The Jeopardy! Anytime Test

[talkingaway]

Yes, taking it again is partly for funsies. Also for "study-sies", since clues are likely to (at least tangentially) repeat on future online tests, live audition tests, and on J! itself. I recorded the window while taking the test, and googled anything I wasn't 100% sure of. Even checking on the stuff I do know may teach me something that I don't know.

Nobody can say they know the "passing" score for sure. Heck, even knowing your own score is tough - even if you record and google all the clues (or get them from a trusted source, for the January test), maybe you typoed or butchered the answer so badly that it won't count. Or maybe your research is a little bit off.

We don't even really know how scores are necessarily used. Obviously, there's a minimum, below which your application gets trashed. If they have 50 audition slots in a city, maybe the first 25 of them go to people with scores of 44+, while 25 of them go to people with scores of 35+, giving high scorers two advantages: One drawing from a smaller pool of people, and a second back-up drawing. All I do know is that the site literally said that if you take the January test and the Anytime test, they'll use the higher score of the two.

[jeff6286]

Do you really think they want you using their test as a toy, playing 49 questions or whatever and then bailing on the last one? I know their FAQ says if you don't complete the test you can start from scratch but it feels like that was probably put in place to account for stuff like disconnections, not gaming it until you get the score you want. Just a thought, it seems like that could be not a great idea. If you just want to study for jeopardy, the archive is available and has all the clues the jeopardy writers have written in the last decade plus.

[triviawayne]

Considering it's a random drawing to get an invite to a city from all passers who choose the same city, if you've already passed this year, why would you take the test again?

They said they would only keep the higher of the two scores, but if you already have a passing score, then the only reason I can see for taking another test (other than for funsies) is if you want to change your audition city as I would expect the score to go with the chosen city.

1, considering we don't know for certain what a passing score is, he doesn't know if he "passed" on not.
2, if TPTB gave you a choice of submitting a score of either 42 or 44 on your online test, which would you pick?

1. We have enough evidence to show 35 is passing; if you choose to need more that’s up to you.

2. Really don’t care since passing is passing and random draw is next

[morbeedo]

The "why now?" is that Maggie left the week before and there's a new producer.

If you were in the pool previously you should assume that you're going to get tired treading water.

I don’t buy this. Big changes are coming to Jeopardy! with Alex’s inevitable retirement, but the show doesn’t need to change much else, including casting. I don’t see how Maggie’s leaving would adversely impact anyone currently swimming. They have a well-oiled casting machine, so there’s no need for them to purge the files and start over with a new mix of people that doesn’t look much different from whoever’s swimming right now.

We’ll see, of course, but I still like my chances of getting the call sometime between now and Feb 2021

[talkingaway]

Do you really think they want you using their test as a toy, playing 49 questions or whatever and then bailing on the last one? I know their FAQ says if you don't complete the test you can start from scratch but it feels like that was probably put in place to account for stuff like disconnections, not gaming it until you get the score you want. Just a thought, it seems like that could be not a great idea. If you just want to study for jeopardy, the archive is available and has all the clues the jeopardy writers have written in the last decade plus.

You can get disconnected in the regular January test, too...and I think bailing on January 28th would lock you out of taking it on the 29th or 30th, so I think the bailing and retaking is more than just for disconnects. I don't think taking the test multiple times, and bailing if I haven't improved on my January score, is toying around. I legitimately want to improve my score, and if I'm pretty sure I won't do so on a given test, it's the smart thing to bail and try again. They can (and probably have) limited the number of tries on the anytime test to be low enough so that people aren't getting the same clues over and over again.

Their FAQ specifically says "you can only submit once, and you have a limited number of attempts". Bailing doesn't seem like it's bucking the system - it seems like it's built into the system.

The clue bank has an order of magnitude of 5000 clues (taking "order of magnitude" literally here - it's definitely not 500 or 50,000, but it could be 2,000 or 8,000), so I can't imagine that they'll allow you to "see" a test more than 5 or 6 times in a given testing period.

[MollyQMurphy]

They have such an enormous pool of test-takers who never get an audition invite, it raises the question of why they felt an anytime test was necessary. Ultimately, of course, it's at their discretion.

an interesting take on the situation; totally agree they don't need to do more to get their contestant pool, and shows usually don't take the time to do more than they need to on this front due to the extra expense.

However, the show seems to be reaching out more to the public than in the past, and looking into other ways to find the next James, and this may be part of that effort.

If they don't pull me out of the pool, I'm hoping this sticks around and comes back next year in case I can't take the test in the designated three days. If I had to take it this year, I would've only been available on the night I would've failed the test.

I have a young friend who has the potential to be another James. He took the test in January, thinks he got 46. He has very impressive chops elsewhere, quite elite, but this is his first time trying for J! - not sure why he's waited.

