[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Monday, November 11 episode of Jeopardy!]
Jeopardy! followers had been in for a “dominating” new champ on Monday, November 11’s episode, and a hilarious joke from the shady clue writers at host Ken Jennings’ expense. The host simply can’t catch a break relating to his low — or slightly, “hoe” — level from his contestant days.
Rachel Marcus, a author and marketing consultant from New York Metropolis, entered because the one-day champ with winnings of $20,600 after a thriller match that some dubbed the “finest recreation of 2024.” She confronted Chris Spencer, a medical author from Washington, D.C., and Joey DeSena, a improvement engineer from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Within the Jeopardy! spherical, DeSena was mounting a lead when he chosen the $200 “All A Board” clue, which concerned various kinds of boards. Jennings learn the photograph clue: “It’s the scrumptious promoting merchandise in use right here.” The display screen confirmed a inventory photograph of a person holding a “sandwich board”—the right reply. However as an alternative of a lunch particular, the board (under) learn, “What’s a Hoe?”
This playful jab referenced Jennings’ notorious “hoe/rake” mix-up throughout his 74-game successful streak in 2004. Jennings was laughing as he known as on DeSena, who accurately answered, “Sandwich board?” Jennings collected himself and replied, “Right; that sandwich board is giving me flashbacks.” The participant and viewers burst out laughing.
In the meantime, DeSena was no joke gameplay-wise, and by the top of the spherical, he led with $9,200, Marcus had $2,600, and Spencer $2,000. Jennings remarked: “Joey’s bought an enormous lead.”
In Double Jeopardy!, DeSena continued to placed on a clinic, discovering and acing each Day by day Doubles back-to-back. He added $3,200 on the “NO. 1 BESTSELLER THAT YEAR” in search of “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” However he solely wager $1000 on the “MEXICAN STATE CAPITALS” clue regardless of a large lead. So whereas he knew it was “Yucitan,” he didn’t fairly put the sport away. Going into Closing Jeopardy, he led at $18,200, Spencer at a good $9,400, Marcus proper behind at $8,000.
The “nineteenth CENTURY AMERICA” clue was, “It induced wealthy amusement that the identify of this President, whose spouse didn’t permit dancing, was just like that of a dance. It was a triple-stumper as nobody got here up with the right response of “Polk.” As Jennings defined, “Polk couldn’t polka.” Joey dropped a mere $703 to win and turn into the brand new champ with $17,497.
Followers flooded the Reddit thread for the episode appreciating the present for the sudden however all the time welcome dirt-throwing at Jennings, and envisioning huge issues for the brand new champ after he went 3/3 on the Day by day Doubles.
“Shoutout to the What’s a Hoe sandwich board, the producers will actually take any likelihood to troll Ken with that and I like it!” the highest remark learn.
“That clue simply aired for me and I couldn’t cease laughing,” wrote one other fan.
“Can somebody clarify the joke? I don’t keep in mind it,” wrote a 3rd.
“Legendary response by Ken throughout his run,” wrote a fourth, linking to the YouTube video (under):
“I do know it’s early however I believe Joey may very well be at the very least a 4 day champion,” wrote a fifth within the Reddit thread. “He was dominating for essentially the most half.”
“Each day is completely different from the following,” wrote a fourth arguing it’s too early to name, and pointing to his conservative DD3 wager. “Totally different topics, completely different rivals – except somebody completely demolishes the competitors, it’s fairly tough to learn a lot out of a single recreation. And, FWIW, Joey didn’t notably optimize his DD alternatives – once more, it might have merely been the classes.”
“I’m wondering if there may be going to be a whole lot of dislike for this FJ,” wrote a fifth. I believe it’s enjoyable and a bit of foolish. It’s difficult since you might overlook it even in case you can simply recall the president’s over that interval.
“I bought it however needed to pause, so I might not have gotten it in time, as I used to be going backwards from McKinley and contemplating each first and final names,” wrote a sixth.
“Approach higher than the three musketeers one I believe it was a very good gettable one in 30 seconds actually,” wrote another.
What did you consider the sport? Does Joey DeSena have the makings of a multi-day champ? And did you get the Ken Jennings “hoe/rake” reference? Tell us within the feedback part under!
Jeopardy!, Weekdays, test native listings