Jeopardy! fans come up with hilarious name for champ’s ‘odd’ buzzer stance as he pulls off second win

JEOPARDY! contestant Will Weiss scored his second runaway win on Wednesday night and even more fan attention for his disarming buzzer tactic.

The technical program manager from Islip, New York, maintained his “unique stance” with his wrists crossed for most of the episode.

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Jeopardy

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Will returned after a runaway win with the same level of gameplay and the same unconventional buzzer style.

He keeps his arms crossed while competing, only unlocking them to chat with host Ken Jennings .

This signaling device style distracted social media, who buzzed in with their thoughts during his second win.

Many Jeopardy! fans compared the method to the song and dance crazy Gangnam Style by K-Pop star Psy – leading to a new nickname.

‘GANGNAM BUZZER STYLE’

“This Jeopardy contestant is tripping me up. I keep thinking he’s about to break out in the Gangnam Style dance,” one X user wrote.

“In the professional buzzer parlance, we call that the ‘Bone-Saw’,” joked another.

“Gangnam style,” echoed a third. “I noticed that too! Very odd.”

“Petition to call Will’s buzzer technique ‘Gangnam Style’,” wrote a fourth.

“Oh dear, Will’s in handcuffs,” wrote another X user. “Perhaps during the break, someone will find the key to Will’s handcuffs.”

Other fans came to the winner’s defense, arguing the method has paid off.

“Oh well,” a Facebook user wrote in a fan group. “Ben Chan held his buzzer close to his chest. The contestants all do what is comfortable. Looks like he may be here awhile.”

“I love when someone takes an innovative but smart approach to buzzing technique,” another fan wrote. “And Will’s crossed wrists is a unique twist on Fritz Holznagel’s advice to provide support to your buzzing arm to prevent your whole arm from moving.”

“I love Will’s intensity. He reminds me of Jeff Goldblum. (Though he should feel free to drop a couple of ahahahas every now and then),” wrote one more.

Jeopardy! Set Secrets

Jeopardy! fans don’t see everything behind the scenes from watching on TV. These hidden set features make the show run smoothly:

• Each podium has a hidden riser so that all contestants appear to be the same height.
• After each clue is read, signal lights go off around the game board, indicating players can buzz in and respond.
• Buzz in too early, and you’re locked out for .25 seconds.
• The podiums have a small white light in the lower left corner, which tells Ken Jennings who goes next.
• Contrary to popular belief, the player with control doesn’t have a buzzer advantage on the next clue.
• To the game board’s left is a scoreboard so the players can see their opponents’ scores.
• All contestants must bring three outfits to the studio, but only the host and returning champion change for the next episode.
• There are wardrobe rules , including restrictions on busy patterns, solid white, purple (like the background), and logos.
• Five episodes are taped in a single day, and sometimes more.
• The categories, players (aside from the returning champion), and Final Jeopardy! for a tape day are all drawn randomly to ensure fairness.
• Female contestants are asked not to wear makeup, which is applied backstage, and don’t wear mascara because of sweat.
• Contestants fill out a questionnaire, and producers select five Q&A topics for the host.
• Host Ken isn’t allowed to interact with the contestants until after the game.
• Players can request to sit in a chair while competing without question.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME RUNDOWN

In Wednesday’s Jeopardy! round, Will got off to an early lead with $4,800, while Ben Gagne-Maynard had $2,000 (missing the Daily Double), and Kristen Robinson $2,000.

In Double Jeopardy!, the remaining two Daily Doubles also went missed and Will achieved his second runaway with $13,600.

Final Jeopardy about “WORLD BORDERS” was, “After Canada & the U.S., these 2 countries share the longest land border at more than 4,700 miles.”

No one came up with “Russia and Kazakhstan” and Will bet $0 to maintain his score and he burst into a grin, giving him a two-day total of $27,600.

After the win, one fan pointed out on Reddit that the Season 41 premiere week has gotten off to a “slow start.”

“Oh man, this season has gotten off to a slow start,” they wrote. “No one has gotten any Daily Doubles or Final Jeopardy’s correct during the last two episodes.”

ALMOST FACED KEN!

During his first win, Will revealed to Ken that he was initially going to compete during the champ-turned-host’s own run.

He said: “Twenty years ago, I qualified and was eligible to be on during the season when you were on your historic run.”

“So, were you waiting for that call, or were you hoping to not get that call?” Ken asked.

“I was,” Will replied. “And thinking about your run, would I have been competitive? I like to think that I would have been competitive, but I don’t know that I would have appreciated the experience the way that I do now.”

Noting he ultimately decided to compete under the host instead of against him, Ken joked: “And now you dont hate me as much!”

“I never hated you, Ken,” Will replied. “It was a healthy and just ‘woah’ level respect.”

‘AWKWARD’ SEASON 41

Jeopardy! is back and buzzing, with Monday marking the premiere of Season 41.

Season 41 will last 11 months and run until Friday, July 25, 2025.

Critics called out the game show ‘s premiere episode for “awkward” clues, one in particular in the “Parenting” category.

The clue was “Is this OK in front of your kids? Ali Wentworth & Heidi Klum have publicly said it is for them & theirs.” – one player guessed, “swearing” and another “going to the bathroom.”

Ken revealed the answer was “nudity” or “being naked in front of one’s kids,” joking he was thankful not to have heard a third guess.

“It was a very weird question. And nothing pinned it to nudity. Can’t believe they asked it,” one fan wrote in the Jeopardy! Reddit thread.

“These are some really badly worded, vague answers. I’m concerned about the writing for the season if this is how it starts,” wrote another.

BIALIK WANTS BACK?

Meanwhile, ex Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik hinted that’s not opposed to returning to the series in a stunning revelation .

Speaking to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, she said: ‘I’m definitely still a fan of the show and very honored that I was nominated for an Emmy for my work there.

“That is something that I got to change my bio, that I was nominated for Jeopardy!

“So, yeah, it’s something I’m still very proud of. And yeah, we’ll see what happens this season.”

With Celebrity Jeopardy! not having named a host for its 2025 season yet, fans certainly will also see what happens.

SEASON 41 SCHEDULE

Overall, significant changes are happening with the schedule this season, and fans aren’t opposed.

Those with “tournament fatigue” can rest easy because Season 41 will emphasize new players .

Unlike the previous season, which was challenged by the WGA strike, Season 41 primarily follows the tried-and-true format.

The season will begin with a chunk of regular-style games of brand-new contestants- not tournaments.

The 2025 Tournament of Champions (preceded by the Second Chance Competition and Champions Wildcard and followed by the JIT ) will be held in winter, midway through Season 41.

In other words, for the first and last blocks of the season, or roughly two-thirds, fans will see fresh faces instead of past players.

Jeopardy! airs weeknights at 7 p.m. Eastern – check your local listings.

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