Judith Friedman didn’t just win Monday’s Jeopardy!—she dominated it. The Los Angeles-based software engineer stormed through the May 26 game, hitting on all three Daily Doubles to finish with $32,001 and a return ticket to Tuesday’s show.
Her breakout came in Double Jeopardy!, where she converted all three high-stakes clues—including one on Bill Clinton’s birth name—adding $10,000 in total to her haul. That cushion proved critical in a sharp game that saw returning champ Jim Carpenter, a retired music professor from Vermont, keep things tight until Final Jeopardy!.
Carpenter, who entered with $25,601 from his previous win, ended with $25,000 after also nailing the final clue in the category UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES: The first 12 sites added to the list in 1978 included Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado & this site 500 miles to the north. Both he and Friedman correctly responded with Yellowstone National Park.
Miles Tepper, a grad student from Pacific Grove, California, finished with $5,999 after a quieter performance.
Friedman’s poised gameplay, aggressive wagering, and board control make her one to watch heading into tonight’s episode.
