Punning with Coffee Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Daily Grind

In the early 17th century, the word 'grind' began to be used to describe oppression. This was derived from the original meaning of the word, meaning to crush to small pieces. The daily grind then came to describe hard, laborious work.

The term is now associated with mundane, everyday tasks, especially pertaining to one's job. Since coffee beans are ground to make coffee, this term is used to pun on this daily activity at a coffee shop.

Answer: Better latte than never

'Better late than never' is a common phrase acknowledging that while the response has been late, it is better than getting no response at all. The first written reference is traced to Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th century work "Canterbury Tales".

Latte is a type of coffee drink that is prepared with espresso and milk.

Answer: He got mugged.

This pun plays on the coffee mugs in which the drink is usually served. To be mugged is to be assaulted and robbed in a public place. The origin of this term is uncertain. Some sources claim that the practice of using the word mug for a face stemmed from the faces, often grotesque, that were painted on the sides of the drinking vessels. Thus, striking someone across the face came to be known as mugging.

Answer: Spill the beans

This pun again uses the coffee beans to play on words. To spill the beans is to give away secret information. One of the popular theories explaining this phrase's origin is the practice of using coloured beans as a secret ballot in ancient Greek society. To spill the beans was therefore a way to show which way one would be voting and thus betray confidential information.

Answer: Depresso

One who is melancholic is said to be extremely sad or suffering from a form of depression. The word 'depression' came to the English language via Latin where the root word meant to press down. Depresso plays on the words depression and espresso. An espresso is a strong black coffee that does not contain milk.

It is made by forcing steam through the ground coffee beans and is believed to have originated in Italy.

Answer: Espresso yourself

To express oneself is to give free rein to one's creative capabilities. The word 'express' comes from the Latin language where it meant to press out or extort. An espresso is a strong black coffee. It is common for baristas these days to create beautiful designs using coffee froth.

They have probably taken this advice to heart. The rise of photo sharing platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have also contributed to this trend.

Answer: Latte Be

"The Beatles" hit is "Let It Be" with latte replacing part of the title to create a coffee pun. The song "Let It Be" featured on the album of the same name, though it was also released as a single. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney, his last single before he quit the band.

Answer: Just brew it

"Just Do It" was a popular slogan of the sportswear brand, Nike. With the words brew and do having similar sounds, they can be interchanged to form a coffee pun. The "Just Do It" advertising campaign was launched by Nike in 1988 and used for over 20 years.

Answer: Java

Coffee trees were first planted on the Indonesian island of Java by the Dutch colonizers in the 17th century. Java is now famed for the quality of its coffee. Java has also given its name to a computer programming language. It is therefore an obvious pun for a techie to favour this brand of coffee.

Answer: Deja brew

'Déjà vu' is a term taken from the French language which is literally translated as 'already seen'. It describes the feeling of having already seen or experienced something which should actually be unfamiliar. For instance, if you visit a particular place for the first time but have the vague feeling of having already been in those surroundings.

Here again vu and brew have similar sounds and can be used to create a pun.