The core principle of Instant Genius is . A fool opens his mouth and removes all doubt. A cheat opens his mouth to change the subject before anyone realizes he’s clueless.

They will spend the next ten minutes apologizing to you .

(Disclaimer: The Cheat’s Guide does not guarantee actual intelligence, only the strategic appearance thereof. For actual genius, see Chapter 12: ‘Hire a Quiet Nerd to Follow You Around.’)

Never answer the question. Change the axis of the debate.

Here is your first, most powerful maneuver:

Most people think genius is about knowing things. That’s a trap. Knowing things takes years. Appearing to know things takes seven seconds.