Jeopardy!’s Ken Jennings criticized over inconsistency in contestants changing their answers

Danger! host Ken Jennings ran into controversy after an incident on Wednesday’s show in which he allowed a contestant to change an answer he gave.

Jennings, 48, who is presiding over the series’ 39th season, allowed contestant Luigi de Guzman to submit an answer in the Cons category.

The clue was, “Here’s a typical 19th-century landscape by this British painter,” with an accompanying photo of the painting, to which De Guzman replied, “Who is Constant?”

Jennings said, “Say it again,” De Guzman said, “Sorry, who is Constable?” what was deemed correct.

In another instance in the episode, contestant Harriet Wagner also tried to modify her answer, which Jennings did not accept.

Wagner replied, “Who is Angela LeGuin—sorry, Ursula LeGuin,” to which Jennings said, “Yes, Harriet, you remembered her name was Ursula, but I had already started talking to you when you started correcting yourself.”

On the game shows websitethe rule says that “participants may change their answers as long as neither the host nor the judges have rendered a decision.”

Jennings allowed contestant Luigi de Guzman to correct an answer in the Cons category

The clue was, “Here’s a typical 19th-century landscape by this British painter,” with an accompanying photo of the painting, to which De Guzman replied, “Who is Constant?”

Jennings said, “Say it again,” De Guzman said, “Sorry, who is Constable?” which was considered correct

De Guzman was victorious for the fourth night in a row in a close game in which Wagner finished in third place.

A number of fans of the game show took to social media to express their dismay at what they believed were inconsistent statements.

One user said, ‘Gosh, Jeopardy – why not have a certain amount of time to reply? Harriet answered her revised answer from Ursula at least as quickly as Luigi could correct his answer from Constant to Constable a few minutes earlier.’

In another instance in the episode, contestant Harriet Wagner also tried to change her answer, which Jennings didn’t accept.

Wednesday’s show pitted reigning champion de Guzman against Winston Li and Wagner

Another said, “It sounded like Luigi changed his answer from Constant to Constable after Ken asked him to repeat it.”

One user wrote: ‘Wow, is @jeopardy fixed? Why is Luigi allowed to correct himself, but not Harriet? #WTF #Jeopardy.’

Jennings and Mayim Bialik, 46, were named the co-hosts of the hit series last July, following an extensive search following the death of former presenter Alex Trebek in November 2020 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Jennings will host the series through December, while Bialik will chair Celebrity Jeopardy! and the danger! National College Championship.

A number of viewers took to Twitter to speak out about Jennings’ statements