Move over Candy Crush, HQ Trivia app is ready to take over London

The team behind a live-action trivia app that has gripped America hope it will prove a hit among quiz-loving Londoners.

HQ Trivia, which launched for smartphones in Britain last month, asks players multiple-choice general knowledge questions for prize money in two 15-minute games a day.

Prize pots have risen to around £4,000 in the UK, with players who answer all 12 questions correctly sharing a split, paid via PayPal.

In the style of Candy Crush, they can invite friends to get extra lives.

Users chat with the host via an on-screen comment stream. The UK game is presented by broadcast journalist Sharon Carpenter.

The 10-second answer time is designed to clamp down on players googling solutions, while the app’s algorithms have been strengthened to prevent automated “bots” unfairly getting the answers.

An HQ Trivia spokeswoman said they “take cheating very seriously, which means bots and other automated methods of playing are strictly prohibited”. She added: “While we do not consider googling cheating, it is certainly not as fun as testing your knowledge or playing with people who have complementary areas of expertise.”

The game was created by the founders of Vine, who sold the web video loop platform to Twitter for $30m (£21.5m) in 2012. The game launched in the US in August, where 1.5 million can tune in to play.

The British version features questions designed for UK audiences.

Each question has three possible answers, and they get harder as the game progresses.

The app’s makers say it “combines elements of live-streaming video, gaming, and Hollywood production, with a distinct design and retro game show twist”.

The prizes are being bankrolled by early investors. Advertising is expected to provide future revenue streams.

You can download the HQ Trivia app on iOS and Android.