On Friday, January 24, 2025, Mehal Shah won the finale of Jeopardy!. In season 41, episode 100, Mehal excelled in the game and took a strong lead, earning him a place in the Tournament of Champions.
Competing against Drew Goins, a journalist from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and Will Yancey, a lecturer from Banquete, Texas, Mehal maintained accuracy and composure throughout the game, ultimately earning $46,200.
The Final Jeopardy! round, centered on the category Composers, proved to be a challenging Triple Stumper. Despite no contestant providing the correct response to Who is Edvard Grieg?, Mehal's earlier lead ensured his victory.
Jeopardy! episode highlights: January 24, 2025, Friday
Jeopardy round
The episode kicked off with categories such as Places to Visit, In the Earth, and Think Pink. Mehal Shah seized an early advantage by uncovering the Daily Double, which boosted his confidence and set the tone for his performance.
Drew Goins displayed a consistent command of the board, answering eight clues correctly without any errors, which gave him the lead at the end of the round. However, Will Yancey struggled to gain traction, ending the round with a score of -$1,000.
Scores after Jeopardy round:
- Drew: $9,200 (14 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Mehal: $5,400 (9 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Will: $1,200 (6 correct, 2 incorrect)
Double Jeopardy round
The Double Jeopardy round featured categories like Historic States & Territories and '90s No. 1 Hits. Mehal capitalized on his opportunities, particularly by answering Daily Double #3 correctly, which gave him a commanding lead.
Drew, despite his knowledge, missed Daily Double #2, impacting his chance to close the gap with Mehal. Will improved his performance by answering more clues correctly but needed a lot more to escape third place.
Scores after Double Jeopardy round:
- Mehal: $19,000 (19 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Drew: $10,200 (19 correct, 2 incorrect)
- Will: $3,600 (14 correct, 4 incorrect)
Final Jeopardy round
The Final Jeopardy clue in the category Composers was a challenge for all three contestants:
"Troll Hill" is the name of his country home, the grounds of which include a concert hall & a lakeside cabin where he worked.
The correct response, "Who is Edvard Grieg?"
This clue went unanswered by the contestants. Despite the Triple Stumper, Mehal’s strategic gameplay and strong lead ensured his victory.
Final scores:
- Mehal: $46,200
- Drew: $17,600
- Will: $5,600
Contestant profiles
Mehal Shah: Mehal, a software engineer from Seattle, Washington, showed strong focus and a careful way of working. His ability to uncover the Daily Double in both rounds was crucial to his success. Mehal showed his potential for the Tournament of Champions by answering 19 answers right and not a single incorrect in the Double Jeopardy round.
Drew Goin: Drew, representing Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, was a strong player, giving 19 correct answers during the game. However, missing a Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, coupled with Mehal's strong performance, stopped him from catching up.
Will Yancey: Will, a history teacher from Banquete, Texas, got better as the game went on. He came in third place, did a great job, and won $5,600.
Other insights about the show
Jeopardy! is known for its special trivia game that involves knowledge, strategy, and fast thinking. The show has three rounds: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy, with higher risks in each round. Season 41 continues to provide exciting games, and this episode was no different.
Episode summary
Season 41 episode 100 was a high-stakes game featuring strategic gameplay and excellent trivia knowledge. Mehal Shah’s victory solidified his position as a top contender this season, while Drew and Will gave strong performances despite the challenges.
Game recap and tonight's stats on Jeopardy! episode January 24, 2025
Jeopardy! round:
Categories:
- Places To Visit
- In The Earth
- Think Pink
- There Will Be Movie Vengeance
- Time For A Meal Break
- Educational Anagrams
Highlights:
- Mehal hit the Daily Double early, giving him a slight edge in momentum.
- Drew displayed a commanding performance with 8 correct responses and no incorrect ones, taking the lead by the time interviews began.
- Will, unfortunately, struggled, finishing with -$1,000 after the first 15 clues.
Scores after 15 clues:
- Drew: $5,800 (8 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Mehal: $3,800 (5 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Will: -$1,000 (2 correct, 2 incorrect)
Interview segment:
- Mehal expressed gratitude to his parents, wife, trivia team, and sixth-grade social studies teacher.
- Drew gave a shoutout to his fellow competitors and singer Celine Dion.
- Will thanked his sister, extended family, and Jesus.
Performance post-interview:
- Drew maintained his lead with 14 correct answers and zero misses after 30 clues.
- Mehal followed closely with 9 correct answers and no mistakes.
- Will showed slight improvement with 6 correct responses but still had 2 incorrect.
Scores after Jeopardy! Round:
- Drew: $9,200
- Mehal: $5,400
- Will: $1,200
Double Jeopardy! round:
Categories:
- Historic States & Territories
- ’90s No. 1 Hits
- Change The Middle Letter
- Famous Names
- Running
- Like The Dickens
Key moments:
- Drew stumbled on Daily Double #2, which left him vulnerable.
- Mehal answered Daily Double #3 correctly, solidifying his position and securing a significant lead.
- After this decisive moment, Mehal gained a runaway lead, while Drew was locked in for second place.
Statistics:
- Mehal: 19 correct, 0 incorrect
- Drew: 19 correct, 2 incorrect
- Will: 14 correct, 4 incorrect
Scores heading into Final Jeopardy!:
- Mehal: $19,000
- Drew: $10,200
- Will: $3,600
Final Jeopardy!:
- The final clue stumped all three players.
- Despite no correct responses, Mehal’s runaway score ensured his victory and secured his spot in the Tournament of Champions.
Final results:
- Will: $3,600 – $3,600 = $0 + $5,600 = $5,600 ("Who is Wagner?")
- Drew: $10,200 – $10,200 = $0 + $17,600 = $17,600 ("Who is Humperdinck?")
- Mehal: $19,000 – $0 = $19,000 + $27,200 = $46,200 ("Who is Sibelius?")
Summary:
- Winner: Mehal Shah with a total of $46,200 (advancing to the Tournament of Champions).
Noteworthy Stats:
- No unplayed clues, maintaining a clean and complete round.
- Mehal led with flawless accuracy during Double Jeopardy and capitalized on crucial opportunities.
- Drew performed solidly but couldn’t match Mehal’s momentum.
- Will’s efforts fell short, though he still took home $5,600.
In this episode of Jeopardy!, fans enjoyed the exciting game in which Mehal Shah emerged as the winner. He showed his skill and strategy by keeping and holding onto the lead during the game.
Drew and Will made the competition more compelling, turning it into an enjoyable show for the audience. Season 41 is still ongoing, showcasing top trivia competition with episodes like this one.
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