Noillirk scoring, explained
Every accepted answer earns points, and every point is altitude. Here is the exact math, with worked examples — no mystery multipliers, no speed bonuses.
The exchange rate: 1 point = 20 metres
In the atmosphere, each point you earn adds exactly 20 metres of altitude. That single calibration drives everything:
- One #1 answer: 100 points = 2,000 m — above most peaks in the Alps.
- Seven #1 answers: 700 points = 14,000 m = 14 km — the jet stream, above airliners.
- A middling climb of, say, 284 points = 5,680 m — Montgolfier territory, where the first hot-air balloons flew.
A note on a rumour you may have seen: some versions of this game quote “10 metres per point” and a “7,000-metre perfect climb.” That is not the original calibration. The original game's own numbers are 20 m per point and 14 km for a flawless climb — the jet stream at 700 points. If a perfect climb felt surprisingly short somewhere, that's why.
The six tiers
| Tier | Board position | Points | Example altitude earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky High | #1 on the board | 100 | 2,000 m |
| Jet Stream | #2–4 | 64 | 1,280 m |
| Cloud Nine | #5–9 | 32 | 640 m |
| Kite | Familiar, just off the board | 16 | 320 m |
| Grounded / Treetop | Off the board (retry) / near-miss answers in some editions | — / 8–4 | — |
Boards on this site carry nine ranked answers: one worth 100, three worth 64, five worth 32 — plus a short list of familiar “kite” answers worth 16. Anything else can be retried while the clock runs.
Worked example: a real climb
| Prompt | Your answer | Result | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name something people lose all the time. | keys | #1 — 100 pts | 100 → 2,000 m |
| Name a fruit. | apple | #1 — 100 pts | 200 → 4,000 m |
| Name a pizza topping. | mushroom | #3 — 64 pts | 264 → 5,280 m |
| Name a household chore. | vacuuming | #3 — 64 pts | 328 → 6,560 m |
| Name a fast food chain. | Five Guys | Kite — 16 pts | 344 → 6,880 m |
| Name a popular pet. | cat | #2 — 64 pts | 408 → 8,160 m |
| Name a movie genre. | comedy | #1 — 100 pts | 508 → 10,160 m |
508 points = 10,160 m — you passed airliner cruising altitude without a single miss. Two more #1 answers and you would have kissed the jet stream at 14 km.
And beyond the atmosphere?
Daily and Classic climbs stay inside the weather — a perfect 700 tops out at 14 km. Endless keeps going: at 5,000 points you cross the Kármán line (100 km), where space officially begins, and the scale expands into real distances — the International Space Station, the Moon at 384,400 km, the planets, the Sun, the nearest stars, and eventually the edge of the observable universe. All 52 zones use real altitudes and distances.
Boards are this site's editorial rankings for a crowd-thinking challenge — not real survey data. Now put the math to work: 🎈 Start a climb.