Jeopardy is back with the premiere of season 41 and the episode featured three contestants: Amanda White, a strategy consultant from Seattle, Washington; Adam Reiffen, a Naval officer from San Diego, California; and Rachel Bradley, an ESL instructor from Greenbelt, Maryland. Rachel Bradley, a one-day champion with previous winnings of $23,597, aimed to defend her title.
The categories in the first round included “Let’s Hit Highway 101,” “Pop Goes the Culture,” “Also Known As,” “Going to Planetary Extremes,” “Parenting,” and quotes containing the words “Mom” and “Dad.” Amanda White took a risk in the category “Let’s Hit Highway 101” by wagering $1,000 on a Daily Double question, but unfortunately, she answered incorrectly, losing the bet.
At the first break, Rachel led with $1,200, followed by Adam with $2,200, while Amanda found herself in negative territory with a score of -$800. As the game progressed, Adam consistently maintained his lead, and by the end of the first round, the scores were as follows: Rachel $2,800, Adam $4,800, and Amanda $800.
Moving into Double Jeopardy, the categories became more diverse, covering historical topics, language, and music. Adam Reiffen further solidified his lead by correctly answering the Daily Double question in the category “Historic Groups of 3,” adding $3,000 to his score. Amanda White, however, faced another setback, losing $400 on the Daily Double in the category “From the Italian.”
Adam’s strategic gameplay kept him in the lead throughout Double Jeopardy, and by the final round, the scores were: Adam $10,600, Rachel $8,000, and Amanda $4,000.
The Final Jeopardy category was “Famous Women,” and the clue required contestants to identify a notable figure who pledged her collection of pins to the National Museum of American Diplomacy before her death in 2022. Adam Reiffen was the only contestant to provide the correct response, identifying Madeleine Albright.
With his substantial wager, Adam secured his victory with a final score of $16,001. Rachel finished in second place with $5,398, and Amanda, despite her efforts, ended the game with $0.
The correct responses to the Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy were: Olympia, Estates, Influenza, and Madeleine Albright, respectively.
