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Trivia Timer
Tap the answer time, read the question aloud, then press Space. When it buzzes, pens down.
30 seconds
Spacestart / pauseRresetFfull screen+ −add or remove a minute0–9type a time
Lightning rounds and buzzer-style questions with one-word answers.
Classroom review with individual answers or multiple choice.
Classroom review where pupils write a short answer.
Written answers. The time Jeopardy! allows for a Final Jeopardy! response.
Team rounds, where the table needs time to confer and agree.
Quiz question timer: how long to allow per question
| Format | Time per question | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning round | 10 sec | One-word answers called out, no conferring |
| Classroom review game | 15–30 sec | Individual answers; long enough to recall, short enough to hold attention |
| Written individual answer | 30 sec | Time to think and write one line |
| Tie-breaker, nearest number | 30 sec | Every team writes one figure |
| Team round | 60 sec | Teams discuss before writing |
| Pub quiz | 1–2 min, or a set time per round | Teams confer and the host repeats the question |
These are common hosting choices, not rules. Start the clock after you finish reading the question, and for anything over 60 seconds set the time with the steppers.
How to use it
- Tap the time per question. 30 seconds is the default; choose 10 for a lightning round and 60 when teams answer together.
- Open the sound picker and choose Urgent buzzer, then tap the full-screen button. Put the countdown on the TV, or share that window in a video call.
- Read the question in full, then press Space or tap Start. Reading first means every question gets the same thinking time, however long it is.
- When it buzzes, call pens down. The +1:00 button turns into Restart when the alarm sounds: tap it to start the next question, or press Reset if you want to read first.
- For a rapid-fire round, switch Repeat on. The buzzer sounds once and the next countdown starts by itself, so you read each new question as the last one ends.
Choosing the time: Jeopardy! timer, pub quiz timer, classroom
The right time depends on who is answering and how. On the TV quiz show Jeopardy!, contestants get 30 seconds to write their Final Jeopardy! response, and about five seconds to respond in the regular rounds once they are called on. That split is a useful model: a few seconds for a spoken answer from one person, half a minute for anything written down.
Pub quizzes run longer because teams confer. Hosts often allow around a minute or two per question, or read a whole round and then give a set time to finish the sheet. Classroom review games sit at the other end: 15 to 30 seconds keeps the pace up and leaves room for more questions in a lesson.
Keeping a quiz night moving
A visible clock does two jobs for a host. It ends the “just one more second” appeals, because the buzzer decides and not you. It also keeps the evening on schedule. The arithmetic is worth doing in advance: ten questions at 30 seconds each is five minutes of answer time, and reading, repeating and marking usually takes at least as long again.
Vary the time by round and say so at the start of each one. A 10-second lightning round after a slow picture round wakes the room up. For a tie-breaker, ask one nearest-number question, give both teams 30 seconds to write a figure, and reveal the answers together.
Common mistakes
- Starting the countdown before you have finished reading. Long questions then get less thinking time than short ones.
- Using the same time for every round. Sixty seconds on a one-word question drags, and 10 seconds for a team answer causes a riot.
- Accepting answers after the buzzer from one table. Once you allow it, every table expects it for the rest of the night.
- Leaving the timer on a laptop facing the host. Players pace themselves better when they can see the seconds, so put it on the big screen.
- Switching Repeat on for a normal round. Repeat does not wait for you, so keep it for rapid-fire rounds with the questions ready.
Questions people ask
How long should you give for a trivia question?
About 30 seconds for a written answer from one person, 10 to 15 seconds for a quick spoken answer, and 60 seconds when a team has to confer. Pub quizzes often allow a minute or two.
How long do Jeopardy! contestants get to answer?
In Final Jeopardy! they get 30 seconds to write a response. In the regular rounds a contestant has about five seconds to respond after being called on.
Is there a Jeopardy timer with music?
Not here. This timer has no built-in music or think jingle. It has alarm sounds only, such as Urgent buzzer, which play when the countdown reaches zero.
Can I use the trivia countdown on Zoom or another video call?
Yes. Open the timer in its own browser window, go full screen and share that window. Share the computer’s sound as well if you want players to hear the buzzer; otherwise call time yourself.
How do I run a 30 second timer for trivia without touching the mouse?
Choose the 30 sec chip once. After that, press Space to start each question and R to reset when the buzzer has sounded.
How do I time a whole pub quiz round instead of each question?
Set the round time with the minute stepper, for example 5 minutes for ten questions, and start it after reading the last question. The buzzer is the signal to swap sheets for marking.