Each row can be decomposed into four terms. The numbers in parentheses indicate the lengths of words in these terms. In each case, the terms are four items from a set of five. The following table shows the groups and the missing fifth items.
| Items given | Group | Missing item |
|---|---|---|
| Jackie, Michael, Jermaine, Marlon | The Jackson 5 | Tito |
| France, China, United Kingdom, United States | UN permanent veto powers | Russia |
| Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy | First 5 books of the Bible | Exodus |
| Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie | The Simpsons | Bart |
| Ontario, Huron, Superior, Michigan | Great Lakes | Erie |
| Queen, Rook, Knight, Bishop | Chess pieces | King |
| Radagast, Saruman, Alatar, Pallando | Wizards (Lord of the Rings) | Gandalf |
| Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia | Continents | Australia |
| Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday | Work days | Monday |
| Water, Fire, Space, Air | Classical elements in Hinduism | Earth |
| Bitter, Sour, Salty, Umami | Tastes | Sweet |
| Zakāt, Salat, Shahada, Sawm | Pillars of Islam | Hajj |
| Polonium, Sulfur, Selenium, Tellurium | Chalcogens (group 16) | Oxygen |
| Who, What, When, Where | The Five Ws | Why |
The first letters spell the clue phrase, TREBEK GAME SHOW, the solution to which is
JEOPARDY