Many Jeopardy! viewers had been deflated when Ashley Chan’s successful streak resulted in a blowout on Wednesday, December 18. The primary feminine four-day champ of Season 42, she had sparked excessive hopes for an extended run. Nevertheless, a controversial ruling in opposition to her on an early $1,000 clue left some followers blaming the judges for her loss, claiming it price her momentum and even the sport.
For individuals who missed it, Chan, a publicist from Lewisville, Texas, entered with a mixed whole of $67,400. She confronted Eric Weldon-Schilling, a bar supervisor & sommelier from Houston, Texas, and Sarah Rosenthal, a fundraiser from New York Metropolis.
The difficulty concerned a ruling within the Jeopardy! spherical. All scores had been shut on the time when Chan chosen the “3 of a Sort” clue for $1,000. The class required the contestants to reply with what the three issues had in frequent. The clue was “Eagle, Orion, Lagoon.”
Chan responded, “What are ‘Lakes?’” and Ken Jennings informed her that was incorrect whereas admitting it was a tricky break. “That’s a tricky one, too,” he stated. “These are ‘Nebulae.’”
From there, Chan was by no means absolutely in a position to get into the sport. Weldon-Schilling went on to command the Double Jeopardy spherical, ending with a runaway of $19,600 whereas Rosenthal had $8,400, and Chan had $2,400. After a triple-get Closing clue in search of “Falkland Islands,” Weldon Schilling gained with $21,000 to unseat the champ who completed in final place.
Within the Reddit thread for the episode, many followers mentioned the $1,000 ruling in opposition to Chan, claiming she ought to have been credit score for her various reply, and that she “appeared shook after that and by no means recovered.”
“Ashley ought to have been given credit score for an accurate response on the $1000 clue in 3 Of A Sort. Amongst probably different locations, there are a number of Eagle Lakes in Minnesota, a Lake Orion in Michigan, and a Lagoon Lake close to Lakeland, Florida,” one fan wrote.
“Yeah I instantly appeared that up, and was frankly shocked when there wasn’t a reversal. Ashley appeared shook after that, and by no means recovered,” wrote one other.
“Powerful recreation for her. Appeared like after falling behind she obtained a little bit determined and was a little bit extra reckless together with her guesses. Nonetheless, the TOC is a pleasant comfort prize!” wrote a 3rd.
“Yeah, she appeared to be guessing a bit greater than her earlier video games, particularly after that miss, however I really like that she didn’t hand over and saved preventing all the way in which to the tip,” argued a fourth.
“You may in all probability discover a lake named for each phrase within the English language, although. In the event that they haven’t any precise connection, then yea it’s not an accurate reply,” wrote a fifth siding with the judges.
However a sixth wrote, “I imply, they’d be linked by advantage of being named lakes, identical to Eagle, Orion, and Lagoon are linked by advantage of being named nebulae. Sort of a bummer that Ashley didn’t get credit score for it and the judges didn’t look it as much as confirm. It was in all probability a guess on her half moderately than being a certainty, however I feel they in all probability would’ve reversed it if she had challenged it throughout a industrial break.”
Different followers chalked up the defeat to what was merely an off recreation, with a seventh writing, “I ponder if it was only a unhealthy board for Ashley or if she was getting cooked on the buzzer, as a result of it was actually surprising to see a 4 recreation champion get so handily crushed.”
Yet another agreed, “Most likely fatigue? She obtained incorrect solutions way more ceaselessly that her earlier video games, I imagine.”
“Ashley misplaced as a result of she didn’t put on her signature shoulder ruffles,” a final fan joked.
In the meantime, followers had been additionally left questioning how Jennings concluded the episode and Chan’s standing with the Match of Champions. “Ashley, even with 4 wins, well-positioned for the subsequent Match of Champions. We’re prone to see you again right here in a 12 months,” he stated, complicated some viewers who didn’t perceive what that meant.
As different Redditors defined, the 2025 ToC, which airs in January, was already taped, and the cutoff is up. Which means Chan is the primary official qualifier for the 2026 ToC and she or he is already listed on the tracker for that occasion. In order that’s why she gained’t be within the upcoming event, however she can be again!