One room, everyone on their own phone
The classic way to play trivia in a room is one quizmaster, one sheet of questions and a lot of shouting. It works, but the loudest voice tends to answer first, and the person reading the questions never gets to play.
With Tidbit, everyone plays on their own phone. Each person sees the question on their own screen and answers there, so nobody can copy the fastest voice, and the host plays too. The reactions still happen out loud, which is the best part.
It also means nobody has to prepare anything. There are no questions to write or check and no answers to mark; the game does all of that.
Here is how to set it up for the people around you.
What you need
- A phone, tablet or computer for each player, with a web browser.
- An internet connection for everyone.
- One person to host. The host creates the party and chooses the game, subjects and difficulty.
- Nothing to install. Tidbit runs in the browser, and no sign-up is needed.
- Somewhere everyone can sit and see each other. Half the fun is in the faces.
That is the whole list. You do not need a TV, a printer or a pen, though snacks and a small prize for the winner never hurt.
Set it up in a few minutes
- The host opens Party and creates a party.
- Share the invite code or link: read the code out, or drop the link in your group chat.
- Everyone joins from the browser on their own phone.
- The host chooses the game, subjects and difficulty.
- Start with a short round so everyone can learn the controls, then play for real.
The first round is the one where someone asks “wait, where do I tap?”. Keep it short and easy, and by the second round everyone is playing.
A running order for the evening
- A warm-up round of general knowledge, kept short and easy.
- Two or three rounds where a different player picks the subject.
- A round in a mode everyone plays out loud, such as Conviction or Seal, if your party has it.
- A final round on the hardest subject of the night, for the title.
Four or five short rounds fill an evening without anyone checking the time. If people want more, play one more; if they are flagging, skip straight to the final.
How many people fit
Anyone can host a Game Show party for up to 4 people, host included. Premium parties hold up to 10 and can play every party mode. Joining is always free, and one player’s Premium is enough for the whole party.
Two players are enough to start a game. If your room has more people than the party holds, pair people up on one phone and let each pair answer as a team. Whispering about the answer is half the fun.
Each day, one of the other party modes is free for everyone.
Choosing subjects for a mixed room
A room usually has a sports fan, someone who knows every film, and someone who claims to know nothing at all. Pick subjects so each of them gets a round to shine.
There are 30 subjects to pick from, including general knowledge, history, geography, music, film and TV, sport, food and drink, and science. Start broad with general knowledge, then let each person choose one subject for a later round.
Keep the difficulty friendly for the first round. You can always turn it up once everyone is warmed up.
Playing with a mixed crowd
- Let new players pick the first subject.
- Keep the first round on an easy difficulty.
- Pair a newcomer with an old hand on one phone for a round.
- Cheer the funny wrong answers as loudly as the right ones.
A tablet or a laptop works as well as a phone, since Tidbit runs in any web browser.
Modes that play well out loud
- Game Show: everyone answers the same question at the same time, and answering faster scores more. Simple, fast and free.
- Conviction: you answer in secret, then see what everyone else picked and can change your mind. Expect accusations.
- Seal: one player hides an answer and is paid for everyone they make get it wrong; everybody else trusts the hidden one or picks from what is left. It is a bluffing game as much as a trivia game.
- Mirror: you answer, then guess which answer another player chose. Best with people who know each other well.
- Higher or Lower: everyone gets the same two cards at the same moment, and a fast right answer scores more. The arguing starts before anyone taps.
Game Show is free. The other modes need one player in the party with Premium, apart from the one that is free for everyone that day. Every party mode has its own settings, so the host can shape each round to suit the room.
House rules that keep it fair
- No looking things up. Agree on it before the first question.
- No shouting answers while a question is up. Talk after the answer appears.
- Rotate who chooses the subjects each round.
- Mix in subjects everyone can try, so the same person is not winning every round.
- Keep rounds short. Three quick rounds beat one long one.
- Decide what happens on a tie before it happens.
House rules are the part of party trivia that belongs to you. Some groups play for a trophy, some for who does the dishes, some for nothing at all. Decide before the first round and the evening runs itself.
Scores and prizes
Tidbit keeps the score for each round, so nobody has to add up points on paper. For the whole evening, keep a running tally of round winners on a phone or the back of an envelope.
The best prizes are small and a little silly: first pick of the snacks, choosing the next subject, or a paper crown. Keep it light, so nobody minds losing.
When the room empties
The game does not have to end when people go home. Friends who are apart can play the same way: the host creates a party, shares the code and keeps a voice call open alongside it. Here is how to run an online trivia night with friends.
For a small daily habit with the same group, the Daily Question gives everyone the same question each day. Answer separately, then compare in the group chat.
If your group also uses Discord, Tidbit runs there too: start Tidbit Trivia from the App Launcher in a channel and play a party of up to 10. The Discord trivia page shows how.
Tidbit is for ages 13 and above.
By the team making Tidbit. Questions or a correction? Get in touch.
