Tom Rutledge’s newsletter
The Wide Worldof Trivia
Tom's newsletter covering all things trivia — history, strategy, and the stories behind the questions.
Trivia Night Online
Missed a trivia night, or want to play one again? We post the full games from past nights on Substack so you can play along at home, at your own pace. It's free, just like our in-person nights.
Inside Every Issue
Each issue digs into one corner of trivia. Some weeks it’s history, some weeks it’s strategy, and some weeks it’s the story behind a question that wrecked a room full of confident teams.
Trivia History
Where the categories, formats, and classic questions actually come from, and why quiz culture looks the way it does today.
Strategy & Tactics
How strong teams wager, split categories, and avoid the traps Tom builds into every round, from someone who writes the questions.
The Story Behind the Question
The research, dead ends, and occasional arguments that go into picking the question that ends up deciding a night.
Recent Issues
Catch up on what’s already out, or jump straight to Substack to read everything.
Trivia Night Online: May Harvard Edition, 2nd Half (Q's AND A's)
The answers to rounds 4, 5 and the picture round.
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)
Trivia Night Online: May Harvard Edition, 2nd Half (Just the Q's)
Same five categories, plus an "Identify the Memorial" picture round to finish.
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)
“I’m Bad at Trivia,” you say
How to stride confidently into The Ken Jennings Arms and enjoy a night of Bar Trivia.
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)Trivia Night Online: May Harvard Edition, 1st Half (Q's AND A's)
How did your team do on the first three rounds?
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)Trivia Night Online: May Harvard Edition, 1st Half (Just the Q's)
Fictional watering holes, two-letter degrees, brain-teaser interview questions, and a 1790 number round.
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)
Toldja.
Conclusive evidence that you will indeed meet your future spouse at Bar Trivia Night
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)
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