SALT LAKE CITY — Betsy Knudson’s extensive knowledge is continuing to pay off — and in a really big way.

On Thursday night’s “Jeopardy,” the Salt Lake City attorney was up against Diane Esemplare of Riverdale, New Jersey, and Thom Page from Auburn, Maine.

Answering questions about American history, national holidays and the German language, Knudson kicked the game off with a lead that became even stronger when she wagered $1,000 and correctly answered this Daily Double question: “Your knowledge of opera might help with this one: It’s the German word for “bat” (the flying kind).” Knudson responded with “fledermaus” and took an even larger lead.

Esemplare was able to catch up, and at the half, the women were tied for the lead at $5,600 — a $3,200 lead over Page.

Entering the Double Jeopardy round, Page showed a deep knowledge of classical music and started closing in on the gap. But as soon as Knudson landed on her second Daily Double question of the night, the answers seemed to effortlessly flow from her, with her lead substantially increasing.

Going into Final Jeopardy, Knudson had $17,800 — a $5,000 lead over Esemplare, and an $11,300 lead over Page.

The Final Jeopardy category was “Comic Books,” and the question referenced the name of the character created by Len Wein, who learned that the real animal is short, hairy and will attack an enemy ten times its size.

View Comments

It was a question to which only Knudson provided the correct answer: Wolverine.

The attorney wagered $5,001, bringing her game total to $22,801 and her three-day total to a staggering $61,402.

Watch if Knudson will win her fourth game at 6:30 p.m. on KJZZ Salt Lake City.

Email: lottiejohnson@deseretnews.com

Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.