Jeopardy! aired its Wednesday, November 19, 2025 episode (Season 42, Game 53), bringing another night of intense trivia competition. Harrison Whitaker, a Terre Haute, Indiana researcher and returning champion, was formidable. Before the game, he earned $182,600 in six days. Today's opponents sought to end his dominance on the popular game show.
Tonight's Jeopardy! winner Harrison Whitaker won his seventh straight. Good performance in Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy gave him a comfortable lead. This lead was too big for Josh Chen and Matylda Urbaniak. Whitaker's $25,601 final score made him a seven-day champion with $208,201.
Three competitors fought for the championship. Returning 6-day champion Harrison Whitaker. A stay-at-home dog dad from Arlington, Virginia, Josh Chen, and a Queens law student, Matylda Urbaniak were his opponents. Harrison was considered beatable after his previous game's minor setback. But his 6-for-6 Final Jeopardy record was a plus. Harrison had hit 6-for-11 in his previous Daily Doubles games. Matelda, who speaks six languages, and Josh, a Muay Thai enthusiast, sought out mistakes.
The categories in the Jeopardy round were Greater L.A.: A Cultural Melting Pot, Potpourri, That’s Gotta Be A Myth, The County Line, I Have Friends Everywhere, and &/Or.
All three players started strong. After 15 clues, Josh had $3,400, Harrison $3,200, and Matylda $2,200. Josh and Matylda had no wrong answers at the first break. Harrison missed one reply. Harrison answered wrong on the Daily Double, losing $1,000. Though he missed, Harrison led after 30 clues.
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Harrison began this round well. Josh recovered with a True Daily Double, boosting his score. Harrison bet cautiously on the third Daily Double (DD3). This tentative bet may have been due to his inconsistent Daily Doubles performance this season. Harrison controlled the game despite the cautious bet. Josh tried to reach Final Jeopardy! competitive. Harrison answered clues 26–30 correctly, taking the lead.
Scores going into Final Jeopardy!:
The category for the Final Jeopardy! clue was Movie Characters.
The clue presented to the contestants was: "The novelization of a 1977 movie awarded this character a medal at the end, righting a perceived wrong."
The correct response to the clue was "Who is Chewbacca?".
The original Star Wars film ended with Chewbacca being the only main character without a medal. The ghostwritten film novelization by Alan Dean Foster gave the Wookiee a medal to appease fans.
In the Final Jeopardy! round, none of the three contestants answered correctly. Harrison wrote the right answer but crossed it out before time ran out. Harrison won despite missing the response due to his large lead heading into the final round. This victory makes him a 7-day champion. The next episode will feature his octochamp attempt.
Jeopardy! Round:
Categories: Greater L.A.: A Cultural Melting Pot; Potpourri; That’s Gotta Be A Myth; The County Line; I Have Friends Everywhere; &/Or
Scores after 15 clues:
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Player interviews:
Scores after the Jeopardy! round:
Statistics after the Jeopardy! round:
Double Jeopardy! Round:
Scores after Double Jeopardy!:
Statistics after Double Jeopardy!:
Final Jeopardy! Round:
Scores after Final Jeopardy!:
Harrison is the 7-day champion and will return to compete tomorrow for octochamp status.
Jeopardy! champion Harrison Whitaker defended his title tonight, November 19, 2025. His dominant main-round performance gave him an insurmountable lead. Harrison ran away with the win. His prize money from the show exceeds $200,000. Harrison will try for his eighth win tomorrow to continue his impressive run. Josh Chen and Matylda Urbaniak played well but couldn't match the champion's strategy. Jeopardy! Episodes are available to stream on Hulu.
TOPICS: Jeopardy!