‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Question ‘Illegible’ Final Jeopardy Answer From Champ
This season of Jeopardy! has had several questionable calls — from “weird” clues to “tough” pronunciation rulings to unwise wagers and beyond — and Wednesday’s (October 16) episode was no exception. This time, it was the champion’s Final Jeopardy response that left some viewers scratching their heads over whether it should’ve been accepted or not.
Rishabh Wuppalapati, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, returned for his second game after winning the previous round, and had a close game on his hands against the incoming challengers: Rachel Cassidy, an associate professor from Rhode Island, and Jay Eversman, an environmental lawyer from Missouri.
Things were tight from start to finish. In the first round, Wuppalaptai got the Daily Double answer incorrect (losing $1,000) and found himself in the middle of the pack with $3,200 to Cassidy’s $2,400 and Eversman’s $3,800. The second round wasn’t much different, either. He and Cassidy were in a horse race all the way through, trading leads until the very last question. After Double Jeopardy, Wuppalapati had a narrow lead with $10,400 to Cassidy’s $10,100, while Eversman trailed with $4,800.
Final Jeopardy, then, was quite determinative, and some fans weren’t convinced his answer deserved to be accepted by the producers.
The clue for the Final Jeopardy category of “College Towns” was, “2 schools in the Southeastern Conference are located in cities with this same name but in different states.” The correct answer was “Columbia,” since both the University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri are located in the city of that name in their respective states, and both schools are now members of the SEC (they even dub their annual matchups the “Mayor’s Cup” as a nod to their shared hometown name).
Both Cassidy and Wuppalapati were marked as correct in the Final Jeopardy round, with the latter’s bet taking him into victory with $20,201 (and a two-day total of $42,402), a $300 margin over Cassidy’s final score.
However, some fans on Reddit expressed dismay that his was accepted, as it was scribbled in a way that made the call questionable to them.
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“Man I just do not know if that said ‘Columbia.’ I guess if it’s good enough for Ken [Jennings, host] though,” wrote one viewer, with another agreeing, “Yeah, kind of a crazy call…just my opinion!”
“My ruling was that his response was illegible,” wrote another. “Apparently my rulings have little influence.”
Others in the thread parsed out the potential reasoning for the decision, with one respondent agreeing that his answer was “messy” and looked more like “Cdumlag” than “Columbia,” but adding, “It’s not up to Ken. The judges see what each contestant is writing in real time, and they make the ruling.”
“I think it’s great that the J! Crew can see and rewatch contestants writing FJ! because, at the end of the day, the judges and Ken’s rulings are the only ones that matter,” another chimed in.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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O
Didn't help that Ken said, "I can read every letter" after it was on screen for 1 second. He should have said, "the judges have accepted your answer" and left it at that.
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G
I could read every letter, also.
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J
I'm sure the judges can see what the contestants are writing AS THEY WRITE IT! Maybe Ken can also!
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C
The judges see the answer as it's written and the judges tell Ken whether to accept it or not. The call was made by the judges, not Ken.
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B
Only because it has been said the answer was Columbia, I would not have figured his scribble to be that, sorry.
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J
My husband thinks the judges can see what the contestants write as they write it, so they know before it is revealed to the audience.
And I think it happens often that we (and the judges) can't necessarily read it until it is revealed and it DOES match the answer!
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O
No matter what the judges can see, in my opinion this is one of the worst calls ever...
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P
Sloppy but it says Columbia. Geez it's amazing how much people think they can see and hear when they're not on that stage or even in the audience but home on their couch - and they KNOW they're right!
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P
YOU HAVE STATED IT SO PERFECTLY- THANK YOU GREATLY!
[You'd think some Jeopardy viewers/ fans (that's questionable) would not be so ignorant]
YOU GO MR. KEN JENNINGS... KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING - YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB!
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B
I don't like this kid at all. He acts like am a$$ when he wins. I don't remember other players acting like that.
12 7
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O
Nah, you don't like this "kid" because he's brown and indian. Typical. The Nile ain't just a river in Egypt.
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R
I think you mean Denile. Good try tho
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O
No. I've been fighting for equal rights since I was a teenager and I'm 74. I don't like the kid because of his attitude. I like contestants that don't applaud themselves and extend a hand to their opponents at the end of the game.
