diff --git a/api/src/party/__tests__/question-utils.test.ts b/api/src/party/__tests__/question-utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d20cd0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/src/party/__tests__/question-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { getQuestionRange, getReleaseYearRange } from "../question-utils";
+
+describe("question range helpers", () => {
+	it("normalizes inverted generic ranges", () => {
+		const range = getQuestionRange(10, 5);
+		expect(range.min).toBeLessThanOrEqual(range.max);
+		expect(range.min).toBe(5);
+		expect(range.max).toBe(15);
+	});
+
+	it("caps release-year ranges to the current year", () => {
+		const range = getReleaseYearRange(2026, 2026);
+		expect(range.max).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2026);
+		expect(range.min).toBeLessThan(range.max);
+		expect(range.max - range.min).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(4);
+		expect(range.min).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2026);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps release year inside the range", () => {
+		const range = getReleaseYearRange(2020, 2026);
+		expect(range.min).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2020);
+		expect(range.max).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2020);
+		expect(range.max).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2026);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/api/src/party/numeric-question-generator.ts b/api/src/party/numeric-question-generator.ts
index aeaf547..4f8723a 100644
--- a/api/src/party/numeric-question-generator.ts
+++ b/api/src/party/numeric-question-generator.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
 import type { Question } from "../party-types";
 import {
 	buildQuestionWindow,
-	getQuestionRange,
+	getReleaseYearRange,
 	isUsableText,
 	type PartyAnalytics,
 	type PartyQuestionMember,
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ async function getAlbumReleaseYear({
 		type: "numeric",
 		text: `What's the release year of ${subject}?`,
 		correct,
-		range: getQuestionRange(correct, 10, 3),
+		range: getReleaseYearRange(correct),
 		points: 10,
 		song: song ?? undefined,
 	};
diff --git a/api/src/party/question-utils.ts b/api/src/party/question-utils.ts
index aa70709..14fe0d8 100644
--- a/api/src/party/question-utils.ts
+++ b/api/src/party/question-utils.ts
@@ -87,15 +87,24 @@ export function getQuestionDistanceScore(
 export function getQuestionRange(
 	correctValue: number,
 	tolerance: number,
-	randomness: number,
 ): { min: number; max: number } {
 	const min = Math.floor(correctValue - tolerance);
 	const max = Math.ceil(correctValue + tolerance);
-	const range = max - min;
-	return {
-		min: min + Math.floor(Math.random() * range * randomness),
-		max: max - Math.floor(Math.random() * range * randomness),
-	};
+	return normalizeRange(min, max);
+}
+
+export function getReleaseYearRange(
+	releaseYear: number,
+	currentYear = new Date().getFullYear(),
+	tolerance = 10,
+	minSpan = 4,
+): { min: number; max: number } {
+	const cappedMax = Math.min(currentYear, Math.ceil(releaseYear + tolerance));
+	const rawMin = Math.floor(releaseYear - tolerance);
+	const minimumSpan = Math.max(1, minSpan);
+	const expandedMin = Math.max(0, cappedMax - minimumSpan);
+	const min = Math.min(rawMin, expandedMin, releaseYear);
+	return normalizeRange(min, cappedMax);
 }
 
 export function getMostSharedGenreNames(analytics: PartyAnalytics): string[] {
@@ -311,6 +320,14 @@ function uniqueStrings(values: string[]): string[] {
 	return values.filter((value, index, list) => list.indexOf(value) === index);
 }
 
+function normalizeRange(
+	min: number,
+	max: number,
+): { min: number; max: number } {
+	if (min <= max) return { min, max };
+	return { min: max, max: min };
+}
+
 function fallbackPlayerNames(count: number): string[] {
 	return Array.from(
 		{ length: count },