Pancake Day Quiz | Shrove Tuesday Fun Facts Education Quizzes

Talking Points Quiz - Pancake Day Quiz (Questions)

The last day before Lent begins is Shrove Tuesday, otherwise known as Pancake Day. In 2020 around the country people celebrated with traditional games, religious observances and, of course, lots and lots of pancakes!

Pancake Day has its origins in early Christianity but, over the last two-thousand years or so, many traditions have been added to the event, making Pancake Day a very British occasion. Other countries mark the event in their own ways but, here in Britain, old customs die hard!

To celebrate Pancake Day we wrote this fun quiz. It’s full of interesting facts from world records to local festivities, and religious holy days to ancient events. Why not give it a go and see whether or not you can score a flipping marvellous ten out of ten?

Pancake Day is also called Shrove Tuesday, but what does ‘shrove’ mean?

[ ]	‘Fat’ in Old English
[ ]	Careful or prudent
[ ]	‘Batter’ in Old English
[ ]	Absolution of sins

Why were pancakes traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday?

[ ]	Because Jesus ate pancakes before his fast
[ ]	To use up eggs and fat before Lent begins
[ ]	To ward off the devil before Lent begins
[ ]	Because eggs are symbolic of Easter

Pancake Day is known as Mardi Gras in French. What does Mardi Gras translate into English as?

[ ]	Fasting Eve
[ ]	Sullen Day
[ ]	Fat Tuesday
[ ]	Sulky Goose

The largest pancake ever made had a diameter of how many metres?

[ ]	1,500 m
[ ]	150 m
[ ]	15 m
[ ]	1.5 m

Which day follows Pancake Day?

[ ]	Ash Wednesday
[ ]	Palm Wednesday
[ ]	Fat Wednesday
[ ]	Holy Wednesday

The record for the most pancake tosses in one minute is held by Australian Brad Jolly. How many pancake tosses did he manage in 60 seconds?

[ ]	30
[ ]	60
[ ]	120
[ ]	140

In Ashbourne, Derbyshire, which sport is traditionally played on Pancake Day?

[ ]	Cheese Tennis
[ ]	Mob Football
[ ]	Gang Rugby
[ ]	Pancake Hockey

A 'pancake landing' is something you want to avoid, but what exactly is it?

[ ]	When a diver lands in water belly first
[ ]	When a boat is tossed against the coast
[ ]	When an aeroplane lands without its wheels
[ ]	When an angler pulls a fish from the water with too much force

The very first pancake race (when runners must toss pancakes as they race) took place in the village of Olney, Buckinghamshire, in which year?

[ ]	1245
[ ]	1445
[ ]	1645
[ ]	1845

10.

As well as a pancake race, the seaside town of Scarborough celebrates Shrove Tuesday with which activity?

[ ]	Rope skipping
[ ]	Donkey races
[ ]	Stick of rock throwing
[ ]	Swimming in the cold sea

Talking Points Quiz - Pancake Day Quiz (Answers)

Pancake Day is also called Shrove Tuesday, but what does ‘shrove’ mean?

[ ]	‘Fat’ in Old English
[ ]	Careful or prudent
[ ]	‘Batter’ in Old English
[x]	Absolution of sins

‘Shrove’ is the past form of the verb ‘shrive’ which means receiving absolution for one’s sins after confession and penance

Why were pancakes traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday?

[ ]	Because Jesus ate pancakes before his fast
[x]	To use up eggs and fat before Lent begins
[ ]	To ward off the devil before Lent begins
[ ]	Because eggs are symbolic of Easter

Long ago, Christians fasted for 40 days during Lent. Valuable foods like fat and eggs were eaten before then to stop them from being wasted

Pancake Day is known as Mardi Gras in French. What does Mardi Gras translate into English as?

[ ]	Fasting Eve
[ ]	Sullen Day
[x]	Fat Tuesday
[ ]	Sulky Goose

Mardi Gras is traditionally marked by carnivals and parades

The largest pancake ever made had a diameter of how many metres?

[ ]	1,500 m
[ ]	150 m
[x]	15 m
[ ]	1.5 m

It was created in Rochdale in 1994, and had the following dimensions: diameter 15.01 m, thickness 2.5 cm, and weight 3 tonnes! I don’t know if they managed to flip it!

Which day follows Pancake Day?

[x]	Ash Wednesday
[ ]	Palm Wednesday
[ ]	Fat Wednesday
[ ]	Holy Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It gets its name from the practice of putting the ashes of palm leaves on the forehead as a form of repentance

The record for the most pancake tosses in one minute is held by Australian Brad Jolly. How many pancake tosses did he manage in 60 seconds?

[ ]	30
[ ]	60
[ ]	120
[x]	140

The celebrity chef achieved this remarkable feat in Sydney in 2012

In Ashbourne, Derbyshire, which sport is traditionally played on Pancake Day?

[ ]	Cheese Tennis
[x]	Mob Football
[ ]	Gang Rugby
[ ]	Pancake Hockey

The game has few rules and hundreds of players. It may seem like chaos to onlookers, but mob football is the origin of many sports, including football and rugby

A 'pancake landing' is something you want to avoid, but what exactly is it?

[ ]	When a diver lands in water belly first
[ ]	When a boat is tossed against the coast
[x]	When an aeroplane lands without its wheels
[ ]	When an angler pulls a fish from the water with too much force

Pancake landings usually only happen from very low altitudes when an aeroplane stalls. Not too dangerous, but still best avoided!

The very first pancake race (when runners must toss pancakes as they race) took place in the village of Olney, Buckinghamshire, in which year?

[ ]	1245
[x]	1445
[ ]	1645
[ ]	1845

Tradition has it that a housewife forgot the time because she was busy making pancakes. When she heard the church bells chime, she ran out of her house, still carrying her pan and pancake, in her rush to make it to mass

10.

As well as a pancake race, the seaside town of Scarborough celebrates Shrove Tuesday with which activity?

[x]	Rope skipping
[ ]	Donkey races
[ ]	Stick of rock throwing
[ ]	Swimming in the cold sea

I’m not sure about all that jumping after eating a plateful of pancakes!