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J
Maybe he hasn't had that much social experience! And I can only imagine how scary and nerve wracking it would be! I'm 75 and have been watching Jeopardy since the Art Fleming days so have seen a LOT of contestants. SO many differences and quirks. This young man did fine!
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J
He appears very young. Could be a LOT of reasons you think he acts differently. And PLENTY of other Jeopardy contestants have had their differences.
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G
And you're acting just like one also.
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P
What about his answer the day before about the inches. He said square and it should have been cubic. He got away with that answer, too.
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G
Lol you really don't know that hosts have ear piece which gives them a ruling on questionable. Ken has not got final answer.
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D
No controversy to me. He needed to write quickly after first starting with Fayetteville and Charleston, then settling on Columbia.
I can see a "C", I can see an "o" and an "l" run together, I can see a "u," I can see an "m," I can see a "b," I can see a tittle and a stroke below it that indicates an "i," and I can see a final letter that while not the clearest writing of an "a," is vaguely like an "a," and given that it follows "Columbi," I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.
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O
It could have said Columbus.
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D
I don't think so. I don't see the strokes that could be interpreted as a "us" at the end.
The tittle to the right of the "b" implies an "i" or a "j," and the tiny stroke after the "b" and under the tittle leads to a conclusion that it's an "i."
The last letter uses the same pen strokes I do when I write out an "a"—a counterclockwise loop that starts and ends at the upper right edge of the letter, then followed by a downstroke that ends with a swoop to the right. (Granted, his is a long line down before the swoop, which could indicate a "q," but given the preceding "Columbi," I'm giving him the "a" because it has the proper strokes of a letter that completes the correct answer.)
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J
Yes, if you look at each individual letter you can definitely see he was writing Columbia!
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G
It just sucks that she didn’t win. She was clearly the winner.
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F
I feel that the immediate Rishabh's verbal saying "Columbia" influenced Ken by agreeing to allow the winning answer. I never heard another contestant even speaking during FJ. Otherwise, I don't think Ken would have interpreted his scribbling.
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O
My thoughts exactly...if he hadn't said "columbia" it would have been impossible to see that word...
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G
There are many times when the host defers to the judges for a ruling. That's why they're there; it's THE JUDGES JOB TO MAKE A FINAL JUDGEMENT.
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G
Couldn’t read Columbia in HIS answer. She should be invited back to reclaim what was really hers!
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R
I wonder. We don't see anything on TV, but off-camera, in a case like this, after the time runs out and before they do the on-camera reveal, maybe the producers asked him to clarify?
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R
If you’ve ever had to read a student’s writing you learn how to decipher their intent. Looks like Columbia too me.
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T
I missed Wednesdays show, but when I saw the photo of his answer, my first thought was that it said 'Edun~~'j?" I've seen answers written more clearly than this be ruled incorrect.
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G
I’m surprised the written answer was accepted. Couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be
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O
All verbal answers have to be exact writing should be too
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P
It's just something to moan and argue about. You can see the letters. The letter "a" at the end is the only questionable letter but the rest is there, sloppy as Dr. Writing "hell".
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R
I could read all the letters except for the "a" at the end, which did not resemble an "a" in any way, shape, or form. No doubt he intended to write Columbia, but I don't think he did.
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G
Personally I was more annoyed at him allowing Dem for Demme (I think that's what it was) I thought pronunciation mattered. I guess because it's French lol.
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R
If you have every tried to sign your signature on a credit card terminal, you understand how difficult it can be to write legible!
Should give it to him.
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J
Ken's rulings have become increasingly inconsistent IMO. This is a new one on me but sorry the writing should be legible to anyone. That was over the line.
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O
Ken does not make any rulings. He just delivers them. There are several Jeopardy judges who decide on questionable answers.
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O
Even those snap replies? Okay then the comment applies to the judges.
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J
It was furiously and quickly written after starting two OTHER answers and lining through them. It is messy, but each letter IS there!
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G
Only the judges need to decide if the response is correct in any Q/A contest. It is obvious that some viewers are among those who demand perfect penmanship in the heat of battle. I and others can understand what was written. In my case, I have abominable penmanship (and I am a WRITER), I live in Columbia, VA (so I write it often in my return address), and this response looks nearly IDENTICAL to jow I write the word Columbia.
I see each and every letter.
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