Three hopefuls – Josh Moss, a craft distillery owner from Boston; Gino Montoya, an Albuquerque attorney; and Colleen Matthews, a speech-language pathologist from Hillsboro, Oregon – kicked off 2025 on the Jeopardy! stage, vying for a coveted spot in the Tournament of Champions.
The first round saw a mix of strong plays and near misses. Gino took an early lead, capitalizing on a Daily Double about the America’s Cup. Josh remained competitive, while Colleen trailed but stayed within striking distance. Going into Double Jeopardy, Gino held a comfortable lead, but the game was far from over.
Double Jeopardy proved to be a more volatile affair. Josh stumbled on a Daily Double about WWII linguist Jane Stone and depth charges, losing a significant chunk of his winnings. Colleen, however, found her footing, correctly identifying “To be or not to be” on a Shakespeare-themed Daily Double, significantly boosting her score. By the time Final Jeopardy rolled around, Colleen had surged ahead, with Gino and Josh battling for second place.
The Final Jeopardy clue, focusing on U.S. presidents and their West Point rule-breaking, proved to be no match for Colleen and Gino, who both answered correctly (Ulysses S. Grant). Colleen’s wager secured her victory, sending her to the Tournament of Champions with $24,401. Gino finished strong with $22,800, while Josh ended the game at $5,799.
Jeopardy! airs weekdays in syndication. Check local listings.
