The long-running game show “Jeopardy!” faced criticism from viewers after a Final Jeopardy clue about James Bond films aired on July 7, with fans arguing the question was poorly worded and confusing.
During the episode, host Ken Jennings announced that “Movie Music” was the category for the Final Jeopardy round. The clue read: “The last 2 best song Oscar winners whose titles were the same name as the movie they were in had this man in the leading role.”
Contestant Ashley Caval Curto began writing down actor Timothée Chalamet as her answer, which Jennings confirmed was incorrect. The second contestant, Vince Carter, wrote down “Who is Daniel Craig,” which was the correct answer. The films referenced in the clue were 2012’s “Skyfall” and 2021’s “No Time to Die.” Adele performed the title song for “Skyfall,” while Billie Eilish sang the theme for “No Time to Die.”
The episode’s returning champion, Scott Riccardi, also answered correctly, earning his third consecutive win. However, fans quickly took to social media and the Jeopardy! YouTube page to express their frustration with the clue’s phrasing.
One viewer commented on the show’s YouTube page that the clue was poorly phrased, explaining they assumed the question was asking about the last two Best Song winners from 2024 and 2025. Another fan noted uncertainty about whether the show would have accepted “James Bond” as an answer instead of “Daniel Craig,” since the clue mentioned “leading role” without specifying if they wanted the actor or character name.
A viewer on X, formerly known as Twitter, described the Final Jeopardy as convoluted but manageable. Others pointed out that the confusing phrasing made it seem like the question was asking about the previous two movies that won the Oscar for Best Song, rather than the last two Best Song winners who shared both song and movie titles.
The clue was actually referencing the last two Best Song winners whose song titles matched their movie titles, which could only be found in the James Bond franchise. Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2013 for “Skyfall,” while Billie Eilish took home the same award in 2022 for “No Time to Die.”
Some fans noted that the James Bond franchise shares more movie and song titles than likely any other film franchise, making it a logical connection for those who understood the clue’s intent. However, others found the wording too confusing to parse during the allotted thinking time.
One fan wrote on X that it took more than the “think music” time to figure out what the clue was asking, noting they finally realized it wanted the actor’s name but still did not know the answer. Another viewer mentioned that the last three Bond themes had won Oscars, but pointed out that the song from “Spectre” that won was called “Writing’s on the Wall,” which did not match the movie title.
Despite the criticism, some fans commented that the clue was too easy and remarked on the Bond franchise’s unique pattern of sharing movie and song titles. The controversy added to recent scrutiny of the show, which has faced other criticism in recent weeks.
Host Ken Jennings has previously expressed empathy for contestants facing difficult moments on the show. In April, he told Fox News Digital that his heart goes out to participants, noting that competing on “Jeopardy!” represents their first time on television in a high-pressure environment. The Seattle-born host began his “Jeopardy!” career 20 years ago, winning more than $2.5 million over 74 consecutive games before taking over hosting duties after Alex Trebek’s death in 2020.
The show has generated controversy recently beyond this particular clue. In June, a contestant revealed she was related to the subject of a Final Jeopardy clue, prompting some viewers to question the show’s integrity. Additionally, outlets mistakenly reported that two recent contestants were the first married “Jeopardy!” champions in the show’s history, leading a former contestant to point out that several couples are actually former champions.
The July 7 episode highlighted ongoing challenges with clue construction and clarity, as fans continue to scrutinize the show’s content and format decisions. The James Bond clue controversy demonstrated how word choice and punctuation can significantly impact contestant performance and viewer comprehension in the high-stakes Final Jeopardy round.
