Form of a Question Question
Moderators: alietr, trainman, econgator, dhkendall
- alietr
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9006
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:20 pm
- Location: Bethesda, MD
Form of a Question Question
Those who have been briefed more recently than me might know ... a friend had asked whether "Is it Alex Trebek?" (for example) would be accepted as being in the form of a question. I thought it would.
-
- selwonKttaM
- Posts: 1369
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 12:33 pm
Re: Form of a Question Question
Host: 5280
Contestant: Is it the number of feet in a mile?
I don’t know about official rules but I’m guessing they would simply ask the contestant to phrase it differently without resorting to a formal rule.
I think it’s technically wrong because the clue is not a proper answer to the question response. Yes/no would be a proper answer to that question response and not 5280.
They have lots of other clues that aren’t a proper question/answer pair and it doesn’t get in the way of the game.
Contestant: Is it the number of feet in a mile?
I don’t know about official rules but I’m guessing they would simply ask the contestant to phrase it differently without resorting to a formal rule.
I think it’s technically wrong because the clue is not a proper answer to the question response. Yes/no would be a proper answer to that question response and not 5280.
They have lots of other clues that aren’t a proper question/answer pair and it doesn’t get in the way of the game.
I had a dream that I was asleep and then I woke up and Jeopardy! was on.
-
- Loyal Jeopardista
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:54 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
I am certain I remember this exact phrasing -- "Is it X?" -- being accepted on a show within the last 15 years. It was a female contestant and I believe the clue was a DD. No doubt some Archive wizard can find it.
Of course, but they have never required logical questions. You can use the wrong interrogative pronoun; you can leave out the verb. And it's well established that if the clue is, for instance, "Bugs Bunny debuted this catchphrase in the 1940 film A Wild Hare," you can respond with just "What's up, Doc?" There was even an entire category in which contestants were urged to respond in that illogical manner.MattKnowles wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 12:17 pm I think it’s technically wrong because the clue is not a proper answer to the question response.
- AndyTheQuizzer
- Lots and Lots of Interviews
- Posts: 2606
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:01 am
- Location: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Form of a Question Question
Not just the last 15 years—the last 15 weeks.
From September 21 of this year: http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=6826 (LIL NASDAQ "X" $800)
From September 21 of this year: http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=6826 (LIL NASDAQ "X" $800)
-
- Loyal Jeopardista
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:54 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
Nice find, but I didn't see that show, so there must have been another instance I'm remembering. Anyway, we now have a definitive answer to alietr's question.
-
- Jeopardy! Champion
- Posts: 521
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:52 pm
Re: Form of a Question Question
This happened during the UToC. The contestant didn't know the correct response, and finally at the buzzer guessed, "Is it _______?" The introductory "is it" was barely audible and in fact the judges had to go back to the tape to confirm that it had been uttered. But it was, and the contestant got credit for a correct response. I'm pretty sure it was a Daily Double and I think Alex remarked on it at the time. --Bob
- AFRET CMS
- JBOARDIE OF THE MONTH!
- Posts: 1764
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:48 pm
- Location: Colorado
Re: Form of a Question Question
I think I very dimly remember almost a throwaway remark by Maggie during the contestant briefing where she said that inaccurate or ungrammatical questions would usually be accepted. I think she said something like, "If the clue is 'This comes on December 25'," they would probably accept something weird like "How many was Christmas?" as a correct response. She said focus on the information, not on the phrasing. But it may have been someone else who said something similar, perhaps on set during familiarization practice. It was four years ago this week, and the memories grows hazier every day.
I'm not the defending Jeopardy! champion. But I have played one on TV.
- triviawayne
- Hoping I don’t drown in this contestant pool
- Posts: 2677
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:50 pm
Re: Form of a Question Question
I know you were looking for current stuff, and received that answer already, but wanted to mention that IIRC, I saw it in the early days (probably pre 1990) on a DD where someone gave "is it x", and Alex said something like, "well that is in the form of a question, so that's an acceptable response."
Total game show career losings = $171,522
- alietr
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9006
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:20 pm
- Location: Bethesda, MD
Re: Form of a Question Question
Thanks, Andy!OntarioQuizzer wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:26 pm Not just the last 15 years—the last 15 weeks.
From September 21 of this year: http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=6826 (LIL NASDAQ "X" $800)
-
- Also Receiving Votes
- Posts: 12930
- Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:39 pm
Re: Form of a Question Question
http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4788triviawayne wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:43 pm I know you were looking for current stuff, and received that answer already, but wanted to mention that IIRC, I saw it in the early days (probably pre 1990) on a DD where someone gave "is it x", and Alex said something like, "well that is in the form of a question, so that's an acceptable response."
Check the FJ responses.
Re: Form of a Question Question
Here's one I remember seeing in first-run (Former Technology for $1600).
