Who is appearing on Jeopardy! this week? Details explored

Jeopardy! season 42 saw 27-year-old Harrison Whitaker from Indiana return to play game 61 on Monday, December 1, 2025, hoping to turn his 14-game streak into a milestone 15th win.

However, the episode ended with a disappointing Final Jeopardy! Round that changed everything for Harrison.

The category in the final round was “Postage Stamps,” and the clue read: “A 1959 4-cent stamp depicts an eagle & a maple leaf beneath the name of this project.” The correct response was “What is the St. Lawrence Seaway?”

Only Libby Jones from Davenport, Florida, and Brendan Thomas from Fayetteville, Arkansas, delivered the right answer.

Brendan finished wagering $3,599, bringing his total to $7,199. While Libby wagered $7,601, making her final total $24,801, which crowned her the new champion.

Whitaker, who missed the clue answering “The Ambassador Bridge,” ended his 14-game streak, wagering $13,401, giving him a total of $7,599. 

Here is the lineup for Jeopardy! this week of December

• Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Libby Jones: Recruiter from Davenport, Florida (1-day champion with $24,801)

Anne Martyn: High school English teacher, originally from Los Gatos, California

Eli Selzer: Post-production manager from Los Angeles, California

• Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Returning Champion from the previous day would compete against:

Sarah Murphy: Freelance transcript editor from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Ron Lalonde: Medical physicist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Thursday, December 4, 2025

Returning Champion from the previous day would compete against:

Andy Luo: Student success coach, originally from Johns Creek, Georgia

Marie D'Avignon: VP of operations from Durham, North Carolina

• Friday, December 5, 2025

Returning Champion from the previous day would compete against:

Youssef Shareef: Cashier, originally from Houston, Texas

Margaret Dunlap: Writer from Burbank, California

Libby Jones, who became the new Jeopardy! champion wagered $7,601, making her final total $24,801. Her brother Evan spoke about her win on Reddit, saying that he is incredibly proud of her and cannot wait to rewatch the show at night, adding:

"Libby is my sister! We had both been trying to get on the show for years, and by sheer luck, I wound up getting the call first. She was in the tape day audience for my games, and from the moment I walked off the stage, I had been looking forward to when I could return the favor for her. Luckily, that day came only a year and some change later! (And I can confirm that watching a loved one play Jeopardy! is just as nerve-wracking as actually being the one to play.)"

Libby Jones, a recruiter from Davenport, Florida, who made her Jeopardy! Debut currently works as a staff recruiter for engineering internships at Tesla, overseeing intern hiring across multiple locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Her job focuses on developing early-career talent and supporting the company’s next generation of engineers.

Libby spent more than a decade at Walt Disney World in roles spanning guest services, training, and campus recruiting before joining Tesla in 2020.

She later worked in recruitment at Hilton and Wilson HCG, building a long track record in hospitality and corporate talent acquisition.

Libby earned her bachelor's degree in public relations from Miami University and has been a longtime volunteer with Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation, supporting efforts to fight childhood hunger in Central Florida.

Recognized with awards from Disney and Hilton, she brings strong experience in leadership, onboarding, and talent development, which definitely helped her to Jeopardy! stage.

Stay tuned for more updates.