Jeopardy! Fans Slam Inconsistent Spelling Rules: 'Make It Make Sense'

Jeopardy! fans are frustrated with the popular game show due to perceived inconsistencies with its rules.

On Monday's episode, contestant Erica Weiner-Amachi wrote "What is Waiting for Godot?" as her Final Jeopardy! answer, but many viewers felt her writing was indecipherable, despite host Ken Jennings accepting the answer.

On June 22, however, Sadie Goldberger had a similar moment, during which her answer, "Who is Harriet Tubman?" was deemed incorrect because producers thought her handwriting was illegible.

One Twitter user posted the two moments side-by-side and wrote, "#Jeopardy this didn't count, but then this one did??" Another fan pointed out that this problem would be solved if contestants were simply allowed to use "keypads for Final Jeopardy. It's 2022."

#jeopardy this didn’t count, but then this one did?? pic.twitter.com/xsr2RUBLv3

— Herschel Cuyler (@herschelcuyler_) July 18, 2022

SPOILER ALERT FOR LATE VIEWING CROWD

Apparently according to #Jeopardy producers, one of theses says “Waiting for Godot” while the other does NOT say “Harriet Tubman.”#MakeItMakeSense pic.twitter.com/AgczrXpWvC

— SkeeterBombay (@SkeeterBombay) July 18, 2022

i don't get it either...jeopardy is pretty fucking inconsistent with their rulings..that should not have been accepted..hell..the 2nd word isn't even that legible

— Zybslaw Zadrozny (@zybslaw) July 19, 2022

I don't quite get why contestants don't have keypads for Final Jeopardy. It's 2022.

— 💨💾 (@TempletonZe) July 19, 2022

According to the official Jeopardy! rules, "Jeopardy! is not a spelling test — unless, of course, the category requires it. Written responses to the Final Jeopardy! clue do not have to be spelled correctly, but they must be phonetically correct and not add or subtract any extraneous sounds or syllables."

If something is misspelled, the rules state, "it will come down to a judgment call."

Jeopardy! airs weeknights in syndication, with new episodes airing through July.

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Deena ElGenaidi's writing has been featured in Nylon, MTV News, Insider, The AV Club, and more. You can follow her on Twitter @deenaelg.