How to Make Your Quiz 'Phone-Proof' (So No One Can Cheat)
If you've ever hosted a quiz, you've likely encountered that one player — the one who just can't resist checking their phone. As their team racks up win after win, suspicion starts to brew, and suddenly it's up to you to police the fun.
With smartphones now a constant presence — and AI only adding to the temptation — hosting a fair quiz means staying one step ahead of the Google-happy crowd. Whether it's a team-building event, pub quiz, or private party, making your quiz "phone-proof" (a.k.a. cheat-proof) is essential to keeping the competition fair, exciting, and genuinely fun.
At Get Social, we design unforgettable quiz experiences where the smartest minds win — not the fastest thumbs. Here's how to phone-proof your quiz.
Why Making Your Quiz "Phone-Proof" Matters
Cheating might seem harmless at a casual event, but it can deflate the fun — fast.
Making your quiz phone-proof helps to:
- Keep the game fair and enjoyable
- Encourage real collaboration within teams
- Prevent awkward arguments or accusations
- Protect the integrity of prizes and rankings
- Deliver a better experience (and keep people coming back!)
So how do you keep Googling at bay without dampening the vibe? Here's how.
1. Ask Questions Google Can't Instantly Answer
The golden rule? If Google can answer your question in 2 seconds, so can your players.
Instead, try:
Association & riddle-based questions. "What links a Swedish band and a famous animated plumber?" Answer: Mamma Mia.
Deduction & wordplay. Summarise a story or song in obscure terms: "In an area of low pressure and high humidity, bodies fall from the sky at 22:30." Answer: It's Raining Men.
Audio & visual clues. "Whose laugh is this?" or "What film is this still from?" — tough to Google mid-round.
Timed questions. Use countdowns to force instinctive answers and discourage sneaky searches.
Odd-one-outs or obscured details. Hide a key word, use trick phrasing, or make it just cryptic enough to slow them down.
Customised, local, or observational content. Questions about the space, decor and locale — "What's written above the coffee machine in the staff room?" — or group-specific questions like "Which team member had a birthday last week?"
At Get Social, we specialise in tailoring content to your group — so every quiz is one-of-a-kind.
2. Add Creative, Physical, and Memory-Based Rounds
Phones won't help you here:
- Physical challenges — build a tower, do a taste test, complete a mini task
- Creative games — speed pictionary and sculpture rounds are always a laugh
- Memory rounds — flash an image or list, then test recall a minute later
These formats aren't just cheat-proof — they're fun, unpredictable, and test skills other than trivia knowledge.
3. Call It Out (Playfully)
Let players know from the start: "This is a no-Google zone. Use your brains, not your broadband!"
Most people cheat casually — not maliciously. Framing it in a light-hearted, positive way works wonders.
You can even add forfeits, bonus points for the most creative wrong answer, or a consolation prize for the losing team to keep things fun without being too serious.
4. Mix It Up and Keep It Fast
Fast-paced, varied quizzes are harder to cheat and easier to enjoy.
Keep players engaged and too busy to think about grabbing their phones — try introducing a time limit on trivia rounds to really raise the stakes.
Final Tip: Keep It Light, Keep It Fun
Remember: the goal isn't to catch cheaters — it's to make cheating irrelevant. When your quiz is clever, funny, interactive, and well-paced, people won't want to cheat — because they're having too much fun.
And that's exactly what we deliver at Get Social — event experiences that make honest play the best (and most fun) way to win.
Want to host a phone-proof quiz that's full of laughs, surprises, and good-natured competition? Discover our fully customisable quiz packages, perfect for team socials, private parties, and brand events.