This author’s wish to use different ink colors to represent multiple POV’s was granted in 2012, 83 years after the novel’s publication

On the January 16, 2026, episode of Jeopardy, the Final Jeopardy clue in the category “American Novelists” challenged contestants with a piece of literary trivia that connects a writer’s innovative vision with a long-delayed publishing decision. The clue read: “This author’s wish to use different ink colors to represent multiple POV’s was granted in 2012, 83 years after the novel’s publication.”

This fascinating clue pointed to a well-known American modernist who experimented with narrative structure and perspective in groundbreaking ways.

Who is William Faulkner?

The correct response was: Who is William Faulkner? In 1929, Faulkner published The Sound and the Fury, a novel that would become a cornerstone of American literature and a prime example of literary modernism. The novel is known for its stream-of-consciousness technique and for being told through four different narrators, each with a distinct perspective and voice. Faulkner once remarked that he had envisioned printing the novel with different colored inks to help readers distinguish between the various narrative shifts, particularly in the complex first section narrated by the cognitively disabled Benjy Compson.

However, technological and financial limitations of the time made it impossible for publishers to honor that request. Readers were left to navigate the challenging structure without visual aids. It wasn’t until 2012 that the Folio Society released a special edition of The Sound and the Fury featuring 14 different colors of ink to indicate changes in time and narrator. This edition fulfilled Faulkner’s original artistic vision more than eight decades after the book’s release.

Faulkner’s Narrative Experimentation

Faulkner’s body of work is marked by stylistic innovation and a focus on the American South. The Sound and the Fury is set in fictional Yoknapatawpha County, a setting he would use in many of his novels. The novel tells the story of the decline of the Compson family, using fragmented chronology and multiple viewpoints. Its first section, narrated by Benjy, is especially disorienting, shifting rapidly in time without clear markers.

Faulkner later admitted that he had hoped to clarify these shifts with color coding. He explained this to Jean Stein in a 1956 interview, expressing that the use of colored inks would have made the novel more accessible. While publishers rejected the idea at the time, citing cost and practicality, it became one of the most famous “what-ifs” in American publishing history.

The 2012 Folio Society Edition

In 2012, The Folio Society collaborated with scholars to produce the edition Faulkner had envisioned. The special release employed 14 ink colors to mark the chronological shifts in Benjy’s section, making it easier for readers to follow the sequence of events. This edition also included an appendix prepared by Faulkner in 1946, which he had written to help clarify the narrative for readers.

While this edition was not mass-marketed and remained a specialty item, it was widely praised by literary critics and academics. It represented a rare case in which a deceased author’s original creative vision was finally realized, offering readers a new way to engage with the complex narrative structure of the novel.

Faulkner’s Legacy in American Literature

William Faulkner won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949, with the committee citing his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel. Works like As I Lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom!, and Light in August cemented his reputation as a master of stream-of-consciousness writing and psychological depth. His exploration of themes such as memory, family, race, and decay within the context of the American South continues to be studied and debated.

The Sound and the Fury remains one of his most analyzed works, and the colored ink edition adds another dimension to understanding Faulkner’s vision. The 2012 publication did not change the text itself but instead enhanced its presentation, allowing readers to approach the novel with greater clarity—particularly in its most challenging section.

A Milestone in Literary History

This Final Jeopardy clue highlighted not just a trivia fact but a remarkable moment in literary history. Faulkner’s idea, once thought impractical, eventually came to life thanks to advancements in printing and a renewed interest in authorial intent. The story behind this edition underscores the enduring influence of Faulkner’s work and the continual evolution of how literature is read and interpreted.

For fans of literature and Jeopardy alike, this clue offered a rare glimpse into the intersection of artistic ambition and publishing innovation. It was a fitting tribute to one of America’s most respected literary figures.