Last Tuesday night’s episode of Jeopardy! left viewers extremely frustrated over one clue in particular. It was the final clue in the category “Sports Shorts,” worth $1,000 and chosen by reigning champion Ryan Long. Fans couldn’t believe when all three competitors failed to get this one.
When Long selected this clue, a photo of figure skater Nathan Chen appeared on screen while host Mayim Bialik read: “He took gold with a powerhouse free skate at the 2022 Winter Olympics.” In spite of this clue and the photo, none of the players could call Chen’s name to mind. The clue timed out and Bialik had to give the answer, leaving that money on the table. Bialik said: “That is Nathan Chen, an absolutely unbelievable athlete.”
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Viewers at home were frustrated in part because the 2022 Olympics were so recent. Many felt that a global event like that was an easy clue for the contestants, and they should have gotten it more readily. If that weren’t enough, some viewers pointed out that Chen was a clue on Wheel of Fortune not long ago as well, and the contestants there solved the puzzle with no problem.
Fans on social media joked that it was rare for Wheel of Fortune contestants to get an answer that Jeopardy! contestants missed. Meanwhile, one person tweeted: “Nathan Chen was the answer on Jeopardy and no one knew the answer. How dare they?” while another added: “Absolutely disgusted that none of the Jeopardy contestants knew who Nathan Chen is.” A third person wrote: “Can’t believe no one knew Nathan Chen this evening in light of all clues/photo.”
Although he may not have gotten the question about Chen, Long was able to pull off another win that night, and his streak has continued ever since. He won again on Tuesday night, marking his 13th victory in a row. Long is a rideshare driver from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he now has a total of $252,700 in winnings – and counting. He has become a fan favorite, and viewers are eager to see where this streak goes.
Long has now officially joined the “Leaderboard of Legends” on the Jeopardy! website. He is currently placed 10th on the list of contestants with the most consecutive games won. He shares that space with the likes of Ken Jennings, Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, James Holzhauer, Mattea Roach, Julia Collins, Jason Zuffranieri, David Madden and Matt Jackson.
Jeopardy! airs on weeknights at 7 p.m. ET. The show is in syndication, so you’ll need to check your local listings to find the correct channel. You can also find clips, bonus content and more on the Jeopardy! website.
