# Jeopardy Online Qualifying Test **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335 "2006-03-29T01:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/81 "2006-03-31T05:19:45Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > What were the clues for these two questions? Do you remember any others? The first one was something like “Congressional Powers” and the clue was “Members of the Congress have this privilege of using the mail system free” or something like that. The second one was “Edible Nationalities” (or Edible Names) and it was “Kierkegaard was from this country.” I actually don’t remember a lot more than those. They stuck out because I figured them out in the 15 seconds. I think a few more of the answers were J.K. Rowling, Valerie Plame, and ummm… yeah that’s it. The Doctor ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/82 "2006-03-31T06:30:19Z")
I’m pretty sure that every answer that I typed in was right, but unfortunately there were five or six questions that I left unanswered, starting with the ballet one, so I have a feeling I won’t be hearing back. Suffered brain-freeze on “H.M.S. Pinafore”. Remember that just as time expired, but not in time to type it. All I could think of was Sideshow Bob. \ My first blank was the ballet one early on…can someone clue me in there? One answer was Rutherford B. Hayes…the question’s main clue was his wife’s name, Lucy, who was an answer in a question in the real game a couple of nights ago. Probably wouldn’t have thought of it if not for that, and still got it in just in time…didn’t read the category first, so I had no idea they were looking for a president. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/83 "2006-03-31T13:25:50Z")
I had to do this test 'cause I missed the first two. I don’t think I got 40. Crap. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/84 "2006-04-04T00:53:42Z")
Bump. Has anybody heard anything yet regarding auditions? Or did they say when you could expect to if you were among the elect? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/85 "2006-04-04T00:57:46Z")
And btw, passing I learned from the official homepage is 35/50 questions, not 40/50. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/86 "2006-04-04T01:10:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > And btw, passing I learned from the official homepage is 35/50 questions, not 40/50. Nope, haven’t heard anything, and I don’t expect to for quite a while (if at all). They indicated that they’re going to have to personally grade each test, since they said they’d take spelling mistakes into account. However many thousands of people (tens of thousands? a hundred thousand?) took the test, times fifty questions – I bet it’ll be a while. Where’d you see that it’s only 35/50? I think I got that…but probably so did a lot of other people. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/87 "2006-04-04T01:28:56Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Nope, haven’t heard anything, and I don’t expect to for quite a while (if at all). They indicated that they’re going to have to personally grade each test, since they said they’d take spelling mistakes into account. However many thousands of people (tens of thousands? a hundred thousand?) took the test, times fifty questions – I bet it’ll be a while. > > Where’d you see that it’s only 35/50? I think I got that…but probably so did a lot of other people. It was in rifling through the webpage and was about a specific audition in L.A… Unfortunately I can’t link because the URL remains “[jeopardy.com](http://jeopardy.com)”. Wikipedia says this: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > At the end of the fifty questions, the contestant coordinators take the completed answer sheets and grade them. Though some sources state that a score of 35 is passing, the contestant coordinators refuse to confirm or deny that and the official passing score is kept a secret. Some people who have auditioned speculate that the passing score varies depending on how many contestants are needed for the show. Exact scores are not disclosed, only pass/fail results. Those who did not pass the test are dismissed, and those who did pass the test remain for the third phase of the audition. The jeopardy web site also says that on average 400 people will be on the show each year (varies due to the number of multi-day champions in a year) and that approximately 10% of the people who take the test pass. (That number would still be many times the 400.) This I do know from the times I’ve passed the written audition: you’ll be asked to fill out a form in which you tell 5 interesting things about yourself and I’ve heard from a friend who was on the show that these matter GREATLY when they’re deciding who to choose. They also take a Polaroid of you for your file and make notes while they interview you. During the mock tournament you’ll get a Daily Double and be told how much you and the other contestants have; there being no reason not to I’m guessing “true Daily Double” (even if the category is ‘Famous Icelandic Politicians and their Dogs’) would be the best bet. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/88 "2006-04-04T01:38:02Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The jeopardy web site also says that on average 400 people will be on the show each year (varies due to the number of multi-day champions in a year) :dubious: How does it vary with the number of multi-day champions? Aren’t there two brand-new players each day, regardless of how many days the current champion has been winning? I’d think the number of players each year would be twice the number of shows per year. Well, actually, if X is the number of shows per year, then the number of players per year would be (2X + 1), since one person carries over from the year before. