The “Jeopardy!” Champions Wildcard competition has begun, and among the veterans of the show who will return to try and snag a spot in the 2024 Tournament of Champions is Mira Hayward, a podcaster from Portland.
(No antenna or cable? You can stream “Jeopardy!” on Sling TV.)
While some “Jeopardy!” fans have grown weary with what has been several months’ worth of “Second Chance” and “Wildcard” tournaments, viewers will have to wait a while longer for regular “Jeopardy!” games to begin.
The reason why “Jeopardy!” delayed its Tournament of Champions and has been bringing back former players to compete in “Second Chance” and “Wildcard” tournaments, goes back to the writers’ strike, which paused production on several series with staff writers who were members of the Writers Guild of America.
With writers on strike, a decision was made to use clues that were recycled from previous seasons. After some “Jeopardy!” big winners said they wouldn’t return for the Tournament of Champions with the writers’ strike continuing, “Jeopardy!” pivoted, and in Season 40, has offered viewers week after week of “Second Chance” and “Wildcard” games, featuring players who were competing to win spots in the 2024 Tournament of Champions.
Related: ‘Jeopardy’: When will 2024 ‘Second Chance’ episodes end, and the ‘Tournament of Champions start?
The writers’ strike lasted from early May through Sept. 27, 2023.
The “Champions Wildcard” competition, which began on Jan. 16, features 50 players from the past season who won one or two games in Season 39 and are vying for one of two $100,000 grand prizes and one of the final two spots in the 2024 Tournament of Champions.
Among the competitors is Mira Hayward, who first appeared on “Jeopardy!” in February 2023. Hayward, who is the daughter of Oregon state senator Elizabeth Steiner, made an impression not only by her play -- she won two games -- but by her amusing anecdotes. In her chats with host Ken Jennings, Hayward recalled appearing on a Portland-filmed episode of “Antiques Roadshow” when she was a child, and revealing that “Jeopardy!’ wasn’t her first contest victory.
“You may also recognize me from the Fred Meyer Northwest Regional Cute Baby Contest of 1995,” she said.
Hayward isn’t scheduled to appear in the “Champions Wildcard” games until Monday, Feb. 5.
Here’s the schedule for the “Champions Wildcard” rounds.
Champions Wildcard Group 1 (Airing Tues., Jan. 16 – Fri., Feb. 2)
Tues., Jan. 16: Quarterfinal 1
Sharon Stone, an early childhood intervention manager from Round Rock, Texas
Katie Palumbo, a museum membership specialist from Amawalk, N.Y.
Andy Tirrell, a political science and international relations professor from San Diego, Calif.
Weds., Jan. 17: Quarterfinal 2
Juveria Zaheer, a psychiatrist from Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Devin Lohman, an architectural designer and Masters student from Peachtree City, Ga.
Patti Palmer, a retired teacher and bookseller from Tulsa, Okla.
Thurs., Jan. 18: Quarterfinal 3
Kendra Westerhaus, a licensed psychologist from Pocatello, Id.
Martha Bath, a retired CPA from Seattle, Wash.
Nik Berry, a social studies teacher from Baltimore, Md.
Fri., Jan. 19: Quarterfinal 4
Bryan White, a senior regulatory compliance analyst originally from Santa Maria, Calif.
Erin Portman, a high school English teacher from Naperville, Ill.
Rachel Clark, a director of client strategy from Washington, D.C.
Mon., Jan. 22: Quarterfinal 5
Daniel Moore, a contract compliance analyst from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Holly Hassel, an English professor from Calumet, Mich.
Ron Cheung, an economics professor from Lakewood, Ohio
Tues., Jan. 23: Quarterfinal 6
Xanni Brown, a postdoctoral researcher originally from Cincinnati, Ohio
Lynn Di Vito, a retired museum educator from Colorado Springs, Colorado
Robbi Ramirez, a writer from Orlando, Fla.
Weds., Jan. 24: Quarterfinal 7
Lloyd Sy, a professor of American literature originally from Rockford, Ill.
Kelly Barry, a marketing communications manager from Seattle, Wash.
Dillon Hupp, a development director originally from North Little Rock, Ark.
Thurs., Jan. 25: Quarterfinal 8
Connor Sears, a copy editor from Queens, N.Y.
Johanna Stoberock, a fiction writer and adjunct professor from Walla Walla, Wash.
Alec Chao, a management and program analyst from Washington, D.C.
Fri., Jan. 26: Quarterfinal 9
Michael Menkhus, a data analyst from Kansas City, Mo.
Ittai Sopher, a news producer and journalist from New Orleans, La.
Tamara Ghattas, an editor from Chicago, Ill.
Mon., Jan. 29: Semifinal 1
Tues., Jan. 30: Semifinal 2
Weds., Jan. 31: Semifinal 3
Thurs., Feb. 1: Finals Game 1
Fri., Feb. 2: Finals Game 2
Champions Wildcard Group 2 (Airing Mon., Feb. 5 – Thurs., Feb. 22)
Mon., Feb. 5: Quarterfinal 1
Mira Hayward, a podcast host from Portland, Ore.
Jesse Chin, an accounting director from Bayside, N.Y.
Kate Campolieta, a corporate communications specialist from Simsbury, Conn.
Tues., Feb. 6: Quarterfinal 2
Matt Harvey, a healthcare administrator from Providence, R.I.
Crystal Zhao, a tech consultant from Bloomington, Minn.
Deb Bilodeau, a restaurant server from San Francisco, Calif.
Weds., Feb. 7: Quarterfinal 3
Lisa Sriken, a lawyer from New York, N.Y.
Justin White, a director of orchestra personnel from Overland Park, Kansas
Taylor Clagett, a marketing director originally from Chesapeake Beach, Md.
Thurs., Feb. 8: Quarterfinal 4
Suzanne Goldlust, a marketing manager from Reston, Va.
Alex Gordon, a surgical resident from Somers, N.Y.
*Winner of Play-In Game TBD
Fri., Feb. 9: Quarterfinal 5
Emma Hill Kepron, a librarian from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Jesse Matheny, a customer success specialist originally from Huntington, Ind.
Patrick Curran, a consultant from Washington, D.C.
Mon., Feb. 12: Quarterfinal 6
Donna Matturri, a librarian from Columbus, Ohio
Dan Wohl, a high school history teacher from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Sriram Krishnan, a consultant from Falls Church, Va.
Tues., Feb. 13: Quarterfinal 7
Long Nguyen, a retired engineer from Las Vegas, Nev.
Nicole Rudolph, an associate dean from Willison Park, N.Y.
Kat Jepson, an artist from Roanoke, Va.
Weds., Feb. 14: Quarterfinal 8
Ilhana Redzovic, an investment associate from Chicago, Ill.
Vince Bacani, a risk manager from Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Elliott Kim, a television editor from Los Angeles, Calif.
Thurs., Feb. 15: Quarterfinal 9
Diandra D’Alessio, a technical writer from Montreal, Quebec, Canada
James Tyler, a senior editor from Blandon, Pa.
David Bederman, an attorney from Los Angeles, Calif.
Fri., Feb. 16: Semifinal 1
Mon., Feb. 19: Semifinal 2
Tues., Feb. 20: Semifinal 3
Weds., Feb. 21: Finals Game 1
Thurs., Feb. 22: Finals Game 2
“Jeopardy!” airs at 7 p.m. PT on Portland’s KATU-TV.
— Kristi Turnquist
503-221-8227; [email protected]; @Kristiturnquist
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