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JL Million Pound Question 1

Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn Bowen's original £1,000,000 question, which was later deemed ambiguous.

In Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, a bad question is a question which the producers deemed had an error that affected the contestant's gameplay. Most bad questions fall under one of these categories:

A bad question can also appear in a Fastest Finger First question when it has an answer that, considering the question, can be interpreted in multiple ways, in such a way that affects the correct order.

The production team has been warning contestants as of late that if an ambiguous question were to appear, they should choose the best answer.

Procedure[]

Calling Out a Bad Question[]

A contestant can object the answer to a question as soon as their game has stopped, either immediately after (such as in David Honea's case), or after their show was taped and they returned home (such as in Ed Toutant's case, who sent a letter to the production team politely pointing out he fell victim to a bad question).

As stated in the rules, producers may only bring back contestants at their sole discretion, so being guaranteed a spot back in the game is not always assured.

Return[]

JL Million Pound Question 2

Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn Bowen's second £1,000,000 question, which they decided not to answer.

The way that a contestant would restart their game (if they were allowed back) has varied from time-to-time. In some cases, the contestant would be awarded the money had they answered correctly and restart their game at that point (as in Honea's case, who received $64,000 and restarted on the next question, $125,000). In other cases, their game would be restarted at a point before the faulty question, usually asking the contestant a question worth whatever they were going for at the time of their loss (as in Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn Bowen's case, who got to play another £1,000,000 question). In any of those two cases, the contestant would have whatever lifelines they had up until that point.

At least one time the show gave the contestant the option to receive whatever money they should have won had they answered the bad question correctly, or the option to return to the game and redo the faulty question (the only known person to receive these options is Patrick Pugh, who chose the latter).

Ohappy Andrey Norkin

Andrey Norkin

In O, Schastlivchik!, the first Russian version of Millionaire, on December 30, 1999 (a New Year's Special episode), celebrity contestant Andrey Norkin was asked, "What was the name of the magic institute in the movie "Magicians"?" The answers were A: NUDA, B: NUINU, C: NIICHAVO and D: NIITAVO as options. Andrey answered B: NUINU, but the right answer was revealed to be C: NIICHAVO. As a result, Andrey went home with nothing. Note: This is due to the fact that in the book "Monday begins on Saturday", on which the film "Magicians" was based and filmed, indeed, the NIICHAVO Institute appears (Scientific Research Institute of Sorcery and Wizardry). However, in the film this institute was renamed and called NUINU.) In the next program, Andrey was issued an apology and was invited to play again, but he never returned.

In Kto khochet stat' millionerom?, the second Russian version of Millionaire, on March 5, 2001, a 16,000 rubles question was asked without a correct option. Yelena Gubar decided to take 8,000 rubles, but Maxim Galkin reported an error and apologized to Yelena, telling her that she would continue in the next episode and that she would start again from 8,000 rubles. As a result, on March 7, 2001, she won 64,000 rubles.

On August 3, 2001, a bad question was asked on Baak Maan Fu Yung, the Hong Kong version of Millionaire, where contestant Tong Yin Man had a question with two correct answers. The question was, "How many strokes does the Chinese character "龜" (turtle) have?" with A: 14 strokes, B: 16 strokes, C: 18 strokes and D: 20 strokes as choices. He guessed C: 18 strokes, but the right answer was revealed to be B: 16 strokes. However, both A and B were later revealed to be correct. Because he answered the question incorrectly, he left with HK$8,000 (the amount of the first safety net), but on August 6, 2001, he was invited to the studio to continue the game and won HK$60,000 (coincidentally the amount of the second safety net).

WWTBAM UK Stephen Parker

Stephen Parker's £64,000 question.

On the British version of Millionaire, on September 8, 2001, Stephen Parker had a £64,000 question with two correct options. He was asked, "What was the middle name of 18th century-born playwright Richard Sheridan?" with Brinsley, Butler, Blake and Boynton as choices. Stephen answered B: Butler, but it was revealed that A: Brinsley was correct. As a result, Stephen left with £32,000. However, it was later revealed that the playwright's full name was Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan, meaning both A and B were correct answers. Due to the mistake, Stephen was invited for a second attempt, which aired October 16, 2001. He was allowed to continue playing with £64,000, meaning that production accepted his answer as being correct. He walked away on the next question with £64,000.

In Austria, on Die Millionenshow, on March 15, 2002, contestant Peter Prinz, for €15,000, was asked a bad question: "Who won a silver medal in swimming at the Olympic Games in 1952?" However, all the answers were incorrect, with neither A: Johnny Weissmüller, B: Bud Spencer, C: Gunther Philipp or D: Bruno Kreisky having done so. On the April 5, 2002 episode, he continued his run.

