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50 free 1982 trivia questions with answers — history quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
1982 was the year of E.T., Tootsie and Tron, the first compact discs, the first computer virus and the first emoticon. It was also the year of the Falklands War, the Sabra and Shatila massacre, Brezhnev's death and Canada bringing home its constitution. These 1982 trivia questions cover the news, sport, music and film of the year, from Italy's World Cup to Ozzy and the bat. Every answer is sourced, with a short explanation so you learn something even when you miss.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Into which river did Air Florida Flight 90 fall after hitting a Washington bridge?
The Potomac
The jet then fell into the icy Potomac, killing 78 people.
Q 02Which rocker bit the head off a live bat on stage in Des Moines in January 1982?
Ozzy Osbourne
He thought it was rubber and had to be treated for rabies.
Q 03Who won Super Bowl XVI in January 1982?
San Francisco 49ers
It was the first of Joe Montana's four Super Bowl wins.
Q 04The first computer virus, Elk Cloner, infected which machines?
Apple II
Fifteen-year-old Rich Skrenta wrote it to spread via floppy disk.
Q 05Which two countries formed the Senegambia Confederation in February 1982?
Senegal and The Gambia
The loose union was dissolved in 1989.
Q 06Which British airline collapsed in February 1982, stranding 6,000 passengers?
Laker Airways
Freddie Laker's cut-price Skytrain had pioneered cheap transatlantic flights.
Q 07Which oil platform sank off Newfoundland in February 1982, killing all 84 aboard?
Ocean Ranger
It remains the worst offshore disaster in Canadian history.
Q 08Which Boeing airliner flew for the first time on February 19, 1982?
The 757
Its wide-body sibling, the 767, had first flown five months earlier.
Q 09Who was found guilty in March 1982 of trying to murder his wife Sunny?
Claus von Bülow
The verdict was overturned on appeal and he was acquitted at a 1985 retrial.
Q 10Which film won Best Picture at the Oscars held in March 1982?
Chariots of Fire
Johnny Carson hosted the ceremony at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Q 11Which freshman hit the winning jumper for North Carolina in the 1982 NCAA final?
Michael Jordan
His shot with 17 seconds left beat Georgetown 63–62 in New Orleans.
Q 12Where did Space Shuttle Columbia make its only landing at an unusual site in March 1982?
White Sands, New Mexico
Flooding at Edwards Air Force Base forced the STS-3 diversion.
Q 13Which country invaded the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982?
Argentina
Governor Rex Hunt surrendered the islands the same day.
Q 21Which Formula One driver was killed in qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix?
Gilles Villeneuve
His son Jacques would win the world championship fifteen years later.
Q 22Which English club won the 1982 European Cup, beating Bayern Munich 1–0?
Aston Villa
Peter Withe scored the winner in Rotterdam in the 69th minute.
Q 23Which country became NATO's 16th member on May 30, 1982?
Spain
It was the first new member in 27 years.
Q 24Who won the 1982 Indianapolis 500 by 0.16 seconds over Rick Mears?
Q 14What did Canada gain on April 17, 1982, by proclamation on Parliament Hill?
A patriated constitution
The package included the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the country's first entrenched bill of rights.
Q 15Which 17-year-old German singer won the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest?
Nicole
Her English version, "A Little Peace", became the 500th UK number one.
Q 16From which territory did Israel complete its withdrawal in April 1982?
The Sinai Peninsula
The pullout fulfilled the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.
Q 17Which US city hosted the 1982 World's Fair?
Knoxville, Tennessee
President Reagan opened it and more than 11 million people attended over six months.
Q 18Which Argentine cruiser was sunk by HMS Conqueror on May 2, 1982?
General Belgrano
The nuclear submarine's attack killed 323 sailors.
Q 19Which 24-hour cable network launched on May 2, 1982?
The Weather Channel
It was the first all-weather network in the United States.
Q 20Which British destroyer was hit by an Exocet missile on May 4, 1982?
HMS Sheffield
Twenty sailors died and the ship sank six days later.
Gordon Johncock
It was the closest finish in the race's history to that date.
Q 25Which Israeli defense minister led the June 1982 invasion of Lebanon?
Ariel Sharon
Operation Peace for the Galilee eventually reached Beirut.
Q 26Who won the 1982 NBA Finals?
Los Angeles Lakers
They beat the 76ers in six games.
Q 27Which Spielberg film of June 1982 was the biggest box-office hit for the next 11 years?
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Jurassic Park finally overtook it in 1993.
Q 28How many people attended the June 1982 nuclear disarmament rally in Central Park?
750,000
Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Linda Ronstadt performed.
Q 29Which city hosted the first US Festival over Labor Day weekend 1982?
Devore, California
The Police, Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead and Talking Heads all played.
Q 30Who won the 1982 World Cup final 3–1?
Italy
Paolo Rossi was the tournament's top scorer after returning from a match-fixing ban.