‘Jeopardy!’ Stuns Viewers With Shocking “Bordering Russia” Clue About Ukraine

Jeopardy! aired an episode on Friday that had an odd choice for a clue involving Ukraine and Russia, given the current war and state of global affairs. The team behind the show pre-emptively addressed the question via social media.

The episode featured a Double Jeopardy! category entitled “Bordering Russia,” an $800 clue that was delivered to contestants by host Ken Jennings.

It read as follows:

“The Kerch Strait — along with serious border issues — separates Russia from this country on the Black Sea.” Contestant Adrian Alcalá gave the correct answer of “What is Ukraine?” You can watch a clip of the segment below.

Prior to the episode, the show’s official Twitter account posted an explanation for the clue, which aired just over a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine on February 24. According to the U.N.’s top refugee official, as of Wednesday, the war has caused nearly one million Ukrainians to flee the nation with many more on their way out.

The show’s message read, “Please note the clue in today’s show concerning Russia and Ukraine was recorded on Jan. 11, 2022.” Additionally, an onscreen message appeared in the upper lefthand corner of the screen as the clue aired which read, “Recorded on January 11, 2022.”

Representatives for Jeopardy! did not immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter‘s request for comment.

The Kerch Strait is 1.9 miles long and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov. Returning champion Margaret Shelton was the episode’s winner, her fourth victory overall, even though she wasn’t the one to answer this particular question.

 

Michael is a music and television junkie keen on most things that are not a complete and total bore. You can follow him on Twitter — @Tweetskoor

Stream Jeopardy! on ABC