Andrey Shakhmatov bad question

Andrey Shakhmatov

On Kto vozmyot million?, the first version of Millionaire broadcast in Kazakhstan, on June 8, 2002, when the Ask The Audience lifeline was used, the largest proportion of the audience were wrong. During Andrey Shakhmatov's run (the uncle of contestant Yury Kuvshinnikov), 71% of the audience voted for an incorrect answer, and just 23% were right. Later, it was found out that the computer had made an error, and 71% of the audience were actually correct. This is the only known case in the history of the franchise when the computer was wrong. Two days later, the editors phoned Andrey and reported the error and said that he could continue his game on the 10th question in the first game of the new cycle of episodes. They also said that the host will not say anything about the error on the air. Andrey continued the game as mentioned, and his episode aired two weeks later.

On the Wer wird Millionär?, the German version of Millionaire, in February 2003, there was a question that had multiple correct answers. Astrid Bäck had stumbled when Günther Jauch asked her the question, "Every rectangle is a ...?". The four possible answers: A: rhombus, B: square, C: trapezoid and D: parallelogram. Astrid decided to walk away with €8,000. The correct answer was revealed to be D: parallelogram, but Günther revealed later in the show that trapezoid was also correct. The contestant, confused by the strange answers, was allowed to appear again.

Also on Wer wird Millionär?, on October 10, 2005, contestant Matthias Pohl (the only contestant to take part in the show twice because of this error, as contestants are normally permitted to appear only once) returned because of a question with four incorrect answers. The €500,000 question was: "Which Nobel laureate for physics was a multiple national football player of his country?" with A: Gustav Hertz, B: Niels Bohr, C: Pierre Curie and D: Henri Becquerel as options. All options were incorrect. The contestant answered B: Niels Bohr, but left with €16,000. As a result, it was revealed that such a laureate in the new 30-volume Brockhaus reference book is missing. On the episode airing October 29, 2005, Matthias did not take risks and walked away €125,000.

On Ai Là Triệu Phú, the Vietnamese version of Millionaire, in 2005, a male contestant left empty-handed due to a bad question, which was: "Which country invented Arabic numerals?". He answered India, which was revealed to be incorrect. It later turned out that his answer was correct, so he got invited back. On his second run, he took the money on a question before the second safety net.

On Qui veut gagner des millions?, the French version of Millionaire, on June 18, 2008, a female contestant returned to the show following an error during her first appearance on April 14, 2008. The question that was worth €6,000 was: "In Greek mythology, what is ambrosia?". The answers were: A: A beverage, B: A food, C: A nymph and D: A garment. The contestant answered A: A beverage, but the correct answer was revealed to be B: A food. After the broadcast, the editors found that some beverages are considered food, so the answer A: A beverage was considered accurate. The contestant returned and the answer was accepted, so she was allowed to continue on the next question, worth €12,000. She won €12,000.

In the Hot Seat format in Vietnam, 2 contestants lost on bad questions. One of them later returned, and went on to win ₫5,000,000.

Milionerzy Ola Bojarska

Ola Bojarska

On Milionerzy, the Polish version of Millionaire, on March 16, 2017, contestant Ola Bojarska had a 10,000 złotys question without a correct answer. The question was: "Which of these didn't appear in the feature film before the presidency?". The answers were A: Donald Trump, B: Ronald Reagan, C: Lech Kaczyński and D: Václav Havel. Ola answered C: Lech Kaczyński but the right answer was revealed to be D: Václav Havel, and she left with 1,000 złotys, the amount of the first safety net. She has not returned for a second try, however.

Also on Baak Maan Fu Yung, in the pilot episode, contestant Ray Fong had a HK$1,000 question with an incorrect answer being revealed as correct. The question was: "With which film was Cecilia Cheung awarded a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Newcomer?" The answers were A: King of Comedy, B: Fly Me to Polaris, C: The Legend of Speed and D: Wu Yen. Fong answered A: King of Comedy, which was revealed to be correct. However, the correct answer was later understood to be B: Fly Me to Polaris. Cecilia Cheung was nominated for both King of Comedy and Fly Me to Polaris, but she was awarded for the latter.

Incorrect Answers Accepted as Correct[]

Wwtbam error2

Tony Kennedy's question, whose answer, originally deemed correct, later turned out to be wrong.

There are some cases of contestants answering a question originally deemed correct by the production team, but later found out to be wrong. For example, Tony Kennedy was asked on the British version of Millionaire: "Theoretically, what is the the [sic] minimum number of strokes with which a tennis player can win a set?", with 12, 24, 36, and 48 as choices. He answered 24, which was revealed to be correct; the logic being four shots to win a game, with six games in a set. However, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported the next day that 12 was the correct answer; the process being as a server, acing four times, the minimum required to win a game; as a receiver, the opponent double-faulting on each serve). The show acknowledged, but despite this, Kennedy was allowed to keep his prize money (an eventual £125,000).[1]

Rejecting Bad Questions[]

Rick Rosner

Richard Rosner's question, which he later claimed had no correct answer.

