01 / THE RARITY SCALE
Krillion tiers, points, and common mix-ups.
Higher points mean deeper dives. An answer’s actual classification is determined by the game.
LEVEL 06 / THE GEM
100 pts
One in a Krillion
The special gem: a rare, satisfying answer selected by the game.
Most easily confused with Deep Cut: both can be unusual, accurate answers, but the 100-point gem is a special selection by the game. It is not an automatic reward for choosing the longest name or the least familiar spelling. An obscure answer can still receive 85 points, and adding extra detail cannot promote it yourself. For Krillion tiers, treat the gem as a recorded result to discover, rather than a classification you can calculate from a word. Check that the exact dated prompt accepts the answer before comparing scores. The difference from Deep Cut is 15 points, or 150 meters, in a single round.
↘ 1000 M
LEVEL 05
85 pts
Deep Cut
Obscure, specific, and surprisingly on target.
Most easily confused with One in a Krillion or Rare: Deep Cut earns 85 points, sitting 15 below the gem and 25 above Rare. A specialist answer can fit perfectly without being the specially chosen gem. Equally, something obscure to you may be familiar in the game's reference material. Think of this tier as a recorded category, not a promise attached to a technical term. During a timed round, an accurate specific answer can be more useful than spending the remaining seconds chasing an uncertain gem. The historical examples below show actual Deep Cut classifications for their own dates, without implying those words always earn 85 points.
↘ 850 M
LEVEL 04
60 pts
Rare
Uncommon, yet recognizably relevant.
Most easily confused with Deep Cut: an answer may feel difficult to recall while still belonging to the 60-point Rare category. Personal familiarity and the game's curated familiarity assessment are different things. Do not assume that a lesser-known brand, country, or species automatically clears the 85-point threshold. Rare also sits 30 points above Schooler, so moving between those two results changes your depth by 300 meters. When reviewing a scorecard, look at the recorded tier first and its explanation second. The six Krillion tiers describe the game's assigned results; our descriptions help interpret those results, but do not independently assign them to an untested answer.
↘ 600 M
LEVEL 03
30 pts
Schooler
A fairly familiar answer that still fits.
Most easily confused with Too Clever: both can describe answers that feel familiar yet take a little thought to produce. The distinction is the game's assignment, rather than a universal line between a clever idea and an ordinary one. Schooler gives 30 points, twice the 15 points of Too Clever. That makes the difference easy to miss when both names sound positive. If your answer fits the prompt and returns Schooler, use 30 in the calculator rather than changing it because the answer surprised you. A different category or a later correction may affect a future result, so a dated example is stronger evidence than a general impression of familiarity.
↘ 300 M
LEVEL 02
15 pts
Too Clever
The go-to obscure pick that turns out to be fairly familiar.
Most easily confused with Schooler, and sometimes mistaken for an invalid answer: Too Clever is a valid 15-point result. It scores above 10-point Plankton and below 30-point Schooler. The name describes the familiar supposedly obscure pick; it does not mean the game has rejected you for being inventive. You cannot reliably avoid this category by making an answer longer or choosing an unusual spelling. Read the whole prompt and aim for accuracy before rarity. Across the Krillion tiers, a valid Too Clever answer still contributes 150 meters. An invalid result contributes zero, so keeping a sound fallback can matter when the round timer is running out.
↘ 150 M
LEVEL 01
10 pts
Plankton
A straightforward, familiar answer.
Most easily confused with an incorrect or skipped answer: Plankton is accepted and earns 10 points, while an invalid or skipped round contributes zero. It is also close to Too Clever on the scale, with only five points between them. The names can make that small difference feel larger than it is: ten meters per point turns it into 50 meters. A familiar answer can therefore be a useful fallback when you cannot recall a more specific one with confidence. Commonness is relative to the prompt and curated answer set. Do not treat a word recorded as Plankton on one date as a permanent low-scoring word in every future question.
↘ 100 M
Rarity uses familiarity data, assisted curation, and manual review. The gem is also chosen for its fun factor. Read the official FAQ ↗