This was 20 years ago, so the way they do things may certainly have changed since then. I took the test in the studio and was one of maybe six who were then asked to stay for the next round. They interviewed us and we did some practicing buzzing in to answer questions. I don’t recall filling out an extensive questionnaire—I think they mostly wanted to see how we might look and sound on camera and weren’t just nerds who knew trivia.
They called me almost 11 months later to be on the show. I was in a pool of some 20 people who hung out in a room, and as they finished taping an episode and needed new contestants to face the champion, they would select two of us at random. All the production people were very nice, but they made sure we had no opportunity to cheat or be shown favoritism in any way.
Interesting experience. Thanks.