‘Jeopardy!’: Librarian Fulfills Life-Long Dream of Being on Show — Does She Win?

Jeopardy! Question Mark Umbrella

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When a Jeopardy! contestant fulfills their lifelong dream of being on the game show, there’s still the even bigger dream for them to actually win. Librarian Helen Yoas shared the experience of trying out for the show after years of wanting to, but did she win?

Tristan Williams, from Lincoln, Nebraska, had a one-day total of $20,000. For his second game, he played against Yoas, from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Robert Yan, from Huntsville, Indiana.

Yoas told her local Fox affiliate that she has watched Jeopardy! since Art Fleming was the host. However, she didn’t start applying until it became available online because the process “felt  too demanding.”

“Once they made the tests online, and it became a lot easier to apply, I thought, ‘Well, what the heck? Why not,’” she said. Yoas still had to wait one year before she heard anything back. Yoas did a second audition a few months later and then made it on the show to film her episode on March 10. Warning: Spoilers for the May 7 episode of Jeopardy! ahead.

Although the beginning of the game was rough for everyone, Yoas had the lead with $2,600 by the first 15 clues. Williams, a data scientist, pulled into the lead with $3,000 when he found the Daily Double on clue 26.

He wagered all of his money in “Parenting.” The clue read, “In Diana Baumrind’s 3 parenting styles, the authoritarian one is associated with this 4-word phrase in response to ‘but Daddy, why?'”

“What is ‘Because I said so,'” the new father responded. He doubled up to $6,000.

Williams ended the round with $6,200. Yan, a language expert, was in second place with $3,400. Yoas had $2,200.

Yan found the first DD in Double Jeopardy on clue 18. He pulled into the lead with $11,400 and wagered $3,000.

In “‘M’edicine,” the clue read, “It’s the 7-letter medical term for muscle aches & pains.” “What is myocardia?” he answered incorrectly. The correct response was myalgia, so he dropped down to $8,400, which dropped him to third place, but only by $200.

Williams found the last DD with $12,600 in his bank on clue 22. He wagered $5,000 in “May I Please Have Some Water?” The clue was “From Dutch for ‘salty’, this adjective means water that is more saline than fresh water, but less than sea water.”

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“What is briny?” Williams answered incorrectly. The correct response was brackish, so he dropped down to $7,600, which put him in second place.

Yoas had the lead by the end with $12,600. Both Williams and Yan were tied with $9,200.

“Plays & Playwrights” was the category for Final Jeopardy. The clue read, “The first version of a 1960s play by this man had a slightly different title, ending with ‘Meet King Lear.'”

Two of the contestants had the correct response. Williams answered, “Who is Stoppard?” which was right. He wagered all of his money, giving him $18,400.

Yan also had the correct response. He wagered $3,402, making his final total $12,602. Yoas had the wrong response of “Who is Mamet?” She wagered $5,861, making her total $6,739.

This made Williams a two-day champion, which hasn’t happened since Greg Shahade six games ago. He had a two-day total of $38,400. Williams will return on Friday for game three.