[The following post contains MAJOR spoilers for the Monday, April 21, episode of Jeopardy!]
Jeopardy! got here all the way down to a good recreation after one contestant calculated precisely how a lot they would want to win. They received by solely $100 after the ultimate spherical.
Liam Starnes, from Barrington, Illinois, confronted off towards Bob Callen, from Lexington, Kentucky, and Maja Vlajnic, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Monday, April 21. Starnes returned for his second recreation after followers praised him for his first efficiency.
Host Ken Jennings began off the sport by saying that he came upon Starnes was born throughout his preliminary Jeopardy! run 20 years in the past. “Wow. That was a blow,” he stated. “And now that I really feel like a particularly outdated man, let’s welcome our new challengers.” Jennings launched Callen and Vlajnic earlier than beginning the sport.
The primary query was a Triple Stumper. “‘The Beef State’, it’s residence to extra cattle than individuals, with its 6 million cows outnumbering people 3 to 1,” the clue learn. The reply was Nebraska.
Earlier than the primary industrial break, Starnes, an undergraduate scholar, was in third place, after being the one one to reply a query unsuitable. Vlajnic, a senior knowledge and coverage specialist, led after accurately answering six questions.
Callen, a librarian, instructed Jennings that he will get mistaken for creator Stephen King, particularly within the Nineteen Eighties when he had a e-book jacket image that seemed like him. “I type of see it,” Jennings stated. Callen stated that he signed somebody’s e-book in a bookstore one time after they thought he was the creator.
Starnes revealed he had a Jeopardy!-themed party when he was a child. Vlajnic took up knitting throughout Covid-19 and is now a part of a giant knitting neighborhood on-line.
Starnes discovered the primary Day by day Double of the sport. With $3,200 in his financial institution, he solely wagered $5. The clue learn, “He and TV co-star Bryan Cranston had greater than a chemical bond and he made Bryan godfather to his son Rydin.” “Who’s Paul Rudd?” he answered incorrectly. The correct reply was Aaron Paul. His complete dropped to $3,195, nonetheless maintaining him in third place.
By the tip of the spherical, Vlajnic was within the lead with $5,800. Callen had $4,800. Starnes trailed with $3,195.
In Double Jeopardy, Starnes discovered the primary DD of the spherical. This time, he made it a real Day by day Double and wagered all of his cash ($3,395). The clue learn, “In 1970, Biafra, a breakaway land of the Igbo individuals, capitulated to this nation’s central authorities, ending a civil struggle.” “What’s Nigeria?” Starnes answered, which was right. He was within the lead with $6,790.
Callen discovered the second DD. With $11,200 in his financial institution, he wagered $1,200. The clue learn, “In 1922, Virginia Woolf recorded being bored by this new novel her good friend ‘Tom’ Eliot thought was ‘on a par with Conflict and Peace.” “What’s Ulysses?” he answered accurately, giving him a complete of $12,400 and the lead.
Regardless of answering one query unsuitable, Starnes moved to second place with $12,790. Callen was within the lead with $15,200. Vlajnic had $10,200.
The class for Remaining Jeopardy was “The Western Hemisphere.” The clue learn, “This nation has 2 capitals, is bounded by 5 different nations & has 37 official languages.” Vlajnic answered with “What’s Bolivia?” after initially having Brazil. Bolivia was the proper reply. She wagered $10,100, giving her a remaining complete of $20,300. Starnes additionally answered with Bolivia. He wagered $7,611, giving him a remaining complete of $20,401, solely $101 greater than Vlajnic. Callen had the lead, however he answered with Brazil, dropping him all the way down to $4,819, after wagering $10,381.
After being in final for a lot of the recreation, Starnes turned a two-day Jeopardy! champion with a complete of $52,802. He will likely be again on Tuesday, April 22, to face two new opponents.
“This was a very good recreation all spherical. Hope Liam makes the Match of Champions, he’s a really sensible dude and as a youthful particular person myself it’s good to see individuals inside my age vary doing nicely on Jeopardy!” a Reddit consumer stated.
“Good recreation, and shut, too! Congratulations to Bob, Liam, and Maja!” added a 3rd.