A recent episode of Jeopardy! left contestants baffled, particularly due to one challenging Double Jeopardy! category that none of the three participants could answer correctly. The category, titled “Jeoportmanteau,” a clever blend of “Jeopardy!” and “portmanteau,” featured clues designed to merge two words or phrases into one new term, such as “brunch” (breakfast and lunch).
This episode aired on May 12 and featured contestants Kara Peruccio, a university professor, Rachel Hall, a data analyst, and Andrew Jones, a graduate student. Despite their varied backgrounds, all three were unable to respond correctly to any of the five clues under this category, leading many viewers to blame the show’s writers for making the questions excessively difficult.
Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with one commenting on Jeopardy!’s subreddit that even they struggled with the category in question. Others echoed the sentiment that the blame should lie with the writers for crafting what they felt were overly intricate clues. Additionally, the game itself was described as particularly rough, as contestants made several unforced errors throughout. Before the Final Jeopardy! round, two contestants were tied at $5,600, while Kara held $400, highlighting the game’s challenges.
The Final Jeopardy! also proved to be a hurdle for the contestants, as the category “Texas Technology” led to another missed opportunity with the clue regarding the youngest CEO to enter the Fortune 500. The correct response was “Who is Dell?” Unfortunately, none of them answered correctly, concluding a tough game for all.
While the episode may have tested the contestants’ knowledge and resilience, it drew considerable engagement from the audience, sparking discussions about the difficulty of trivia and the nature of game show questions. It serves as a reminder of the fun and unpredictability that Jeopardy! always brings to viewers, as well as to its participants.