Even Jeopardy! contestants with the highest earnings and the longest winning streaks sometimes swing and miss during Final Jeopardy!. But entering a wrong response doesn’t always end their tenure on the show—especially if all three players got it wrong.
In fact, so-called “triple stumpers” turn up in Final Jeopardy! more often than you might think. And thanks to the J! Archive—an expansive, fan-created database of Jeopardy! games past—anyone with internet access and a lot of spare time is welcome to go hunting for them. Here are 40 examples that occurred during recent seasons, which run the category gamut from “Medieval Asia” to “Broadway Musicals.”
1. February 15, 2018
Category: Medieval Asia
Clue: Though it means "one who serves," in medieval Japan, it was a property holder who received rent from serfs
Shawn Ralston: Who is shogun
Matt Stikker: What is a daimyo?
Rob Worman: Who is a geish
Correct Response: Samurai
2. February 22, 2018
Category: Actresses
Clue: Already an Emmy winner, in 2017 she won an Oscar for the same role that had won her a Tony
Alan Harrison: Who is my mom?
Catherine Biba: Who is ?
Rob Worman: Who is Boy this was fun! :-)
Correct Response: Viola Davis
3. February 23, 2018
Category: Modern Words
Clue: In 1994 WIRED magazine described this 4-letter word as an idea leaping "from mind to mind ... as viruses leap from body to body"
Mary Kalemkerian: What is I ♥ NY?
Kate Tucci: What is cool?
Alan Harrison: What is yike
Correct Response: Meme
4. May 1, 2018
Category: Fashion Brands
Clue: Translated from Roman numerals, "55" appears in luggage & watch product names from a company founded by this man
Geoff Brousseau: Who is Versace
Jan Brown: Who is Versace
Osman Syed: Who is Versace
Correct Response: Louis Vuitton
5. May 2, 2018
Category: 19th Century Americans
Clue: On July 10, 1804 he wrote a letter of goodbye, just in case, to "my dearest Theodosia"; he lived until 1836
Laura Buermann: Who is
Josh Hill: Who is Lewis?
Geoff Brousseau: Who is Lewis
Correct Response: Aaron Burr
6. July 3, 2018
Category: The European Union
Clue: Like UNESCO, the EU has heritage sites; 2 of the first 4, a WWII internment camp & a Peace Palace, were in this occupied country
Dave Baltamanis: What is Austria
Jim McGinnis: What is Switzerland
Suzanne Koppelman: What is France?
Correct Response: The Netherlands
7. September 13, 2018
Category: Before They Were President
Clue: On October 4, 1940, for the premiere of what's been called his most famous movie role, Ronald Reagan was in this city
Lauren Stripling: What is Indianapolis?
Shawn Moore: What Iwo Jima?
Kyle Jones: What is Dallas?
Correct Response: South Bend, Indiana
8. October 1, 2018
Category: World Literature
Clue: In a recent poll of 125 authors, this long 1870s novel about a woman ranked as the greatest work of fiction of all time
Doug Dodson: What is The Scarlet Letter?
Carl Conway: What is Emma?
Andrew Knudsen: What is Jane Eyre?
Correct Response: Anna Karenina
9. October 2, 2018
Category: Oscar Hyphenates
Clue: This actor has never been nominated for acting—he won, though, as a writer for 1997 & as a producer for 2012
Kirsten Morry: Who is Day-Lewis?
Cody Landis: Who is ?
Doug Dodson: Who is backrolls?
Correct Response: Ben Affleck
10. January 11, 2019
Category: Famous Doctors
Clue: Not an artist himself, he inspired the Surrealists but thought them "absolute cranks" until he met Dali in London in 1938
Jocelyn Martich: Who is Dr?
Sarah Ann: Who is [drawing of a "sad kitty"]?
Anneke Garcia: Who is Dr. Dali
Correct Response: Sigmund Freud
11. February 18, 2019
Category: British Authors
Clue: Born in 1866, he has been called "the Shakespeare of science fiction"
Doug Wilham: Who is Verne
Rachel Fabi: Who is Asimov?
Amanda Holm: Who is Clarke?
Correct Response: H.G. Wells
12. March 1, 2019
Category: Presidential Election Years
Clue: Prior to 2016 it was the last election year in which the winning candidate had never held public elected office
Austin Rogers: What is 1836?
Colby Burnett: What was 1956?
