Funny Debate Questions With Both Sides and a Show of Hands

240 fun debate topics, put as questions with no winner.

Funny Debate Questions With Both Sides and a Show of Hands

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Silly 72

  • Are boneless wings just chicken nuggets? A) Yes. Same chicken, fancier name. B) No. The sauce makes them a different food.
  • Are there more doors than wheels in the world? A) Doors. Think of every cupboard and locker. B) Wheels. Think of every toy car and office chair.
  • Are waffles just pancakes with better engineering? A) Yes. Same batter, plus pockets for syrup. B) No. The crunch makes them a different food.
  • Do houseplants deserve names? A) Yes. You water it every week. It is family. B) No. Name it and you will mourn it.
  • Do raisins ruin a cookie? A) Yes. They look like chocolate chips and are not. B) No. Oatmeal raisin earned its place.
  • Do stairs go up or down? A) Up. You build them to reach a higher floor. B) Down. Gravity agrees with me.
  • Do two people count as a group? A) Yes. Two is more than one. B) No. Two is a pair. A group starts at three.
  • Do you eat soup or drink it? A) Eat. There is a spoon, so it is eating. B) Drink. It is a liquid, however you lift it.
  • Does a couple always mean exactly two? A) Yes. A couple is two. A few is three. B) No. A couple of minutes has never been two minutes.
  • Does a dice roll that lands on the floor still count? A) Yes. A roll is a roll. B) No. Off the table means roll again.
  • Does a sandwich taste better when someone else makes it? A) Yes. Effort you did not spend is a seasoning. B) No. Only you know your correct amount of mustard.
  • Does a straw have one hole or two? A) One. It is a single tunnel. B) Two. There is a way in and a way out.
  • Does a text that ends in a period sound angry? A) Yes. OK, with a period. You can hear the door close. B) No. It is punctuation. It is how sentences end.
  • Does biweekly mean twice a week? A) Yes. Bi means two, so two a week. B) No. It means every two weeks.
  • Does calling shotgun count if you cannot see the car? A) Yes. A call is a call. B) No. The car must be in sight. That is the rule of shotgun.
  • Does ketchup live in the fridge? A) Yes. Cold ketchup on hot fries is the point. B) No. The diner keeps it on the table, and so do I.
  • Does next Friday mean the Friday coming up? A) Yes. It is the next one on the calendar. B) No. That is this Friday. Next Friday is the one after.
  • Does pineapple belong on pizza? A) Yes. Sweet and salty is the whole point. B) No. Warm fruit has no business on cheese.
  • Does the week start on Monday? A) Yes. It is called the weekend because it ends the week. B) No. Sunday sits first on the calendar on my wall.
  • Does tomato belong in a fruit salad? A) Yes. It is a fruit, so let it in. B) No. Knowing it is a fruit is not an invitation.
  • Does tomorrow start at midnight? A) Yes. The clock says so. B) No. It is still today until you have slept.
  • Does white chocolate count as chocolate? A) Yes. It is made with cocoa butter. B) No. No brown, no chocolate.
  • Does winning at trivia mean you are smart? A) Yes. Knowing things is what smart means. B) No. It means you remember odd facts.
  • If a dog wore pants, would they cover only the back legs? A) Yes. Pants go on the back end. B) No. Four legs, four pant legs.
  • If you are waiting for the waiter, are you the waiter? A) Yes. You wait, so you are a waiter. B) No. The job title comes with a tray.
  • If you clean a vacuum cleaner, are you the vacuum cleaner? A) Yes. You clean the vacuum, so the title is yours. B) No. You are a person holding a cloth.
  • Is a decade over when the year ends in 9? A) Yes. The twenties started in 2020. Ask anyone. B) No. There was no year zero, so count from 1.
  • Is a hot dog a sandwich? A) Yes. It is a filling held by bread. B) No. Nobody orders a hot dog sandwich.
  • Is a hot tub just people soup? A) Yes. Warm water and a gentle simmer: soup. B) No. Soup has seasoning and a purpose.
  • Is a jigsaw puzzle a game? A) Yes. There is a goal and you can race it. B) No. There are no rules, no turns and no loser.
  • Is a pet fish really a pet? A) Yes. It has a name and you feed it. B) No. A pet should know when you come home.
  • Is a pickle still a cucumber? A) Yes. It just spent some time in a jar. B) No. Once it is pickled, there is no going back.
  • Is a rainy day good weather? A) Yes. Everything grows and nobody expects you outside. B) No. Good weather is weather you can stand in.
  • Is a smoothie a meal? A) Yes. It is a fruit bowl you can carry. B) No. If you cannot chew it, it is a drink.
  • Is a spork more spoon than fork? A) Spoon. The bowl does the real work. B) Fork. The points are what make it special.
