New York City's best trivia nights

By Time Out editors Wed May 30 2012

  • Photograph: Melissa Sinclair

    Dave Oliver, founder-host of Trivia A.D.
    Next event: Summer Cult Movie Trivia Festival
    Why you should go: To show off your stash of cinematic knowledge
    Sample question: Prince Humperdinck is the heir to the throne of what country?

    Bryant Park, Southwest Porch, corner of W 40th St at Sixth Ave (triviaad.com). June 12, 26, July 10, 24, 6:30pm; free.

  • Photograph: Melissa Sinclair

    Answer: Florin

  • Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

    David Jacobson, founder of TrivWorks
    Next event: Golden Girls vs. Designing Women: A Night of Trivia Celebrating the Queens of ’80s TV  
    Why you should go: Choose sides in this tilt between Betty White fans and Delta Burke acolytes.
    Sample question: In the Golden Girls series finale, Dorothy moves away to marry Blanche’s uncle Lucas, played by which famous actor?

    The Bell House, 149 7th St between Second and Third Aves, Gowanus, Brooklyn (trivworks.com). June 7 at 8pm; $12.

  • Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

    Answer: Leslie Nielsen

  • Jon Stan, host of Pacific Standard Pub Quiz
    Next event: Babeland Trivia
    Why you should go: For bragging rights on your bedroom expertise
    Sample question: What is the proper name for all of the visible external parts of a women’s genital anatomy?

    Pacific Standard, 82 Fourth Ave between Bergen St and St. Marks Pl, Park Slope, Brooklyn (pacificstandardbrooklyn.com). Babeland Trivia: July 1. Pacific Standard Pub Quiz, Sun 8pm. Free.

  • Answer: Vulva

  • Photograph: Anna Simonak

    Matt Wasowski, founder-host of Nerd Nite
    Next event: Nerd Nite Quizo Trivia Night
    Why you should go: Test your geeky superiority against Mensa members.
    Sample question: What percentage of women in their thirties are up for sex on the first date if there’s chemistry?

    Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St at Water St, Dumbo, Brooklyn (nyc.nerdnite.com). Sept 7 at 7pm; $10.

  • Photograph: Anna Simonak

    Answer: 28 percent

  • Photograph: Melissa Sinclair

    Noah Tarnow, founder-host of the Big Quiz Thing (and TONY copy chief)
    Next event: The Big Quiz Thing’s Tenth Anniversary Quiz Show Marathon Spectacular
    Why you should go: See Tarnow and competitors endure a 10-hour grilling session that culminates in a $1,000 payout.
    Sample question: What name is shared by the most populous city in the second-most-populous primarily English-speaking nation, and the tenth-most-populous city in the third-most-populous primarily English-speaking nation?

    92YTribeca    , 200 Hudson St at Canal St (bigquizthing.com). Sun 3 noon–10pm; $22, advance $20.

  • Photograph: Melissa Sinclair

    Answer: London

  • Photograph: Shannon Echlin

    Andrew Ennals, host of Woo Hoo! Classic Simpsons Trivia
    Next event: Classic Simpsons Trivia
    Why you should go: The hours you spent memorizing Homer’s antics across 23 seasons will count for something.
    Sample question: What is the name of Lionel Hutz’s law practice?

    Berry Park, 4 Berry St at North 14th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (woohootrivia.blogspot.com). June 7 at 8pm; $5, teams up to 6 $10.

  • Photograph: Shannon Echlin

    Answer: I Can’t Believe It’s a Law Firm

Photograph: Melissa Sinclair

Dave Oliver, founder-host of Trivia A.D.
Next event: Summer Cult Movie Trivia Festival
Why you should go: To show off your stash of cinematic knowledge
Sample question: Prince Humperdinck is the heir to the throne of what country?

Bryant Park, Southwest Porch, corner of W 40th St at Sixth Ave (triviaad.com). June 12, 26, July 10, 24, 6:30pm; free.

Related:


Free things to do in NYC


Eclectic walking tours


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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 1/5 (2 ratings)

  • Yeah, TriviaNYC has been running their flagship "Drunken Smartass Olympics" Wednesday night trivia at Dempsey's for longer than anyone else in town -- it's been featured in Law & Order even. Tony Hightower is a Jeopardy! and Cash Cab champion, has appeared on other game shows including "Ask Me Another", consulted with other quiz shows, coordinates the International Quizzing Association's monthly Hot 100 and annual quizzes, as well as the World Quiz Championships and the Trivia Championships of North America. His omission here in favor of a Time Out employee makes me question TONY's (Time Out New York, that is) editorial stance.

    Vidiot Wed May 30 2012
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  • Count me among those baffled by this piece's exclusion of Tony Hightower's Drunken Smartass Trivia

    H-Bomb Wed May 30 2012
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  • I agree. This list is a big #FAIL! No Tony Hightower / Trivia NYC ??? Please. Certainly would rather answer the tough and crafty questions from Tony Hightower, Jeopardy! champion than lame and erroneous questions about women in their 30s having sex ... pretty sad and pathetic.

    Nikk Wed May 30 2012
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  • Having just moved to Brooklyn, I was hoping to get insight on where to feed my trivia addiction in the County of Kings, now that I am somewhat cut off from my regular Manhattan fix. I'm happy to see such a BKlyn-heavy lineup. But if your research didn't turn up the Drunken Smartass Olympics and its 3 (yes 3!) locations, I'll have to take your recommendations with a large dose of salt.

    Chris Wed May 30 2012
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  • A bit confused that my weekly trivia night at Dempsey's wasn't included here. Where's Tony Hightower and Trivia NYC?

    Jules Rivers Wed May 30 2012
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  • No Tony Hightower from Dempsey's trivia night? Way to drop the ball, TONY.

    Billy H Wed May 30 2012
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  • Wow I was also surprised to see that Tony did not make this article! After participating at multiple different trivia nights in NYC, I found his to be one of the most interesting and entertaining. Plus he's been on Jeopardy, c'mon!!

    Dee Wed May 30 2012
    Rated as: 1/5
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  • How have you managed to miss Tony Hightower? The guy's an awesome quiz host and is the only host recognised by the International Quizzing Association in NYC.

    Jane Allen Wed May 30 2012
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  • Where's Tony Hightower and TriviaNYC? He'd ask a better question than whether 30-something women wanna sleep around.

    Stephanie Wed May 30 2012
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  • I'm baffled by the exclusion of the Drunken Smartass Trivia Network ( http://www.trivianyc.net/ ) from this list. The flagship game at Dempsey's in the East Village is known as the place to be on Wednesdays in NYC if you're an actual trivia nerd. Obviously we all have our personal biases, but when former Jeopardy! and WWTBAM? contestants seek out your games, you're probably doing something terribly right. If you're looking for more than just hipster quirk, Tony Hightower is for you.

    Diana Wed May 30 2012
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