Buzzy Cohen: What is 1868? Love U Lucerne
Correct Response: 1952
13. July 26, 2019
Category: Historic Ships
Clue: 215 passengers were rescued when it sank in July 1918, about 500 fewer than it had rescued 6 years earlier
Michael Riggs: What is the Lusitania
Maggie Lehrman: What is the Doria Gay
Jason Zuffranieri: What is the Britannia
Correct Response: The Carpathia
14. November 1, 2019
Category: Religion
Clue: This denomination takes its name from the day, as told in the New Testament, when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles
Jennifer Cooper: What are the 7th Day Adventists
Christine McKeever: What is 7th-Day Adventist
Andrew Thomson: What is Seventh-Day Adventism?
Correct Response: Pentecostalism (the Pentecostalists)
15. November 26, 2019
Category: Political Phrases
Clue: Speechwriter Samuel Rosenman said FDR "attached no importance to" this phrase, "two monosyllables" in a 1932 speech
Ian Norris: What is OK?
Julie Chang: What is Fear Itself
Beth Stewart: What is itself
Correct Response: New Deal
16. December 24, 2019
Category: Historic American Cities
Clue: Damage from Hurricane Matthew in this city in 2016 revealed a plot of colonist graves from perhaps as long as 430 years ago
Drew Limon: What is Houston?
Barbara Hall: What is Richmond?
Robin Miner-Swartz: What is Tampa?
Correct Response: St. Augustine, Florida
17. February 10, 2020
Category: Sports Terms
Clue: A member of the British Amateur Athletic Club wrote this 1867 set of 12 regulations whose name honors nobleman John Sholto Douglas
Natalie Hadjiloukas: What are Douglas'
Vinny Byju: What are the rug
Gauravi Shah: What are the Doug Rules
Correct Response: The 12 rules of Queensbury
18. March 2, 2020
Category: From the Desk of the Pope
Clue: A 1919 letter quotes Jesus, "Go into the whole world and preach the gospel" & notes the vigilance, energy & hardships of these workers
Mandy DeLucia: What is Thank you?
Bruce Lou: What are soldiers??
Aaron Goetsch: What are disciples?
Correct Response: Missionaries
19. April 27, 2020
Category: Civil War People
Clue: Before they were photographed together in 1862, Lincoln wryly noted this general "should have no problem" sitting still for it
Matt Ribel: Who is... She ?
Lauren D'Souza: Who is Sherman?
Sarah Jett Rayburn: Who is Grant?
Correct Response: George McClellan
20. September 22, 2020
Category: Diplomacy
Clue: The book "The Eagle & the Elephant" is about the relationship between the U.S. & this Asian country beginning in 1833
Reshima Wilkinson: What is Th
Tyler Brill: What is India?
Dana Hill: What is Korea
Correct Response: Thailand (Siam)
21. September 25, 2020
Category: Highest-Paid Athletes
Clue: On Forbes' 2020 list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, at age 50 this active individual sportsman is the oldest
Alyssa Weinberger: Who is Jagr?
Julissa Castillo: Who is Phil
Sameer Gandhi: Who is Mr. Magoo
Correct Response: Phil Mickelson
22. September 28, 2020
Category: On the Old Map
Clue: On the U.N. website's map of the world in 1945, these 2 initials of a member state appear 13 times on continental Africa
Eric Aiese: What is NL
Paula Spence: What is G.B.?
Sameer Gandhi: What is C.W.
Correct Response: U.K.
23. October 7, 2020
Category: Who Said It in the Bible?
Clue: He tells his son not to worry about the lamb for the burnt offering—God will provide it
Holly McQuillan: Who is This was so much fun! Thank you
Sheldon Beverly: Who is Jacob?
Garrett Marcotte: Who is Job?
Correct Response: Abraham
24. December 17, 2020
Category: Play Characters
Clue: This title character says, "Who find my visage's center ornament a thing to jest at—it is my wont... to let him taste my steel"
Teja Chemudupati: Who is Laertes?
Pamela Lee: Who is Zorro?
Brayden Smith: Who is the Man of La Mancha?
Correct Response: Cyrano de Bergerac
25. January 29, 2021
Category: British Army History
Clue: The Army's longest continuous campaign, 1969-2007, began in this Northern Ireland city known by either of 2 different names
Bo Mendez: What is Belfast?
Kristen Seigel: What is Belfast?
Zach Newkirk: What is Belfast?
Correct Response: Londonderry/Derry
26. March 3, 2021
Category: European Landmarks
Clue: Of the principal architects working on it from the mid-1500s to the 1980s, like Pierre Lescot & Hector Lefuel, none were foreigners
Tim Everhart: What is the sacre couer
Melis Sahin-Collins: What is Arc de Triomphe Hi Aydin
Jon Spurney: What is Notre Dame
Correct Response: The Louvre
27. March 31, 2021
Category: Logos
Clue: After 9/11, designer Milton Glaser modified this iconic logo of his, adding a bruise & the words "More Than Ever"
Kevin Tanager: What is [symbol is drawn] the Peace Symbol?
