‘Sus’ made it onto Jeopardy!

If you need any other confirmation that Among Us is everywhere — here’s another. The social deduction game starring humanoid beans has made it all the way to Jeopardy! In an episode that aired on April 7, Innersloth’s game was referenced in the following clue: “Slang adjective for someone you think is not what they seem, especially if they might be the imposter in the game ‘Among Us.’”

The correct answer was, of course, “sus” — short for “suspicious” or “suspect.” It’s a shorthand that you’ve probably heard dozens of times if you’ve played the game; it’s become synonymous with figuring out whodunnit. Maybe a friend caught you walking away from a murder scene or jumping an air vent. Or maybe you just looked a little too comfortable calling out someone as the imposter.

That said, “sus” didn’t originate from Among Us. The word has far less savory origins. In the 1930s, in England and Wales, it was used as police jargon in the form of “sussing something out,” for example. By the 2000s, in the United States, the slang was mostly used in the context we think of now. The term also has homophobic connotations, as being “sus” has been used in music lyrics — and on streaming and social media platforms — to turn queerness into a punchline.

If you were wondering, it was contestant Mattea Roach who jumped in and answered the Jeopardy! clue correctly. She won that day’s competition, and currently has a nice three-day streak going.