Who won Jeopardy! Tonight? November 26, 2024, Tuesday

Jeopardy! fans tuned in for an exciting Tuesday evening episode on November 26, 2024. As the contestants faced off in the iconic quiz show, the final outcome would ultimately come down to a thrilling Final Jeopardy! question.

In the final moments, Kevin Laskowski emerged victorious, securing his second consecutive win. Kevin’s performance in the game saw him narrowly edge out his competitors, Samantha Altschuler and Ryan Smith, in a dramatic finish. With a correct response in Final Jeopardy!, Kevin’s prize earnings for the day totaled an impressive $24,200, bringing his 2-day total to $39,400.

Jeopardy! has consistently delighted its audience with its smart questions and challenging gameplay. This evening's episode highlighted sharp humor and strategic brilliance.

Jeopardy! episode: Overview of the game

Jeopardy round

The Jeopardy! round of tonight’s episode featured six categories: Queen Victoria, In The Navy, It’s A Fake!, Pigeon Facts & Lore, Movie Amusements, and Not If I “CU” First. After the first 15 clues, Ryan Smith led the board with $4,600, having answered 7 questions correctly and making one incorrect response.

Samantha had a chance to catch up with the Daily Double, but unfortunately, she lost $1,500. By the end of the Jeopardy! round, Ryan led with $6,600, Kevin had $5,000, and Samantha was still in third place with $2,300.

Scores after Jeopardy! round:

Ryan: $6,600
Kevin: $5,000
Samantha: $2,300

Double Jeopardy round

The Double Jeopardy round featured six different categories: U.S. Cities, Poetry, It’s Physics!, They Won Emmys For…, That’s A Fact, and In Tolerable. Ryan Smith made a notable attempt at the Daily Doubles, but he got both of them incorrect, which caused him to fall behind.

At the end of the Double Jeopardy round, Kevin led with $12,200, followed by Samantha at $10,300, and Ryan was in third place with $5,100.

Scores after Double Jeopardy round:

Kevin: $12,200
Samantha: $10,300
Ryan: $5,100

Final Jeopardy round

The Final Jeopardy! category for tonight was Supreme Court Justices. The clue was: Born to immigrant parents, in 1916 he was the first Supreme Court nominee to undergo public Senate confirmation hearings.

The correct response was Louis Brandeis. Kevin Laskowski made a smart wager of $12,000, which was the maximum he could wager, and answered correctly, bringing his final score to $24,200.

Ryan Smith and Samantha Altschuler both provided incorrect responses, resulting in their final scores of $0 and $10,300, respectively.

Final scores:

Kevin: $24,200 (Correct response: Who is Louis Brandeis?)
Samantha: $10,300 (Incorrect response: Who is Scalia?)
Ryan: $0 (Incorrect response: Who is Thurgood Alito?)
Total Earnings for Kevin (2-day total): $39,400

Contestants of the episode

Kevin Laskowski: Kevin went into the episode with confidence after his strong performance in the last game as a returning champion. He worked as a rideshare driver in Washington, D.C., before becoming an Episcopal priest.

This was an interesting part of his past. Because Kevin was consistent on tonight's episode and knew a lot about Supreme Court history, he won a very impressive game.

Ryan Smith: South Pasadena writer Ryan fought for climate change at the World Bank. Ryan did well on Jeopardy's first round! but struggled in Double Jeopardy's second round and couldn't recover. He placed third with $0.00.

Samantha Altschuler: Brooklyn academic dean Samantha started the game well. She struggled in Double Jeopardy, losing big on the Daily Double. She placed second with $10,300 despite her best efforts.

Insights about Jeopardy! and its unique format

Jeopardy! is known for its distinctive quiz format, where contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and they must phrase their responses in the form of a question.

The game is divided into three rounds: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy round. The game is based on quick thinking, vast knowledge, and strategic wagering, especially during the Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy.

The Final Jeopardy round often brings a twist to the competition, as contestants must wager part or all of their earnings before seeing the clue. Tonight, Kevin made a decisive wager that secured his victory, while his opponents fell short in their responses.

Episode stats: November 26, 2024

Jeopardy round

Pre-Game Interviews:

Samantha competed against some of her students in the lead-up to the show.
Ryan works for the climate advocacy arm of the World Bank.
Kevin once worked as a rideshare driver in the D.C. area.

Jeopardy round Statistics:

Ryan: 10 correct, 2 incorrect – $6,600
Kevin: 10 correct, 1 incorrect – $5,000
Samantha: 8 correct, 1 incorrect – $2,300
Daily Double: Samantha lost $1,500 on the Daily Double.

Scores after the Jeopardy round:

Ryan: $6,600
Kevin: $5,000
Samantha: $2,300

Double Jeopardy round statistics:

Categories: U.S. Cities; Poetry; It’s Physics!; They Won Emmys For…; That’s A Fact; In Tolerable
Ryan: 18 correct, 6 incorrect – $5,100
Kevin: 17 correct, 3 incorrect – $12,200
Samantha: 15 correct, 2 incorrect – $10,300

Scores after Double Jeopardy:

Ryan: $5,100
Kevin: $12,200
Samantha: $10,300
Daily Double: Ryan got both Daily Doubles incorrect, dropping to third place.
Kevin got the final two clues correct, moving into the lead.

Final Jeopardy Round:

Ryan: $5,100 – $5,100 = $0 (incorrect response: Who’s Thurgood Alito?)
Samantha: $10,300 – $0 = $10,300 (incorrect response: Who is Scalia?)
Kevin: $12,200 + $12,000 = $24,200 (correct response: Who is Brandeis?)

Total Earnings:

Kevin's 2-day total: $39,400

Tonight’s episode of Jeopardy! was a classic example of how knowledge, strategy, and even the smallest wager can make all the difference. Kevin Laskowski’s correct response in Final Jeopardy propelled him to a well-deserved victory.

Edited by Sreerupa Das