Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Jeopardy!' Champ Reveals Wild Connection To 'Final Jeopardy' Clue After Big Win

Ken Jennings; Emily Croke
@Jeopardy/Instagram

Jeopardy! Contestant Emily Croke stunned host Ken Jennings and the audience after revealing she's related to—and even named after—the woman referenced in her game's "Final Jeopardy" clue.

In a dramatic conclusion on last Monday’s Jeopardy!, a contestant revealed a surprising relationship to the final clue's answer. Hailing from Denver, Emily Croke made it to the final write-in portion of the game show with $12,200 in earnings.

In the category of “Collections,” host Ken Jennings read the clue:


“In 1896, the Vassar-educated wife of this man wrote, 'Thousands of dollars may be paid for a copy of Shakespeare.'”

When the thirty seconds were up, contestant Andrew Brigger wagered $0 on his incorrect answer, “Who is Smith?” Brigger, a Social Studies teacher from Roseville, Minnesota, was the returning champion, with $2,000 in winnings.

The next contestant, David Spelman, a marketing strategist from Livingston, New Jersey, guessed, “Who is Rockefeller?” This answer was also incorrect, and David unfortunately wagered $5,601, which left him with $999 to take home.

Leading in first place was Croke, who surprised Jennings with her correct answer, “Who is Folger?” and wagered $1001.

You can watch the stay-at-home mom’s win in the video below:

- YouTubeJeopardy!/YouTube

The connection was revealed afterwards when Croke revealed that she was related to Henry Clay Folger’s wife, Emily Folger.

In a clip shared by the Jeopardy! Instagram account, the shocked Jennings can be heard confirming the familial connection:

“Emily Folger, the one we mentioned in the clue, is the person you, Emily Croke, are named after?”

Happily, Emily nodded and revealed that Emily Folger was indeed her “great-great-great aunt”—and that she was named after her. What a money-making coincidence!

You can watch the after-show clip below:

A brief history lesson for those unfamiliar with the Folger legacy: Born in 1858, Emily Jordan Folger co-founded the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., in 1932 with her husband, Henry Clay Folger. Together, they assembled the largest collection of books, manuscripts, art, and artifacts related to the renowned playwright William Shakespeare.

Emily Folger was also a strong advocate for the involvement of female artists in Shakespeare's works. For example, she helped Californian actress Florence Locke when she performed a lecture on Antony and Cleopatra in the Folger Library's Elizabethan Theatre. Folger died in 1936 at her estate in Long Island.

While Folger's great-great-great-niece won last Monday's tournament, Emily Croke's luck ended on Tuesday when she finished second to Micah Fritz. Fritz, a teacher from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, took home $14,200.

Fans praised—and also questioned—the coincidence.

@bill_lipp/Instagram

@mad_thra5her/Instagram

@strangeandforeignca/Instagram

@alex_goley/Instagram

@ztaknek/Instagram

@shelly_arch/Instagram

@bcaryfk/Instagram

@wiseguise/Instagram

@jesse_meeson/Instagram

@imitationbyjerell/Instagram

@mfbuglio/Instagram

Located on Capitol Hill, the Folger Shakespeare Library is a free and open research collection of Shakespearean works, open daily except Mondays. So, plan your visit to Emily’s great-great-great aunt’s library today!

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Tim Burchett
Al Drago/Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Ripped For Changing Story About Why He Sleeps In His DC Office To Fit Trump Agenda

Tennessee Republican Representative Tim Burchett was criticized for claiming that he "lives" in his office because of crime in Washington, D.C., even though he gave a completely different reason earlier this year to explain how he maintains productivity.

Burchett's remarks came as President Donald Trump federalized the Metropolitan Police and deployed about 800 National Guard troops to the nation’s capital this week while claiming crime in D.C. is "out of control" despite falling crime rates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man smiling at a woman looking down.
woman reading book
Photo by Hello Revival on Unsplash

Women Break Down The Biggest Mistakes Single Men Make When Flirting

It isn't always easy for a single woman to enjoy a night out on her own.

Be it at a bar, in a store, or merely sitting on a park bench, they frequently catch the attention of a single man.

Keep ReadingShow less

Women Reveal The Dumbest Thing They've Witnessed A Man Believe About Women

Men... LISTEN UP!

This is going to be an important life lesson for y'all.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Share The Most Bada** Thing Their Dad Has Ever Done

I grew up without a dad.

I often get a sense of FOMO when I hear dad stories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Actor Kevin Sorbo visits Hallmark's "Home & Family" at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Sorbo gripes about Vikings cheerleaders

American actor and sudden cheerleading morality police Kevin Sorbo appeared to spontaneously combust online when the Minnesota Vikings announced the addition of two male cheerleaders to their 2025 squad.

Born in Mound, Minnesota, Sorbo has long cultivated his brand of brawny, bicep-flexing alpha male heroics—playing Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda, and starring in the 2008 parody Meet the Spartans, where he famously shared an on-screen kiss with Sean Maguire’s King Leonidas.

Keep ReadingShow less