How it works
What the French pin to a victim's back, when the pranks must stop in Britain, and what Swiss farmers harvested on television in 1957: four rounds, each answer with its reason.
Read the full guide
April Fools' Day trivia questions and answers, in four rounds
Where the day came from has a fox, a calendar change and lions that needed a wash. April fish and other customs visits France, Sweden, Poland and Odesa. Britain and Ireland covers the noon rule, the gowk and a letter that sends the fool further. Other joke days and famous pranks goes to Iran, Spain and Brazil.
Print a sheet, no tricks
A tap on a choice shows the answer and its reason. After ten questions the card offers Print question sheet, a sheet of 20. Open More options there for Topic, to stay on one round, and for Print answer key.
Tips
- Every answer here is true. The wrong choices are the only jokes.
- Where the day came from is the hardest round by our estimate; Britain and Ireland is the gentlest.
Questions and answers
How did April Fools' Day start?
The origin is not exactly known. One theory ties it to the move of New Year's Day from March 25 to January 1, but a Flemish poem of 1561 mentions April errands before France made that change in 1564.
What is April Fools' Day called in France?
Poisson d'avril, literally April's fish. Pranksters try to attach a paper fish to a victim's back without being noticed, and bakeries sell chocolate fishes on the day.
Do April Fools' pranks have to stop at noon?
By the custom recorded in the United Kingdom, yes. A study of the 1950s found that the pranks cease at noon, and a person who plays one after midday is considered the April fool.
What was the spaghetti harvest prank?
In 1957 a British television program showed Swiss farmers picking freshly grown spaghetti. The broadcaster was flooded with requests to buy a spaghetti plant and declared the film a hoax the next day.