Recent confusion and frustration were voiced by viewers during an episode of “Jeopardy!” that aired on November 13, 2024. The issue revolved around a ruling during the Final Jeopardy! round.
The competitors in this episode were Joey DeSena, a development engineer hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, who had already won two games and earned a total of $44,698, Lois Dioro, a realtor from West Haven, Connecticut, and Evan Dorey, a data analytics director from Toronto, Ontario.
As the game moved into its Final Jeopardy! round, Dioro and Dorey were tied at $14,600, while DeSena was behind at $7,400. The decisive category was “POETRY & PLACES,” and the clue given was a reference to a Robert Burns poem about ‘the mountains…covered with snow…the straths & green valleys below.’ The correct response was “Highlands.”
DeSena’s response, “Moor??? It was fun!” resulted in his remaining winnings being cut down to $199, ending his winning run. Dorey, on the other hand, wrote “Highland” and, despite appearing uncertain, his answer was accepted by the judges, doubling his score to $29,200.
The show’s host, Ken Jennings, confirmed that the correct title of the poem is “My Heart’s in the Highlands.” Dioro, who had submitted “Scotland” as her answer, was left with $12,000, allowing Dorey to become the new champion.
The acceptance of the singular form of the correct plural title stirred up a variety of reactions from the audience. Many took to social media to voice their confusion and frustration, questioning why such a response was deemed acceptable.
Several viewers highlighted this inconsistency, questioning the acceptance of a singular form while an incomplete plural answer is rejected. One fan noted that they were under the impression that exact word matching was necessary when the answer was a title word.
The core of the controversy lies in the show’s rules concerning the acceptance of singular versus plural forms in responses. In this specific case, the judges ruled that “Highland” was an acceptable response, even though the actual title of the poem was “My Heart’s in the Highlands.”
Such a ruling has triggered a wider discussion among the show’s fans about the consistency in the application of its rules. This is not the first time such a controversy has arisen. In October 2024, contestant Eamonn Campbell mispronounced “anesthesiologist” in two different ways, resulting in the points being denied by Jennings.
Another contestant, Dot White, correctly pronounced the same word and was awarded the points. This decision led to a split among fans, with some criticizing Jennings for strictness, while others argued that correct pronunciation is vital.
In another incident in July 2024, contestant Kelly Proulx was ruled incorrect for answering “Bridalveil Falls” instead of the correct “Bridalveil Fall,” due to the addition of an “s.” This decision cost her the necessary points, leading to her loss in the Final Jeopardy! round. Many fans were unhappy with the decision, calling it overly pedantic and unfair.
These instances serve to underscore the ongoing challenges faced by Jeopardy! in ensuring consistency in its rulings, particularly with regard to singular versus plural forms and pronunciation.