  • Is a taco a kind of sandwich? A) Yes. A folded shell is still bread around a filling. B) No. A taco is its own thing and needs no promotion.
  • Is a thumb a finger? A) Yes. Five fingers on a hand. Count them. B) No. It bends its own way and has its own name.
  • Is a toaster pastry a kind of ravioli? A) Yes. It is a filling sealed inside dough. B) No. Ravioli is pasta, and frosting is not a sauce.
  • Is an ice cream sandwich a sandwich? A) Yes. Two outsides and a filling is the rule. B) No. A sandwich should survive a lunchbox.
  • Is breakfast for dinner better than dinner? A) Yes. Pancakes at 7 pm feel like breaking a rule. B) No. Dinner food earned the evening.
  • Is cereal a soup? A) Yes. It is food in liquid, eaten with a spoon. B) No. Soup gets cooked. Cereal gets poured.
  • Is cheesecake a cake or a pie? A) A cake. The name settles it. B) A pie. It has a crust and a filling.
  • Is chess a sport? A) Yes. It has rankings, clocks and sweat. B) No. A sport needs you to leave the chair.
  • Is cold pizza from the fridge a real breakfast? A) Yes. Bread, tomato, cheese: it is nearly toast. B) No. Breakfast should not come out of a delivery box.
  • Is folding a fitted sheet worth the effort? A) Yes. A folded closet is a calm closet. B) No. Roll it into a ball. Nobody will ever know.
  • Is GIF said with a hard G? A) Yes. G as in gift. B) No. Soft G, like giraffe.
  • Is golf a sport? A) Yes. It takes skill, nerve and miles of walking. B) No. If you can play it in a sweater vest, it is a game.
  • Is hide and seek a sport? A) Yes. Speed, stealth and stamina. B) No. Standing behind a curtain is not athletics.
  • Is it fair to claim a permanent spot on the couch? A) Yes. Everyone knows where they sit. That is peace. B) No. Get up and the seat is open.
  • Is it fine to say literally when you mean figuratively? A) Yes. Everyone understands, and language moves. B) No. We need one word that still means literally.
  • Is it OK to eat pizza with a knife and fork? A) Yes. Hot cheese, clean hands. B) No. Pizza was built with a handle.
  • Is it still camping if you sleep in a real bed? A) Yes. You are outdoors and there are bugs. B) No. No tent, no camping.
  • Is ketchup a smoothie? A) Yes. It is blended fruit in a bottle. B) No. Nobody drinks it through a straw.
  • Is lasagna a savory cake? A) Yes. Layers, a pan and slices: that is a cake. B) No. Nobody puts candles in a lasagna.
  • Is mini golf golf? A) Yes. Club, ball, hole: same game, smaller. B) No. Golf has no windmill.
  • Is mint chocolate chip just frozen toothpaste? A) Yes. Mint belongs at the sink. B) No. It is the freshest scoop in the freezer.
  • Is rock paper scissors a game of skill? A) Yes. You read the other player. B) No. It is a coin flip with extra steps.
  • Is sparkling water just water showing off? A) Yes. Bubbles add nothing but noise. B) No. The fizz is the entire point.
  • Is sunrise worth getting up for? A) Yes. The best light of the day, and no crowds. B) No. Sunset is the same show at a civil hour.
  • Is the alphabet in the right order? A) Yes. The song works. Leave it alone. B) No. The vowels should be up front.
  • Is the corner piece the best brownie? A) Yes. Two chewy edges beat none. B) No. The soft middle is why brownies exist.
  • Is the first floor the one at ground level? A) Yes. It is the first floor you walk into. B) No. Ground is ground. First is one flight up.
  • Is the ocean scarier than space? A) Yes. Space is empty. The ocean has things in it. B) No. In the ocean you can at least swim up.
  • Is water wet? A) Yes. Touch it and tell me what you feel. B) No. Water makes things wet. It is not wet itself.
  • Is Y a vowel? A) Yes. Try spelling rhythm without it doing a vowel's job. B) No. Five vowels, and Y is a guest at best.
  • Should a sandwich be cut corner to corner? A) Yes. Triangles give you a better first bite. B) No. Straight across keeps the filling in.
  • Should every kitchen have a junk drawer? A) Yes. Batteries and tape need a home. B) No. A junk drawer is a decision you keep putting off.
  • Should every show have a skip intro button? A) Yes. I have heard the theme song. B) No. The intro is part of the show.
  • Should people clap when the plane lands? A) Yes. A good landing deserves a hand. B) No. Nobody claps when the bus arrives.
  • Should the milk go in the bowl before the cereal? A) Yes. You can see how much milk you have. B) No. Cereal first, so nothing splashes or sinks.
  • Should the winner clean up the game? A) Yes. Victory has a price. B) No. The loser tidies. That is what losing is for.
  • Should toilet paper hang over the top of the roll? A) Over. You can find the end in the dark. B) Under. It looks tidy and the cat cannot unroll it.

