Sword Art Online is a show set inside a game, and games run on numbers. Levels, hit points, floor counts, a clearing time down to the minute. The series states most of them once, in passing, and moves on. That makes it a gift for hard trivia: the facts are exact, so there is no arguing about the answer, only whether you caught it.
These 53 questions are graded 8, 9 or 10, the hard band on our scale, and were written episode by episode from Season 1, both the Aincrad and the Fairy Dance arcs. Item names, skill names and minor guilds feature heavily, because those are the things the show explains to you exactly once.
Under each answer there is a short explanation of the scene it comes from, so you can see who said it and what was happening at the time.
Spoiler warning: this covers the whole of Season 1, including how both arcs end.
Curious how a question earns an 8? Read how the question bank was built.
Season 1, Episode 1
1. On launch day, what food has Klein ordered to arrive at 5:30?
- A. Burgers
- B. Pizza
- C. Ramen
- D. Sushi
Show answer
B. Pizza
Before the logout crisis hits, Klein explains that he pre-ordered a hot pizza for 5:30, teriyaki mayo with ginger ale. At 5:25 he realises he cannot log out to eat it.
Season 1, Episode 2
2. At the first-floor boss fight, what are the guard monsters protecting the boss called?
- A. Ruin Guardians
- B. Kobold Knights
- C. Ruin Kobold Sentinels
- D. Kobold Raiders
Show answer
C. Ruin Kobold Sentinels
The strategy meeting's guidebook says Illfang the Kobold Lord is guarded by mobs called Ruin Kobold Sentinels, and the solo players, Kirito and Asuna included, are assigned to them.
Season 1, Episode 3
3. At the Christmas Eve event, which guild follows Klein to the boss?
- A. Divine Dragon Alliance
- B. Moonlit Black Cats
- C. Laughing Coffin
- D. Knights of Blood
Show answer
A. Divine Dragon Alliance
When Kirito reaches the Christmas boss, Klein's group has been tailed by the Divine Dragon Alliance, a guild described as willing to do anything for a rare item.
Season 1, Episode 4
4. Which item shows Silica a 3D map of the 47th floor?
- A. Mirage Sphere
- B. Seer Stone
- C. Crystal Map
- D. Sky Orb
Show answer
A. Mirage Sphere
At the inn, Kirito pulls out a Mirage Sphere, which projects a 3D map of the 47th floor: the town area and the Hill of Memories, where Silica needs to go.
5. When he faces Titan's Hand on the 47th floor, what level does Kirito say he is?
- A. 87
- B. 68
- C. 78
- D. 75
Show answer
C. 78
Facing Titan's Hand, Kirito tells them he is Level 78 with 14,500 HP, so the damage seven of them can do is pointless against his regeneration.
6. Which dessert does Silica recommend at her inn?
- A. Crêpes
- B. Apple pie
- C. Pudding
- D. Cheesecake
Show answer
D. Cheesecake
Silica recommends the cheesecake at the inn, and later complains when their cheesecake still has not arrived.
Season 1, Episode 5
7. To kill a field boss, what does Asuna plan to use as bait?
- A. Tamed monsters
- B. Teleport crystals
- C. Village NPCs
- D. Rare items
Show answer
C. Village NPCs
At the opening of episode 5, Asuna, as Vice Commander of the Knights of Blood, plans to lure the field boss into a village and kill it while it is busy attacking the NPCs. Kirito refuses to accept that logic.
8. In the safe-area murder case, which skill do Kirito and Asuna need to trace the spear?
- A. Crafting
- B. Appraisal
- C. Detection
- D. Tracking
Show answer
B. Appraisal
Kirito and Asuna decide the murder weapon's origin is their best lead, and tracing it needs the Appraisal skill, so they take it to Agil.
9. In the safe-area murder case, what is the name of the spear that kills the victim?
- A. Guilty Thorn
- B. Thorn of Wrath
- C. Blood Lance
- D. Sinful Spike
Show answer
A. Guilty Thorn
Agil appraises the spear and reads out its name, Guilty Thorn, which roughly means thorn of sin.