There are some cases of the show disallowing the return of contestants who believed that they were victims of bad questions. One such case is Richard Rosner's, who was asked for $16,000: "What capital city is located at the highest altitude above sea level?" with the answers A: Mexico City, B: Quito, C: Bogota, and D: Kathmandu. Rick answered D: Kathmandu, but the answer was revealed to be B: Quito (Kathmandu is about half the altitude of Quito).[2]

However, Rosner claimed that due to the way the question is phrased, the question is asking "What is the highest capital city in the world?", and since La Paz, which is the highest capital, was not listed in the choices, the question had no correct answer and he sued. The show then decided that did not matter: "After reading your letters and reviewing our research, we continue to believe that the answer to your $16,000 question is correct [...] Of the four capital cities given as answer choices, Quito is the highest and, thus, is the correct answer [...] Under these circumstances, we do not believe that a return trip to the show is warranted in your case".[3] Even though the show rejected it, Rosner insisted and started a letter-campaign.[4] As of January 2023, the show has not brought him back.

Armenia[]

1. Margar Makhsudyan (August 28, 2003) [5]


֏64,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
What divides the Earth into two equal parts?
"Ask the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: ? ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: ? ⬥ D: ?
Options "Greenwich Meridian" and "the Equator" are correct answers.

UK[]

1. Tony Kennedy (March 8, 1999)


£64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
Theoretically, what is the minimum number of strokes with which a tennis player can win a set?
⬥ A: Twelve ⬥ B: Twenty Four
⬥ C: Thirty six ⬥ D: Fourty eight
His answer was incorrect. The correct answer was A: Twelve. (assuming one's opponent makes a double fault on every serve)

2. Stephen Parker (September 8, 2001)


£64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
What was the middle name of 18th century-born playwright Richard Sheridan?
"Ask the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: Brinsley ⬥ B: Butler
⬥ C: Blake ⬥ D: Boynton
Ask the Audience Results: A: 28% ⬥ B: 22% ⬥ C: 30% ⬥ D: 20%
The correct answers were both A: Brinsley and B: Butler.

3. Des Lynam and Mary Nightingale (December 25, 2002)


£64,000 (11 of 15) - Not timed
Which word with a theatrical connection derives from the Greek meaning 'to dance'?
⬥ A: Chorus ⬥ B: Orchestra
⬥ C: Apron ⬥ D: Proscenium
The correct answers were both A: Chorus and B: Orchestra.

4. Dave Foster (March 1, 2003)


£200 (2 of 15) - Not timed
If something surprising happens, it is said to 'take the...' what?
⬥ A: Cake ⬥ B: Biscuit
⬥ C: Gingerbread ⬥ D: Crossiant
The correct answers were both A: Cake and B: Biscuit.

5. Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn Bowen (February 11, 2006)


£1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not timed
Translated from the Latin, what is the motto of the United States?
⬥ A: In God we trust ⬥ B: One out of many
⬥ C: All as one ⬥ D: Striving together
Both A and B were correct.

The answer is "One out of many" (translated from "e pluribus unum"), but the United States also uses "In God we trust".

Ireland[]

1. Shane O'Doherty (June 2001)


IR£250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
Where is the lunula?
'Phone a Friend' lifeline used
⬥ A: Heart ⬥ B: Fingernail
⬥ C: Eye ⬥ D: Ear
This was an ambiguous question.

U.S.[]

1. David Honea (August 19, 1999)

$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following Great Lakes is the largest in area?
⬥ A: Lake Huron ⬥ B: Lake Michigan
⬥ C: Lake Ontario ⬥ D: Lake Erie
Lake Michigan is larger in volume than Lake Huron, but not in area, meaning that David's original answer was correct.

2. Doug Van Gundy (August 19, 1999)

$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
What mode of transportation was once nickname the 'iron horse'?
'Ask the Audience' lifeline used
⬥ A: Motorcycle ⬥ B: Locomotive
⬥ C: Mechanized Plow ⬥ D: Automobile
Ask the Audience Results: A: 8% ⬥ B: 77% ⬥ C: 8% ⬥ D: 7%
The correct answers were both A: Motorcycle and B: Locomotive.

3. Tim Shields (January 14, 2000)

$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
Alexander Graham Bell's work on what device led him to the invention of the telephone?
⬥ A: Phonograph ⬥ B: Mimeograph
⬥ C: Electronic hearing aid ⬥ D: Telegraph
None of the four answers were correct.
$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following is a buckeye?
⬥ A: Tree ⬥ B: Fish
⬥ C: Bird ⬥ D: Deer
The correct answers are Tree and Bird, as a chicken was also called a buckeye as well.

