FRANKFURT — "Jeopardy" game show host Alex Trebek asked the crowd filling the Frankfurt Playhouse whether their audition test was pink or blue.

Blue? "Oh, you got the easy one," he said.

Easy for him. Of the 63 contestant hopefuls at the show's audition Saturday, only three passed and went on to the personality interview and the mockup "Jeopardy" game.

Besides Frankfurt, there will be auditions today in Heidelberg, Stuttgart on Tuesday and Berlin on Wednesday and Saturday, The show's search team will select at least three people to appear on the game show in the spring. The auditions are sponsored by the USO.

Applicants were chosen by random drawing Dec. 7.

Dave Schneider, Phil Hughes and Army Maj. Linn Hogue, the selectees from the Frankfurt audition, said they were fairly confident of passing the test.

" I knew the questions I answered were right," Schneider said. He said he left about five questions blank.

"1 never watch TV or listen to the radio, so I couldn't even attempt an answer to questions about them, like what was the song Pat Boone sang in some movie from the '50s.

"The stuff on the test was something you had to know," Schneider said. "I mean when someone asks, 'Who was the first Holy Roman emperor?' you have to know it we Charlemagne. You can't guess."

Schneider said the first part of the test was made up of more serious questions, but "the last part was pure trivia. And then to get up there during the mock game and having to hit the bell first, your reflexes have got to be good."

But tension still an high.

"My palms are still wet," Schneider said. "I could still feel the tension when my name was read off saying I had passed."

People began lining up outside the Frankfurt Playhouse at 9 a.m. for the 10 a.m. contestant search. Sonic had husbands, wives and children in tow for moral support. Others were alone. They talked, chewed fingernails, smoked cigarettes and shifted from foot to foot.

Penny Larson from Ramstein AB drove an hour and a half to Frankfurt for the audition. Her daughter, Chelsey Freeman, auditioned last month in the States. Freeman. passed the test, but couldn't make it on the show as a contestant because she was too old.

"They were looking for teens for a teen show, and Chelsey is 18, just one month too old," Larson said.

As the contestant hopefuls filed in, they received an answer sheet and application. After everyone arrived, they sat down in the auditorium and began the audition test.

They had 13 minutes. Agonizing minutes, said one contestant later. The 50-question general knowledge test included questions on math, mythology, '50s music, cartoons, history, television and the movies.

"It was hard, unbelievably hard," Larson said. "I'm not telling my daughter I didn't pass either."

After the tests were gathered for grading, the roomful of participants were joined by those who came with them, and they were able to talk with Trebek.

"I've taken both tests," Trebek said, "and I only have about 86 percent. So, those of you who don't pass, please don't feel bad. You are in the majority."

Trebek said usually less than 10 percent of 70 people taking the test will pass it and move on.

"Just being selected to be here is saying something for you."

Game show officials would not say what a passing score on the test was.

After one or two questions on how long he would be in Germany and where the show is filmed, hands were raised for a chance to ask something a little more personal of the popular game show host.

"Do you really travel with your mom?" one young lady asked. She said she read that in a magazine.

"No, but Mom lives with me. Actually, she takes care of my house because I'm on the road an awful lot," Trebek said. He said he will average 134 days on the road this year, either doing contestant searches or promotional tours for the show.

When asked if he thought his show suffered because there is no one on the show like the popular Vanna White with "Wheel of Fortune," he said "Jeopardy" doesn't really lend itself to having a co-host.

"But I try to compensate that by asking Vanna out. You know, people think she's not too smart, but actually she is quite intelligent.

"She always turns me down."