From the quiet lanes of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, this Lord of the Rings trivia set takes you across Middle-earth’s people, places, magic, books, and award-winning films.
Start with hobbit-friendly questions and climb toward challenges fit for a loremaster. Ready your lembas, let’s begin!
The Fellowship & Key Heroes
Q: Who is the Ring-bearer for most of the journey?
A: Frodo Baggins.
Q: Frodo’s most steadfast companion is?
A: Samwise Gamgee.
Q: Aragorn travels under what ranger alias when first met?
A: Strider.
Q: Which Elf joins the Fellowship as archer?
A: Legolas.
Q: Which Dwarf represents his people in the Fellowship?
A: Gimli.
Q: Which wizard first leads the Fellowship?
A: Gandalf the Grey.
Q: Which Man of Gondor dies protecting Merry and Pippin?
A: Boromir.
Q: What is Merry’s full name?
A: Meriadoc Brandybuck.
Q: What is Pippin’s full name?
A: Peregrin Took.
Q: Who becomes King Elessar of Gondor?
A: Aragorn.
Q: What is Gandalf called after his return?
A: Gandalf the White.
Q: Faramir is whose brother?
A: Boromir’s.
Q: Gimli is the son of whom?
A: Glóin.
Q: Legolas is the son of which Elven king?
A: Thranduil.
Q: Éowyn disguises herself under what name at Pelennor?
A: Dernhelm.
Q: Who aids Éowyn by stabbing the Witch-king from behind?
A: Merry Brandybuck.
Q: What name was Aragorn given in childhood at Rivendell?
A: Estel.
Q: Who leads the Dúnedain who deliver Aragorn’s banner?
A: Halbarad.
Q: Which hobbit becomes a Guard of the Citadel?
A: Pippin Took.
Q: Which hobbit serves as an esquire of Rohan?
A: Merry Brandybuck.
Q: After the War, who serves seven terms as Mayor of the Shire?
A: Samwise Gamgee.
Villains, Dark Powers & Corruption
Q: Who is the Dark Lord seeking the One Ring?
A: Sauron.
Q: What spectral order serves him as chief hunters?
A: The Nazgûl.
Q: Their leader bears what title?
A: Witch-king of Angmar.
Q: Which fallen wizard joins Sauron’s cause?
A: Saruman.
Q: Saruman’s obsidian tower is called?
A: Orthanc.
Q: What larger, hardier breed of orcs does Saruman raise?
A: Uruk-hai.
Q: Which monstrous spider haunts the pass above Minas Morgul?
A: Shelob.
Q: What fiery ancient demon does Gandalf battle in Moria?
A: A Balrog (Durin’s Bane).
Q: Gollum’s birth-name before corruption?
A: Sméagol.
Q: The Ring inscription is written in which tongue?
A: Black Speech.
Q: What ring-wall and works surround Orthanc?
A: Isengard.
Q: What fair city becomes Minas Morgul under the Ringwraiths?
A: Minas Ithil.
Q: Sauron’s colossal tower in Mordor is named?
A: Barad-dûr.
Q: What blade leaves a festering shard in Frodo’s shoulder?
A: A Morgul-knife.
Q: Who whispers poison into King Théoden’s ear?
A: Gríma Wormtongue.
Q: After losing horses, what do the Nazgûl ride?
A: Fellbeasts.
Q: Who styles himself the “Mouth of Sauron”?
A: A Black Númenórean emissary.
Q: Which Uruk-hai captain slays Boromir in the film?
A: Lurtz.
Q: Where is Isildur ambushed and the Ring lost?
A: The Gladden Fields.
Q: In the book, who ultimately kills Saruman?
A: Gríma Wormtongue.
Q: Shelob is said to descend from which primeval spider?
A: Ungoliant.
Middle-earth Map & Landmarks
Q: What is the hobbits’ homeland?
A: The Shire.
Q: In Bree, the well-known inn is called?
A: The Prancing Pony.
Q: Elrond’s refuge in Eriador is?
A: Rivendell (Imladris).
Q: The golden wood ruled by Galadriel is?
A: Lothlórien.
Q: The Dwarven realm beneath the Misty Mountains?
A: Khazad-dûm (Moria).
Q: The ruined watchtower where Frodo is wounded?
A: Weathertop (Amon Sûl).
Q: The great river crossed by the Fellowship?
A: The Anduin.
Q: Rohan’s hilltop capital city is?
A: Edoras.
Q: Rohan’s valley fortress is known as?
A: Helm’s Deep (the Hornburg).
Q: Gondor’s white-walled capital is?
A: Minas Tirith.
Q: Which ruined city straddles the Anduin?
