Today’s Final Jeopardy Answer, September 11, 2025, Thursday

Today's Final Jeopardy clue for Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Jeopardy! (Season 42, Game 4) is included in the category "Today Spelling Counts." The question asked about the winning word at the first Scripps National Spelling Bee, a plant and genus with sword-shaped leaves that is now featured on the trophy. 

In Merv Griffin's Jeopardy!, contestants are given general knowledge clues in the form of answers and must answer them as questions. Starting in 1964, Alex Trebek hosted it for over 30 years, making it famous. Jeopardy!, a staple of American television, is in its 42nd season, challenging contestants on history, pop culture, and more.

The answer, "What is gladiolus?" refers to a flower that symbolizes strength. It has the sword-shaped leaves reminiscent of the gladius sword used by Roman soldiers. The gladiolus was chosen for the clue to signify the Scripps National Spelling Bee's history.

A glimpse of Jeopardy! episode highlights from September 11, 2025, Thursday

Jeopardy Round

The contestants in today's Jeopardy round had to answer questions about a lot of different things. There were a lot of different categories, from science to literature. The atmosphere stayed competitive, and all three contestants showed off their impressive general knowledge. The contestants had to think carefully about each clue, and they quickly answered, showing how quickly they could remember things.

Double Jeopardy Round

As the game progressed into the Double Jeopardy round, the stakes were raised. The questions were more difficult. These were meant to look through contestants' knowledge across various subjects. The intensity increased as the contestants wagered higher amounts, leading to a closely contested round.

Final Jeopardy Round answer

For the Final Jeopardy round in the category, Today Spelling Counts.

So what was the clue?

It reads: The winning word at the first Scripps National Spelling Bee was this, a plant & genus with sword-shaped leaves now on the trophy.

Right response was: What is gladiolus?
 

This plant genus is recognized for its sword-shaped leaves, resembling the gladius sword of Roman foot soldiers. The gladiolus is also known for its role as the winning word in the first Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1925. The gladiolus flower continues to be immortalized on the Scripps Cup trophy.

Contestant Profiles from today's Jeopardy! episode

Andy Miller
Nashville math professor Andy Miller had high hopes for today's game. He would face Paolo Pasco, the champion, and Jill Frechette, a research data analyst. Andy was a strong contender and quickly adjusted to Jeopardy's format due to his math background. Despite the tough competition, his calmness and analysis kept him performing throughout the game.

Jill Frechette
Research data analyst, Jill Frechette from West Boylston, Massachusetts, walked into Jeopardy with an incisive intellect and a plan. Her skill at analyzing data helped her quickly figure out what the clues meant, which kept her in the game the whole time. Both Andy Miller and the current champion gave Jill a lot of trouble, but she was able to remain concentrated and accurate when she needed to.

Paolo Pasco
Paolo Pasco is a puzzle writer from San Diego, California. The returning champion entered the game with a one-day total of $20,001 following the puzzle-solving skills and quick thinking in the previous episode. His previous win gave him the momentum, and he continued to stay ahead in the competition, applying his puzzle-solving techniques to the various Jeopardy categories.

The contestants on today's Jeopardy are getting competitive, so viewers will have to wait and see who wins. The Final Jeopardy question was a thrilling reference to the history of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and it made the audience want to know how the game would end. 

Jeopardy! episodes are available to stream on Hulu, Peacock, and Crave.