Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year old? is a new TV series and though the rules are simple they can still take a bit of getting used to.  Having seen 38 shows, I know how the rules work. 

A group of 5 children come onto the show and then are joined by a contestant.  Generally at that point the contestant chooses the first child to help them and they come onto the podium. The contestant is shown the 10 question categories e.g. 7 year old UK History, 9 year old Maths.  They have 3 lifelines for their entire stay on the show. When the question is asked all the 5 children write down the answer but only the chosen child's answer will actually matter.

The three lifelines which can be used once:-.

Save - A contestant answers the question. If they get it right, then they go onto the next question, get it wrong and then they are relying upon the child to get it right.  So you don't choose to use your save, it's there if you get your answer wrong(only the one time).  If the contestant got it wrong, but the child has answered correctly there is great relief and the contestant goes onto the next question. If the child get's it wrong then the contestant is out of the show. 

Peek - This is where the contestant can see what the child has written down before giving their own answer. They can choose to go with their own answer, or the child's answer. So good choice if you not sure and seeking confirmation.  When you choose to use a peek, you can't then drop out and take the money, you must answer.

Copy - This is where the contestant chooses the children's answer.  They have no choice but to take the answer. So this  is not a very good lifeline, but if you don't have any clue whatsoever (or it's your last lifeline) then you might as well use this lifeline at this point.  Better that, than use a Save or Peek which could have been more useful later on.  Obviously the child may have it wrong and then you're out, but then you should have known better than a 10 year old!

So now it is a case of the contestant choosing a category, giving an answer and sometimes using a lifelines to give an answer. Each child is only on the podium for two questions.  So sometimes the adult has the answers and the child's answers aren't needed, other times the child may have had to help them with both!  Once the child has been there for two questions, the contestant chooses another child. If  they do really well, then they would have had 5 children with them and they then face the final question on their own.

**The questions do not get harder as they go along, they are all hard if you're an adult!**

Once the contestant uses their 3 lifelines then they are on their own, no children are on the podium. 

At any time you can stop and just take the money as long as you've not chosen to peek.