Sporcle, reviewed

Our take

Sporcle is where the internet goes to test itself. The classic format gives you a topic and a timer: name all the countries of South America, every chemical element, every Shakespeare play. Type an answer and, if it is right, it drops into place. Whatever you miss is shown at the end.

There are more than a million quizzes, almost all written by members. The good ones are very good, and quizzes on the same topic make a natural little course. There are live and multiplayer modes too, which work well with friends on a call.

We score it lower than our other picks because of the extras around the quizzes: daily missions, a points currency and streak prompts that encourage coming back. None of them is needed to enjoy the quizzes themselves.

A first sitting

Search for a topic you know well, play its most popular quiz, then one on a topic you know nothing about. The contrast is half the fun.

Where to stop

A quiz ends on its timer. Ignore the daily missions and the rewards around them; set a number of quizzes and stop there.

Worth knowing

Its terms say it is not meant for children under 13. Quizzes are written by users and are not checked before they go up, so quality varies.