Warning: This page contains spoilers for the May 29, 2025, game of Jeopardy! — please do not scroll down if you wish to avoid being spoiled. Please note that the game airs as early as noon Eastern in some U.S. television markets.
Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Phrase Origins) for Thursday, May 29, 2025 (Season 41, Game 189):
An 1845 article called “Annexation” was the first appearance of this 2-word phrase implying inevitability
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Geoff Barnes, an analyst from Washington, D.C.
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Anne LaGatta, a college professor originally from Moorestown, New Jersey
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Thomas Sweeney, a survey technician from Morrow, Ohio (1-day total: $16,401)
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Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Thomas Sweeney is your new Jeopardy! champion after his win yesterday. Today, he faces off against Geoff Barnes and Anne LaGatta.
There’s one thing that I want to mention today: I think that Jeopardy! overall has a problem that is basically impossible to fix: its audience is, on the average, a 21st century American human. And that average viewer has been turned irretrievably in a direction of hatred towards the bogeyman of the month to the point that the best course of action, in my opinion, for both Jeopardy! and any network choosing to air the show is to simply ignore viewers and just put out the program that it wants to put out, before it tries to fruitlessly chase someone who will ultimately never truly love them (that being, in this case, the average American television viewer who ultimately does not have the show’s best interest at heart).
(Content continues below)
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Correct response: What is “manifest destiny”?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2025 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
In the mid-1840s, when Americans were trying to expand its territory, expansionists were trying to justify their actions by referring to the concept of “manifest destiny”—specifically, the article stated it was “our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.” The idea of expansionism led to the both a boundary dispute with the United Kingdom in Oregon as well as the Mexican-American War—and has certainly reappeared over the last five months with the idea of annexing Canada.
Annexation? As a Canadian, yuck. (Canada will never be the 51st state. Elbows up.)
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Thursday, May 29, 2025 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Mortal Matters; Fruit; Words Found In Juicy By Biggie; Ghosting; The Great Squall; Of China)
Geoff got off to a hot start and then found the Daily Double—at the break, he had a big lead with $7,200. Anne had $2,000 and Thomas $400.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Geoff 6 correct 0 incorrect
Anne 4 correct 1 incorrect
Thomas 1 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Geoff wants to compete on the Great British Bake-Off.
Anne has won at least five raffles in her lifetime.
Thomas has been an assistant coach for his alma mater’s quiz bowl team.
All three players played well as Geoff continued to lead after 30 clues.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Geoff 8 correct 0 incorrect
Anne 9 correct 1 incorrect
Thomas 5 correct 1 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Geoff $8,400
Anne $4,000
Thomas $3,000
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Leading From The Front; On The Map; Religious Structures; Blended Words; Celebrity Women; Uh Oh, Here Comes “A.I.”)
Thomas had a brief moment of hope when he doubled up through DD2. However, Geoff got DD3 correct for $3,000, and while Anne went on a brief run to come close to breaking Geoff’s runaway, Geoff had things locked up going into the game’s last clue.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Geoff 20 correct 1 incorrect
Anne 17 correct 2 incorrect
Thomas 9 correct 4 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 30 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Geoff $23,000
Anne $9,600
Thomas $4,800
Geoff put an exclamation point on this one with a correct response; he’ll defend his title tomorrow!
Tonight’s results:
Thomas $4,800 – $4,800 = $0 (What is ?)
Anne $9,600 – $9,599 = $1 (What is a lost cause?)
Geoff $23,000 + $1,000 = $24,000 (What is manifest destiny?) (1-day total: $24,000)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) OF CHINA $600 (clue #12)
Geoff 3600 +3600 (Thomas 400 Anne -200)
2) LEADING FROM THE FRONT $1600 (clue #11)
Thomas 3000 +3000 (Anne 4800 Geoff 11200)
3) UH OH, HERE COMES “A.I.” $1600 (clue #14, $15200 left on board)
Geoff 12800 +3000 (Thomas 4800 Anne 4800)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 223
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Thomas 5 4
Anne 4 3 5
Geoff 3 4 4 2 3 2 3*
DJ! Round:
Thomas 5 4 5 4* 3† 4
Anne 3 5
Geoff 2 3 3 4 3 4*
† – selection in same category as Daily Double
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Geoff 3.08
Anne 4.00
Thomas 4.25
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 30 (0.16 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Geoff $18,600 Coryat, 20 correct, 1 incorrect, 33.33% in first on buzzer (19/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Anne $9,600 Coryat, 17 correct, 2 incorrect, 31.58% in first on buzzer (18/57), 0/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Thomas $3,400 Coryat, 9 correct, 4 incorrect, 21.05% in first on buzzer (12/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 2 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $31,600
Lach Trash: $13,000 (on 14 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $9,400
Lead Changes: 0
Times Tied: 0
Player Statistics:
Thomas Sweeney, career statistics:
26 correct, 10 incorrect
0/0 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
28.07% in first on buzzer (32/114)
1/2 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $1,000)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $7,100
Anne LaGatta, career statistics:
17 correct, 3 incorrect
0/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
31.58% in first on buzzer (18/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $9,600
Geoff Barnes, career statistics:
21 correct, 1 incorrect
0/0 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
33.33% in first on buzzer (19/57)
2/2 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $6,600)
1/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $18,600
Geoff Barnes, to win:
2 games: 63.253%
3: 40.009%
4: 25.307%
5: 16.008%
6: 10.125%
Avg. streak: 2.721 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- Today’s game being a runaway game means that no wagering suggestions will be posted.