Season 1, Episode 6
10. In the safe-area murder case, who was really the black-robed figure at the inn?
- A. Caynz
- B. Grimlock
- C. Griselda
- D. Schmitt
Show answer
A. Caynz
Kirito works out that the black-robed man at the inn was not Grimlock but Caynz. He and Yolko staged their deaths to flush out the real killer.
11. In the safe-area murder case, what did Schmitt's anonymous memo tell him to set to Griselda's room?
- A. Guild flag
- B. Corridor crystal
- C. Map crystal
- D. Healing crystal
Show answer
B. Corridor crystal
Schmitt confesses that a memo in his belt pouch told him to set Griselda's room as the destination of a corridor teleport crystal, giving the killer access to her.
Season 1, Episode 8
12. When she asks Kirito to party with her, Asuna says this week's lucky colour is what?
- A. Blue
- B. White
- C. Red
- D. Black
Show answer
D. Black
Asuna asks Kirito to party with her for old times' sake, adding that this week's lucky colour is black. Kirito, of course, dresses entirely in black.
Season 1, Episode 10
13. On Godfree's training trip, what does Godfree take from everyone before setting out?
- A. Their crystals
- B. Their weapons
- C. Their potions
- D. Their Col
Show answer
A. Their crystals
Before the training trip, Godfree announces he wants to see how they handle a crisis and collects all their crystals, teleport crystals included. It leaves them unable to escape when Kuradeel strikes.
Season 1, Episode 11
14. At her first breakfast with them, what kind of food does Yui insist on trying like Kirito's?
- A. Sour
- B. Sweet
- C. Spicy
- D. Bitter
Show answer
C. Spicy
Asuna warns Yui that the dish is very spicy, but Yui wants the same one as Papa. She tastes it and says it is yummy.
Season 1, Episode 12
15. In the dungeon where Thinker is trapped, which strange ingredient does Kirito collect?
- A. Scavenge Toad Meat
- B. Cave Bat Wing
- C. Swamp Eel Fillet
- D. Golden Frog Leg
Show answer
A. Scavenge Toad Meat
In the dungeon, Kirito is delighted with a drop from the frogs: Scavenge Toad Meat. Asuna is horrified, and he argues stranger food tastes better.
Season 1, Episode 13
16. Before the 75th-floor raid, how many players from the scouting party vanished in the boss room?
- A. 20
- B. 5
- C. 15
- D. 10
Show answer
D. 10
Heathcliff explains that twenty players from five guilds scouted the 75th floor boss room. Once the first ten reached the centre, the door shut, and the ten and the boss both vanished.
Season 1, Episode 14
17. How many players die in the fight against the Skull Reaper?
- A. 10
- B. 12
- C. 14
- D. 16
Show answer
C. 14
Episode 14 opens just after the Skull Reaper falls. Someone asks how many they lost, and the answer is fourteen.
Season 1, Episode 18
18. As Sugou leaves her cage, what does Asuna secretly memorize?
- A. His passcode
- B. A spell
- C. A map
- D. His phone number
Show answer
A. His passcode
As Sugou leaves her birdcage, Asuna quietly watches his hand and memorises the digits of his passcode, which she later uses to escape.
Season 1, Episode 19
19. Near which place is the Sylph and Cait Sith leaders' conference held?
- A. Fairy Glen
- B. Moon Lake
- C. Butterfly Valley
- D. Dragon Valley
Show answer
C. Butterfly Valley
Leafa learns that in forty minutes, near Butterfly Valley, the Sylph and Cait Sith leaders will hold a conference, and that the Salamanders plan to attack it.
Season 1, Episode 21
20. Which setting have Sugou's researchers disabled, so Asuna feels real pain?
- A. Safety lock
- B. Logout button
- C. Mood filter
- D. Pain absorber
Show answer
D. Pain absorber
When Asuna is hurt in the lab, a researcher casually admits he forgot he had disabled the pain absorber, the setting that normally stops players feeling real pain.
Season 1, Episode 23
21. In the assault on the dome at Yggdrasil's base, which attack do the Sylphs fire after the dragoons' Fire Breath?
- A. Gale Blade
- B. Wind Fang
- C. Thunder Lance
- D. Fenrir Storm
Show answer
D. Fenrir Storm
In the assault on the dome, the dragoons are ordered to fire Fire Breath, and the Sylphs follow up with Fenrir Storm.
