Question 11
Which Wikipedia page feed do anti-vandalism patrollers watch like neighborhood squirrels on espresso?
Answer: Recent Changes
Recent Changes is the page patrol feed used to monitor edits and spot vandalism.
Question 12
What phrase can appear in Wikipedia's warning template when editors are arguing over whether an article is staying impartial?
- A.balance is pending
- B.sources are missing
- C.neutrality is disputed
- D.facts are uncertain
Answer: neutrality is disputed
The factual-dispute warning template can display the phrase "neutrality is disputed.".
Question 13
Which shortcut encourages editors to go ahead and make constructive changes instead of waiting for a drumroll?
Answer: WP:BOLD
WP:BOLD is the shortcut encouraging editors to make constructive changes.
Hard Wikipedia Trivia
14 questions
These hard Wikipedia trivia questions are for expert fans who want a real challenge.
Question 1
Before Wikipedia settled on its .org home, what original domain name did the project use?
- A.www.wikipedia.com
- B.www.wiki.org
- C.www.wikipedia.net
- D.www.wikimedia.com
Answer: www.wikipedia.com
Wikipedia originally used the domain www.wikipedia.com before moving to wikipedia.org.
Question 2
Pin down the date: when was the first edit to Wikipedia made shortly after the site went live?
Answer: January 16, 2001
The first edit to Wikipedia was made on January 16, 2001.
Question 3
Before the Wikimedia Foundation became Wikipedia’s nonprofit host, Jimmy Wales was associated with which web company?
Answer: Bomis
Jimmy Wales was associated with Bomis before Wikipedia was hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation.
Question 4
In Wikipedia’s early period, what formal role did Larry Sanger hold?
Answer: editor-in-chief
Larry Sanger served is Wikipedia's editor-in-chief early on.
Question 5
What is the founding date of the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia?
Answer: June 20, 2003
The Wikimedia Foundation was founded on June 20, 2003.
Question 6
Which city is home to the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia’s nonprofit host?
Answer: San Francisco
The Wikimedia Foundation is based in San Francisco, California.
Question 7
The English Wikipedia hit the 1 million article mark in what year?
Answer: 2006
The English Wikipedia reached 1 million articles in March 2006.
Question 8
July was the month, but what was the year when the English Wikipedia reached 4 million articles?
Answer: 2012
The English Wikipedia reached 4 million articles in July 2012.
Question 9
When the English Wikipedia passed 5 million articles in November, what year was it?
Answer: 2015
The English Wikipedia reached 5 million articles in November 2015.
Question 10
In January of which year did the English Wikipedia cross the 6 million article threshold?
Answer: 2020
The English Wikipedia reached 6 million articles in January 2020.
Question 11
On the English Wikipedia, what is the formal name of the body that handles conduct disputes?
Answer: Arbitration Committee
The arbitration body for conduct disputes on the English Wikipedia is called the Arbitration Committee.
Question 12
Veteran editors often shorten the English Wikipedia’s Arbitration Committee to what nickname?
Answer: ArbCom
The shortcut for the Arbitration Committee is ArbCom.
Question 13
Larry Sanger announced his departure from active involvement in Wikipedia in which year?
Answer: 2002
Larry Sanger announced his departure from active involvement in 2002.
Question 14
Which pair of non-English editions were among Wikipedia’s first, both launching in 2001?
Answer: German and Catalan
Wikipedia's first non-English editions included German and Catalan versions launched in 2001.
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