The 1% Club viewers were left questioning whether the show’s latest challenge really deserved its reputation as a 1% question after contestants were faced with a puzzle that simply required them to count dots.
Hosted by Lee Mack, the ITV quiz show sees 100 players put their logic and common sense to the test, with the ultimate goal of reaching the notoriously difficult final question.
The show’s 1% question is designed to be so challenging that, on average, only 1% of the UK population is expected to answer it correctly.
But the latest final challenge had viewers divided.
Fans of The 1% Club have called out the show for its ‘easiest’ question ever
Could You Count the Dots?
During Saturday’s episode, just three contestants — Courtney, Wayne and Sam — made it through to the floor for the chance to tackle the final question and win a share of the £96,000 jackpot.
They were presented with a deceptively simple question:
“How many dots (i.e. ‘.’) – including any used in punctuation and letters… – are used in writing this question?”
Courtney was unable to make it through the final hurdle.
Wayne and Sam, however, both came up with the correct answer.
The answer was 17.
The explanation required contestants to count every dot appearing in the question, including the dots above certain letters, those included in the punctuation and the dots specifically referenced within the question itself.
Viewers Brand It ‘Embarrassing’
While only two of the three finalists answered correctly, some viewers watching at home were convinced the challenge was far too straightforward for a question carrying the show’s famous 1% label.
One fan wrote: “Embarrassing that counting dots was a 1% question.”
Another agreed, saying: “This was an easy 1% question to be fair.”
A third viewer went even further: “This was the easiest 1% question ever.”
Another admitted that the simplicity of the challenge had left them suspicious.
“We all got 17 and couldn’t believe it was that easy, almost as if there has to be a catch here. Literally just needed to count. The 1% is usually rock hard.”
Despite the criticism, getting the seemingly simple answer right proved extremely valuable for Wayne and Sam.
Because they were the only two contestants to successfully complete the final challenge, they split the £96,000 jackpot between them.
That meant both contestants walked away with £48,000 each.
So, despite the reaction from viewers, the question still provided a dramatic final test — and ultimately delivered a life-changing payday for the two contestants who managed to count all 17 dots correctly.