‘Jeopardy!’: Contestant Speaks Out After Incorrect Daily Double Costs Them the Game

In a gripping episode of *Jeopardy!* that aired on March 24, 2025, the stakes were high, and the tension palpable as contestants Josh Weikert, Geraldine Rodriguez, and Mustafa Hameed battled it out for supremacy. However, it was a pivotal Daily Double that left fans buzzing and one contestant reflecting on what could have been.

Josh Weikert, a politics professor from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, returned to the iconic game show with a one-day total of $23,601, eager to secure a second victory. He faced off against Geraldine Rodriguez, an interlibrary loan assistant coordinator from Boca Raton, Florida, and Mustafa Hameed, an attorney from Los Angeles, California. The game began with a challenging category, “The Late 1940s,” which stumped all three contestants on the first two questions.

Weikert found himself in a crucial position when he encountered the first Daily Double. With a bank of $0, he wagered the maximum of $1,000 and answered correctly, identifying “Who is Peter?” in response to a clue about Pope Pius XII. This early success propelled him into the lead, and he continued to dominate the round, ultimately finishing with $6,800, while Hameed trailed closely behind at $5,200 and Rodriguez at $2,200.

The game took a dramatic turn during the Double Jeopardy round. Rodriguez, determined to make a comeback, found the first Daily Double and wagered all her $4,200. Unfortunately, she answered incorrectly, mistaking the clue about deaths in 1664 and 1665 for “What is fire?” instead of the correct answer, “What is the Plague?” This misstep left her with a total of $0, a devastating blow that would haunt her throughout the remainder of the game.

Meanwhile, Weikert found the second Daily Double and wagered $3,000, correctly identifying “What is Yucca?” This brought his total to $16,600, solidifying his lead as the game progressed. Hameed, who had been steadily climbing, received a boost when a judge’s ruling allowed him to claim $4,000 for a correct answer that had initially been deemed incorrect. This brought his total to $17,200, putting him in a competitive position as they approached Final Jeopardy.

The Final Jeopardy category, “Acting Families,” proved to be a nail-biter. Rodriguez answered correctly with “What is Phoenix?” and increased her total to $6,400. Hameed wagered $10,000 and answered “What is Barrymore?” which brought him to $7,200. Weikert, however, faltered, incorrectly responding with “What is Newman?” and wagering $12,601, which left him with a final total of $9,199. Despite the misstep, Weikert emerged as the two-day champion with a total of $32,800.

In the aftermath of the game, fans took to social media to express their thoughts, with many believing that if Rodriguez had answered her Daily Double correctly, she would have clinched the victory. One Reddit user poignantly noted, “Actually a really solid game from all three players, felt quite bad for Geraldine after her DD2 miss, as she would have probably been the winner otherwise.”

Rodriguez herself responded to the fan’s comment, admitting, “Haunted by this tbh.” She further shared her feelings of disappointment, stating, “Anyway, I’m still actively grieving my performance in this episode and have made ‘I tested well twice’ my Serenity Now-esque mantra.” Her candid reflection resonated with many viewers who understood the emotional rollercoaster that comes with competing on such a high-stakes platform.

As *Jeopardy!* continues to captivate audiences with its blend of knowledge, strategy, and human emotion, this episode serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the game. Contestants like Weikert, Rodriguez, and Hameed not only showcase their intellect but also the resilience required to face the pressures of live television.

Fans can look forward to seeing Weikert return to the stage on March 25, where he will face off against two new challengers. As the competition heats up, viewers will undoubtedly be on the edge of their seats, eager to see how the next chapter unfolds in the storied legacy of *Jeopardy!*.

‘Jeopardy!’: Contestant Speaks Out After Incorrect Daily Double

‘Jeopardy!’: Contestant Speaks Out After Incorrect Daily Double Costs Them the Game

Spoiler Alert

Jeopardy.com

[The following post contains MAJOR spoilers for the Monday, March 24, episode of Jeopardy!]

Jeopardy! fans believe that an incorrect Daily Double answer led to a contestant’s loss. The game show contestant spoke out after a fan pointed out her mistake.

Josh Weikert, from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, returned to try and win his second game. He had a one-day total of $23,601. The politics professor played against Geraldine Rodriguez, from Boca Raton, Florida, and Mustafa Hameed, from Los Angeles, California.

The game started off with two triple stumpers in the category “The late 1940s.” However, Weikert had to answer the third question because it was the first Daily Double of the game. With $0 in his bank, he was able to wager up to $1,000, and he did just that. The clue read, “The Vatican said Pope Pius XII was guarding the newly found bones of this man, Pius’ predecessor minus 259 other guys.” “Who is Peter?” Weikert answered correctly, giving him $1,000, and the lead. He then went on to answer most of the questions in the round.

During the interview round, Rodriguez, an interlibrary loan assistant coordinator, revealed that she got to ride the Goodyear blimp, which made host Ken Jennings extremely jealous. Hameed, an attorney, is a big cricket fan and has tried to make it a popular sport in America, but it hasn’t worked out for him yet. In his free time, Weikert revealed that he is also a beer judge.

By the end of the round, Hameed went five for five and caught up to Weikert. They both answered 11 questions correctly. Weikert had answered two incorrectly, but the DD kept him in the lead. He had $6,800 while Hameed had $5,200. Rodriguez answered four correctly and had a total of $2,200.

In Double Jeopardy, Rodriguez gained more money in her bank and was not far behind her opponents. She then found the first DD of the round and made it a true Daily Double by betting all of her $4,200. The clue read, “In 1664 deaths from this one word were 6; In 1665, 68,596.” She answered, “What is fire?” Jennings let her know that it was the “Plague.” She dropped down to $0.

With Weikert currently in the lead, he found the second DD. Out of $13,600, he only wagered $3,000. The clue read, “It’s a genus of succulents, like the Spanish Bayonet or the Joshua Tree.” “What is Yucca?” he answered, moving his bank up to $16,600.

At the end of the round, Hameed was awarded $4,000, due to a call from the judges. In the category “Abbreviations,” the question was “AED is short for this life-saving device.” He answered, “What is an automated electronic defibrillator?” Jennings told him it was wrong and said that it was an “Automated external defibrillator.” However, right before Final Jeopardy, the host said that “Automated electronic defibrillator” is also correct. This brought his total to $17,200. Weikert was still in the lead with $21,800. Rodriguez had $3,200.

The category for Final Jeopardy was “Acting Families.” The clue read, “After leaving a religious group, John & Arlyn Bottom changed their families’ last name to this, to signify a rebirth.” Rodriguez responded correctly with “What is Phoenix?” She wagered $3,200, with a final total of $6,400. Hameed answered with “What is Barrymore?” he wagered $10,000, bringing him to $7,200 to end the game. Weikert got it wrong and wrote, “What is Newman?” He wagered $12,601, which made his final total $9,199 and made him a two-day champion.

Weikert has a two-day total of $32,800. He will face off against two new contestants on Tuesday, March 25.

Reddit users believe that if Rodriguez had gotten her Daily Double correct, she would have won the game.

“Actually a really solid game from all three players, felt quite bad for Geraldine after her DD2 miss, as she would have probably been the winner otherwise. Very tight game between Josh and Mustafa that came down to the final wagers,” one fan said.

Rodriguez replied to the fan and said, “Haunted by this tbh.” She went on to say, “Anyway, I’m still actively grieving my performance in this episode and have made ‘I tested well twice’ my Serenity Now-esque mantra.”

Jeopardy!, weekdays, check local listings