In the Wednesday episode of Jeopardy!, returning champion John Liu from Santa Monica, California, faced off against Jacqui Kaplan, an English teacher from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and Joseph Carlstein, a graduate student from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. John entered the game with one win and earnings totaling $7,801, aiming to extend his streak. The opening round categories included “Historic Americans,” “She’s Got the Power,” “Utopia,” “Where to Go When…,” “1980s Catchphrases,” and “Speaking Reversibly.”
Joseph seized an early advantage by correctly answering the first Daily Double in “Historic Americans,” doubling his $2,000 to $4,000. By the end of the Jeopardy round, Joseph led with $5,600, while John lagged with $1,800 and Jacqui maintained a steady $2,800.
Joseph’s strategic play was further evident in the Double Jeopardy round, where he successfully answered two Daily Doubles, one in “That’s a Really Big Ditch!” and the other in “No, Not the Dog.” Joseph’s winnings jumped to $10,000 after a successful response on Charles Darwin’s famous ship, the Beagle. In contrast, John’s attempt at his own Daily Double ended in a $2,000 loss, weakening his standing.
Heading into Final Jeopardy, Joseph led with $10,000, Jacqui held second with $8,000, and John, despite setbacks, trailed close behind at $7,000. The Final Jeopardy category, “Artifacts,” posed a challenging clue about items created in the 15th century, of which around 50 remain today. Joseph and John both answered correctly with “What are Gutenberg Bibles?”
In a decisive move, Joseph wagered $6,001, bringing his total to $16,001 and securing the win. John, wagering aggressively with nearly all his earnings, finished with $13,999, while Jacqui, unable to provide a correct response, ended the game with $2,000.
