In the Tuesday May 28 episode of Jeopardy!, three contestants brought their A-game to the table. Steve Miller, a retired medical transcriptionist from Eugene, Oregon, Abby Mann, a digital scholarship librarian from Normal, Illinois, and Amar Kakirde, a four-day champion graduate student from Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, all vied for the top spot. Amar entered the game with an impressive four-day winning streak and total earnings of $55,899.
The first round kicked off with a diverse range of categories, including European History, Defining Law, and Doing a Number on You. Amar started strong, taking an early lead with a Daily Double wager in the category Doing a Number on You, adding $3,000 to his score. However, Abby kept pace, ending the first break with a slight lead of $3,800 to Amar’s $2,600, while Steve found himself in the red with -$200.
As the game progressed into Double Jeopardy!, new categories such as Canadian Cities, Nonfiction Books by Subtitles, and Weapon Names kept the contestants on their toes. Steve made a remarkable comeback, hitting both Daily Doubles in this round and adding a substantial $6,000 to his score. Heading into Final Jeopardy!, the scores were tightly clustered, with Steve at $15,400, Amar close behind at $14,200, and Abby at $8,200, setting the stage for a tense finale.
The Final Jeopardy! category, European Scientists, posed a challenging clue: “On the 2022 bicentennial of his birth, the body of this man was exhumed, and DNA was used to determine his genetic afflictions.” Unfortunately, none of the contestants were able to provide the correct response, which was “Who is Mendel?” In a strategic move, Amar wagered nearly everything, but it was Abby who emerged victorious, finishing with a score of $5,200 to Amar’s $1 and Steve’s $2,399.
The episode also had its share of missed opportunities, with the contestants struggling in the Movies with Little Dialogue category and an underpriced clue related to the popular boy band BTS. Nonetheless, the game showcased the contestants’ knowledge and quick thinking, with Amar’s four-day winning streak coming to a close as Abby claimed the top spot in a closely contested match.
