Employment advocate Tristan Brown clinched $22,700 in Monday's Jeopardy! match with his Final Jeopardy answer "Pietà." The Richmond, Virginia contestant outperformed returning champion Kelly Gates, who fell to second place with $10,800 after missing the Italian art reference clue.
Portland's Marcus Ghiringhelli rounded out the competition in third with $3,300. Brown converted his $14,600 pre-final lead with an $8,100 wager, while Gates' incorrect "Man" response and $500 bet ended her championship run at one day.
The game's eleventh lead change came during Double Jeopardy when Brown pulled ahead from Gates' mid-round Daily Double success worth $2,500. Ghiringhelli's early True Daily Double victory shaped the first round before Gates secured five straight responses for $5,200, marking the match's initial shift in momentum.
Jeopardy! October 21: Tristan Brown Takes Crown in First Appearance
Jeopardy! The October 21, 2024 episode showcased tight margins from start to finish. Brown entered Final Jeopardy with $14,600, maintaining a lead over Gates at $11,300 and Ghiringhelli at $5,700.
Brown's calculated wager of $8,100 proved decisive when he correctly identified the artistic theme featured by Bellini and Michelangelo. His win percentage for returning games stands at 48.501%, with mathematical odds suggesting an average streak of 1.942 games.
The game's statistical breakdown revealed Brown's 36.84% buzzer success rate, translating to 21 successful rings out of 57 attempts. Gates managed 9 successful buzzer attempts while Ghiringhelli secured 15 throughout the match.
Jeopardy! Round Highlights
The opening Jeopardy! round featured six distinct categories including Iran So Far Away, Lose A Letter, A Pup Quiz, Fashion Defined, Nursery Rhyme Lines, and Great Movie Rom-Drams. Early standings after 15 clues showed Marcus leading with $3,200 from five correct responses and one miss. Kelly Gates maintained second position with $3,000 through four perfect answers, while Tristan held $1,400 with three right and two wrongs.
The round concluded with Kelly moving to first at $5,200, Tristan following at $3,800, and Marcus dropping to third with $3,000. The initial round demonstrated each contestant's strengths, with Kelly maintaining her error-free performance, Marcus showing strong category knowledge, and Tristan building momentum after early setbacks.
Double Jeopardy! round
The second round introduced categories Getting Invested, Nonfiction, Rock & Pop Firsts, Assassins, In Consequential, and Coasting. Three Daily Doubles emerged as pivotal moments.
Marcus claimed the first Daily Double in LOSE A LETTER for $1000, adding $1,200 to his total. His fortune shifted during the second Daily Double in IN CONSEQUENTIAL when a $2,500 wager resulted in a loss.
Kelly seized her opportunity with the third Daily Double in NONFICTION, making a conservative $2,500 wager which paid off. The round demonstrated varied wagering approaches, with contestants managing risk against potential rewards.
Final Jeopardy! Challenge
The concluding round presented a clue in Italian Words & Phrases regarding artwork by Bellini and Michelangelo connected to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Brown's correct response "What is Pietà?" included a personal message "<3 Polly <3 Julie <3 Fam!" Gates answered "Man" and lost $500, while Ghiringhelli abstained from answering and surrendered $2,400.
The final round's outcomes shifted the game's monetary distribution, with Brown's strategic wager securing his victory.
Player Insights
Brown's professional background as a re-entry employment advocate aligned with his measured approach throughout the game. His final statistics showed 18 correct responses against three mistakes, generating an average Coryat score of $14,600.
Gates brought her experience as a Medford librarian and previous championship momentum, maintaining perfect accuracy with 14 correct responses. Her quirky personality emerged during Jeopardy! contestant interviews when she revealed naming her sourdough starter "Ryan Yeastcrest."
Ghiringhelli, representing Portland's music scene as a record store clerk, shared an amusing anecdote about his high school academic team experiences while accumulating 15 correct responses against four misses.
Final standings:
- Tristan Brown - $22,700: Wagered $8,100, 18 corrects, 36.84% final buzzer rate
- Kelly Gates - $10,800: Wagered $500, 14 corrects, 15.79% final buzzer rate
- Marcus Ghiringhelli - $3,300: Wagered $2,400, 15 corrects, 26.32% final buzzer rate
Trending
The match marked the Jeopardy! 31st episode, contributing to a remarkably clean season with only two unplayed clues to date. Players left $15,600 in Lach Trash, representing Triple Stumper opportunities throughout the game.
Brown's victory positioned him with a 48.501% probability of securing a second win when he returns to defend his title on October 22.
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