Everyday 90

  • Are open-plan offices better than cubicles? A) Yes. Questions get answered in seconds. B) No. So does everyone else's, right next to your ear.
  • Are paper books better than e-readers? A) Yes. No battery, and a shelf tells your story. B) No. A whole library in one hand wins.
  • Are remakes ever better than the original? A) Yes. A good story deserves a second try. B) No. Make something new.
  • Are showers better at night than in the morning? A) Night. Clean sheets stay clean. B) Morning. Nothing else wakes you up.
  • Are surprise parties a good idea? A) Yes. The look on their face is the gift. B) No. Let people choose their own outfit and guest list.
  • Are video calls better than phone calls for catching up? A) Yes. Seeing a face is half the visit. B) No. On the phone you can fold laundry.
  • Can you take back a move once your hand has left the piece? A) Yes. It is a friendly game, not a tournament. B) No. Hand off means move made.
  • Does the loser have the right to a rematch? A) Yes. One rematch, on demand, is only fair. B) No. The result stands. Book another night.
  • Does the middle seat get both armrests? A) Yes. It is the only prize the middle seat has. B) No. First elbow there keeps it.
  • Does the window seat control the shade? A) Yes. Their window, their call. B) No. The whole row lives with that sunlight.
  • Is a handwritten list better than a list app? A) Yes. Crossing out in ink feels like winning. B) No. The app cannot fall behind the fridge.
  • Is a nap a good use of a lunch break? A) Yes. Twenty minutes and the afternoon is saved. B) No. Eat, walk, see daylight.
  • Is a road trip better than flying? A) Yes. The stops are the vacation. B) No. Eight hours in a car is eight hours lost.
  • Is a staycation a real vacation? A) Yes. No packing, no airport, same rest. B) No. If you can see your laundry, you are not away.
  • Is a top sheet necessary? A) Yes. It keeps the blanket clean. B) No. It ends up in a knot at your feet.
  • Is a voice message better than a long text? A) Yes. You hear the tone, and it takes ten seconds to make. B) No. It takes two minutes to hear and cannot be skimmed.
  • Is fashionably late just late? A) Yes. Late is late in any outfit. B) No. Nobody wants to be the first guest at a party.
  • Is it better to read the book before you see the movie? A) Yes. Your own pictures should come first. B) No. See the movie first, then let the book add to it.
  • Is it fair to team up against the player in the lead? A) Yes. That is strategy. B) No. Play your own game.
  • Is it fine to eat lunch at your desk? A) Yes. Eat, finish up, leave earlier. B) No. A break at your desk is not a break.
  • Is it OK to ask for a bite of someone's food? A) Yes. Sharing is half of eating out. B) No. Order your own. My plate is a closed system.
  • Is it OK to call someone without texting first? A) Yes. That is what a phone is for. B) No. A surprise call feels like an emergency.
  • Is it OK to cancel plans on the same day? A) Yes. A tired guest is no fun anyway. B) No. Someone planned their day around you.
  • Is it OK to correct someone's grammar in conversation? A) Yes. You would want to know. B) No. You understood them. Let it go.
  • Is it OK to keep holiday lights up until February? A) Yes. Winter is dark. Lights help. B) No. After the first week of January it is just forgetting.
  • Is it OK to leave a party without saying goodbye? A) Yes. Slip out and nobody's fun gets interrupted. B) No. Find the host. It takes thirty seconds.
  • Is it OK to quit a board game that is clearly lost? A) Yes. Three more hours of losing helps nobody. B) No. You finish what you set up.
  • Is it OK to regift a present? A) Yes. A good gift should find its right home. B) No. A gift passed on is a chore passed on.
  • Is it OK to save a row of seats with a coat? A) Yes. One early person can hold seats for friends. B) No. Seats are for people who are there.
  • Is it OK to send a work message after 6 pm? A) Yes. Send when it suits you. They can read it tomorrow. B) No. A message at night is a job at night.
