Jeopardy! Contestants Stumble on Final Question in Tough Episode

TUPELO, Mississippi (AP) — In a challenging episode of ‘Jeopardy!’ aired on April 16, all three contestants missed the Final Jeopardy question, leading viewers to deem it exceptionally difficult. Contestant Andrew Hayes, a law student from Tupelo, returned for his sixth game with a five-day total of $117,804, competing against Denise LeBlanc-Bock from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Brenden Monroe from Seattle, Washington.

Before the Final Jeopardy round, Hayes led with $28,800, followed by Monroe with $6,600 and LeBlanc-Bock at $5,200. The Final Jeopardy category was “Places in the American Past,” and the question read, “It’s the building where the Stax Records classic ‘Knock On Wood’ was written, but it’s remembered for other reasons.”

LeBlanc-Bock, an architect, wagered $1,401, but answered incorrectly with “What is Love U <3 Fam,” finishing with $3,799. Monroe, a senior game producer, answered “What is ? Hi Zinnia!” and ended with $2,799 after wagering $3,801. Hayes provided the wrong answer of “What is Ford’s Theatre?” having wagered $8,800, bringing his final total down to $20,000. The correct answer was the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

The question sparked a wave of reactions online, with many fans claiming it was one of the hardest questions in the show’s history. One user shared, “That’s a very hard FJ question, I fear,” while another remarked, “Tough boards tonight followed by a nearly impossible FJ. I don’t know what they were thinking when they wrote this clue.”

As the episode concluded, Hayes prepared for his seventh appearance on April 17, aiming to extend his winning streak against two new contestants.

In the following episode, Hayes faced off against Steven Hoying from Hilliard, Ohio, and Michelle Dolinski from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hoying quickly gained an advantage by answering a Daily Double correctly, increasing his total to $6,000, compared to Hayes’ $4,000.

Throughout the game, Hoying maintained his lead by answering 23 questions correctly during Double Jeopardy, while Hayes could only manage 15 correct responses. The Final Jeopardy question on April 17 read, “This character’s efforts in Africa to end an epidemic killing monkeys inspired Jane Goodall to do something similar.” Both Hoying and Hayes correctly answered “Who is Doctor Dolittle?” but Hoying’s total of $29,403 secured his position as the night’s champion, leaving Hayes with a total of $151,214 from his impressive seven-day run.

Despite the competitive challenge, Hayes remarked on his performance, noting, “It was a great experience. I’ve learned so much from this game.”

Hoying is set to return for his next episode on April 18, looking to continue his momentum against two new challengers.