Daily Double Distribution?

[Wheatley]

This is something I've been wondering about, and can't find a straight answer for online - How do you hunt for Daily Doubles? I know that they're almost never on the top row, and very rarely on the second, but beyond that, is there any strategy besides hunt and peck the high value clues? Are subject materials more likely to house one? I saw someone saying in the 6/2 game thread that there was no way they'd put a daily Double in "Three Letter Animal Words."

I always thought it was pseudo-randomly placed, eg 15% chance of being in the second row, 20% chance of being in the third, 35% in the forth, and 30% in the bottom, regardless of what the particular clue said.

[geolawyerman]

I think Arthur Chu once mentioned that they are in more academic categories, so you'd probably want to look in "World Capitals" instead of "Taylor Swift's Boyfriends"

[dhkendall]

I've also heard they are more likely to be in the leftmost column as well (or the two left-most), fwiw.

[hscer]

I've also heard they are more likely to be in the leftmost column as well (or the two left-most), fwiw.

I think Watson, and since then Brad Rutter, always go for "Leftmost column, second-highest value" as soon as they can in DJ.

[Rex Kramer]

It varies slowly over time, but it pretty consistent within one season. Go into the J! Archive and count where all the Daily Doubles appeared this season (use different charts for the J! and the DJ! rounds, as they have different distributions). You'll find that certain specific spaces are vastly overrepresented. If you memorize six or seven spaces in each of the two rounds, you can give yourself a better than even chance of finding at least two of the Daily Doubles in any given game (assuming you can get control of the board).

If that seems like too much work, you probably shouldn't try out for the show.

Rex

[Zyzzyva]

I suspect the boardmasters will avoid placing DDs in "quick draw" categories like Stupid Answers, video brainteasers, and Carmen Sandiego-style "name the country."

[gnash]

The only times DDs are randomly placed is when one is uncovered by mistake and has to be replaced. We were explicitly told this in the Green Room (in 2008, but I can't imagine something like that has changed).

[Wheatley]

How would a DD be uncovered "by mistake?"

[nightreign]

If the board shows a clue the player did not select, or if Alex gives control of the board to the wrong person and that person picks the DD, that would constitute a mistake. When Maggie was going over that with us, I had to wonder if either of those things had ever happened.

[econgator]

If the board shows a clue the player did not select, or if Alex gives control of the board to the wrong person and that person picks the DD, that would constitute a mistake. When Maggie was going over that with us, I had to wonder if either of those things had ever happened.

I think that did happen once (wrong player given control and a DD was picked). I'm sure someone will correct/support me.

[dhkendall]

I suspect the boardmasters will avoid placing DDs in "quick draw" categories like Stupid Answers, video brainteasers, and Carmen Sandiego-style "name the country."

I'm sure I've seen it in the latter (which is always my Yell At The TV Moment - specifically "*That's* the Daily Double???")

If the board shows a clue the player did not select, or if Alex gives control of the board to the wrong person and that person picks the DD, that would constitute a mistake. When Maggie was going over that with us, I had to wonder if either of those things had ever happened.

I've heard mention of it happening enough times on the board to know that it's a thing that has happened a few times.

[gnash]

If the board shows a clue the player did not select, or if Alex gives control of the board to the wrong person and that person picks the DD, that would constitute a mistake. When Maggie was going over that with us, I had to wonder if either of those things had ever happened.

I think that did happen once (wrong player given control and a DD was picked). I'm sure someone will correct/support me.

I am sure that happened many times, but you wouldn't see it on TV.

[georgespelvin]

It varies slowly over time, but it pretty consistent within one season. Go into the J! Archive and count where all the Daily Doubles appeared this season (use different charts for the J! and the DJ! rounds, as they have different distributions). You'll find that certain specific spaces are vastly overrepresented. If you memorize six or seven spaces in each of the two rounds, you can give yourself a better than even chance of finding at least two of the Daily Doubles in any given game (assuming you can get control of the board).

If that seems like too much work, you probably shouldn't try out for the show.

Rex

Oooh, this sounds almost like what that infamous "Press Your Luck" contestant did!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzNMCXWCZzQ

[Wheatley]

No worries Rex, I think I could handle that. It's like nothing in comparison to that Press Your Luck feat.

[Zyzzyva]

I'm sure I've seen it in the latter (which is always my Yell At The TV Moment - specifically "*That's* the Daily Double???")

My favorite one is when Joon doubled up late in DJ in mental arithmetic. Hell, I was taking cash out of my wallet and throwing it at the television.

[Mathew5000]

This is something I've been wondering about, and can't find a straight answer for online - How do you hunt for Daily Doubles?

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cult ... art_holder

[armorie]

If the board shows a clue the player did not select, or if Alex gives control of the board to the wrong person and that person picks the DD, that would constitute a mistake. When Maggie was going over that with us, I had to wonder if either of those things had ever happened.

I think that did happen once (wrong player given control and a DD was picked). I'm sure someone will correct/support me.

I am sure that happened many times, but you wouldn't see it on TV.

some disgruntled editor should leak a blooper reel

[jpahk]

My favorite one is when Joon doubled up late in DJ in mental arithmetic.

that's my favorite too.

(but it really was there the whole time—there were no irregularities in taping that would have required its placement to change once the show started.)