The March 3 Jeopardy! game was a nail-biter until the very end. The contestants went back and forth for first place the whole game. The final clue had a shocking result as only one contestant had the right response and won the game.
Noah Hamilton returned to the Alex Trebek stage with a one-day total of $9,990. Did he win his second game?
Hamilton, from Saint Paul, Minnesota, played against Quentin Powers, from Arlington, Virginia, and Monterey Salka, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday. Warning: Spoilers for the March 3 episode of Jeopardy! ahead!
Hamilton, a marketing manager, had $0 when Powers, a returned Peace Corps volunteer, found the Daily Double on clue seven. He had $3,800 in his bank and wagered $1,909.
The clue in “Greece” read, “Lawrence Durrell’s Prospero’s Cell chronicles his life on this island until Axis occupation starting in 1941.”
“What is… Cyprus?” he answered incorrectly. The correct response was Corfu, so he dropped down to $1,891.
However, by the first break, he got back in the lead with $4,691. Hamilton remained in third place with $200. He even got into the negatives during the second half of the round.
Hamilton ended the round with $1,000. Salka, a chef, had $1,400. Powers was in first place with $7,491.
In Double Jeopardy, Hamilton found the first DD on clue one. He wagered the allotted $2,000 in “The Western Hemisphere.” The clue was: “9 North American nations border the Pacific Ocean, including this one the farthest south.” “What is Panama?” he correctly answered, giving him $3,000.
The game show contestant then found the last DD on clue two. He made it a true Daily Double in “Tomb Service.” The clue read, “This writer who chronicled man’s & animals’ battles with nature is under a lava rock in Sonoma County, California.” After a brief hesitation, Hamilton answered, “Who is Jack London?” which was right, giving him $6,000.
On clue nine, Hamilton took the lead with $10,000. Powers had $10,291. The rest of the round had Hamilton and Powers going back and forth for first place.
Hamilton took the lead on the second-to-last clue and ended the round with $12,800. Powers was not far behind with $12,291. Salka was in third place with $5,000.
The category for Final Jeopardy was “20th Century Movie Memorabilia.” The clue read, “In 2025, a pine hardwood prop famously known by this name sold at auction for $14.75 million.”
Salka responded, “What is the Spruce Goose?” which was the wrong answer. She wagered $$,4997, leaving her with $3. Powers’ response of “What is Rosebud?” was correct. He wagered $1,901, making his final total $14,200. Hamilton did not have the right response with “What is the Maltese Falcon?” He wagered $11,783, ending him with $1,017.
Powers will return for game two on Wednesday, March 4.
Jeopardy!, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