4. Kurt Warkenthien

$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
What TV show did both Woody Allen and Neil Simon write for early in their careers?
⬥ A: Texaco Star Theater ⬥ B: I Love Lucy
⬥ C: Laugh In ⬥ D: Your Show of Shows
None of the answers were correct. The producers decided to give Kurt another chance, but he declined to return.

5. Lori Bailey (November 9, 2000)

$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
Approximately how many years did Michelangelo spend painting the Sistine Chapel?
⬥ A: 4 ⬥ B: 9
⬥ C: 16 ⬥ D: 23
None of the answers were correct.

6. Ed Toutant (January 31, 2001)

$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
Scientists in England recently genetically altered what vegetable so it glows when it needs water?
'Ask the Audience' lifeline used
⬥ A: Potato ⬥ B: Tomato
⬥ C: Cabbage ⬥ D: Carrots
Ask the Audience Results: A: 12% ⬥ B: 64% ⬥ C: 22% ⬥ D: 2%
His answer was correct.

7. Pete Booker (February 4, 2001)

$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
The theme song of which of these TV shows did not become a Top 10 hit on Billboard's pop singles chart?
⬥ A: Mission: Impossible ⬥ B: The Rockford Files
⬥ C: Welcome Back, Kotter ⬥ D: Dragnet
None of the answers were correct.

8. Father Mike Sciumbato (April 17, 2003)

$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these ecological regions often has dense thickets of evergreen trees and shrubs?
⬥ A: ⬥ B:
⬥ C: ⬥ D:
He answered "Sierra" option, but right answer was "Chaparral". But both answers are right. But it turns out evergreen shrubs are found in the sierras.

9. Dick Ebeling (May 5, 2003)

$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
U.S. passports issued to regular citizens have what color cover?
⬥ A: ⬥ B:
⬥ C: ⬥ D:
Dick said "green" option, but the WWTBAM staff had "blue" option. As it turned out, both blue and green covered passports are issued.

10. Rod Townsend (January 30, 2004)

$32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
What is the longest river in the United States?
"50:50" lifeline used
⬥ A: Colorado ⬥ B: Mississippi
⬥ C: Missouri ⬥ D: Rio Grande
Rod said "Mississippi", but the computer flashed "Missouri". The Mississippi is 2,340 miles long and the Missouri is 2,315 miles long.

11. Julianna Suchard (April 9, 2004)

$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
In the 1995 O.J. Simpson criminal trial, the jury deliberated for about how long before it rendered a verdict?
⬥ A: 1-1/2 hours ⬥ B: 4 hours
⬥ C: 5-1/2 hours ⬥ D: 7 hours

12. Dante Constable (May 5, 2006)

$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
What element, like water, has an unusual physical property that causes it to expand when it freezes?
⬥ A: Silicon ⬥ B: Polonium
⬥ C: Bismuth ⬥ D: Fluorine
The correct answers were both A: Silicon and C: Bismuth.

13. Anne Boyd (March 2, 2007)

$25,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these U.S. bodies of water is also known as the "Sea of Cortés"?
"Ask the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: San Francisco Bay ⬥ B: Gulf of California
⬥ C: Tampa Bay ⬥ D: Gulf of Mexico
Ask the Audience Results: A: ?% ⬥ B: 31% ⬥ C: ?% ⬥ D: 49%
This question turned out to be inaccurate, so Anne returned with a new $25,000 question and received back the Ask the Audience lifeline, as she had used it on the inaccurate question.

14. Patrick Pugh (September 25, 2008)

$25,000 (10 of 15) - 30 seconds
Category: Italian
Derived from an old Italian word meaning "coloring," the technical term "coloratura" is used in what field?
"Ask the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: Architecture ⬥ B: Cooking
⬥ C: Dance ⬥ D: Music
Ask the Audience Results: A: 39% ⬥ B: ?% ⬥ C: ?% ⬥ D: 37%
He did eventually give the right answer (which was D), but one of the key words in that question was apparently misspelled. And since he did use a couple of lifelines in that question, he was called back with a choice: either keep the $25,000 that he won, or return and resume at $16,000 with all 4 lifelines (he didn't use any before reaching the above question). Obviously, he chose to return.

France[]

1. ? (April 14, 2008)


€6.000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
In Greek mythology, what is ambrosia?
⬥ A: A beverage ⬥ B: A food
⬥ C: A nymph ⬥ D: A garment
The correct answers are A: A beverage and B: A food.

2. ? (May 29, 2009)


€48.000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Among these historical figures, who was not guillotined during the French Revolution?
⬥ A: Mirabeau ⬥ B: Camille Desmoulins
⬥ C: La Fayette ⬥ D: Philippe d'Orléans
The correct answers are A: Mirabeau and C: La Fayette.

