OT Because this is funny and there is no woodworking at the moment

[Leon]

Jeopardy, the game show.

Sort of a snooty show hosted by a sorta snooty Alex Trebek. Alex Trebek has on more than one occasion sorta hinted to a contestant in so many words that you need to be smart to play the game.

The game changer, a contestant that is actually smart and not just a walking encyclopedia that often cannot apply his knowledge. The type of person educated beyond his intelligence.

This latest contestant is pissing every one off because he knows how to play to win vs. just knowing the answers. So far he is up over $100K.

It really did not take a genius to figure out this simple technique, but some one with more common sense that most all other contestants.

Jeopardy may never be the same.

[Larry Blanchard]

My wife and I are long time Jeopardy watchers. We saw nothing unusual in his jumping around the board. He was a little quick on replies but we remember others who did likewise.

He's gone now, so the tempest will blow over.

We only get upset when Jeopardy is usurped by some #$%^ sporting event :-).

Remember what Hemingway said: "The only real sports are auto racing and bullfighting - everything else is just exercise."

[Leon]

Actually he is scheduled to be back on the show on the 24th. to try for his fifth win and be considered for the Champions episode.

[woodchucker]

My wife and I are big fans of Jeopardy. I didn't feel he was doing anything wrong.

[Leon]

He was doing nothing wrong according to the rules. He was however not playing in the fashion that the producers and Alex would have preferred.

If you choose the big dollar questions first and get them right you can miss more answers and still stay ahead. If you start at the bottom and let the "excitement" build you have to answer more answers to win $1000.

So if all of the contestants know all of the questions to the answers, the contestant that starts with the $1000 answer and goes down will get a commanding lead if he is quick to push the buzzer.

[woodchucker]

And that is actually a smart way to play. I always wondered why more people didn't do that. Especially when behind.

[Leon]

I think contestants play from the bottom up because that is how they see/saw it being played for the previous 30 years.

Because this latest contestant has caused such a stir on the media Jeopardy may change in how it is being played in the future.

[woodchucker]

I hope not. I don't think it needs new rules to control the flow.

Years ago the questions were harder. I think they dumbed them down quite a bit to make them more generic.

[Leon]

You have just gotten smarter. ;~)

[woodchucker]

That's impossible how'd that happen??? :-0

[Leon]

You have been reading my posts! LOL

[-MIKE-]

I think they play that way for another reason. The answer get progressively more difficult. They is often a "theme" beyond the category title to the way the "answers" are worded. So starting on the easy ones can make answering the difficult ones... well, less difficult.

[Larry Blanchard]

Jeff may or may not have gotten smarter, but the questions on Jeopardy have definitely been dumbed down. And lots more questions on TV, movies, and sports than there used to be. With correspondingly less on science, history, etc..

OTOH, Ask Marilyn has been dumbed down so far anybody who hadn't read it for a year or two wouldn't even recognize it. Sheesh!

[krw]

I don't understand your point. If you start at the top and question all of the bottom answers later, you win too. They almost always clear the board.

How so? The fastest then wins, no matter what order. I'm completely missing your point.

[Leon]

Well you are probably right, we would not want anyone that is playing the game to not feel that he was smart.

Give him a trophy for participating!

[Leon]

Ok first answer won gets you $1000. the other two opponents fight to get the answers to the $100, 200, 300, and the 400 dollar question to tie your score. Mean while you are working in the other $1000 questions.

Start off getting the $1000 answers and you sling shot so far ahead that the opponents can't catch up.

Beat the opponents to the big prize, it pays more.

[woodchucker]

Yep , more tv , movies.. never used to be.

I used to enjoy ASK Marilyn, used to be tough questions. Now pretty basic stuff.

[krw]

OK, then let them have $100/200, 200/400, 300/600, and 400/800, and you take the 500/1000. That works the same way (not so well ;-).

Assuming you do. If all contestants are equal, it doesn't matter.

But if you start small, the big prize is still there. If you're guaranteed to win it, then you'll just get it later. Still not seeing it.

[Larry Blanchard]

You could always Ask Marilyn :-).

Or take my word for it - he's right.

[krw]

Huh?

Not buying it.