A: Osgiliath.
Q: What is Sauron’s realm?
A: Mordor.
Q: The volcano where the Ring was forged?
A: Mount Doom (Orodruin).
Q: Mordor’s northern entrance and vast gate are?
A: The Black Gate (Morannon).
Q: The maze of ridges Frodo and Sam traverse after the river?
A: The Emyn Muil.
Q: The haunted fen with ghostly faces is?
A: The Dead Marshes.
Q: The ancient forest where Treebeard dwells?
A: Fangorn.
Q: Caradhras belongs to which mountain range?
A: The Misty Mountains.
Q: The western haven from which Elves depart?
A: The Grey Havens (Mithlond).
Q: The spider-haunted tunnel above Minas Morgul is called?
A: Torech Ungol (Shelob’s Lair).
Q: Aragorn’s company passes through what ghostly route?
A: The Paths of the Dead.
Peoples & Cultures of Middle-earth
Q: Frodo and Sam belong to which race?
A: Hobbits.
Q: The horse-lords are called the?
A: Rohirrim.
Q: Gondor’s people descend largely from the?
A: Dúnedain.
Q: Legolas belongs to which kindred?
A: Elves.
Q: Gimli is a member of which people?
A: Dwarves.
Q: The tree-shepherds are known as?
A: Ents.
Q: The lord of the great eagles is?
A: Gwaihir.
Q: Gandalf belongs to what order of beings in Middle-earth?
A: The Istari (wizards; Maiar).
Q: The wolf-mounts often ridden by orcs are?
A: Wargs.
Q: Saruman’s man-sized, sun-hardy orcs are?
A: Uruk-hai.
Q: Corsairs who harry Gondor sail from?
A: Umbar.
Q: The Southrons who ride war-elephants are the?
A: Haradrim.
Q: The giants the Haradrim ride into battle are?
A: Mûmakil (oliphaunts).
Q: Long-resentful hill-folk that clash with Rohan?
A: The Dunlendings.
Q: Rangers patrolling the North are of what folk?
A: The Dúnedain of Arnor.
Q: In Tolkien’s “translation,” Rohirric maps to what real language?
A: Old English.
Q: Name one of the three main hobbit strains.
A: Harfoot (also Stoor, Fallohide).
Q: The Silvan Elves chiefly dwell in which forests?
A: Lothlórien and Mirkwood.
Q: Durin’s folk are a clan of which people?
A: Dwarves.
Q: The Oathbreakers once swore allegiance to whom?
A: Isildur.
Q: The Mouth of Sauron descends from which human group?
A: Black Númenóreans.
Q: Tom Bombadil is best described as what?
A: An enigmatic, unique spirit.
Objects of Power, Magic & Lore
Q: What artifact lies at the heart of the story?
A: The One Ring.
Q: Frodo’s glowing blade near orcs is called?
A: Sting.
Q: Bilbo gifts Frodo a shirt of what metal?
A: Mithril.
Q: Aragorn’s reforged sword is named?
A: Andúril.
Q: Andúril was reforged from which broken blade?
A: Narsil.
Q: Who forged the Three Elven Rings?
A: Celebrimbor.
Q: Name the Three Rings of the Elves.
A: Narya, Nenya, Vilya.
Q: Who bears Nenya during the War of the Ring?
A: Galadriel.
Q: Who bears Vilya during the same period?
A: Elrond.
Q: Who bears Narya during the same period?
A: Gandalf.
Q: What luminous gift does Galadriel give to Frodo?
A: The Phial of Galadriel.
Q: The Lórien cloaks aid the Fellowship how?
A: Camouflage/concealment.
Q: Elven waybread is known as?
A: Lembas.
Q: The seeing-stones of the West are called?
A: Palantíri.
Q: What emblem blooms again in Minas Tirith?
A: The White Tree.
Q: Which healing herb is called kingsfoil?
A: Athelas.
Q: Who carved the Doors of Durin alongside Celebrimbor?
A: Narvi (a Dwarf).
Q: Nenya is set with what stone?
A: Adamant (diamond-like).
Q: What royal house-name does Aragorn adopt?
A: Telcontar.
Q: The Elfstone—Elessar—is associated with whom?
A: Aragorn.
Q: Sting and Glamdring hail from which lost city?
A: Gondolin.
Tolkien’s Books, Writing & Canon
Q: Who authored The Lord of the Rings?
A: J. R. R. Tolkien.
Q: Originally, LOTR was published in how many volumes?
A: Three.
Q: Name Volume I.
A: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Q: Name Volume II.
A: The Two Towers.
Q: Name Volume III.
A: The Return of the King.
