‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Call Writer’s Misuse Of Clue Into Question
In a recent episode of Jeopardy!, fans were upset with the grammar used in a phrase. A few debated the issue on social media. Even a former contestant on the show shared their thoughts on the issue.
Even Dictionaries Seemed Mixed On The Issue
The episode aired on Halloween, October 31, 2024. Returning champion competed against Greg Jolin and Alicia Buffa.
During the first round, Jolin picked the $200 clue in a category called “A Question of Time.” As the clue read: “The Navy popularized this alliterative term for scheduled entertainment time; it’s caught on at bars around the world.”
Jolin gave the desired response with “Happy Hour,” which host Ken Jennings accepted. However, some fans thought the question could have easily cost a contestant the game.
The issue for many was that the phrase was described as “alliterative.” The two words that make up “Happy Hour” do share the same letter, but they are pronounced different. The “h” is silent in “hour” but not “happy.”
Fans took to social media to debate the issue on the show’s Reddit board. However, they seemed split among the issue.
Some disagreed with the show’s ruling. One user wrote, “Since when is ‘happy hour’ alliterative?” Another added, “Alliteration is supposed to refer to sound. ‘Photogenic frog’ is alliterative. ‘Happy hour’ is not.”
However, other fans agreed with the show’s ruling. Series contestant Isaac Hirsch even chimed in, saying, “Happy and hour both begin with H, so it’s alliterative.”
The Game Was a Good Night For Greg Jolin
Another user even used their linguistic skills to defend the show decision. As they pointed out, “The ‘litera’ in ‘alliteration’ is the Latin word for ‘letter.'”
However, even the use of Latin was debated. As one user pointed out, “In Latin, there was very little differentiation between letter and sound. Things were spelled the way they were pronounced and pronounced the way they were spelled. Same is true of Italian. The definition is rather outdated when talking about English.”
One user even brought up that dictionaries seem split on the issue. As noted by TV Insider, Merriam Webster describes alliteration as repeated sounds while Oxford English Dictionary alludes to the word’s Latin origins, similar to the Reddit user.
The game would prove to be a lucky one for Jolin overall. During the Final Jeopardy, he gave the correct response to a clue about “Animals.” As it read, “The Aztecs called this animal ayotochtli, meaning a turtle rabbit for its rabbitlike ears & its turtle-like shell.”
Both Buffa and Jolin correctly guessed “Armadillo.” However, Jolin’s wager helped him win the game with just a $2 difference.
Jolin also appeared on the message board to share what it was like to compete: “It was fun to watch this again because I remembered very little other than winning. I think I recalled the big run I went on in the second half of the Jeopardy! round, and I remember being frustrated that the second Daily Double in Double Jeopardy! was in a category I moved away from. I think that may have even come across on TV.”
Do you agree with the show’s ruling or was it a grammar mistake? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
- ‘The Voice’ Adam Levine’s Return Date Announced - November 20, 2024
- ‘Jeopardy’ Fans Upset After ‘Wicked’ Response Rejected - November 20, 2024
- ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ Cancels Garth Brooks Amid Rape Lawsuit - November 20, 2024