How to game Pottermore’s Sorting Hat quiz

Just how accurate is Pottermore’s Wizarding World’s Sorting Hat quiz anyway? What are all the possible questions? Is it an algorithm? Can you cheat?

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter basically chooses his Hogwarts house himself. As the text says, “Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin,” to which the Sorting Hat responds, “Not Slytherin, eh? … Well, if you’re sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!”

Related:

• How to transfer your Pottermore account to WizardingWorld.com
• We took the new Sorting Hat quiz and it ruined some of our lives

The books J.K. Rowling wrote suggest that when it comes to being sorted into Hogwarts houses, choice matters. But unlike Harry, the Sorting Hat isn’t actually on our head where he can hear our pleas. At the end of the day, the Sorting Hat quiz on Pottermore (now WizardingWorld.com) is a collection of code — if and else statements — with some randomization that attempts to recreate the magic.

So can the quiz be gamed? Yup. Sorting Hat quiz answers are easily accessible online and they can help you land the Hogwarts house you know you actually belong to.

Yes, this method works with the Sorting Hat quiz in the Wizarding World app and website as well!

Sorting Hat Quiz questions and answers

As you’ve probably guessed, getting into your desired house is a matter of answering the correct answers to the questions the Sorting Hat poses during your sorting ceremony.

That’s how the quiz works on a basic level. Here’s a more detailed look at how the Sorting Hat quiz works, per this Reddit post from a user named N1ffler.

First, the quiz will always consist of eight questions in total. Those eight questions are pulled from a collection of 28 questions — that’s right there are 28 possible questions you could be asked.

The first and last questions of the quiz will always be one of three questions.

First Question:

• Dawn or Dusk?
• Forest or River?
• Moon or Stars?

Last Question:

• Black or White?
• Heads or Tails?
• Left or Right?

The other six questions will come from the remaining 22 pool of questions and can appear in random orders.

So how should you answer the questions? That same Reddit user, N1ffler, has prepared extensive spreadsheets and lists that dive into which answers produce what results. They get very granular in their explanation, so here’s a quick guide for what to look for:

• Check out the Reddit post linked above (and here)
• Scroll down to the section labeled “Results.” All 28 possible questions will be listed out here, along with each answer.
• Each answer has four percentage marks next to it. The trick is to select the answer that has the highest percentage mark associated with your desired house.

Here’s an example. Let’s say I’m shooting for Gryffindor house and I’m presented with the following question:

Four boxes are placed before you. Which would you try and open?

Let’s look at the table of answers beneath the question:

	Gryffindor	Ravenclaw	Hufflepuff	Slytherin
The small tortoiseshell box	14%	18%	46%	18%
The gleaming jet black box with a silver lock and key	18%	20%	16%	46%
The ornate golden casket	19%	44%	21%	19%
The small pewter box	49%	19%	17%	17%

Looking at the table, Gryffindor has a 49% mark next to “The small pewter box.” Therefore, the pewter box is the best option for me to select if I want to get into Gryffindor. Similarly, if I were aiming for Slytherin, I should select the “gleaming jet black box.”

Make sense?

Again, the Reddit post goes into much more detail. Since there are so many questions, a quick search on the web page (Ctrl + F or Cmmnd + F on your keyboard) will take you straight to the question you need answers for.

Happy sorting!