Three contestants stepped onto the Jeopardy! stage Friday, November 8, ready to test their knowledge and buzzer skills. Rachel Marcus, a writer and consultant from New York City, faced off against Ross Dickson, a research consultant from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Susan Stumme, a returning champion and journalist from Arlington, Virginia. Susan, with a one-day total of $12,600, looked to continue her winning streak.
The first round saw Susan sprint ahead, demonstrating a clear command of categories like “Shoe Biz,” where she correctly identified Phil Knight. While Rachel and Ross trailed, they remained within striking distance. By the first commercial break, Susan held a comfortable lead with $6,000, followed by Rachel at $1,200 and Ross with a meager $200.
Double Jeopardy! proved a more volatile affair. Susan, initially extending her lead, stumbled on a Daily Double about opera, incorrectly answering “Don Juan” instead of “Don Giovanni.” This misstep opened the door for Ross, who capitalized on a Daily Double concerning Charles de Gaulle and the Fifth Republic of France. The game tightened considerably, turning into a nail-biter as the final buzzer approached. Susan and Ross entered Final Jeopardy! in a dead heat at $14,600 each, with Rachel trailing at $12,200.
The Final Jeopardy! category, “Renaissance Men,” presented a challenge: “In a letter he wrote, ‘On August 7, 1501 …we determined that the new land was not an island but a continent’.” Surprisingly, only Rachel correctly identified the explorer “Who was Amerigo Vespucci?”, wagering $8,400 to secure a victory with $20,600. Both Susan and Ross failed to identify Vespucci, with Susan losing her entire wager and Ross dropping to $10.
