The show was also noted for Berner's offbeat manner and humorous approach to being a quizmaster.

The key to the program's uniqueness is the use of a Brains Trust, a panel of three "experts", usually celebrities, who compete alongside the contestants.

Regular Brains Trustees have included Barry Jones,[4] Berner's radio colleagues Tony Moclair[5] and Matt Parkinson,[4] comedians Tim Ferguson and Michael Veitch, musician Red Symons, scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Former Temptation Grand Champ Stephen Hall and Actor, historian and musician Alice Garner.

The first round simply involves Berner asking up to 15 questions to each contestant on their special subjects.

Special subjects have included Stargate SG-1, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ned Kelly, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Icelandic songstress Björk, Michael Collins and World War II aircraft.

In round two, contestants are given nine 'subject headings' which generally have only an indirect and allusive relation to the topic underneath—for example, a question labelled "Rock and Roll" is as likely to be about geology as it is music.

Contestants who get a question right receive 100 points—an incorrect answer means 100 points are deducted from their score.