Jeopardy! and Punctuation

[Matt Ottinger]

A friend recently asked me "Why does "Jeopardy" think it's OK to put punctuation outside of quotation marks?"

My first thought is that's a pretty picky thing to get worked up about, but then I had a tickle in the back of my head that maybe I'd read about the reason they did this, or at least the editorial decision that this is how they were going to do it, in one of the many books about the show.  Does this ring a similar bell with anybody else, and if so, could you point me in the right location?  If it's in one of the books, I probably have it.

[TLEberle]

My first thought is that's a pretty picky thing to get worked up about, but then I had a tickle in the back of my head that maybe I'd read about the reason they did this, or at least the editorial decision that this is how they were going to do it, in one of the many books about the show.  Does this ring a similar bell with anybody else, and if so, could you point me in the right location?  If it's in one of the books, I probably have it.

Yup. I don't recall which but it sounds like a thing that was pored over in Inside Jeopardy. I think the reason decided upon (besides boss fiat) is that it "looks better for TV" to have the comma or whatever offset from the quote marks. Ben Stein's Money and Debt did it the American way and comprehension was just fine; the Oxford way isn't even a thing I notice anymore.

[Matt Ottinger]

My guess was "Inside Jeopardy", but thumbing through the 334 page tome isn't immediately paying off, since it's probably going to be one quick paragraph somewhere.  If anybody knows where it is, or is more patient than I am to go looking for it, be sure to let me know.

[TLEberle]

My guess was wrong; this was a "fan letter" addressed by Alex on Page IX of the Introduction to The Jeopardy Challenge.

I live to serve.

[Matt Ottinger]

I sit in gratitude.