  • Is it OK to talk during a movie at home? A) Yes. Home is where you can pause and comment. B) No. Save it for the credits.
  • Is it OK to watch ahead in a show you started together? A) Yes, if you rewatch it and act surprised. B) No. That is a broken promise with a remote.
  • Is it rude to add salt before you taste? A) Yes. Try it first. The cook is watching. B) No. I know how I like my food.
  • Is it rude to arrive early to a party? A) Yes. The host is still vacuuming. B) No. Early guests can help set out the chips.
  • Is leaving someone on read rude? A) Yes. Seen and silent is a closed door. B) No. Reading is not a promise to answer right now.
  • Is looking up a word during a word game cheating? A) Yes. The dictionary is for challenges only. B) No. Checking the spelling keeps the game honest.
  • Is maybe an acceptable RSVP? A) Yes. It is honest. B) No. The host needs a number, not a mood.
  • Is money a thoughtful gift? A) Yes. It always fits and is never a duplicate. B) No. A gift should show you know the person.
  • Is November too early for holiday decorations? A) Yes. One holiday at a time. B) No. If it makes you happy, plug it in.
  • Is one week long enough before spoilers are fair game? A) Yes. A week is plenty. Catch up or log off. B) No. Always ask first. Some of us are busy.
  • Is reclining your seat on a plane fair play? A) Yes. The button is there to be pressed. B) No. Your comfort lands on someone else's tray table.
  • Is reply all ever the right choice? A) Yes. Sometimes everyone does need to know. B) No. Nobody has ever been glad of a reply all.
  • Is small talk worth the effort? A) Yes. Every friendship started with the weather. B) No. Skip to a real question or enjoy the quiet.
  • Is ten minutes early better than exactly on time? A) Yes. Early is the only safe kind of on time. B) No. On time is on time. Early is loitering.
  • Is there one correct way to load a dishwasher? A) Yes, and I am happy to demonstrate. B) No. If it comes out clean, it was loaded right.
  • Is wanting a quiet night in a good enough reason to say no? A) Yes. Rest is a plan. B) No. Show up. You will be glad you went.
  • Should a work dress code just say clean and tidy? A) Yes. Comfortable people work better. B) No. Dressing for work puts your head at work.
  • Should adults ever let kids win? A) Yes. A win now and then keeps them playing. B) No. A real win is worth ten gifted ones.
  • Should adults have a set bedtime? A) Yes. Sleep works best on a schedule. B) No. Choosing your bedtime is the prize for growing up.
  • Should adults still have birthday parties? A) Yes. A year is worth a cake at any age. B) No. After a certain age, dinner is plenty.
  • Should cameras stay on in video calls? A) Yes. Faces keep people listening. B) No. Nobody needs to watch me eat toast.
  • Should chores be split by time instead of by task? A) Yes. An hour each is an hour each. B) No. Own a task and nobody needs a stopwatch.
  • Should emojis be allowed in work messages? A) Yes. A smile stops a short message sounding cold. B) No. Words did the job for centuries.
  • Should every game have a winner, with no ties allowed? A) Yes. Play a tiebreaker. Someone must gloat. B) No. A tie means it was a great game.
  • Should every gift come with a receipt? A) Yes. It is the polite way to say swap it. B) No. It tells them you expected to miss.
  • Should every meeting end at 30 minutes, no exceptions? A) Yes. A deadline makes people get to the point. B) No. Some problems take an hour. Let them.
  • Should everybody work a customer service job once? A) Yes. One summer behind a counter teaches patience. B) No. Nobody should have to learn patience the hard way.
  • Should everyone know how to cook five meals before they move out? A) Yes. Five dinners get you through a week. B) No. You learn fast when you are hungry.
  • Should everyone stand still on an escalator? A) Yes. Two full lanes move more people. B) No. Stand right, walk left. Some of us have a train.
  • Should group chats go quiet after 10 pm? A) Yes. Sleep beats memes. B) No. Mute the chat. That is what mute is for.
