After February’s quiz, Mehal chatted with me for a minute. Then he mentioned that his team (Annyong!) had collapsed in the second half.

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Yeah, I said. The second half was harder than the first — but that’s how I like it. (OK, truth be told I don’t like teams to collapse.) I think a good quiz should get more difficult as you go along.

“Why’s that?” he asked. Which is a good question.

Apparently some hosts like to lead off with a difficult round. Players haven’t had as much beer, the theory goes, so they’re sharper.

But most games start easier and get harder as they go along — and pub quiz is a game. It’s more satisfying for players to ease in, get comfortable with the rules, and then start spraining their brains.

Compare with game shows: Jeopardy! is easier in the first half than in Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy is in theory the hardest question of the show. Cash Cab starts with easier $25 questions and builds to more difficult $200 questions. And you don’t your shot at becoming a millionaire until you’ve answered 14 easier (but progressively more difficult) questions.

And at pub quiz, the first round should be easier than the last round.
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