The popular game show “Jeopardy!” faced criticism from viewers following a Final Jeopardy clue that aired on July 7, 2025, with fans arguing the question about James Bond films was confusingly worded and difficult to understand.
The clue, presented in the “Movie Music” category, 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.” Host Ken Jennings confirmed that Daniel Craig was the correct answer, referencing the James Bond films “Skyfall” from 2012 and “No Time to Die” from 2021.
Of the three contestants, Ashley Caval Curto incorrectly wrote down Timothée Chalamet as her answer. Vince Carter and returning champion Scott Riccardi both correctly identified Craig, with Riccardi securing his third consecutive win. The films referenced in the clue featured Academy Award-winning songs performed by Adele for “Skyfall” and Billie Eilish for “No Time to Die,” both of which shared their titles with their respective movies.
Viewers quickly took to social media platforms and the show’s YouTube page to express their frustration with the clue’s phrasing. One viewer commented that the wording was poorly constructed and created confusion about whether the question was asking about the most recent two Best Song Oscar winners from 2024 and 2025. The placement of commas in the clue particularly drew criticism for adding to the confusion.
Additional criticism centered on the ambiguity of what the clue was seeking as an answer. Some fans questioned whether the show would have accepted “James Bond” as a response instead of the actor’s name, noting that the clue mentioned “leading role” without specifying whether it wanted the actor or character name. Another viewer described the clue as very confusing and indicated it took longer than the standard thinking time to understand what was being asked.
The confusion stemmed from the clue’s reference to “the last 2 best song Oscar winners,” which many interpreted as referring to the most recent chronological winners rather than the most recent films where the song title matched the movie title. The James Bond franchise has multiple instances of songs sharing titles with their films, making it somewhat unique in this regard compared to other movie franchises.
Some fans noted that three recent Bond theme songs have won Academy Awards, but pointed out that the song from “Spectre” titled “Writing’s on the Wall” did not share the movie’s title, which helped clarify why only “Skyfall” and “No Time to Die” were referenced in the clue. Despite the criticism, other viewers found the clue manageable once they understood the connection to the Bond franchise.
This incident represents the latest in a series of controversial moments for the long-running game show. Earlier in 2025, the program faced scrutiny when a contestant revealed during the June 23 episode that she was related to the subject of the Final Jeopardy clue, prompting some viewers to question the show’s fairness. The show also encountered criticism when outlets incorrectly reported that a married couple were the first-ever married Jeopardy champions in the show’s history.
Host Ken Jennings, who took over hosting duties after Alex Trebek’s death from pancreatic cancer in 2020, has previously expressed empathy for contestants facing difficult situations on the show. In April, Jennings told Fox News Digital that his heart goes out to participants, noting that it is their first time on television and they are placed in a high-pressure environment. “I’m 100% empathy out there for these three people,” Jennings stated.
Jennings, who began his “Jeopardy!” career 20 years ago by winning over $2.5 million across 74 consecutive games, has acknowledged that competing on the show is challenging. He described the experience as throwing contestants into a crucible and emphasized his focus on making participants feel comfortable during their appearances.
The Seattle-born host has maintained his connection to the show since his original contestant run in 2004, eventually transitioning to hosting after serving as a guest host following Trebek’s passing. His experience as both a contestant and host has provided him with a unique perspective on the challenges facing participants, particularly when dealing with controversial or poorly received clues.
The July 7 episode and its aftermath highlight the ongoing scrutiny that “Jeopardy!” faces from its dedicated fanbase, who closely monitor the show’s clues for accuracy and clarity. The program’s writers and producers regularly craft hundreds of clues for each episode, but occasional missteps in phrasing or presentation can generate significant viewer response, as demonstrated by the reaction to the James Bond-related question.
