‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Call Out Show for ‘Blatantly’ Giving Away Answer in Clue
Some Jeopardy! clues may seem like freebies to viewers based on their difficulty level. However, on Monday, November 25’s episode, fans spotted a goof it seemed like producers didn’t catch: a photo clue contained the correct response smack-dab in the image.
The contestants were one-day champ Adam Hersh, an attorney from New York, who entered with a total of $29,000, Carolyn Gramling, a science writer from Washington, D.C., and Kevin Laskowski, an Episcopal priest from Falls Church, Virginia.
During the Jeopardy! round, the $600 clue in the “Time For A Cocktail?” category was selected. Ken Jennings read, “Helen Gurley Brown became this publication’s first female editor in the 1960’s.”
The clue was accompanied by a photo of Gurley Brown on a grey scale with a board behind her, taking up the screen. Hirsch buzzed in and answered, “What is Cosmopolitan?” which was the correct answer.
In the end, Laskowski scored a runaway in a surprising Double Jeopardy rally, finishing with $20,200, Hirsch with $7,200, and Gramling with $5,600. The category was “19th Century Novels,” and the correct response was “What is Around the World in 80 Days?” While Hirsch got it, Laskowski could not be caught dropping $15,200 to win the game and become the current champ.
While it didn’t impact the results, the problem was, as fans pointed out in the Reddit thread for the episode, the clue photo had the word “Cosmopolitan” clearly visible in the bottom (see below).
One fan wrote, sharing the above image to the discussion thread, “I know it’s happened a handful of times before, but the ‘Cosmopolitan’ clue may be the most blatant example of an image clue giving an answer away ever, unless the historians want to come in with an even more obvious one.”
“Interesting,” another fan wrote. “I couldn’t see the word on TV or even in the still picture you provided. The word is so overexposed as to be totally washed out.”
Other fans agreed that luckily the word was blurry so it may have been hard for the contestants to see it, even if they agreed it was still likely an oversight by the quiz show.
“I couldn’t see the word until I greatly magnified the image,” wrote a third. “I knew the answer as soon as they mentioned HGB.”
“Yes, even looking at the picture, it only seemed like a white blur. I also had to magnify it, although maybe not ‘greatly,'” wrote a fourth, admitting the answer was pretty visible.
“I think if someone can spot that as a glance in the middle of gameplay, they deserve some sort of extra credit,” quipped a fourth.
Recent five-day champ Greg Jolin wrote, “I assure you that a contestant would have to have incredible vision to see that from where they stand.”
This isn’t the first time there’s been a giveaway in a photo clue recently, as earlier this month, a clue was looking for “Jonas Brothers.” Trouble was, the band’s name was visibly written on the bass drum.
What did you think of the Cosmopolitan clue snafu? Did you spot the answer in the photo? Do you think the contestants did? Let us know in the comments section!
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