Competing on Jeopardy! is hard enough, but imagine doing it without being able to see! Former champion Luigi de Guzman recently revealed that his new eyewear wasn’t just a fashion change. He played one of his games without being able to see the board.
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Luigi De Guzman ‘Couldn’t Actually Read The Clue Board’ While Competing
De Guzman competed on Jeopardy! earlier this month, going home after a five-day winning streak with $140,000 in winnings across seasons 38 and 39. However, the contestant had to play under some seriously hard conditions in his first game: He couldn’t read the board where the clues were put up.
“The ‘video clues on a side monitor’ aspect is something folks watching at home really need to bear in mind,” de Guzman shared in a recent Reddit post. “When you’re at home, the clue takes up your whole TV, whether written or video. But when you’re on stage, the clue is written on the clue board…and any video component is played back on a monitor off to the left of the main clue board.”
“It’s a lot to have to track with your eyes,” he continued. “Speaking of which, the glasses I’m wearing are new glasses. The ones from season 38 were retired because I found out that I couldn’t actually read the clue board with them.”
De Guzman: ‘I Played That Whole Game On Just The Sound Of Ken’s Voice’
In another post, de Guzman elaborated on the situation: “I mentioned it before, but it wasn’t till the 7/29 show taped that I realized I needed new glasses. I couldn’t read the clue board at all. I played that whole game on just the sound of Ken’s voice.”
“There’s nowhere for a prompter to stand that’s in the contestants’ line of sight that wouldn’t also be visible to the camera that gives the wide shot of Ken,” he finished. Even die-hard fans of Jeopardy! couldn’t tell that de Guzman played without being able to read the board.
He’ll Be Competing Again Soon
“Massive props for only going based off sound,” one person wrote. “I feel like I always need the visual when I play along at home.” Someone else joked, “Terrifying for my glasses-wearing, hopeful contestant self.” Fortunately, we’ll be able to see de Guzman—and his up-to-date eyewear—again when he competes in this year’s Tournament of Champions.
De Guzman’s revelations about the size of the monitors where the clues are shown have thrown some Jeopardy! fans for a loop, and his confession about not being able to see the board at all has viewers even more impressed with the powerful start of his win streak. He’s got some tough competition ahead of him!