22. Where in Alne does Kirito ask Suguha to meet him for their duel?
- A. Central plaza
- B. Northern terrace
- C. Southern gate
- D. Eastern bridge
Show answer
B. Northern terrace
Kirito tells Suguha he will wait for her at the northern terrace of Alne. When she arrives, she asks for a duel to finish what they started.
Across the series
23. Which floor did Kirito reach during the beta test?
- A. 8th floor
- B. 10th floor
- C. 5th floor
- D. 12th floor
Show answer
A. 8th floor
Klein asks how far Kirito got in the beta. Kirito says it took two months to reach the eighth floor, and he thinks he can do it in half the time now.
24. In the last game he played, what was Klein?
- A. Solo player
- B. Healer
- C. Blacksmith
- D. Guild leader
Show answer
D. Guild leader
Refusing to slow Kirito down, Klein says that in the last game he played he was the leader of his guild, so he can look after himself.
25. Where are the free guidebooks made by former beta testers handed out?
- A. Inn
- B. Guild hall
- C. Item shop
- D. Church
Show answer
C. Item shop
Before the first boss meeting, Kirito and Asuna discuss the free guidebook available at the item shop. Kirito points out it was made by former beta testers.
26. The Moonlit Black Cats are all members of which school club?
- A. Chess Club
- B. PC Research Club
- C. Anime Club
- D. Kendo Club
Show answer
B. PC Research Club
Keita explains that everyone in the Moonlit Black Cats belongs to their school's PC Research Club.
27. Which guild did Titan's Hand ambush, killing four of its members?
- A. Moonlit Black Cats
- B. Silver Flags
- C. Fuurinkazan
- D. Golden Apple
Show answer
B. Silver Flags
Kirito confronts Rosalia: ten days ago Titan's Hand ambushed a guild called Silver Flags and killed four members, leaving only the leader alive. That leader hired Kirito.
28. The 47th floor, nearly covered in flowers, is known as what?
- A. Rose Valley
- B. Sky Meadow
- C. Sunflower Field
- D. Flower Garden
Show answer
D. Flower Garden
Arriving on the 47th floor, Kirito explains it is called the Flower Garden because flowers cover almost all of it.
29. Which skill lets Kirito regenerate HP while he is being attacked?
- A. Iron Will
- B. Life Drain
- C. Second Wind
- D. Battle Healing
Show answer
D. Battle Healing
Kirito tells Titan's Hand his Battle Healing skill restores 600 HP every ten seconds, more than they can deal.
30. What is Agil's business motto?
- A. Always profit
- B. Sell high
- C. Buy cheap, sell cheap
- D. No refunds
Show answer
C. Buy cheap, sell cheap
When Kirito brings him the spear, Agil repeats his motto, buy cheap, sell cheap. Kirito says the second half sounds fishy.
31. Which stat did the Golden Apple guild's rare ring raise?
- A. Agility
- B. Luck
- C. Defense
- D. Strength
Show answer
A. Agility
Yolko explains that the Golden Apple guild defeated a rare monster that dropped a ring raising Agility by 20, and the argument over it split the guild.
32. Which former Golden Apple member now leads the Divine Dragon Alliance's defenders?
- A. Caynz
- B. Schmitt
- C. Kibaou
- D. Grimlock
Show answer
B. Schmitt
The last Golden Apple member is Schmitt, a tank who now leads the Divine Dragon Alliance's defenders and wields a large lance.
33. What was Griselda's real-world name?
- A. Yolko
- B. Asuna
- C. Yuuko
- D. Sachi
Show answer
C. Yuuko
Grimlock admits he and Griselda were married in real life too, and he could not accept that his Yuuko had changed. That is his motive for the murder.
34. What is the 55th floor like?
- A. Desert
- B. Frozen wasteland
- C. Volcano
- D. Swamp
Show answer
B. Frozen wasteland
Lisbeth shivers when they arrive and says she did not know the 55th floor was a frozen wasteland. Kirito offers her his coat.
35. In which town is Asuna's house?
- A. Selmburg
- B. Grandum
- C. Taft
- D. Lindas
Show answer
A. Selmburg
Kuradeel says he has been watching Kirito at Selmburg, where Asuna lives, for a month. It is his excuse for stalking her.
