Thursday’s Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament saw a dominant performance from library technology consultant Raymond Goslow, who handily defeated his competitors, developer Jackie Kelly and music executive Troy Meyer. From the outset, Goslow displayed a command of the categories, quickly amassing a substantial lead.
The first round, featuring categories like “Asian Geography” and “Political Lingo,” saw Goslow and Meyer in a dead heat, both finishing with 5,600 points, while Kelly trailed with 400. Goslow found the first Daily Double in “Seems Like Old Times,” correctly identifying the French Revolution and World War I as bookends of the “long 19th century.”
Entering Double Jeopardy!, the tension remained palpable. Categories like “Posters,” “Health & Medicine,” and “Surprise! Shakespeare!” offered a mix of high-value clues. Kelly managed to seize a Daily Double in “Surprise! Shakespeare!,” doubling her score and jumping into second place by correctly identifying “All’s Well That Ends Well.” However, Goslow, not to be outdone, strategically captured the final Daily Double in “Your Charity Awaits” and identified the United Negro College Fund, solidifying his lead heading into Final Jeopardy!
With scores of 25,200 for Goslow, 19,800 for Meyer, and 13,200 for Kelly, the stage was set for a potentially dramatic finish. The Final Jeopardy! category, “The Southwest,” presented a wordplay challenge: “The 4-syllable name of this city is almost identical to its namesake town in Spain, except that the Spanish one has an extra ‘r’.”
Both Goslow and Meyer correctly answered “Albuquerque,” with Goslow wagering aggressively to finish with a final score of 39,601. Meyer also wagered a substantial amount, bringing his total to 27,401. Kelly, unfortunately, missed the Final Jeopardy! clue, ending her run with a zero.
Goslow advances to the next stage of the tournament with a comfortable margin, while Kelly and Mayer see their Jeopardy dreams end.
Jeopardy airs weekdays in Syndication. Check local listings.