- Today’s box score will be linked to when posted by the show.
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I forgot to comment this yesterday, but I got DeLorean after about 25 seconds, and got this after about 15. I’ve been on a RUN with Final Jeopardy as of late… maybe tomorrow will mark my second-ever clean sweep of a week? 🤞
Hey MasterDoge!
Congrats on 4/5 and good luck on the clean sweep.
How’d you do on Jeopardy! Masters?
Hi, Rick!
In short… not great. I’ve noticed a major drop in most of my statistics throughout the tournament, and the only Final Jeopardy I’ve actually gotten correct throughout any season of Masters was last week’s Cleveland Final. I figured this would happen, so I can’t be too upset; all it tells me is that I would not be able to keep up with the Masters on-stage… yet 🙂
MasterDoge!
Thanks for the prompt and detailed response.
As far as your participation in Jeopardy! Masters – key word for me is ‘yet’!!!
Oh, wow! This was the only answer I could come up with, but I questioned myself because I thought it had been used much earlier. Glad to get this one!
Yup. I figured it HAD to be Manifest Destiny, but the entire time I was looking for a secondary, because it seemed late.
Hope you paid attention in 10th grade history (for some of these contestants, that wasn’t too long ago).
Didn’t get it. I know that my 7th grade history teacher, Mr. Bailey (RIP) would be very ashamed of me.
I also hadn’t realized that the term had not been intended to sound belligerent – major fail there.
Elbows UP Canada!🇨🇦
Rational people are with you.
The irrational people overlook the fact that (even though it would never happen) Canada would be SEVERAL states, not just one.
That is only one reason that the “annexation of Canada wouldn’t owrk. Can you imagine the reorganization in Congress, and, elsewhere that would be needed if the US were to “annex” Canada?
One nation occupying most of the North American continet quite be a nice idea, but imoratical in this day.
Sure would be one heck of a big state if the whole country was 1 state. And yes, I like Canada just as it is. Our friend to the north “the true north, strong and free”
Not sure if this is the right place to ask. If not, please feel free to delete. How is prize money awarded, when two contestants finished tied for second place? Thanks.
I believe – and I could be wrong here – that the 2nd place prize goes to whoever was leading after Double Jeopardy!. So Anne needlessly risked $1,000 with the $1 bet.
I think you are right about who would get 2nd. But, she didn’t bet $1. She bet “all except $1”, which seems to be an even worse bet than $1. As you say, I think $0 would be the best to ensure 2nd, since she couldn’t win the game on account of the runaway.
I’m happy to get a Final, especially because I cringe when I see a clue relating to the early/mid 1800s.
Sometimes a Final Jeopardy answer/clue seems so simple, the correct response comes to you as soon as the answer/clue is finished being revealed. Today’s Final Jeopardy was one for me, I immediately said “what is ‘manfesr destiny’?”
Exactly the same here. “Manifest Destiny” was a huge topic in U.S. History classes in the mid-20th Century. The fact that only 1 of the 3 youngins in today’s contest got it makes me wonder what’s going on in today’s education system. This was so well-known in the past that I fully expected a Triple Get today.
As for Canada becoming the 51st state or multiple states, have no fear about that at all. Republicans would never allow it because it would mean tons more Democrat Representatives and 2 or more Democrat Senators depending on how many states Canada was divided into. This would throw off the slim majority the Republicans now hold and they would never again be able to achieve a majority. It’s pretty much the same reason, they keep Washington, D.C., and, probably, Puerto Rico from gaining statehood. They can barely get a majority now, adding Canada would make it prohibitive so they just won’t allow it to happen.
The politics involved is another reason the “annexation” of Canada wouldn’t work. Which “major” Canadian party would merge with what US political party? And, there the “minor” Canadian parties? Under the Westminster (British) paraliamentary system. they usual acheive getting seats in the Canadian Parliament. Probably wouldn’t happen in the US system. And, then there’s Quebec. Ottawa traditionally has given it a lot of automomy. Would that continue if the US “annexed” Canada?
Again, I see more obscales, problems from a US “annexation” of Canada, than advantages to either country.
I didn’t understand the category today (May 29) “Words in Juicy by Biggie.” I know there is a rapper nicknamed Biggie but what did juicy have to do with the answers? Usually it means words made out of the letters in “juicy,” but not this time.
That rapper, Biggie, had a song titled “Juicy”.
I was certain what concept the clue was referring to — expansionism, “Winning the West”, etc. — but the two-word term “eminent domain” jumped into my head and held off my being able to recall “manifest destiny” within 30 seconds even though I KNEW “eminent domain” was wrong and that I was SURE that when the correct response came out, I would be saying “that’s what I meant with the m’s and n’s and t’s and d’s!”
Oh no Lisa! The exact same thing here! Identical! 🙁
Retro congrats to Geoff on this win. My comrade in name, but not in spelling. 🙂
Have a great Friday everyone!
That spelling always makes me think of Toys “R” Us.
Yep! Just like their giraffe! 🙂
Robert, that’s such a good point and very reassuring. On another note I am very impressed with Geoff!