Glancing through a book of recollections published about half a century ago, I was interested to read of the birth of a word in Dublin. It would appear that at a convivial gathering in Eustace Street at the "Eagle," there were present several who had attained to high civic dignities, with a number of the Dublin Volunteers. Richard Daly, proprietor and manager of the Smock Alley theatre, was there also, and, as a result of some banter at the expense of an actor then drawing immense crowds to the theatre, he made a bet of twenty guineas that there would be a new word in the mouths of the Dublin public, of all classes and sexes, young and old, within forty-eight hours, and, further, that the same public would within a week attach a definite meaning to the word, without any suggestion or explanation from him.
The day of the wager being Saturday, on the termination of the performance at the theatre, Daly summoned all the call-boys, sceneshifters and other employees of the concern, and having been provided each with a piece of chalk and certain instructions they set off on a tour of the city. The Dublin public awoke next morning to see on the doors and shutters of shops, warehouses and private houses one word. Some were alarmed, all were puzzled, and soon the word became the topic of general conversation. After a few days the conclusion was that the word was a hoax, a humbug, a joke; but it was not then forgotten, and it has since received its place in the English language. The word is "quiz" and it would appear that the editor of Cassell's New English Dictionary had never heard the story, or, having heard, did not believe it; for he states that the etymology is doubtful.
The Irish Times, April 6th, 1929.