The Christmas Special is the biggest night of the quiz year, and 2025 did not disappoint. A full pub, paper crowns as far as the eye could see, a tinsel tree worn as a hat, and a quiz fairy with wings, a wand and a light-up tutu.
When the scores were counted, Bow Barkers had won, with Friends of Maddie in second.
By the numbers
That made it four wins in 2025 for Bow Barkers: January, May, August and December. No other team won more than three, so the Barkers finished the year as the team of 2025.
A flavour of the questions
Almost everything had a Christmas twist. There was a Christmas alphabet round of things that happened on 25 December, a food and drink round, a games round and a Groan round of terrible jokes. The picture round was festive logos.
- General Christmas knowledgeWhat cheese is made backwards?
Answer: Edam - Alphabet roundOn 25 December 1066, William the what was crowned King of England?
Answer: Conqueror - Alphabet roundOn 25 December 1758, whose comet was sighted, the first predicted ahead of time?
Answer: Halley’s - Food and drinkThe village of Stilton is in which county? (Not one licensed to make Stilton.)
Answer: Cambridgeshire - GamesHow many blocks are there in a game of Jenga?
Answer: 54 - GroanHow does Good King Wenceslas like his pizza?
Answer: Deep pan, crisp and even - GroanWhat does Santa use to bake cakes?
Answer: Elf-raising flour
The wipeout round was Mary and Joseph: famous Marys and Joes, from Mary Berry to Joe Frazier. There are more photos from the night in the Christmas section of the gallery.
Music round one: carols
Ten carols sung by the choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Name the carol.
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
- Joy to the World
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- Ding Dong Merrily on High
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
- I Saw Three Ships
- In the Bleak Midwinter
- The Holly and the Ivy
- O Holy Night
Music round two: Christmas hits
And then the pop end of Christmas. Song and artist for the points. Nobody needed the clips to be very long.
- All I Want for Christmas Is YouMariah Carey
- Last ChristmasWham!
- It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like ChristmasMichael Bublé
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)John Lennon
- Fairytale of New YorkThe Pogues
- White ChristmasBing Crosby
- Do They Know It’s Christmas?Band Aid
- I Wish It Could Be Christmas EverydayWizzard
- Driving Home for ChristmasChris Rea
- Merry Xmas EverybodySlade
And finally
Merry Christmas, Bow Barkers. Next up was January, and the first quiz of 2026.
Every question from the night is in the questions archive, every winner is on the monthly winners board, and there are more photos in the gallery.