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This Parks and Rec trivia quiz has 95 free questions with answers and covers all seven seasons of NBC's Parks and Recreation, from Leslie Knope's first pit-filling crusade to the flash-forwards of the finale. Expect questions on the parks department itself (Ron's alter ego, Tom's business schemes, April and Andy's whirlwind wedding, Jerry's real name), on Pawnee lore (the town slogan, Sweetums, the raccoons, the Eagleton merger) and on the running gags fans quote most: Treat Yo Self, the Cones of Dunshire, the Meat Tornado and 5,000 Candles in the Wind. The questions range from easy warm-ups any casual viewer will get to genuinely hard ones about the finale timeline, the show's Emmy record and the cast's original contracts. It works for a solo replay, a watch-party round or a themed pub quiz. Every answer was checked against episode records and Wikipedia's Parks and Recreation articles, and each question shows its source once you have answered, so you can settle any argument the moment it starts.
30 of 95 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01In which fictional town is "Parks and Recreation" primarily set?
Pawnee
The series "Parks and Recreation" takes place in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, a community known for its quirky residents and sometimes bizarre local government.
Q 02What is Leslie Knope's job in Pawnee's city government for the first three seasons of Parks and Recreation?
Deputy Director of Parks
Deputy Director of Parks is her post for most of the run, which puts her on committees like the Fun in the Sun Committee and the Task Force to Reduce the Number of Public Restrooms; in season four she wins a council seat.
Q 03What is the secret musical alter ego of Ron Swanson?
Duke Silver
Duke Silver fronts the Duke Silver Trio, with albums including Memories of Now, Smooth as Silver and Hi Ho, Duke; Nick Offerman really plays the saxophone, which the writers did not know when they created Ron.
Q 04Who hosts the Pawnee talk show 'Pawnee Today'?
Joan Callamezzo
Joan Callamezzo hosts 'Pawnee Today', the local talk show that repeatedly ambushes Leslie; Perd Hapley instead anchors 'Ya Heard? With Perd'.
Q 05Which character initially lives in a pit next to Ann Perkins' house?
Andy Dwyer
Andy Dwyer, Ann's boyfriend, breaks both legs falling into the pit behind her house and then camps in it after she dumps him; Chris Pratt was credited only as a guest star in season one.
Q 06Which political ideology does Ron Swanson consistently advocate?
Libertarianism
The character was partly inspired by a real Libertarian elected official whom Michael Schur met while researching the show in Burbank.
Q 07Before leaving the Pawnee government, what was Mark Brendanawicz's profession?
City Planner
Mark Brendanawicz was a city planner in Pawnee's government before he left for a job in the private sector.
Q 08What food item is Leslie Knope famously obsessed with, often ordering large quantities of them?
Waffles
Leslie Knope has a well-known love for waffles, especially from JJ's Diner, often incorporating them into her "Galentine's Day" celebrations and other events.
Q 09Which California city's real city hall stood in for Pawnee City Hall in exterior shots?
Pasadena
Pasadena City Hall, the 1927 domed landmark, stood in for Pawnee City Hall in exterior shots; the offices were built on a soundstage in Studio City.
Q 10On what date was Jerry Gergich born, as revealed in season four?
February 29, 1948
February 29, 1948: Jerry's 64th birthday is only the sixteenth time his leap-day birthday has appeared on a calendar, so the office throws him a sweet-sixteen party.
Q 11Which possession does Donna Meagle care about most deeply?
Her Mercedes-Benz
Her Mercedes-Benz ML is the love of Donna's life; she guards it jealously, rarely lets colleagues ride in it, and treats any scratch as a personal injury.
Q 12In Parks and Recreation, Ron Swanson has two ex-wives from before the series began. What do they have in common?
Both are named Tammy
Both are named Tammy; the second is played by Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman's real-life wife, a casting idea that came from Michael Schur.
Q 13Which two writers created Parks and Recreation?
