Jeopardy! is a successful television game show that’s been on air for over 50 years. Simply calling Jeopardy! a game show would not do it justice. It’s a worldwide empire with a number of television shows, merchandise, and even some video games and a phone game app! At its core, Jeopardy! is a trivia game. Viewers get to watch the contestants answer questions, and win money and other prizes.
There is a catch, though! One feature that makes Jeopardy! so unique is its questions. You won’t ever see traditional trivia questions along the lines of “When did x event happen?” or “Who invented y object in year z?” The questions are presented in the form of answers and the contestants have to find the question to the answer. If this concept doesn’t confuse you, then you’ve probably seen an episode or two yourself.
Even though the questions are very different from any other trivia game show, Jeopardy! still sticks to some main categories. If you’ve ever watched the show, you know what to expect. You will get your traditional Trivial Pursuit categories, like History, Literature, and Science. In addition to that, there are some funkier categories like Before & After, 4-Letter Words, and Potpourri. Expect to get more specific with categories like Pop Music and American History.
Today, we would like to have a look at some of the most common Jeopardy! categories and answer your frequently asked questions. Keep reading to learn some good Jeopardy! categories and even get a taste of each with our sample questions. You can even use these as topic ideas if you’re planning on creating your own Jeopardy! game.
Before & After
Before & After is a confusing category to start with, but it is one of the most common categories in Jeopardy! The clue is structured in a way where the correct answer will be a combination of two completely different things. Perhaps, you will understand this category better with an example rather than an explanation.
Irving Berlin song about two high fashion Baltimore detectives.
Stupid Answers
Stupid Answers are exactly what you’d think they were—stupid answers! Usually, the correct answer can be found within the clue. The goal here is to confuse the player. You’d never think that the highest mountain in Kenya is Mt. Kenya, but that is the correct answer. If this category comes up in the game, don’t try to outsmart it! (Note: this is NOT to be confused with actual contestants’ stupid answers!)
Canada’s Swan River empties into this lake.
Nature
The Nature category concerns everything to do with nature, geography, animals, and our planet. It is kind of a broad category, so be prepared for anything. Animals are a particularly popular topic within the Nature category. This is a great one to go for if geography was your favorite subject in school.
A plume of magma rising from the Earth’s mantle can split a continental plate in two and form this type of valley.
4-Letter Words
This category is pretty self-explanatory. The contestants have to guess 4-letter words based on the clues they’re given. No matter what you think the answer is, it has to have exactly four letters. No more no less. Beware of spelling errors! Since Jeopardy! is an American game, it uses American spelling. Thus, it is “mold” and not “mould.”
The soft underlay of feathers from a duck or goose is used to stuff pillows.
Sports
This is a category that will be especially exciting for all sports fans. The truth is, Jeopardy! has a number of sports-related categories. You will find unique categories like “Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year” and “Really Big Sports Stars.” Each category puts its own twist on sports as we know it.
He has the most touchdown passes in NFL history.
Food & Drink
Food & Drink is the favorite category of all foodies. Here, you get to show off your knowledge about the cuisines of the world, complicated cocktails, and other drinks. If you fancy yourself a bit of a connoisseur, don’t hesitate to try your best at this category. When you’re watching Jeopardy! and a contestant selects Food & Drink, see if you know the answer before they do! And for now, answer the following question.
This fast food chain with more than 17,000 stores worldwide dropped its full name in 1991 and began using an abbreviation.
Potent Potables
Right after Food & Drink, we have Potent Potables. Potent Potables is a smart euphemism that just means alcoholic beverages. Come to think of it, alcohol is a potable fluid that has a potent effect on anyone who drinks it. Don’t let the complicated name distract you from how fun this category can be! If you know your drink, you will have a blast!
The name of this honey-whiskey liqueur is from a Scottish Gaelic phrase that means “the drink that satisfies.”
Potpourri
The word potpourri has a number of meanings. Usually it refers to a mixture of different elements. I’ve heard it be described as a mix of dried petals and spices, and a stew made from leftover meat. Hopefully this gives you an idea of what potpourri means in Jeopardy!. The clue in this category will be a mix of different elements that don’t really relate to each other. It is kind of like the random category in board games or the wild card; you never know what you’re going to get (especially when it’s given a sexy twist!)
You know from trips to the ATM that Andrew Jackson is on the front of the $20; this building is on the back.
Science
Science is quite similar to the Nature category. Sometimes, the two categories are combined to present one question. While Nature is focused on geography and the study of animals, Science is more about molecules, reactions, and organs. The questions aren’t meant to be extra difficult, though someone with no background knowledge in science will have a hard time answering.
Lack of camouflage and sensitivity to UV radiation doom any wild alligators with this condition from a mutation.
Literature
Literature is another classic category that can be found in board games like Trivial Pursuit and game apps like Trivia Crack. The reason the category remains popular is because it’s a classic. As time goes by, classics stay the same. People continue to read books and learn about our world through them. Let’s hope reading never goes out of style! With that being said, if you were not a reader in high school, only detailed knowledge of all the Sparknotes pages can save you!
