Jeopardy forced to clarify inclusion of ‘spooky’ Russia-Ukraine question

‘Please note the clue in today’s show was recorded on Jan 11, 2022,’ disclaimer read

US game show Jeopardy was forced to clarify a question about Russia and Ukraine featured in its latest episode.

On Friday (4 March), a clue involving the two countries came up, but had become extremely dated in the wake of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Jeopardy host Ken Jennings announced the clue as “Bordering Russia”, with the question reading: ”The Kerch Strait – along with serious border issues – separates Russia from this country on the Black Sea.”

The answer was Ukraine, with the question referencing the strait that separates Russia from Crimea to its west and Ukraine to the north.

Ahead of the episode’s broadcast, the series’ official Twitter account posted a warning.

The message read: “Please note the clue in today’s show concerning Russia and Ukraine was recorded on Jan 11, 2022.”

‘Jeopardy’s official Twitter account of clarified Russia-Ukraine question in latest episode (Twitter)

When the question appeared in the episode, it came with a disclaimer at the top of the screen, reading: “Recorded on January 11, 2022.”

Those who hadn’t seen the post, though, shared their responses of surprise on social media, with some calling the inclusion of the question, mere weeks before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to be “eerie” and “spooky”.

Others called the series out for featuring the question considering there had been rising tensions between the countries long before the invasion began.

Meanwhile, a contingent of viewers brushed the question off, and even suggested the series’ producers shouldn’t have bothered clarifying the question’s inclusion as it’s obvious the series is pre-recorded.

Follow the latest updates about the Russian invasion of Ukraine here.

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