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/89 "2006-04-04T03:43:50Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > :dubious: > > How does it vary with the number of multi-day champions? Aren’t there two brand-new players each day, regardless of how many days the current champion has been winning? I’d think the number of players each year would be twice the number of shows per year. > > Well, actually, if X is the number of shows per year, then the number of players per year would be (2X + 1), since one person carries over from the year before. My bad. I was working on the rules of Jeopardy before the Ken Jennings new-paradigm heresy, when multi-day champions were retired after X number of days (five, I believe) and each year there were days when three new contestants were introduced, which varied the number a bit. Today you’re on until defeated which changes that (though there’s still a tiny bit of fluctuation, such as when champions tie and only one new player is introduced or other odd but occurring occurences). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/90 "2006-04-11T17:22:58Z")
I passed! I just got an e-mail inviting me to audition in New York City next month. I sent in my RSVP, and it sounds like I should be all set. I’m sure other Dopers are going to make it as well, so I’m bumping this thread… ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/91 "2006-04-11T18:09:28Z")
I was wondering about this just today. I went on the Jeopardy website, and it sounds like at some more or less ill-defined period before the audition, they’ll let you know. It also sounded like there was basically a lottery among the people who passed the test, assuming they had too many. Of course, in addition to worrying about whether I passed the test, I have to worry whether my work spam filter will eat their message. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/92 "2006-04-11T18:47:21Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Category: C to C- a type of disease that recurs and goes into remission (as well as I remember the question). I have a feeling I’ll feel stupid when I learn this one. Uhh, _Cancer_? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/93 "2006-04-11T20:02:54Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Uhh, _Cancer_? Okay, now _I_ feel stupid. :o ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/94 "2006-04-12T00:53:46Z")
Got the invitation email today for the next level in New York in May. I hope it’s going to be at the Chelsea Piers again, The Wife and I can make a nice day of it. Come on folks, I know there has to be more than just two of us who passed. ---
**Author:** ![TheOnlySaneOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheOnlySaneOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOnlySaneOne)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/95 "2006-04-12T00:55:32Z")
So if we don’t get called in, does that mean we’re banned from taking the test live at any of their later auditions? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/96 "2006-04-12T01:12:34Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Got the invitation email today for the next level in New York in May. I hope it’s going to be at the Chelsea Piers again, The Wife and I can make a nice day of it. We’ll have to arrange some kind of signal. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/97 "2006-04-12T03:14:15Z")
No word. ☹ So I guess that means I either didn’t pass, or if I did I didn’t get selected in the lottery. I’d like to know which one it is, though I don’t expect to find out. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/98 "2006-04-12T04:36:25Z")
None here either, but then I asked for the Atlanta audition (or D.C. for second choice). I’ve no idea if everybody who passes will be called to do the facetime audition. **TO THOSE WHO’VE GOTTEN THE CALL AND HAVEN’T AUDITIONED IN PERSON BEFORE** - go ahead _now_ and think of five or more interesting things about yourself (you’ll be asked), what you would do with the money if you won (they also ask this- apparently they don’t like hearing “pay bills and go to Disney” but they probably don’t like “put half on red at Tunica and spend the rest on crystal meth and titty bars” any better) and remember to always bet high in the mock round as, I’m told by an acquaintance who was a two day champion, they like that. If you’re chosen they do not provide airfare, accomodations or anything other than the chance to play the game. They’ll also say “it’s not guaranteed you’ll be on the show even if you are asked to come to Hollywood for the game” but I’m told this is basically a CYA disclaimer just in case there’s an earthquake or you find out the associate producer is your long lost twin or some other freak occurrence that would stop the taping or invalidate you as a contestant. 99.999999% of the contestants who go to L.A. at their request appear on the show.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/99 "2006-04-12T05:03:56Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > **TO THOSE WHO’VE GOTTEN THE CALL AND HAVEN’T AUDITIONED IN PERSON BEFORE** - go ahead _now_ and think of five or more interesting things about yourself (you’ll be asked), what you would do with the money if you won (they also ask this- apparently they don’t like hearing “pay bills and go to Disney” but they probably don’t like “put half on red at Tunica and spend the rest on crystal meth and titty bars” any better) and remember to always bet high in the mock round as, I’m told by an acquaintance who was a two day champion, they like that. I’m not sure where Tunica is and we don’t call them titty bars up here, but I’ll keep it in mind. (I’ll try to keep quiet about the crystal meth.) Lucky me, I’ve been trying to get more interesting lately. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335/100 "2006-04-12T21:09:11Z")
The Girls say that I have not gotten on to the show yet because I am make the avearge boring white guys look interesting. Maybe I’ll work in a mention of The Winslow, or say I want to start a coatimundi farm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-online-qualifying-test/350335.md?page=6)