How We Fact-Check Our Trivia Questions
Published 2026-10-15
A trivia quiz is only fun if the answers are actually right. Nothing deflates a good round faster than finishing with a score you disagree with because the quiz had a sloppy question. This guide explains how we write and check every trivia question on Quiz Meadow, what we deliberately leave out, and what to do if you think we got something wrong.
How questions get written
Every question starts from a fact, not the other way around. We do not brainstorm a clever question and then hunt for an answer to fit it. Instead, we pick a well-established fact, such as a state capital or the order of the planets, and build the question around it.
Each question gets four answer choices. One is correct. The other three are wrong but plausible, which brings us to distractors.
Distractor design
The wrong answers in a multiple-choice question are called distractors, and writing good ones is harder than writing the question. A distractor that is obviously wrong makes the question a giveaway. A distractor that is arguably right makes the question unfair.
We aim for distractors that a person with partial knowledge might reasonably pick. In a question about a state capital, the distractors are usually other well-known cities in that state, because the classic mistake is naming the biggest city instead of the capital. In a space question, the distractors are neighboring planets or related moons, things that live in the same mental drawer as the right answer.
We also check that no distractor can be defended as correct under a reasonable reading of the question. If a question could have two right answers depending on interpretation, we rewrite the question or drop it.
Only time-stable, uncontroversial facts
Our most important rule is what we refuse to ask about. We only use facts that are stable over time and not seriously disputed.
That means we avoid:
- Records and superlatives that change. “Largest,” “fastest,” and “most populous” answers can expire, so we either pin the question to a settled fact or skip it.
- Counts that shift with new data. Anything depending on a recent census, a current ranking, or an active field of research is out.
- Genuinely disputed claims. If reputable sources disagree, the fact does not belong in a quiz with one correct answer.
- Trick wording. The goal is to test what you know, not to catch you on a technicality.
This is why our geography and space quizzes lean on facts like capitals, planetary order, and well-documented historical events. They were true years ago, they are true now, and they will be true when you retake the quiz later.
Verification against multiple sources
Before a question goes live, the answer is verified against more than one independent reference source. We check standard reference works and authoritative institutional sources relevant to the topic, and we confirm that the sources agree with each other, not just with us. If sources conflict or the fact turns out to be murkier than expected, the question is rewritten or dropped.
Questions are also reviewed as a set, so the difficulty mixes easy confidence boosters with a few that make you think, and so no two questions accidentally give away each other’s answers.
If you spot an error
Even with checking, mistakes can slip through, and facts we believed were stable can occasionally be reclassified by the relevant authorities. If you think a question or answer on Quiz Meadow is wrong, we genuinely want to hear about it.
Email [email protected] with the quiz name, the question text, and what you believe the correct answer is. If you can point to a reference source, include that too. Every error report is read by a person, and confirmed errors are corrected.
A quiz you can trust is more fun for everyone, including us. Thanks for helping keep the facts straight.