Q: Publication years of the first two volumes?
A: 1954 and 1954.
Q: Publication year of the final volume?
A: 1955.
Q: The earlier tale about Bilbo is titled?
A: The Hobbit.
Q: What posthumous mythic compendium complements LOTR?
A: The Silmarillion.
Q: Who edited many of Tolkien’s later texts?
A: Christopher Tolkien.
Q: Tolkien’s academic field at Oxford?
A: Philology.
Q: Writers’ circle Tolkien joined with C. S. Lewis?
A: The Inklings.
Q: In which war did Tolkien serve as an officer?
A: World War I.
Q: LOTR’s events occur in which Age?
A: The Third Age.
Q: What “found document” frames the narrative?
A: The Red Book of Westmarch.
Q: Complete the line: “Not all those who wander are…”
A: “…lost.”
Q: Which book chapter absent from the films reshapes the Shire?
A: “The Scouring of the Shire.”
Q: Which enigmatic figure guides the hobbits in the Old Forest (book only)?
A: Tom Bombadil.
Q: Which appendix tells “The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen”?
A: Appendix A.
Q: Who rescues Frodo at the Ford in the book (role changed in film)?
A: Glorfindel.
Q: Which publisher first issued LOTR?
A: Allen & Unwin.
The Film Trilogy: Production & Awards
Q: Who directed the live-action trilogy?
A: Peter Jackson.
Q: Principal photography took place in which country?
A: New Zealand.
Q: The Fellowship of the Ring premiered in what year?
A: 2001.
Q: The Two Towers premiered in what year?
A: 2002.
Q: The Return of the King premiered in what year?
A: 2003.
Q: Who composed the trilogy’s score?
A: Howard Shore.
Q: Which company led the visual effects?
A: Weta Digital.
Q: Who portrayed Gandalf?
A: Ian McKellen.
Q: Who portrayed Aragorn?
A: Viggo Mortensen.
Q: Who portrayed Frodo Baggins?
A: Elijah Wood.
Q: Who brought Gollum to life via motion capture?
A: Andy Serkis.
Q: Which song from ROTK won an Academy Award?
A: “Into the West.”
Q: How many Oscars did ROTK win?
A: Eleven.
Q: Total Oscars won by the trilogy?
A: Seventeen.
Q: Who was the trilogy’s cinematographer?
A: Andrew Lesnie.
Q: Who served as production designer?
A: Grant Major.
Q: Who played Legolas?
A: Orlando Bloom.
Q: Who played Éowyn?
A: Miranda Otto.
Q: Who played Saruman?
A: Christopher Lee.
Q: Who played Gimli?
A: John Rhys-Davies.
Q: Which editor earned an Oscar for ROTK?
A: Jamie Selkirk.
The Film Trilogy: Scenes, Quotes & Details
Q: Who shouts, “You shall not pass!” on the bridge?
A: Gandalf.
Q: Who warns, “One does not simply walk into Mordor”?
A: Boromir.
Q: Which hobbit asks about “second breakfast”?
A: Pippin Took.
Q: The bridge where the Balrog falls is named?
A: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm.
Q: What Elvish word opens the Doors of Durin?
A: “Mellon.”
Q: What personal gift does Galadriel grant Gimli?
A: Three strands of her hair.
Q: What object does Pippin peer into, drawing Sauron’s gaze?
A: A palantír.
Q: Who sings “Edge of Night” in Denethor’s hall?
A: Pippin (Billy Boyd).
Q: Gandalf’s lordly grey horse is?
A: Shadowfax.
Q: In the film, which horse rescues Aragorn after the warg attack?
A: Brego.
Q: What do Legolas and Gimli playfully tally during battles?
A: Enemy kills.
Q: Name the colossal battering ram that smashes Minas Tirith’s gate.
A: Grond.
Q: Who finally slays the Witch-king?
A: Éowyn (with Merry’s aid).
Q: Which Uruk-hai captain snarls, “Looks like meat’s back on the menu, boys!”?
A: Uglúk.
Q: Who lights the first Gondor beacon in the film?
A: Pippin Took.
Q: What pass do Frodo, Sam, and Gollum climb above Minas Morgul?
A: Cirith Ungol.
Q: Where does Frodo claim the Ring at the end?
A: The Crack of Doom.
Q: Who bites off Frodo’s finger to seize the Ring?
A: Gollum.
Q: With whom does Frodo sail into the West?
A: Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, and Bilbo (among others).
Q: What practical technique sells hobbit-to-human size differences?
A: Forced perspective.
Q: Which actor famously broke a toe kicking a helmet on set?
A: Viggo Mortensen.
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