  • Should guests take their shoes off at the door? A) Yes. The street stays outside. B) No. Guests should not have to worry about their socks.
  • Should homework be optional? A) Yes. Those who need the practice will do it. B) No. Optional homework is homework nobody does.
  • Should house rules beat the rulebook? A) Yes. The house is where the game is played. B) No. The rulebook is the only neutral voice at the table.
  • Should movies be shorter than two hours? A) Yes. Tell the story and let us go home. B) No. A great film can take the time it needs.
  • Should offices celebrate every birthday with cake? A) Yes. Cake is the best meeting of the month. B) No. Forced singing helps nobody.
  • Should one day a week be free of meetings? A) Yes. Everyone needs one day to do the work. B) No. The meetings just pile into the other four.
  • Should pets be allowed on the bed? A) Yes. Free foot warmer. B) No. The bed is the last fur-free place in the house.
  • Should planes board from the back rows first? A) Yes. Nobody blocks the aisle. B) No. Families and groups get split up.
  • Should subtitles stay on? A) Yes. You catch every word and can snack loudly. B) No. You end up reading the movie.
  • Should thank-you notes be handwritten? A) Yes. Ink shows you took five minutes. B) No. A warm message today beats a card next month.
  • Should the bill be split evenly? A) Yes. It is quick and friendly. B) No. Salad should not pay for steak.
  • Should the birthday person pay for nothing at dinner? A) Yes. One free dinner a year is the rule. B) No. They picked the pricey place, so they chip in.
  • Should the driver always choose the music? A) Yes. The one doing the work picks the songs. B) No. The driver drives. The front passenger is the DJ.
  • Should the last cookie be offered around before anyone takes it? A) Yes. Ask the table first. B) No. It sat there for ten minutes. It is fair game.
  • Should the owner of the game be the judge of the rules? A) Yes. Their box, their call. B) No. Owners are the most biased players at the table.
  • Should the person who cooks be excused from washing up? A) Yes. Cook or clean, never both. B) No. The cook made the mess and knows where it is.
  • Should the snooze button exist? A) Yes. Nine more minutes is a small mercy. B) No. It just makes you wake up twice.
  • Should the thermostat have one setting that nobody may touch? A) Yes. Agree once, then hands off. B) No. Whoever is cold gets a vote.
  • Should the TV remote belong to whoever sat down first? A) Yes. First seated, first served. B) No. The room votes on what to watch.
  • Should the youngest player always go first? A) Yes. It is quick, fair and nobody argues. B) No. Roll for it. Age is not a skill.
  • Should there be a four-day working week? A) Yes. Rested people get the same work done. B) No. Five days of work squeezed into four is no gift.
  • Should toothpaste be squeezed from the end of the tube? A) Yes. Roll it up and waste nothing. B) No. Squeeze the middle. It all comes out eventually.
  • Should you get your birthday off work? A) Yes. One free day a year costs little. B) No. Take a vacation day like everyone else.
  • Should you hold the door for someone ten steps away? A) Yes. It costs three seconds. B) No. Now they have to jog. That is not a favor.
  • Should you keep score in a friendly game? A) Yes. Without a score it is just an activity. B) No. Scores turn friends into lawyers.
  • Should you make your bed every morning? A) Yes. One small win before breakfast. B) No. You are only going to unmake it tonight.
  • Should you plan every day of a vacation? A) Yes. A plan means you see it all. B) No. The best afternoons are the unplanned ones.
  • Should you return the shopping cart every single time? A) Yes. It is the easiest good deed there is. B) No. Rain, a baby in the car: there are exceptions.
  • Should you stand up the moment the plane parks? A) Yes. Stretch. You have been folded for hours. B) No. The door is shut. Sit down.
  • Should you tell a friend you did not like their cooking? A) Yes, kindly. Or you will be served it for years. B) No. Eat it, thank them and keep the peace.

