On the Tuesday July 2 episode of Jeopardy!, three new contestants stepped up to the challenge: Kelly Proulx, a non-profit communications director from Billerica, Massachusetts; Chris Nichols, a mechanical engineer from Lawrenceville, Georgia; and Matt Brooks, a healthcare IT analyst from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Matt, a one-day champion, returned to defend his title with winnings of $10,600.
The game kicked off with the category “Describing the Landmark,” and Matt started with a correct response, soon followed by a Daily Double in the same category. However, he wagered $1,000 and gave an incorrect response, dropping him to $0 early in the game. Chris and Kelly took advantage of Matt’s misstep and built their scores, with Chris leading at the first break with $2,400 and Kelly close behind at $2,200.
As the game progressed, the contestants navigated through categories such as “Sports,” “Miscellaneous,” “Scrambled Flags,” “Leisure Timing,” and “The Literary Character Who Said…” Kelly gained momentum, and by the end of the round, she trailed Chris by only $600, with Matt trying to stay in the game.
In Double Jeopardy!, the contestants faced a range of new categories, including “Biblical Proportions,” “What Do You Stand For?,” “Elementary,” “5-Letter ‘X’ Words,” “That’s Old News,” and “The Supreme Court Connection.” Kelly continued to shine, and Chris took a risk on the first Daily Double, wagering a significant $2,000, but unfortunately gave an incorrect response, allowing Kelly to extend her lead. Matt, determined to make a comeback, also selected a Daily Double but was unable to provide the correct response, further diminishing his chances.
Heading into Final Jeopardy!, Kelly maintained her lead with $13,200, followed by Chris at $8,400, and Matt at a distant $800. The final category was “Movie & Stage Characters,” and the clue: “Acquitted of shooting her lover in 1924, Beulah Annan was the inspiration for this character in a play, film, and musical.” Only Kelly gave the correct response, identifying the character as “Who is Roxie Hart?”, and adding $3,601 to her score for a total of $16,801.
In the end, Matt finished in third place with a negative score of $400, while Chris ended up in second place with $0. Kelly Proulx emerged as the winner, demonstrating quick thinking and a broad range of knowledge.
Correct Responses: DD1 – What is Westminster Abbey? DD2 – What is phosphorus? DD3 – What is fathoms? FJ – Who is Roxie Hart?
