‘Jeopardy!’ Fans React to Judge’s ‘Harsh’ Ben Chan Ruling
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the May 23 episode of Jeopardy!]
Nine-day Jeopardy! champ Ben Chan took on retired museum educator Lynn Di Vito and policy communications manager Joe Leserman to continue his record-making reign and increase his total winnings of $252,600.
Host Mayim Bialik joked that Chan could even someday match Ken Jennings’ streak of 65 runaway wins. However, a rocky game for Chan and a harsh ruling from the judges may jeopardize his chances of breaking that streak.
Ben lost $4,200 on a true Daily Double in the first round but retained the lead going into Double Jeopardy with $3,800, Danny at $600, and Lynn with $400. Lynn secured the second Daily Double and took first place by adding $3,000 to her total of $7,200, tying with Ben. During the third Daily Double, Ben dropped $3,000 from his score of $11,200 against Lynn’s $11,600 but played a strong game leading into Final Jeopardy with $17,400, Lynn with $14,800, and $2,400 for Danny.
Jeopardy! Inc.
In Final Jeopardy, in the category of Shakespeare’s Characters, “Both of the names of these 2 lovers in a Shakespeare play come from Latin words for ‘blessed.’” Everyone got the answer incorrect, including 9-day champ Ben, who bet $12,201, and Lynn only bet $3,000, making her the winner with $11,800, Ben at $5,199, and Danny at $1,000. Unfortunately, Ben was a letter off spelling the correct answer, “Beatrice and Benedick,” and spelled Benedict.
Many in the Jeopardy! Subreddit says the ruling from the judges was “harsh.” According to the post, which cites the official Jeopardy! rule book, “If Ben had left off the last letter in his FJ response, it likely would have been accepted, as it would be pronounced the same way as if it was spelled correctly.”
“Oof, heartbreaking way for Ben to lose,” one user said. “Ouch, my heart hurts for Ben. Thanks for all the good times! See you again soon in the ToC,” another said.
Folks on Twitter shared the same sentiment, feeling he was cheated out of victory. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comment section below.
SPOILER ALERT!
🤔#Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/LfYczWZqsM— AC (@ACinPhilly) May 23, 2023
Ben Chan was robbed on #Jeopardy – I knew that “K” in “Benedick” would mess someone up!
— Nether (@NetherBi) May 23, 2023
Imma need Ben to get it together. #jeopardy
— Dweller in the Dale of River (@msorvam) May 23, 2023
#BenChan got screwed in #jeopardy
— THOMAS GERKE (@doctom666) May 23, 2023
@jeopardy really? You kicked Ben because of a spelling error? Had it been a verbal response you would not have known he couldn’t spell it. Ben was robbed. Embarrassing
— David (@chip91161) May 23, 2023
Ben was robbed!!! #jeopardy #swarthmore
— marsh madness (@alex46498227) May 23, 2023
Since when does being off by one letter count in final jep? There’s no other character he could have meant. #jeopardy
— David Peterle (@david_peterle) May 23, 2023
@Jeopardy Yesterday someone was.let go.for misspelling in Final.jeopardy and yet today Ben gets oenalized.for misspelling.Benedic!!.WTH?!!!
— Terry (@TerryMiMi69) May 23, 2023
Lynn doesn’t finish spelling “Juliet” yet it’s ruled as a complete (albeit incorrect) response, and Ben misspells Benedick by one letter and is ruled incorrect. Clearly they knew what he was going for and yet ended his run on a terrible technicality. #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/M9ZjJpfF5h
— Not Mark Wahlberg (@_MarkWithAnM) May 23, 2023
#jeopardy Wait what just happened on Jeopardy!
Are you kidding that you bounced Ben on a technicality??!!
There have been other Final Jeopardy responses with misspelling which were accepted. This has become such an inconsistent policy of late. Get it together.
Bring back Ben!
— Greeneyed Snoopy 🇺🇸🦅 (@LibramoonSnoopy) May 23, 2023
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Conversation51 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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G
Ben really won tonight. Jeopardy doesn't usually penalize for spelling mistake....why did they on tonight's episode?
21 1
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O
It was unfair of Jeopardy to penalize Ben for spelling Benedict with a "t" instead of a "k". Since it was a French play, Ben's spelling should have counted as correct.
21 3
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R
Ben was robbed. He clearly had the correct answer, and should not have been penalized for incorrect spelling. Since when has that mattered? Correct the mistake and bring him back! You should be embarrassed at that harsh ruling.
16 2
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O
I think it should have been counted right! I’m disgusted!!
14 1
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O
It was a wrong response. Of course it didn't count as correct.
1 3
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O
I'm disappointed Ben lost, but it's a long-standing rule that if an incorrect spelling in FJ changes the pronunciation, the answer is wrong. They mention this occasionally, but I wish they'd mention it every time it happens. It might allay a smidge of outrage. Of course, if they had decided to let his spelling mistake go and declare him the winner, there'd be outrage on behalf of the new champion.
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C
I think this show needs to follow one set of rules. We all know Ben was right and should have won. Really gave Ben the shaft, because he knew the answer and so many times you didn’t rule the other players wrong.
