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Quiz: How much do you know about potatoes?

You better get full marks.

FRIDAY MARKED BORD Bia’s National Potato Day, as I’m sure you were well aware.

However, we can’t really let it go until we’ve tested your knowledge on everyone’s favourite tuber.

It’s also five years since the last time I published a quiz about potatoes. What better way to mark it than with… another quiz about potatoes?

This quiz was written well in advance of this evening’s announcement about Level 5 – but what better timing for a few minutes of non-Covid distraction.

We can't publish a potato quiz without a question about The Great Famine. Let's get it out of the way: What was the main variety of potato grown in the lead-up to the Great Famine?
Kerr's Pink
Lumper

Rooster
Ye Olde Potato Vulnerable To Blight (Commonly abbreviated to YOPs)
It's disputed whether Walter Raleigh did actually introduce the potato to Ireland, but we can say with greater certainty the earliest recorded mention of him growing a crop. What year was it?
Wikimedia
1999
1830

1301
1589
At first glance, it might appear that this person is a character from a Roald Dahl novel or something similar. He is a real, human man and is responsible for growing the heaviest potato on record (not pictured). How heavy?
PA Images
0.2kg
1.69kg

4.98kg
10.01kg

Too heavy
Potatoes contain a toxin. What's it called?
Shutterstock
Those nasty green bits? Is it called Green Bits?
Alkaloid

Solanine
Anthrax
How many potatoes am I holding in my hands right now?
Shutterstock
One
Two - one in each hand

Two - both in one hand
None - I am too busy typing
What is the process called where you place some potatoes in very hot water before putting them in the oven?
Shutterstock
Parboiling
Part Boiling

Pomme de Terre
Hot Spud Bath
What is the most popular variety of potato in Ireland?
Shutterstock
Still the lumper - have we not learned anything?
Rooster

Golden Wonder
Maris Piper
What's the best way to make your potatoes keep longer: keep them in direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, in the dark, or in your pocket?
Shutterstock
Direct sunlight
Indirect sunlight

In the dark
In your pocket
How long does it take Tayto to turn a potato into crisps? From peeling to being placed in the packet.
Shutterstock
12 minutes
32 minutes

An hour
The process is, somehow, instant
What's a sweet potato?
A sweet potato is simply a variety of potato has been grown through selective breeding to be sweeter.
Sweet potatoes are normal potatoes are stored in sweetened water for a week.

It's a tuber but from a different family (Convolvulaceae vs Solanaceae).
A potato topped with granulated sugar.
Finally, which of the following is the best way to serve potatoes?
Roasted
Boiled

Mashed
Chips

Gratin
Baked

Fried
Rosti

Fondant
Raw
Answer all the questions to see your result!
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are a potato and I love you.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You're a lil sack of spuds.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You're a single boiled potato, but we still love you.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You're half a boiled potato with the skin still on. Don't worry, we still love you.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are blight. We hate you.
Share your result:

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26 Comments
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    Mute D'oh
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:04 PM

    The answer to question 10 is clearly wrong!

    401
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:05 PM

    Fried potatoes?

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    Mute Neil Reilly
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:10 PM

    @John Mulligan: 10/11 because I said chips

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    Mute pethelhug
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:13 PM

    @John Mulligan: I agree. Everyone knows roasted is the best.

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    Mute CMH
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    Oct 4th 2020, 11:14 PM

    @John Mulligan: maybe the author was fired writing this :)

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    Mute ed w
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    Oct 5th 2020, 9:54 PM

    @pethelhug: absolutely its roasted

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    Mute Shane Cormac O'Duibhleachain
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:17 PM

    Mashed Boiled or roasted.

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    Mute Tony Mcintyre
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:33 PM

    @Shane Cormac O’Duibhleachain: all 3 ?

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    Mute Angela Jones
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:01 PM

    Are you serious? The country might be going to Level 5 and you want to talk about potatoes?!

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    Mute Ajax Penumbra
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:03 PM

    @Angela Jones: Christ— lighten up!

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    Mute Michelle J. Ni Dhubhlaiocht
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:05 PM

    @Angela Jones: it’s nice to have a lighthearted quiz to be honest.

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    Mute Caoimhín
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:06 PM

    @Angela Jones: Yes, they should have tried to make this quiz more current. Such as how many potatoes are eaten during a typical day in lock down. Very lazy journalism.

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    Mute Big bad bull
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:19 PM

    @Angela Jones: Anna Anna likes spuds

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    Mute Liam Collins
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:23 PM

    @Angela Jones: the country is going to level 5 and you have time to write on this complaining.

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    Mute Kevin O'Brien
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    Oct 5th 2020, 3:28 AM

    @Angela Jones: Sorry Angela, but not all of us want to be reading doom and gloom all the time. You continue being petrified & leave the rest of us alone. You’re some craic at a party I’d say, remind me to send you an invite to mine when it comes around.

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    Mute Ciara Devine
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:24 PM

    It doesn’t sit right with me that this quiz makes light of the Famine.

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    Mute Nollaig Kelly
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    Oct 5th 2020, 2:40 AM

    @Ciara Devine: too soon?

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    Mute Daniel Kelly
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    Oct 5th 2020, 12:29 AM

    You scored 10 out of 11!

    You are a potato and I love you.

    Fried potato what are you smoking?

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    Mute Lukevic101
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    Oct 5th 2020, 7:48 AM

    There should be an all of the above except raw option on the last question.

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    Mute Madra
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:10 PM

    This is the second, maybe third one of these you’ve attempted to share in the last 4-6 weeks.

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    Mute A d d y o u r n a m e
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    Oct 5th 2020, 1:42 AM

    Are chips and fried potatoes different?

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    Mute Red Pirate 71
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    Oct 5th 2020, 12:02 AM

    Absolutely disgraceful to mention the famine in this way. Sick.

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    Mute Disco Inferno
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    Oct 5th 2020, 7:18 AM

    @Red Pirate 71: why?

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    Mute Martin
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    Oct 4th 2020, 10:10 PM

    Pee off Nicky!

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    Mute Em Gee
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    Oct 5th 2020, 1:21 PM

    Why is fried the best way to serve potatoes? Boiled is healthier and leftover boiled potatoes can be made into potato salad.

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    Mute Timbob Flippers Dennehy
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    Oct 6th 2020, 4:49 PM

    I like potatoes fried but you have to boil them first.

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