Outlier started as a word game, so the word packs feel like home. They're not a spelling test. Every question is about where a word came from, who it's named after or why it's odd.
What the packs cover
Word OriginsThe backstories of everyday words, some of them far stranger than you'd guess.
Weird & Wonderful WordsWords worth knowing for the fun of them, and the odd corners of English.
Famous QuotesWho said it first, and the famous lines nobody said at all.
Collective NounsWhat to call a group of anything, and where those names came from.
EponymsThe real people hiding inside ordinary words.
Borrowed WordsEnglish words that arrived from other languages, and what they meant before.
Phobias, Manias & -ologiesThe Greek and Latin behind fears, obsessions and fields of study.
Slang Through the DecadesFrom the flappers to the group chat.
British vs American EnglishTwo countries, one language, and the words that split them.
Languages, Grammar & IdiomsHow languages work, and the sayings we use without thinking.
On the word packs' leaderboards, players carry their Vocab Index band from the daily word game, so you can see how the word game's best do on word trivia.
Sample questions
A sample questionThe answer
In the joke spelling ghoti, with sounds borrowed from enough, women and nation, which word do you get?Fish. It's often pinned on George Bernard Shaw, but it doesn't appear in his writing; it traces to an 1855 letter.
Precipitation hides rain inside it, letters in order. What is a word like that called?A kangaroo word, and rain is its joey. Masculine carries male the same way.
Snowclone, the name for a reusable cliche template, was coined in 2004 as a pun on which frozen treat?A snow cone. The economist Glen Whitman coined it.
Each answer is a small story, which is the rule for every word pack: no definitions to memorise, just the surprise behind the word.
Quick play
Start any word pack from here.
- Languages, Grammar & IdiomsQuick play →
- Word OriginsQuick play →
- Weird & Wonderful WordsQuick play →
- Famous QuotesQuick play →
- Collective NounsQuick play →
- Phobias, Manias & -ologiesQuick play →
- Borrowed WordsQuick play →
- EponymsQuick play →
- Slang Through the DecadesQuick play →
- British vs American EnglishQuick play →
Keep reading
Themed Trivia: the overviewHow a game works, free games, pack boards and Themed points.How it fits into OutlierWhich game to play when, and what counts toward what.Tips for Themed TriviaSpeed against accuracy, the difficulty mix and climbing a pack board.Seasonal packsHalloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving & Fall.History storiesPresidents, royals, the Wild West, Ancient Egypt and more.Pets & animalsDogs, cats, horses, dinosaurs and the wild ones.The Themed Trivia FAQShort answers on free games, boards, Themed points and sharing.