Serious but safe 38

  • Should a robot caller have to say it is a robot? A) Yes. You should know who, or what, you are talking to. B) No. If it fixes the problem, who cares?
  • Should anyone be allowed to keep a wild animal as a pet? A) Yes, with space, training and checks. B) No. A wild animal belongs in the wild.
  • Should art made by a computer program be allowed in art contests? A) Yes. A person still chose what to make. B) No. A contest should reward the hand and the hours.
  • Should cities dim their lights at night so people can see the stars? A) Yes. Everyone deserves a sky full of stars. B) No. Lit streets feel safer to walk.
  • Should city centers be closed to cars? A) Yes. Streets are nicer at walking speed. B) No. Deliveries, buses and tired legs need a way in.
  • Should clocks stop changing twice a year? A) Yes. Nobody enjoys losing an hour of sleep. B) No. Light evenings in summer are worth the fuss.
  • Should e-scooters be allowed on sidewalks? A) Yes. They are closer to a walker than to a car. B) No. Sidewalks are for feet.
  • Should every adult have to pass a first aid course? A) Yes. One afternoon could save a life. B) No. Forced lessons get forgotten.
  • Should every country use the metric system for everything? A) Yes. Tens are easier than twelves and sixteens. B) No. People think in the units they grew up with.
  • Should every driver retake the driving test every ten years? A) Yes. Roads and eyesight both change. B) No. Decades of safe driving is the test.
  • Should every job listing show the pay? A) Yes. It saves everyone three interviews. B) No. Pay depends on the person who turns up.
  • Should everyone have to serve on a jury at least once? A) Yes. Fair trials need every kind of person. B) No. An unwilling juror helps nobody.
  • Should famous sights limit how many visitors come each day? A) Yes. Crowds wear out the thing they came to see. B) No. Nobody should be turned away from a wonder.
  • Should fireworks be replaced by drone shows? A) Yes. Same wonder, and pets can relax. B) No. Nothing replaces the boom.
  • Should job interviews be replaced with a paid trial day? A) Yes. Doing the job shows more than talking about it. B) No. One day shows nerves, not skill.
  • Should lawns be replaced with wild gardens? A) Yes. Less mowing and more bees. B) No. You cannot play catch in a meadow.
  • Should libraries lend tools and toys as well as books? A) Yes. Most drills get used once a year. B) No. Books are the job. Do one thing well.
  • Should loud leaf blowers be banned in neighborhoods? A) Yes. A rake is quiet and works fine. B) No. A big yard takes all day with a rake.
  • Should museums be free to enter? A) Yes. History belongs to everyone. B) No. A ticket keeps the lights on and the roof fixed.
  • Should offices let people choose their own hours? A) Yes. Judge the work, not the clock. B) No. Teams need to be awake at the same time.
  • Should people need a license to own a dog? A) Yes. A short course makes better owners. B) No. Paperwork does not make anyone kinder to a dog.
  • Should printed receipts be phased out? A) Yes. Most go from the register to the trash. B) No. Paper works when the battery and the signal do not.
  • Should public transport be free to ride? A) Yes. Full buses mean emptier roads. B) No. Free to ride still has to be paid for.
  • Should reselling tickets above the printed price be banned? A) Yes. Seats should go to fans, not to the fastest buyer. B) No. Once it is your ticket, you can name your price.
  • Should self-driving cars be allowed on every road? A) Yes. A computer does not get tired or look away. B) No. Not until they handle every surprise a road can throw.
  • Should shops still have to take cash? A) Yes. Cash works for everyone, with no account needed. B) No. A shop can choose how it gets paid.
  • Should space exploration wait until problems on Earth are fixed? A) Yes. Fix the house before you buy a boat. B) No. Looking up has always sent answers back down.
  • Should supermarkets have to give away food they cannot sell? A) Yes. Good food belongs on a table, not in a bin. B) No. Sorting and moving it costs money too.
  • Should the calendar be fixed so a date falls on the same weekday every year? A) Yes. Plan once, reuse forever. B) No. A birthday stuck on a Monday forever is cruel.
  • Should the Olympic Games have one permanent home? A) Yes. Build the stadiums once and use them forever. B) No. Every host city gets its turn on the world stage.
  • Should the smallest coin be retired? A) Yes. It buys nothing and fills jars. B) No. Prices would quietly round up.
  • Should the whole world learn the same second language? A) Yes. Anyone could talk with anyone. B) No. Which language, and who gets to pick?
  • Should the whole world share one time zone? A) Yes. One time, no sums, no missed calls. B) No. Noon should be when the sun is overhead.
  • Should tipping be replaced by higher menu prices? A) Yes. The price you see should be the price you pay. B) No. A tip lets you thank great service yourself.
  • Should video games be an Olympic event? A) Yes. They take reflexes, training and nerve. B) No. The Olympics are for bodies in motion.
  • Should video replay decide every close call in sports? A) Yes. Getting it right matters more than getting it fast. B) No. The arguing is half the fun of sport.
  • Should voting be compulsory? A) Yes. A result should come from everyone. B) No. Choosing not to vote is a choice too.
  • Should working from home be a right for desk jobs? A) Yes. If the work gets done, the place is a detail. B) No. Some things only happen when people share a room.