If this keeps happening you are going to loose a bunch of viewers.
12 2
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O
I hope the viewers we lose are the whiney ones!
1 2
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O
He gave an incorrect response.
1 3
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P
How exactly do you LOOSE viewers?
It's LOSE as in LOSER.
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O
I don't remember Jeopardy ever penalizing a contestant for spelling. I'm pretty sure I remember Alex Trebek kidding and laughing with previous contestants and saying it's a good thing spelling doesn't count.
11 2
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O
Seriously? This comes up all the time! And spelling does count if it changes the pronunciation.
9 1
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G
This harsh ruling went way to far
,,It leaves a real sur taste I
My mouth for Jeopard! It was CRUEL!
6 2
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O
They don't penalize only when the misspelling is pronounced the same as the correct response.
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G
Sorry for the misspelling of too. I'm furious!
4 1
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O
I've heard several times on Jeopard that wrong spellings don't matter for final Jeopardy. He clearly had the names
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P
Regardless of the 1 letter misspell it was the correct answer he had the first word and the second word except for the last letter is there another answer that includes both of those names.
3 1
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R
It is awful that hr was penalized for that! He had the correct answer and jeopardy always said spelling didn’t matter.
They need to do something! He had the correct answer!
4 2
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O
Bring back Ben. That was a cheap call. We know what he meant.
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P
The fact that Ben was actually knew the names should have been enough to award him the points. The others weren’t even the ballpark.
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G
That's a rip for Ben. Honestly, the judges take things too far.
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G
He should be brought back to play in the future as he had the right answer and spelling for
one letter is unfair and ridiculous.
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O
I loved watching Ben and hated to see him lose. But Benedict and Benedick are two different names, both in spelling and pronunciation!
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P
Ben should be brought back as a co-champion ASAP. He could then defend his title. I have seen many games where misspelling where accepted. Letting Ben back is the only fair thing to do.
2 1
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P
Ben knew the correct answer, he wrote it incorrectly. Benedick and Benedict are two different names. The Judges made the right call.
2 1
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R
I wouldn't have thought they were different names, just different spellings of the same name. That's why so many fans are unhappy with this ruling - it makes the show look inconsistent when sometimes it allows spelling errors - even egregious ones - while disallowing others in the Final Jeopardy responses.
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I agree
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G
Ben won!
Ruling is bordering on racism.
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G
He should have had points taken after his quahog answer!
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B
Harsh ruling and very unfair, but... I was also getting sick of Ben as I am with all the recent multiple winners. Multiple winners used to occur now and then and it was exciting to watch their journey, now it seems to happen every second week. Not sure if it's changes to the game or just the fact it's been on so long. I think it has a little to do with the contestant pool, which seems to be weaker than in the past. For me, they need to find a way to stop having so many contestants with streaks. I literally stop watching when someone starts winning 3 or 4 games as it gets really boring. Most days, Given their really high scores, you knew Ben, and before him Hannah, were going to win even before the first round was over.
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P
I think it is sad that Ben was considered wrong with BenedicT. Sometimes the judges aren't all that strict...
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O
I am appalled by the call made, over a spelling mistake by one crumby letter. Ben won this round! Recall this game and reverse the win back to Ben.
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G
I think it’s a bad ruling. She didn’t finish Juliet!
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O
Her answer was deemed wrong, too, and she lost money. Her win came down to the wagering.
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O
When Mayim Bialic said the correct answer I was wondering why did Ben got booted. Wait did I spell her last name incorrectly????
1 1
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B
ripoff...bring back Ben
1 1
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P
Ben should have won the game. He got the answer right only the spelling. If it is not written, maybe they will accept his answer. Pronounced with silent t. Bring Ben back.
1 1
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C
Bad call.
1 1
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O
Ben was really screwed..Google result shows that the name can be spelled as Benedick or Benedict.
1 1
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R
Ben was robbed! Other answers are accepted with a simple misspelling!
Get rid of M.B.
1 1
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O
What does Mayim Bialik have to do with it? It's not her decision; it's the judges' and the rules.
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P
Agree. It's someone lashing out because this person hates Mayim as host.
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G
He was definitely robbed. He looked amazed when he was judged for mispelling a word. If Alex would still be with us, I really doubt this would have happened.
1
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C
If anyone ever spells a wrong word from now on it should be wrong. I’ve seen shows with works spelt wrong and it was counted as good
1 2
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C
That was a terrible ruling and he should be allowed to come back. He clearly knew the answer. This may stop me from continuing to watch the show. Totally unfair!!!!!!
1 2
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O
This is BS!
1 2
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R
ROBBED!
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G
and sour
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G
I think the judges were correct. He thought the correct name was Benedict when actually it was Benedick. He didn't misspell it, he wrote an incorrect answer.
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J
It was the right call. I wonder how many times the name Benedick is mentioned/repeated in Much Ado about Nothing. A reader SEES the name continually in the play. (Unlike Solzhenitsyn, which is not seen as often in print.) ~
Just like McBeth isn't the same as MacBeth. A different name entirely.
2 7
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A
Makes perfect sense.
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