We've done the referral to Corina post-test, and are now waiting/hoping to hear. I'm wondering whether this Anytime! test will delay further casting from the January sessions. Has anyone heard one way or the other?

ETA: I had only read to the post I quoted before replying. Sorry for the redundancy with the latest two! Lol

What is this referral of which you speak? Is there a way to pave the path for a potential contestant?????? (asking for a friend )

One of the handouts they give you at tape day is encouraging you to refer people you know.

They take the online test.

Then they write Corina Nusu , say they took the test on whatever date, drop your name as a referral.

I thought someone had posted the handout here (at jboard) not long ago. But I don't feel right putting it out in the open, so I'm DMing a screenshot of it to you.

[econgator]

I had an offer of a referral from a prominent champ, but turned it down. Rather try to get in on my own merits.

[triviawayne]

I had an offer of a referral from a prominent champ, but turned it down. Rather try to get in on my own merits.

Looks like it’s for an audition... if I drown in the pool, I’d take any help on beating the random draw i could get.

If it would be for getting on the show... well that would be even better.

[lbligh]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

[ParrotRob]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

Ditto. I was at the same 9/18 Philadelphia auction as you.

[alietr]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

Ditto. I was at the same 9/18 Philadelphia auction as you.

What do I hear for this contestant? 200? Do I hear 200? 200 over there! Do I hear 300? Anyone, 300?

[talkingaway]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

If they have the technology to lock people out of the anytime test after a certain number of failures, or to lock someone out of the January test on Thursday after having taken it on Tuesday, then surely they have the ability to put an 18 month lock on a J! account after an audition? I'm surprised that they seem to go by the "honor system" for this.

I get the reason for it - if you audition in January and they decide you're not ready for prime time, they don't want you taking the test in April and getting another audition slot in, say, September. You're wasting everyone's time then.

They also make a list of post-online-test invitees, and then cull the ones who've been invited in the past 18 months, right? Eh, maybe it's a test to see if we can follow simple instructions.

[squarekara]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

Ditto. I was at the same 9/18 Philadelphia auction as you.

What do I hear for this contestant? 200? Do I hear 200? 200 over there! Do I hear 300? Anyone, 300?

That's how they're distributing the contestant slots now? Talk about elitist!

[ParrotRob]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

Ditto. I was at the same 9/18 Philadelphia auction as you.

What do I hear for this contestant? 200? Do I hear 200? 200 over there! Do I hear 300? Anyone, 300?

I guess I had that coming. Thanks, Samsung!

[talkingaway]

I was thrilled to get the email about the Anytime Test, because I was not able to take the most recent online test due to auditioning live 16 months prior. We're not supposed to take any online tests until 18 months have passed. So I'll do the Anytime Test at the end of the availability window.

Ditto. I was at the same 9/18 Philadelphia auction as you.

What do I hear for this contestant? 200? Do I hear 200? 200 over there! Do I hear 300? Anyone, 300?

This...is...JeopardeBay!

[AndyTheQuizzer]

(I removed another user's post here that was about a topic that alietr specifically said not to discuss further.)

[mrparadise]

So I just took the anytime test (for the first time and I let it submit). Much to my surprise, the information that followed included the fact that a passing score was 35 or better. I though we were pretty much agreed that 35 was most likely the number but no one knew for sure and J! had never confirmed this and was unlikely to do so. Or am I missing something? The information also said that if you were invited to an audition you'd be given another 50 question test and if you passed that you'd be invited to participate in a mock game and interview. I've been to two auditions and and at both they either said "everyone passed" the written test or they didn't mention it and everyone did a mock game and interview. I'm pretty sure this has always been the case. I'm thinking someone just made a mistake about needing to pass the written test to stay for the other stuff. Or maybe this was once the case? As for confirming that the passing score is 35, maybe someone mistakenly let the cat out of the bag?

[Robert K S]

It only costs contestant coordinators a couple minutes of time not to dismiss the few non-passers from live events, whereas dismissing them could give rise to embarrassment, confrontation, all manner of awkwardness. Letting a few extra people play the mock game and then dismissing them from contention afterward, if necessary, only makes sense.

[DysonSphere]

For the first time, a friend of mine appeared on Jeopardy (he was champion last night actually). Am I understanding correctly from this thread that he was most likely given a referral sheet in case he knows someone and the e-mail address for a contestant coordinator? Looking for opinions here: I've passed the test a number of years in a row now, but I've never received an audition invitation. Would it be inappropriate to reach out to him after his televised run and ask if he would be willing to refer me?

[mrparadise]

It only costs contestant coordinators a couple minutes of time not to dismiss the few non-passers from live events, whereas dismissing them could give rise to embarrassment, confrontation, all manner of awkwardness. Letting a few extra people play the mock game and then dismissing them from contention afterward, if necessary, only makes sense.

I agree entirely, I was just pointing out that the information provided appears to be incorrect.