Additional Coverage:
- An 8th grader on ‘Jeopardy’ claims he was ‘cheated out’ of a win because of a minor error (marketrealist.com)
Eighth-Grader’s ‘Jeopardy!’ Spelling Stumble Sparks Controversy
“Jeopardy!” is known for its challenging trivia, but sometimes, even the smallest details can make a big difference. Back in 2013, a young contestant learned this the hard way when a spelling error cost him a potential win.
Thomas Hurley III, an eighth-grader at the time, had cruised through the game, accumulating $9,600 before Final Jeopardy!. The final clue, focused on Abraham Lincoln, asked for the document he called “a fit and necessary war measure” that took effect in 1863.
Hurley knew the answer was the Emancipation Proclamation, and he wrote it down. However, he added an extra “t,” spelling it “emanciptation proclamation.”
Then-host Alex Trebek ruled against Hurley, stating the misspelling was significant enough to invalidate the answer. This dropped Hurley’s total to $6,600, costing him a potential $10,000+ win. A disappointed Hurley later told The News-Times of Danbury that he felt “cheated.”
The show’s producers defended their decision, explaining that accepting a misspelled answer would penalize other players. They emphasized their commitment to fairness and consistency, especially with young contestants.
However, Hurley’s mother shared her son’s embarrassment, and many viewers echoed their sentiments online. Some YouTube commenters criticized Trebek’s wording, pointing out the error was an extra “t,” not a “p” as Trebek stated.
Others argued that the high stakes of Final Jeopardy!, combined with the pressure of being on national television, made the strict adherence to spelling seem unfair, particularly for a young contestant.