FORMAT GUIDE · CATEGORY BOARDS
A Jeopardy-style game arranges clues into categories and point values. Choose it when you have several topics to compare or review and enough time to explain the answers. Use a simpler quiz when category choice would only slow the session down.
This original nine-clue example shows a complete category plan: a goal, three clues, answers and reasoning for each category. The 100/200/300 values are illustrative scoring choices. The difficulty progression is an editorial suggestion, so adjust it to your group.
Choose an operation and explain the result.
100 points
Answer: 15
Seven plus eight is fifteen.
200 points
Answer: 24 seats
4 × 6 = 24.
300 points
Answer: 27 pencils
36 ÷ 4 = 9 given away; 36 − 9 = 27.
Convert or combine durations without relying on speed.
100 points
Answer: 30 minutes
60 ÷ 2 = 30.
200 points
Answer: 10:45
Twenty-five minutes after 10:20 is 10:45.
300 points
Answer: 42 minutes
3 × 12 + 2 × 3 = 42.
Keep the unit attached to the answer.
100 points
Answer: 100 centimeters
Centi- means one hundredth; 100 centimeters make one meter.
200 points
Answer: 150 centimeters
1.5 × 100 = 150.
300 points
Answer: 20 centimeters
Add all four sides: 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 20.
Answer: 3 minutes 30 − 4 − 5 = 21; 21 ÷ 7 = 3.
For a simple finish, award a fixed bonus. If you choose wagering, announce the category and a clear wager cap before showing the question. Treat that as a hosting rule; check how your chosen product supports it.
Unit reference: NIST’s SI prefixes. Arithmetic and answer explanations checked September 26, 2026. This is a preparation preview, not a playable board.
Teams allow discussion; choose one submission per turn and rotate the spokesperson. Individuals make each response visible, but a large group can spend longer waiting. For review, have everyone write an answer before the active team responds.
Give each category a clear boundary. Make lower-value clues accessible and higher-value clues require another reasoning step. Avoid rewarding obscure wording. Write the accepted answer and explanation at the same time as the clue.
Decide whether an incorrect answer loses points, simply earns none, or opens the clue to another team. Announce the rule before play. A fixed final bonus is easier to explain than wagering; neither needs to imitate television rules.
Rehearse the visible player screen and private host key. In a room, check the back row can read the clues. Online, read clues aloud and use the same response window for everyone. Phone buzzers or live-room participation depend on the selected product and plan.
Preparation checklist: choose the category goals; write and verify the key; select team and response rules; decide the final; rehearse the display; keep a copy of the clues available if the connection fails. Reserve explanation time, not just tile-selection time.
If the scores finish level, prepare a separate tie-breaker with matching player and host sheets. Keep the host key private until all tied teams have answered.
Times, team arrangements and activity choices here are hosting suggestions, not measured outcomes or software player limits. Check the game’s current access and device requirements before your session.
Choose multiple-choice trivia when you want everyone focused on the same prompt without deciding which category to open.
Open Are You Smarter (opens in a new tab)Choose a clue game when the job is describing familiar vocabulary or changing the speaking role frequently.
Open PlayPassword (opens in a new tab)Choose price guessing when the interesting discussion is about a quantity and the reasoning behind an estimate.
Compare price-guessing roundsTeaching a lesson? Use the classroom review guide’s questions and feedback loop. For a wider choice, compare all OGG game formats.
Continue to Quiz Champ to build and host (opens in a new tab)OGG and Quiz Champ are independent of the Jeopardy! television program and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by its owners. All example clues here are original; no television questions, artwork or audio are used.