Jeopardy! is an American television quiz show created by Merv Griffin, in which contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in the form of a question. Throughout its run, the show has regularly offered auditions for potential contestants, taking place in the Los Angeles area and occasionally in other locations throughout the United States. Unlike those of many other game shows, Jeopardy!s audition process involves passing a test of knowledge on a diversity of subjects, approximating the breadth of material encountered by contestants on the show. Since 2006, an online screener test is conducted annually. Eligibility requirements As with all television game shows, there are rules in place for who is allowed to appear as a contestant on Jeopardy! Competitors in the regular episodes must be 18 years of age or older; contestants in the College Championship must be full-time undergraduates without any previous bachelor's degree; competitors in the Teen Tournament must be between the ages of 13 and 17 years; and, in the past, contestants in Kids Week were between the ages of 10 and 12 years. Those ineligible to compete on Jeopardy! include candidates for political offices, employees of Sony Pictures Entertainment and its subsidiaries (including the show's production company, Sony Pictures Television), distributor CBS Media Ventures, and television stations that broadcast Jeopardy! and/or its sister show, Wheel of Fortune, as well as family members, relatives, and acquaintances of such employees. Also excluded are individuals who have appeared as contestants on a different nationally broadcast game show of any format (including dating shows, relationship shows, and reality shows), within the past year, on three such shows within the past ten years, or on any episode of Jeopardy! itself (including Super Jeopardy!) produced since the current version debuted in 1984. Historical practices In the original version, prospective contestants could call the Jeopardy! office in New York to make a preliminary determination of eligibility and arrange an appointment to audition. Approximately 10 to 30 individuals would audition at the Jeopardy! office at once, the process lasting about an hour and a half, and usually involving a written test, a briefing, and a mock game. Contestants invited to play on the show were generally invited within six weeks of auditioning. When the current version of Jeopardy! premiered in 1984, prospective contestants were given a 50-question written test, with 35 being a passing score.