Defend the indefensible 40

  • Defend it: a candy bar should be eaten with a knife and fork. A) Sold. Set the table. B) No sale. Hands were made for this.
  • Defend it: alarm clocks should ring an hour early every day. A) Sold. Set mine for five. B) No sale. Sleep wins.
  • Defend it: birthday cake should be replaced by birthday salad. A) Sold. Put a candle in the lettuce. B) No sale. Bring back the frosting.
  • Defend it: burnt toast is better than golden toast. A) Sold. Turn the dial all the way up. B) No sale. Scrape it and start again.
  • Defend it: car alarms are beautiful music. A) Sold. Turn it up. B) No sale. It is 3 am.
  • Defend it: cereal is better with water than with milk. A) Sold. Turn on the tap. B) No sale. Somebody buy milk.
  • Defend it: decorative pillows are the most useful thing in the house. A) Sold. Buy six more. B) No sale. They live on the floor.
  • Defend it: dessert should be served before dinner. A) Sold. Cake first from now on. B) No sale. Eat your vegetables.
  • Defend it: every board game should take at least six hours. A) Sold. Cancel tomorrow. B) No sale. I have a home to go to.
  • Defend it: every chair should be a beanbag. A) Sold. Out with the dining chairs. B) No sale. Try eating dinner in one.
  • Defend it: every dog should be addressed as sir or madam. A) Sold. After you, sir. B) No sale. He answers to Biscuit.
  • Defend it: every door should be a revolving door. A) Sold. The bathroom too. B) No sale. Hinges worked fine.
  • Defend it: every fruit belongs on a pizza. A) Sold. Banana slice for me. B) No sale. Pineapple was already pushing it.
  • Defend it: every meeting should be held standing on one leg. A) Sold. Meetings would be short. B) No sale. Someone will fall into the snacks.
  • Defend it: every sentence should end with the word allegedly. A) Sold. Great speech, allegedly. B) No sale. Say what you mean.
  • Defend it: every song should be exactly 30 seconds long. A) Sold. Straight to the chorus. B) No sale. Let the guitar solo live.
  • Defend it: every text message should rhyme. A) Sold. Running late, please wait. B) No sale. Just say you are late.
  • Defend it: glitter belongs in every greeting card. A) Sold. Sparkle for all. B) No sale. I am still finding it from last year.
  • Defend it: group projects are the best way to get work done. A) Sold. Teamwork it is. B) No sale. One person did it all, as usual.
  • Defend it: losing is more fun than winning. A) Sold. No pressure, all the jokes. B) No sale. Nice try, second place.
  • Defend it: maps should put south at the top. A) Sold. Flip the globe. B) No sale. North has seniority.
  • Defend it: Monday is the best day of the week. A) Sold. Bring on Monday. B) No sale. Friday is not worried.
  • Defend it: movies should start with the ending. A) Sold. No more suspense for me. B) No sale. I will wait two hours like everyone else.
  • Defend it: naps should be banned. A) Sold. Eyes open, everyone. B) No sale. See you in twenty minutes.
  • Defend it: pigeons are the most majestic bird. A) Sold. Look at that strut. B) No sale. The eagle would like a word.
  • Defend it: rainy days are the best beach days. A) Sold. No crowds and a free shower. B) No sale. My sandwich is floating.
  • Defend it: reply all is the best button ever invented. A) Sold. Everyone should know everything. B) No sale. Please take me off this thread.
  • Defend it: soup should be eaten with a fork. A) Sold. Pass me a fork. B) No sale. The spoon stays.
  • Defend it: spoilers make every story better. A) Sold. Tell me how it ends. B) No sale. Not one word.
  • Defend it: stepping on a toy brick builds character. A) Sold. Scatter them in the hall. B) No sale. I am wearing slippers.
  • Defend it: tangled cables are a fun puzzle. A) Sold. Hand me the knot. B) No sale. Buy a cable tie.
  • Defend it: the best pizza topping is more crust. A) Sold. Crust on crust, please. B) No sale. Cheese still wins.
  • Defend it: the front row, far left, is the best seat at the movies. A) Sold. Nobody blocks the view. B) No sale. My neck disagrees.
  • Defend it: the middle seat is the best seat on the plane. A) Sold. Two new friends. B) No sale. Zero armrests.
  • Defend it: the rulebook should be read aloud in full before every game. A) Sold. Page one, everybody. B) No sale. We will learn as we go.
  • Defend it: the slowest line at the store is the one to pick. A) Sold. Patience is a skill. B) No sale. I am switching lines.
  • Defend it: traffic jams are good for you. A) Sold. Finally, time to think. B) No sale. I have thought enough.
  • Defend it: umbrellas should have holes in them. A) Sold. Let a little rain in. B) No sale. That is a sieve on a stick.
  • Defend it: waiting on hold is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. A) Sold. Your call is important to me. B) No sale. I have aged a year.
  • Defend it: wrapping paper should be impossible to tear. A) Sold. Earn your present. B) No sale. Pass the scissors.

