Viewers call out ‘Jeopardy!’ for letting an inaccurate question slide

Yahoo Entertainment
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On Jeopardy! Thursday, there was a clue from the “Time For Science” category about the discoveries of famed astronomer, Percival Lowell. But after viewers took a telescope to the answer, it was discovered that there was most likely a mistake made by the show.

“Percival Lowell thought he saw these on the surface of Venus -- some think it was a reflection of the blood vessels in his eye,” Guest-host George Stephanopoulos said, reading the clue.

Defending champion Tyler Vandenberg, a marine from Washington DC, buzzed in to say, “what are canals?” It was deemed correct, he was awarded $1600, and the show moved on. But as it turns out, Lowell is actually well known in history books for discovering, and writing a lot about, the possibility of canals on Mars. And, as was accurately pointed out on Twitter, what he saw on Venus he described as “spokes,” which many believe he actually mistook his own eye for.

So while the clue was technically correct, the answer should have been “spokes.”

Video Transcript

[AIR WOOSHING SOUND]

- Percival Lowell thought he saw these on the surface of Venus. Some think it was a reflection of the blood vessels in his eye? Tyler.

- Water canals.

- Yes.

[ON VIDEO]

KYLIE MAR: With George Stephanopoulos as a guest host on "Jeopardy Thursday" there was a clue from that "Time For Science" category about the discoveries of famed astronomer, Percival Lowell. But after viewers took a telescope to the answer, it was discovered that there was definitely a mistake made.

You see Lowell is well known in history books for discovering and writing a lot about the possibility of canals on Mars. And as was accurately pointed out on Twitter, what he saw on Venus he described as spokes, which many believe he actually mistook for his own eye. So while the clue was technically correct, the answer should have been spokes.

And it seems the viewers at home are right. It is a big boo-boo on the part of "Jeopardy!". But much to the delight of viewers, Marine Tyler Vandenberg rode that $1,600 wrong answer all the way to his second straight victory.

- Still enough to be our champion for a two day total of $41,400. Congratulations, Tyler.

[AIR WOOSHING SOUND]