Australia[]

1. Michael Mawson (November 18, 2002)


A$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
The Rosetta Stone is a slab of what?
'50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Alabaster ⬥ B: Basalt
⬥ C: Granite ⬥ D: Obsidian

2. Jerry McBrien (July 7, 2003)[6]


A$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
How many justices sit on the full bench of the High Court of Australia?
'Phone a Friend' lifeline used
⬥ A: Five ⬥ B: Seven
⬥ C: Nine ⬥ D: Eleven
While it is correct that seven judges sit on a full bench, a full court is defined under the Judiciary Act as having two or more judges. Within the legal fraternity, it appears the question could be considered ambiguous as among the options given, the answer of A: Five, as given by Jerry, could also apply.

Russia[]

1. Andrey Norkin (December 30, 1999)


200 rubles (2 of 15) - Not Timed
What was the name Institute of magic in the film "Magicians"?
⬥ A: NUDA ⬥ B: NUINU
⬥ C: NIICHAVO ⬥ D: NIITAVO
His answer was correct.

2. Yelena Gubar (March 5, 2001)

3. Sergey Donya (December 17, 2001)


16,000 rubles (9 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these chemical elements does not exist?
"50:50" and "Phone-a-Friend" lifelines used
⬥ A: Curium ⬥ B: Nobelium
⬥ C: Rutherfordium ⬥ D: Einsteinium
Sergey used his 50:50 and Phone-A-Friend lifelines and answered C: Rutherfordium. However, all the answers are incorrect, since all of these elements exist.

4. Aglaya Shilovskaya and Ivan Kolesnikov (November 9, 2019)


15,000 rubles (7 of 15) - Not Timed
Which city is on the Irtysh River?
"Ask the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: Omsk ⬥ B: Krasnoyarsk
⬥ C: Khanty-Mansiysk ⬥ D: Yakutsk
Ask the Audience Results: A: 67% ⬥ B: 12% ⬥ C: 15% ⬥ D: 6%
There are two correct answers in this question. Both Omsk and Khanty-Mansiysk stand on the Irtysh River. However, this was not noticed by production.

Poland[]

1. Janusz Kornecki (Unknown date, probably October 2000)


32 000 zł (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Who invented the steam engine exploiting circular motion?
'Phone-a-Friend' lifeline used
⬥ A: James Watt ⬥ B: Rudolf Diesel
⬥ C: Thomas Newcomen ⬥ D: Charles Algernon Parsons
His answer was correct.

2. Waldemar Jabłoński (Unknown date, probably 2001)


500 zł (4 of 15) - Not Timed
How many cuts are on kaiser rolls?
⬥ A: 3 ⬥ B: 4
⬥ C: 5 ⬥ D: 6
His answer was correct.

3. Ola Bojarska (March 16, 2017)


10 000 zł (5 of 12) - Not Timed
Which of these president didn't appear in the feature film before the presidency?
⬥ A: Donald Trump ⬥ B: Ronald Reagan
⬥ C: Lech Kaczyński ⬥ D: Vaclav Havel
There was no correct answer.

Croatia[]

1. Sunčica Dimić (January 16, 2003)[7][8]


500.000 Kn (14 of 15) - Not timed
Who was not the husband of Alme Mahler?
⬥ A: Franz Kafka ⬥ B: Gustav Mahle
⬥ C: Walter Gropius ⬥ D: Oscar Kokoschka
Sunčica walked away with 250.000 kuna. She would’ve gone with B: Gustav Mahle, which would’ve been wrong. The correct answers were both A: Franz Kafka and D: Oscar Kokoschka, though it's unknown what the correct answer was revealed to be.

Czech Republic[]

1. Karel Lupoměský (December 12, 2000)


1,250,000 Kč (12 of 15) - Not Timed
What is a Roman-army called the military section of 120 to 150 men?
⬥ A: cohort ⬥ B: centuries
⬥ C: legion ⬥ D: maniple

Slovakia[]

1. Emil Galoci (May 25, 2001)

3,000 Sk (4 of 15) - Not Timed
What is the name of the principles mainly in the higher social cricles?
⬥ A: ? ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: ethics ⬥ D: etiquette
The correct answers were both C: ethics and D: etiquette.

2. Jaroslav Beňovič (December 3, 2002)

10,000 Sk (6 of 15) - Not Timed
Salume mortadella has form made of:
'Phone-a-Friend' and '50:50' lifelines used
⬥ A: cylinder ⬥ B: dice
⬥ C: pyramid ⬥ D: ball
His answer was correct.

3. František Krasňanský (April 27, 2004)


2,000,000 Sk (14 of 15) - Not timed
Which latin slang means in effectum?
⬥ A: with effect ⬥ B: in reality
⬥ C: ? ⬥ D: ?
His answer was correct.