How it works

These funny debate questions deal one low-stakes, debatable claim at a time, such as Is cereal a soup?, from 240 cards in four tones. Each card gives both sides and counts a show of hands. No party politics or religion.

Read the full guide

Run a debate from one phone

Press Next question and read out both sides. Quick round: tap A or B for every raised hand. Formal debate: flip a coin for sides, press Play a 2-minute round and swap speakers at 1:00.

Four tones, from silly to serious

Silly has 72 cards, the stupid debate questions that split a table, like Does a straw have one hole or two? Everyday has 90 fun debatable questions, such as Should there be a four-day working week? Serious but safe holds 38 debate questions for adults, like Should voting be compulsory? Defend the indefensible gives one speaker 40 lost causes; the room votes Sold or No sale.

  • Make players argue the side they voted against. Questions to debate with friends stay friendly when nobody defends a real opinion.
  • Pick Silly, then Print on the end card: 72 silly arguable questions come out as slips to cut apart and draw from a bowl.
  • Hosting dinner? Press Food for 37 arguments, starting with Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Questions and answers

Are these fun controversial questions safe for a mixed group?

Yes. Controversial here means pineapple on pizza, not the news, and neither side puts anyone down. For funny controversial questions to ask at a family table, stay on Silly and Everyday. Serious but safe goes as far as compulsory voting and tipping.

How do you score a controversial questions game?

Count hands before the speeches, press Clear votes, then count again. The side that gained hands gets +1 on the end card, so a good speech can win against the room. On a Defend it card, the speaker scores when Sold beats No sale.

What makes silly debate questions work?

A claim that sounds settled until someone defines a word: Is cereal a soup? turns on what soup means. The best silly debatable questions have no expert to look up and nothing at stake, so the quietest player still picks a side.

Do these work as controversial poll questions in a group chat?

Yes. Press Copy question and paste: the card arrives with its A and B lines, ready for a vote. Debatable questions for friends who live apart work best one a day, with the split read out at the weekend.

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