How Is Krillion Rarity Determined?
Krillion uses a prepared answer set for each prompt and places recognized answers in six score tiers, from Plankton (10) to One in a Krillion (100). The official method combines familiarity data where it fits with model assistance and manual review for other prompts.
How the official rarity process works
- Build the answer set. Relevant datasets, dictionaries, wiki pages and encyclopedias are merged and cleaned for the prompt.
- Estimate familiarity. Some prompts can be scored mechanically against a database of how often a word or name appears in what people read and write.
- Review prompts that resist a simple score. Other answer sets use model assistance and a manual pass.
- Select the top gem. One in a Krillion balances rarity with the answer that is satisfying and realistically discoverable.
This summary follows the official Krillion FAQ ↗. Our saved sheets show the final assigned tiers; they do not expose the official familiarity score or player-submission totals.
Wondering why an accepted answer earned only 15? Read the Too Clever explanation and search dated examples.
The depth ladder at a glance
| Tier | Score | Depth | Role in the ladder |
|---|---|---|---|
| One in a Krillion | +100 | 1,000 m | Curated top pick |
| Deep Cut | +85 | 850 m | Second-highest score |
| Rare | +60 | 600 m | Clearly uncommon |
| Schooler | +30 | 300 m | Textbook middle |
| Too Clever | +15 | 150 m | Go-to “obscure” pick |
| Plankton | +10 | 100 m | Familiar surface pick |
One in a Krillion — +100 points · 1,000 m
The curated top pick, chosen for rarity and fun. Worth 100 points, a full 1,000 meters of dive depth in a single word.
Real One in a Krillion answers from Dive #94
- Pommes soufflées — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes” (Legend says a delayed royal train in 1837 made them puff.)
- Mara — for the prompt “Name an animal whose name is exactly four letters long” (Patagonian rodent on deer-like legs that pairs for life.)
- Jim Konstanty — for the prompt “Name someone who’s won MVP (NBA/NFL/MLB), Premier League Player of the Season, or won the Ballon d’Or” (He became the first relief pitcher to win MLB MVP.)
- Mark Moseley — for the prompt “Name someone who’s won MVP (NBA/NFL/MLB), Premier League Player of the Season, or won the Ballon d’Or” (He won NFL MVP as a kicker in 1982.)
- Yttrium — for the prompt “Name a chemical element whose symbol is one letter” (Named after Ytterby, the Swedish village behind four element names.)
Read the One in a Krillion flagship guide →
Deep Cut — +85 points · 850 m
A recorded answer in Krillion's 85-point tier, worth 850 meters of depth. Check the dated prompt for the exact assigned answer.
Real Deep Cut answers from Dive #94
- Aalu wala — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Abura-ki — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Achari aloo — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Adobong patatas — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Age-imo — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
Read the Deep Cut tier guide →
Rare — +60 points · 600 m
Clearly correct, clearly uncommon. Assigned to the Rare tier in the official roster. Worth 60 points, or 600 meters of depth.
Real Rare answers from Dive #94
- Aloo gobi — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Aloo pakora — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Aloo tikki — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Animal style fries — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Baked sweet potato — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
Schooler — +30 points · 300 m
The game's 30-point tier, worth 300 meters of depth. A dated answer sheet shows which words received it for that prompt.
Real Schooler answers from Dive #94
- Air-fried potatoes — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Buttered potatoes — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Curly fries — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Grilled potatoes — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Home fries — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
Read the Schooler tier guide →
Too Clever — +15 points · 150 m
The go-to answer that feels obscure but is not actually that obscure. It still counts: 15 points, or 150 meters of depth.
Read the Too Clever explainer →
Plankton — +10 points · 100 m
The familiar valid answers placed nearest the surface in the curated roster. Worth 10 points, or 100 meters of depth.
Real Plankton answers from Dive #94
- Baked potato — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Boiled potatoes — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- French fries — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Fried potatoes — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
- Hash browns — for the prompt “Name a way to prepare potatoes”
Read the Plankton tier guide →
Go deeper on each tier
Each tier has a focused guide with dated examples. The four reference pages count saved answers through September 17, 2026; their numbers describe roster entries, not the current week's sheets or player behavior:
- One in a Krillion — 100 points, the unbeatable ceiling (flagship guide)
- Deep Cut — 85 points, with a dated roster comparison
- Rare — 60 points, with recorded K-animal examples
- Schooler — 30 points, the middle rung
- Too Clever — 15 points, the go-to “obscure” pick that is not so obscure (explainer)
- Plankton — 10 points, with the roster-size boundary
Want the scoring math and strategy in one place? Read how to play Krillion, then play today's dive at krillion.io and check today's answers after your run.
Frequently asked questions
How does the official game determine rarity?
The official FAQ says some questions use familiarity data for rarity, while others use LLM assistance and a manual pass. The top Krillion pick also considers fun, not rarity alone. Our saved tiers do not include player-submission counts.
What does 'One in a Krillion' mean in Krillion?
One in a Krillion is the game's highest scoring tier, worth 100 points and 1,000 meters of dive depth. The official FAQ says the gem is selected for fun as well as rarity because extremely obscure answers become hard to separate; it is a curated top pick, not a literal one-in-a-krillion statistic.
What is a Deep Cut in Krillion?
Deep Cut is the second-highest scoring tier, worth 85 points or 850 meters of depth. A dated sheet shows which answers received it for that prompt; it does not reveal how many players chose them.
What does Plankton mean in Krillion?
Plankton is the lowest scoring tier, worth 10 points and 100 meters of depth. It contains familiar, surface-level answers in the prepared roster. The official game does not publish live player-submission counts for the tier.
Is a Too Clever answer a bad thing?
It still earns 15 points, or 150 meters. The official FAQ describes it as the go-to obscure pick that is not actually that obscure. It is a listed answer, not a rejection; it earns more than Plankton (10) and less than Schooler (30).
How are Krillion rarity tiers decided?
By the official curated tier for that prompt. The game grades every valid answer into one of six fixed tiers — Plankton (10), Too Clever (15), Schooler (30), Rare (60), Deep Cut (85) and One in a Krillion (100) — so the same word can be Plankton for one prompt and a Deep Cut for another.