Germany[]

1. Astrid Bäck (January 31, 2003)


€16.000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Every rectangle is a ...?
"Phone-a-Friend" lifeline used
⬥ A: Rhombus ⬥ B: Square
⬥ C: Trapezoid ⬥ D: Parallelogram
In fact, with the parallelogram and the square, two answers were correct. The candidate decided at the time, however, to get out without an answer to the question. Nevertheless, given the mistake in the question, she was allowed to come back.

2. Matthias Pohl (2005)

3. Niklas Bayer-Eynck (January 11, 2021)


€125.000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
Who is the groom in the popular folk song 'Die Vogelhochzeit'?
"Ask One of the Audience" lifeline used
⬥ A: Blackbird ⬥ B: Thrush
⬥ C: Finch ⬥ D: Star

Austria[]

1. Peter Prinz (March 15, 2002)


€15.000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Who won a silver medal in swimming at the Olympic Games in 1952?
⬥ A: Johnny Weissmüller ⬥ B: Bud Spencer
⬥ C: Gunther Philipp ⬥ D: Bruno Kreisky
Peter gave his answer as A: Johnny Weissmüller, but the right answer was revealed to be B: Bud Spencer. Spencer was best known for being an actor but had previously reached the semi-final of the 100m freestyle at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. Out of curiosity, Peter reportedly wanted to find out which of the four had won a silver medal and discovered that none of the four answers had won a silver medal in 1952, but Japanese Hiroshi Suzuki had won it instead. After it was proven that none of the answers were correct, Peter was given a second chance to appear on the show. His winnings from his second appearance are unknown.

India[]

1. Aditya Singh (September 24, 2005)

Norway[]

1. Bjørn Øystein (Unknown Date)


100,000 Kr. (10 of 15) - Not timed
What kind of material was the Kon-Tiki fleet built?
⬥ A: Bamboo ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: Balsam ⬥ D: ?
The answers were both A: Bamboo and C: Balsam.

Italy[]

1. Carla Cogo (January 2, 2006)
2. ? (June 8, 2011)

Hong Kong[]

1. Tong Yin Man (August 3, 2001)


HK$30,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
How many strokes does the Chinese character "龜" (turtle) has?
⬥ A: 14 strokes ⬥ B: 16 strokes
⬥ C: 18 strokes ⬥ D: 20 strokes
The correct answer are both A: 16 and B: 18.

2. Ling Wing Kuen and Ling Shuk Ling (November 9, 2001)


HK$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the Solar System has only sixteen satellites?
⬥ A: Mars ⬥ B: Saturn
⬥ C: Jupiter ⬥ D: Uranus
Jupiter had 28 known satellites back then, 16 of them were named.

2. Ray Fong (January 2018)


HK$1,000 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
With which film Cecilia Cheung was awarded the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Newcomer?
⬥ A: King of Comedy ⬥ B: Fly Me to Polaris
⬥ C: The Legend of Speed ⬥ D: Wu Yen
The correct answer is actually B. Cecilia Cheung was nominated with both King of Comedy and Fly Me to Polaris, but she was awarded for the latter.
HK$10,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
What is the adult single ride fare of Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui during holidays?
⬥ A: HK$3.3 ⬥ B: HK$3.5
⬥ C: HK$3.7 ⬥ D: HK$3.9
The correct answer is HK$3.7 for upper deck and HK$3.1 for lower deck.
HK$20,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following is not a weak acid?
⬥ A: Carbonic acid (H2CO3) ⬥ B: Nitric acid (HNO3)
⬥ C: Acetic acid (CH3COOH) ⬥ D: Citric Acid (C3H4)
The chemical formula of citric acid is C6H8O7.

Japan[]

1. Akihiro Uchimura(April 2001)

¥2,500,000 (12 of 15) - Not timed
Which country won the most gold medals at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics?
⬥ A: Russia ⬥ B: America
⬥ C: Norway ⬥ D: Germany
His answer was incorrect. Norway won 2 gold medals in Alpine skiing, 4 in Biathlon, 5 in Cross Country skiing, 1 in Curling and 1 in Freestyle skiing. As a result that Norway won 13 gold medals and not 11, making C the right answer.

Turkey[]

1. Nevzat Başaran (March 2002) (Kim 500 Milyar İster?)

? (? of 15) - Not Timed
How many stars does the flag of the EU have?
"50:50" lifeline used
⬥ A: 12 ⬥ B: 13
⬥ C: 14 ⬥ D: 15
When the baffled Başaran used the "50:50" lifeline, the computer dropped the correct answer "12" next to the "13". The contestant decided among the remaining options for the "14", but the host also declared false "15" for the correct solution, Bazaran quit. Now the chance contestant is to be re-invited to the show, reported the Turkish newspaper "Hürriyet". The production company confused the number of stars with the number of member states.

