Kate Brody won Thursday’s episode of Jeopardy! on April 30, 2026, after three players missed Final Jeopardy in the category Sports & the Movies. Brody, a novelist from Los Angeles, California, finished with $17,599 and will return Friday for another shot at the game.
The clue asked for a 2026 New Year’s Day college football game that featured two team names that are both Gene Hackman movie titles. The correct response was Hoosiers and Crimson Tide, but none of the contestants came up with it. Brody entered Final Jeopardy with $22,000 and wagered $4,401, dropping to $17,599. Greg Shahade, a chess player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered with $13,200, bet $10,000 and finished with $3,200. Derek Kaufman, an attorney from Los Angeles, California, went from $1,400 to $100 after wagering most of his money.
Shahade had arrived as a 3-day champion with a winning streak worth $74,602, but Brody denied him a fourth straight victory. Jeopardy! has been on the air for more than 60 years, and the modern incarnation debuted in 1984. Ken Jennings hosts under the watchful eye of the show, which returns Friday, May 1, 2026, with a new episode.
The result came down to the final clue because all three players missed it, but Brody’s lead entering the round was enough to preserve the win. That sets up a second appearance Friday for the novelist, while Shahade’s run ends after a streak that had already carried him through three wins.