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Jeopardy!’s resident Episcopal priest, Kevin Laskowski, completed a holy trinity of wins on Wednesday, November 27. His third victory was anything but smooth, with a crucial Daily Double setback (and questionable Bible misses and a Biology fail from all three players) culminating in a nail-biting finish.
Laskowski, who hails from Falls Church, Virginia, once more boasted his clerical collar to compete, along with a two-day total of $39,400. He faced Julia Schan, a stay-at-home mom from Pleasanton, California, and Drew Wheeler, a high school social studies teacher from Athens, Georgia.
In the Jeopardy! round, Laskowski, who shared that he’s a Project Runway fan, finished in second place with $3,400. Wheeler got the first Daily Double but surprised fans by only wagering $500, which gave him a narrow lead of $3,500, while Schan trailed with $1,600.
In Double Jeopardy!, things hit a snag for Laskowksi when he found the second Daily Double having just retaken the lead with $7,800. He opted to wager $3,000 on the “‘E’ Books” clue, which read, “This nonfiction Pulitzer winner is subtitled ‘Poverty and Profit in the American City’.” He drew a complete blank saying “No idea.” Ken Jennings replied, “Ah, that’s a shame” revealing the answer was “Evicted.” The tough blow dropped him to third place. There was also a “Biology” category gone awry with no one knowing a clue was seeking “placenta” (below).
With all three players suddenly neck and neck, Schan found the last Daily Double dropping just $1,000 unable to get the “4-Syllable Words” clue as “Perimeter.” She came out on top going into Final Jeopardy with $8,600, and Laskowski made a late play getting the last $2,000 clue to finish in second with $6,800, Wheeler with $6,300. “Very tight as we head into Final Jeopardy,” Jennings remarked.
It all hinged on the “State Songs” clue which was, “Its 15 official state songs include 2 that mention moonshine and 3 played in 3/4 time.”
Laskowski and Wheeler were correct with “Tennessee.” This meant that the champ’s getting himself back into second place was crucial, and he seized victory with $13,599 for a three-day total of $52,999.
Fans flooded the Reddit thread for the episode, celebrating the champ’s narrow win which likely would not have come if Wheeler had gone all-in on his Daily Double, and that “Biology” blunder.
“Ayyy Kevin’s in the TOC let’s go,” one Redditor wrote, since three victories brings an invite to the 2025 Tournament of Champions like last year.
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