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur
Q 21Chris Traeger's stated ambition is to become the first human being to do what?
Live to 150 years old
Live to 150 years old: Chris's punishing exercise and diet regime is aimed at that goal, yet a mild flu in season three convinces him he is dying.
Q 22Which word does Chris Traeger famously over-emphasise, pronouncing it "littrally"?
Literally
Literally: Chris's catchphrase comes out as 'LIT-rally', usually while declaring something or someone the best; Rob Lowe played him from season two to season six.
Q 23Tom Haverford was born in South Carolina under which first name before changing it?
Darwish
Schur also played Mose on The Office, and NBC's Ben Silverman had first asked Daniels to build the new show as a spin-off of it.
Q 14Parks and Recreation aired from 2009 to 2015 on which US network?
NBC
It ran as part of the network's Thursday 'Comedy Night Done Right' block, alongside The Office and 30 Rock.
Q 15How many seasons of Parks and Recreation were made?
7
The 125 episodes were shot single-camera in a cinéma vérité style meant to look like a real documentary.
Q 16Although it aired in 2015, the seventh and final season is set in which year?
2017
The jump let the writers give Pawnee tablet-toting drones, holographic ads and a Gryzzl-dominated future.
Q 17NBC originally asked Greg Daniels to develop the show as a spin-off of which sitcom?
The Office
The spin-off idea was dropped, but the mockumentary format and the early comparisons to that show stuck to the first season.
Q 18In what role does Ben Wyatt first arrive in Pawnee at the end of season two?
State auditor
State auditor: Ben and Chris Traeger arrive from Indianapolis to slash Pawnee's budget in 'The Master Plan'; Ben stays, marries Leslie and later becomes city manager.
Q 19What is the name of the notoriously complicated board game Ben Wyatt invents?
The Cones of Dunshire
The Cones of Dunshire, Ben's hyper-complex strategy game, later got a real release from Mayfair Games, complete with a Ledgerman who keeps score but never plays.
Q 20Which food is Ben Wyatt's running-joke obsession, complete with a dream restaurant pitch?
Calzones
Calzones: Ben's pitch for a 'Low-Cal Calzone Zone' restaurant gets laughed out of the office, and his love of the folded pizza is a running gag for the whole series.
Darwish: Tom, born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani to Indian parents in South Carolina, changed it because he figured a Muslim-sounding name would never win an election.
Q 24In the Parks and Recreation season three finale, Tom quits city hall to start Entertainment 720 with which character?
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein and Tom blow Entertainment 720's entire budget on NBA players and a fleet of iPads, and the company collapses within a season.
Q 25What was Rent-A-Swag, one of Tom Haverford's business ventures?
Clothing rentals for middle-school boys
It is put out of business by a copycat store across the street run by Dr Saperstein, who buys Tom out.
Q 26Tom Haverford's marriage to Wendy, revealed in season two, was arranged for what reason?
A green card
A green card: Wendy, a Canadian, married Tom so she could stay in the United States; the sham falls apart when Tom develops real feelings and they divorce in season two.
Q 27What do Tom and Donna call their annual day of spending money extravagantly on things they do not need?
Treat Yo Self
Treat Yo Self: Tom and Donna's annual splurge day debuts in the season-four episode 'Pawnee Rangers', first aired October 13, 2011.
Q 28On Tom and Donna's spending spree, what does a heartbroken Ben Wyatt buy before bursting into tears?
A Batman costume
A Batman costume: ordered to treat himself, Ben, fresh from his breakup with Leslie, buys the full suit and promptly bursts into tears.
Q 29What is the name of Andy Dwyer's rock band, after its many name changes?
Mouse Rat
All four names were used at some point; the band settles on the two-word one and reunites to sing at Li'l Sebastian's memorial.
Q 30Andy Dwyer's recurring alter ego, Burt Macklin, works for which agency?
The FBI
He usually appears alongside April's own alter ego, the aristocratic widow Janet Snakehole.