36. Which nostalgic taste does Asuna recreate from Abilpa Bean, Sag Leaf and Oorafish bones?
- A. Miso
- B. Wasabi
- C. Ketchup
- D. Soy sauce
Show answer
D. Soy sauce
Asuna made a sauce from Abilpa Bean, Sag Leaf and Oorafish bones, and Kirito recognises the nostalgic taste of soy sauce. The other bottle tasted like mayonnaise.
37. Why were most players briefly disconnected a few weeks after SAO began?
- A. Server update
- B. Hospital transfer
- C. Kayaba's test
- D. Power outage
Show answer
B. Hospital transfer
Kirito reminds Asuna that a few weeks into the game most players were disconnected for a few hours. They believe it was when their bodies were moved to hospitals.
38. Which company, in charge of SAO's network security, did Nishida work for?
- A. Touto High-Speed Connection
- B. RECT Progress
- C. Argus
- D. Kamura
Show answer
A. Touto High-Speed Connection
The fisherman Nishida says he was IT Security Director at Touto High-Speed Connection, the company in charge of SAO's network security.
39. On what date is SAO cleared?
- A. December 7
- B. November 6
- C. November 7
- D. October 7
Show answer
C. November 7
After the final battle, the system announces that the game was cleared at 2:55 PM on November 7th.
40. How many surviving players are logged out when SAO is cleared?
- A. 6,417
- B. 6,174
- C. 7,147
- D. 6,147
Show answer
D. 6,147
Kayaba tells Kirito that all 6,147 surviving players were successfully logged out. The dead do not come back.
41. What does Agil secretly spend almost all his profits on?
- A. His guild
- B. Rare weapons
- C. Training players
- D. Buying houses
Show answer
C. Training players
In the final fight, Kirito thanks Agil and reveals he knows almost all of Agil's profits go into training players on the middle floors.
42. In which prefecture is the hospital where Asuna lies after SAO?
- A. Tokyo
- B. Saitama
- C. Kanagawa
- D. Chiba
Show answer
B. Saitama
Kirito narrates that he found Asuna at Tokorozawa General Hospital in Saitama Prefecture, one of about 300 players still not awake.
43. At what age did Kirito discover he had been adopted by his aunt's family?
- A. 12
- B. 8
- C. 10
- D. 14
Show answer
C. 10
Midori, Kirito's aunt and adoptive mother, remembers that at ten Kazuto found the deleted records on the Resident Registry Network on his own and asked about his real parents.
44. To a corporation from which country does Sugou plan to sell his research?
- A. American
- B. German
- C. Russian
- D. Chinese
Show answer
A. American
Sugou tells Asuna there is an American corporation eagerly waiting for his mind-control research, and he will sell it for a fortune.
45. In ALO, what do players call taking turns logging off while guarding each other's avatars?
- A. Shifting
- B. Swapping
- C. Relaying
- D. Rotating
Show answer
D. Rotating
Leafa suggests they rotate. In a neutral area you cannot log off safely, so players take turns logging out while the other guards their avatar.
46. Who leads the Salamander mage unit that ambushes Kirito and Leafa?
- A. Sigurd
- B. Kagemune
- C. Jitax
- D. Eugene
Show answer
C. Jitax
Leafa's friend Recon reveals Jitax, the leader of the Salamander mage unit that attacked them, messaged him to get online.
47. What is the neutral mining town in the caves on the way to Alne called?
- A. Lugrue
- B. Lindas
- C. Swilvane
- D. Gattan
Show answer
A. Lugrue
Halfway through the cave route to Alne, Kirito and Leafa arrive in Lugrue, a neutral mining town.
48. Which Salamander is captain of the lance unit and an expert at hunting Sylphs?
- A. Kagemune
- B. Eugene
- C. Mortimer
- D. Jitax
Show answer
A. Kagemune
Recon explains Kagemune is the captain of the Salamander lance unit and an expert at hunting Sylphs, and that Kirito already wiped out his party.
49. What share of a race leader's estate do attackers gain by killing her?
- A. 30%
- B. 50%
- C. 20%
- D. 10%
Show answer
A. 30%
Recon explains the stakes: killing a race leader gives the attackers thirty percent of her estate and the right to tax her capital for ten days.
