Occasional viewers of Jeopardy!, let alone die-hard fans of the show, have certainly noticed one peculiarity about the structure of the questions. The questions and answers are… switched. At the very least, it sounds like the answers are actually the questions, and the questions come off as being answers. Have you ever thought about why it is that way?
In this article, we will dive deeper into the topic of Jeopardy! history. We will take you back to the show’s inception and find out why the questions and answers are switched. If you have any insight into the topic, please share it with us in the comments!
Why Do Jeopardy! Contestants Say What Is?
Allegedly, the wife of the show’s creator, Merv Griffin, produced the idea to flip the questions and answers. She thought it would be more fun and cause some confusion. What an interesting way to jeopardize the game, right? Plus, it was considered Jeopardy!’s unique selling proposition. No other show had the Jeopardy! answer format, so there was virtually no competition.
Today, Jeopardy! contestants are presented with a clue that looks like a statement but is missing some information. An example of such a statement would be, “This is the capital city of Great Britain.” The answer must come in the form of a question and start with “What is” in order to fit the clue. Thus, when you switch them, you get the following sequence: “What is London?”, “This is the capital city of Great Britain.” Makes more sense, doesn’t it?
If you think Jeopardy! contestants today have it bad, you’re wrong. When the show started, people didn’t get off as easily as they do today. Instead of simply matching the correct format with their answers, they had to come up with fitting questions. Thus, in our example about London, the clue would simply be “London”. Because of that, the answer would have to have been, “What is the capital city of Great Britain?”
What Counts as a Question in This Case?
What we think of as a trivia question in regular trivia quizzes or game shows, is referred to as a clue on Jeopardy!. It is a phrase that’s meant to provoke an answer. In other words, it is a description of the answer you are meant to provide. Taking our example from the previous section, “This is the capital city of Great Britain” would be the clue or question.
Is Your Answer Wrong if You Don’t Answer in the Form of a Question?
You might be wondering how strict the rules of Jeopardy! actually are. In the rules, each answer has to be spoken in the form of a question. So, what if the answer is correct but the contestant forgot to put “what is” in the beginning? Does that make the answer wrong? Yes.
Every answer must be provided in the form of a question. The host will count the answer as incorrect if this rule is not obeyed.
Does the Question Have to Be Grammatically Correct?
There is no information regarding whether the questions must be grammatically correct. The phrasing of some questions may confuse you, especially regarding quotes, song lyrics, and movie titles. However, most of the time, it is easy to make out the question’s meaning. I suppose they are as grammatically correct as they can be, given that they are not really questions at all.
When it comes to answers, they don’t have to be grammatically correct either. The rules of Jeopardy! state that as long as it is clear what the contestant was trying to say, a silly grammar mistake will not stop them from winning. Unless the answer is completely incomprehensible, it will count.
Question Controversy: Matt Amodio
For most Jeopardy! contestants, it still feels unnatural to start every answer with “what is.” People try to adjust and make their answers sound more natural by using “who is” for people and fictional characters. Matt Amodio went a totally different route.
He started all his answers with “what’s.” Some people had a problem with that! They thought that you cannot refer to a person as a “what;” it has to be a “who.” Matt Amodio disagrees. He said that setting up this template in his mind and using it for every single question gives him more time to focus on the clue. He doesn’t have to think about how he will structure his answer because the “what’s” comes naturally to him now.
Do you think it’s a good strategy? Whether it is or it isn’t, he technically isn’t breaking any rules. Jeopardy! has spoken on this and proclaimed that using “what’s” instead of “what is” is absolutely acceptable! So, is Matt Amodio a genius, or just lazy? Or both? You decide!
Is This a Fun Quirk? Should Jeopardy! Keep Doing It?
I think that, in part, Jeopardy! owes its popularity to this little quirk! That’s what makes the show different and unique. It’s hilarious that you can give the right answer but because you didn’t follow the rules, it will not count. This answer format has become such an integral part of Jeopardy! as a brand that it cannot disappear now. Jeopardy! simply wouldn’t be the same.
What do you think? Should Jeopardy! keep this thing going, or is it overdone and outdated? And why? Share your opinion with us in the comments!
And for more Jeopardy! deep-dives, check out this article on the six things Jeopardy! contestants are forbidden from doing, why contestants always look to the left, if Jeopardy! has ever had a wrong answer, and why some contestants don’t get to keep all their winnings.
Teresa says
I think the answer/question format is ridiculous and annoying. It’s time to end it. It makes no sense at all.
Roy Sidney Harrington says
I agree “What is” is superfluous to an other wise good but difficult quiz.
Peter Sterry says
The format is irritating and I have stopped watching it for this reason.
Mimi says
Becoming totally fed-up with the way the questions have to be an answered. It makes viewing unnatural, boring, frustrating and ridiculous.