Warning: This page contains spoilers for the September 12, 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 Famous Buildings) for Friday, September 12, 2025 (Season 42, Game 5):
In 1588 a 10th chapel was added to this building to honor a Yurodivy, or “holy fool”, who was canonized that year
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Jeff Freymann, a retired radio producer & part-time composer from Berkeley, California
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Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley, an assistant professor from Waco, Texas
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Paolo Pasco, a puzzle writer originally from San Diego, California (2-day total: $54,197)
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Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
In the decade-plus that I have written for The Jeopardy! Fan, it seems that every great champion has had that one game early in their run where they have just dominated the proceedings. I hope I’m not premature in declaring this, but we may be looking back at yesterday’s game as one of those games after Paolo Pasco picked up 32 correct responses, only missing Final Jeopardy en route to a $34,196 payday. Today, “Papa So Cool” (as Ken anagrammed for us all during yesterday’s opening remarks) goes for victory #3 against Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley and Jeff Freymann.
(Content continues below)
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Correct response: What is Saint Basil’s Cathedral?
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.)
Located in Central Moscow, Saint Basil’s Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, the Cathedral of the Intercession of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or Pokrovsky Cathedral) was built on the direction of Ivan the Terrible. Originally built with 8 chapels around a ninth central chapel, a 10th chapel was built in the late 16th century over the grave of Saint Basil, after whom the entire chapel complex is now named. The cathedral complex is best known worldwide for its nine colorful Onion domes, and is one of the main symbols of the city.
The best way into this one, unless you know the background fact itself, is to realize that “Yurodivy” sounds Russian and then to realize that Saint Basil’s is the major cathedral in Moscow.
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Friday, September 12, 2025 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Where In The World…?; Just One Team; Take A Number In The Bookstore; A How-To Category; Big Piles; Real “O.G.”s)
Paolo demonstrated why you always guess *something* on the Daily Double; his correct response on what was a throwaway guess for him saw him lead after 15 clues. At the first break, your scores were Paolo $4,200 Saralyn $2,800 Jeff $400.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Paolo 6 correct 1 incorrect
Saralyn 4 correct 1 incorrect
Jeff 2 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Jeff had a wedding paid for by Beethoven.
Saralyn once sang mass at the Vatican.
Paolo has had puzzles published in the New York Times.
Both Saralyn and Paolo had good second segments of this one as their battle continued.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Paolo 11 correct 1 incorrect
Saralyn 8 correct 1 incorrect
Jeff 2 correct 2 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Paolo $7,600
Saralyn $4,400
Jeff -$600
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: When In The World…?; Acid Test; Movie Sequels; Non-Geographical Flags; 12-Letter Words; Aria Of Effect)
Paolo picked up 16 correct—and both Daily Doubles—as he cruised to his second runaway in as many days.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Paolo 27 correct 1 incorrect
Jeff 9 correct 2 incorrect
Saralyn 11 correct 2 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Paolo $25,500
Jeff $8,600
Saralyn $6,400
Paolo put the capstone on victory #3 by being the only player correct in Final; he returns Monday to go for win #4!
Tonight’s results:
Saralyn $6,400 – $6,000 = $400 (What is the Hagia Sophia?)
Jeff $8,600 – $1,400 = $7,200 (What was Notre Dame?)
Paolo $25,500 + $44 = $25,544 (What is St. Basil’s Cathedral? <3 T,G,C,J,F,J,J,JLG,M,…) (3-day total: $79,741)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) A HOW-TO CATEGORY $600 (clue #8)
Paolo 2200 +2200 (Saralyn 1600 Jeff -800)
2) ACID TEST $1600 (clue #16)
Paolo 16800 +3400 (Saralyn 6400 Jeff 3000)
3) WHEN IN THE WORLD…? $1600 (clue #19, $8800 left on board)
Paolo 22200 +500 (Saralyn 6400 Jeff 3000)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 122
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Paolo 3 3 4 5 3*
Saralyn 4 2 2
Jeff
DJ! Round:
Paolo 4 5 3 2 3 4 5 3 4* 2 3 4*
Saralyn 3 2 3
Jeff 4 4 5 5
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Paolo 3.53
Jeff 4.50
Saralyn 2.67
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 0 (0.00 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Paolo $23,200 Coryat, 27 correct, 1 incorrect, 43.86% in first on buzzer (25/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Jeff $8,600 Coryat, 9 correct, 2 incorrect, 17.54% in first on buzzer (10/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 2 rebound opportunities)
Saralyn $6,400 Coryat, 11 correct, 2 incorrect, 19.30% in first on buzzer (11/57), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $38,200
Lach Trash: $11,200 (on 13 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $4,600
Lead Changes: 1
Times Tied: 0
Player Statistics:
Paolo Pasco, career statistics:
81 correct, 7 incorrect
5/5 on rebound attempts (on 12 rebound opportunities)
42.11% in first on buzzer (72/171)
6/8 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $11,100)
2/3 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $23,933
Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley, career statistics:
11 correct, 3 incorrect
1/2 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
19.30% in first on buzzer (11/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $6,400
Jeff Freymann, career statistics:
9 correct, 3 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 2 rebound opportunities)
17.54% in first on buzzer (10/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $8,600
Paolo Pasco, to win:
4 games: 67.665%
5: 45.786%
6: 30.981%
7: 20.963%
8: 14.185%
Avg. streak: 5.093 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Paolo $25,500 Jeff $8,600 Saralyn $6,400)
Paolo: Bet no more than $8,299. (Actual bet: $44)
Saralyn: In the battle for second, bet no more than $2,000. (Actual bet: $6,000)
Jeff: Standard cover bet over Saralyn for second is $4,201. (Actual bet: $1,400)
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That was one of the easiest FJs for me for a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays.
Somewhat surprisingly, only one correct answer.
If there were a contestant who had visited St. Petersburg, but not Moscow, e. g. on a Baltic sea cruise, they may have first thought of the similarly-styled multi-onion-domed Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built after the assassination of Alexander II. However, just knowing the year St. Petersburg was founded would have helped to keep searching.
I for one knew that “Yurodivy” was Russian. But that was how far I got with this. Shame on me.
same – I then blanked on St Basil’s which I ‘know’ but couldn’t recall.
Tonight had perhaps one of the greatest moments in Jeopardy history! Ken finally got to correctly answer with “What is a rake?”!!
That was a good inside joke, I enjoyed it as well.
I did realize that “Yurodivy” sounds Russian and thought it likely that the clue referred to a major cathedral in Russia, probably Moscow, but I had never heard of one. From Andy’s description, I am assuming that I have seen Saint Basil’s onion domes many times in pictures of Moscow, never wondering what building they were part of.
I’m not too good with religious sites, so I had no idea here. 0 for 5 to start the new season. 🙁
Retro congrats to Paolo on win #3 and we’ll see if he can get win #4 on Monday.
Have a great weekend everyone! 🙂