Where it sits in the scoring
| Tier | Points |
|---|---|
| Plankton | 10 |
| Too clever | 15 |
| Schooler | 30 |
| Rare | 60 |
| Deep cut | 85 |
| One in a Krillion | 100 |
The game's own rules put it this way: "the pick that feels clever? the school thought of it too." Its FAQ describes "too clever" as the go-to "obscure" pick that isn't actually that obscure. Full table: how Krillion scoring works.
Why it scores below a normal answer
Krillion rewards answers few players give. When a prompt has a famous "deep" answer — the one quiz fans reach for — many players who try to be clever converge on it. It ends up almost as common as the obvious answer, and the game labels it to tell you so.
How to avoid a "too clever" answer
- Go past the second thought. Your first thought is usually Plankton; your second, "clever" thought is often Too clever. The third is where Rare answers live.
- Use your own niche. Answers from your hobby, home region or job are less likely to be the shared "smart" pick.
- Be specific. A sub-type or lesser-known member of a category tends to be rarer than the category's famous oddity.
- Stay valid. A made-up or misspelled answer gets "no echo" and costs you clock time.