Jeopardy! viewers may know that in addition to numerous members of the William & Mary community having appeared on the popular television game show, the university has more frequently been featured as an answer or part of a clue.
While there are no official, public stats maintained by the show itself, fans have longed managed an unofficial archive that tracks players, categories, clues and answers: J!Archive.
Based on that database, which includes more than 429,692 clues and answers from all 38 seasons of the newest, syndicated version of the show, William & Mary has been a clue or answer more than 70 times during regular play rounds — including six times as a Daily Double clue.
The J!Archive database shows the most recent William & Mary-related response aired this past July.
Over the years, many facts about the university’s 329 year-old history have been shared in categories ranging from British Royalty and Famous Firsts to Oceanography and Cornerstones.
In addition to W&M’s general history, clues and answers have also included notable university alumni, chancellors and some campus lore.
Fun facts about Jeopardy! and William & Mary:
- W&M has twice been included in a clue or answer at least four times in one year (2017 & 2010).
- The university has been part of a clue or answer both twice in one week (5/2001) and twice in one month (11/2010).
- W&M has also been part of three Final Jeopardy! clue/responses.
- In 2008, the Jeopardy! Clue Crew featured Williamsburg. While they did not film on campus (they filmed in Colonial Williamsburg), William & Mary was included in the clue.
But Jeopardy! hasn’t always gotten it right, either. The writers of a clue used in April 2014 didn’t realize William & Mary was actually a university when they included it under the category, Colleges, Not Universities.
Suzanne Clavet, Director of News & Media