‘Jeopardy!’ Giant-Slayer Richard Nguyen Returns for a High-Stakes Second Game—But Could He Repeat His Stunning Upset, or Did His Incredible Winning Run End Just as Quickly?

‘Jeopardy!’: Giant-Crusher Richard Nguyen Returns For Game Two. Did He Win Again?

'Jeopardy!' contestants (from left) Robyn Masella, Richard Nguyen, and Ben Crockett, on July 1, 2026

Spoiler Alert

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Richard Nguyen took down 12-game Jeopardy! champion Adam Remsen on June 30 during the final clue. Did he win again, or was the giant-crisher a one-and-done champion?

Nguyen, from Placentia, California, entered his second game with a total of $20,801. On July 1, the research attorney played against Robyn Masella, from Corvallis, Oregon, and Ben Crockett, from Laurel, Washington. Warning: Spoilers for the July 1 episode of Jeopardy! ahead!

Nguyen had the lead of $4,000 by the first 15 clues. His opponents were in the red for most of the round until Crockett, a director of data analytics, got two clues right, bringing him to $800.

Nguyen found the Daily Double on clue 16. He wagered $3,000 in “An Operatic Demise.” The clue was “In a Verdi opera, Radamès is condemned to be buried alive, & this heroine joins him in the tomb.”

“Who is Aida?” he answered correctly, despite not knowing a lot about Opera. This brought him to $7,000.

By the end of the round, Nguyen was way ahead with $8,400. Crockett had $2,200. Masella, a victim advocate, was in third place with -$600.

In Double Jeopardy, Masella got back on the board by clue four. On clue five, she found the first DD. She had $600 and wagered the allotted $2,000.

The clue in “Word Origins” read, “This word first appeared on 16th-century Dutch maps has the name of a whirlpool in the Arctic Ocean.” “What is Bermuda?” she answered incorrectly. The correct response was maelstrom, dropping her down to -$1,400.

However, Masela had the chance to redeem herself when she found the last DD on clue seven. She wagered $2,000 in “Film & TV Cameos.” The clue was “Martin Scorsese directed this De Niro film & makes a creepy cameo as a disturbed passenger plotting to harm his wife.”

“What is Throw Momma From the Train?” the contestant wrongly guessed. Masella dropped to -$3,400 since the correct response was Taxi Driver.

Nguyen had a massive lead after answering most of the clues correctly. He ended with $18,000. Crockett had $3,800. Masella ended with -$1,400. Therefore, she could not participate in Final Jeopardy.

The category for Final Jeopardy was “Names In Entertainment.” The clue was “Among his numerous accolades are 3 Tonys, 3 Emmys, 5 Grammys & a 2016 Pulitzer Prize.”

Crockett correctly answered with “Who is Lin-Manuel Miranda?” which was correct. He wagered $2,200, giving him $6,000. Nguyen did not have the right response and wrote “Who is La?” He wagered $2,000, ending him with $16,000.

This gave him a two-day total of $36,801. Nguyen will return on July 2 for his third game.

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Disclaimer: This story is fictional and created for entertainment purposes only. Any names, characters, places, or events are fictitious or used fictitiously. No real person or organization is intended to be portrayed.

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