- econgator
- Let's Go Mets!
- Posts: 10689
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:32 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
Wait ... so you can't remember hearing of something you heard of two months ago, but can remember 1 single clue from 17 years ago?TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:30 am Here's one I remember seeing in first-run (Former Technology for $1600).
- opusthepenguin
- The Best Darn Penguin on the Whole JBoard
- Posts: 10339
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:33 pm
- Location: Shawnee, KS
- Contact:
Re: Form of a Question Question
Doesn't your memory work that way? Mine does. I have an extremely good memory, but that doesn't equate to total control over what sticks and what doesn't. I can remember some conversations I had 30 years ago and not what someone said on JBoard last week.econgator wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 9:15 amWait ... so you can't remember hearing of something you heard of two months ago, but can remember 1 single clue from 17 years ago?TenPoundHammer wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:30 am Here's one I remember seeing in first-run (Former Technology for $1600).
-
- Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2019 11:59 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
That was the exact one that I saw when playing some golden oldies off the archive maybe 5-6 months ago. The FJ! is actually a callback to clue #2 under TV THEMES. While Tim remembered how to phrase questions in the standard "What is" or "Who is" for clue 1, he asked "Could it be..." for the second one. Being a good sport, he continued the gag for FJ!.Bamaman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:28 pmhttp://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4788triviawayne wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:43 pm I know you were looking for current stuff, and received that answer already, but wanted to mention that IIRC, I saw it in the early days (probably pre 1990) on a DD where someone gave "is it x", and Alex said something like, "well that is in the form of a question, so that's an acceptable response."
Check the FJ responses.
Speaking of which, Q1 was a TS?! 34 years later, and it should be a buzzer race.
-
- Loyal Jeopardista
- Posts: 242
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:59 pm
Re: Form of a Question Question
I noticed a spelling error in that game: it should be "refrigerator" in Tim's prize.talkingaway wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 12:24 pmThat was the exact one that I saw when playing some golden oldies off the archive maybe 5-6 months ago. The FJ! is actually a callback to clue #2 under TV THEMES. While Tim remembered how to phrase questions in the standard "What is" or "Who is" for clue 1, he asked "Could it be..." for the second one. Being a good sport, he continued the gag for FJ!.Bamaman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:28 pmhttp://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4788triviawayne wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:43 pm I know you were looking for current stuff, and received that answer already, but wanted to mention that IIRC, I saw it in the early days (probably pre 1990) on a DD where someone gave "is it x", and Alex said something like, "well that is in the form of a question, so that's an acceptable response."
Check the FJ responses.
Speaking of which, Q1 was a TS?! 34 years later, and it should be a buzzer race.
- cheezguyty
- Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
- Posts: 1231
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:19 am
- Location: Louisville, KY
-
- Loyal Jeopardista
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:54 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
Possibly, or it might be the one Bob referred to; see if you can find that one! I started posting on the Sony board during the UToC, and I remember this particular response being discussed either there or here.
- cheezguyty
- Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
- Posts: 1231
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:19 am
- Location: Louisville, KY
Re: Form of a Question Question
I just looked through every UToC game with a woman playing and didn't see any recorded examples of unusual phrasing.A Wray wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:52 amPossibly, or it might be the one Bob referred to; see if you can find that one! I started posting on the Sony board during the UToC, and I remember this particular response being discussed either there or here.
I did notice a completely unrelated but mildly interesting coincidence though:
- on 3/21, contestant Shane gave an incorrect response of "Christiana" where the correct response was "christiania"
- on 4/21, contestant Sean gave an incorrect response of "Christiana" where the correct response was "Christina"
[edited to add missing word (thanks opus)]
Last edited by cheezguyty on Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Undefeated in Reruns
- Posts: 8967
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:31 am
Re: Form of a Question Question
I think the only "is it" UToC incident was on a DD played by Bob Blake. If I recall correctly, Alex actually ruled him wrong for not phrasing in the form of a question, but tape was stopped and reviewed, and they found Bob made an almost inaudible "is it" sound before he said what Alex heard.
- opusthepenguin
- The Best Darn Penguin on the Whole JBoard
- Posts: 10339
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:33 pm
- Location: Shawnee, KS
- Contact:
Re: Form of a Question Question
That's interesting. There was a player named Debbie Christiana in 1987 who lost but did enter FJ with $1900. So Christiana has made a few correct responses.cheezguyty wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 4:03 am I did notice a completely unrelated but mildly interesting coincidence though:"Christiana" was also an incorrect guess in 2018 and has no hits as a correct response, which leads me to [wonder] if that could be the record.
- on 3/21, contestant Shane gave an incorrect response of "Christiana" where the correct response was "christiania"
- on 4/21, contestant Sean gave an incorrect response of "Christiana" where the correct response was "Christina"