In a Thomas Mann tale, Gustav Von Aschenbach has a date with “death in” this city.
American History
American history is something every American should take pride in knowing. Though history hasn’t always been kind on all of us, it’s important to be able to fall back on factual knowledge. The knowledge of history guided us through middle school and high school. Hopefully you didn’t forget too much of it, as you can expect to answer lots of questions about American history on Jeopardy!
Trying to cut the surplus in 1883, the government took the excise tax off everything but these two items.
Word Origins
Not to be confused with world origins! In this confusing category, the host asks questions about the origins of common (and uncommon) words. Do you bother with semantics, or are you one of those people that often exclaims “Uh, semantics!” in order to undermine your friend’s argument? If you belong to the latter category, you might find this topic quite challenging!
The name of this heavy hooded jacket favored by skiers and hunters is from the Russian for “pelt.”
Colleges & Universities
Education is very important to youngsters and adults alike. Everyone’s right to education is a fundamental one. Without it, we wouldn’t go far. The US also boasts a number of wonderful colleges and universities that teach everything from engineering to art history. This category questions the players about universities in America.
Bishop Holland McTyeire, a cousin of the founder’s wife, chose the site in Nashville for the campus of this private university.
Hodgepodge
Hodgepodge is basically the same thing as Potpourri. This category consists of a number of unrelated clues that don’t belong in any other category. You can find all kinds of questions, from questions about soup to professional athletes. It is the wild card of the game, so don’t expect anything; you’ll still be surprised.
The American Bar Association’s ethical rules include protection of confidences under attorney-client this.
Pop Music
In order to answer correctly in this category, you need to be well-versed in today’s entertainment and music. What do you know about Justin Bieber, Fergie, and Madonna? It should be quite a lot, as these are some popular answers to the questions in this category. If it isn’t clear yet, in this category, the player answers questions about the music industry and popular musicians that top the music charts at the moment.
In 2005, she topped the album charts with “The Emancipation of Mimi.”
How Many Categories are There in Jeopardy!?
Each round has six categories. You’ll find that the number six is often present in trivia games. Think of the popular board game Trivial Pursuit, or the app that it inspired, Trivia Crack. Each category has five clues that the players can choose from. The clues are all priced differently, based on the level of difficulty. The harder the question, the more money you can win. You know what they say; high risk, high reward!
Regarding the number of categories, or topics, in all of Jeopardy!: it is almost impossible to count! So many categories have been revealed that we really can’t say for sure. One thing that we know is that there are over 100 categories in Jeopardy!. New categories keep appearing and it doesn’t seem like the show will stop airing anytime soon. Food alone has over 20 subcategories! You can only imagine how many there are overall. In fact, take your guess and let us know in the comments how many Jeopardy! categories you think there are! We hope to find out the real number one day.
How Do They Pick the Categories for Each Show?
Jeopardy! has a team of writers that come up with the questions. Not just any question can be put into an existing category, so writers are often forced to create new categories. The writers have almost full creative freedom to choose the categories they want. Sometimes, categories are inspired by a question. Since each category needs at least five questions, the writers will create a whole category if the questions are interesting enough. It can also be inspired by a fun fact or new finding.
On the other hand, sometimes you just need a new category and there is no time to think! In these cases, we end up with boring categories like “Spanish History.” Once all the categories for the week are ready, they are submitted to the head writer of Jeopardy!. He approves everything and the team makes some final tweaks if needed.
There is no known algorithm the team of Jeopardy! writers uses to select the categories for any given game. Some games have their own themes, like sports or history. In these cases, the categories are selected to match the theme of the game. In other cases, it is all in the hands of the writers!
There is no known algorithm the team of Jeopardy! writers uses to select the categories for any given game. Some games have their own themes, like sports or history. In these cases, the categories are selected to match the theme of the game. In other cases, it is all in the hands of the writers!
Do They Tell the Contestants the Categories in Advance?
According to Amber Garrett who competed in Jeopardy! Season 32, the answer is no. In his article for Distractify, Amber revealed that no one but Alex Trebek (the host) and the production staff get to see the categories in advance. The audience and contestants have to wait to see the categories in real time, as they appear on the board. It would have been nice to know what you’re going to be up against in advance, but that’s not possible right now. Find out more insider behind-the-scenes facts about a Jeopardy! taping here.
Final Words
Jeopardy! is no ordinary trivia game. It is a game with a twist! If you know how to play, you can win with relative ease. The key is to understand how the clues are structured. Each category has its quirks, so keep an eye on the most common categories mentioned in this article. With a little bit of practice, you will do better than the contestants on the show!
Which category do you think is the most interesting and unique? Which category is your favorite? We would love to hear your opinions about Jeopardy! in the comments!
And for more insider scoop on Jeopardy!, check out these articles right here on Trivia Bliss about what they really tell you before you go on Jeopardy!, how to prepare for being on Jeopardy!, how much money contestants really get, and how to actually get on Jeopardy!.
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