Warning: This page contains spoilers for the January 28, 2026, 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 20th Century Bigwigs) for Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (Season 42, Game 103):
The subtitle of a 2022 bio of this magnate who died in 1976 is “The meek shall inherit the earth–but not its mineral rights”
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
TJ Fisher, a marketing specialist from San Francisco, California
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Steven Olson, a band director from Princeton, Illinois
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Laura Faddah, a manager from Memphis, Tennessee
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Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Our second semifinal today in the 33rd Tournament of Champions is between Laura Faddah, Steven Olson, and TJ Fisher. After an extremely dominant quarterfinal, Steven Olson finds himself in a great position to make an even deeper run in the event. However, nothing is guaranteed in this game, as any opponent one sees at this stage is guaranteed to be a strong one. Laura won 8 times in the regular season to get a bye to this point, while TJ is still very strong on the signalling device, which does still count for a great deal.
(Content continues below)
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Correct response: Who is J. Paul Getty?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2026 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
Jean Paul Getty (yes, in his case, the J. stands for Jean), was one of the world’s richest oilmen of the 20th century, with one of his famous quotes (the one from today’s clue, as the Gettys tended to get mineral/oil rights) serving as the subtitle of a 2022 biography by Wyn Derbyshire. (Interestingly, there were multiple 2022 biographies published of Getty, with the more famous one being James Reginato’s Growing Up Getty: The Story of America’s Most Unconventional Dynasty.)
(Here is a link to the Derbyshire biography of Getty, whose subtitle is the one in the clue.)
In terms of judging, I am guessing that a response of “John Paul Getty” would be ruled incorrect under the “Berry/Barry Gordy precedent”. Let’s hope the semifinal doesn’t come down to that.
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Game Recap:
Live by the Daily Doubles, die by the Daily Doubles. Steven Olson looked to use the game’s last Daily Double as an attempt to put the game away, but an incorrect response gave TJ Fisher a lead he would not relinquish. Laura Faddah was in a distant third after a Daily Double miss of her own.
While Steven was in contention entering Final, a Triple Stumper took away Steven’s hopes of victory, as TJ Fisher is your second finalist.
Scores going into Final:
TJ $13,800
Steven $8,400
Laura $1,600
Tonight’s results:
Laura $1,600 – $1,599 = $1 (Who is DeBeers?)
Steven $8,400 – $5,404 = $2,996 (Who is De Beers?)
TJ $13,800 – $3,001 = $10,799 (Who is Nestle Du Pont?) (Finalist)
Chances of winning Tournament of Champions:
Scott Riccardi: 52.843%
TJ Fisher: 19.469%
Paolo Pasco: 13.013%
Cameron Berry: 9.337%
Ashley Chan: 5.338%
Andy’s Thoughts:
- I’m sure that a lot of people who are too results-oriented will debate Steven’s Daily Double betting choice. As I always say, Daily Doubles are easier than Final Jeopardy, and so if there is a clue you want to hinge your win chances on, being that a conservative bet on DD3 could have led to TJ coming back to within two-thirds of your score, it’s the Daily Double. It’s the same as with any other sport—Denver going for it last weekend against New England instead of kicking the field goal is an example of how a similar discourse permeates the world of sports.
- Today’s J!6 clues can be found at the monthly archive.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: TJ $13,800 Steven $8,400 Laura $1,600)
Laura: You need a huge overbet from TJ to have a chance. Bet whatever you like. (Actual bet: $1,599)
Steven: Bet at least $2,400 to have any chance of winning. However, you might as well force the cover bet from TJ and go all in. (Actual bet: $5,404)
TJ: Standard cover bet over Steven is $3,001. (Actual bet: $3,001)
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