[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Monday, November 25 episode of Jeopardy!]
Jeopardy! followers witnessed a twist of biblical proportions on Monday, November 25, as returning champ Adam Hersch went from dominating half the sport to doom within the different half—dropping to a rap-savvy priest (after a number of difficult calls in opposition to him). Some viewers on social media known as it the “craziest reversal” in reminiscence.
Hirsch, an lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, entered with a one-day whole of $29,000 after a climatic upset win within the final episode. He confronted Carolyn Gramling, a science author from Washington, D.C., and Kevin Laskowski, an Episcopal priest from Falls Church, Virginia (carrying his clerical collar, as per unofficial Jeopardy! guidelines as of late).
Within the Jeopardy! spherical, Hersch got here out swinging with a number of appropriate responses earlier than his opponents even signaled in. It regarded like he would sweep going into the industrial break. Lastly, Laskowski received a $400 clue after which the Every day Double, understanding the “Time For a Cocktail?” clue was “Bloody Mary.” By the break, Hirsch led with $4,400, Laskowski had $2,000, and Gramling $400. After the break, Hirsch picked up round six extra clues to increase his lead, ending with $5,800, Laskowski with $2,800, and Gramling $1,200. It was his sport to lose and he knew it.
In Double Jeopardy, the momentum shift started when Hirsch discovered the second Every day Double. Wagering $3,000 from the lead, he missed the “Animal Quotes” clue, looking for “[Black] Panther.” The second blow to Hirsch got here on a collection of shut calls together with a denial of a constellation response and the response of “Can’t Contact This,” leaving out “U” from the start on an in any other case proper $1,200 reply. He was left visibly flustered and Laskowski received the rebound on it and took management from there, practically sweeping the remainder of the rap class, which was enjoyable to see.
Laskowski elevated his sudden lead on the final Every day Double understanding the “Bod-E” clue was “Endocrine” for one more $3,000. In a surprising turnaround, Laskowski completed with a runaway at $20,200, Hirsch with $7,200, and Gramling with $5,600.
Ken Jennings unveiled the “nineteenth Century Novels” clue which was, “The point out of a brand new railway part between Rothal and Allahabad in India results in an argument after which a guess on this novel.”
Solely Hirsch was appropriate with “Across the World in 80 Days,” clearly annoyed as he would have nonetheless received had Laskowski been in a position to be caught. The latter dropped $5,000 to win as an alternative and turn into the brand new champ with $15,200.
Followers flooded the Reddit thread for the episode speaking in regards to the shocker 180 outcomes, the robust rulings that didn’t go his method and the brand new champ.
“That was one of many craziest reversals I can recall seeing,” one Redditor wrote. “Adam gave the impression to be firmly in management by your complete J! spherical and the start of DJ, however when he dropped $3,000 on DD2 after which received dinged $1,200 a number of clues later for leaving the “U” off of “U Can’t Contact This”, Kevin received the rebound to take the lead, after which solely 5 clues later Kevin had rapidly doubled up on Adam (10,000 to 4,400), and from there simply stored climbing. Carolyn in the meantime snagged 2 bottom-row clues (price 4,000) late within the sport, which helped guarantee Kevin’s runaway lead going into FJ. Add to that the truth that solely Adam received FJ proper, so he would have received if he’d been in a position to stop the runaway.”
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