LISKEARD’S very own ‘Quizzie Rascal’ - Paul Program - is this week celebrating 20 years of hosting his weekly quiz night at the historic Barley Sheaf pub.

A popular fixture on a Tuesday night at the pub in Church Street, Paul has captivated audiences for years with a range of questions that not only challenge intellect, but at the same time spark laughter and the occasional spot of debate.

Having put together over 50,000 questions during that period, he admits one still remains a favourite.

He asks: “Jaffa Cakes - are they a cake or a biscuit?”

The legal answer is, of course, it’s a cake, but it’s one that still sparks interest up and down the country.

As for how Paul got himself tasked with his weekly role, he explains it all dates back to an evening when he himself was trying to answer the questions being posed.

“A guy called Taff was reading a quiz and one of his questions was the year that George Orwell’s 1984 was published. Everyone knows it was written in 1948 as Orwell reversed the last two digits to come up with the title. However, Taff himself insisted the answer was 1949,” said Paul.

As you can imagine, half the room erupted in righteous quiz fury and it was Paul himself who was singled out as the ringleader, prompting a response of ‘if you think you can do better’.

The following week, Paul put his first quiz together and 20 years later the rest is history.

“The important thing to remember is regularity,” explained Paul. “Keep the same day every week so people don’t get confused. Be aware of the audience demographic and try to avoid specialist questions.

“Also, don’t be highbrow, make the quiz doable for everyone. Keep the entry affordable so nobody is excluded and don’t let the prize money get too high or there will be too much incentive to cheat. Finally, make sure questions are concisely worded to avoid ambiguity and quote your source for stats. Above all, make it fun.”

Paul’s Quiz Nights - which are rumoured to be the longest-running within the county - originally ran on Sunday evenings, but under the Barley Sheaf’s new owners Greg Spargo and Sarah Snowdon it now takes place every Tuesday at 7.30pm with an entry fee of just £1.