50. Which dark magic lets Sakuya speak to Sigurd from far away?
- A. Moonlight Mirror
- B. Dark Echo
- C. Shadow Call
- D. Night Window
Show answer
A. Moonlight Mirror
Sakuya asks Lou, who levels dark magic, to link her to Sigurd via Moonlight Mirror so she can confront him remotely.
51. Which effect lets Eugene's sword phase through swords and shields?
- A. Spirit Pierce
- B. Phantom Edge
- C. Ethereal Shift
- D. Void Cut
Show answer
C. Ethereal Shift
Leafa explains that the demon sword Gram has an extra effect called Ethereal Shift, letting it pass through any sword or shield used to block it.
52. After players stacked on each other to reach Yggdrasil's branches, what did the GMs add above the clouds?
- A. A storm
- B. A barrier
- C. Thick fog
- D. A dragon
Show answer
B. A barrier
Leafa explains that a group once stood on each other's shoulders to fly past the limit and almost reached the branches. The GMs patched it, adding a barrier just above the clouds.
53. Below which Pain Absorber level does pain start to affect a player's real body?
- A. 1
- B. 3
- C. 7
- D. 5
Show answer
B. 3
Sugou lowers Kirito's Pain Absorber from 10 to 8 and warns that once it goes below 3, the pain will reach his real body.
The five questions real players miss most
The questions above are not in matches yet. These five are. They come from the live bank, ranked by how often players got them wrong. Each player counts once, on their first attempt, and bots are left out. The samples are small, 15 to 29 players per question, so treat the exact percentages loosely.

1. What is the name of the second-generation virtual reality headset used to play ALfheim Online?
- A. NerveGear
- B. Soul Translator
- C. AmuSphere
- D. Medicuboid
7 of 19 players got this right.
Show answer and why people miss it
C. AmuSphere
The trap: More players picked NerveGear than the right answer.
The NerveGear is the headset that traps everyone in Aincrad, and it is on the cover of the whole first arc. ALO runs on its successor, the AmuSphere, which the show calls a safer NerveGear. The word second-generation is the hint.
2. What is the name of the blue-haired knight who leads the raid against the first floor boss?
- A. Kibaou
- B. Diabel
- C. Caynz
- D. Schmitt
9 of 22 players got this right.
Show answer and why people miss it
B. Diabel
The trap: Wrong answers were spread across all three other names.
Diabel is on screen for one episode. He organises the raid, leads it, and dies in it. Kibaou is louder in the same scene and comes back later, so his name sticks. Diabel's matters because his death is why Kirito takes the name Beater.
3. Which fairy race in ALfheim Online is characterised by their blue wings and affinity for water magic?
- A. Sylph
- B. Undine
- C. Salamander
- D. Spriggan
7 of 16 players got this right.
Show answer and why people miss it
B. Undine
The trap: Sylph was the most common wrong answer.
Leafa is a Sylph, and she is the fairy you spend the whole arc with, so Sylph is the race players know best. The Undines are mostly mentioned rather than shown. The name is the giveaway: an undine is a water spirit in European folklore.
4. What is the avatar name of the young dagger-wielding Beast Tamer?
- A. Lisbeth
- B. Sachi
- C. Silica
- D. Leafa
8 of 18 players got this right.
Show answer and why people miss it
C. Silica
The trap: Lisbeth and Sachi split most of the wrong answers.
Silica, Lisbeth and Sachi each get one early side story with Kirito, and the three blur together. Silica is the youngest, carries a dagger, and has the little dragon Pina. Beast Tamer means she has a pet, and only one of the three does.
5. What is the name of the bald, axe-wielding merchant who runs a shop in Algade?
- A. Klein
- B. Heathcliff
- C. Agil
- D. Kuradeel
14 of 29 players got this right.
Show answer and why people miss it
C. Agil
The trap: Klein was the most common wrong answer.
Agil and Klein are Kirito's two grown-up friends, both in the first episodes, and both easy-going. Klein is the one with the bandana and the katana. Agil is the bald one with the axe, and later owns the café where the gang meets in the real world.
How did you do?
If you knew the exact number of players logged out when SAO was cleared, I am impressed. If you think one of these is wrong, tell me. And if you want to play against real people, jump into a match.