As the year draws to a close, The Guardian has released its traditional annual news quiz, offering readers a chance to test their recollection of the major events and talking points that defined 2025.
A Year of Political Intrigue and Royal Evolution
The 2025 edition of the quiz, published on 20 December, probes knowledge on a year marked by significant political shifts and ongoing changes within the British monarchy. One notable question centres on the return of Donald Trump to the White House following the November 2024 US election, asking what specific action he took on his first day back in office. The monarchy also features, with a query about Prince Andrew's apparent loss of his HRH style in official Royal Family communications, a continued reflection of the institution's 'slimmed-down' model.
Beyond politics and royalty, the quiz delves into the world of technology and its influential leaders. It references the so-called 'tech barons', a group of billionaire entrepreneurs whose ambitions and projects frequently made headlines. The quiz challenges participants to identify which of these figures was involved in a particularly controversial venture this year.
Testing Recall on Culture, Sport, and Headline Moments
The scope of the 20-question quiz is broad, designed to challenge even the most dedicated news followers. It covers a diverse range of topics from across the globe. Cultural milestones are included, with questions potentially touching on notable film releases, literary awards, or viral internet phenomena that captured public attention in 2025.
Sporting events, always a staple of the annual review, are also present. The quiz may reference championship victories, surprising defeats, or major tournaments that took place over the last twelve months. Furthermore, it doesn't shy away from the more peculiar or light-hearted stories that broke through the news cycle, ensuring a comprehensive test of one's annual media consumption.
Why the Annual Quiz Resonates
This yearly ritual serves as more than just a trivia challenge; it acts as a cultural barometer and a collective memory check. In an era of rapid news turnover and information overload, the quiz provides a structured pause to reflect on what events truly shaped the public discourse. It highlights which stories had lasting impact and which faded quickly from view.
For readers, it is an engaging way to review the year's key moments, from the high-stakes arena of international politics to shifts in societal norms and celebrity culture. Successfully answering the questions offers a satisfying confirmation of being well-informed, while the gaps in knowledge reveal the sheer volume and variety of events that constitute a single year in the modern world.
The Guardian's 2025 quiz, with its mix of serious political inquiry and playful curiosity, encapsulates the complexity of the year. It invites everyone to look back, assess, and perhaps realise just how much can happen between one January and the next.
