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Warning: This page contains spoilers for the May 14, 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 Inspired By) for Thursday, May 14, 2026 (Season 42, Game 179):
This 1982 no. 1 hit was inspired by “Splendor in the Grass”, a classic film about the failed expectations of teens Wilma & Bud
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Anne Benjaminson, a foreign service officer originally from New York, New York
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Nishi Kantamneni, a platform engineer originally from Pleasanton, California
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Tristan Williams, a data scientist originally from Lincoln, Nebraska (6-day total: $113,699)
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Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Data scientist Tristan Williams is now a 6-game champion on Jeopardy! thanks to five runaways in six games; he goes for win #6 today against foreign service officer Anne Benjaminson and platform engineer Nishi Kantamneni.
Our big week of Jeopardy!-related games continues as well with One Baddie After Another going for win #4 on the Pop Culture end of things, and semifinal #3 of Celebrity Jeopardy, with tonight’s game featuring Ike Barinholtz, Patton Oswalt, and Mira Sorvino.
(Content continues below)
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Are you going on the show and looking for information about how to bet in Final Jeopardy? Check out my Betting Strategy 101 page. If you want to learn how to bet in two-day finals, check out Betting Strategy 102. In case the show uses a tournament with wild cards in the future, there is also a strategy page for betting in tournament quarterfinals.
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Correct response: What is “Jack & Diane”?
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.)
John Mellencamp (performing as John Cougar when he released the song in 1982) wrote his #1 hit song “Jack & Diane”, about “two American kids growing up in the heartland” after watching the classic movie Splendor in the Grass, as writes “Sound on Sound” and Indiana Public Media. Regardless of his inspiration, though, it was the biggest hit of his 1982 album American Fool, and should be a massively straightforward clue for a significant swath of our viewing audience, who would have heard this clue on classic rock radio thousands of times over the years.
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Game Recap:
Although Anne Benjaminson got off to the best start, Tristan Williams was looking to put some distance between himself and Anne when he found DD2 early on the second board. Unfortunately, a $5,000 incorrect response put him in catch-up mode for most of the round. While it wasn’t a runaway, Tristan did lead entering Final thanks to the help of DD3.
Final Jeopardy broke Tristan’s way as well, as he was the only player correct, giving him win #7. He’ll go for #8 and a sweep of the taping week tomorrow.
Scores going into Final:
Tristan $12,200
Anne $9,600
Nishi $4,400
Tonight’s results:
Nishi $4,400 – $2,700 = $1,700 (What is idk but thanks for having me!! Shoutout to my fam)
Anne $9,600 – $9,600 = $0 (What is Summer of 6)
Tristan $12,200 + $7,001 = $19,201 (What is Jack & Diane) (7-day total: $132,900)
Game Stats:
Tristan $12,800 Coryat, 19 correct, 5 incorrect, 33.33% in first on buzzer (19/57), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Nishi $4,400 Coryat, 7 correct, 0 incorrect, 10.53% in first on buzzer (6/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 8 rebound opportunities)
Anne $9,600 Coryat, 18 correct, 6 incorrect, 40.35% in first on buzzer (23/57), 0/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $26,800
Tristan Williams, to win:
8 games: 61.388%
9: 37.685%
10: 23.134%
11: 14.201%
12: 8.718%
Avg. streak: 8.590 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Tristan $12,200 Anne $9,600 Nishi $4,400)
Tristan: Standard cover bet is $7,001. (Actual bet: $7,001)
Nishi: You have to bet at least $800 to have any hope of victory. (Actual bet: $2,700)
Anne: Tristan has shown zero signs of being a player who’d do anything other than make a cover bet. Bet less than $799, keep Nishi out of play, and hope for an incorrect response from Tristan. (Actual bet: $9,600)
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