How does the scoring in 'QI' work?

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

Is it so obvious I cant see it? it seems very confusing.

Alan davies always seems to be last, and sometimes someone with the most answers isn't 1st?

and when they say the right answer or the obv answer a klaxon sounds and the words flashed on the screen?

what??????????????

disclaimer-I realise its been going for years but Im a new convert!

anyone?

[Minnieisthedevilmouse]

Not sure the scoring is the point. It's not really a quiz, more the Stephen fry show.

[Shallishanti]

I have often wondered this and tbh I think Stephen Fry makes it up on the spur of the moment
the klaxon is for a wrong answer, esp one that is obvious or they guessed would be given

[Amandine29]

The klaxon/flashing doesn't go off for correct answers (does it?) but for the answers that people mistakenly think are correct. E.g. 'What's the capital of Turkey? Istanbul.' That's sort of thing.

But as for the scoring I am as lost as you are. Alan always being last is a bit of a running joke. And I think you get more points for little snippets of knowledge or interesting points around the subject.

[ImAThrillseekerHoney]

Klaxon is for a trap - either a popular misconception or an obvious joke that they guessed in advance someone would make. You get points deducted for setting it off, hence all the negative scores.

The impenetrable scoring is partly because they film more than they show so you miss some rounds that might have been high scoring but not good telly, and partly because they score at random to some extent.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

agree its totes the Stephen Fry show, but its very entertaining and informative too!

so the dodgy scores shouldn't send my pedantic tendencies up the wall then?! .

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

I had a feeling about the klaxon ones, but im really enjoying it, its very entertaining!

[PigletJohn]

Alan is part-owner of the show, so has to be treated harshly to show there is no favouritism. It is supposed to be funny.

The scores are random and meaningless.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

Does that apply then to 'would I lie to you', '8 out of 10 cates' and 'mock the week'? the scoring I mean, im enjoying the laughs and stuff anyway, but as im uberpedantic I don't want to spoil my viewing with nitpicking!

recently got into these panel shows, theyre a saving grace!

[Nocomet]

QI scoring is closly related to the rules of Mornington Crescent.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

8 out of 10 CATS ! spelling!

whats mornington crescent?

[PigletJohn]

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Don't the klaxon answers result in mahoosive negative scores. So you can have got several right answers only to get one klaxon and suddenly find yourself minus quite a lot of points.

Mornington Crescent is a game of skill and strategy as players compete to be the first to reach Mornington Crescent tube station on a virtual map of London.

[tribpot]

The audience occasionally wins, often only for answering one question right after the guests have flubbed it. The QI elves just make it up, basically.

[PedantMarina]

Alan Davies is displayed as "the dummy", but usually comes out with some of the most thoughtful off-the-wall responses. Massive girl-crush over here.

As to alleged-scoring, not the worst I've ever seen - Julian Clary the Flamboyant used to deduct points if his contestants wore beige.

Just relax, soak up the Quite Interesting tidbits and channel your pedantry with these to wow family, friends and co-workers.

[PedantMarina]

Alan Davies is displayed as "the dummy", but usually comes out with some of the most thoughtful off-the-wall responses. Massive girl-crush over here.

As to alleged-scoring, not the worst I've ever seen - Julian Clary the Flamboyant used to deduct points if his contestants wore beige.

Just relax, soak up the Quite Interesting tidbits and channel your pedantry with these to wow family, friends and co-workers.

[PigletJohn]

It's the blue whale.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

some of your answers are confusing me even more !

Piglet whats the for?

and 'blue whale'?

Ive never heard or mornington Crescent, I don't play stuff like that?

[drwitch]

"How does the scoring in QI work?" is a good QI question. Klaxon would go off it anyone said "S Fry makes it up". Real answer is, of course, that there is a portal to a parallel universe where the same panellists are on countdown and the one that gets the most questions right in this wins in our universe. Unless they say "Ill have a p please Stephen"!

[PigletJohn]

Alan frequently offer "blue whale" as an answer. Usually it is wrong.

I am that you are not familiar with the rules of Mornington Crescent. It is very simple to anyone with a basic understanding of the London Underground.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

still have no idea of mornington cres!

but then again I don't have a basic understanding of the London underground!

[tribpot]

Rules of Mornington Crescent.

[LetZygonsbeZygons]

thanks trib.
see? I never listen to the radio or have never followed ISIHAC.

now I know!

[PigletJohn]

I really can't see the need to study the rules, they are so obvious and straightforward.

[confuddledDOTcom]

It's a general ignorance quiz, so most of the questions are things we think we know and don't (or thought we knew but didn't and now we know we did...) as others have said the klaxon is because they said something obvious and sometimes you see them refusing to say what Stephen wants them to say because they know it will set off the klaxon. I think it's usually -50 points. The elves are watching all the time so I think that they are involved in the scoring.

It's been said that someone is scoring it but that it is rather arbitrary and scores aren't just given for correct answers, sometimes in the discussions someone will say something so insightful that they will add points for it.

Alan was brought in as Stephen's opposite (Stephen being very clever and Alan giving off that rather thick appearance - I don't believe that for one minute, I think he's just laid back) after a while Alan realised that he was the fall guy so he started to change, he answered things intelligently and gave them less reason to pick on him. The producers took him aside and told him they needed him to be that role and since then he has deliberately played it up.