RRS11: The Mole

## Format

### **Missions**

Each mission generally has a cash reward towards the group pot for various levels of success. The missions comprise a wide variety of physical and/or mental (brain teaser) challenges posed to the contestants.

Missions are sometimes entirely physical, or entirely mental, but usually have elements of both. Overcoming fear is a common challenge theme. Some missions have involved "extreme" activities such as bungee jumping, rappelling, or tightrope walking, but all are under strict expert supervision with proper harnessing.

Some missions require every member of the team to complete their task for the team to earn money, while other missions award money for each contestant that finished, regardless of the others. A common requirement is for the team to divide themselves into groups based on given attributes (e.g., "leaders" and "followers") before they learn what the task is.

Secret missions may include "morality tests," where the players might be unexpectedly approached by a local (secretly arranged by the producers), for help (i.e., change a tire, etc.) The contestants would later be informed that they won or lost the mission depending upon if they helped the person in need.

### **Penalties**

In addition to challenges, violations of the game's rules by a player, such as going out after curfew or talking about a forbidden topic, can result in a deduction from the group pot as a penalty.

Failing a secret "morality test" may also warrant a penalty.

### **Quizzes & Execution**

Each quiz follows the same basic format, asking either twenty or ten (depending on the season) questions about the identity of the Mole. The questions reflect upon a variety of observations about the Mole. Some ask about personal information (i.e., physical attributes, personal history, likes/dislikes, all collected from the original game applications). Other questions are based on in-game information (i.e., how the Mole performed in that day's mission). The final question of each quiz is ostensibly "Who is the Mole?", with all remaining players' names as options.

After dinner, all players (including those exempted from execution) complete the quiz in private on a computer. The Mole also completes the quiz so as to avoid suspicion. The player who has the lowest score on the quiz is eliminated from the game in an "execution" ceremony and are said to be "executed by the Mole." If there is a tie for lowest score amongst two or more players, the tied player who completed the quiz in the slowest elapsed time would be executed. The Mole is always safe from execution and is guaranteed to be involved in the game until the very end, though he or she can never win.

### **Exemptions**

Contestants are sometimes awarded an **Exemption** from execution. An exempt contestant receives a free pass to the next round during that night's execution ceremony, and can not be eliminated, regardless of their quiz score.

Exemptions are usually twists in the game. In some cases, exemptions are awarded to a single player for an exceptional effort or performance during that day's task. Sometimes the exempted player is chosen by the group, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Other times, the exemption comes in the form of a temptation to not complete a task and forfeit money for the pot; or as an unexpected consolation prize for failure during a task..

There was an additional element called the "neutralizer" which prevented a contestant from being eligible for an exemption that episode.