recaps

Season 36

Today’s Final Jeopardy – December 12, 2019

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Current Champion

Matthew Riggle, career statistics:
47 correct, 6 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
41.23% in first on buzzer (47/114)
3/3 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $7,600)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $21,300

To win:
3 games: 68.027%
4: 46.277%
5: 31.481%
6: 21.415%
7: 14.568%
Avg. streak: 4.128 games.
(Next game: September 14)
(Click Here for Methodology)

Upcoming Encore Presentations

August 12: S42 E98 (January 21, 2026)
August 13: S42 E99 (January 22, 2026)
August 14: S42 E100 (January 23, 2026)
August 15-16: S41 E141 (March 24, 2025)
August 17: S42 E101 (January 26, 2026)
August 18: S42 E105 (January 30, 2026)
August 19: S42 E102 (January 27, 2026)
August 20: S42 E103 (January 28, 2026)
August 21: S42 E104 (January 29, 2026)
August 22-23: S41 E142 (March 25, 2025)
August 24: S42 E106 (February 2, 2026)
August 25: S42 E107 (February 3, 2026)
August 26: S42 E108 (February 4, 2026)
August 27: S42 E109 (February 5, 2026)
August 28: S42 E110 (February 6, 2026)
August 29-30: S41 E143 (March 26, 2025)
(Source: Bell Fibe TV program guide)

All Time Winnings

All Time Jeopardy! Winnings, Regular Play Only:

1. Ken Jennings $2,520,700
2. James Holzhauer $2,462,216
3. Matt Amodio $1,518,601
4. Amy Schneider $1,382,800
5. Jamie Ding $882,605
6. Cris Pannullo $748,286
7. Mattea Roach $560,983
8. Jason Zuffranieri $532,496
9. Scott Riccardi $455,000
10. David Madden $430,400
11. Julia Collins $428,100
12. Matt Jackson $411,612
13. Austin Rogers $411,000
14. Ray Lalonde $386,400
15. Harrison Whitaker $373,999
16. Adriana Harmeyer $349,600
17. Caleb Groen $346,968
18. Adam Remsen $306,415
19. Ryan Long $299,400
20. Arthur Chu $297,200

All Time Jeopardy! Winnings, Including Tournaments (and Consolation Prizes):

1. Brad Rutter $4,968,436
2. Ken Jennings $4,372,700
3. James Holzhauer $3,614,216
4. Matt Amodio $1,964,601
5. Amy Schneider $1,864,800
6. Yogesh Raut $1,098,403
7. Mattea Roach $897,983
8. Jamie Ding $885,605
9. David Madden $785,733
10. Victoria Groce $773,801
11. Cris Pannullo $754,286
12. Roger Craig $706,200
13. Larissa Kelly $671,930
14. Matt Jackson $623,612
15. Jason Zuffranieri $549,496
16. Andrew He $534,365
17. Scott Riccardi $533,000
18. Jerome Vered $499,102
19. Julia Collins $495,767
20. Austin Rogers $493,000
21. Ben Ingram $449,201
22. Paolo Pasco $448,717
23. Adriana Harmeyer $446,600
24. Buzzy Cohen $441,603
25. Juveria Zaheer $441,000

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Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Women Authors) for Thursday, December 12, 2019 (Season 36, Episode 69):

In 1947 she testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee on how the film “Song of Russia” was communist propaganda

(correct response beneath the contestants)

Today’s contestants:

Kim Kindya, a freelance writer and editor from Queens, New York

Kim Kindya on Jeopardy!

Brad Cardwell, a communications manager from Baltimore, Maryland

Brad Cardwell on Jeopardy!

Jennifer Quail, a wine tasting consultant from Dowagiac, Michigan (6-day total: $171,400)

Jennifer Quail on Jeopardy!

Updated daily at around noon Eastern, I have begun an archive of J!6 questions here at The Jeopardy! Fan, as of December 3!

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Correct response: Who is Ayn Rand?

More information about Final Jeopardy:

The 1947 House Un-American Activities Committee led to the blacklisting of a very large number of Hollywood writers deemed unfriendly to capitalism and ruined many of their careers. Among those who testified against these eventually blacklisted writers included Walt Disney and Ayn Rand. In her testimony, Rand focused on Song of Russia, critiquing the film for idealizing life in the Soviet Union and therefore idealizing communism. Today, one’s opinion of Rand is usually dependent on which part of the political spectrum that you most closely identify with.

This also harkens back to a famous Final Jeopardy from October 2017, as Rand’s testimony also aided the FBI’s study in calling It’s A Wonderful Life communist propaganda.

Since Alex Trebek’s diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer, many community members have been raising money. The Jeopardy! Fan Online Store is as well! All proceeds from any “Keep The Faith And We’ll Win” shirt sold will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. To date, over $440 has been raised.)

In order to redesign our merchandise area to serve you better in 2026, all merchandise sales have been temporarily taken offline. Look for a return in late 2026! All previous orders will still be supported.

Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!

Scores going into Final:
Jennifer $24,000
Kim $13,000
Brad $800

Tonight’s results:
Brad $800 – $800 = $0 (Who is Pearl Buck?)
Kim $13,000 – $12,999 = $1 (What is Ethel Rosenberg? E. Roosevelt?)
Jennifer $24,000 + $3,000 = $27,000 (7-day total: $198,400)

Jennifer Quail, today's Jeopardy! winner (for the December 12, 2019 game.)

Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Jennifer $10,000
Brad $2,800
Kim $1,000

Opening break taken after: 15 clues

Daily Double locations:
1) THE PRESIDENT HAD MONEY TROUBLES $400 (7th pick)
Jennifer 1800 +600 (Brad 0 Kim -1400)
2) BIOLOGY $1600 (11th pick)
Kim 5000 +2000 (Jennifer 13600 Brad 2800)
3) BOOK OF THE YEAR $1200 (19th pick)
Kim 10200 +2000 (Jennifer 19200 Brad 2800)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 93

Unplayed clues:
J! round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total $ Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 110 (1.59 per episode average), 1 Daily Double

Game Stats:
Jennifer $23,800 Coryat, 29 correct, 2 incorrect, 47.37% in first on buzzer, 3/3 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
Kim $11,800 Coryat, 20 correct, 6 incorrect, 36.84% in first on buzzer, 2/3 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Brad $800 Coryat, 5 correct, 2 incorrect, 12.28% in first on buzzer, 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $36,400
Lach Trash: $6,800 (on 6 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $10,800

Jennifer Quail, stats to date:
198 correct, 23 incorrect
12/16 on rebound attempts (on 31 rebound opportunities)
47.57% in first on buzzer (186/391)
12/12 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $25,600)
6/7 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $21,657

Jennifer Quail, to win:
8 games: 78.588%
9: 61.761%
10: 48.537%
11: 38.145%
12: 29.977%
Avg. streak: 10.670 games.

Andy’s Thoughts:

  • At $198,400, Jennifer moves to #15 all time in terms of regular play winning, passing Ben Ingram, Greg Seroka, Jared Hall, and Tom Walsh. Joon Pahk sits 14th ($199,000).
  • Jennifer joins Julia Collins (20) and Stephanie Jass (7) as the only women to win at least seven regular games of Jeopardy!.

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