The core idea: answer like nobody else
In most trivia games you want the right answer. In Curryillion you want the right answer that other people will not give. Points come from rarity, so the answer that pops into your head first is usually the one that pops into everyone's head. That is a Layup: 10 points.
The habit to build is simple: think of the obvious answer, then deliberately throw it away. Use it as a starting point to find something nearby that fewer people will reach for.
Where the deep cuts hide
Rare answers tend to come from the same few places. When a prompt opens, run through these buckets.
1. Older eras
Unless a prompt says otherwise, any NBA player in history counts. Most players think in the last 15 to 20 years, so names from the 1960s, 70s and 80s are far less likely to be typed, even when they were stars at the time.
2. A star's short stop
Great players who spent a season or two somewhere unexpected are perfect deep cuts on team prompts, because people associate them with their main team. Real examples: Hakeem Olajuwon finished his career with the Toronto Raptors, Patrick Ewing played for the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic, Shaquille O'Neal had stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, and Allen Iverson briefly played for the Memphis Grizzlies.
3. Role players on famous teams
Everybody remembers the stars of a championship team. Far fewer remember the sixth man, the backup center or the defensive specialist who played real minutes. If you know the roster beyond the top three, you have an edge.
4. Journeymen
Players who moved through many franchises fit lots of "played for team X" prompts, and they are rarely the first name for any one team. Building a mental list of well-travelled veterans pays off again and again.
5. Former team names
On prompts where teams count, former team names work. Most people type current franchises; historical names such as the Syracuse Nationals, Rochester Royals, Fort Wayne Pistons, Buffalo Braves, New Orleans Jazz or Vancouver Grizzlies are much less common.
Worked examples
These are illustration prompts written for this guide, not real Curryillion puzzles. They show how to move from an obvious answer to a deeper one. Which tier an answer lands on in the real game depends on how everyone plays that day.
Example prompt Name a player who was drafted No. 1 overall.
- Likely Layups
- LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan
- Getting deeper
- Michael Olowokandi (1998), Pervis Ellison (1989), Mark Aguirre (1981)
- Deep cuts
- LaRue Martin (1972), Kent Benson (1977), Mychal Thompson (1978), Joe Barry Carroll (1980)
Why it works: recent No. 1 picks are on everyone's mind. Picks from the 1970s and early 80s are valid and almost nobody types them.
Example prompt Name a player who played for the Seattle SuperSonics.
- Likely Layups
- Kevin Durant, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Ray Allen
- Getting deeper
- Detlef Schrempf, Nate McMillan, Rashard Lewis, Hersey Hawkins
- Deep cuts
- Slick Watts, Fred Brown, Xavier McDaniel, Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson, Patrick Ewing
Why it works: stars and 1990s favourites get typed constantly. Earlier eras, late-era role players and a legend's one-season stop are far rarer.
A plan for the 24-second clock
Time is the real opponent. A simple three-phase plan stops you from bricking while still giving you a shot at the deep answer.
| Clock | What to do |
|---|---|
| Reading time | Before the box opens, find three candidates: one safe, one medium, one deep. |
| 24 to 12 seconds | Go for the deep cut you are confident about. If it misses, try your second deep idea. |
| 12 to 5 seconds | Step in to your medium answer. A Free Throw or Three Pointer is a good result. |
| Final 5 seconds | Type the safest answer you know. Ten points beats a zero. |
Remember that your first correct answer ends the prompt. Do not open with a safe answer hoping to "upgrade" later. You cannot.
Typing and accuracy tips
- Do not stress about accents or punctuation. Accents, periods and capital letters do not matter, and neither does "Jr."
- Use the spelling help. If your guess is close to a valid answer, the game offers the correction. Read it and submit.
- Type full names when unsure. A full name is the most reliable way to be matched to the right player.
- Mind the guess limit. You get a limited number of guesses per prompt, so random spam can lock you out before you reach a real answer.
- On mobile, go full screen. A bigger keyboard area means fewer typos. Use the Fullscreen button under the game.
How to train between games
- Read every answer list. After your game, the box score shows all valid answers for each prompt. Note the deep cuts you did not know and you will start seeing patterns.
- Learn franchise histories. Prompts about teams reward knowing a franchise's former names, cities and eras.
- Build short mental lists. No. 1 overall picks, MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners, scoring champions and players by college program are all great prep.
- Play other daily NBA games. Grid and guessing games train the same recall. See our list of games like Curryillion.
Common mistakes
- Leading with a star. It is correct and it is almost always a Layup.
- Chasing rarity to the buzzer. A brilliant answer typed at 0.0 seconds is worth nothing. Commit to the safe shot in time.
- Ignoring the wording. If a prompt narrows the field, such as a specific era or team, a player outside it will not count.
- Forgetting teams. On prompts where teams are valid, former team names can be the rarest answers on the board.