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[The following post contains MAJOR spoilers for the Tuesday, April 8, episode of Jeopardy!]
Fans of Jeopardy! were left astounded by an episode that featured three incorrect Daily Doubles and numerous moments where contestants fell short of the correct answers. Following a challenging Final Jeopardy round on Monday night, all three players managed to respond accurately to Tuesday’s final clue, but one contestant had such a commanding lead that their win seemed inevitable.
Mike Dawson, hailing from Portland, Oregon, returned for his third appearance as he sought to maintain his title. With a two-day total of $35,600, he faced challenges from Anise K. Strong-Morse of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Joe Lancour from Agawam, Massachusetts.
As the initial half of the game progressed, Lancour, who works as a quality and export compliance manager, emerged as the player with the most correct answers, though his lead was slim. He encountered the first Daily Double but unfortunately lost $1,000 after an incorrect response to a clue regarding a novel by William Golding. The question, which referred to Lord of the Flies, momentarily set him back to second place with a total of $2,000.
By the conclusion of the first round, Dawson, a technology manager, had pulled ahead with $4,800, while Lancour had $3,000. Strong-Morse, a history professor, faced a rough start, finishing with -$1,000 after a mixed response record.
During the Double Jeopardy round, fortunes shifted as both Daily Doubles were also answered incorrectly. Strong-Morse found the first Daily Double but lost $2,500 after failing to answer a clue about inflicting severe injury—a question that would have led to the word “maim.” Meanwhile, Lancour tried to turn things around with the second Daily Double but made a miscalculation in identifying the “Cumberland Road,” losing $6,000 from his total.
As the round concluded, Dawson had amassed a substantial lead with $16,400, while Strong-Morse and Lancour trailed with $2,900 and $1,800, respectively. Miraculously, all three contestants managed to correctly answer the Final Jeopardy clue which referenced Burt Lancaster and Joanne Woodward.
They all submitted “Hollywood Boulevard” in response, with Lancour wagering everything, boosting his total to $3,600, and Strong-Morse finishing at $3,607 after a modest wager. However, Dawson, having secured a correct answer and possessing a major lead, ultimately clinched his third game with a total of $21,400 after wagering $5,000.
With three days of play, Dawson’s total earnings now stand at $57,000, and he is set to continue his quest for victory against a pair of new challengers in the next episode.
Reddit users expressed their surprise at the game’s twists, with comments noting the high number of triple stumpers and incorrect Daily Doubles.
Fans remarked on the challenging nature of the game, with one commenter stating, “Rough game. Ten triple stumpers, 16 wrong responses including all three DDs, and two of the three players had under $3,000 going to FJ. Yikes.” Another echoed this sentiment, pointing out the particularly difficult board the contestants faced.
Source
www.tvinsider.com