Emily Seaman: What is Fed Ex
Bryce Hwang: What is Johnson and Johnson?
Correct Response: I Heart New York (I Love New York)
28. April 20, 2021
Category: European Tourist Attractions
Clue: Opened in 1843, it was frequented by Hans Christian Andersen & Walt Disney, who both found inspiration there
Logan Crossley: What is Copenhagen Aquari
Nina Patel: What is the Briti
Mike Nelson: What is Nausvenstein Castle?
Correct Response: Tivoli (Gardens)
29. June 14, 2021
Category: 19th Century America
Clue: 2-word term for the statement saying U.S. policy is "to leave the parties to themselves, in the hope ... other powers will (do) the same"
Caitlin Hackett: What is Laissez Faire
Jonathan Udoff: What is hands off?
Katie Sekelsky: What is Global isolationism
Correct Response: Monroe Doctrine
30. July 1, 2021
Category: Rivers
Clue: In "Notes on the State of Virginia," Thomas Jefferson said the most beautiful river on Earth is this one no longer in Virginia
Leanne Zobrist: What is the Manongahela?
Marciano Lopez: What is the Potomac?
Courtney Shah: What is the Shenandoah?
Correct Response: The Ohio River
31. July 23, 2021
Category: Literary Character
Clue: This owner of a large estate in Derbyshire is described as "proud" at least half a dozen times
Rachel Vanarsdall: Who is Mr. Bennett?
John Roberson: Who is Prudence
Matt Amodio: Who is Rochester?
Correct Response: (Mr. Fitzwilliam) Darcy
32. December 31, 2021
Category: Music Legends
Clue: Of their July 1957 first meeting at a church fair, one of this pair recalled: "I was a fat schoolboy and … he was drunk"
Arjun Sivakumar: Who are Simon & Garfunkel?
Dan Patton: Who are Simon + Garfunkel?
Amy Schneider: Who are Simon and Garfunkel?
Correct Response: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
33. January 11, 2022
Category: Broadway Musicals
Clue: Each in a show that ran more than 2 years, Ethel Merman & Sarah Jessica Parker played 2 different characters with this first name
Brigid Hogan: What is Mary?
Steve Chanderbhan: What is Melissa
Amy Schneider: What is Rose?
Correct Response: Annie
34. January 14, 2022
Category: Cemeteries & Memorials
Clue: 60,000 are at rest in a National Memorial Cemetery opened in 1949 in the crater of an extinct volcano in this state
Rachel Ostrow: What is Oregon?
Luis Soto: What is Wyoming?
Amy Schneider: What is California?
Correct Response: Hawaii
35. February 14, 2022
Category: The Midwest
Clue: At about 90,000 it's the most populous U.S. city on North America's biggest lake
Hung Pham: What is Green Bay?
Carrie Christian: What is Minneapolis?
Dave Rapp: What is Green Bay?
Correct Response: Duluth, Minnesota
36. February 22, 2022
Category: American Women
Clue: In 1914 she received a patent on a trefoil emblem, which she would transfer to an organization a few years later
Holly Ambler: Who is Julia Howe
Hieu Ton-That: Who is Baker?
Henry Rozycki: Who is Margaret Sanger?
Correct Response: Juliette Gordon Low
37. March 4, 2022
Category: Literary Characters
Clue: Dostoyevsky wrote that this title man in an earlier European novel is "beautiful only because he is ridiculous"
Adrian Alcalá: Who is prince mishkin
Caitlin McHale: Who is Dorian Gray?
Margaret Shelton: Who is Candide?
Correct Response: Don Quixote
38. June 7, 2022
Category: Writing Old & New
Clue: This 2013 bestseller shares its title with the first section of a poem from 7 centuries before
Elaine Hesser: What is the Handmaids Tale
Michael Toughill: What is Twilight: New Moon?
Eric Ahasic: What The Handmaid's Tale?
Correct Response: Inferno (by Dan Brown)
39. June 23, 2022
Category: Classic Albums
Clue: This classic album by a Southern rocker gets its title from a Civil War quote by a Union admiral
Andrew Lewis: What is Let it Burn
Whitney Wood: What is?
Jeff Weinstock: What is the whites of their eyes?
Correct Response: Damn the Torpedoes (by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
40. June 30, 2022
Category: U.S. Cities
Clue: This U.S. city now has 10 times the population of the other U.S. city for which it was named in 1845
Hoa Quach: What is San Francisco
David Bzdak: What is New York?
Halley Ryherd: What is New Yor
Correct Response: Portland, Oregon
This article was originally published on www.mentalfloss.com as 40 Final ‘Jeopardy!’ Questions That All Three Contestants Got Wrong.