When the difference between the question and answer was understood after the competition, the program team invited the contestant Nevzat Başaran back to the program. Fatih Aksoy, Coordinator of the production company Med Yapım said, "The questions of the competition are prepared with great care. But from time to time such errors can occur. There are 15 countries in the European Union and 12 stars in the flag. The contestant answered the question 14. However, as we realized that the problem was not clear, we called the contestant back. Nevzat Bey, this question will continue to be ignored yer" he said.

Vietnam[]

1. ? (2005)

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
Which country invented the Arabic numerals?
⬥ A: ? ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: ? ⬥ D: ?
The contestant answered "India" option, but right answer was "Arab". However, his original answer was right.

2. ? (June 2008)

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
Where was the poetry village Bàu Trúc located in?
⬥ A: Ninh Thuận ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: Bình Thuận ⬥ D: ?
His answer was correct.

3. ? (November 25, 2008)

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
What microorganisms that animals and plants created will be decomposed to the soil?
⬥ A: Humus ⬥ B: Mineral salts
⬥ C: Fertility ⬥ D: Nutrients

4. Minh Tuấn (December 16, 2008)

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
During the Lam Sơn uprising, who used homing pigeons?
⬥ A: Lê Lợi ⬥ B: Nguyễn Trãi
⬥ C: Nguyễn Chích ⬥ D: Nguyễn Xí
The right answer was Trần Nguyên Hãn.
?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
What properties does the trade wind has?
⬥ A: Dry ⬥ B: Hot
⬥ C: Wet ⬥ D: Cold
The correct answers were both A: Dry and C: Wet.

5. ? (May 19, 2009)[9]

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
Which of the following movies does not have Tăng Thanh Hà playing as a main character?
⬥ A: Bỗng dưng muốn khóc (Wanted to cry suddenly) ⬥ B: Đẹp từng cen ti mét (Beautiful every centimeters)
⬥ C: Hàn Mặc Tử ⬥ D: Mộng Phù Du
There was no correct answer. In fact, if the show asked "Which of the following movies does not have Tăng Thanh Hà playing?", contestant's answer would have been correct.

6. Hoàng Thị Hòa (July 14, 2009)[10]

3,600,000₫ (7 of 15) - Not timed
What ethnic group does Nông Văn Dền belong to?
⬥ A: Yao ⬥ B: Tay
⬥ C: Nung ⬥ D: Hmong
Her answer was correct.

7. ? (November 10, 2009)[11]

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
How many times did the Lyon football team won the Ligue 1 championship?
⬥ A: ? ⬥ B: ?
⬥ C: ? ⬥ D: ?
Contestant answered "7" option, but right answer was "9". However, his original answer was right.

8. ? (Early 2010)

?₫ (? of 15) - Not timed
Which South America countries was the Hevea brasiliensis originated in?
⬥ A: Colombia ⬥ B: Mexico
⬥ C: Ecuador ⬥ D: Argentina
This was an ambiguous question. Mexico is in the Central America.

9. ? (October 2010)

25,000,000₫ (11 of 15) - 45 seconds
Which of the following planet was named after the goddess of beauty and love in Greek mythology?
⬥ A: Mercury ⬥ B: Venus
⬥ C: Jupiter ⬥ D: Mars
This was an ambiguous question. Venus was named after a loving god in Rome mythology, while the goddess of beauty and love in Greek mythology was Aphrodite.

10. ? (December 21, 2010)

?₫ (? of 15) - 30 seconds
As of 2010, how many Vietnamese intangible cultural heritages are recognized by UNESCO?
⬥ A: 3 ⬥ B: 4
⬥ C: 5 ⬥ D: 6
His answer was correct.

11. Trần Trúc Anh (September 9, 2014)

14,000,000₫ (9 of 15) - Not timed
What subject does the Viet theorem applied in?
'The People Speak' lifeline used
⬥ A: Physics ⬥ B: Maths
⬥ C: Biology ⬥ D: Chemistry
The right answer were both A: Physics and B: Maths. The answer D: Chemistry could also apply.

12. ? (2015)

2,000,000₫ (5 of 15) - Not timed
Which of the following congee is different from the others?
⬥ A: Chicken congee ⬥ B: Beef congee
⬥ C: Pork congee ⬥ D: Duck congee

13. Lê Bảo Khánh (March 1, 2016)

40,000,000₫ (12 of 15) - Not timed
The communal house describe characteristics in architecture of which ethnic minorities?
⬥ A: Jarai ⬥ B: Rade
⬥ C: Katu ⬥ D: Chams
The right answers were both A: Jarai and C: Katu. Moreover, Rade people used to live in the communal house, so the option B could also apply.

