'Does somebody have an explanation or straight-up mistake?'
JEOPARDY! has sparked an internet uproar over a factual slip-up in a clue about Asia's biggest desert. Fans took to a Reddit thread, slamming the beloved game show for what quite a few deemed was a blatant error. Ken Jennings read: 'The largest desert in Asia at about 1,200 miles long & 600 miles wide, it has a name from Mongolian meaning 'waterless place''
Ken Jennings read: 'The largest desert in Asia at about 1,200 miles long & 600 miles wide, it has a name from Mongolian meaning 'waterless place''Credit: Jeopardy A contestant named Katie was ruled correct on 'Gobi Desert' but fans took issue with the first portion of the clue
6A contestant named Katie was ruled correct on 'Gobi Desert' but fans took issue with the first portion of the clueCredit: Jeopardy Fans posted: 'Unless Jeopardy! considers the Middle East to be its own continent, the Arabian Desert is almost double the size!'
Fans posted: 'Unless Jeopardy! considers the Middle East to be its own continent, the Arabian Desert is almost double the size!' On Tuesday's Jeopardy! episode, the clue in question was under the category "World Geography" and valued at $400.
Ken Jennings, 49, read: "The largest desert in Asia at about 1,200 miles long & 600 miles wide, it has a name from Mongolian meaning 'waterless place.'" Contestant Katie Palumbo confidently buzzed in with the Gobi Desert and was deemed correct. However, the online community argued that the initial part of the clue was off-the-mark.
According to Britannica, the Arabian Dessert is "the largest desert area on the continent- covering an area of about 900,000 square miles." While the second half hinted at the Gobi Desert, fans contended that the first portion was factually incorrect.
'STRAIGHT-UP MISTAKE?'
A bothered fan titled their thread: "The largest desert in Asia' is not the Gobi Desert."
They continued: "Unless Jeopardy! considers the Middle East to be its own continent? The Arabian Desert is almost double the size!"
"Why do errors like that happen on the show? (Fortunately, there were other information in the clue that pointed towards the right answer, but still.)
They concluded: "Does somebody have an explanation or it's a straight-up mistake?"
One fan replied: "If you Google for 'largest desert in Asia' it says Gobi," though they amended: "I seriously hoped Jeopardy writers were not in that class, though."
Another fan wrote: "I think the original poster is right and this was a flat out mistake. The question asked what the largest desert in Asia was. It's the Arabian desert."
A third argued: "The Arabian is the 5th largest desert in the world and the Gobi is the 6th. The Arabian isn't just bigger, it's much much bigger."
A fourth wrote: "It seems, as sort of pointed out, that the answer hinges on the definition of Asia versus the Arabian Peninsula."
"But to the point, yes, there have been a slew of strange little errors lately in the fact-checking and expected answers."
QUESTIONABLE HOUSEPLANT CLUE
In October, fans were again baffled over a photo clue about houseplants.
During the game, Ken deemed contestant Kristin Hucek wrong on a photo of a plant many fans said she correctly identified.
The $1,600 clue displayed a photo of a happy plant that had holes in the middle of some of its leaves.
As it filled the screen, Ken read the clue: “Though its name means 'loving tree,' it's very popular indoors as a houseplant.”
Kristin guessed: “Monstera,” which was ruled incorrect by Ken.
The host bluntly said: “No,” and the timer ran out with no other guesses.
He then explained that the response was "philodendron."
While the Philodendron is known as the “loving tree”- fitting the clue - fans argued that the photo Jeopardy! used was of a monstera deliciosa.
One fan wrote on X: “@Jeopardy that absolutely was photo of a Monstera. #monstera #Jeopardy."
Another wrote: “The image shown on @Jeopardy is a monstera which actually is NOT a philodendron. You can tell the difference because Monsteras have a Swiss cheese look, and philodendron splits down the leaf.”
A third wrote: "While the clue was showing the meaning of philodendron… they absolutely showed a picture of a monstera deliciosa!!! Justice for Kristin from DC!!!"
'MORE SPECIFICALLY?'
In September, a ruling was called "unfair" and "illogical" - contestant Alex Lamb was asked to expand on a response many felt was already correct.
In Double Jeopardy!, Alex selected the $1,200 clue under "The Real (White House) Wives of D.C."
Ken read: "She met the future president in 1938 when they both tried out for a local play in Whittier, California.”
Alex buzzed in and guessed: "Who is Nixon?”
Ken didn't accept it and replied: “More specifically?”
Alex responded: “Richard Nixon- 'Oh, uh sorry.'"
His face went from realization to regret as it seemingly dawned on him that he specified the wrong Nixon upon Ken’s clarification request.
Ken ruled: “No,” cutting him off.
Alex's score dropped to $3,000, and his challengers got to buzz in instead; Brian got it as: “Pat Nixon.”
“Pat Nixon, that’s correct,” Ken said.
Even if it didn’t impact who won, fans on Reddit were displeased with Ken’s decision to ask for specificity as Richard Nixon only had one First Lady (and was only married once).
The widely understood rule is that if a last name only refers to one person, the first name isn't needed - but if there is more than one person the clue could possibly be referring to, it is needed.
One person wrote: “That is bizarre. What other First Lady with the last name of Nixon did they have in mind that would be a plausible response?"
Another wrote: “I came here to make this exact same comment. It seemed really unfair and illogical to me.
"I'd understand for Barbara Bush, since there are two First Ladies named Bush, but a First Lady named Nixon could only be referring to one person.”
Now-airing is the Season 39 Champions Wildcard Tournament, featuring one and two-day winners from the previous season.
