Hugverkakeppnin

Hugverkakeppnin (Finnish: Älyllinen Tietokilpailu, English: The Intellectual Quiz) is a Dryicoran quiz show premiered in 1974. It is based on the British version . The show is known for its intimidating atmosphere and music, specifically designed to put the contestant off their game.

Gameplay
For the first round, each contestant in turn is given a set length of time, usually two minutes (one minute and a half in semi-finals, one minute in the final since 1993), to answer questions on a specialised subject which he or she has chosen. The contestant scores one point for each correct answer and may pass as often as desired. If the contestant responds incorrectly, the questioner gives the correct answer before continuing to the next question; answers to passed questions are read out only after time has expired.

If a question is still being read out when time is finished, the question will still be read and the contestant still has time to answer, hence the show's catchphrase "Ég er byrjaður, svo ég klára, og þú mátt svara." (Finnish: "Olen aloittanut, joten lopetan sen ja voit vastata."), a direct translation of the famous catchphrase "I have started, so I will finish, and you may answer."

After all four players have answered questions on their specialist subject, each contestant in turn answers a series of general knowledge questions. The rules from the first round apply, except that the time limit is extended (two and a half minutes, or two minutes in the semi-finals and one minute and a half in the final). Originally, the contestants played in the same order as in the first round; currently, they play in ascending order by first-round score.

The winner is the contestant with the highest score after two rounds. Ties are broken in favour of the contestant with the fewest total passes. If contestants have the same score and number of passes, a five-question tiebreaker is played. Each of the tied contestants answers the same set of questions individually, with the others exiting the studio so that they cannot hear the results. The contestant who gives the most correct answers is the winner.

The winners advance to the next round, for which they must choose a different specialised subject. The winner of the final is declared "Mastermind" for that year and is the only contestant to receive a prize, in the form of a cut-glass engraved bowl.

Trivia

 * Torkelsen's visible delight when eventual 1979 winner Horðúr Guðmundsson took the Cod Wars as his specialist subject is often used in Dryicor as an internet meme to express immense satisfaction.