Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestants struggle with notable questions

Various instances of contestants on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? have gained attention for failing to answer questions perceived as simple by many viewers.

In a 1999 episode of the American version, statistician Toby Moore reached the 500,000 USD question. The question asked which character was not a Pokémon, with the options being Jigglypuff, Frodo, Squirtle, and Pikachu. After using a 50:50 lifeline to eliminate Squirtle and Pikachu, Moore chose to walk away with 250,000 USD rather than risk answering, as he was unsure between Jigglypuff and Frodo. The correct answer was Frodo.

In a 2020 episode of the British version, retired science teacher Pat Lucas struggled with a 2,000 GBP question regarding the meaning of a skull and crossbones symbol on a yellow background. Despite using a 50:50 lifeline to narrow the choices to toxic and hazardous to the environment, Lucas incorrectly selected the latter. The correct answer was toxic.