Thanksgiving Trivia Board Showdown: The “What Is…” Game Everyone Loves
Welcome to the Thanksgiving Trivia Board Showdown!
Grab a seat at the table, because this year’s feast comes with a side of friendly competition!
Whether you’re a turkey trivia champ or you’re just here for the pie, it’s time to test your Thanksgiving know-how, flex your family bragging rights, and see who really deserves the last slice of pumpkin pie.
Pick your category, place your bets, and let the Showdown begin. May the most thankful (and most trivia-savvy) player win!

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Contents
Objective of the Game
The objective is for players to answer questions in the form of a question (e.g., “What is…?” or “Who is…?”) to earn “money.” (Just like Jeopardy)
Supplies Needed for This Thanksgiving Trivia Game
- The Thanksgiving Trivia Board Printables (grab them below!)
- The answer key is at the end of this article
How to Play This Thanksgiving Jeopardy-Style Game
1. Put up the sign that shows the categories and dollar amounts so that everyone can see it. Lower numbers ($100) are easier, while the highest ($500) are the most challenging.
2. Assign a host who will read the clues. Decide if you want to play as “players” or as “teams.” If you play as teams, the team has 60 seconds to discuss with their team members before answering the question.
3. One player or team chooses a category and points. The host reads the clue, and the players race to buzz in first.
4. Players answer in the form of a question.
Example: “The fruit is known as the king of fruits.” Correct Answer: “What is a mango?”
5. If the answer is correct, the player earns the points/money and selects the next clue. If it’s incorrect, the points are deducted from the player’s score.
6. Continue keeping score and answering questions until they are done or you’ve reached a predetermined time limit. The winner is the player with the most points/money at the end.
Cute Thanksgiving-Themed Prizes for All Ages
Some hosts choose to give fun prizes for the winners. This makes the game even more exciting while encouraging friendly competition.
Here are a few fun ideas:
- Coupons for a fun activity
- Thanksgiving Stickers
- Thanksgiving Erasers or Pencils
- Fall Slime
- Fall-Themed Coloring Book
- An extra piece of pumpkin pie to take home
Free Printable Thanksgiving Trivia Board Game
Grab the free printables below. Then, keep scrolling for the answer key right on this post.

Thanksgiving Game Board Answer Key
The host can find all the answers to the game here:
| Traditions | History | |
| $100 | The fourth Thursday in November | The Mayflower |
| $200 | The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade | To commemorate their first successful harvest |
| $300 | Gathering to express gratitude for blessings and to share a large meal | Plymouth Rock |
| $400 | Pardons a turkey | 66 days |
| $500 | 1924 | 1621 |
| Pop Culture | Food & Drinks | |
| $100 | A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving | Turkey |
| $200 | The Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions | Stuffing |
| $300 | Free Birds | Pecan pie |
| $400 | A trifle | Pumpkin spice |
| $500 | Miracle on 34th Street | 15 lbs |
Related: Unique Free Macy’s Day Parade Bingo Cards
Fun Thanksgiving Jeopardy-Like Variations
There are many ways to vary the difficulty, excitement, and length of this game. Try one below!
Make It More Challenging
To make the game harder for teams, shorten the discussion time to 30 seconds or 15 seconds before a player on the team must answer.
Add a “Daily Double”
Allow a player to wager any amount (or double) before seeing the question. Only they can answer.
One Last “Final Jeopardy” Question
On the final question, have players wager some or all of their points before seeing the question.
Give Time Limits to Individuals
Have players write down their responses within a time limit.
More Exciting Trivia Questions To Use
You can add more questions to this game!
Use the Fun Thanksgiving Trivia Questions on the site to make the game go longer!
More Fall Fun You’ll Love:
- Thanksgiving Memory Game
- Thanksgiving Dinner Secret Mission Cards
- Fall Friendly Feud For All Ages
- Best Thanksgiving Games to Play
Ready to Print Thanksgiving Games Pack
Stop scrambling to plan Thanksgiving every single year. The Thanksgiving Pack is 6+ screen-free games done for you. Print-and-play in minutes. Every age is covered.
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