Help needed recalling a question

[Spoon35]

Hey, first-timer here.  My dad and I have both been going nuts trying to recall something that happened relatively recently on Final Jeopardy!   As you know, spelling more often than not doesn't count in FJ!  But in this case, what looked to us like an innocuous spelling mistake of the type that is normally forgiven was in fact ruled to be wrong, and the player, who was a youngster, lost.

Ever since then, every time there's a close judgment call to be made in FJ!, we both wonder "Hey, that kid came closer to getting it right than that."  But since we can't remember what exactly the kid wrote, it's hard to say whether that's right or not!

All I remember about this incident was:

- It was either Kids Week or Teen Week
- It was in the last few months
- It was either a misspelling, or a transposition of word order
- It wasn't the "Mall of the Americas" for "Mall of America" thing

Anyone remember or know about this?

[JasonA1]

By going to the very helpful JeopArchive site for this season, I found one example that seems close. From Back to School Week: "What is Mr. Potato?" called wrong for "What is Mr. Potato Head?"

Then again, your example seems to fit different criteria. I just wanted those 5 minutes of web surfing to pay off. :)

-Jason

[Spoon35]

Ah, well, that wasn't it but your reference to the "JeopArchive" did help me find it, so, thanks!

Here's the ep. The answer was "peninsula", but the player wrote "pennisula".  He was leading by $5,800 going into FJ!, but ended up third.

Now that I have refreshed my memory, I can say with confidence that... that kid got screwed!!  I can hardly imagine a more innocuous misspelling than that.  I don't understand at all why that wasn't credited.

[JasonA1]

I don't understand at all why that wasn't credited.

Ah, I didn't look at "Kids Week." DER. Anyway, as was said in the newest J! book, answers can be spelled wrong, but must be phoenetically correct and understandable. Hence "penn-a-soo-la" is not acceptable for "puh-nin-suh-la." Or whatever pronunication guide you use. :)

-Jason

[WhammyPower]

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 01:25 AM\'] Answers can be spelled wrong, but must be phoenetically correct and understandable. Hence "penn-a-soo-la" is not acceptable for "puh-nin-suh-la." Or whatever pronunication guide you use. [/quote]
 Kinda like a certain member's certain pronunciation that cost him the game, eh?

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 09:32 AM\'] [quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 01:25 AM\'] Answers can be spelled wrong, but must be phoenetically correct and understandable. Hence "penn-a-soo-la" is not acceptable for "puh-nin-suh-la." Or whatever pronunication guide you use. [/quote]
Kinda like a certain member's certain pronunciation that cost him the game, eh? [/quote]
 No offense to Matt, but that ruling probably would not have affected the outcome of the game.

One heartbreaking moment in FJ! that comes to mind with this post was the contestant who lost the game in a 1997 episode because they put Buenos Aire rather than Aires.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 07:32 AM\'] Kinda like a certain member's certain pronunciation that cost him the game, eh? [/quote]
Jesus, do you have an OUNCE of tact in there somewhere?

I agree with Zach (cue Apocalypse), it wasn't the difference at all, but for God's sake, use your head before you post. I'm begging you here. I can't take it anymore.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:32 AM\'] [quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 01:25 AM\'] Answers can be spelled wrong, but must be phoenetically correct and understandable. Hence "penn-a-soo-la" is not acceptable for "puh-nin-suh-la." Or whatever pronunication guide you use. [/quote]
Kinda like a certain member's certain pronunciation that cost him the game, eh? [/quote]
 I was wondering when some weisenheimer would make fun of "Katzenheimer".  And, of course, waiting to be able to use that line.  

Believe me, whatever disappointment I'm feeling right now is not going to be affected by anything anybody says here.  Nobody needs to rush to my defense on sensitivity grounds.

As to the original point, I feel Jeopardy has painted itself into a corner over the years by what they have and (mostly) what they haven't accepted, because once they've set a tight standard they pretty much have to stick to it.  Not accepting "pennisula" is consistant with past tough rulings, though especially for a Kids Week it seems unbelievably harsh.  Remember, though, that accepting something that they wouldn't accept in an adult game isn't fair to the other contestant who got it exactly right!

[vtown7]

I was wondering about something from this season and I figured that this thread would be fine to share it in: somebody mentioned that earlier this year they played categories that were from Celeb J! on SNL.  True?  If so, can anyone fill in some info?

Cheers,

Ryan

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:32 AM\'] I was wondering about something from this season and I figured that this thread would be fine to share it in: somebody mentioned that earlier this year they played categories that were from Celeb J! on SNL.  True?  If so, can anyone fill in some info?
 [/quote]
 In a related story, in lieu of the cash awards, the second and third place contestants both received Penis Mightiers.

THINK, man.

[DrBear]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:23 AM\'] I was wondering when some weisenheimer would make fun of "Katzenheimer".  And, of course, waiting to be able to use that line.  


As to the original point, I feel Jeopardy has painted itself into a corner over the years by what they have and (mostly) what they haven't accepted, because once they've set a tight standard they pretty much have to stick to it.  Not accepting "pennisula" is consistant with past tough rulings, though especially for a Kids Week it seems unbelievably harsh.  Remember, though, that accepting something that they wouldn't accept in an adult game isn't fair to the other contestant who got it exactly right! [/quote]
 Thank you, Matt Ottinheimer.

I agree that a Kids Week contestant could be cut a little slack for missing an exact spelling when the meaning of the word was obviously correct - or maybe the kid could get a dictionary as a consolation prize!
(And did anybody check to see if the kid's dyslexic?)

Maybe Alex could have said "what is that final word?" and if the kid pronounced "peninsula" correctly, give him credit for it.

[vtown7]

In a related story, in lieu of the cash awards, the second and third place contestants both received Penis Mightiers.

THINK, man.

I am sorry if you thought this was a stupid question, however when it came up at a party the other night, I figured I would pitch out the question, because there are people on this board that know this kind of stuff.

I actually thought it would have been a funny "in" joke, so there you go.  Sorry to have bothered you with it.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 03:19 PM\'] [quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:32 AM\'] I was wondering about something from this season and I figured that this thread would be fine to share it in: somebody mentioned that earlier this year they played categories that were from Celeb J! on SNL.  True?  If so, can anyone fill in some info?
 [/quote]
In a related story, in lieu of the cash awards, the second and third place contestants both received Penis Mightiers.

THINK, man. [/quote]
 But what about the contestant who came in eleventieth, Chris?

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 04:18 AM\'] I actually thought it would have been a funny "in" joke, so there you go.  Sorry to have bothered you with it. [/quote]
 Hey, it was no bother on this end, I got to make a Penis Mightier gag.

(And if YOU can make a Penis Mightier gag, then clearly you have no need for a Penis Mightier, do you?