Other than the fact that some of the questions are Brit-centric, I've never understood this argument. I really can't imagine that the "average" UK viewer is so much smarter than the "average" American one. But if you're going to make the argument that Americans can't handle complicated things, I don't see how you could recommend Only Connect at all.
From what I've heard (and how I've written some of the puzzles you see on the program) the idea was that there was a segment of viewership that found Mastermind and University Challenge too
easy, and that the show is a sort of "well, wise guy, let's see how you like
these apples." The entire point is that the material is corundum-hard, that it takes more than knowledge to penetrate the puzzles, and that you have three heads to do it with, so the difficulty is pegged to match. Everything about it says "If you think you can hang with us, come right in." Jeopardy manages to walk the tightrope of hard-assed difficulty and accessibility, I don't see why a OC:US would fail outright.
/All those Game Show Confessions people who are clamoring for Brad and Ken to be Chasers are Missing the Point.
//And widely at that.
///Thought that Bil Dwyer's turn at hosting
Pointless was good, albeit brief.