Tuesday, January 14, 2025: Another trio of hopefuls stepped onto the Jeopardy! stage, vying for a coveted spot in the Second Chance Tournament. Evan Dorey, a data analytics director from Toronto, returned with a cool $20,000, facing off against Stevie Ruiz, an assistant front office manager from Montauk, and Davey Morrison, an actor and filmmaker from Provo. While all three demonstrated flashes of quiz-show brilliance, a shared stumble in Final Jeopardy! ultimately left Evan as the sole champion.
The first round saw Evan establish an early lead, capitalizing on a Daily Double about Latin phrases. Davey, however, kept the competition interesting with strong performances in categories like “Movie Profession in Common” and “1980s Monster Trucks.” Stevie, while initially trailing, managed to maintain a respectable score, setting the stage for a potentially tighter second round.
Double Jeopardy! continued the trend of fluctuating fortunes. Evan maintained his dominance, while Davey experienced both the highs of a successful Daily Double wager and the lows of a substantial loss on another. The “We’re Just Gonna Call Him Hercules” category proved particularly challenging, revealing unexpected gaps in the contestants’ knowledge of Greek mythology. By Final Jeopardy!, Evan held a commanding lead with $20,000, followed by Davey with $8,800 and Stevie at $7,000.
The Final Jeopardy! category, “Countries of the World,” presented a seemingly straightforward clue referencing a national anthem and a 1979 peace treaty. Yet, it proved to be the contestants’ collective undoing. All three incorrectly guessed, with Evan wisely wagering zero and maintaining his winning streak. Davey and Stevie, however, both wagered heavily, leaving Davey with a zero balance and Stevie with $5,199. The correct response, Egypt, remained elusive, leaving the contestants to ponder their missed opportunity.
Jeopardy! airs weekdays in syndication. Check local listings.