[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Monday, December 9 episode of Jeopardy!]
Jeopardy! followers have been in for a powerful newcomer on Monday evening in Invoice McKinney, who dominated two-day champ Dave Bond in an all-out runaway, however the large win wasn’t and not using a tinge of regret. McKinney’s solely misgiving wasn’t about his efficiency—or what followers known as one other questionably written Ultimate Jeopardy clue—however lacking an opportunity for a “Bonding” second with the ousted champ.
Bond, a retired grant author from West Henrietta, New York, entered with a two-day whole of $51,400, a 3rd win would have cemented his place within the 2026 Match of Champions, given the cutoff for this 2025 postseason is up. He confronted McKinney, a VP of eating places & bars initially from Boston, Massachusetts, and Lisa O’Donnell, an ESL trainer from Vienna, Virginia.
In the course of the interviews, Ken Jennings talked about McKinney was a “James Bond fan.” The newcomer shared a wild anecdote a few bungee leap. “I’m somewhat little bit of an adrenaline junkie. And I like James Bond. I’ll or could not mannequin a few of my life on him.” He clarified, “Extra the stunts and journey, much less womanizing.” Jennings replied, “Good be aware.”
He continued, “However I discovered you are able to do a bungee leap off the identical dam that his stunt double jumps off of in Golden Eye. I occurred to be in Europe so I went down and needed to do it.” McKinney quipped he didn’t infiltrate a soviet facility afterward to which Jennings laughed and concluded, “No stunt double, you probably did it your self, in contrast to James Bond.” With that, the host then turned to the returning champ, who was simply standing there whereas coincidentally additionally a Bond, nobody selecting up the low-hanging fruit of a 007 pun.
After the Jeopardy! spherical, McKinney had mounted an enormous lead of $7,000 bolstered by the “Mortal Issues” Each day Double which was in search of “Lenin.” O’Donnell had $4,600 and Bond trailed with $2,600.
Within the Double Jeopardy spherical, McKinney didn’t look again, working the “Alliterative Film Titles” class and selecting up $5,000 on the second Each day Double in search of “Gone Lady.” That daring wager left little likelihood for catchup, and after O’Donnell missed the third Each day Double, and whereas Bond tried to stop a runaway, McKinney pulled it off on the final clue cementing victory. Going into Ultimate Jeopardy, he led with $22,000, Bond had $10,600, and O’Donnell $6,800.
The “Islands of Europe” clue was, “In February 1793 the French have been repulsed in an assault on this island from one simply north that they managed.” Nobody got here up with the right response, a little bit of a convoluted means of attending to “Sardinia.” McKinney stood pat wagering $0 to win with $22,000.
Followers flooded the Reddit thread for the episode, celebrating the champ’s large victory. Many needed to admit they have been anticipating a 007 tie-in given the opposite Bond on-stage.
“After Invoice’s 007 anecdote, Ken may have requested Bond, ‘Dave Bond, what it’s wish to be standing subsequent to his greatest fan,’” one fan wrote.
McKinney buzzed in to the thread to say he agreed, and wished he had made the reference himself: “Simply my #1 remorse isn’t referencing Dave throughout my anecdote. It was proper there,” he wrote.
A 3rd commented: “Yeah it’s not all the time simple to provide you with this stuff when within the highlight, however the connection didn’t go unnoticed. Congrats on an ideal efficiency!”
“Congrats!!” echoed a fourth. “I got here right here to say that however knew somebody already would.”
“I assumed the identical! Missed alternative! Additionally, that’s an insane bungee leap. Apparently it’s the very best one you are able to do in Europe,” wrote a fifth.
Different followers within the thread took challenge with the wording of Ultimate Jeopardy, and it’s not the primary time that’s occurred this previous week (who may overlook “Pied Piper” or that “Crayons” clue; “crans” as Jennings put it?)
“Is it doable to have a extra confusingly worded FJ?” requested a sixth.”The FJ’s have been actually dangerous as of late,” replied one other.
“I nonetheless acquired it however solely as a result of I may pause and determine which Island they wished,” wrote a further fan.
What did you consider Invoice McKinney’s win over Bond, Dave Bond? What did you consider the Ultimate Jeopardy clue? Do you assume McKinney can stick with it and win his means into the 2026 postseason? Tell us within the feedback under!
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