Jeopardy! is an American quiz show featuring trivia in topics such as history, literature, the arts, pop culture and science. Unlike other game shows, Jeopardy! has a unique answer-and-question format in which contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in the form of a question.

The show has a decades-long broadcast history in the United States since its creation by Merv Griffin in 1964. It first ran in the daytime on NBC from March 30, 1964 until January 3, 1975; concurrently ran in a weekly syndicated version from September 9, 1974 to September 7, 1975; and subsequently ran in a revival from October 2, 1978 to March 2, 1979; all of these versions were hosted by Art Fleming. Its most successful incarnation is the Alex Trebek-hosted syndicated version, which has aired continuously since September 10, 1984, and has been adapted internationally.

The current version has consistently placed among the top-rated shows in syndication. In January 2001, TV Guide ranked it #2 among the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time. Esquire magazine readers named it their "favorite game show", and in the summer of 2006, it was also ranked #2 by GSN on their list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time. The show holds the record for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show, with 11.

Origins

According to Merv Griffin, the idea for Jeopardy! was born when he and his wife Julann were on a plane trip from Duluth to New York:

Gameplay

Three contestants, one of whom is typically a defending champion (and occupies the left-most podium from the viewer's perspective), compete in three rounds: the Jeopardy! Round, the Double Jeopardy! Round and the Final Jeopardy! Round.

Jeopardy! Round

The value of each clue within categories has increased over time:

The contestant at the left-most podium, usually the returning champion, begins the game by selecting a category and dollar value. Contestants are free to choose any unselected clue.

The host then reads the clue after which any of the three contestants may ring in using a hand-held signaling device. The first contestant to successfully ring in following the host's reading of the clue must then respond generally in the form of a question (see Phrasing below).

A correct response earns the dollar value of the clue and the opportunity to select the next clue from the board. An incorrect response or a failure to respond within a 5-second time limit (shown by the red lights on the contestant's podium) deducts the dollar value of the clue from the contestant's score and gives any remaining opponent(s) the opportunity to ring in and respond. If none of the contestants give a correct response, the host reads the correct response and the contestant who has most recently given a correct response to a previous clue chooses the next clue.