Purdue archivist wins Jeopardy! by a nose to stay alive

Adriana Harmeyer, the Purdue archivist pushing her way up the all-time Jeopardy! winnings leaderboard, looked like she would run away with the game Monday night.

But a smartly dressed communications specialist from Des Moines, Iowa proved a nerve wracking out.

At the end of the opening round, Harmeyer held a $4,200 lead over Ty Patton, who wore a blue plaid suit with a pink tie, and sported a closely manicured beard and round rimmed glasses above it. He said please every time he selected a question.

Harmeyer had built her lead in part from the "Jon Bon Jovi" category in round one. She answered questions about the singer and 20th century rock-n-roll like she was reciting the alphabet. By the middle of the second round she held a $12,200 advantage on her closest competitor.

But Patton showed life, answering two questions correctly before wagering nearly all of his $5,200 in a Daily Double. The question was based on recent events, asking him to name the association which pushed for natural grass on every playing surface in 2024.

Much to his deeply exhaled relief, he said it was the NFL Player's Association, and drew less than $5,000 away from Harmeyer.

There wasn't time for host Ken Jennings to ask all the questions on the board in Double Jeopardy!, and as the call for the end of the round rang out, Patton trailed Harmeyer by less than $3,000 as the game progressed into its final question.

"Born 344 years apart," it read, "they are the two real people mentioned by name in the titles of the 1990s Best Picture Oscar winners."

Stay at home mom Kelsey Kaunisvita Vockrodt, a distant third, answered Schindler (correct) and Smith (not quite). Then it was Patton's turn.

"Who are Shakespeare and Schindler?" his screen read, and as Jennings announced that Patton had risked it all on the question, he made a determined curl of the lip. He was ahead of Harmeyer, the 13-day champ, by $10,599.

Harmeyer went pale even as it was revealed she had the correct answer; that wasn't the point. But as the math of her situation perhaps dawned on her, she smiled. She'd wagered $10,800. All clear, live to fight another day.

The win brought her 14-day tally to $326,000, good for 13th all-time in regular play, per the jeopardyfan.com.

Her next challenge will broadcast on CBS at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the show also streams on Youtube TV.