14. Phạm Thị Quyên (November 22, 2016)

10,000,000₫ (8 of 15) - Not timed
What word is missing in the following proverb about planting experience: "Trẻ trồng đa, già trồng ... "?
'50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Thông (Pine) ⬥ B: Si (banyan)
⬥ C: Xoan (bead tree) ⬥ D: Mít (Jackfruit)
This is considered a bad question, because the incomplete sentence shown in the question lacked a clause, not a word, as stated by some professors and literature researchers.

15. Nguyễn Đức Hảo (May 22, 2018)

400,000₫ (2 of 15) - Not timed
Which of the following towers in Vĩnh Phúc province was recognized as a special national site in Vietnam?
⬥ A: Yến (Swift) ⬥ B: Sáo (Starling)
⬥ C: Sẻ (Passerine) ⬥ D: Sậu (Black-collared Starling)
None of the four answers were correct.

16. Nguyễn Việt Dũng (May 22, 2018)

3,000,000₫ (6 of 15) - Not timed
Which of the following songs are not inspired by poet Xuân Quỳnh's poems?
"50:50" lifeline used
⬥ A: Sóng (Wave) ⬥ B: Thuyền và biển (Boat and sea)
⬥ C: Thơ tình cuối mùa thu (Late fall poem of love) ⬥ D: Chia tay hoàng hôn (Farewell sunset)
While the question seems to be right, however the C option has a critical misspelling problem. It's supposed to be Thư tình cuối mùa thu (Late fall letter of love).

17. Lương Lê An (May 29, 2018)

1,000,000₫ (4 of 15) - Not timed
In a Vietnamese folk tale, what is Trương Chi famous for?
⬥ A: Good singing ⬥ B: Ballet dancing
⬥ C: Fencing ⬥ D: Hiphop dancing
Trương Chi is famous for his flute blowing in the folk tale, not singing.

18. Nguyễn Cao Sơn Thạch (June 5, 2018)

2,000,000₫ (5 of 15) - Not timed
Which of the following words is also a name of a cake?
⬥ A: Cúng (Cozy) ⬥ B: Biếu (Pay tribute)
⬥ C: Dâng (Dedicate) ⬥ D: Cống (Drain)
The right answers were both A and D.

19. Dương Lê Duy (July 31, 2018)

22,000,000₫ (10 of 15) - Not timed
How many countries have territories in both Europe and Asia?
"50:50" lifeline used
⬥ A: 2 ⬥ B: 3
⬥ C: 4 ⬥ D: 5
His answer was incorrect. There were 4 countries with territory in both Europe and Asia: Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

20. Nguyễn Hữu Huy (August 21, 2018)

30,000,000₫ (11 of 15) - Not timed
Who of the following achieved the greatest victory in the Battle of Austerlitz?
⬥ A: Mikhail Kutuzov ⬥ B: Oliver Cromwell
⬥ C: Napoléon Bonaparte ⬥ D: Georgi Zhukov
His answer was incorrect. The right answer was C.

21. Lê Hồng Dương (December 31, 2019)

30,000,000₫ (11 of 15) - Not timed
In 2019, UNESCO had recognized which of the following culinary culture as an intangible cultural heritage?
⬥ A: Kimjang ⬥ B: Traditional Japanese Washoku
⬥ C: The art of making Napoli pizza ⬥ D: France's gastronomic meal
The right answer is actually A. Washoku was recognized in 2013, Napoli pizza was recognized in 2017, and France's gastronomic meal was recognized in 2010.

Trivia[]

  • Minh Tuấn, appeared in December 16, 2008, was the first and only contestant in Millionaire history to received two bad questions in one episode.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Who_Wants_to_be_a_Millionaire%3F
  2. ↑ http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-july-12-2001/moment-of-zen---richard-rosner
  3. ↑ http://www.eonline.com/news/41878/millionaire-player-sues-for-do-over
  4. ↑ http://www.megasociety.net/noesis/150/rosner1.html
  5. ↑ About bad question (in Armenian)
  6. ↑ http://www.oocities.org/televisioncity/studio/3361/wwtbamwri1.html
  7. ↑ http://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20030118/mozaik02.asp
  8. ↑ http://www.novska.in/povijest/novljanka-suncica-dimic-nastupila-u-kvizu-tko-zeli-biti-milijunas
  9. ↑ https://o.voz.vn/showthread.php?t=242099
  10. ↑ https://baomoi.com/ai-la-trieu-phu-nen-tra-loi-ban-xem-truyen-hinh/c/3232630.epi
  11. ↑ https://vtv.vn/goc-khan-gia/cam-on-ai-la-trieu-phu-35617.htm

4. http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/upn62/winners-dt4.html

5. http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/upn62/winners-dt1.html 6. http://lostmediawiki.com/Tim_Shields_2nd_run_on_Who_Wants_to_be_a_Millionaire_(partially_found_American_version_of_gameshow;_2000) 7. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/sep/09/broadcasting

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