How to play Krillion (and Krillion Unlimited)

Krillion is trivia where the question is easy and the answer is the hard part: any correct answer counts, but the obvious ones score least. Here are the rules, some strategy, and what's different on this site.

Read the prompt

Each round shows an open prompt like "Name a type of cheese". There are many right answers — often dozens. You get 3 seconds to read it, then 25 seconds on the clock.

Type any answer that fits

Press Enter to submit. Wrong guesses cost nothing; keep typing until something lands. Spelling is forgiving: small typos get a "did you mean…?" check, and plurals, accents and articles don't matter.

Rarer is deeper

Every accepted answer has a rarity tier. Cheddar is Plankton (10 points). Gruyère is a Schooler (30). Halloumi is Rare (60). Cabrales is a Deep Cut (85). One answer per prompt is One in a Krillion (100).

Out of air? Take a hint

If the 25 seconds run out you can flip up to three hints on one 60-point answer — first letter, then more letters, then the whole word. Each flip buys 15 more seconds and costs 10%, 25% or 45% of the points.

Seven rounds, one descent

Your points become depth: every point is 10 metres. Pass 200 m for the twilight zone, 1,000 m for the midnight zone, 4,000 m for the abyss and 6,000 m for the hadal trench. After the dive, every accepted answer is revealed with its tier, so you always know what would have scored more.

Strategy tips

Skip your first thought. The first answer that comes to mind is the one everyone gives. The second or third is usually a Schooler or better.
Bank something early. A Plankton at ten seconds beats a miss at zero. Decide quickly whether this round is a gamble.
Go where the prompt didn't point. "Name a cheese" — think Spain or Greece, not France. Rare answers hide in the regions nobody looks at.
Read the reveal. After each round, open the full answer list. You'll learn where the 85s live: one step past the famous names, not in obscurity.
Hints are a floor, not a plan. A rescued 60 is worth 54, 45 or 33 points. Flip one, look at the first letter, and let your memory finish it.

What's different from the original?

The original Krillion at krillion.io has one dive a day; its archive and unlimited play cost money, and it doesn't show you why an answer was rejected. Krillion Unlimited is free and adds unlimited dives, category practice, a playable archive, free hints, a "did you mean…?" check for typos, and a full answer reveal after every round. Our rarity tiers are editorial estimates rather than player statistics — see scoring for how they're made.