early trebek jeopardy-- clearing the board

[toetyper]

i seem to remember in the first seasons of trebek jeopardy- 84 85- clearing the board was rare. can anyone confirm  this and explain why it happens often now

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'177414\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 04:43 PM\']
i seem to remember in the first seasons of trebek jeopardy- 84 85- clearing the board was rare. can anyone confirm  this and explain why it happens often now
[/quote]
1) Yes.
2) Because they play the game faster now.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'177414\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 07:43 PM\']
i seem to remember in the first seasons of trebek jeopardy- 84 85- clearing the board was rare. can anyone confirm  this and explain why it happens often now
[/quote]

Notice on those episodes, the audience responds to every question/answer, regardless of whether they were right or wrong. That takes up a lot of time.

Although you'd think it could balance out with contestants being allowed to interrupt Alex's reading.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'177418\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 08:00 PM\']Although you'd think it could balance out with contestants being allowed to interrupt Alex's reading.[/quote]
Never in the history of Jeopardy has a player been allowed to interrupt the host's reading.  For the entire length of the Art Fleming version, and for the first season or so of the Trebek version, players were allowed to signal as soon as they thought they knew the correct response or, if they wanted to take a chance, as soon as the clue was revealed.  The host still completed reading the clue.

What the Trebek version noticed was a lot of people taking chances and then having no clue, which wasted valuable seconds and made for lousy television.  By forcing them to wait until the clue was entirely read before they could signal, players would only signal if they at least had a guess to make.  It changed the game dramatically.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'177419\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 08:06 PM\']
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'177418\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 08:00 PM\']Although you'd think it could balance out with contestants being allowed to interrupt Alex's reading.[/quote]
Never in the history of Jeopardy has a player been allowed to interrupt the host's reading.  For the entire length of the Art Fleming version, and for the first season or so of the Trebek version, players were allowed to signal as soon as they thought they knew the correct response or, if they wanted to take a chance, as soon as the clue was revealed.  The host still completed reading the clue.
[/quote]
Ahh...that does make all the difference in the world. Thanks for the clarification.

[tomobrien]

[quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'177414\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 06:43 PM\'] i seem to remember in the first seasons of trebek jeopardy- 84 85- clearing the board was rare. can anyone confirm  this and explain why it happens often now [/quote]
I can speak from first-season experience.  I seem to recall being told in briefing to expect that the board  wouldn't be cleared in any given round, so we should keep that in mind, particularly as time got tight.  There was, as fostergray noted, much more audience reaction as well.
As far as signaling goes, there was a "countdown" light system on the podiums, and you couldn't hit the buzzer until they had counted down to the "go" light.  A buzz-in before that would lock you out, at least temporarily. I could be wrong, but I don't recall being able to buzz in as soon as the clue was revealed.

[PYLdude]

[quote name=\'tomobrien\' post=\'177428\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 10:15 PM\']
[quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'177414\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 06:43 PM\'] i seem to remember in the first seasons of trebek jeopardy- 84 85- clearing the board was rare. can anyone confirm  this and explain why it happens often now [/quote]
I can speak from first-season experience.  I seem to recall being told in briefing to expect that the board  wouldn't be cleared in any given round, so we should keep that in mind, particularly as time got tight.  There was, as fostergray noted, much more audience reaction as well.
As far as signaling goes, there was a "countdown" light system on the podiums, and you couldn't hit the buzzer until they had counted down to the "go" light.  A buzz-in before that would lock you out, at least temporarily. I could be wrong, but I don't recall being able to buzz in as soon as the clue was revealed.
[/quote]

I'm guessing now that they have the light system around the board, they don't do that anymore, right? (I ask because hey, you never know.)

(Also, Tom, how'd you do?)

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'tomobrien\' post=\'177428\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 10:15 PM\']As far as signaling goes, there was a "countdown" light system on the podiums, and you couldn't hit the buzzer until they had counted down to the "go" light.  A buzz-in before that would lock you out, at least temporarily. I could be wrong, but I don't recall being able to buzz in as soon as the clue was revealed.[/quote]
I'm certain that they originally let you signal as soon as the clue was revealed.  (On the first show, Alex says "do not ring in until the answer is fully exposed.") I'm not certain about when it was changed so that you had to wait for Alex to finish reading.  There may have been lights in both cases.

[TenPoundHammer]

As a further observation, I think that the early episodes almost never had a board played in full because Alex had to spend 30 seconds explaining the rules. Just my guess.

[Casey Buck]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'177432\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 08:24 PM\']I'm certain that they originally let you signal as soon as the clue was revealed.  (On the first show, Alex says "do not ring in until the answer is fully exposed.") I'm not certain about when it was changed so that you had to wait for Alex to finish reading.  There may have been lights in both cases.[/quote]
The ring-in rule was changed in the second season.

[tomobrien]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'177432\' date=\'Feb 8 2008, 10:24 PM\'] I'm certain that they originally let you signal as soon as the clue was revealed.  (On the first show, Alex says "do not ring in until the answer is fully exposed.") I'm not certain about when it was changed so that you had to wait for Alex to finish reading.  There may have been lights in both cases. [/quote]
I, of course, deign to the Mighty Matt who, being younger than myself, has a much better memory (probably from fewer hair follicles taking up valuable brain space).  What I'm trying to remember is how the lighting system worked. From what you say, then, it must have signaled down to the reveal of the clue.

[uncamark]

It should be mentioned that in the Fleming years, the board was rarely cleared.  Whether that was because applause was cued on correct responses for the bottom clues or because there was slightly less game time back then, I don't know.

[Neumms]

This also brings up the applause for right answers in the Winners' Circle on the Pyramids. It really felt odd without it, and it gave time for the camera shot of the trilons flipping, which helped you get your bearings. Another dopey change the Donnymid people made.

[Kevin Prather]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'177556\' date=\'Feb 11 2008, 09:55 AM\']
This also brings up the applause for right answers in the Winners' Circle on the Pyramids. It really felt odd without it, and it gave time for the camera shot of the trilons flipping, which helped you get your bearings. Another dopey change the Donnymid people made.
[/quote]
Their justification for the change was just as dopey. "It allowed for more time to be used." Riiiight. It adds at the most, two, maybe three seconds, and that's assuming the cluegiver waited for the applause to stop to start talking again, which they often did not do. If they did, it's because they needed the time to Read The Damn Category.