For the second season in a row, defending champions Queen's Park played Dumbarton in the final.

After the original match finished in a 2–2 draw on 18 March 1882, Queen's Park won the trophy for a sixth time with a 4–1 win in the replay 1 April 1882.

[1][2] As with the previous competitions, the eighth edition of the Scottish Cup took on the format of a traditional knockout tournament.

[2] For the earlier rounds, the names of competing teams were placed into lots according to their districts and drawn into pairs.

The home team for each tie was determined by the toss of a coin unless it was mutually agreed or only one of the two clubs drawn against one another had a private ground.

Sources:[21] Glasgow University and Queen's Park received a bye to the fourth round.

Sources:[21] Beith, Dumbarton, Shotts, South Western and Vale of Teith received a bye to the fifth round.