Product designer Holly Luo, hailing from San Diego, law student Jack Altman from the Big Apple, and Seattle-based software engineer Mehal Shah squared off on Thursday’s Jeopardy!. Mehal, returning with a one-day total of $9,799, faced a familiar Jeopardy! rollercoaster.
The first round saw a mixed bag for Mehal. A strong start quickly evaporated after a hefty $2,200 stumble on a Daily Double about polar explorers. Holly, meanwhile, built a comfortable lead, proving her design skills extend to efficiently accumulating dollar amounts.
Double Jeopardy! was where things got interesting. Mehal, undeterred by his earlier setback, channeled his inner Viking, correctly identifying Midgard (the realm of mere mortals, like us) on a Norse Mythology Daily Double, catapulting himself into the lead. Not content with a modest advantage, Mehal doubled down again, this time on a “Storming the Castle” clue, transforming a healthy lead into an insurmountable fortress of $37,600. Holly and Jack trailed with $9,800 and $7,400, respectively.
The Final Jeopardy! category, “International Universities,” hinted at a potential upset. The clue, concerning the restructuring of a major university following student unrest in 1970, proved tricky. Only Jack managed to conjure the correct response: “What is Paris?” Mehal wagered a relatively small amount, securing a two-day total of $46,062 and cementing his status as a two-day champion.
Mehal’s aggressive Daily Double strategy paid off handsomely. While his Final Jeopardy! misstep showed a chink in the armor, it hardly mattered. He’ll return to defend his title, no doubt with a continued appetite for risk and a newfound appreciation for Midgard.
