Cross-examination and crossfire: asking questions that win rounds

What questioning is for

Three things, in order of value. First, to set up an argument you will make in your next speech: get the admission now, use it later. Second, to clarify something you need to answer correctly. Third, to show the judge that you understand the opponent's case better than they do. Questioning is not for making arguments; save those for speeches, where the judge writes them down.

The formats

Lincoln-Douglas: three minutes after each constructive. One debater asks, the other answers. The questioner controls the time.
Public Forum crossfire: three minutes after each pair of speeches, between the two debaters who just spoke. Both may ask and answer. Grand crossfire after the summaries involves all four debaters, usually seated.
Policy: three minutes after each constructive; the questioner is the debater who does not speak next.

Four kinds of useful questions

The definition question. "What does your evidence mean by hyperscale?" Pins down a term so your response in the next speech fits their definition, not a moving one.
The evidence question. "Your second card projects prices in 2035. What does it assume about new generation being built?" Exposes the assumption in a source before you attack it.
The link question. "Walk me through how a federal moratorium stops a data center from moving to the next county." Makes them state the chain out loud, where its weak step becomes visible.
The commitment question. "So you agree that reliability is the most important issue in the round?" Locks in a weighing concession you will quote in your final speech.

Ask short questions with yes-or-no or one-sentence answers. If an opponent begins a speech, interrupt politely: "Thank you. Next question."

Answering

Answer the question asked, in one sentence, then stop. Silence is your opponent's problem, not yours.
Never say "I don't know" about your own evidence. Say "The card says X; I will explain the implication in my next speech."
When a question contains a false premise, correct the premise first: "That is not what our case argues. Our claim is..."
When you are asked to agree to a weighing standard, agree only if it helps you, and say why if it does not: "No. Probability matters more here because your impact depends on three uncertain steps."
Stay calm and courteous. Judges punish rudeness in crossfire more than any other mistake, and they remember it on the ballot.

Grand crossfire

Four people and three minutes means every question costs you. Decide with your partner before the round who asks first and about what. Use grand crossfire to get one or two concessions for final focus, then stop asking; let the opponents use the rest of the time. If the other team dominates the airtime, let them; the judge is watching who has the useful exchange, not who talks most.

Drills

Twenty questions (10 minutes). Give a partner your case. They write twenty questions about it; you answer each in one sentence. Do this before every tournament and your case gets stronger every week.
The chain drill. Take an opponent's argument and, with a partner, ask only link questions until you find the step that does not follow. Then write a two-sentence rebuttal to that step.
Silent partner. Practice crossfire with a rule that the answerer may not speak more than twelve words at a time. It trains brevity fast.
Random argument drill. Use the rebuttal drill to draw an argument and write three questions you would ask its author.

Common mistakes

Asking a question you do not know the answer to, in front of a judge, in a speech that counts.
Letting an opponent give a speech during your questioning time.
Winning an admission and never mentioning it again. If it is not in your next speech, it did not happen.
Arguing during crossfire. Ask, listen, move on.